text:
- Anyhow, today you get a brain dump from me, being September 15th, the middle of the month and all. Can you believe the first official month of Fall is already half-way through? Let's start with that - September symbolizing Fall. I love Fall, as cliche as that sounds, as much as I don't want to sound like all other style bloggers, I love Fall. As an adult especially I have always loved Fall though I liked it as a kid too since it symbolized the start of a new school year and I have always been fond of school and always loved new books and new school supplies. I like Fall not because of pumpkins everywhere (I only truly like salted pumpkin seeds and pumpkin pie), not because every cafe and coffee company tries to come up with new ways to mix coffee and lates, new recipes and new scones, not because of back-to-school sales, not even because of Fall fashion. Don't get me wrong I love Fall fashion: leggings, booties, blanket scarves, jackets, skinny jeans and puffer vests are my jam. But what I mean is that is not the number one reason I love Fall. I love Fall for its natural and unique beauty. Fall is truly a colorful, magnificent season and God was generous when he created Fall or Autumn (I have always called it Autumn when I first learnt English). I love Fall because it is by far the best, most mesmerizing season in all of Michigan. I am so lucky to live and experience Autumn in Michigan. If you ever visit Michigan, make it out here in the Fall, October especially is probably the best month. In a state surrounded by hundreds of lakes, lots of beautiful trees, greenery and flowers everywhere and some of the best apples in the world, you can't not love Fall. As a matter of fact I already made my first trip to one of the apple orchards near by, exactly two weeks ago. I already went apple-picking (and raspberry picking too). Heck, with the fun Fall activities (read: not watching football) even Vivi seems to like Fall.
- But simultaneously I love Fall because of two magic letters: TV. Fall TV is the best. That is when dozens and dozens of new shows get introduced each year - only about half of which make it through. But at the same time it is when your favorite shows return for a new season. And guys, I haven't watched a fictional TV show since the end of "Wentworth" (one of the best shows ever made, in my opinion) almost two months ago. My Summer has been occupied with a variation of "Bachelor in Paradise", "America's Got Talent" (which ended this Wednesday and it was great) and "Big Brother" with the finale next week. So, it has been all reality TV Shows. Last year I started watching 3 brand-new shows "Quantico", "Blindspot" and "Limitless". I liked all three, but I didn't get to finish any of them due to being busy. I have yet to re-watch every episode on Netflix but I plan on doing so these days since the new seasons are starting and I cannot wait for "Quantico" and "Blindspot" in particular. ABC had a golden TV season last season I thought. This year will be no exception with the introduction of three brand-new shows that have peeked my interest to start watching. The #1 I am looking forward to watching is "The Designated Survivor" with Keifer Sutherland which sounds superb. The other two are "Conviction" and "Notorious". I have always loved dramas that mix mystery, murder, politics, conspiracies, the court and the police together. Two other returning favorites for me are "Scandal" and "How to Get Away with Murder". Last but not least the new show "Bull" on CBS with Michael Weatherly sounds phenomenal. There are many court shows out there and there have always been but this one is unique because his character is someone who studies the behaviors of the jurors chosen for each case.
- As far as reality TV, one I have never missed a season of is "Project Runaway", duhh. Well season 15 just started tonight and I loved the first episode. Like most first or early episodes, the first challenge was the unconventional ones. I love getting to see what materials and unique things each designer uses and how they use them to make beautiful garments. I absolutely loved the winning look tonight and you have to see for yourself. Do you watch "Project Runaway"?! Have you ever?! I didn't agree with the judges' other picks for top 3 and bottom 3 though. What I noticed this year is that a lot of designers have very unique, unheard of names lol, some quite strange. Another thing I noticed (and Heidi did too) is that this girl named Jenni has the most unique, most loud, most ridiculous laughter I have even heard. I am not sure it even sounds like human laughter. I am sure her laughter will get very annoying soon. Another reality TV show I hadn't watched in years is "Dancing with the Stars". I had no idea this was season 23 wow! I did catch the first night though and I thought the opening dance act done by the pro dancers, by the Griffith Observatory in LA was phenomenal. One of the most beautiful dances ever done on this show and one of the most beautiful dances and art performances I have ever seen. I am sure you can probably even find the dance on Youtube. I watched it 3 times and loved it. I liked the first episode, eventhough all celebrities are lackluster for me (they usually are in this show) but there were some who could dance. I like Julianne Hough as part of the jury. I am not sure whether I will continue watching this season or no but we will see. I have no idea how and when I can fit all of these shows into my schedule but I plan on watching some now and some later.
- Fall fashion is everywhere. You cannot escape the ads either no matter if you visit Facebook, blogs, Instagram, Pinterest, Google, your e-mail address, you name it. September is also the biggest month of fashion and the moth for New York's Fashion Week. I love fall fashions and fall layers but to tell you the truth there isn't anything in particular that I must own or I must buy right now. There are three items I am looking forward to buying for the colder seasons: cognac riding boots, suede OTK boots and a new great coat but rather than that I don't necessary need or want anything else and that is big coming from me lol. I am even willing to splurge a little (more than usual) on those three because I think I want nice quality items that will withstand tough weather and any other conditions. Everyone that knows me, knows I am a shopaholic, but I had mentioned earlier this month that I was going to have a shop-free September. So far so good. It is already September 15th and I haven't done any shopping. I haven't even gone to any stores, neither have I had the urge or desire to go. And trust me as a shopper, fashion blogger and fashion lover, that can be very, very hard. The million emails I am subscribed too from the stores and boutiques I shop at and also the coupons or booklets I get in the mail almost daily, don't make it easy but I have a ton of clothes and I don't necessarily need a thing. I haven't purchased anything for Vivian either and don't plan on doing so at least until next month. Seeing all of your photos from Fashion Week adds to the difficult decision of not shopping but I know it is the right decision for me and I am very happy with it and sticking to it.
- Last but not least: pumpkin spice latte, I tried it only once 3 or 4 years ago and I didn't care much for it. I don't think pumpkin and coffee mix well. I am willing to try it once more though. Could all the hype be over nothing? LOL
Since today's brain dump was a lot related to TV, I decided to choose some favorite TV Quotes. Hope you like them too.
"On Friday night, I was reading my new book, but my brain got tired, so I decided to watch some television instead."
― Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
"Seeing a murder on television... can help work off one's antagonisms. And if you haven't any antagonisms, the commercials will give you some."
― Alfred Hitchcock
"Americans no longer talk to each other, they entertain each other. They do not exchange ideas, they exchange images. They do not argue with propositions; they argue with good looks, celebrities and comercials."
"If television's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who won't shut up."
― Dorothy Gambrell, Cat and Girl Volume I
"I'm the idiot box. I'm the TV. I'm the all-seeing eye and the world of the cathode ray. I'm the boob tube. I'm the little shrine the family gathers to adore.'
'You're the television? Or someone in the television?'
'The TV's the altar. I'm what people are sacrificing to.'
'What do they sacrifice?' asked Shadow.
'Their time, mostly,' said Lucy. 'Sometimes each other.' She raised two fingers, blew imaginary gunsmoke from the tips. Then she winked, a big old I Love Lucy wink.
'You're a God?' said Shadow.
Lucy smirked, and took a ladylike puff of her cigarette. 'You could say that,' she said."
― Neil Gaiman, American Gods
"People are sheep. TV is the shepherd."
― Jess C. Scott, Literary Heroin (Gluttony): A Twilight Parody
"Encourage your children to read more and watch television less."
― Gordon B. Hinckley
"Difference between TV and the internet was how far you sat from the screen. TV was an 8 foot activity, and you were a consumer. The internet was a 16 inch activity, and you participated. I think the sitting down thing is similar. You're not going to buy an armoir while standing on the subway."
― Seth Godin
"To speak of television as 'neutral' and therefore subject to change is as absurd as speaking of the reform of a technology such as guns."
― Jerry Mander
I agree with these 2 final quotes for today, 100%. They are both so very true!


text:
Itching to Buy a Pet Franchise?
The 2011 Westminster Kennel Club dog show has come to an end (kudos to best in show winner Hickory). For fans left wondering what it's like to work with canines, options abound in franchising. Here are a few to consider:
Zoom Room (www.zoomroomonline.com). Founded in 2007 by Jaime Van Wye, Zoom Room specializes in dog-agility training, which involves weave poles, tunnels, teeter totters and other equipment. The company began franchising in 2009 and to date has sold seven units. No previous dog training experience is required to become a Zoom Room franchisee. The company charges a $35,000 franchise fee. Additional start-up costs range from $95,185 to $171,160, depending on location, which covers three months' rent, operating expenses, initial inventory, utilities, equipment, signage, permits, legal fees, training, travel costs, software, marketing support and more.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|"Stillness", 8x8" Acrylic on Canvas
On the opposite end of the spectrum, I've got a 30x40" canvas on my easel that is a great big mess and I just can't seem to get it to work. Sigh. I'm pretty sure I'm just over-thinking it... I do tend to do that, particularly with the abstract work. With representational stuff I'm pretty confident in my methods, but not so much with this type of piece. I see that as a good thing... stretching and learning and all that... but it can on occasion be pretty frustrating. I'm thinking I'll just set it aside for a few weeks and move on with my Jazz Legends series.
|"Rooted", 8x8" Acrylic on Canvas.
I had been working on this the other way around, with my "roots" being trees. I think it looks much better this way.
I have a 5 day workshop scheduled in August with Steve Rose... I am SO looking forward to it. I'm sure I will come away from that with a load of new ideas. I haven't done an intensive workshop since Artfest in 2012, and that one forever changed the way I work. This is a much smaller group, and much closer to home. It will be different, but I'm sure it will be wonderful. I'll make sure to take lots of pictures. :D


text:
Jason is "Slightly Trendy"
Okay, my Aspie son may not have a job…yet. And he doesn't drive…yet. But, according to this terrific article from i09, one of my favorite futuristic websites, Jason is "slightly trendy." It's a fascinating read and so in line with my upcoming new novel (the title of which is yet again in limbo…the publishers decided against The Boy in the Pool, so stay tuned).
Meanwhile, Jason is reading on his own and attending Institute class and Mission Prep once a week (and we're really grateful to the young men that give him rides home when they can). This weekend we'll probably be shopping for a laptop for him to get used to using for his classes that start in September. He wants a Google Chrome book.
Anyone familiar with those? If so, please comment below, including both pros and cons.


text:
Our final night in Cuba. We had finally gotten to our last casa particular, after 6 hours on a Viazul bus from Trinidad, and not only where we tired, we were starving as well. So with our bags stowed away, my travel buddy and I ventured out into the Varadero night to find an open restaurant and feed.
We considered a nice looking Mexican place, but the prices and the fact that only one table was occupied, kept us walking. We finally settled on a nice pizza place that had a couple of filled tables. We ordered our food (pizza and calamari) and for whatever reason, of all the places we could have sat, I chose an enclosed side room that looked like it was setup for more formal, wine with your meal, dining. This is where this story begins.
My 8-year old travel buddy and I sat at a table for two and directly across from us, on the other side of the room was a table set for three, and overflowing with empty beer cans and a bottle of wine. Seated at the table were (1) an Italian woman in her early 50s, sporting a blond bob, a tight, breast enhancing, black dress and a voice so deep…you really had to consider, she could be a he; (2) an average looking Italian male, probably mid-30s; and (3) a stunning Afro-Cuban girl who was probably 5 feet 11 inches (without heels) and all of 100 lbs (45.4 kg for you metric people).
Why was this scene any different from any other? [Warning – I have never watched a Columbo detective flick, but I can play detective too] I noticed that the man was overtly trying to get the Cuban girl to drink more beer and she, being rather inebriated already, kept pushing the beer can away.Then the conversation would flip from Italian to Spanish then to Italian. In Spanish, the Italian woman would describe different recipes (in a light tone) and in Italian, her baritone would come out as she talked business.
Now I don't speak or understand Italian….I barely speak and understand Spanish (well okay I can get by and be conversant in Spanish) the point is, there was no reason for me to understand any of their conversation but I'll tell you what I did understand:
- The Cuban girl was told she could make up to 4,000 euros a day and the work would not be hard;
- The men she would be dealing with would be a diverse set but there were many Pakistanis, Arabs and some Africans;
- She (the Cuban) should come and commit to working for them.
The Italian man then started to take some pictures of the Cuban, then turned the camera to the Italian woman, who immediately and sternly said, no pictures (of her).
Now I am not a "worldly" woman, in that slimy, underworld sort of way, but I have watched enough TV and movies to have a very active imagination. And given the context and just how everything unfolded … I am pretty sure I was witnessing a young woman being enticed into a global sex/slave trade by shiny lights, fancy talk, and alcohol. If I let my mind run, I could see that they would get her permission to leave Cuba by saying she had an employment contact with an "Italian Firm" as a model, travel agent, etc. Then she would leave the country and it would become impossible to track her down. She would become one of the thousands of beautiful girls out there who are trafficked and enslaved for the express purpose of satisfying someone's deviant sexual desires. THIS IS SO WRONG!
This Afro-Cuban girl was promised a daily wage that would take the average Cuban 20 years to earn. And she…thinking of all the ways that money could improve her situation and that of her family's, is the lamb being led to slaughter. The irony here is that, while many Cubans may (or may not) think that they are really poor and suffering, relative to so many other parts of the world, Cubans are living in paradise. Compared to the average person living in Sierra Leone, India, Thailand, or El Salvador, Cubans have an abundance of everything. Of safety, security, food, education, medical care, great hairdressers and cheap nail salons. No Cuban is homeless or starving or illiterate. But the desire for "more", more stuff, more house, more cloths, more luxury, drives people to make choices that put their lives in peril.
I wish that Cuban girl knew her worth. I wish she knew that "all that glitters is not gold" and that smiling faces do not equate to good intentions. I wish she knew.


text:
How to Write Right
It's 2016; content has long been our despotic monarch and it's no longer news that a person can squeeze a multi-million-dollar film franchise bonanza out of the average PDF – sorry, eBook – they put up on the Kindle store. The age of the self-published writer-blogger-speaker-lifecoach-consultant-social-media-marketing-guru is here. Yet even though it is sort of my dream to become an authorpreneur™, I'm not without misgivings … Continue reading How to Write Right


text:
Finding The Connection: Laetitia Sadier's Favourite Albums
Ben Graham
, August 9th, 2017 08:04
Laetitia Sadier takes Ben Graham on a transformative journey via the power of music, with 13 records from Manchester to Rio De Janeiro, Toulouse to Chicago and beyond
Bertrand Belin- Cap Waller
I discovered his music through a friend in Paris, Armelle Pioline, who used to be in a very good French group called Holden. They were very singular, and quite similar to Stereolab, actually: very poetic. And anyway she had worked with quite a lot of French people and she introduced me to a scene of French musicians that were kind of successful in their field but that I had never really explored. Bertrand Belin had a sort of hit in his own world called 'Hypernuit' and that song really shattered me. It had such depth: it was kind of a ray of light into a deep darkness. It's a little bit spooky, but incredibly poetic and haunting. It's the kind of tune you can't really put your finger on. It's kind of diffused but it creates a beautiful picture with touches of darkness and light. I'm very attracted to this type of songwriting; there's a singularity in the writing that I love very much. For me the hit on this particular album is 'La Mot Juste'. Pretty much everyone who's been through my kitchen I've played this record to, and they've all flashed on it: what's this? They've taken the name and really showed interest. It resonates; there's a deep resonance with the beauty of it. I'm not particularly a big fan of Bertrand's voice, which a lot of people seem to go for, but certainly the songwriting and the lyrics are quite sharp. He's also an author: he writes books. And the production on the record is very beautiful. It's 'La Mot Juste': the just instruments, the just notes, the just amounts of whatever it took. I like that. There's no excess, no fat. It's what it is. I love it.
If you love our features, news and reviews, please support what we do with a one-off or regular donation. Year-on-year, our corporate advertising is down by around 90% - a figure that threatens to sink The Quietus. Hit this link to find out more and keep on Black Sky Thinking.


text:
As mobile games become more sophisticated, gamers are still waiting with bated breath for a gaming-centric tablet. According to The Verge, WikiPad, a company which debuted the WikiPad 3D gaming tablet at CES, has partnered with OnLive competitor Gaikai. The recently announced collaboration means that this mystery tablet, touted as the "world's first gaming tablet," will have cloud gaming if and when it is ever released.
The WikiPad 3D, which runs on Android 4.0, has undergone a few changes since CES. The newly redesigned tablet has been upgraded from an 8-inch display to a generous 10.1 inches with 1080p. It will also swap out the single-core processor for an undisclosed quad-core CPU. The tablet will also gain Wi-Fi and 3G data capability and feature a USB 2.0 port, miniHDMI and microSD. Since it's in the name, it's a pretty safe bet that the tablet will feature some sort of 3D capability.
No word on when and where this tablet will make its debut, but hopefully WikiPad will clear up the mystery soon.


text:
Conctr – an IoT Platform for Managers
Large scale deployments change the way you need to think about product management for IoT.
Home grown and early IoT platforms are hard to wrangle at scale, security was often not a core concern and supporting customers was nearly impossible.
Conctr covers you from design, CM, distribution, sales and support.
With amazing product flexibility and frictionless transition from any existing solution at very low cost, Conctr is an easy switch.
Your product development workflow will be light and fast with Conctr's simple data definition process, easily accessible API's, extensive hardware support and automatic scale, ensuring your team concentrates on the product rather than infrastructure.
Get IoT security baked in, rather than patched on.
Application Enablement
Simplify the mechanics so you can focus on what you do best, your application.
Device Management
We take a "Whole of life cycle" approach to IoT devices.
Data Management
We solve the IoT scale problem.
Under 1,000 total devices
- Great way to try us out on a smaller current or upcoming deployment.
Over 1,000 total devices
- Package includes device deployment as well as device management.
Ordinary IoT devices with setup
- Feature Large application enablement + Data management.
*Small data IoT devices
- *Small data= data throughput of less than 1 megabyte per day.
-Devices with over 1Megabyte of daily data throughput please connect with us for special pricing
The Conctr security team are constantly re-examining current and future vulnerabilities, so we can deliver a product that exceeds privacy and integrity needs. Some of the protocols we use include JSON Web Tokens, salted hashed passwords, segregated data, Granular device and user level access control. For more information about Conctr's protocols please see our documentation.
A simple secure online login gets you access to your console where you can view all the data streams for your devices. Vewing, adding or customizing datat points is all done within your console. You can view your unique IDs for any device allowing for advanced support. Export reports or simply view your site locations online. Conctr is the home for all your current and future IoT devices.


text:
Women know what they want, but need more reproductive health choices
Editor's notes: Eliminating new HIV infections among children is often seen as a useful barometer of the overall success of the health systems as it relates to HIV. Combination prevention approaches that include structural, behavioural and biomedical elements reduce the chance of women becoming HIV-positive. Effective provision of a range of choices of modern contraceptive technology allow women to choose whether and when to have babies. The option B+ approach should ensure that all pregnant women living with HIV are offered lifelong ART, which minimises the chance of mother to child transmission of HIV infection. Continuing ART treatment for life keeps the mother healthy and allows her to support the development of her infant.
New HIV infections in children have declined by 46% since 2010, but there were still an estimated 160 000 new infections in 2016. We know that in many settings the health system barometer is still forecasting plenty of clouds among the bright spells. This month saw a range of papers describing reproductive health choices and HIV, as well as reflections on how option B+ is working, now that it is standard of care.
Contraceptive choices for women at high risk of HIV or living with HIV are complicated. WHO recently reclassified long-acting progestin injections, such as DMPA, for women at high risk of HIV infection as category 2 in the Medical Eligibility for Contraception guidance. Category 2 means that, although the method is generally safe to use, clinical judgment and careful follow up may be required. While the evidence comes from meta-analyses of observational studies, with inherent limitations, there is a reliable association between new HIV infection and the use of injectable progestins. The ongoing randomized ECHO trial will provide higher quality evidence of causality, but results will not be reported until 2019.
Mayhew et al. found that women living with HIV attending clinics in Kenya, were quite clear about their fertility intentions. Many did not want more children, although they acknowledged pressure from partners and others. Stigma around breast-feeding, worries about money and about possible health consequences of pregnancy were all reasons to decide not to have further children. The large majority used various sorts of contraception, but despite this 40% of pregnancies during the study were unintended. The authors felt that the advice given by the clinics was not adequate and that choice of contraceptive method was limited. In particular reliable long-acting methods, both reversible and not, were rarely taken up by the younger women. Overall 16% of women used long-acting methods, and no pregnancies occurred in this group.
Chanda et al. focused on female sex workers in Zambia and found similar results. Almost half the women had had terminations of pregnancies, and 62% of pregnancies were not planned. Interestingly the availability of condoms at their places of work reduced the chances of unwanted pregnancy. Approximately 39% used injectable long-acting contraceptives and only 18% used dual protection with a barrier in addition to a non-barrier method. Less than one-third of the women reported that condoms were available often or always at work, and 23% reported using no contraception. Providing access to condoms for sex workers in the highest transmission areas of countries like Zambia seems such an obvious pre-requisite for HIV programmes that it is extraordinary that in 2017 we still do not manage to do so.
Finally on this theme, Salters et al. demonstrate that contraceptive choice for women living with HIV is not only a challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. The authors followed women in the Canadian HIV Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Cohort Study and showed that 61% of reported pregnancies were unintended. Women with unintended pregnancies tended to be younger, single and born in Canada compared to women with planned pregnancies. To support the second prong of the strategy to eliminate HIV infections in children, we need to improve on the integration between services for sexual and reproductive health and rights and services for women living with HIV.
Once women living with HIV are pregnant, the focus shifts to the third and fourth prong – preventing transmission to the infant and keeping the mother and infant healthy. Option B+ has transformed the approach in most antenatal clinics with high rates of coverage of HIV testing and most women receiving ART during pregnancy. In the One Stop Clinic in Ifakara, Tanzania, Gamell et al. show that almost all pregnant women, who do not already know that they are living with HIV, are offered an HIV test and that 94% accept it. Retesting late in pregnancy is not yet routine, and only 3% were re-tested, of whom one (2%) had seroconverted. Since acute HIV infection has such an important impact on the risk of transmission, re-testing later in pregnancy is now routine in many countries. Coverage is far from complete, so it is not always clear whether the high rates of seroconversion observed reflect a selection bias in choosing women who are at particularly high risk. This is an important area for research if we are to continue to drive down the already low transmission rates. Similarly the authors found that women who slipped through the net and presented in labour, were not always tested and did have a higher prevalence of infection - 5.2% vs. 3.1%. The other significant finding in Ifakara was that, as in many cohort studies, women were happy to take ART during pregnancy to protect their infants, but retention in care thereafter was much less impressive. Of women newly diagnosed with HIV infection during pregnancy, 27% were lost to follow up at the time of the analysis.
Chadambuka et al. used qualitative methods to understand what impact the shift to option B+ has had in their study area in Zimbabwe. Overall, the women interviewed were very positive about treatment. They believed that it was good for their babies and also good for them, making them look healthy and thus avoiding stigma. However, women pointed out that their male partners are not exposed to as much information at the clinic or in the community. As a result, many men are less keen to be tested and sometimes not keen for their partners to be taking medicine despite appearing healthy. As one woman put it: "Very few men are supportive. You have to be strong. The men base their judgment on how healthy you appear to be as you carry yourself around and he also compares to how healthy he feels and opts to delay testing. But delaying only brings further harm. So when those men tell you to stop taking your medication, you need to tell them that they can stop if they want to, whilst you continue with your treatment." Within the power dynamics of many relationships, such a forthright approach may not be easy for all women. So we need continued attention on how to engage men in the process and how to empower women to act as agents of change within their communities.
Fertility intentions and contraceptive practices among clinic-users living with HIV in Kenya: a mixed methods study
Mayhew SH, Colombini M, Kimani JK, Tomlin K, Warren CE; Integra Initiative, Mutemwa R. BMC Public Health. 2017 Jul 5;17(1):626. doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4514-2.
Background: Preventing unwanted pregnancies in Women Living with HIV (WLHIV) is a recognised HIV-prevention strategy. This study explores the fertility intentions and contraceptive practices of WLHIV using services in Kenya.
Methods: Two hundred forty women self-identifying as WLHIV who attended reproductive health services in Kenya were interviewed with a structured questionnaire in 2011; 48 were also interviewed in-depth. STATA SE/13.1, Nvivo 8 and thematic analysis were used.
Results: Seventy one percent participants did not want another child; this was associated with having at least two living children and being the bread-winner. FP use was high (92%) but so were unintended pregnancies (40%) while living with HIV. 56 women reported becoming pregnant "while using FP": all were using condoms or short-term methods. Only 16% participants used effective long-acting reversible contraceptives or permanent methods (LARC-PM). Being older than 25 years and separated, widowed or divorced were significant predictors of long-term method use. Qualitative data revealed strong motivation among WLHIV to plan or prevent pregnancies to avoid negative health consequences. Few participants received good information about contraceptive choices.
Conclusions: WLHIV need better access to FP advice and a wider range of contraceptives including LARC to enable informed choices that will protect their fertility intentions, ensure planned pregnancies and promote safe child-bearing.
Trial registration: Integra is a non-randomised pre-post intervention trial registered with Current Controlled Trials ID: NCT01694862.
Abstract Full-text [free] access
Contraceptive use and unplanned pregnancy among female sex workers in Zambia
Chanda MM, Ortblad KF, Mwale M, Chongo S, Kanchele C, Kamungoma N, Barresi LG, Harling G, Bärnighausen T, Oldenburg CE. Contraception. 2017 Sep;96(3):196-202. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2017.07.003. Epub 2017 Jul 12.
Objectives: Access to reproductive healthcare, including contraceptive services, is an essential component of comprehensive healthcare for female sex workers (FSW). Here, we evaluated the prevalence of and factors associated with contraceptive use, unplanned pregnancy, and pregnancy termination among FSW in three transit towns in Zambia.
Study design: Data arose from the baseline quantitative survey from a randomized controlled trial of HIV self-testing among FSW. Eligible participants were 18 years of age or older, exchanged sex for money or goods at least once in the past month, and were HIV-uninfected or status unknown without recent HIV testing (<3 months). Logistic regression models were used to assess factors associated with contraceptive use and unplanned pregnancy.
Results: Of 946 women eligible for this analysis, 84.1% had been pregnant at least once, and among those 61.6% had an unplanned pregnancy, and 47.7% had a terminated pregnancy. Incarceration was associated with decreased odds of dual contraception use (aOR=0.46, 95% CI 0.32-0.67) and increased odds of unplanned pregnancy (aOR=1.75, 95% CI 1.56-1.97). Condom availability at work was associated with increased odds of using condoms only for contraception (aOR=1.74, 95% CI 1.21-2.51) and decreased odds of unplanned pregnancy (aOR=0.63, 95% CI 0.61-0.64).
Conclusions: FSW in this setting have large unmet reproductive health needs. Structural interventions, such as increasing condom availability in workplaces, may be useful for reducing the burden of unplanned pregnancy.
Abstract Full-text [free] access
Pregnancy incidence and intention after HIV diagnosis among women living with HIV in Canada
Salters K, Loutfy M, de Pokomandy A, Money D, Pick N, Wang L, Jabbari S, Carter A, Webster K, Conway T, Dubuc D, O'Brien N, Proulx-Boucher K, Kaida A; CHIWOS Research Team. PLoS One. 2017 Jul 20;12(7):e0180524. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180524. eCollection 2017.
Background: Pregnancy incidence rates among women living with HIV (WLWH) have increased over time due to longer life expectancy, improved health status, and improved access to and HIV prevention benefits of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). However, it is unclear whether intended or unintended pregnancies are contributing to observed increases.
Methods: We analyzed retrospective data from the Canadian HIV Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Cohort Study (CHIWOS). Kaplan-Meier methods and GEE Poisson models were used to measure cumulative incidence and incidence rate of pregnancy after HIV diagnosis overall, and by pregnancy intention. We used multivariable logistic regression models to examine independent correlates of unintended pregnancy among the most recent/current pregnancy.
Results: Of 1165 WLWH included in this analysis, 278 (23.9%) women reported 492 pregnancies after HIV diagnosis, 60.8% of which were unintended. Unintended pregnancy incidence (24.6 per 1000 women-years (WYs); 95% CI: 21.0, 28.7) was higher than intended pregnancy incidence (16.6 per 1000 WYs; 95% CI: 13.8, 20.1) (Rate Ratio: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.2-1.8). Pregnancy incidence among WLWH who initiated cART before or during pregnancy (29.1 per 1000 WYs with 95% CI: 25.1, 33.8) was higher than among WLWH not on cART during pregnancy (11.9 per 1000 WYs; 95% CI: 9.5, 14.9) (Rate Ratio: 2.4, 95% CI: 2.0-3.0). Women with current or recent unintended pregnancy (vs. intended pregnancy) had higher adjusted odds of being single (AOR: 1.94; 95% CI: 1.10, 3.42), younger at time of conception (AOR: 0.95 per year increase, 95% CI: 0.90, 0.99), and being born in Canada (AOR: 2.76, 95% CI: 1.55, 4.92).
Conclusion: Nearly one-quarter of women reported pregnancy after HIV diagnosis, with 61% of all pregnancies reported as unintended. Integrated HIV and reproductive health care programming is required to better support WLWH to optimize pregnancy planning and outcomes and to prevent unintended pregnancy.
Abstract Full-text [free] access
Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV Option B+ cascade in rural Tanzania: the One Stop Clinic model
Gamell A, Luwanda LB, Kalinjuma AV, Samson L, Ntamatungiro AJ, Weisser M, Gingo W, Tanner M, Hatz C, Letang E, Battegay M; KIULARCO Study Group. PLoS One. 2017 Jul 12;12(7):e0181096. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181096. eCollection 2017.
Background: Strategies to improve the uptake of Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) are needed. We integrated HIV and maternal, newborn and child health services in a One Stop Clinic to improve the PMTCT cascade in a rural Tanzanian setting.
Methods: The One Stop Clinic of Ifakara offers integral care to HIV-infected pregnant women and their families at one single place and time. All pregnant women and HIV-exposed infants attended during the first year of Option B+ implementation (04/2014-03/2015) were included. PMTCT was assessed at the antenatal clinic (ANC), HIV care and labour ward, and compared with the pre-B+ period. We also characterised HIV-infected pregnant women and evaluated the MTCT rate.
Results: 1579 women attended the ANC. Seven (0.4%) were known to be HIV-infected. Of the remainder, 98.5% (1548/1572) were offered an HIV test, 94% (1456/1548) accepted and 38 (2.6%) tested HIV-positive. 51 were re-screened for HIV during late pregnancy and one had seroconverted. The HIV prevalence at the ANC was 3.1% (46/1463). Of the 39 newly diagnosed women, 35 (90%) were linked to care. HIV test was offered to >98% of ANC clients during both the pre- and post-B+ periods. During the post-B+ period, test acceptance (94% versus 90.5%, p<0.0001) and linkage to care (90% versus 26%, p<0.0001) increased. Ten additional women diagnosed outside the ANC were linked to care. 82% (37/45) of these newly-enrolled women started antiretroviral treatment (ART). After a median time of 17 months, 27% (12/45) were lost to follow-up. 79 women under HIV care became pregnant and all received ART. After a median follow-up time of 19 months, 6% (5/79) had been lost. 5727 women delivered at the hospital, 20% (1155/5727) had unknown HIV serostatus. Of these, 30% (345/1155) were tested for HIV, and 18/345 (5.2%) were HIV-positive. Compared to the pre-B+ period more women were tested during labour (30% versus 2.4%, p<0.0001). During the study, the MTCT rate was 2.2%.
Conclusions: The implementation of Option B+ through an integrated service delivery model resulted in universal HIV testing in the ANC, high rates of linkage to care, and MTCT below the elimination threshold. However, HIV testing in late pregnancy and labour, and retention during early ART need to be improved.
Abstract Full-text [free] access
Acceptability of lifelong treatment among HIV-positive pregnant and breastfeeding women (Option B+) in selected health facilities in Zimbabwe: a qualitative study
Chadambuka A, Katirayi L, Muchedzi A, Tumbare E, Musarandega R, Mahomva AI, Woelk G BMC Public Health. 2017 Jul 25;18(1):57. doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4611-2.
Background: Zimbabwe's Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC) adopted 2013 World Health Organization (WHO) prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) guidelines recommending initiation of HIV-positive pregnant and breastfeeding women (PPBW) on lifelong antiretroviral treatment (ART) irrespective of clinical stage (Option B+). Option B+ was officially launched in Zimbabwe in November 2013; however the acceptability of life-long ART and its potential uptake among women was not known.
Methods: A qualitative study was conducted at selected sites in Harare (urban) and Zvimba (rural) to explore Option B+ acceptability; barriers, and facilitators to ART adherence and service uptake. In-depth interviews (IDIs), focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted with PPBW, healthcare providers, and community members. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and translated; data were coded and analyzed in MaxQDA v10.
Results: Forty-three IDIs, 22 FGDs, and five KIIs were conducted. The majority of women accepted lifelong ART. There was however, a fear of commitment to taking lifelong medication because they were afraid of defaulting, especially after cessation of breastfeeding. There was confusion around dosage; and fear of side effects, not having enough food to take drugs, and the lack of opportunities to ask questions in counseling. Participants reported the need for strengthening community sensitization for Option B+. Facilitators included receiving a simplified pill regimen; ability to continue breastfeeding beyond 6 months like HIV-negative women; and partner, community and health worker support. Barriers included distance of health facility, non-disclosure of HIV status, poor male partner support and knowing someone who had negative experience on ART.
Conclusions: This study found that Option B+ is generally accepted among PPBW as a means to strengthen their health and protect their babies. Consistent with previous literature, this study demonstrated the importance of male partner and community support in satisfactory adherence to ART and enhancing counseling techniques. Strengthening community sensitization and male knowledge is critical to encourage women to disclose their HIV status and ensure successful adherence to ART. Targeting and engaging partners of women will remain key determinants to women's acceptance and adherence on ART under Option B+


text:
Extended Hours of Adoration
Please join us in prayer as we pray for our country and our leaders. The Adoration Chapel will be open extended hours from Thursday, November 3, 2016 beginning at 9:15 a.m. through Tuesday, November 8, 2016 at 7:00p.m. Please prayerfully consider making a Holy Hour during that time. To volunteer or for more information, please call (813)962-0191 or (813)373-8661.


text:
Development of a WEB-GIS real-time dynamic landslide risk scenarios procedure – Umbria Region civil protection early warning system, a case study
- Published
- Accepted
- Subject Areas
- Scientific Computing and Simulation, Spatial and Geographic Information Systems
- Keywords
- natural risk, early warning systems, civil protection, Web-Gis DSS, real-time scenarios
- Copyright
- © 2016 Ponziani et al.
- Licence
- This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction and adaptation in any medium and for any purpose provided that it is properly attributed. For attribution, the original author(s), title, publication source (PeerJ Preprints) and either DOI or URL of the article must be cited.
- Cite this article
- 2016. Development of a WEB-GIS real-time dynamic landslide risk scenarios procedure – Umbria Region civil protection early warning system, a case study. PeerJ Preprints 4:e2288v1 https://doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.2288v1
Umbria Region Functional Centre, part of the Umbria Region Civil Protection Dept., since 2009 has developed an experimental, operational early warning system for landslide risk assessment, based on rainfall thresholds, soil moisture evaluation, quantitative precipitation forecasts – QPF, and an open source WebGIS decision support subsystem/platform – DSS. Rainfall thresholds were obtained by the analysis of past landslide events, correlated with their initial soil moisture condition reconstruction: observed and forecasted accumulated rain, together with modeled saturation index, compared with threshold values at different alert levels, lead to the production of early warning indicators, calculated at each point of a 738 grid covering the entire Umbria Region. The evaluation of the indicator grid values, is used on a daily base for the alerting state assessment over the regional territory; but, in order to take full advantage of all the available information layers useful for the hydrogeological risk evaluation, a real time scenario with high spatial resolution was developed too: every time that second-level rainfall thresholds are exceeded, the early warning indicators are used to start a procedure aimed at dynamic, real time risk scenario generation. A Linux API "inotify" waits for changes on warning indicators-thresholds ratio: if overtopping conditions are reached, the risk scenario procedure initiate a "bash" Linux script with all the commands aimed at generating and inserting the resulting geotiff on the web-gis platform. Aimed to the generation of the risk scenario, Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (gdal library) composed by raster and vector utility programs, calculating risk from hazard, susceptibility and vulnerability layers is used. More in detail, a procedure has been developed as follows: Step #1: from early warning indicators (hazard information), a dense interpolated regular grid using inverse distant weight algorithm is used; Step #2: in order to combine time-dependent landslide hazard with space-dependent landslide susceptibility, different types of susceptibility layers are used; final step: Exposed elements/vulnerability information (buildings, infrastructures, etc...) is used, able of leading to the generation of a dynamic, real-time risk scenario. Using the "gdal_calc.py" program, raster combined data produce the risk scenario layer. Then, real-time results are published on the web-gis platform. General performances appear to be promising and satisfactory for Civil Protection purposes (alerting issues, emergency management, territorial presidium/direct monitoring of the territory organization, etc..). Open source Web – GIS platforms appear to be an ideal tool in order to share dynamic hazard/risk scenarios with all the institutional subjects and stakeholders involved, and allow administrations to maintain sustainable and flexible operational systems.
Author Comment
A procedure aimed to the generation of a real-time landslide risk scenario using a web-gis platform, is described. This experimental tool is used for civil protection purposes at the Umbria Region Civil Protection Department, in order to support alerting issues, emergency management even at Municipality level, territorial presidium/direct monitoring of the territory.
This is an article intended for the OGRS2016 Collection, Session: Open Geospatial for water.


text:
By Jan Bryan, EdD, Vice President, National Education Officer & Brian Karsbaek
The Romanian men's soccer team gets it. Mathematics is both a systematic and social enterprise. In order to get Romanian children excited about math, and to address the 20% dropout rate among high school students, the Romanian soccer team substituted equations for integers to engage their younger math peers. The systematic processes required to solve each equation led to children following their favorite players and understanding the relationships among the numbers and symbols on their uniforms.
Indeed arithmetic is systematic. For something to be systematic, it is generally arranged in an ordered system and is concerned with classifications of items within that system. Ordered systems, such as a number line, and classifications, such as sorting numbers into whole, fraction, decimal, integers, etc., are at the core of arithmetic.
Indeed arithmetic is systematic. We lead students to be confident within this system through understanding of numbers and how they are classified. Some of the work involves memorization and applying consistent processes to manipulate numbers. Memorization is part of being systematic.
Learning 6 x 7 to a level of fluency prepares you to learn 6x = 42. If students lack math fact fluency and automaticity, algebraic reasoning may seem out of reach. One study found that 90% of incoming college freshmen lacked fluent and automatic recall of math facts, and without mastery of math facts students are denied access beyond minimal growth (Caron, 2007, DeMaioribus, 2011).
Indeed arithmetic is systematic and, while it is the lowest branch of the discipline of mathematics, it sets the stage for all other work in mathematics. But systems and systematic thinking represent part of the equation; a part of the whole.
Indeed arithmetic is systematic, but there is more to this equation…
As explained by Sun (2014), working with math requires that you know more than what a 9 is, but that you understand "how a 9 can relate to a 3 or 27, because math focuses on relationships and how numbers connect." This same reasoning applies to domains within the discipline. For example, Algebra focuses on interactions among real and imagined objects by translating those objects into simple shorthand that explains how A relates to B (2007). In geometric reasoning, we seek to find the dynamic interaction among angles within a polygon or the relationship among circumference, radius, and diameter.
Math is social in that it focuses on relationships. Are you interested in the exact point in time Robert D'Niro's career took an astounding new direction? Perhaps you are more intrigued by the relationship between location and purchase in Starbucks' membership rewards program. Symbols, systems, and relationships make math social. To learn about D'Niro, Starbucks, and much more visit https://socialmathematics.net.
Social math classrooms are grounded in accepted systems for managing tasks and authentic mathematical discourse. As L. S. Vygotsky states, language, i.e., discourse, is the social representation of thought. For math to be social, it must be verbal and precise. For example, mathematicians don't draw. They represent, provide information, label, diagram, use keys, and focus on scaling—but they do not draw (Hess, 2014).
The math genre promotes systematic thinking. Google the term "perimeter," and click the Images link. Likely you find rectangles with ants marching around the sides—a well-wore mnemonic for remembering how to calculate perimeter. It is far more systematic to teach students what perimeter means (i.e., "peri" means around and "meter" means measure) and from that understanding lead them to reason through the measurement.
An effective social experience is rooted in powerful mathematical discourse, which is evident as students talk about their ideas and provide reasoning to support those ideas. Hess (2014) notes that engaging students in talking about math bring to light their thinking about and working with math. For example, a student may give a correct answer despite having an incomplete understanding. Conversely, a student may know more than a problem requires but still arrive at the wrong answer. Students may own "working on math" yet still, have room to grow in mathematical thinking and reasoning.
Let's keep this mathematics blog going by building a solution as a digital team! Create an equation for each whole number from 1-50. The challenge is that you can only use the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4; and you can only use each number one time. You may use addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, square roots, and exponents in your equations. For example:
(1 – 2) x (3 – 4) = 1
(2 x 3) – 4 – 1 = 2
(3^2 x 4) + 1 = 37
Join the challenge! Comment your equations and answers below!
Bieler, Des (2016, March 27). Romania's soccer team puts math problems instead of player numbers on jerseys. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/03/27/romanias-soccer-team-puts-math-problems-instead-of-player-numbers-on-jerseys.
Caron, T. A. (2007). Learning multiplication the easy way. Clearing House 80(6), 278-282.
DeMaioribus, C. (2011). Automaticity of basic math facts: The key to math success. Unpublished thesis. University of University of Minnesota Duluth. Retrieved from https://d commons.d.umn.edu/bitstream/10792/274/1/DeMaioribus,%20Carmel.pdf.
Heller, R. & Greenleaf, C. (2007). Literacy instruction in the content areas: Getting to the core of middle and high school reform. Alliance for Excellent Education. Retrieved from http://all4ed.org/reports-factsheets/literacy-instruction-in-the-content-areas-getting-to-the-core-of-middle-and-high-school-improvement.
Hess, K. (2014). How to go deep to meet the new math standards[Recorded webinar]. Retrieved from http://info.renaissance.com/Go-Deep-Recorded-Webinar.html?_ga=1.260384074.658388591.1470369717
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2010). Discourse. Retrieved from http://www.nctm.org/uploadedFiles/publications/write_review_referee/journals/mtms-call-Discourse.pdf
Sun, R. (2014, May 7). Social math: Why learning math involves more than writing numbers [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-sun/social-math-why-learning-_b_5279935.html.
Vygotsky, L. (1978) Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.
(4! x 2) +3 – 1 = 50
What a great way to get students to love math!
I think if my teachers had subscribed to this theory, I might have been a math major!
4×3\(1+2)=4…..4 days until school starts for me:)
Fun! My daughter's wonderful 4th grade teacher just did a similar math challenge with her students and my daughter has talked about nothing else!
3^2 + 4 = 13 (How many days I've been married!) ..I don't know if I did my 3 squared correctly! lol!
I love soccer and math!! Only (4*2)-3 until soccer season start for close to 300 kiddos!! I am a huge fan of Math Talk!
What a great way to integrate math.
(4^2 + 1) -3= 14
This is my 14th year teaching.
[(2 x 4) x 3] – 1 = 23 Only 23 days until my granddaughter is born!


text:
Due to changes in the licensing system for all Microsoft Office 2016 products, we are currently unable to provide Outlook 2016 to our users. We do hope to provide the software in the future, but do not have an ETA as to when the product will be available. As a result, support for Outlook 2016 is limited at this time.
Outlook 2016 Support and Availability Print
Modified on: Thu, 15 Oct, 2015 at 9:35 AM
Did you find it helpful? Yes NoSend feedback
Sorry we couldn't be helpful. Help us improve this article with your feedback.


text:
The Haddock Saga Continues – Now in Federal Court
As if the primary defeats were not enough for the Haddocks, they have now filed an unfounded lawsuit in Federal Court. Last week Diane Haddock filed a civil rights lawsuit against Patricia Baca-Bennett and Tarrant County, as her employers, for creating a hostile work environment that she and her husband actually created themselves.
The 2018 Tarrant County judicial primary was bizarre to say the least. Haddock's husband came out guns blazing against several members of the family court while focusing on Judge James Mumford. Haddock and his minions made numerous accusations and sent out hit piece after hit piece, only to be sorely defeated at the polls. Voters utterly rejected the malarkey Haddock was selling.
Now 8 months later Diane Haddock has decided to sue claiming that Tarrant County and Judge Baca-Bennett created a hostile working environment. Read More


text:
The debate about intensification has come roaring back to life in the last day or so following a beat up by Bernard Orsman in the Herald about the unitary plan process.
Tens of thousands of homes in Auckland's leafy residential suburbs are being rezoned for multiple townhouses and apartments and Auckland Council says homeowners will not be notified about the changes.
The central isthmus suburbs of Pt Chevalier, Epsom, Mt Eden, Mt Albert, Glendowie and St Heliers; the North Shore suburbs of Birkenhead, Glenfield and Takapuna; Whangaparaoa Peninsula, rural towns such as Kumeu and the southern suburbs of Howick and Mangere Bridge are among areas affected by the changes taking place behind closed doors.
Tomorrow, the Unitary Plan committee will meet behind closed doors to approve changes to the single house zone in north, south and east Auckland.
This follows a decision by the 11-member committee on November 10 to approve changes to the zone on the Auckland central isthmus and West Auckland.
The council has rewritten the rules for the "single-house zone" where one- and two-storey houses are typically set amongst trees and gardens. New rules mean tens of thousands of houses no longer qualify and will be rezoned to a "mixed-house" zone to allow for townhouses, studios and apartments of up to three storeys.
Are we really down to the stage of scaremongering about three storey townhouses, a housing typology found frequently overseas and even in many parts of Auckland already? In fact for a city like Auckland three storey townhouses are perhaps the ideal missing middle of the housing. On top of being fairly spatially efficient they can be built in existing suburbs and not look out of place as they're often no higher than a two storey house with a pitched roof. They're also generally cheaper and easier to build than apartments as they don't require expensive features like lifts or complex sprinkler systems.
So what's really happening? The answer is much less secretive and much less alarmist than the herald like to make out.
The Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (PAUP) was notified by the council in 2014 and since then an independent government appointed panel (IHP) has been going through the almost 10,000 submissions and supporting pieces of evidence submitted by the public and the council. The IHP will eventually issue a recommendation back to the council on the PAUP based on the submissions and evidence and that is almost certainly going to be different from what the council originally started with.
Along the way the IHP have been challenging the council on various topics and also issuing interim guidance on issues such as around the levels of heritage protection and viewshafts. As part of the process the council have been required to consider rezoning changes which is exactly what they are doing based on what's happened so far it's what's likely to happen based on the interim guidance issued so far.
I know I've skipped a lot out but kind of brings us roughly to where we are today with the council are looking at better defining where development can occur. From what I've read it seems they are looking at expanding the mixed housing suburban and mixed housing urban boundaries.
It seems to me that a lot of the angst in the article probably originated with the 2040 group who have long opposed much of the intensification planned. As a result of this the interim guidance my guess is they've been seeing the writing on the wall that more intensification would be allowed so they've complained to the Herald.
Following the article a number of politicians have heaped on the idea of intensification. One of those is David Seymour who based on his party's politics you'd think would support removing restrictions to property rights claims it will have enormous implications for congestion, character and school zones. He is also quoted as saying
"It's also a betrayal of young people in its assumption that they can never own a house and must live in apartments
The real betrayal of young people is by those who have opposed any change to the city, especially in the area of housing where prices have been pushed up or some people have been pushed out half way to Hamilton.
Of course many young people would live in an apartment or terraced house if more were able to be built to bring prices down in the areas they want to live. Part of the reason for this is often they are quite different from their parents in that they don't aspire to a house in the suburbs where driving is the only option and they have to frequently do things like mow lawns and manage gardens. As for driving, well Auckland Transport have already said they're looking at building a light rail network across the central isthmus which will help in moving lots of people without suffering from congestion.
Disappointingly it also appears that new mayoral candidate Phil Goff is starting to go down the line of backing off intensification in some areas. Stu has more on this in a post later today.
It will be interesting to see what the council come up with in terms of rezoning. Ideally the ishmus would look much more like West Auckland in the map above with a lot more mixed housing urban allowed (3 storeys).


text:
Safety engineering : Level 5
Identifies and analyses hazards and contributes to the identification and evaluation of risk reduction measures, ensuring these are adequately documented. Specifies safety-related systems architectures up to the highest safety integrity levels. Develops and maintains project safety assurance plans, monitors compliance and ensures that safety assurance evidence is gathered for safety case preparation.


text:
DF Technical & Consulting Services Ltd. is a 100% Canadian based company with offices in Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary, Grande Prairie and Vancouver. Since 1998 DF Technical & Consulting Services has provided professional consulting services throughout Canada and the US responding to concerns as diverse as our client base. From satisfying a residential homeowners inquiry to mitigation of a major catastrophic loss and all matter of projects between our firm has proven effective and efficient in delivering clear and concise project satisfaction.
Our President, Dennis French, was asked to participate in the 2013 Leaders of Tomorrow awards this past June. Overall enthusiastic responses from the event strengthens our resolve to continue to recognize business owners who are truly making Calgary and Alberta a great place to live and work. Also, the magazine page can be viewed by clicking here.
DF Technical & Consulting Services Ltd is regarded as a leader in the Environmental Services sector incorporating Hazardous Materials, Air Quality, Occupational Exposure and the varied aspects of Human and Environmental interaction.
Through the use of competent, skilled employees with a requirement for on-going onsite and off-site education, the highest level of industry professional personnel will be made available to assess our clients' needs.
The objective of DF Technical & Consulting Services Ltd and all of our employees it to investigate the origin of the clients concern and then assist the client with whatever actions may be required to reduce or eliminate this concern. This function is also and always performed with a mindset involving reducing risk and exposure to the clients' personnel, property, our employees and the environment at large.


text:
This pH-balanced, totally natural exfoliant combines ground grape seeds and multi-fruit acids with mild surfactants to cleanse and gently buff away dead cells. Removes blackheads, whiteheads and calluses to reveal new, baby-smooth skin.
By request from Hylunia we are no longer allowed to show product pricing or allow product purchasing online. All orders must be placed directly through us at 610-277-1177. Sorry for the inconvenience
Posted by Unknown on 18th Aug 2011
This is the only product I have found to remove and help diminish my back acne. It gets really bad in the summer months because of the perspiration and this product I use daily on my back and it looks great! If I could order by the case I would!


text:
Beyonce's "Mrs. Carter World Tour" has officially passed the $100 million mark in gross sales.
According to reports, the 32-year-old superstar hit the monumental moment after earning $44.9 million in box office sales from the Latin America and Australia leg of her tour. This brought the overall gross to "$104.3 million from more than 883,000 sold tickets at 59 performances, based on box office stats reported to Billboard."
Other notable mentions on top of Billboard's Hot Tours ranking include Beyonce's husband Jay Z and his Roc Nation artist Rihanna:
Keeping it in the family, husband Jay Z joins Beyoncé on the Hot Tours recap, taking the No. 6 ranking from ticket sales at two venues on the European leg of his Magna Carta world tour that kicked off in early October. This week's tally includes $6.8 million in revenue from arena dates in London and Zürich. In London he played four nights at the O2 Arena (Oct. 10-12, 14) with the number of sold tickets just under 57,000. Zürich's Hallenstadion drew more than 10,000 fans to see the Grammy-winning rapper during his trek through 12 European cities that wrapped at the end of October.
Rihanna takes the second slot on this week's Hot Tours tally with sales reported from the final nine weeks of her Diamonds world tour that ended on Nov. 15. The fall tour covered cities on four continents beginning in Asia with two sellouts at the CotaiArena. Located in the Chinese territory of Macau, the 15,000-seat arena logged an attendance total of 24,872 from performances on Sept. 13 and 14. Concerts in six cities in Australia and New Zealand followed including a three-show stint in Auckland with more than 33,000 tickets sold for sellouts on Oct. 6-8.
Bey's region is far from over. She's scheduled to return to North America in December and wrap up the tour with more than 105 shows under her belt.
When does this woman sleep?!
Beyonce's Mrs. Carter Tour Hits $100 Million In Ticket Sales, And Counting! was originally published on hellobeautiful.com


text:
Five for Friday: What we learned at Slush 2017
Society Arctic Five from Finland Slush Slush 2017
This year's Slush was characterised by lasers, politicians, royalty, entrepreneurs and a healthy dose of optimism.
Over the past decade, Slush has developed from a tiny gathering of young entrepreneurs to the hottest high-tech startup conference in the Nordic region. It is the place to be when its soggy and dark outside to make deals and discover what is happening in technology.
Here are five exciting things we came across.
1. Entrepreneurs can change the world
The tagline for this year's event was "Nothing normal ever changed a damn thing". The theme of entrepreneurs and technology altering the world for the better ran throughout the event. Environmentalist, investor and former American Vice President Al Gore summed it up with his call to action: "The will to change is a renewable resource."
2. Finnish gaming is now a mature industry
The Finnish games scene has been thriving for a long time, but it has been characterised by giants Rovio and Supercell and a host of tiny players. Now, finally, it has matured with a group of successful mid-sized companies which have listed on the stock market, including Next Games, Remedy Entertainment and Nitro Games (not to mention Rovio itself, which also went public). This is also good news for the Finnish and Nordic capital markets.
3. Everyone wants a piece of startup innovation
Slush has always been about entrepreneurship and innovation, and this is attracting big names. Some multinationals were at Slush to show off their tech, like Nokia and Tesla, but many were trying to meet new potential startup partners, such as Wärtsilä and Airbus. Many countries had a presence at Slush as well, from neighbours like Sweden and Estonia, to more-distant lands of Italy and South Korea. Even royals were interested: both Sweden's Prince Daniel and Britain's Prince William managed to stop by and see what's doing.
4. Finnish technology is diversifying
Finland has gained global recognition for its mobile communications and gaming. Yet today the innovation sphere is much more diverse. Some of the startups in this year's pitching finals were automation company Selko, blockchain specialist Diwala and industrial ultrasound experts Altum Technologies – the latter eventually winning Slush100. Meanwhile, Oura Health's new ring was billed as "the most advanced wearable in the world", cementing Finnish companies' position at the forefront of healthtech. The circular economy and cleantech is also brimming with great things in Finland, characterised by innovations such as Fazer's cricket-infused bread.
5. Finland is pretty okay
Being as the global perception is that Finns are a humble lot, the Slush organisers decided to recruit all of the international guests at the event to brag for us instead. Thus the hashtag #BragForFinland was born. Social media exploded with praise for Finland's social equity, quality of life and innovations. It didn't hurt that Finland's 100th anniversary of independence came just after the event, so even some Finns may have found themselves swelling every so slightly with praise too.
Fancy more Slush 2017? Catch up on our coverage here.
Looking for more good news? Subscribe to our newsletter


text:
By Lauren Fix, The Car Coach®
Are you ready for a season of summer road trips? Before you hit the road, follow these 5 simple tips by Lauren Fix, The Car Coach to assess, repair and equip your vehicle–and save money too!
Tip #1 – Do It Yourself – Save Money
Now that summer has arrived, you've probably made regular trips to a home improvement store for your home and garden needs. If you're a serious DIYer, it's also the perfect time to purchase products you will need for your next brake job, such as brake cleaners, which are formulated to quickly and effectively remove brake dust, brake fluids, oils, and other contaminants from brake parts, lining and pads. CRC Brakleen degreases instantly – and is instantly dry. It really does magic! No work involved, just spray and gently wipe.
As for the kids' motorized toys, it's handy to have a full charge, trickle charger. The Battery Tender 12-Volt Charger is designed to bring a battery back up to a full charge and then maintain it at 100% indefinitely. It's ideal for any automotive need—motorcycles, cars, trucks, RV'S, lawn mowers, ATVS, classic cars and generators. I use a Battery Tender on my collector cars too.
The Home Depot has the all these automotive products and more. They've recently updated their automotive section with products to maintain both your vehicle's function and appearance, including additives, accessories, and everything needed for an oil change. Some of the other essential items you'll find are tire inflation products and emergency kits.
A proper emergency kit includes a cell phone and charger, first-aid kit, tire inflation product, battery cables or a self-enclosed battery jumper, flares, a flashlight with fresh batteries and washer fluid.
Tip #2 – Save money with the right tire pressure!
It's construction season! Potholes left over from the spring and debris left over from roadwork can prove a safety risk and can take a chunk out of your wallet. The first line of defense is proper tire inflation. Low tire pressure can cause bulges or blisters to the tires' sidewalls and even dent the wheel. Remember to check your tire pressure once a month to get the most life from your tires, best handling and safety.
Proper tire pressure also means better gas mileage, with savings of 2-3 mpg. The proper tire pressure for your vehicle is found in the gas door, glove box or the placard inside the door jamb. Check the tires when they're cold because tire pressures increases while driving. Never use the number on your tire.
Tip #3 – Check the wear of your tires, inspect the tread!
Inspect your tires' tread for uneven or irregular wear and cuts and bruises along the sidewalls. One way to check tire tread is to insert a penny into the tire groove with Lincoln's head down. If the top of the head is showing above the tread you need new tires.
How do you check the wear? It's easy!
- Is the tire bald? Replace the tire!
- Is the center bald and the outside ok? Replace the tire!
- Are the outsides bald and the center of the tire ok? Replace the tire!
- Are the sidewalls cracked? Replace the tire!
If you find that your tires need to be replaced, don't skimp! The Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 is a great tire for true, year-round traction. This tire includes SportPlus Technology which is designed for precise handling; security on wet, slippery roads; and excellent tread life.
Their Quick View Indicators put ease into the consumer's tire inspection. The Tuned Performance Indicators (D, W, S letters) indicate the tire's optimal performance levels in Dry, Wet and Snow. Plus, the Alignment Verification System provides an early warning system to alert drivers to have their vehicle's alignment checked.
I personally tested the abilities of the ExtremeContact DWS06 tires compared to other known brands on a test track. The results were impressive. The traction was best-in-class for wet handling and braking, so much that you instantly can feel the difference. We then put the tires through the paces on dry condition, and again the tires stood out as an improvement over other tires on the market. Any driver can feel more confident on wet and dry roads and know they are safer. A fun fact is that Continental Tire is working on making tires out of dandelions. They are just now producing test tires and are hoping to have them out in 5-10 years.
Tip #4 – What needs to be replaced/repaired?
Be proactive! When the engine is cool, check your car's fluids, including engine oil, radiator coolant and windshield washer fluid and refill or replace them as needed. Be sure to inspect hoses and belts for signs of wear such as cracks or blistering. You'll also want to check your wiper blades, and replace them every six months. Make sure the air conditioner is working. If not, a certified technician should repair it.
Remember that neglected vehicle care almost always means much higher costs down the line in the form of more extensive repairs or lost resale value. It's the time to schedule the repairs your car has accrued during the winter months.
So how much can a repair actually cost you? It's not a secret anymore! A website called RepairPal.com has a free estimator tool that you can use to check the fair market price for specific repairs. Now you never have to wonder if you are getting ripped off. The certified mechanics listed on RepairPal.com go through a rigorous approval processes that only 1 out of 10 mechanics are likely to pass. Plus all certified mechanics honor those fair prices, or they will refund you the difference. Visit their website to find participating repair shops near you.
Tip #5 – Wash your car!
Don't neglect your car!
Drivers in warmer climates should beware the sudden barrage of pollen that heralds the arrival of spring and often lasts throughout the summer. That seemingly unassuming powder is often highly acidic and can stain your car's finish and accelerate rust. Wash your car regularly during "allergy-season," change your cabin air-filter and keep those windows rolled up!
Be Car Care Aware
The Car Care Council's FREE personalized schedule and email reminder service is a simple way to help you take better care of your vehicle throughout the year. It is an easy-to-use resource designed to help you drive smart, save money and make informed decisions. "Be Car Care Aware" and get your free copy of the council's popular Car Care Guide.
For more information on maintaining your car all year round, visit Lauren Fix, The Car Coach's website at laurenfix.com.
Follow Us:


text:
Who or what inspired you to take up the violin, and pursue a career in music?
I have liked the sound of the violin as long as I can remember. Also, my parents are both musicians but neither play the violin, so by choosing this instrument they couldn't tell me what to do…
Who or what were the most important influences on your musical life and career?
My parents, who have both had a life in music and made me believe that it is possible to have a life in music; my teacher at Juilliard, Sylvia Rosenberg, who has been a great influence in shaping how I think of music; and pianist Joseph Seiger, who encouraged me to always find more colors in music.
What have been the greatest challenges of your career so far?
Just playing the violin… I find it very challenging. Also I find that combining physical relaxation with musical tension while playing is a constant challenge.
Which performance/recordings are you most proud of?
I really try to avoid listening to recordings of myself (except ones I make for myself in the practice room), so I don't know… So far I've only released one commercial album, my debut CD Portrait, (released August 2014 in Europe and February 2015 in the US).
Which particular works do you think you perform best?
There seems to be a gap between what I think I play well and what other people think… I think I play Brahms well, but others think Schubert fits me very well.
How do you make your repertoire choices from season to season?
I'm always trying to find a balance between new works that I want to learn, keeping enough works that I already know in my repertoire so that I don't overbook myself, and putting together what I think are interesting programs. Also, it is important for me to include new works in my programs, and lesser known works, especially from the 20th century, which I think deserve to be heard.
Do you have a favourite concert venue to perform in and why?
I absolutely love Suntory Hall in Tokyo and the Seoul Arts Center, because of their acoustics. I feel that these halls add new colors to my sound, which are not possible to find in a practice room. The auditorium at the Israeli Conservatory of Music is very special for me though, because I grew up in that institution, and so is the Israel Philharmonic Hall in Tel-Aviv, because as I child I dreamed of performing there.
Favourite pieces to perform? Listen to?
There are some pieces that I just feel privileged to play. Ones that pop into my mind at this moment are Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto, Mozart's 5th Concerto, Prokofiev's 1st Concerto and Cesar Frank's Sonata. I usually prefer not to listen to violin music, so I listen mostly to piano music and sometimes orchestral music. Late piano pieces by Brahms are a particular favorite.
Who are your favourite musicians?
Has to be composers – Schubert, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Ravel, Ligeti and many others…
What is your most memorable concert experience?
Hearing Ravel's Sonatine for the first time, at a student's concert at the conservatory in Tel-Aviv. The beauty of this music brought tears to my eyes instantly.
What do you consider to be the most important ideas and concepts to impart to aspiring musicians?
Playing an instrument and making music is not easy, and I don't know anyone who doesn't encounter hardships on the way. One has to work hard in order to improve, and I somehow find that understanding that the process isn't supposed to be easy, and that everyone is going through difficulties, is quite comforting. Also, on stage always try to make music, no matter how nervous you are. The audience is there to enjoy and to feel, and if one plays in order not to miss a note, it doesn't mean much to the listeners, and one tends to miss more, in my experience…
Born in Tel-Aviv in 1985 to a family of musicians, Itamar Zorman began his violin studies at the age of six with Saly Bockel at the Israeli Conservatory of Music in Tel-Aviv. He graduated in 2003 and continued his studies with Professor David Chen and Nava Milo. He received his Bachelor of Music from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance as a student of Hagai Shaham. He received his Master's of Music from The Juilliard School in 2009, where he studied with Robert Mann and Sylvia Rosenberg, and received an Artist Diploma from Manhattan School of Music in 2010, and an Artist Diploma from Julliard in 2012, studying with Ms. Rosenberg. Itamar Zorman is currently a student of Christian Tetzlaff at The Kronberg Academy.


text:
CCTV Security Systems
"We used Securus (UK) to upgrade an existing CCTV security system in our village hall. This included updating to High Definition Infra Red cameras, re-positioning and containing all the kit in a mini server cabinet. The works were carried out very professionally, on time, with no mess and no fuss. The guys were very courteous throughout."
Rajen Shah – Director, Netherne Management Limited
CCTV is short for "Closed Circuit Television Camera", and CCTV security systems have traditionally provided a strong visual deterrent to intruders, and if an incident occurs, CCTV footage can help to provide objective evidence of exactly what happened where, at what time, and who was involved.
Tried and tested technology
CCTV technology has been in existence since the 1940s. The technology is tried and tested, having been in widespread use since the 1970s, and there are CCTV security camera models that are suitable for virtually any security or surveillance application, both inside and outside, and both visible and hidden. The two main types of CCTV cameras are 'fixed' cameras and 'pan / tilt / zoom' cameras which can rotate horizontally and vertically to be able to view a wider area.
For many years, a CCTV security system used an analogue CCTV camera that transmitted signals through a coaxial cable to a central location for monitoring, recording and video analysis. However, with recent advances in technology, the term 'CCTV security system' could more accurately be replaced with the term 'CCTV Video Surveillance Security Camera System'. This more precisely describes the hi-tech systems which use IP (Internet Protocol) cameras that can send and receive data via a physical or wireless network and the internet, and which enable high definition images to be viewed and analysed from anywhere in the world on any internet enabled viewing device (such as a smartphone or tablet).
Hybrid CCTV Security System – combining older cameras with new technology
However, despite these advances in technology, it's important to note that older analogue CCTV security systems can still be effective for many surveillance applications, indeed analogue CCTV cameras can still be part of an IP-based security system. Using IP video encoders and other equipment like hybrid digital video recorders, it is perfectly possible to have a 'hybrid' system of analogue and digital cameras, allowing a gradual transition from an old system to a new one.
Securus (UK) Ltd have installed hundreds of CCTV cameras over the years, from straightforward domestic systems to much more complex systems for large scale commercial use. Having the right CCTV security system fitted could save you a lot of money in the long run, and give you and your staff peace of mind, knowing you are visually protected and have total security at all times within or around your premises.
So in order to get the best from your existing CCTV security system, or to enquire about the benefits of a new or upgraded CCTV system, speak to one of our trained engineers here at Securus (UK) Ltd. We can advise you about the best CCTV security surveillance system for you, and put together a bespoke CCTV quotation for a security solution to meet your specific needs.


text:
< Back to All News
CampusParc has begun its annual power washing of the parking decks, stairwells, and common areas of all 16 campus garages. This deep clean includes the pretreating of all oil spots with a degreasing agent, followed by a high-pressure rinse at 4,000 psi. All water is recovered and disposed of in accordance with Ohio EPA guidelines.
Power washing of garages occurs during the late and overnight hours to minimize disruption to customers. The size of the garage and number of spaces dictate the number of days that are needed to complete the power washing. This work, which is part of CampusParc's ongoing maintenance program, will be ongoing through September 2017.
CampusParc reminds customers to please observe project-related closure signage placed throughout the garage; vehicles remaining in these areas after closure are subject to relocation at the owner's expense.
This page will be updated as work continues. In addition, updates will be provided via Twitter at @CampusParc.


text:
Two Southwest County school districts will consider eliminating a total of 22 positions this week, including 13 jobs connected to the Parents As Teachers and Preschool for All programs in the Temecula Valley Unified School District.
For the last several years, Temecula has helped its pre-kindergarten students through Preschool For All, which offered free preschool for 4- and 5-year-olds from economically challenges families; and Parents as Teachers, which was widely used by English learners to prep both students and parents for American schooling, Temecula school officials said.
The two programs were funded by First 5 Riverside, a county program for pre-kindergarten-aged children. First 5, however, decided to discontinue the pilot programs.
Because the district will not offer those programs, Temecula Valley Unified plans to lay off three family literacy home supervisors, four preschool assistants, three clerks, an early childhood specialist, a grant specialist and an educational interpreter aide.
The layoffs would be effective July 1. How much the district will save by eliminating these classified positions has not been determined, according to a report from Henry Voros, assistant superintendent of human resources development.
Temecula Valley Unified already has issued 46 preliminary layoff notices to teachers, although the district will issue fewer final notices because teachers who are on a leave of absence do not have to decide until June 30 whether to resign or return to work.
In the Perris Union High School District -- which governs Heritage and Paloma Valley high schools in Menifee -- trustees are considering eliminating seven bilingual instructional aide positions and a general education instructional aide position.
However, in anticipation of cutting those positions, the district has reserved similar positions in its special education department -- which serves English learners who would benefit from having bilingual aides at their disposal -- for those employees, district officials said.
The positions would have comparable pay and hours, said Superintendent Jonathan Greenberg, noting that the district had been working closely with its chapter of the California School Employees Association in preparation of shifting the instructional aides over to its special education department.
Perris Union also is considering laying off an accounting supervisor, one of about a half-dozen management positions that have been eliminated in recent years in response to the state's budget cuts.
"We have to focus our attention on doing what's best for inside the classroom," Greenberg said.
Temecula Valley Unified's governing board will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the district office at 31350 Rancho Vista Road.
Perris Union's governing board will meet at 5 p.m. Wednesday at its district office at 155 E. Fourth St. in Perris.


text:
Woodman Wines & Spirits hosts a special dinner at the Broadview Hotel on May 8.
Woodman Wines & Spirits is a Good Food Fighter. Please support the businesses and organizations that support Good Food Revolution.
Tags: Ancnoc, Balbair, Broadview Hotel, GFR Events, Good Food Fighters, Old Pulteny, whisky, Woodman Wines and Spirits


text:
Cheek Gelée
- bvseo_sdk, dw_cartridge, 17.1.0, p_sdk_3.2.0
- CLOUD, getAggregateRating, 123ms
- reviews, product
- bvseo-msg: Unsuccessful GET. status = '{0}', msg = {1};
Product Actions
- Sign in to add to Wish List
This item is worth 205 loyalty pointsSign up to Liberty Loyalty to see your purchases converted into vouchers you can spend in-store or online.
- Product features
- Editor's notes
- About
- Delivery
Product features
- 22ml
- Suitable for all skin types
- Leaves cheeks rosy and glowing with a natural, long-lasting finish
- Formulated with soft, spherical powders for a buildable, blendable texture
- Free from parabens, phthalates and fragrance
Using your fingertips, dot product onto the apples of the cheeks, then dab and sweep to blend. Can also be used on the eyelids as a cream shadow.
Editor's notes
Master a natural-looking, peachy flush with Cheek Gelée hydrating gel-cream blush from Chantecaille.
This hydrating liquid blush gives cheeks a long-lasting tint with the freshness of an emulsion and the staying-power of a stain. Infused with soft, spherical powders for ultra-buildable, effortlessly blendable coverage, create a custom finish with effects ranging from everyday rosiness to an all-out evening glow.
- bvseo_sdk, dw_cartridge, 17.1.0, p_sdk_3.2.0
- CLOUD, getContent, 9ms
- reviews, product
- bvseo-msg: Unsuccessful GET. status = '{0}', msg = {1};


text:
A poem about the royal marriage,
Like gilt upon a royal carriage,
Can add some shine to the occasion
And maybe through its sly persuasion
Relieve republicans of doubt,
So they don't spoil the fun day out.
A task befitting, you might guess,
Britain's royal poetess,
(Or per the style guide: poet, female),
But she's not answering my email.
I signed it "from your biggest fan".
Thanks for nothing, Carol Ann.
And so, it seems, it falls to me,
For rather less than half her fee
In rhyme robust and metre supple
To toast the royal wedding couple.
I'll grab a pen, put Radio 4 on,
Then Duffy-like (not that one, moron)
I'll wait for royal inspiration
To strike me, at which time I'll write,
A poem well-versed and bold and tight.
I mean, just how hard can it be?
If Duffy can do it, so can me.
Future princess, common Kate;
As common as the common skate,
Which is to say, quite rare these days,
Unlike their cousins, manta rays.
So Kate's like skates: rare, though without
The rhombic shape and pointed snout,
Or ventral gills or dorsal fin,
Or, one presumes, the prickly skin
(Frankly not sure where this heading,
Or what it's got to do with wedding –
I'll close it out with one more rhyme,
And start again, with Will this time.)
Royal William, royal as jelly;
Mates with what's-his-name, Guy Pelly.
Royal as icing, royal as blue.
Royal enough, let's hope, for two.
For he will take this Eastertide,
A common girl to be his bride.
Lovely Kate, despite the fuss,
Is really just like one of us,
Though slightly better situated,
Better dressed and educated,
With better manners, nicer hair,
More expensive dental care.
But look beyond the straight white teeth,
What's important lies beneath.
The role itself may not be vital
(Indeed, the job's not worth the title),
But when Queen Kate is so created
The rest of us are elevated;
And royals, in our common eyes
Look less impressive, regal, wise.
Could royalty become extinct
Once commoner and royal are linked?
The monarchy – destroyed by Kate,
Like overfishing killed those skate.
Yes, my reasoning is simplistic,
Daft, far-fetched and optimistic.
Forget about it – let's not quibble.
Hang some bunting; have a nibble!
Let's put our politics away,
And just enjoy the magic day.
For first and foremost, it's a wedding –
Boy from Windsor, girl from Reading – Imagine you're an honoured guest,
Wish two crazy kids the best,
Line the route and pray it's sunny.
God bless this waste of public money.


text:
As sad news emerges from camp Liverpool Calling, Getintothis' Jake Marley has the full statement from festival organisers and looks ahead to the festival's future.
One of many grassroots events forming Liverpool's beating music heart each summer, Liverpool Calling has grown steadily since its birth in 2013. However sad news has filtered through today that organisers have been forced to cancel this year's installment due to various reasons, at the forefront of which was financial restrictions.
Liverpool Calling was all set to play host to its most star-studded line-up to date come July 9, with organisers managing to pull Spector, Coasts, Findlay and YAK to top this year's bill, following last year's success story which led to the festival bagging two nominations at 2015's UK Festival Awards, in both Best Grassroots and Best Metropolitan festival categories, the latter of which was ultimately won by fellow Liverpool festival Sound City.
Read: Liverpool Sound City, LIMF and Creamfields win big at UK Festival Awards 2015
Initial indications were that the festival team had got over the early obstacle of picturesque Liverpool venue The Bombed Out Church being refurbished and unable for use, with the coup of one of the cities growing music spaces Camp and Furnace advertised. However financial restrictions have ultimately dealt the killer blow, making the question on everyone's lips, are there too many Liverpool festivals?
Maybe that's for another time and can certainly be argued all year long, however the cold, hard facts are, Liverpool festivals are struggling amongst each other's growing competition.
Festival co-founder Andrew Gilbert said the cancellation was 'a very tough decision' for Liverpool Calling's team and that this 'isn't the end, it is a new beginning' – you can read Liverpool Calling's statement below.
"Due to reasons beyond our control, we have reluctantly decided to cancel this year's Liverpool Calling…"We explored many options to save the event, looked at rescheduling, downsizing and other solutions but have [ultimately]been unable to find a way to keep the event alive…We aim to be back, stronger than ever in 2017."
Co-founder Andrew later added: "I could point the finger at numerous reasons as to why it didn't quite work for us this year, [however]I'd like to thank all who have been supportive in our decision, and of course thank everyone who has supported Liverpool Calling since its birth in 2013. We aim to be back [hopefully in the Bombed Out Church]better than ever next year."
Festival organisers assure us those who purchased advance tickets will receive a full refund via Seetickets and are looking into announcing some shows 'in place' of the festival as a consolation to fans including a free gig featuring Peansess and Psycho Comedy at Maguires Pizza Bar on June 23 in association with Bido Lito!