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The case to throw off the fiscal straitjacket
The authors of the Government's own housing stocktake argue it lacks the ambition to truly solve a multi-generational crisis because of a self-imposed debt limit. Bernard Hickey reports.
Almost by accident, economist Shamubeel Eaqub revealed the achilles heel that will bedevil this Labour Government during this term and beyond if it makes it that far, and he did it from the podium at the heart of the Government.
Eaqub was speaking at the release of the housing stocktake commissioned from him and fellow housing experts Alan Johnson and Philippa Howden-Chapman by Housing Minister Phil Twyford. During the question and answer session in the Beehive Theatrette, the former Goldman Sachs economist volunteered off the cuff that the Government's commitment to reduce net debt to 20 percent of GDP was a fiscal straitjacket that was limiting its ability to truly address the housing crisis and the various problems of child poverty, child health, housing unaffordability and poor education that flowed from that.
He said New Zealand had chronically underbuilt housing for the last 30 years and needed at least 500,000 more affordable houses to meet the gap, as well as a doubling of the state housing stock to 130,000 over the next decade. The current Government has plans to build 100,000 new affordable Kiwibuild homes over the next decade and to add a net 1,000 new state houses year (although Twyford is arguing before cabinet to double that to 2,000 per year).
"I want to see Housing New Zealand ramp up supply like we haven't done in the last 30 years. We have less housing stock today in state housing than we had in 1991, which was the peak. On a per capita level, we're at the lowest level since the 1950s. It is a frickin travesty," Eaqub said.
"There is an endless list of projects that are begging for money, whether it's housing or infrastructure. If we don't invest in this one area where there's an incredibly long waiting list, I don't see how we're going to get on top of the needs of the lowest socio-economic groups in New Zealand," he said.
He said any Government that did not borrow when interest rates were at the lowest level in a century was a "fiscal idiot."
"If you put on your economist's hat you'd say this was the best possible time to borrow money because money was cheap and everybody is wanting to lend you money and there is an endless list of projects that are begging for money, whether it's housing or infrastructure...we need to spend money on building up the capability of New Zealand," he said.
"Debt is the best possible way to do it. The fiscal responsibility rules are a straight jacket that are unnecessary and certainly when it comes to Housing New Zealand specifically, we should be gearing that up a hell of a lot to try to create more housing supply. That is under-geared."
New Zealand's net Crown debt is nudging up to 21.7 percent of GDP this year and Labour promised before the next election to get it down to 20 percent within five years of taking office. However, the OECD average is closer to 70 percent and the United States is proposing more than $1 trillion a year of spending increases and tax cuts that will increase its debt to GDP ratio from just under 80 percent to over 90 percent by 2022.
The Opposition has argued that New Zealand needs much lower Government net debt because households are so indebted and New Zealand is more vulnerable to losing the confidence of international investors because of that high private debt (over 160 percent of GDP) and the frequency of its natural disasters, including earthquakes.
'This is a man-made disaster'
But Eaqub and his fellow stocktakers argued that solving the housing crisis was an opportunity to solve many of New Zealand's social deficits around health, education and child poverty that were costing taxpayers billions of dollars a year in hospital costs, lost productivity and accommodation supplements. As a type of social investment to boost the well being of future generations, a massive housing build funded by borrowing would make economic and social sense.
Eaqub called for more ambition from the Government.
"If I was the minister, (and I'm not), my ambition would be to build 500,000 houses, not 100,000," he said.
"I think we're lacking ambition. If you look at our rate of building since the 1980s. It's been too low and too slow. Cumulatively, I reckon we're 500,000 houses short. Kiwibuild has to be firstly ambitious, but also to build on top of the what the private sector is already building. The private sector is not very good at building much more than 20,000 houses a year. We should be building at a rate of 30,000 a year to get on top of our problems."
Asked how that could be done given the Government's fiscal responsibility rules, he said: "Without being facetious, borrow shed loads of money."
Twyford was the most insistent about the way the housing crisis was limiting the next generation, although he brushed aside questions about the fiscal responsiblity rules, saying the Government was being ambitious and there were capacity issues elsewhere in construction that limited the Government's ambitions to that 100,000 homes.
"The housing crisis has changed and is changing the fabric of society. It's limiting our choices and affecting the life decisions that we make," he said.
"The health and education costs of homelessness, of transience and sub-standard housing are taking their toll on a generation of young New Zealanders, whose life chances are permanently blighted by the housing crisis."
Cost of transience and over-crowding
Howden-Chapman also emphasised the flow-on effects of poor housing on education and health, pointing out that over 60 percent of Maori children were living in rentals, which were poorly insulated and over-crowded. Over half of these homes had temperatures below 18 degrees, which was cold enough for children to get sick. She said the Ministry of Health had conservatively estimated that hospital admissions caused by poor housing were costing the health system $350 million a year, while accommodation supplements were costing over $2 billion a year.
She said more than 50 percent of children in rentals moved within the first nine months of life.
"This has fundamental major consequences for stability in communities. You start to see the issues of children not being immunised, not being able to go to pre-schools, because you have to be in the area to know to put your name down," she said.
"Headteachers are concerned about the churn going through the schools and it's hard to build up the social inclusion and stability when that occurs."
Eaqub was asked about an inevitable rise in interest rates and inflation if the Government were to borrow to build more heavily and how that would effect the economy.
"It's a question of where the fiscal spending is going. If the fiscal spending is increasing housing supply then you would expect the rental inflation wouldn't be very high. While you'd have higher inflation and higher interest rates, it would hit a particular part of society. It wouldn't hurt the lower half of New Zealanders, particularly renters. They would be harder hit if the housing supply didn't increase," he said.
The stocktake authors are not the only ones calling on the Government to revisit the 20 percent rule.
'When the evidence changes, you change your mind'
CTU President Richard Wagstaff said he would welcome a fresh debate about slowing down the pace of debt reduction, given the Government was now confronting much bigger infrastructure, social and environmental deficits than expected before it came into Government.
"We would welcome a revision in thinking about slowing down the pace of debt reduction," Wagstaff said.
"I suspect that the Government has found these issues are worse than it bargained for when it committed to that target before the election. I'd welcome a much wider discussion about the social and environmental deficits," Wagstaff said.
"I understand that the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister are very determined that they are true to their word, but when circumstances change, you can change your mind.
That gives some permission to rethink things if the environmental and social changes mean taking a little bit of extra time to repay the debt" he said.
"We think the housing crisis is not so much a natural disaster as it is a man made one, and it needs to be addressed."
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National Autism Center: Standards Project – Report
About the National Standards Project This report provides comprehensive information about the level of scientific evidence that exists in support of the many educational and behavioral treatments currently available for individuals with Autism Spectrum Di..
Teaching Tips for Children and Adults with Autism
Note on the Author: Temple Grandin, Ph.D. is the most accomplished and well-known adult with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She was diagnosed with autism in 1950 and her parents were told she should be institutionalized. She went on to become one of the ..
- Posted by Temple Grandin, Ph.D.
- Posted in Autism
Good Night, Sleep Tight, and Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite: Establishing positive sleep patterns for young children with ASD
Most parents have had some experience with a child who has difficulty falling asleep, wakes up frequently during the night, and/or only sleeps a few hours each night. Temporary sleep difficulties are an "expected" phase of child development. Ongoing a..
Living Near Freeways May Increase Risk of Autism
Link to autism and environmental factors still needs more research. A current study has been released reporting a possible link between autism and living near freeways. Published by a team of researchers from Children's Hospital Los Angeles, the Kec..
Making the Most of the Holidays for Your Family and Your Son/Daughter on the Autism Spectrum
While many happily anticipate the coming holiday season, families of sons/daughters on the autism spectrum also understand the special challenges that may occur when schedules are disrupted and routines broken. Our hope is that by following these few help..
Insurance Coverage for Autism in California: A Medical or Educational Expense?
Feda Almaliti, a parent of a child with autism, struggled for over two years for coverage by her insurance carrier of an expensive yet necessary form of therapy called Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). It wasn't until recently, that she became aware ..
- Posted by AP Reporter
- Posted in Autism
Environment Contributes to Autism, Not Just Genes
New Autism Report: Emphasizes Environmental Factors as Cause New and controversial studies have been released suggesting a link to autism and the environment, including the environment in the womb. California Autism Twin Study Suggests Prenatal Risk Facto..
National Autism Center: Standards Project – Overview
The National Autism Center announces the completion of the National Standards Project and the publication of the National Standards Report. The National Standards Project answers one of the most pressing public health questions of our time — how do we e..
National Autism Center: Standards Project – Findings and Conclusions
Overview of the National Standards Project What is the Purpose? The National Standards Project serves three primary purposes: To identify the level of research support currently available for educational and behavioral interventions used with individuals ..
Treatment Options for Children with Autism
It can be an emotional and overwhelming time when your child is diagnosed with autism. There are a variety of treatments and interventions available for your child. Some programs take place in your home with trained therapists and may include parent train..

subset: commoncrawl


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as symphonic hard rock meets progressive rock, the Ohio-based band
known as Syzygy released a triple live 1 CD / 2 DVD set in
2013 entitled A Glorious Disturbance and its a
must for their fans. Decked out in plush multi-disc packaging, the
first DVD features 2 hours of two different Syzygy concerts from 2009
and 2010, recorded in 5.1 surround sound. The CD features 72 minutes
of live Syzygy music, including new versions of classic Syzygy music,
while the second DVD features an in depth interview with Syzygy guitarist
and group lyricist Carl Baldassarre, in addition to a detailed
look at the making of their album Realms Of Reality. Another
intriguing aspect of the DVD is an interview with Syzygy vocalist
Mark Boals, topped off by a band roundtable with Syzygy members
Sam Giunta (keyboards), Al Rolik (bass) and Paul
Mihacevich (drums), featuring lots of additional footage. Commenting
on A Glorious Disturbance, guitarist Carl Baldassarre adds,
We feel this is the definitive perspective of Syzygy from past
to present. It frames our careers to this point and clears the palette
for the new music which is to come. For fans of Rush, Deep Purple,
Kansas, Genesis and other prog-rock legends, A Glorious Disturbance
by Syzygy is essential listening and viewing. www.SyzygyMusic.com
|CD Reviews
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|Photo Archive
|MWE3 Home
© 1999-2013


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"We heard that among the options being considered by the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) is the possible privatization/sale of the MCIA's current location," he said in the two-page letter.
"In this regard, we are willing to discuss the terms of our possible participation in the disposition of the subject property as well as look into other fund-raising options being considered by MCIAA at your most convenient time," he added.
Sy pointed out that SM's proposal would help the MCIAA raise the necessary funds to build a bigger airport in nearby Cordova town, Cebu.
"SM's proposed development on the privatized property will provide Mactan as well as the surrounding communities with convenient access to a world-class and modern commercial and mixed-use complex, which stands to create significant economic activity, not to mention thousands of employment opportunities within the region," said Sy.
Villarete said the proposal of Sy has been referred to the committee on planning and development of the MCIAA Board for further study.
He said that while Sy did not indicate how much SM was willing to purchase the property, the 300-hectare lot had an assessed value of P6 billion.
The market value would be at least five times more of the assessed value, he added.
Sources said that Sy's offer should at least match the amount that would be spent to construct a new airport, runway and the needed infrastructure. These include the reclamation of the property where the airport would be built on as well as the access roads leading the facility.
The MCIAA, a government-run corporation established in 1990, owns the 797-hectare property in Lapu-Lapu City where the MCIA is located.
From January to September this year, the MCIA served 3,490 domestic and 3,467 outgoing flights.
During the same period, the airport's passenger traffic reached 3.56 million for domestic and 1.08 million for international travel. The total passenger traffic of 4.65 million was a 16-percent increase from 4.02 million in the same period last year.
MCIA's passenger traffic has been rising over the past 20 years at an annual average of 19 percent for international and 7 percent for domestic flights.
Its gross operating revenues in 2010 reached P1.23 billion, up 12 percent from P1.1 billion in 2009.
Due to the heavy passenger traffic, the final report of the MCIAA master plan recommended the construction of a new passenger terminal building costing around $180.7 million under a public-private partnership (PPP) scheme.
The report centered on the development of the airport at the present location when it was presented by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica) in a forum last July.
During the same forum, Mayor Adelino Sitoy of Cordova, an adjacent municipality, suggested that the airport be transferred to a proposed reclamation project of his town.
- Philippine Daily Inquirer (SM group eyes Mactan airport property)
* No copyright infringement intended. This news is solely for the information of prospect investors.
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April 2015


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Just a note to give you the details of the mapping site which we will be using this Thursday. It is called Edina Digimap and it is a portal through which maps (historical and modern) can be accessed. It is only available to people with University accounts but it is accessible from home.In class we will be looking at specific areas and looking at how they have changed using maps. We will then be considering what may have brought these changes about and will think about the historical or archaeological sources which we might investigate in order to find out more.
To use this site you will need to visit: http://digimap.edina.ac.uk/digimap/home
When you get to the page you will need to register using your University of Southampton sign in details.
1) A 'pop up' window will appear asking you to log in via a UK institution, click 'log in'
2) A page will appear asking which institution you are from, type 'University of Southampton' into this box and then select the university from the list which will appear below.
3) Click, 'continue'
4) The next page will be a University of Southampton log in page. Log in using your University username and password.
5) You will now be at the home page of Edina Digimap. You will see several options running down the left hand side of the screen.
The Ordnance Survey tab will give you access to current Ordnance Survey map data. NOTE to access this data you will need to register for this service, instructions are quite straight forward but we can help you do this in class. It will take up to 2 days for your registration to be given the okay.
6) We are going to look at the Historic>Ancient Roam section of the website. To access this click on the 'Historical' button and then click on the Ancient Roam link.
7) This will show you a map of the UK, you can zoom into this map by double clicking on the area you are interested in. It works in a very similar way to Google Maps.
8) When you zoom in far enough you will notice the 'Decade Buttons' becoming highlighted. When they turn blue you can click on them to see maps from different periods. NOTE you will have to zoom in quite far because the original Ordnance Survey maps were made at large scales which do not display very well at large scales.
9) Click on the different decades to see the maps change, you will notice that the geography changes and so do the styles of map making.


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Angie's List Answers is the trusted spot to ask home improvement and health questions and get answers from service companies, health providers and consumers. For ratings and reviews on companies in your area, search Angie's List.
*Updates every 4 hours
Great question! Once you've submitted your review, you should see a page that gives you the option of adding photos. Let me know if you have any additional issues with the pictures.
Answered 8 years ago
by Cas
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Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Revival Week Special
Revival Hotspot – Camden, TN
Eric Bullington & Stephanie Daniel
God has been pouring out His glory in Camden. Here this family's story of how God started this revival there and they're not even a church! They just have a group of intercessors who combined in the city who have been seeking God!
Camden Tennessee is about an hour and a half south of Nashville.
About This Family:
They are actually brother and sister. They are just very hungry for God and God has shined the light on their whole family! Their dad is just as hungry. Their mother passed away years earlier. They are very humble as well.
This revival started just from a group of praying people in their city! They are not from a church. However, a church is allowing them to use their facilities for this revival/move of God!
Hear the story of how God brought all this about and listen at their humility!
From Eric & Stephanie:
We are from Camden TN, and our prayer team just moved in faith to reach out and share what we get so freely. We just love serving the most high God and being a light for Him. We do what we do with honor to him, that He has blessed us so graciously just to bring Him more glory and more praise that He deserves! He is the best boss to have! We love doing his work and are honored that He chose us to use as tools and brought us together !!! We just want to spread the word and to bring all of this together to honor Him!!! For god is at the center of it all!!!!
Listen to their Broadcast:


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Isabella Cotta
Based in São Paulo, Isabella is a Public Relations graduate of Faculdade Casper Libero and a senior consultant at Sherlock Communications. She has experience working for both small and medium sized companies as well as established brands across diverse sectors. She has particular experience in and a passion for gastronomy, where she has always sought the most appropriate solutions for each client, from design, to events and partnerships with renowned chefs.
Additionally, Isabella worked for multinational pharmaceutical giant Takeda Pharma in the Marketing team where she enriched her experience in sales planning and strategy development. Isabella also has wide experience of internal communication, digital marketing and social media from her role as part of the marketing communications team for the Maringá Turismo agency.
In her role at Sherlock, Isabella is responsible for producing and disseminating press releases, social media and content calendars, news stories, articles, case studies and products, spreading new ideas by phone or email to national and regional journalists and trade, print, television and online media. She is also responsible for monitoring media coverage, social media metrics, and conducting marketing and communication plans for staff and clients.


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Buy "The Hunting Widow's Guide to Great Venison Cooking" today
It's tough living with—and cooking for—a meat and potatoes guy when I'm trying not to eat potatoes (or bread, or rice, or anything like that). Fortunately, it's the rut and that means Rick isn't home for dinner. I get to do anything I want!
What I wanted this time was see what mashed pumpkin would be like, and then see how it would work in one of my venison roulades. Rick won't eat pumpkin unless it's in a pie, so this was my opportunity to go into the kitchen and experiment.
If you are a pumpkin lover, then you will like this. Really, how can you go wrong adding cream and butter to anything? Rick's comment was "why would you ruin a beautiful piece of meat like that?†I decided not to share it with him after that. He wasn't crushed. Fine. All the more for me!
Spread the mashed pumpkin over the meat.
Lay the bacon on a cutting board. Set the meat on the bacon and wrap the bacon tight, securing each piece with a toothpick.
Remove and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
adjust the amount of the herbs to your liking. I like sage, so I use a lot of it!
Preparation time: 15 minute(s)
Cooking time: 45 minute(s)
Diet tags: High protein
Number of servings (yield): 4
Copyright © Susan Rose.
: a nice variation on mashed potatoes
This version is very creamy. If you want to bulk it up, add a sweet potato. Prepare the sweet potato like the pumpkin, add it to the leeks and cook until almost tender, then add the pumpkin.
If you can't eat dairy, simply omit it and add more butter to get the creamy consistency you want.
Preparation time: 10 minute(s)
Cooking time: 15 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 6
Copyright © Susan Rose.
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The tree is up, the lights are lit and it's time to decorate the tree! This tribal sea turtle wooden ornament sings an earthy holiday carol alongside generations of family ornaments. Etched in the wood is a hollow, tribal design in the shape of a sea turtle with the classic Clearwater Marine Aquarium name. It also makes for the perfect stocking stuffer for friends and family! Best of all, 100% of the net proceeds from your purchase goes directly to supporting our mission of Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release of marine life, and the long-term care of our resident animals!
Create an account with us and you'll be able to:
Fill in your email below to request a new password. An email will be sent to the address below containing a link to verify your email address.


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About the Washington Onsite Sewage Association
Founded in 1990, the Washington On-Site Sewage Association is a non-profit trade association serving the on-site wastewater industry. Today the organization has grown to encompass all disciplines of the industry, has continued to expand its impact, and supports improvement in all of the industry's professions. These professional areas include regulators, designers, installers, operations and maintenance support, and manufacturers/suppliers operating in the state of Washington. WOSSA has since been a leading onsite professional membership association for the onsite septic industry with key consideration to the Consumer, Public Health and the Environment.
Mission Statement
"WOSSA exists to represent our diverse industry through education, certification, legislative involvement, ethical standards and technical advancement to elevate the professionalism within all segments of our Onsite Waste Water Community."
With more than 300 industry professional members and member companies in the state of Washington, WOSSA serves as the voice of the on-site industry and the resource for our members in service to our communities.
We carry out our mission through education, advocacy, information, and our community. Each year WOSSA;
Not a member yet? We invite you to learn more about membership in WOSSA and join our community.
History of the Washington Onsite Sewage Association
WOSSA was formed in 1990 to provide a united defense against a lawsuit that impacted non engineering designers in the State of Washington as affected third parties.
The legal right of local health jurisdictions to certify licensed engineering designers was challenged in court. WOSSA was able to make a reasonable defense and participate in the process, which has allowed non-engineers to continue to practice.
This effort helped lead to the current statewide designer licensing program currently being developed and administered by the Department of Licensing.
From that beginning, the organization has grown to encompass all disciplines within the industry, from regulators to pumpers. In about 1998, the state Pumpers organization merged with WOSSA adding their voice.
WOSSA Presidents
Bill Stuth Sr., was WOSSA's first President, serving from 1990 to 1992. He is also one of the two original founders of WOSSA. Jerry Stonebridge was the other founding member of WOSSA and served as WOSSA President from 1995 to 1997.
Past Presidents
The Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
The preamble to WOSSA's Code of Ethics describes the principles upon which the Code of Ethics is based. It provides that members of the Washington On-Site Sewage Association shall uphold and advance the integrity, honor, and dignity of the on-site wastewater profession. This Code states guidelines for the conduct of members in fulfilling those obligations. The Code is arranged in two tiers of statements: Canons, and Guidelines for use with the Fundamental Canons of Ethics. Canons are broad principles of conduct while the Guidelines are more specific goals toward which members should aspire in professional performance and behavior.
Code Of Ethics
Organizational Structure
The Washington On-Site Sewage Association is governed by a Board of Directors, a statewide elected governing body that provides long-range strategic leadership. The Board is composed of elected WOSSA officers, including the president, vice president, past president, secretary, and treasurer; elected representatives from each of WOSSA's 4 regions; a supplier's and manufacturer's representative; an operations and maintenance representative; a pumper's representative; a designer's representative; an installer's representative; and a public regulator's representative from one of the local health jurisdictions.
Board Of Directors
Visit the Board of Directors Directory for Leadership information and member profiles. If you're a WOSSA member, request approved minutes from past board meetings.
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01 September 2015
Can Ashley Madison UK Users Take Legal Action?
Ashley Madison's now infamous Carpe Diem slogan "Life is short. Have an Affair." has rather backfired on the website's 37 million users. The online dating website, aimed at married people who want to have an affair, hasn't been out of the news this week after the private data of its users was hacked and dumped online. The data includes photos, credit card details and individuals' sexual preferences.
The fall out for Ashley Madison and their users is catastrophic. There are reports of suicides and a spike in divorce proceedings brought by outraged spouses. Ashley Madison faces allegations that it didn't do enough to protect the privacy of its users. The company is now the subject of five lawsuits in Canada, seeking up to half a billion dollars in compensation and costs for proceedings in contract, negligence and privacy.
In the UK there are an estimated 1.2m Ashley Madison users, but are they likely to follow the example set by users in Canada? Two factors come into play.
Firstly, in Canada they have an opt-out system in relation to group litigation. This is where members of a defined group are bound into an action unless they opt out. This system favours claimants and allows lawyers to get group litigation up and running more quickly. By contrast, in the UK we operate an opt-in system, which requires a claimant to choose to join an action. This requires building a group and takes more time.
Secondly, there is also a question as to whether clients in the UK would want to take proceedings at all given the sensitive facts which come into play. It has been suggested that there may be clients who would steer clear of litigation for fear of further erosion to their private life and potentially placing themselves in the glare of media scrutiny. Additionally, judging by reactions in the US and Canada, cheating spouses do not make for sympathetic claimants.
But isn't there something more important that comes into play in this situation? Like it or not, as a nation we embrace the concept of privacy and have developed a legal system to protect it. Whether we approve or not of the actions of the Ashley Madison clientele, they have become victims of the hacking of their private information and it would set an untenable precedent for this not to be actioned. Do we subscribe to concepts of privacy or simply to ones that suit our moral compass?
So what causes of action are open to a UK user of Ashley Madison?
a) There are reportedly individuals who have erroneously been outed as a user through the harvesting of old, dormant email addresses. For those individuals who are happily married or in long term relationships, there is the potential to pursue defamation proceedings, on the basis that their reputation would be harmed by the allegation of adultery.
b) Claims under the Data Protection Act for the unlawful processing of personal data could be considered. This is because clearly the security measures in place to protect client's data were inadequate. Reportedly, analysis of the leaked material alleges that there were multiple technical issues inherent in the Ashley Madison system, which could lead to a data breach. This raises questions as to the extent of the obligations on a company to make their systems 'hack proof'. The danger for many companies would be the cost of security in an ever changing IT context, where inevitably hackers are finding new, innovative and previously untapped ways of accessing systems. However, given the nature of what Ashley Madison was offering their customers, security should have been a priority issue.
c) Then there is the legal issue of confidentiality. Anonymity was a corner stone of the services offered by Ashley Madison and they spectacularly failed to deliver this contractual promise.
d) Similarly, the company could face legal claims for misuse of private information, which could come into play provided each client could show that they had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the circumstances specific to them. For example in the US, TV personality and political activist, Josh Duggar, is famous for espousing faith and family values and was outed as an Ashley Madison client. Under UK law, the public interest in exposing the hypocrisy of someone in Mr Dugger's position could potentially outweigh his right to privacy. Every case for misuse of private information must therefore be assessed individually and only where a potential claimant can demonstrate that they had a viable and legitimate expectation of privacy can they seek the protection of the court.
Life is indeed short and so, it seems, is Ashley Madison's shelf life.
See our previous blog on hacking and personal data online here.
Jacqueline Young is a National Practice Group Leader and Head of Group Litigation for Slater and Gordon Lawyers in London.
Slater and Gordon Lawyers UK have an expert team of Data Protection Solicitors who can provide immediate legal representation for individuals or businesses. Call us on freephone 0800 916 9081 or contact us online and we will call you.
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The values clarification exercise can be challenging, satisfying, and thought provoking. Consider the origin of your beliefs. How could your feelings affect the interactions you have with a patient? How could recognizing these feelings prior to the interaction have a positive impact upon patient care? How do you anticipate your feelings could change with this training experience?
Consider the following key points:
- There are no right or wrong answers.
- Patients have the right to make decisions for themselves and to receive legally available medical services supporting these decisions.
- As the healthcare provider, you serve patients best by providing active listening and accurate information. Strong negative reactions to patient behavior may harm the provider-patient relationship.
- Each of us is shaped by our personal life experiences, which in turn may affect our judgments. It is important for health care providers to identify and understand those influences. Self-exploration and understanding help us to promote a non-judgmental climate for patient interaction and care.
- We cannot know what the best decision for each patient is without walking in their shoes. Imagine what is going on in their life to explain their decisions and behavior.
- Family planning and contraceptive recommendations by health care providers have been found to vary by patient race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status and may contribute to healthcare disparities, suggesting that providers should be particularly aware of subconscious bias (Dehlendorf 2010).
- Family planning decisions are well served by a shared decision making approach that takes into account the best scientific evidence, as well as the patient's values.
EXERCISE 1.1: General Feelings about Pregnancy Options
Purpose: This exercise is designed to illustrate the range of beliefs about the acceptability of pregnancy options and to help you clarify your personal views about your patients choosing abortion, adoption, or parenthood.
- In general, how do you feel about your patients choosing abortion, adoption, or parenting in each of these situations? Are you challenged to accept a patient's decision in the following circumstances?
- There are no right or wrong answers to this exercise.
- If you feel ambivalence about one of these scenarios, consider what patient situation would change your view.
- Were you surprised by any of your reactions? How have your life experiences contributed to these feelings?
EXERCISE 1.2: Gestational Age and Abortion
Purpose: This exercise is designed to help you clarify whether your beliefs are influenced by the gestational age of a pregnancy.
- At what gestational age do you start feeling uncomfortable about your patient choosing to have an abortion? Check all that apply.
- Consider what happens between the gestational age that feels all right and the one that doesn't.
- Does your response have to do with your understanding of fetal development, concerns about fetal pain, physical risk to the patient, what it feels like doing the procedure as a provider, or other perceived ethical concerns?
- When (if ever) you first saw a gestational sac or fetal parts, how did you feel about it? Were there any factors that influenced how you felt?
- Do you feel different about the gestational age if you are making a referral vs. performing an abortion? If so, why?
- If you are struggling with the idea of making referrals, consider if the situation differs from other medical circumstances where we value accurate, evidence-based information and patient autonomy.
- Are there ways to respect the moral autonomy of the patient, without undermining your own?
- What if no other alternative abortion services were accessible? What kind of patient hardship would motivate you to offer services?
- Each provider is different and needs to find their own comfort level.
EXERCISE 1.3: Your Feelings about Patient's Reasons
Purpose: This exercise will help you clarify your feelings about some potentially challenging situations than may arise in abortion care.
- How would you feel about referring or providing an abortion for a patient who:
- is ambivalent about having an abortion but whose partner wants them to terminate the pregnancy.
- While this decision is important for both partners, it is the pregnant patient who has the legal right to make the final choice. In addition, they are the one bearing the risks of pregnancy and ultimate responsibility for the child.
- wishes to obtain an abortion because they are carrying a female fetus
- Sex selection brings up complicated ethical and cultural issues. It might be helpful to ask if there are medical or cultural reasons that support their preference (i.e. sex-linked genetic conditions or family pressure to have a male child). Discussing these with the patient may help you better understand their position and decide your comfort level or need to refer.
- has had many previous abortions
- Over half (54%) of patients obtaining abortions used a contraceptive method during the month they became pregnant (Jones 2002).
- Patients have multiple abortions for many reasons. Discussion may help you better understand their personal barriers to avoiding unintended pregnancy.
- Comprehensive contraceptive counseling, including long-acting methods and emergency contraception, may help them find a method that meets their reproductive goals
- indicates that they do not want any birth control method to use in the future
- Patients often wish to avoid sex after abortion. Help the patient assess their situation and whether abstinence is a likely reality. You may tell them you have heard this perspective from patients you have seen back later with unintended pregnancy. Proactive planning is an important form of self-care; however, it is also important to avoid pressuring a patient into choosing a method they don't want, as many patients will not desire more information about contraception on the day of abortion (Mattulich 2014). Discuss birth control options, and what has or has not worked in the past. At a minimum, give condoms and emergency contraception, and recommend they return if their situation changes or offer a scheduled follow-up visit to discuss it further.
- is ambivalent about having an abortion but whose partner wants them to terminate the pregnancy.
- What factors influenced your choices? How might you handle your discomfort when caring for patients under these circumstances?
- Recognizing personal discomfort with a situation is an important step towards providing unbiased care. Remember there may be more to the situation than the patient communicates directly.
- Sometimes talking with colleagues may be helpful. Sometimes referral will be the best option for your patient. Consider how best to provide appropriate support for them.
EXERCISE 2: Feelings about Providing Abortions
Purpose: This exercise will help you clarify your feeling about abortion provision.
- As you embark on this experience, consider how you might disclose this training to others. Do you think there are any parallels between the stigma that patients and providers experience?
- As you explore your level of involvement with options counseling and abortion care, consider the implications this may have on disclosure to family, friends, or acquaintances.
- A "prevalence paradox" is a phenomenon that can affect patients and providers alike (Kumar 2009). The less something is talked about, the more stigmatized and rare it seems when in fact it is very common. In other words, silence creates a vicious cycle that often distorts the true nature of things. Research supports that having a safe space to discuss the stigma around abortion may alleviate the burdens on staff and providers (Harris 2012).
- Utilize faculty support during this rotation to discuss whether you experience a sense of burden or stigma.
- Consider the following quotation on the role of "conscience" in abortion provision, and not just the historical focus on the refusal to participate. What are your thoughts on how this view affects stigma?
- "[Providers] continue to offer abortion care because deeply held, core ethical beliefs compel them to do so. They see women's reproductive autonomy as the linchpin of full personhood and self-determination, or they believe that women themselves best understand the life contexts in which childbearing decisions are made.. among other reasons" (Harris, "Recognizing Conscience in Abortion Provision," NEJM 2012).
- It is important to recognize the "conscience" in abortion provision, and not just in the refusal to participate. The goal of this exercise is to teach learners how provision can address stigma, and impact clinical practice, law, and bioethics.
- Some learners find it helpful to read or hear about other providers and their path to abortion care. For examples, see Physicians.
- Consider how your role as a healthcare provider places you in the position of not just having an opinion on comprehensive reproductive health care, but being in a position to provide it.
- "[Providers] continue to offer abortion care because deeply held, core ethical beliefs compel them to do so. They see women's reproductive autonomy as the linchpin of full personhood and self-determination, or they believe that women themselves best understand the life contexts in which childbearing decisions are made.. among other reasons" (Harris, "Recognizing Conscience in Abortion Provision," NEJM 2012).
EXERCISE 3: Abortion access (Optional)
Purpose: The negative public health impact of restrictive abortion laws is well documented. The following exercise is designed to help you think through the consequences of limited access. How might your decision to offer options counseling, referrals, or services influence the accessibility of abortion where you may practice?
- What is your reaction to the following account?
It is estimated that for every 99 U.S. patients receiving abortion, 1 presents for care beyond the capabilities of a particular clinic to receive one. Many factors delay patients seeking care. Here two patient's explanations of what caused a delay in access to care from the ANSIRH Turnaway Study:
"Still trying to get Medicaid and arrangements to stay for the procedure since it was out of town. Trying to get insurance." 23-year old Hispanic patient from New Mexico, at 22 weeks
"I didn't find out until I was 22 weeks and getting the funding. I was determined but there was so much preventing me from getting up there." 24-year old white patient from Minnesota, at 24 weeks


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Six years have gone by since Beyoncé and Jay Z were married in a secret ceremony, and details of their big day have remained unknown – until now that is.
As husband and wife kicked off their On The Run tour in Miami this week, footage from their wedding day was aired on screens around the stadium, giving fans their very first look at the couple's nuptials.
The short clip shows Beyoncé in a strapless white wedding dress and veil standing opposite her new husband, handsome in a tuxedo.
The crowd also got to see the moment Jay Z placed a wedding ring on Beyoncé's finger after the couple exchanged vows, and afterwards walking back down the aisle, congratulated by their family and friends.
Watch the short clip below as posted on Instagram by a concert goer
Source: Hello Magazine


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Supreme Court of New Hampshire
January 18, 2017
HARRIET E. CADYv.TOWN OF DEERFIELD
Argued: November 16, 2016
Harriet E. Cady, self-represented party, by brief.
& Hatfield, LLP, of Concord (Barton L. Mayer and Michael
P. Courtney on the brief, and Mr. Mayer orally), for the
petitioner, Harriet E. Cady, appeals an order of the Superior
Court (Delker, J.) denying her petition for
injunctive relief against the respondent, the Town of
Deerfield (Town). We affirm.
relevant facts are as follows. The Town has adopted the
provisions of RSA 40:13 (Supp. 2016), pursuant to which it
conducts its town meetings in two sessions. As such, the Town
is a so-called SB 2 municipality. See RSA 40:14, V
(Supp. 2016). The first session is deliberative in nature and
consists of "explanation, discussion, and debate"
over each proposed warrant article. RSA 40:13, IV (Supp.
2016). Warrant articles may be amended at the deliberative
session, subject to the following statutory limitations:
(a) Warrant articles whose wording is prescribed by law shall
not be amended.
(b)Warrant articles that are amended shall be placed on the
official ballot for a final vote on the main motion, as
(c) No warrant article shall be amended to eliminate the
subject matter of the article. An amendment that changes
the dollar amount of an appropriation in a warrant article
shall not be deemed to violate this subparagraph.
RSA 40:13, IV(a)-(c) (emphasis added). Final voting occurs by
official ballot during the second session. RSA 40:13, VI-VII.
January 30, 2016, the Town held a deliberative session.
During the session, two petitioned warrant articles, titled
Article 16 and Article 17, were considered and amended as
follows. The original text of Article 16 read:
We the undersigned registered voters of [Town] petition the
[Town] Welfare Director be an elected position as of March,
2016 to be paid no more than $5, 000 per year with no raises
as an employee but raises to be ...
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It is important that you know how your study abroad coursework will transfer back to LMU. All LMU signature study abroad programs (Bonn, London, and Córdoba) receive LMU credit and grades, as do the LMU Faculty-led Summer programs. As such, students do not need to request a transcript.
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text: DNA (Defence in Attack) Program. This program is designed for the realities of "anything goes" street violence. Techniques and tactics are designed for street self defence situations where multiple opponents and opponents with weapons are a common reality. All training is done with "layered stress" so the students can perform in "Real Time" and in "unscripted" Self Defence situations. When: February 11, 2015 7 - 9:00pm Where: Horizon Martial Arts West Seneca, NY Cost: FREE!! $5 - $10 donation appreciated.


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As my daughter gets older, I find myself getting more and more into the festive spirit as holidays approach. Last week I began rummaging through our things looking for some easter decorations to "Spring up" the place. I realized that besides a bunny figurine and a ceramic gnome, we really don't have anything springy! When we get closer to easter, we will be dying eggs of course, but its too soon to be doing that! So last night I went searching through my garage to see what I could come up with. I knew that I wanted a project that Little Bean could play a big part in. She has been so restless since her Dad went on TDY, and I knew she wasn't about to give me enough quiet time to complete a project on my own. Besides that, I really wanted her to be able to look at something on display in our home, and remember making it!
so here was my criteria:
- It needed to be something that fit in with our existing decor. Something that will add to what we have, instead of competing with it
- It had to be cheap or free
- It had to be child friendly
- It had to be something that I would want to bring out every year
Easy peasy right? actually yes! In my garage search I found an old 1×6 piece of scrap lumber. Perfect! This project could easily be completed with a canvas, piece of card stock, cardboard, really anything you have on hand!
Heres what you will need for this project:
- A base. (wood, canvas, card stock, etc)
- Masking tape
- Exacto blade/ utility knife
- Paints! (we used acrylics, you can use whatever you have on hand)
- Paint brushes or toddler fingers 🙂
- A drop cloth or newspapers to protect your surface (if it requires protecting)
First, tape off your entire work surface. You can use painters tape, masking tape, contact paper, whatever you have.
Next sketch your simple design. We went with easter eggs. Keep it fairly simple, you don't want little details coming undone while you are painting! of course if you have older kids, or are working on this project without the help of a little, make it as fancy as you like
Carefully trace the design with your exacto blade and peel out the inner design, revealing the base underneath.
This is the fun part, lay out your drop cloth, unfinished project, a paint pallet (we used the lid to a styrofoam cooler, you could use anything) your brushes, and a variety of colors that match your decor.
Let your little go crazy!
After Bean was done and had moved on to her play house, I did a little paint splattering myself. Adding a little water to the color of your choice and "throwing" the paint at the board will give you a speckled egg effect! I did some in white, and some in bright orange. (its also fairly therapeutic…)
Wait a bit for it to dry, and peel off the masking tape to reveal your masterpiece! Don't forget to sign your work! Ours reads "Mommy and Ellie, Easter 2013" in white paint pen.
I really love how this turned out! We will definitely be doing these types of projects more often! What kinds of designs can you come up with using this technique? I think we will try my girl's silhouette on a canvas next! Ill be sure to post the tutorial!
Best of luck, and Happy Easter!


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I have been wanting to go Iran for some time now. And when I told people that I was going, mostly the reaction is bewilderment, often followed by "Is it safe?" or "Isn't it dangerous?" If only I had a dollar for each time I get this response!
Iran. A country whose history intersected with some of the most ancient and glorious civilisations. The birthplace of one of the world's oldest monotheistic religions. Today it is an educated nation where youth literacy rate is 98%, with boys and girls both equally literate. A peaceful country today. A place for Persian architecture and history lovers – Isfahan's city centre drips with beauty and atmosphere at every corner. A country with four seasons. The landscape ranging from dry deserts to snow-capped mountains. There are still many places to see in Iran and one can easily travel for 6-8 weeks there – if only I have the time! Put aside the political rhetorics, go explore for yourself.
For me, the greatest experience of this trip is the warmth and friendliness of its people.
So is it safe? Is it dangerous? My posts are self-explanatory.
On our last day, we had a long conversation in the park. He was old enough to remember the days before the Revolution. His parting words to us were "God willing, you will come to Iran again."
I sure hope to.


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Love Song
The girl at the piano in this bar is singing what she called "our latest love song" and she's singing the truth, because I can feel it even through the beer and the darkness.
This one is different from every other love song because she wrote it and she's singing it— there in that cone of light— she's singing it just for me.
I don't even know her name, but she's stared at me all the while she's been playing, even clamming a few notes because I'm such a distraction and you know I'm the target of the arrow of her soul, her heart, her song, OUR song.
"Can I get another here, buddy?" I said to the barkeep, adding, "Would you just look at her, would you listen to her?"
And now she's finished, and as I smooth my way around this rudely mumbing crowd to introduce myself and pledge my troth, I notice the white stick on the floor next to her bench, and I'm glad of all she's reminded me about Love — artful Love, dream Love, her Love, my Love, our Love — how Love is blind, too.
Here is my latest Five Sentence Fiction offering, based on a prompt from Lillie McFerrin. This week: Awkward.


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Posted on March 10, 2018
Staff members from the MHA Keystone Center recently visited Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids to learn about its iHub, an innovative and multifaceted approach to performance improvement and the management and communication of quality improvement projects. The tour was facilitated by the hospital's president, Bob Connors, MD.
The iHub is an environment within the hospital that fosters collaboration among its healthcare professionals and enhances transparency within improvement projects and processes. Prior to the implementation of the iHub, Helen DeVos Children's Hospital staff often felt siloed in various departments, and collaboration and regular interventions between departments were limited. As a result, improvement work was slower and less precise than desired.
The iHub model is based on discovering the root cause of problems via the Plan Do Study Act process, a four-step method focused on problem solving and continuous change. It uses various quality improvement tools and methods in the identification of problems and the development of solutions, while allowing for open communication among departments. A weekly iHub huddle allows performance improvement staff, nursing and department managers, and executive and senior-level staff to provide regular updates on strategic goals, potential barriers and progress made on active projects. Updates are physically tracked on a bulletin board to highlight processes and outcomes and their influence on meeting goals in such areas as safety culture, patient care and overall experience. The entire effort, which has been in effect for a year and a half, has led to better and faster high-impact improvement work.
Lessons learned from the visit to Helen DeVos Children's Hospital help inform the MHA Keystone Center's collaborative efforts and its work on best practices in promoting the advancement of safety culture and quality improvement among all Michigan hospitals. For more information, contact the MHA Keystone Center.
Tags: MHA Keystone Center, Patient Safety and Quality, Quality Improvement, Helen DeVos
Posted in: Patient Safety & Quality
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- Description
All the greatness of Knipex pliers but for the tech who focuses on saxophones. The 5mm diameter hole is the most commonly used for saxophone keywork, so we made this pair of pliers with just that to offer the most clearance possible. Avoid key arms and pad cups, and enjoy the parallel action and comfortable grip. The smooth machined jaws and holes, adjustable parallel action, and excellent gripping power give you a new level of speed and control with less risk of marring.


text: Analysts agree that Berlusconi would pass the confidence vote on Wednesday [EPA] Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister, seems set to maintain his hold on power after members of a breakaway group from his centre-right coalition said they would back him in a confidence vote in parliament. "We will vote with the confidence motion," Benedetto Della Vedova, a member of a group led by Gianfranco Fini, the speaker of the lower house, which split from Berlusconi's People of Freedom party in July, said on Wednesday.Italo Bocchino, Fini's senior lieutenant, said that the Fini group had decided to vote with the government in a meeting after Berlusconi made a plea in parliament for national unity.The under fire Italian prime minister had called on parliamentarians to back him to spare Italy political instability at a time of financial woes."It is absolutely in the interests of our country not to risk a period of instability in this moment where the crisis is not yet over," Berlusconi said.He also outlined his government's goals for the remaining years of the legislature, including tax reforms, measures to fight organised crime and illegal immigration, and a politically delicate plan to overhaul the justice system.Justice system Berlusconi said the justice system, notoriously slow, must be sped up and that the country's senior officials must receive immunity from prosecution, a contentious issue since he is the defendant in two trials in Milan that have been put on hold thanks to a government measure. Berlusconi, who has a history of legal woes stemming from his media empire in Milan, has always said that he is the innocent victim of politically driven magistrates. While he touched on that argument in his parliamentary address, he stayed away from the emphatic attacks against the judiciary that he has launched in the past, at one point calling magistrates the "cancer of democracy". Instead, he promised more funds to help clear the backlog of cases pending before courtrooms across Italy and averted potentially divisive details of how to guarantee a measure of immunity to top officials.The split with Fini, who took 40 lower house deputies and senators with him, left Berlusconi without a secure majority, but it seems that he will be able to weather the storm in the short term.Outside parliament, Alessandra Mussolini, of Italy's Freedom People Party, said she also expected the vote to go in Berlusconi's favour.'Serious crisis'However, opposition politicians suggested that the bitter dispute is unlikely to resolve itself sufficiently for the administration to survive until the next scheduled election in 2013. "Today we are looking at a very serious crisis in the majority and I think it will be very difficult to resolve it," Roberto Colaninno, an opposition politican, said. "The confidence vote, that I imagine the government will win but I don't think it will be decisive for the future of this government, this majority. An open crisis will remain."Public figures ranging from the head of the main employers' federation Confindustria to unions and senior members of the Catholic church have warned that the feud has distracted the government from the task of fostering reform, growth and jobs. SOURCE: Agencies Politics Europe Italy


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Munnu Bhai a very nice and talented columnist. He wrote many other articles on different topics and situations. He earns his fame by writing dramas and stories. His famous drama serial was "Sona Chandi" which got a lot of fame. He discussed here a beautiful topic about very serious issue. Cricket is becoming a world recognize game and their lovers as well speculators are increasing day by day. India proud on his cricket and film industry and says we have developed more than Hollywood movies. Everything set a side a country real strength comes from their females and children condition. Women lives there are not fully enjoy her life as they are suffering a lot of issues. Government should need to build certain rules and regulation to provide safety of their people. There is a big problem of caste issue and ladies are specially hit by this threat. There film industry creating many problems for females as their dresses are going to be very short which creating a problem for other middle level of girls which are living in this country. A complete column related to this news is given below in Urdu, you can read it here and can know what is the actuality there.
Munno Bhai Urdu Column Baiti Ka Bojh
April 14, 2011 Munno Bhai No Comments


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Wowed by Maui
Molokai is a relatively small island with less than 8,000 people. It has a highway system that connects the various population centers together, but it is lightly used enough that there are no traffic signals on the island. Maui (especially in Lahaina) on the other hand has traffic, and parking issues. Molokai calls itself "the most Hawaiian of the islands". What this means is that it is a low stress place to live and a great place to raise a family, but lacks a lot of the amenities that tourists expect. If you are looking for a tropical setting to relax in, Molokai is your place. If you are looking for lots of trendy restaurants and bars, and plenty of activities, Maui is more your speed.
Lahaina is an older town, most of the buildings date back to the early 1900's. We stayed at the Pioneer Inn, built in 1903 and oozing with charm. It is in the thick of things, with the harbor to one side, and bars, restaurants, and souvenir shops all around.
After 6 blissful weeks on Molokai, I was ready for some action. In fact, even though Lahaina is a small town, I was like some country bumpkin seeing the big city for the first time. I was like a kid in a candy shop. As we walked down Front Street for the first time, I was oohing and aching and pointing at everything. I could't wait to try some of the really touristy stuff.
Somehow, I talked Trog into going on the Submarine attraction, even though he had not quite recovered from the ferry ride from Molokai. It is an actual submarine, half a mile off-shore. It dives down to 130 feet below the surface. We got to see coral reefs, and lots of fish, and a submerged boat wreck. I found it fascinating and I think that Trog was not too traumatized by it.
That night we went to the Luau. It was a short easy walk from our lodgings, and set on a beach that, they say, was popular with the Hawaiian royal family, back in the day. They served a five course meal with an open bar. Each of the first four courses was representative of a different region (Hawaii, Aotearoa, Tahiti, and Samoa) and culture of Polynesia. These four courses were preceded by mai tais and some banana and sweet potato chips with a tropical salsa. All of this was followed by a dessert course, and each course contained three separate dishes. Lots of food (and drink). And each course was accompanied by a performance of the music and dance (and costuming) of that region. I am a sucker for any kind of folkloric dance performance, and had not gotten my fill of hula, so this was the perfect ending to my Hawaiian sojourn.
Here Today… Gone to Maui: LUAU!!!
We did the "Feast at Lele" luau. Again, this wasn't our first choice, but the slightly-higher-rated one was ALSO booked solid for the two days (if you count the day where we could still rush over with me being seasick – what fun THAT would have been) we were going to be on Maui. It is slightly more-expensive than the higher-rated one, but it is also a different format than the other (who, interestingly-enough, STARTED at the same location and basically "spun-off" the "Feast at Lele" when they moved to their new location – in fact, they still own 50% of the "Feast at Lele" show), with the current show featuring a "tour" of the tropical islands whose people at least came to Hawaii, and might have eventually became part of what evolved as the "native" population (Hawaii appears to have started without people, having pretty much just sprung-up in the middle of the Pacific one eon from volcanic activity – what culture ACTUALLY was – or contributed largely to – what became the "native" population has not been clearly determined – one account suggests that the island had a humanoid population even before the arrival of the Polynesians, the culture widely-believed to be the contributors to what became the "native" population).
(You Can't Know TOO Much Trivia: the legend of the "menehune," probably best-explained as Hawaii's version of leprechauns, are thought to be, along with legends of "dog people" who had long tails, to be indicators that Hawaii HAD a human or humanoid population predating the arrival of other cultures and were driven into extinction by them. There is no anthropological evidence to support either claim. Yet. 🙂 ) Continue reading "Here Today… Gone to Maui: LUAU!!!"
Here Today… Gone to Maui: Things to Like
Okay – I was a teensy-weensy bit cranky about the Pioneer Inn. I have stayed in WORSE places, of course (that hotel in Phoenix next to the truck stop with the staccato of high heels and the thump of heavy soled boots apparently plying a very old business on the outside stairwell all night long comes to mind right away). If you're walking Lahaina, like we were, it IS in the MIDDLE of everything. There's a restaurant downstairs (Pioneer Inn Grill and Bar) that isn't bad at all (and it's even sweeter with the 15%-off coupon you can get at the hotel's front desk IF you are staying there – good on food only – no discount for getting you drunk).
I was raised on sticky white steamed rice that is nowhere NEAR as good for your body as the nice brown rice Pony prefers – but it's an option with the egg items on the breakfast menu (as is Portuguese sausage, also a favorite of the locals). Two eggs was enough for me – first day, it was two eggs that might have come from wild Molokai chickens (they're kinda scrawny, if you didn't read earlier postings, and I imagine their eggs are as well) – second day, Pony opined that it looked like they had used duck eggs (larger, I am told) – I thought I had mistakenly ordered three eggs. Pony had bacon, declared it to be too large a serving, and I thought it tasted delicious (little goes to waste around me). Continue reading "Here Today… Gone to Maui: Things to Like"
Here Today… Gone to Maui: Staying There is Almost as Fun!
Almost as much fun as the ride over (that would be biting sarcasm, if you didn't read the story about the ride from Molokai to Maui).
So we didn't need the "resort" experience (or price). Just a simple place to stay in Lahaina to sleep-off what was an "adventurous" (Pony's words) boat ride, that was within walking distance of the place where the luau was (and I sleep-off the "open bar" from THAT as well). A Motel 6 would have worked…
There are, by the way, no Motel 6's in Hawaii, let alone Lahaina. Even the cheap hotels wanted close to $100/night – and judging by the comments on-line for those places, you might want to bring your own security detail… Continue reading "Here Today… Gone to Maui: Staying There is Almost as Fun!"
Here Today – Gone to Maui: Getting There is Half the Fun!
Maui is a lot like Molokai. Dining out costs the same – but there are more options on the menu. The streets are bustling. Bars are plentiful and open late. Gas is cheaper. A brazillion places to shop. Hundreds of things to do and dozens of options to do many of them with. Cell service is great. Streets lit at night.
Okay… Maui is NOTHING like Molokai… but that's not necessarily a GOOD thing either…
On our way back to the Mainland, we spent a couple of days in Maui, seeing as we had to go that way to catch the plane back. Kinda like stuffing TWO islands into the SAME trip – bonus! 🙂 Continue reading "Here Today – Gone to Maui: Getting There is Half the Fun!"


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We have been installing beauitful driveways since 2006 and here are some of our customers' thoughts. If you have comments of your own, we would love to hear them!
Driveway Impressions. The driveway was the best investment I evermade to my house. People stop and admire it from the road. It has held up 1000%. It is the best driveway in Wellesley Hills Ma. Absolutely outstanding!
-Agatha C.
My wife and I are very pleased with our new driveway. We live on a deadend street,and we don't get alot of traffic, however the people who do live on our street really enjoy it.Mr Meyers the man that sold us the job was a real pro, great attitude and fully enjoyes his job. Thanks
-Joe C.
I am very pleased with the way my driveway turned out. It is beyond my expectations… It has been a pleasure dealing with you and all of your employees. Thank you — I can't remember when the last time was that I've said this.
-Carolyn L.
Having hired the firm of Mark Myers, Driveway Impressions, to remodel both our front walk and driveway in front of our Victorian house was a truly pleasant experience. The house had been built in 1895 and still looked stately. However, its two access ways — one consisting of cracked cement blocks in front, the other of crumbled, dimpled asphalt leading to the garage — both had fallen into states of utter disgrace. We met Mark during a home show in Boston (2008). My husband and I were drawn to his presentation of seemingly immaculately carved passageways in an array of colors, lay-outs and patterns. We arranged with Mark to come to our house, look at our situation to see what could be salvaged. Mark Myers was a true professional. He came, explained the entire process again, showed us pictures of other houses as well as addresses in the area we could look at and talk to the owners. We went out and talked to two of them. We found them as happy as we would become in the end. Mark also gave us a price that we were happy with. The two crews — one was the digging and asphalt gang and the other were two men who did the eventual stamping and coloring — were incredulously on time, accurate in their work and, well, they cleaned up after themselves. Something, one does not experience all too often with workmen. During the entire process, Mark was on top of things, visiting the site on a regular basis and consulting with us at all times. We now are the envy of our neighborhood. One of them said: "Gee, we wished we would have known about this process before we had our stones put in."
-Traudi S.
Please accept our thanks for a job well done! We are extremely pleased and proud of the result… We realize our project was a substantial one and quite unique and complicated. You deserve to be as happy with the result as we are… Please know that we would recommend Driveway Impressions — and specifically your franchise — to whomever may inquire
-Irene and Athan S.
I am a very satisfied customer, and I have recommended your company to others (including one potential customer just last week).
-Jim R.
This is a large (2900 sq feet) drive, and I had the front half, the part visible from the street, stamped and colorized to look like brick. There was a problem in that they found a mud pit under the lowest part of the old drive and had to dig out 4 truckloads of mud and bring in stone. This cost additional money, which I was not prepared for, but the company and I worked out a professional and workable agreement that allowed the job to complete. The biggest issue is that the new drive is beautiful and really higher quality that I see in the other neighborhood driveways. For example, my old drive tapered to very thin asphalt at the edges and this caused cracking. A truck drove across the drive, slipped onto the lawn, and a three foot section of the old drive just broke off. The new drive has full depth all the way to the edges, with a chanfered (45 degree angle) edge, that is stronger, and when re-landscaped, will stay good for decades. The final product is the envy of my neighbors and I am very happy with it.
-Paul K. Sept 29, 2011 via Angie's List


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Searching through my cupboard the other day I came across this little number that hasn't made it out of the closet all year! The brief for tonight was Christmassy … This had enough red and green but I added a bauble just in case I got out Christmassed … Or in trouble for missing the Christmas brief! Oh and a lucky cat for err good luck!
I spotted this dress on an Italian singer at a concert in Hong Kong and lamented never being able to own it. The girl sitting next to me in the audience promptly told me exactly which little side street to hit to have one of my very own.
And the very next day I did.
Having not worn it in over a year, I wondered if I would love it still when I put it on. Well, luckily I only had 10 minutes to get ready so I couldn't change my mind and really enjoyed wearing it all night. Not too hot, not too cool, extremely comfy and a little bit different from all the tiny dresses the much younger crowd were wearing at the Brunswick Social Club where you need plenty of room for dumplings! I felt like I was back in Hong Kong with their fabulous dumpling menu but was surrounded by friends from school from over 20 years ago and all along I was in Brisbane! What a great night!
For more info on the Brunswick Social Club, check out the review from Time Out: http://www.au.timeout.com/brisbane/bars/venues/484/brunswick-social.


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Jasika Nicole is an American actress who plays Astrid Farnsworth and Astrid Farnsworth (Alternate Universe). Born in Alabama, she attended college in North Carolina to study dance, voice and studio art, before moving to New York to pursue her career.
In addition to Fringe she has appeared as Egypt in Take the Lead (2006) and Wendy in She's Out of My Life (2008). She has also made guest appearances on Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2005) and The Return of Jezebel James (2008).
More recently she has a regular role on The Good Doctor.
External links Edit
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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Thursday, March 6, 2014
Cheese Pizza
Basic cheese recipe:
-set 1 cup lukewarm water with 1 TBS dry yeast + 1 tsp sugar + 1 tsp flour, whisk and let foam.
In a mixer, mix 2 cups flour + 2 TBS gluten + 1 tsp salt + 1 tsp sugar + 1 tsp dough conditioner (if available) + 4 TBS dough relaxer (if available). Combine.
-Add water mix to mixer + 1/4 cup olive oil, knead for 5min in medium high speed.
Set dough in a warm place for 30min. here a pre-warmed regular oven at 84F.
Open dough to desired size.
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Gobius couchi
The small, rare Couch's goby grows up to 9 cm long. It is
found on the lower shore and in shallow water, under stones or
seaweed on sheltered, muddy sand, where it feeds on seaweed,
shrimp-like animals, bivalves and worms.
Females also use the undersides of rocks or shells as a surface
on which to attach their eggs. These are then protected by the male
until the larvae hatch.
Couch's gobies can be confused with black gobies, although the
former are much smaller. They have short, flattened tails and
the stiff, supporting top-rays of its pectoral (side) fins are
separate, rather than webbed.
Couch's goby is very rare and is a protected species. We think
it is only found in south Cornwall and Ireland.
This species has only been recorded from four locations in the
British Isles and in Ireland. Little is known about its
European distribution, although there have been isolated records
from the western Mediterranean and, more recently, in the Adriatic
Sea suggesting that its distribution may be wider.
Protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act
Traits Information Catalogue
Life Information Network
Marine Species Identification Portal
World Register of Marine Species


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Buy Online @ JDMUltimate.com
Sparco continues to innovate and evolve their product line to meet the demands of todays most popular cars.
Sparco Harness Bars are manufactured with the highest quality .120-wall steel and designed specifically for our competition 3″ harnesses. They are MIG welded by our highly skilled technicians, and engineered to strict safety standards.
Buy Online @ JdmUltimate


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Gorey Village, Grouville, , JE2
A working factory for over 50 years, family owned and one of Jersey's largest manufacturing industries. Production areas are open to the public.
Sausmarez Manor, Grouville, , JE2 7UD
Described as "...one of Europe's finest prehistoric monuments", this remarkable site is dominated by the massive burial mound dating from 3800 BC.
Use Options to change location.
This Weather Widget is provided by the Met Office


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Join us for Mother's Day, on Sunday 11 March, 2-4pm, for a special celebration with music, tea and cake.
Mother's Day at Buxton Lodge
Sunday 11 March, 2-4pm
Buxton Lodge care home, Caterham-on-the-hill
Join us in celebrating our Mother's special day. From 2-4pm, there will be music from Dierdre Biasini and tea and cake.
If you'd like to join us for lunch, earlier, please contact Theresa, or Nina on: 01883 340788.


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Pluto snapping into focus!
Credit: NASA/JHU/APL/SW Research Institute
It has been over nine years.
On January 19th, 2006, NASAs New Horizons spacecraft launched out of Cape Canaveral bound for Pluto. And in just over a weeks time, the key flyby window opens centered on July 14th. Moving over 14 kilometres per second, New Horizons wont be stopping as it heads on an escape trajectory out of the solar system. Already, were getting some amazing views courtesy of New Horizons LORRI imager. Clearly, Pluto and Charon are brave new worlds like no other.
Sending spacecraft to other planets is one of the most amazing things that we as a species do, and we never seem to do enough of it. NASA recently released a promotional video highlighting the mounting excitement swirling around next weeks flyby of Pluto:
The human story of The Wait could be said to stretch even farther back to Clyde Tombaughs discovery of Pluto in 1930 from the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. Clyde passed away in 1997, having never seen his discovery up close. An ounce of Clydes ashes ride with New Horizons, along with the names of more than 430,000 supporters than made New Horizons happen.
And this comes as engineers rush to understand why the spacecraft went into safe mode briefly this past weekend. Full contact has been re-established, and safeguards will prevent the spacecraft from going into safe mode during the key encounter phase next week. New Horizons will be on its own on July 14th, as it wont have time to spare for beaming data back to Earth while it is carrying out key science observations.
Get set for a wild ride!


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The San Antonio Spurs have arguably been the quietest dynasty definitely in NBA history and probably in the history of professional sports. They won five titles in the space of just nine years and are in the finals again in 2013 with a chance to win a sixth title in 15 years. Tony Parker is expected to play a little longer and the great Tim Duncan is frequently discussed among the best players in NBA history. However, the final piece of the 'big three' – Manu Ginobili – is frequently under appreciated. The 36-year old's career is gradually fading away and will probably be over within the next year or two. Basketball Schedule reflects on the career of a top quality basketball player.
Ginobili made his name in basketball playing in Argentina and Italy. He is widely regarded as one of the finest basketball products from the European basketball leagues. He didn't play NBA basketball until he was 26 years old after being drafted in the second round of the 1999 NBA draft.
From very early on in his career, Ginobili demonstrated that he was a wizard. He had a remarkable level of instinctual passing, had a beautiful set of finesse moves to get to the basket and could shoot with most of the best players in the league.
He joined a San Antonio Spurs team with Duncan at its core and a fellow European ball player Parker expected to emerge as the team's new starter at point guard. The trio almost instantly meshed to perfection.
Ginobili and the Spurs would win three titles in the first five seasons of his career. The ability for Ginobili to create space with his play-making ability to score big points off the bench proved absolutely invaluable to a disciplined San Antonio roster coached by arguably the best in basketball Gregg Popovich.
While his minutes would almost always go up during the playoffs, Ginobili came to represent the quintessential 'sixth man' in basketball terms. He won the sixth man of the year award for the 2007-08 season, but he was frequently a strong competitor just because of how vital he was. In reality, he played close to the minutes and had a role greater than three of the team's starters. Hence it was Ginobili who became a part of the 'big three'.
His career points per game average stands at 14.9, but he enjoyed a span of seven seasons where he scored at a higher pace than that while averaging a little under five assists per game as well. Of course, what always made Ginobili so great was that he found a way to improve his performance when the games got important in the playoffs.
Ginobili's ferocity, intensity and at times pure wildness are often forgotten when thinking about a player who is usually described as 'finesse' or 'skilled'. However, the now 36-year old has always played the game with an intensity that wins over the hearts and minds of team mates and fans alike. In fact, it has often been noted that Popovich has a greater soft spot for the Argentine because of a kindred feeling shared with a player who can be erratic.
The NBA will miss Manu Ginobili if he decides to retire whenever that is. For now all fans can hope is that he graces North American basketball courts for at least just a little bit longer.


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The C&O Canal National Historical Park includes many different habitats as it travels from the Coastal Plain of Washington, DC to the mountains around Cumberland. This includes a variety of water sources, preserved woodland, and different rock formations within the Park, which all provide excellent habitat for many animal species. Because of this, the C&O Canal, specifically the area around Great Falls, is one of the most biodiverse parks in the National Park System. The diversity of birds and butterflies within the park attract people from all over the world throughout the year.
For a full list of mammal, fish, bird, reptile and amphibian species documented in the park, visit NPSpecies for the park and choose what type of animal you're looking for.
Please enjoy and observe wild animals from a distance. Photograph all wildlife from a safe distance. Use telephoto lenses and observe quietly. Animals can be very protective of their young and can become aggressive if cornered.
It is dangerous and illegal to feed wild animals, including ducks and geese, in national parks. Wildlife can become dependent on handouts and lose their ability to forage for food. Such animals can lose their fear of humans and become threatening.
Some animals found in the Park can carry rabies. If you encounter an animal that is acting strangely (for example, a nocturnal raccoon seen during the day) or an animal has attacked you, immediately report it to our emergency Dispatch Center, at 866-677-6677. Please visit the CDC website to learn more about rabies.
Several species of ticks and other stinging insects can also be found in the Park. The deer tick, also known as wood tick or black-legged tick, is known to carry and cause Lyme Disease. To prevent ticks, be sure to stay on trail and wear insect repellent. Please visit the CDC website to learn more about Lyme's disease and proper tick removal.
Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet at all times. Loose or feral pets can disturb or kill wildlife and can also transmit and carry disease and environmental contaminants. Protective wildlife parents can be aggressive and could harm you or your pet. Keep wildlife and your pets safe by observing the leash law.
Help us keep wildlife wild!
Last updated: September 22, 2017


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I would like to send a file to Extension Auto-Installer, but not from wget, but from my nodejs script. As you may know, there are a tone of modules for nodejs that replicate the POST behavior. See for instance,
Unfortunately I couldn't make them work, here is a sample nodejs application,
- Code: Select all
var request = require('request');
var path = require('path');
var fs = require('fs');
var filepath = path.join(__dirname, 'myextension.xpi'); //path to xpi file
fs.createReadStream(filepath, {encoding: null}).pipe(request.post('http://localhost:8888'))
I am getting this error,
- Code: Select all
Warning: WARN addons.xpi: Download failed: [Exception... "Component returned failure code: 0x8052000b (NS_ERROR_FILE_CORRUPTED) [nsIZipReader.open]" nsresult: "0x8052000b (NS_ERROR_FILE_CORRUPTED)" location: "JS frame :: resource://gre/modules/XPIProvider.jsm :: AI_loadManifest :: line 4555" data: no]
Source file: resource://gre/modules/XPIProvider.jsm
Line: 4555
Any idea how to solve this? I think it is very useful to eliminate wget usage, especially for windows users.


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Last date for submitting online proposal is 25th January 2011.
The Microinsurance Innovation Facility, launched in 2008 with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has issued a new call for proposals for its innovation grants programme.
This new round is focused on 'scale and efficiency' and is funded by the Z Zurich Foundation of Zurich Financial Services. Z Zurich Foundation is supporting the Microinsurance Innovation Facility with a contribution of CHF 3 million ( Rs 13 Crore approx) to facilitate the development of innovative approaches to provide better insurance coverage to more low-income people in a cost effective way. In this round, the Facility seeks to promote microinsurance projects that utilize technology and process innovations to increase operational efficiency to protect low-income households.
Microinsurance represents a key tool for sustainable development with tremendous potential for mitigating risk factors to low-income households. With estimates that less than 5% of the world's poor benefit from insurance, these households remain highly susceptible to risks posed by a wide range of issues including sickness, loss of livestock and catastrophic climate events. On the one hand, a policy that offers value to the client requires that premiums remain low and benefits for policy holders as high as possible. On the other hand, insurers in this context need to reach large numbers of low-income clients to achieve profitability. To this end, creating economies of scale and promoting efficiency which can reduce administrative costs are critical issues.
Craig Churchill, Team Leader of the Microinsurance Innovation Facility, points to the necessity for "providers to reconsider how products are structured, marketed, delivered, accessed and documented. [Microinsurance] requires significant efficiencies through simple products, procedures and non-traditional delivery channels and perhaps through front and back office technologies." Today, advances in technology are proceeding at an unprecedented pace, and recent months have heralded a new options ranging from hand held devices to manage claims to mobile banking and innovative premium payment methods that represent opportunities for achieving scale and efficiency.
Proposals must be submitted online no later than 25 January 2011. The Facility expects to issue three to five large grants of $100K to $500K as well as four or five small grants (less than $100K). Further information about current grantees and projects supported by the Microinsurance Innovation Facility can be found on the Facility's website in addition to guidelines – (pdf 1,69 MB) for applying for the current round of grants.
The Z Zurich Foundation of Zurich Financial Services is funding this call for proposals. The Foundation's mission is to equip people with the knowledge and resources to better manage change and risk in their lives and the world around them. Microinsurance is a valuable mechanism in helping marginalised and vulnerable segments of the population to better manage risks.
On a strategic level the Foundation develops long-term partnerships with selected Non-Profit Organizations, combining Zurich's global experience and risk management capabilities with the Non-Profit Organizations' local knowledge and sustainable development expertise. Current partners include UK-based Practical Action, US-based Rainforest Alliance, and the Swiss-based International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
The ILO's Microinsurance Innovation Facility was launched in 2008 with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Since then, it has promoted over 40 projects through four rounds of innovation grants. Previous recipients of grants have included insurance companies, cooperatives, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other microinsurance providers. The Facility currently cooperates with a broad range of organizations that are actively testing new methods for providing low-income households with better insurance coverage. In a broader sense, the Facility plays an important role in aiding the ILO's efforts towards fair globalization by protecting workers from the economic stresses arising from illness, catastrophic climate events and other unplanned situations.
For more information do contact us at +41 22 799 6786 / firstname.lastname@example.com.
For further information about microinsurance and the Z Zurich Foundation please visit the site.


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Brain scans reveal differences in the way the brains of individuals with body dysmorphic disorder--a psychiatric condition that causes patients to believe they appear disfigured and ugly--respond to images of their own faces, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) affects approximately 1 percent to 2 percent of the population, according to background information in the article. Patients with the condition become preoccupied with perceived defects in their appearance; many are distressed and cannot function normally, about half are hospitalized at some point in their lifetimes and about one-fourth attempt suicide. Despite its prevalence and severe effects, little is known about the underlying brain changes that contribute to the disease.
Jamie D. Feusner, M.D., and colleagues at David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, assessed 17 patients with body dysmorphic disorder and 16 healthy controls matched by sex, age and education level. Participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while viewing photographs of two faces--their own and that of a familiar actor--unaltered and then altered in two ways to parse out different elements of visual processing. One altered version included only high spatial frequency information, which would allow detailed analysis of facial traits (including blemishes and hairs). The other showed only low spatial frequency information, which conveys the general shape of the face and relationships between facial features.
Compared with control participants, individuals with body dysmorphic disorder demonstrated abnormal brain activity in regions associated with visual processing when viewing the unaltered and low spatial frequency versions of their own faces. They also had unusual activation patterns in their frontostriatal systems, which help control and guide behavior and maintain emotional flexibility in responding to situations.
Brain activity in both systems correlated with the severity of symptoms. In addition, differences in activity in the frontostriatal system varied based on participant reports of how disgusting or repulsive they found each image.
The abnormal activation patterns--especially in response to low spatial frequency images--suggest that individuals with body dysmorphic disorder have difficulties perceiving or processing general information about faces. "Clinically this may account for the impaired ability to perceive the visual gestalt, contributing to distorted perceptions of the individuals' appearance when viewing their face," the authors write. "The individuals may primarily perceive details and are impaired in their ability to contextualize them configurally or holistically."
Some of the patterns appear similar to those observed in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, supporting hypotheses that the two conditions share similar neural pathways. However, future studies are needed to further elucidate the causes and development of body dysmorphic disorder.
(Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2010;67[2]:197-205. Available pre-embargo to the media at www.jamamedia.org.)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.


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The Egyptian Grand Mufti has issued an official fatwa, banning bitcoin which soared in value over the $20,000 mark in December. Trade in cryptocurrency is similar to gambling, which is forbidden in Islam, he said.
Mufti Allam referred that Bitcoin is one of virtual banking currency, or a digital currency, which first appeared in 2009, created and held electronically, and is not available in a physical form.
He was quoted by Egyptian media as saying that Bitcoin is a virtual currency, not backed by any tangible asset, and can be issued without any control and without relying on any centralized authority, adding that it does not undergo any surveillance or financial institutions, as it depends on internet trading without any control. He indicated the risks that could arise as a result of this lack of surveillance.
"It is not the first of its kind in the currency exchange market; there are many other digital currencies known as cryptocurrency," Allam stated.
The Mufti also pointed out that Bitcoins are "mined" or can be bought using actual money. Bitcoin can be mined using specific computer software and mathematical formulas designed by the Bitcoin founder, who remains anonymous.
Simply put, one uses their PC or laptop to download a program that utilizes the machine's horsepower to go through certain processes and solve some formulas, and depending on how much data the machine processes, one, accordingly, gets paid in Bitcoins. To protect the Bitcoin system, only a certain previously-specified amount of Bitcoins can ever be created. The crypto currency can be used to carry out transactions. The fact that only a certain amount of them are out there and that they can be used to carry out transactions has made the coin's value go up.
He stressed that he met with economic experts to reach a final decision regarding the Bitcoin by analyzing its effect on the economy.
In November, Turkey's highest religious authority – the Directorate of Religious Affairs, also known as the Diyanet – declared that buying and selling of digital currencies is at odds with its religion due to its lack of regulation and close connection to criminal activities.
Last year saw cryptocurrencies steal the headlines and take retail investors on a rollercoaster ride. Despite declines in December, bitcoin has seen a remarkable rise over the course of 2017, during which its price increased by over 1,300 percent.