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Healthy Obsession: Redirecting Anxiety to a More Productive Alternative
By: Brittney Frazier – Head Trainer, CPDT-KA, APDT, Canine Good Citizen Evaluator
At Found Chicago, we ask owners to visit before any training advice is given in order to understand to best approach the situation. Over the years I have observed dogs and their owners, it is easy to pinpoint some of the major underlying issues of behavioral issues when first observed in a dog. Traces of anxiety are amongst the easiest behavioral issues to detect, but most difficult to eradicate in a dog's brain due to extremely ingrained behaviors and a very strong association with the environment the dog shares with its owner. However, as difficult as anxiety might be to work with, it has become somewhat of an old friend to our Training Department; as we have begun to find a rhythm and method to working with these seemingly panicky and over exuberant dogs.
The main factor in determining how to approach an anxiety case is what causes the dog's anxiety. Whether that anxiety is caused by separation from its "pack," a specific event, or the dog is anxious in general, the main goal is to focus on what we imagine the dog would be doing instead. This kind of thought process will sometimes cause us to observe other more balanced dogs in similar situations to help us come to an answer. However, it is important we are not just looking to cut out one behavior without replacing it in the dog's mind with another more acceptable behavior.
Take a walk, for example. If you can imagine the millions of smells and sounds our dogs are overloaded with on a simple walk to the park, you can understand why some might be a bit anxious. What some fail to recognize is that the "bad" behavior observed on a walk, such as pulling on leash or reacting to surrounding animals with so-called "aggression," could possibly be a symptom of anxiety. While some may choose to medicate a dog with anxious behavior on a walk, there is another solution I have come across in my background as a cross country and track athlete. That's right: it's running.
It sounds like such a simple solution to such daunting behavioral issues like reactivity or even severe aggression while out on a walk, but to an anxious dog, it's something to do. Rather than walk a painfully slow and boring pace when the dog's mind is racing a million miles a minute, running creates an outlet for all that anxiety we often ask a dog to bottle up. The other solution running a dog provides for an anxious and stressful situation is that it gives a frustrated owner a task to focus on as well.
Oftentimes, I recommend the owner of a dog operates a bike, scooter, or pair of rollerblades while their dog runs beside them. Being that the owner is practicing in a safe place like an empty parking lot, focusing on the skill at hand teaches the owner to stop focusing on all the stresses walking the dog would bring, which can easily cause the anxiety to flare up in their canine companion.
There are anxious dogs I have worked with that are truly obsessed with running. Since I tend to be one of the most willing to exercise the dogs in this fashion amongst our staff, the dogs I have worked with will anticipate a run and bark almost neurotically when they sense a run is in their near future. But what I have found is that would much rather the dog be obsessed with a productive activity like running while outside than all the anxiety previously felt when walking. And when that anxiety turned into aggression, it can be a dangerous situation for everyone involved. Running and exercise has exponentially enriched the lives of many dog and owner partnerships I have had the pleasure of witnessing.
Another behavioral issue I have witnessed greatly improved by redirecting obsession is separation anxiety. Dogs who are unnaturally attached to their owners have a difficult time coping with a strong obsession of simply being in the presence of their owners. Like a teddy bear for a baby, it's important that a dog learns how to cope with that kind of anxiety by replacing it with something healthier than the behavior they may want to exhibit instead. By coupling a command such as "go lay down" with a bed or chew toy associated with the event of leaving and their owner at the same time, re-associating a usually painful event is just a matter of consistency.
I will usually ask a client to spend more time asking their anxious dog to spend time away from them and on a bed when they are present, just to create the association, than actually working and praising the dog. But, in no time, the dog will usually become connected with their surroundings in an effort to cope. As long as the owner doesn't provide extra emotion and stays firm, a dog can then understand the bed or crate they are being asked to lay in just as comfortable as their owner's lap, which will transfer the obsession. This kind of transfer of anxiety will allow the dog and owner a much healthier foundation of behavior should things ever spiral out of control again.
Time and time again I have witnessed redirecting obsession proving more effective than medication. Medication can take weeks to cycle through a dog's system and will often become a revolving door of what works best for each individual dog. Try finding something your dog would enjoy doing more than being anxious, and you may find that all the drive the dog has used for anxiety creates a more productive and happier member of your family when used effectively .
By: Brittney Frazier – Head Trainer, CPDT-KA, APDT, Canine Good Citizen Evaluator


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For over a quarter century, the Breckenridge Film Festival has celebrated the art and craft of filmmaking. Each fall a unique and varied array of independent films, premieres, receptions, educational programs and retrospectives honoring featured guests takes place high in the Colorado Rockies. E! Network's resident film expert co-host Ben Lyons serves as master of ceremonies and moderator of the discussions and forums.
ResortQuest offers a multitude of Breckenridge lodging options, all within walking distance to downtown Breckenridge. Lodging deals for BFF start at $95 per night!* Discounted Festival tickets are also available when you book your lodging through ResortQuest.
The mission of the Breckenridge Film Festival is to enrich lives through the ideas and emotions inspired by the art of filmmaking. The Festival is also a means to celebrate independent filmmakers, enrich the cultural community of Summit County, Colorado, and provide a educational, creative and inspirational learning environment where participants can focus on their craft and interact intimately with guest filmmakers and mentors through a four-day annual film festival and throughout the year.
Guests can book this great Breckenridge lodging deal for Film Festival weekend by calling ResortQuest at 800-627-2973 and mention booking code INT BFF.
*Terms and conditions: Valid 6/8/09 - 6/17/09. Rate based on a regular hotel room at River Mountain Lodge. Two-night minimum stay required. May not be combined with any other promotional offer. Subject to availability. Additional restrictions may apply. Discounted film passes require purchase of ResortQuest lodging.

subset: commoncrawl


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If you haven't read Part 1 of this series, check it out here before you read part 2.
This post is all about women's issues when traveling. That's right vacation menstruation. The topic of periods, menstruation, that monthly visitor, being 'on the rag' …
NOTE: Some women may find this post too detailed. If you don't want to read it, don't read it. If you are curious, then read. If you read all the way to the end, despite it's brutal honesty, please don't complain to me about being too honest … after all, you decided to continue reading!
I'm going to travel like a diva … with a cup. What the hell does that mean, you ask?
Back in 2012 when I ran my very first photo tour, as soon as I had the minimum number of participants I was so excited that I started counting down the days! That also meant I started counting the weeks between periods to see if I'd be 'on the rag' during my adventure of a lifetime. To my dismay, I would be. So, what was I going to do about that?
Picture this …
I'm sitting at a travel agency picking my agent's brain about all things Peru. I'm asking about the weather, about flight schedules, about adding on a trip to The Galapagos Islands … the questions are just pouring out in excitement and she's answering each one of them with as much information as she can to help me out.
There are three agents in the office. It's fairly small and both of the other agents were busy at the time … one with a client in person, the other on the phone.
I leaned across my agent's desk and whispered something like 'I can't believe I'm asking this … I don't want anyone to hear … but what is the bathroom situation like on the Peru trip? I mean, I'm going to be on my period. Will I have regular access to washrooms? Will our accommodations have washrooms or will I be going in the woods?'.
After all, this was an adventure travel trip, not a Caribbean resort! And we would be doing homestays for several nights and hotels for the others.
I felt a little silly, but thankfully I'm not easily embarrassed. We tried to quietly and discreetly have a conversation about 'women' issues while in the company of a man and a client!
I'm pretty sure our conversation went something like this …
Rose: Well, Shari, do I have the perfect thing for you! Have you ever heard of The Diva Cup?
Shari: The Diva Cup? Um, no. Not sure I want to know what that is … but ok.
Rose (goes to The Diva Cup website): It's an alternative menstruation product, reusable and environmentally friendly. It will change your periods forever!
OK, from here on, this post gets detailed. Read at your own discretion! Don't say I didn't warn you!
Of course at this point, I was intrigued and disgusted all at the same time. After all, it is a sort of cup that you insert instead of a tampon that catches your blood and then you empty it out. I didn't even know there were such things as 'alternative menstruation products'! I thought we had pads and tampons and that's all there was to it.
We went on to have a detailed discussion and read information on the website about how it was going to change my periods forever! The lovely ladies at the agency spoke so highly about it for traveling women that I decided I'd give it a try for my next period. I wanted a test run with it before taking it to Peru!
So, when my next period came around, I decided to take the plunge (or plug)! At that time, The Diva Cup wasn't sold at drug stores and pharmacies though. You couldn't just go in and buy it instead of a box of tampons. You had to buy it at a health or sex store.
On the second day of my period, I went in to Super Natural Foods, found a nice female staff member and asked if they sold the Diva Cup. She pointed me in the right direction and then the adventure began!
First thought … It's kind of like buying your first box of condoms! You really have no idea what you are doing, but know that you should be getting them, so you are going to do it, but it's a little uncomfortable!
Second thought … ok, there are two sizes. How do you know what 'size' is right for your vagina? HA HA HA Ok, so who am I kidding? I just said vagina in a blog post and I was a little uncomfortable about buying the Diva Cup? Ok, I think I just got more uncomfortable … as did you, but remember, I'm the one writing this for all to see … no one knows you are reading it! And really, we should be de-stigmatizing all of this anyway! Women should not be embarrassed to talk about their periods which are a perfectly natural part of life!
The Diva cup makes the size choice fairly straight forward for you. Either you are over 30 and may or may not have delivered a child vaginally or by c-section. Or you are under 30 and have never had a child.
Simple enough right?
Unless you let your mind wander … In my mind I thought "Well, I'm over 30, but I've never given birth … doesn't that make my vagina smaller?" Ok, in reality I know this isn't really true, but I'll admit that this thought went through my head! I bought the recommended size for those of us over 30, got in the car and said to my friend who was waiting for me, 'but what if I have a small vagina?!' … fits of laughter ensued.
Later that evening, I came home and decided I was ready to tackle using the cup for the first time. Obviously best to try it at home first where you are most comfortable. I was a good girl and read all of the instructions before doing anything. Mind you, I really wasn't sure what I was going to do with this malleable silicone cup thing with an opening that looked way to large to 'fit up there'. So, I guess I had to read the instructions.
As suggested, I washed the cup with warm, non-scented, soapy water.
And then, I gave myself another little pep talk that consisted of 'Ok, so you're going to have to touch yourself a little bit to get this to work, but all the ladies who use it say that it is worth it. So, get ready …. go for it!'
The instructions give you two ways of inserting the cup properly. I chose the second way, which is to push down on one side of the cup in to the middle, until it forms a bit of a V. This makes it much smaller to insert. Seems simple enough, right?
Well, maybe … or maybe not! I pushed my thumb down to the middle of the soft cup, held the sides and started to walk myself through the part where I was going to have to (paraphrased) 'use your other hand to separate your labia' and then …
The cup slips out of my grasp, hits the door with a dull little thud and bounces to the floor. "OMG I'm glad I'm at home, not in a public bathroom right now!" What if I had lost my grip, the cup hit the door, then the floor and rolled right out of the stall? I might just die!
Instead of the Seinfeld episode 'Can you spare a square?' it would be 'Can you roll my alternative menstrual product back under the stall for me please? And then, can you leave the bathroom before I do, so you never see my face?'
Ok, I've recovered from my embarrassment with myself, I've rewashed the cup and I'm ready to try again … Concentrate this time!
I've made the cup smaller for insertion, I'm holding things 'apart' down there and using my other hand to gently insert the cup … and then …
It works! Phew. Wow was I glad when it was in and couldn't go flying out of my grasp again.
(and I've just realized that this should be part of The Vagina Monologues that tours every year!)
Once the cup is inserted, you reach up and gently turn it 360 degrees to make sure that it fully opens rather than being smaller like the way you inserted it. Yup, you actually reach in there, grab on to the bottom of it and start turning. For me, this was the most awkward part. I originally tried to hold on to the little nubby end (so that it doesn't go missing in there), but really, what you need to do is grab the bottom of the cup with your fingers, squeeze and turn. If it hasn't already opened up fully, you'll feel it when it does, but don't worry, it doesn't hurt! When it is open fully it lightly suctions, forming a seal so that it doesn't leak or move.
So there, the cup is in and I'm good to go … for how long?
Well, you see, two of the really fantastic benefits of using the Diva Cup are:
1. You can leave it in for up to 12 hours
2. because it is made of sillicone, there's no risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome, such as with tampons.
Just for 'fun', that first night, I left it in for a couple of hours, then tried my first attempt at removing it. The instructions tell you all kinds of tid bits such as (paraphrased), 'don't panic if you can't reach it! This means you may have inserted it a little too far, but eventually the weight of the liquid and gravity will pull it back down.' What you actually do is squeeze your vaginal muscles which pushes the cup closer to your fingers, then you reach up there … (yup, you have to be comfortable with yourself) … pinch the bottom of the cup and pull. Weird? Yes, it is weird, but it's not all that bad.
It is a little bit like having a pap test when your doctor sticks his or her fingers inside to make sure everything is ok. It is an odd, uncomfortable sensation, as far from sexy or arousing as possible, but it only lasts for a few seconds, then it's done. Once the cup is inserted, you really, honestly can't feel it at all! You notice it even less than a tampon!
I can hear you all saying 'ewwwwww! Gross! That's gotta be messy.'
Actually, it isn't messy. All of your menstrual fluid is captured inside the little cup and you just dump it out in the toilet (or on the ground if you are peeing in the woods!). There is very little blood on the outside of the cup because it has been pressed against your vaginal walls, directing everything inside. So, as gross as you may think it is, you don't actually get much on your fingers (usually).
Something else I learned is that the average woman, during her entire one week period produces about an ounce of menstrual fluid. An ounce? That's it? Well, apparently it is! The cup itself is made to hold an ounce. So, technically, that would be a week's worth of fluid from your period. They recommend that you take it out and wash it 2-3 times per day (which is every 10-12 hours). Isn't it cool that as long as it is inserted properly, you don't have to worry about it for 10-12 hours?
I'm so excited! That means not only when I'm traveling and don't have access to a suitable washroom, but overnight, when I'm on location working and don't have access to a washroom, I don't have to worry about overflow! That's right. Unless something is horribly wrong, I'm not going to 'overflow' the cup in those 12 hours.
And I don't think I mentioned that you can pee, or have a bowel movement with it still in place. You don't have to take it out every time. Well, I don't think you have to take a tampon out either, but I always do because it just doesn't seem right. I always feel like a tampon gets shifted, moved and is uncomfortable if I leave it in while using the washroom. Ok, not to mention the fact that you then have a wet string hanging around with pee on it. EEEEEWWWW! See, THAT is disgusting!
I'll admit to the world, I am converted. I used the Diva Cup for the last few days of that period and was thrilled with it's efficiency. When I go to my boyfriend's house (someday that'll happen again) I don't have to pack a bunch of bulky, embarrassing pads and tampons. When I go to a photo shoot, I don't have to worry about running to the bathroom every couple of hours to remove my tampon, or trying to find a delicate way to get a tampon from my bag to my hand and carry it to the washroom without anyone seeing. I don't always have to carry my purse everywhere with me with a stash of feminine products because I now have a reusable one!
So, I guess I'd better answer the last few questions that I know most of you have. How's it going to work when you are in a public washroom or traveling?
Well, here's the deal … you are supposed to wash the cup off with drinkable water (and non-scented soap) whenever you can. If you are in a one stall public bathroom in Canada or US, that's no problem. If you are in a bigger washroom, you can't just take your cup and wash it out in the sink in front of everyone, then run back to the bathroom and insert it. So, you can either wash it off in the stall with bottled water that you are carrying, or you can wipe it off with toilet paper and re-insert it, washing it the next time you have a chance.
They really stress how important it is to wash your hands before using it as well, as you don't want any unknown bacteria causing problems!
When you are traveling, you aren't always in suitable bathrooms or don't always have drinkable water. So, it is just a matter of planning ahead to take good, drinkable bottled water with you, or you can wait until you are at your hotel to wash it off. Remember, you don't have to remove it every time you go to the washroom, so you don't have to worry about this all of the time!
Wash it before you insert it in the morning and then you will be good until you get to your hotel or a private washroom later in the day.
Doesn't this make life so much easier when you travel?
I can't imagine having to pack my rucksack with enough pads and tampons for a week. Not to mention trying to not squish them, have them become wet from rain or squished from being thrown around in the cargo area on the plane. Nor do I want the hassle of trying to find new pads and tampons in another country where I can't speak the language! Instead, I just pack my little Diva Cup in a pretty little cotton bag, and I'm on my way!
Oh yeah, and it only costs around $40! With the money you'll save on pads and tampons, in a few years you'll have saved enough money for a trip! And you are making a huge impact on saving the environment! What's not to like about all of this!
So, if you can't control when you are going to have your period and it just happens to end up in the midst of your travel plans, you should consider the alternative .. Travel like a diva … with a cup!
'Self, suck it up. Get over it. Be a woman. Get comfortable with yourself and enjoy your travels!'


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Porsche 911 Carrera coupe 2012 review
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In common with every other luxury brand in the world — and we're talking designer label anything, not just cars — BMW has its gaze fixed longingly upon the bountiful riches, there for the taking, in China.
The Middle Kingdom has high-end Western brands totally in its thrall. The enthusiasm with which wealthy Chinese people are opening their wallets to acquire the baubles, big and small, of the decadent, capitalist Occidentals is breathtaking.
So BMW has added rear doors to the 6-Series coupe — a necessary feature for Chinese luxury car buyers — and extended the wheelbase to liberate a liveable rear seat. Going deep into Beijing bling territory has created the new 6 Series Gran Coupe.
The 3.0-litre straight six turbo 640i goes on sale here in July. The 4.4-litre V8 twin turbo 650i follows in October. The 3.0-litre twin turbo diesel 640d is a maybe. Hopefully, it will soon become a definite.
No prices are fixed for Australia but the Gran Coupe will sit between the two-door and the convertible. So the 640i will cost about $190,000, give or take a few dim sims, while the 650i will occupy the low-mid $240,000 range. If the 640d gets here, it will be pricier than the petrol six but not by much.
You'll pay similar money for a 3.6-litre six-cylinder petrol or 3.0-litre turbo diesel Porsche Panamera but the Porsche V8 is a $297,100 ask. The Mercedes CLS350 is $159,200. The bargain in this class is Audi's beautiful and underrated A7, which kicks off at $142,700 for the 220kW 3.0-litre V6 supercharged petrol TFSi quattro.
The Gran Coupe is a design exercise. That said, BMW tech is always interesting and, with a few exceptions, extremely effective. The 640i's petrol engine, six years on, runs one turbo instead of two, to improve fuel efficiency. On our drive around the mountains of Sicily, it averaged 12.9L/100km. The official number is 7.7L. This version has 235kW and what makes it remarkable in the petrol donk context is a torque curve as flat as the Nullarbor: the full 450Nm is all yours from from 1300rpm to 4500rpm.
The eight-speed automatic, and drivetrain maps that range from ECO to nuke-the-planet Sport+, allow you to drive it any way you choose. The auto never leaves you wondering what it's going to do next, or when. It's only when you hop into the 640d that the petrol engine feels underdone.
This is the world's best turbo diesel six. With 630Nm, it seems to pull with half the effort of the turbo petrol, yet with 230kW it's hardly short on power, either, and happily spins to a most un-diesel-like 5800rpm. I averaged high 11L/100km; the official 5.5L is probably wishful thinking. Both sixes hit 100km/h in 5.4 seconds. The V8 (which was unavailable on launch) takes 4.6 seconds.
The Gran Coupe looks stretched and tight, like a good BMW should, emphasised by the famed Hofmeister kink here extending deep into the rear pillar. But I'm not sure if it's a true coupe. The boot has a flat deck rather than a Kate Winslet-esque rump, so this is really a sedan. They probably wanted to avoid, at all costs, giving it a barge-arse like the Panamera.
A striking new matt colour, called Frozen (burnished, to the eye) Bronze, is exclusive to the Gran Coupe. Inside, the theme is nautical but this is no tinnie. The test car's cabin featured a wild combination from the BMW Individual custom design palette: white leather seats, dash and door trim, enveloped by an earthy brown hue on the roof, doors and floor. Think Vegas brothel meets Birdsville pub. It should look horrible but it works. I like it. I can't believe I just wrote that.
No NCAP results yet but this car will be eminently crashworthy. The head-up display allows you to monitor your speed and navigate without taking your eyes off the road. Active cruise control can automatically stop you rear-ending another car at low speed. Infra-red light can detect an errant pedestrian stumbling into your path at night; he's then caught like a bunny in a bright LED beam while you think about how pleasant it would be to contribute to this year's Darwin awards.
Whatever engine you choose, performance is not an issue. The 640d, though, is an absolute wonder. If you think a diesel is a weird, or low rent, choice for a car such as this, drive this one. Hopefully, BMW Australia will give you the opportunity.
The Gran Coupe, 5m and a smidge long and nearly 2m wide, is not to be confused with a genuine sports car. It takes open sweepers as fast as you like and with tenacious precision. However, in tight corners it requires help from the adjustable suspension and (optional) anti-roll system to get around with its dignity intact. That said, at 1825kg the 640i is light for a car of this size, so when you set everything to Sport or Sport+ mode, it's almost athletic. The diesel weighs only 40kg more, and there's no discernible difference in dynamics between the two.
Electric steering is suitably light, a touch remote and not too direct, the brakes are up to it and the ride might be a bit lumpy on our goat tracks. The sporty suspension settings actually work better in this regard than the two Comfort modes. These offer no resistance at all to big hits, which crash through the body.
Long, low, louche and loaded, the 6-Series Gran Coupe says you take your pleasure very seriously. And why not?
BMW 640i Gran Coupe
Price: From $190,000 (est)
Warranty: 3 years/unlimited km
Resale: N/A
Service interval: On demand
Safety: Not rated
Engine 3.0-litre, 6-cyl turbo petrol, 235kW/450Nm
Ttransmission: 8-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Thirst: 7.7L/100km, on test 12.9L, 183g/km CO2. Tank 70L
Body: 5m (L), 1.9m (W), 1.4m (H)
Weight: 1825kg
Spare: None. Run-flats
|$37,300 – 48,290
|2012 BMW 6 Series 2012 650i Pricing and Specs
|$41,000 – 52,470
|2012 BMW 6 Series 2012 650i Pricing and Specs
|650i Gran Coupe
|$51,200 – 64,790
|2012 BMW 6 Series 2012 650i Gran Coupe Pricing and Specs
Lowest price, based on third party pricing data


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Education Catering Support Services has successfully completed a 12 month project with Lincolnshire County Council. July saw the completion of Induction training of 9 newly appointed kitchen supervisors.
Head Teachers engaged Education Catering Support Services following the local authorities success in bidding for over £2million of capital investment.
Input from Education Catering Support Services including kitchen design and planning, development of specifications for suppliers, budget preparation, recruitment of employees, policy development and training.
Feel free to contact Karen if you are considering changing your school catering services or if you have challenges with your schools catering service.


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Under terms of the Agreement, SCFD #1 staffs the City's three fire stations 24/7. The fire stations are located in Edmonds at:
- Fire Station 17 * 275 – 6th Avenue N
- Fire Station 16 * 8429 – 196th Street SW
- Fire Station 20 * 23009 – 88th Avenue W
One Battalion Chief serves the City, and each City station is staffed with one Fire Captain and two Firefighter/EMTs. Station 17 on 6th Avenue is also staffed with two Firefighter/Paramedics.
The Fire Chief of South County Fire is designated as the City Fire Chief. The District also provides a Fire Marshal and Fire Inspector local to the City.
To learn more about fire and life safety programs and services, visit the
South County Fire website at www.firedistrict1.org or call
Administrative offices are located at: 12425 Meridian Ave, Everett, WA 98208


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Tutorial at The Seaman Mom Blog
"I have a really fun and easy sewing project to share with you today! It's something I've been afraid to start working on for ages. I'm not much of a sewist, I have loads to learn about it and not enough time, my sewing machine is very rudimentary and I also have 2 left hands. But that doesn't mean I shouldn't try making pretty stuff, even if I fail. Trying is more important than succeeding but this time I was lucky as I did have some success! The result of a 3 hours work (yes, it took me that long lol) is a sweet and cute, colorful, comfortable Flutter sleeve Dress for my 4 years old little girl".... Read more


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Lydia Night is on her lunch break.
"If I randomly stop talking for a second, it's because I'm getting a sandwich right now," she says from a grocery store near her Los Angeles high school. "Can I get an iced vanilla latte? Sorry. I'll have a large. Sorry. I'm here."
As a student, Night is somewhat restricted to taking interviews around her class schedule. But she's gotten used to it, and she's definitely accustomed to raising a few eyebrows because of her age. At 16, she's the frontwoman of the Regrettes, a fast-rising garage-pop band whose four members aren't even old enough to drink.
"You can't pretend I'm not 16, you know?" she says. "Sometimes people are uncomfortable with it. I've seen it with sound guys who automatically assume I don't know how to work my amp, but it's impossible not to encounter some of that when you not only are 16, but you're also a girl."
And yet, it's Night's age and gender that are integral to what makes the Regrettes tick. On the band's debut album Feel Your Feelings Fool!, Night takes an exacting look at life as a teenage girl in the contemporary U.S., splicing her own experiences with progressive feminist values. She celebrates her "ass full of stretch marks" and "nice full belly that's filled with food" on the doo-wop-inspired, selflove anthem "A Living Human Girl," and mockingly parrots the sexist jeers of her haters ("I heard that girl Lydia is a total fucking bitch") on the rollicking punk number "Ladylike/WHATTA BITCH."
Drawing from life comes naturally to Night, who found herself increasingly frustrated with the vicious cycle of anxiety and self-doubt that plagued herself and her classmates.
"I was surrounded by so many insecure girls, and it made me super insecure," she says. "It's this constant weird cycle of 'If you're insecure, then I'm insecure, because I feel bad about liking myself.' "
Night wrote "A Living Human Girl" as an antidote to the insecurities of high school life and to push back against society's twisted beauty standards, but she's quick to admit that it took a while for her to believe her own confident declarations of self-love.
"Having to stand in front of a crowd and sing those lyrics was so difficult at first. Singing them but still not liking myself was really hard," Night says. "The more I did it, the more I actually believed what I was saying. I started practicing what I was preaching."
No matter the subject matter, all of the Regrettes' songs are a smorgasbord of girl group-era doo-wop, upbeat scuzzy guitarwork, and deliriously fun bubblegum hooks. Raised on Buddy Holly, David Bowie, Patsy Cline, and Big Star, Night's garage-pop effortlessly references the '60s and '70s, with frequent forays into '90s alt-rock and post-punk. Throughout the record, Night is the four-piece's indefatigable leader, commanding the room with her lively alto reminiscent of All Girl Summer Fun Band's Kim Baxter and Republica's Saffron.
Not that either of those bands are on her mind right now.
"Oh my god, my song just came on!" Night shrieks, interrupting her own musings on her songwriting process. By "my song," Night does not mean a tune by the Regrettes. She's referring to "Waterloo" by ABBA.
"I've been listening to 'Waterloo' on repeat, and it just came on in the store I'm at! That's so cool," she gushes. "What was I saying? What was the question?"
The question was about how she transitioned from her former twopiece band to the Regrettes, all of whom are School of Rock alumni who first met at a Motown tribute show. Following graduation and the breakup of Night's former band, she joined forces with guitarist Genessa Gariano, drummer Maxx Morando, and bassist Sage Nicole — all of whom were already playing as a trio.
"I just slid on in there," jokes Night. "It was a perfect fit."
Warner Bros. Records signed the band before they had been playing together for a full year. Tours with Tacocat and Sleigh Bells followed shortly thereafter. Then came their debut album and slick music videos, including one for the ridiculously catchy "Hey Now," which reimagines the group as a featured act on an American Bandstand-esque TV show — only without the rose-colored glasses. Night, who conceptualized the video, felt it necessary to acknowledge the racism and casual misogyny of the era, using a scumbag host and references to Negro Day — the one day of the month Black people were permitted to dance for the cameras — to do so.
"I'd always wanted to make a music video that was reminiscent of that time period, but I didn't want to hide the fact that there were so many issues," she explains. "I used to say, 'I wish I could live in that time period, everything was better back then.' That's not true. The clothes might have been, the music might have been, but socially, no."
Night's insistence on referencing the past — Hole and the Ronettes are audible in her songwriting — while maintaining a realistic, forward-thinking mentality is ultimately what defines the Regrettes. And since music has been her top priority since childhood, she's had plenty of time to develop such a mentality.
"My dad took me to a Donnas concert when I was 5. That's just how I knew," she remembers. "When I was in first grade, we had this project about what we wanted to be when we grew up. I wrote about how I wanted to be the singer and guitar player in a band."
By now, it's probably safe to say that she never looked back.
The Regrettes play with the Frights, the Garden, and Dinosaur at 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Chapel. $15-$17; thechapelsf.com


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COVID-19(Coronavirus) Update
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Customer Service: 1-866-438-8272
While bringing your own bag is the most environmentally friendly option for grocery shoppers, you are bound to forget every once in a while. In those instances, you'll probably face the question of choosing between a paper and plastic bag. But which one provides the most energy savings? Plastic bags have a negative stigma attached to them - plastic bags are even banned or restricted in San Francisco and numerous other cities, as well as retail giants IKEA and Whole Foods, often in favor of paper bags. As it turns out, neither is a sustainable option, but plastic bags require much less material to be made and are easier to recycle than paper.
Understanding the paper vs. plastic debate requires examining the full lifecycle of each bag, and the cost to recycle each product. Let's examine the process of creating both paper and plastic bags.
Paper, of course, comes from trees. According to Ecology.com, about 4 billion trees around the world are used to make paper. Deforestation raises greenhouse gas levels and damages natural ecosystems. On a very basic level, these chopped trees are transported by trucks or helicopters to factories, and eventually processed by heavy machinery and mixed with chemicals. The process requires large quantities of water and, according to NBC News, emits 70% more air pollution than creating plastic bags.
Production isn't the only place where paper causes environmental harm. According to Oregon Live, the process of recycling paper can be so inefficient it consumes more fuel than it would take to make a new bag. In order to recycle paper, it must be returned to pulp by adding chemicals to bleach and disperse the fibers. In order to ensure the strength of bags, most recycled bags are made of mostly virgin wood pulp. So most likely your recycled bag doesn't become another bag; at best it becomes corrugated cardboard.
Plastic is a product of oil refining. The bags are made when small pellets of polyethylene (the most common plastic) are heated, stretched and cut into bag shape. Plastic bag production creates 50 times less water pollution than paper bags. And while plastic requires less energy to recycle than paper, bags need to be taken to specific bag recycling stations, which can be inconvenient if you can't locate one nearby. The process is so cost ineffective that many of the bags collected are never recycled. According to the Washington Post, many are shipped to foreign countries with lax environmental laws and incinerated.
However, plastic bags have a bad reputation for a reason. These light, thin bags are often viewed as expendable and tossed as litter, which can threaten local wildlife that become entrapped in the plastic or mistake it for food. According to the Washington Post, an estimated 4 billion bags end up as litter each year.
Ultimately, plastic is the better of two bad options. Paper and plastic both have significant carbon and landfill footprints and threaten local ecosystems. The best course of action is to use and reuse your own shopping bag or shopping crate. These reusable items require more material to make than plastic or paper, so it's important to place them somewhere where you won't forget them next time you head to the grocery - or do any shopping. Every time you can avoid getting a new plastic or paper bag is a positive contribution toward increasing your energy savings and lowering your carbon footprint.
i. Call your city/county to obtain a permit
ii. The city/county will send someone to your residence for an inspection and permit approval
iii. Once the permit approval is complete, Just Energy will receive notification directly from the city/county and your enrollment will be processed
Many cities, towns and counties require that an inspection of your property is completed prior to allowing your utility to provide requested services. This may also be called a Certificate of Occupancy or Permit.
2. Why do I need a permit?
Many cities and counties require a permit or an approval to receive electric service to ensure the safety of the individual and his/her family who are moving into the premise.
3. How do I obtain a permit?
Contact the city or county to obtain a permit, click here for the full list of cities.
4. How long will Just Energy hold my enrollment while I work with the City on my permit?
The utility will hold your enrollment order for 20 calendar days, from the date it was received. If you are unable to obtain a permit within this time period, call Just Energy at 1-866-587-8674.
5. Do I have to take any action after inspection is complete and permit is approved?
No. Your utility will confirm to Just Energy directly and we will be able to process your enrollment. There is no action required from your end.
A Switch Hold is placed either by the utility or the current provider on the service location. This may prevent services to be switched away to a new provider or it may prevent services to be turned on for the new occupant unless the occupant moving in demonstrates adequate evidence as requested by the utility.
If you have been residing in that location, please contact your current service provider to resolve this issue.
If you are a new resident at this location, you will need to provide some additional information in order for us to process your request for electric service.
Please see below for these requirements:
Send the above documents through one of the methods mentioned below:
You will receive a confirmation email from us that your request has been completed.
There could be many reasons why meter is not available. Here are the most common reasons for meter not available at your property:
Call the utility using the number mentioned below and let them know that your enrollment is on hold because the meter is not available.
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There can be two outcomes when you contact your Utility:
It could take anywhere between 3 to 10 business days to work these requests. However, your utility can confirm your exact timelines.
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text: Come and join us for our May meeting on Thursday, May 5, at St. Barnabas starting at 7pm. May is our annual meeting and there will be a discussion on an increase of our dues. We will also get to enjoy a trunk show from one of our own – Judy Messenger. Judy started quilting in 2002 and enjoys applique and hand quilting. You don't want to miss her gorgeous quilts. Don't forget your Boutique of the Month. This month it is Bags. And the Strip of the Month is black. Only two meetings left for this year!


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Record Ozone Hole Forms Over Arctic
A record-sized hole has opened in the ozone layer over the Arctic, The Guardian reported Tuesday.
While both poles lose some ozone during their winters, the Arctic tends to lose much less than Antarctica, where the larger and more famous ozone hole is located, the European Space Agency (ESA) explained. This year's anomaly is the result of a combination of unusually low Arctic temperatures, sunlight, wind fields and human emissions of ozone-depleting substances like chlorofluorocarbons (CFC).
This doesn't mean ozone-depleting emissions are increasing, director of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service Vincent-Henri Peuch told The Guardian.
"However, this is a reminder that one should not take the Montreal Protocol measures for granted, and that observations from the ground and from satellites are pivotal to avoid a situation where the chlorine and bromine levels in the stratosphere could increase again," he said.
The ozone layer is a layer of protective gas in the stratosphere that shields Earth from the sun's ultraviolet light, which can cause skin cancer and cataracts, ESA explained.
In Antarctica, a hole in this protective coating is ripped every winter when cold temperatures cause high clouds to form over the pole, as Nature reported. These clouds react with human emissions of chemicals like chlorine and bromine, which then deplete the ozone layer.
Usually, the North Pole doesn't get consistently cold enough for these reactions to occur. But this year, a "polar vortex" trapped so much cold air above the Arctic that there was more than at any time since 1979.
"The hole is principally a geophysical curiosity," Peuch told The Guardian. "We monitored unusual dynamic conditions, which drive the process of chemical depletion of ozone. [Those dynamics] allowed for lower temperatures and a more stable vortex than usual over the Arctic, which then triggered the formation of polar stratospheric clouds and the catalytic destruction of ozone."
The unusual hole is still smaller than its Antarctic counterpart.
"The ozone hole we observe over the Arctic this year has a maximum extension of less than 1 million sq km. This is small compared to the Antarctic hole, which can reach a size of around 20 to 25 million sq km with a normal duration of around 3 to 4 months," Diego Loyola from the German Aerospace Center told ESA.
It also is not expected to last as long. It formed around March 14 and is projected to disappear by mid April.
It is also unlikely to impact people, though there is a small chance it could move further south over southern Greenland, which would increase sunburn risk for people who live there, according to The Guardian.
But both ozone holes are ultimately on the mend, thanks to the 1987 Montreal Protocol that set limits on ozone-depleting chemicals. The Antarctic hole was the smallest in 35 years last November.
Overall, the ozone layer has been recovering at a rate of one to three percent per decade since 2000, according to the 2018 Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion, as ESA reported.
"At these projected rates, the Northern Hemisphere and mid-latitude ozone is predicted to recover by around 2030, followed by the Southern Hemisphere around 2050, and polar regions by 2060," ESA wrote.
- Saving the Ozone Layer 30 Years Ago Slowed Global Warming ... ›
- Ozone-Depleting Substances May Have Driven Arctic Warming ... ›
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
The controversial Dakota Access Pipeline won a reprieve Wednesday when an appeals court canceled a lower court order mandating the pipeline be shut down and emptied of oil while a full environmental impact statement is completed.
- Judge Orders Dakota Access Pipeline to Shut Down Pending Full ... ›
- 3 States Pass Anti-Pipeline Protest Bills in Two Weeks - EcoWatch ›
- Trump's Connection to Dakota Access Pipeline - EcoWatch ›
- Standing Rock Veterans Lead Fight to Shut Down Enbridge Line 5 ... ›
- Stopping a Dakota Access Pipeline Leak in Under 10 Minutes? A ... ›
Democratic Bill Banning Toxic Pesticides Applauded as 'Much-Needed' Step to Protect Kids and Planet
Democrats in the House and Senate have introduced legislation to ban some of the most toxic pesticides currently in use in the U.S. D-Keine / E+ / Getty Images
By Jake Johnson
Democrats in the House and Senate on Tuesday introduced sweeping legislation that would ban some of the most toxic pesticides currently in use in the U.S. and institute stronger protections for farmworkers and communities that have been exposed to damaging chemicals by the agriculture industry.
- California Bans Pesticide Linked to Brain Damage in Children ... ›
- Hawaii Bans Use of Toxic Pesticide Chlorpyrifos - EcoWatch ›
- Trump EPA OKs 'Emergency' Use of Bee-Killing Pesticide on 13.9 ... ›
BP to Cut Oil and Gas Production 40%, Invest 10x More in Green Energy
BP, the energy giant that grew from oil and gas production, is taking its business in a new direction, announcing Tuesday that it will slash its oil and gas production by 40 percent and increase its annual investment in low-carbon technology to $5 billion, a ten-fold increase over its current level, according to CNN.
- World's Largest Fund Manager to 'Reshape' Investment Portfolio to ... ›
- Oil Companies Are Thinking About a Low-Carbon Future, but Aren't ... ›
- BP Announces Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Target, but Offers No ... ›
How Australia Plans to Recycle its Way to Recovery After COVID-19
By Alex Thornton
The Australian government has announced a A$190 million (US$130 million) investment in the nation's first Recycling Modernization Fund, with the aim of transforming the country's waste and recycling industry. The hope is that as many as 10,000 jobs can be created in what is being called a "once in a generation" opportunity to remodel the way Australia deals with its waste.
Waste Mountain
The need for a dramatic increase in Australia's recycling capacity pre-dates the COVID-19 pandemic. Australians create approximately 67 million tons of waste a year, and like in many wealthy countries, much of that was sent overseas. That all changed when China announced it was banning the import of a huge range of foreign waste and recyclables. Soon other countries followed suit, and Australia was forced to look for alternative solutions.

Biggest exporters of plastic. Statista
Waste Export Ban
Australia has adopted a strategy of taking responsibility for its own waste. Starting in January 2021, it is phasing in bans on the export of different forms of waste. By mid 2024, Australia's home-grown recycling industry will have to deal with an extra 650,000 tons of waste plastic, paper, glass and tires.

"As we cease shipping our waste overseas, the waste and recycling transformation will reshape our domestic waste industry, driving job creation and putting valuable materials back into the economy," federal environment minister Sussan Ley said in a statement to Reuters.

Timeline for Australia's waste export ban. Australian Government
Trash Into Treasure
The benefits to the environment of boosting recycling rates are well known – less landfill, less plastic in our ocean, reduced need for virgin materials, and lower carbon emissions. The Recycling Modernization Fund initiative aims to divert more than 10 million tons of waste from landfill, part of an overall strategy to reduce the total waste generated per person by 10%, and push Australia's total resource recovery rate from 58% in 2017 to 80% by 2030.

But like many countries, Australia is focusing on the economic benefits of better waste management as well.

"This will mean Australia converts more waste into higher valued resources ready for reuse locally by manufacturers and brands in their packaging and products," Rose Read, CEO of the National Waste and Recycling Industry Council, told Reuters.

Green Jobs
The great potential of the circular economy to create green jobs is being recognized across the world.

In the UK, the Waste and Resources Action Program has launched a six-point plan which it claims could add $90 billion to the economy, and create 500,000 new jobs. Investment in the circular economy forms a significant part of the $2 trillion climate plan that Democratic candidate Joe Biden is taking into November's US presidential election. And the European Union has put its Green New Deal at the heart of its plans for recovery from the economic shock of COVID-19.

The World Economic Forum's Future of Nature and Business report identifies 15 systemic transitions with annual business opportunities worth $10 billion a year that could create 395 million jobs by 2030.

As is the case with Australia's Recycling Modernization Fund, a combination of private enterprise and government investment can offer ways to get people back to work by building a more environmentally sustainable economy.

- The Complex and Frustrating Reality of Recycling Plastic - EcoWatch ›
- U.S. Products Labeled Recyclable Really Aren't, Greenpeace ... ›
- Mutant Enzyme Recycles Plastic in Hours, Could Revolutionize ... ›
The Great American Outdoors Act is now the law of the land.

🚨Breaking News: The President has just signed the bipartisan #GreatAmericanOutdoorsAct. It will help: 🏗 Restore… https://t.co/RPefKPMn7S
 — Fix Our Parks (@Fix Our Parks)1596554165.0

- Judge Rebukes Trump's Attack on Public Lands, Rules Coal Mining ... ›
- Great American Outdoors Act Passes House With Bipartisan Support ... ›
- Great American Outdoors Act Approved by Senate in Major ... ›
Wildfires Can Poison Drinking Water – Here's How Communities Can Be Better Prepared
By Andrew J. Whelton and Caitlin R. Proctor
In recent years wildfires have entered urban areas, causing breathtaking destruction.
Survivors left everything to flee the Camp Fire's path. Andrew Whelton / Purdue University
Wildfires and Water
Both the Tubbs and Camp fires destroyed fire hydrants, water pipes and meter boxes. Water leaks and ruptured hydrants were common. The Camp Fire inferno spread at a speed of one football field per second, chasing everyone – including water system operators – out of town.

After the fires passed, testing ultimately revealed widespread hazardous drinking water contamination. Evidence suggests that the toxic chemicals originated from a combination of burning vegetation, structures and plastic materials.

Pipes, water meters and meter covers after wildfires destroyed them. Caitlin Proctor, Amisha Shah, David Yu, and Andrew Whelton/Purdue University
Dangerous Contamination Levels
Benzene was found at concentrations of 40,000 parts per billion (ppb) in drinking water after the Tubbs Fire and at more than 2,217 ppb after the Camp Fire. According to the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, children exposed to benzene for a single day can suffer harm at levels as low as 26 ppb.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends limiting children's short-term acute exposure to 200 ppb, and long-term exposure to less than 5 ppb. The EPA regulatory level for what constitutes a hazardous waste is 500 ppb.

In early 2019, California conducted contaminated water testing on humans by taking contaminated water from the Paradise Irrigation District and asking persons to smell it. The state found that even when people smelled contaminated water that had less than 200 ppb benzene, at least one person reported nausea and throat irritation. The test also showed that water contained a variety of other benzene-like compounds that first responders had not sampled for.

The officials who carried out this small-scale test did not appear to realize the significance of what they had done, until we asked whether they had had their action approved in advance by an institutional review board. In response, they asserted that such a review was not needed.

In our view, this episode is telling for two reasons. First, one subject reported an adverse health effect after being exposed to water that contained benzene at a level below the EPA's recommended one-day limit for children. Second, doing this kind of test without proper oversight suggests that officials greatly underestimated the potential for serious contamination of local water supplies and public harm. After the Camp Fire, together with the EPA, we estimated that some plastic pipes needed more than 280 days of flushing to make them safe again.

Plastic pipes can be damaged by heat and fire contact. Andrew Whelton / Purdue University
Building Codes Could Make Areas Disaster-Ready
Our research underscores that community building codes are inadequate to prevent wildfire-caused pollution of drinking water and homes.

Installing one-way valves, called backflow prevention devices, at each water meter can prevent contamination rushing out of the damaged building from flowing into the larger buried pipe network.

Adopting codes that required builders to install fire-resistant meter boxes and place them farther from vegetation would help prevent infrastructure from burning so readily in wildfires. Concrete meter boxes and water meters with minimal plastic components would be less likely to ignite. Some plastics may be practically impossible to make safe again, since all types are susceptible to fire and heat.

Water main shutoff valves and water sampling taps should exist at every water meter box. Sample taps can help responders quickly determine water safety.

The Smell Test Doesn't Work
Under no circumstance should people be told to smell the water to determine its safety, as was recommended for months after the Camp Fire. Many chemicals have no odor when they are harmful. Only testing can determine safety.

Ordering people to boil their water will not make it safe if it contains toxic chemicals that enter the air. Boiling just transmits those substances into the air faster. "Do not use" orders can keep people safe until agencies can test the water. Before such advisories are lifted or modified, regulators should be required to carry out a full chemical screen of the water systems. Yet, disaster after disaster, government agencies have failed to take this step.

Buildings should be tested to find contamination. Home drinking water quality can differ from room to room, so reliable testing should sample both cold and hot water at many locations within each building.

While infrastructure is being repaired, survivors need a safe water supply. Water treatment devices sold for home use, such as refrigerator and faucet water filters, are not approved for extremely contaminated water, although product sales representatives and government officials may mistakenly think the devices can be used for that purpose.

To avoid this kind of confusion, external technical experts should be called in assist local public health departments, which can quickly become overwhelmed after disasters.

The Los Angeles City Council's Planning and Land Use Committee signed off on an effort to expand the city's fire-re… https://t.co/fP8Z8mUq7R
 — IntlCodeCouncil (@IntlCodeCouncil)1575907219.0

Preparing for Future Fires
The damage that the Tubbs and Camp fires caused to local water systems was preventable. We believe that urban and rural communities, as well as state legislatures, should establish codes and lists of authorized construction materials for high-risk areas. They also should establish rapid methods to assess health, prepare for water testing and decontamination, and set aside emergency water supplies.

Wildfires are coming to urban areas. Protecting drinking water systems, buried underground or in buildings, is one thing communities can do to prepare for that reality.

- After a Quiet Summer, 'Dangerous' California Wildfire Burns ... ›
- California Wildfires: One of 'Greatest Tragedies' State Has Ever Faced ›
- Losses From California Wildfires Top $1 Billion, Expected to Rise ... ›
New satellite images have revealed 11 new throngs of emperor penguin colonies, lifting the number of known emperor penguin colonies by 20 percent and their total population by 5 to 10 percent, according to The Guardian.
- This Penguin Colony Has Fallen by 77% on Antarctic Islands ... ›
- Antarctica's Ice Is Melting 5 Times Faster Than in the 90s - EcoWatch ›
- Green Snow Is Spreading in Antarctica Due to the Climate Crisis ... ›
- Antarctic Penguin Poop Emits Laughing Gas - EcoWatch ›


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text:
Monday, January 16, 2012
Finally! Nesting! Let's have a party!
I feel like throwing a party in Blogger's honor! With orange rounded corner cookies with a white frosting funnily-shaped B that really looks like a padlock with the top hook off center. And orange punch. And little smiling GFC pictures covering the walls.
If you use Blogger and you haven't already done this, are you dying to know how? Well, wonder no further. Because look! Here's a handy link to the instructions.
Yes, there's a but.
Your comments have to be embedded in your page. That means they show up right below your post. So if you have your comments set to take you to another page that just shows comments, or if you have them in the little pop-up window like mine, you can't access that feature. Makes you want to cry, doesn't it?
I love my popup comment window. I like that, when commenting on a blog post, I can still see the post if I need to refer back to it while I'm commenting. Sometimes I comment about one thing in the post, then think, Wait. What was that other thing I was going to say? Then I glance at the post, think Oh, yeah! And comment on that. I don't want to have to scroll up through all the comments to remind myself about that other thing in the post! Go ahead. Call me lazy.
So now it's a toss-up. Keep my comments pop-up window? Or sacrifice it to get the nesting comments feature? (Life's full of tough decisions.)
So now I'm asking you. When you comment, which is most important to you? Having someone (either the blog author or other commentors) be able to comment on your comment, or being able to see the post in the background?
And if you use Blogger, do you already use nesting comments? And on a scale of 1-10, how freakin awesome do you think they are?
(I'd like to apologize for my excessive use of the word "comment" in all its forms in this post. Yes, I was going for a record. Did I make it?)
44 comments:
- Julianne Donaldson said...
I LOVE the new nesting feature. It makes it so convenient for the author of the blog to respond to each comment. I personally don't care whether there's a pop-up window or not, but if you do care about that, go ahead and keep it!
- January 16, 2012 at 8:40 AM
- scribbleandedit.blogspot.co.uk said...
Yes I'd noticed this and not used it yet. It does sound good now you mention it. I hadn't really thought about it properly until now.
- January 16, 2012 at 9:02 AM
- Jaime Morrow said...
I was so far past the point of excited when this feature showed up the other day. It's the little things, right? :-)
- January 16, 2012 at 9:11 AM
- S.P. Bowers said...
I was so excited when the nesting comments showed up! I think it adds to the blogging experience personally. As to pop up windows vs not, it doesn't bother me either way.
- January 16, 2012 at 9:15 AM
- Chantele Sedgwick said...
YAY! I just added it on my blog! Woot! So glad I can reply directly to my friends! :D
And the embedded doesn't bother me at all. ;)
- January 16, 2012 at 9:34 AM
- Emily R. King said...
I can see the pros and cons of both, but I think the nesting comments is the way to go. Thanks for letting me know! I'm going to make the change right now.
- January 16, 2012 at 9:48 AM
- Leigh Covington said...
Oh dude :( I was all excited until I realized I had to get rid of my pop up box. Grrr! I like the pop up boxes best, for many of the reasons you mentioned! *sigh* Hmmm. This is going to take some thinking. I REALLY like the pop up boxes!
- January 16, 2012 at 9:58 AM
- Patti said...
I just saw this on Chantele's blog and will definitely be exploring it. Thanks for the link.
- January 16, 2012 at 10:09 AM
- Melanie Fowler said...
I almost think it's better because then I can just comment on the person who I feel needs it most. You're right about the pop up window though, I love it, but I think embeding the comments for nesting is for the best.
- January 16, 2012 at 10:17 AM
- Maggie said...
I'm looking forward to the nesting. However, as a commenter, I find I rarely have time to go back to a blog and see if other people commented on my comment. Does that make sense?
- January 16, 2012 at 10:19 AM
- Christa Desir said...
Why am I having a hard time figuring out what you are talking about? I'm very slow with this technology stuff. My hubs is so much better. BTW, saw you are one of the Lucky 13 now. Yay!
- January 16, 2012 at 10:25 AM
- alice said...
Hmm. might have to check this feature out. Thanks for making us aware of it.
- January 16, 2012 at 10:42 AM
- E.D. said...
So that's what happened the other day.. I did notice that something was different... Better pay some attention to it now as it sounds like a great feature.
- January 16, 2012 at 10:42 AM
- Jenny S. Morris said...
It's a toss up. I like the pop-up and before I changed it to pop-up some people had a hard time commenting on my blog. I think I'm going to try it out for a while and if people have issues then I'll go to pop-up again.
- January 16, 2012 at 10:47 AM
- CherylAnne Ham said...
I've been using a commenting system called Intense Debate on my Blogger blog for a while now and I love the nested comments. Also, I.D. lets me email my reply at the same time it posts the nested comment on my blog. I love that!
- January 16, 2012 at 10:48 AM
- Cassie Mae said...
I am too attached to my pop up window. I love that I don't have to scroll up at all to see what other people posted. And the people who come back to my blog can see my reply if they want :)
But I like new shiny things too and that reply button is calling my name.
Oh decisions!
- January 16, 2012 at 10:52 AM
- Jessie Humphries said...
I am going to do whatever you do...so just let me know what you decide. So far I dont really like the REPLY feature. Already 2 people have used it and I cant find the regular comment box, so ended up just REPLYING. I suck at this though!
- January 16, 2012 at 11:11 AM
- Tara Tyler said...
i always liked that feature. have to check it out! thx for the heads up!
- January 16, 2012 at 11:18 AM
- Weaver said...
I see as I post into a pop-up window that you either haven't made up your mind yet to switch or have decided not to. I've heard there are fewer complications with the pop-up box. I love the idea of being able to comment on a particular comment, too.
"Sometimes I comment about one thing in the post, then think, Wait. What was that other thing I was going to say? Then I glance at the post, think Oh, yeah! And comment on that."
I have the same problem, too! Thanks heavens for the tab feature--even if it can be a pain.
- January 16, 2012 at 11:40 AM
- prerna pickett said...
tough one. But I think I'll stick with the pop up feature...for now.
- January 16, 2012 at 11:53 AM
- Hannah Hounshell said...
I already had my comments stuck at the bottom of my posts, so this is just gravy for me. It'll be nice to be able to reply to individuals. Of course, I don't get a massive load of comments on my blog either, so that probably helps. :)p
- January 16, 2012 at 12:12 PM
- Cristina said...
I LOVE being able to reply to the comments... and the reply option appeared suddenly on my blog.. weird, I didn't have to do anything to it.
- January 16, 2012 at 1:15 PM
- Lan said...
Blogger automatically switched me over to the new facility so I didn't really have much of a choice about it, but to be honest, I really love the feature. I used to hate having to reply to ten people by scrolling up the entire screen. It's really up to you Peggy. I find that it's easier for me to reply now but if it was working for you before, than stick with it.
- January 16, 2012 at 1:58 PM
- Nick Wilford said...
I haven't actually seen it yet, because with every person that seems to have done this, it's not working for me at all. I don't see the comments coming up below the post, I get a separate page showing nothing at all. So ATM I'm more annoyed than excited.
Like Hannah said, I get few enough comments that it's manageable to respond to them in a separate comment. If that changes, and the gremlins get zapped, I would consider it!
- January 16, 2012 at 2:37 PM
- Iain said...
So, if I want to do nesting, do I have to buy a pigeon?
And, as for the record… No comment!
- January 16, 2012 at 3:10 PM
- Krista McLaughlin said...
I love the new "reply" option! It's so much easier to answer someone if they make a comment or ask a question. Thank you blogger!
- January 16, 2012 at 3:40 PM
- Bkloss said...
I didn't believe you at first. I had to go to my profile and see, and lo! THERE WAS THE LITTLE REPLY OPTION! *jumps up and down* *squeals*
THANK YOU for letting me/us know!
While I do understand your dilemma (heck, sometimes I'll open another window manually), the reply option has me sold.
- January 16, 2012 at 3:44 PM
- Unknown said...
I prefer pop up windows because if you're on the main page of a blog, not in a blog post page, then you have to reload a heap of pages to comment on different posts. Plus, as you say, I like to be able to easily refer back to the post. So much simpler! I haven't used the new reply feature, but I'm not bothered about it.
- January 16, 2012 at 3:55 PM
- Alleged Author said...
That does sound like a really cool feature!
- January 16, 2012 at 4:17 PM
- Golden Eagle said...
I like being able to see the post in the background--but I'm fine with nested comments as well. In any of Blogger's three formats, there's always a way to view the post with the comment form in front of you.
I'd give them a 9. :)
- January 16, 2012 at 4:38 PM
- Kelley Lynn said...
Love the nesting feature! So, so, SO cool!
- January 16, 2012 at 5:11 PM
- Tonja said...
I already had embedded comments. My blog got buggy when they made the change - by buggy I mean blank white screen. So I'm not especially thrilled.
- January 16, 2012 at 5:13 PM
- BECKY said...
It's really no big deal to me. I've been commenting back to commentors all the time anyway, just in my own little comment...So, you think YOU used the word comment too much?! :)
And also...what about ALL the aggravations and problems the New and Improved Blog Thingys have caused? I'm not changing nuttin, until THEY get it fixed. Have you had any problem trying to leave comments? I still do on certain blogs....aggravating...
- January 16, 2012 at 6:52 PM
- BECKY said...
P.S. I do like the pop-up box, because I'm like you...I need to go back and read things from time to time! :)
- January 16, 2012 at 6:53 PM
- Christine Rains said...
I'm excited about the nesting. I've waited a long time for Blogger to get that feature. I've been using it already!
- January 16, 2012 at 7:03 PM
- Denise Baer said...
YAY! Thank you! A friend just told me about this happening on her blog (automatically), so I thought I wasn't in the cool kid's group.
This nesting is totally going to make things super easier.
Thanks for the linky.
- January 16, 2012 at 8:35 PM
- Sarah Tokeley said...
As a blogger, I love the new feature. I hated that the only way I could reply to people was in a great long list. As a commenter elsewhere, I don't mind either :-)
- January 17, 2012 at 4:00 AM
- Paul Tobin said...
Hmm.. not very tech savvy myself, may use it not sure. I quite like scrolling down through different people's comments when I revisit blogs. Still hurrah for technology and change. And thanks for the link, I shall look at it.
- January 17, 2012 at 4:36 AM
- Peggy Eddleman said...
Okay, so a couple of things I gathered:
For those who use Blogger and already had embedded comments (so the nesting feature showed up automatically) who it is WORKING FOR, you absolutely love it!
And for those who it ISN'T WORKING FOR, there's more of a feeling of a shaking fist and a Curse you, Blogger!
Some people really love the pop-up window, and others really don't care which way it is. From both the blogger and the commentor sides. Pop-up slightly wins out for the commentor, and embedded slightly wins out for the blog author.
Hm. I gotta say: there's reasons to both keep it the same and to change it. I'm leaning toward keeping the pop-up. But for just a day, I may test out the other to see if I fall in love enough to convince me enough to give up my beloved window.
Thanks for all your opinions, guys!
- January 17, 2012 at 6:59 AM
- Susanna Leonard Hill said...
For commenting on other's posts, I like the pop-up window for referring back like you said. For my own posts, I like the nesting comments (which I imported disqus for because I didn't think blogger could do it!) You're right - it's a toss up! Why can't they do a combination?
- January 17, 2012 at 7:52 AM
- Stacy S. Jensen said...
I had the pop up window, so I missed the "it just appeared like a miracle moment." I changed mine this morning. I guess I'll be asking regular commenters how they feel about it. I'll also need to ask some wordpress folks to do a test comment. It seemed like the pop up box made it easier for them to comment. Decissions. Decissions.
- January 17, 2012 at 10:59 AM
- Cynthia Chapman Willis said...
I feel so out of it. I'm not familiar with this, but I feel your enthusiasm, so it must be wonderful. I'll have to check this out. : )
- January 17, 2012 at 6:26 PM
I feel like I'm the only one that doesn't like nested replies. I find it hard to figure out if I'm the one being replied to or not when I get a whole stream of reply after reply after reply in my email with no context. That's just me.
- January 18, 2012 at 10:40 AM
- Maria Zannini said...
I like nested comments if I'm on the blog reading them, but I usually subscribe to comments and with the nest feature, unless you reply with the commenter's name, I don't know who's talking to who.
Nesting is cleaner, but I'll stick to non-nested comments for clarity's sake.
- January 19, 2012 at 4:58 AM


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Huawei Could Disrupt the UCaaS Market
When it comes to unified communications solutions, we hear a lot about companies like Cisco and Microsoft, RingCentral and 8x8, and BroadSoft, Mitel, Vonage, Nextiva, West. But beyond Cisco, there's not a lot of chatter about what the big network infrastructure suppliers – like Huawei – are doing around UC.
Perhaps that's because Huawei is a smaller player in this particular product category. It may also be due to the fact that Huawei's other business initiatives drown out its unified communications messaging.
But the company lately has been promoting its Huawei Cloud Enterprise Communications solution. And, given this company's dominant and growing position in the communications and networking space, competitors and customers in the UC arena will want to take notice. This will be especially noteworthy for the many UC solutions providers, like No. 1 unified communications-as-a-service player RingCentral, which are working to go global and upmarket.
Huawei Cloud Enterprise Communications supports an array of communications capabilities, including conferencing, contact center functionality, HD video, instant messaging, IP telephony, and more. And in promoting it, Huawei mentions that it supports all the important trends we're hearing about now.
For example, as the company explains, Huawei Cloud Enterprise Communications is agile, in that it enables service providers to create and deliver services within minutes. It does that through the automatic orchestration of services. It is based on an open architecture. As its name suggests, it is cloud-based, enabling enterprises and service providers who use it to do so with low upfront costs. It is extensible, allowing users to enable different capabilities through the platform's SDK interfaces. Huawei offers it via on-demand subscriptions. It allows for remote operation and maintenance. And it is scalable and can be used to serve cross-regional environments.
Cloud-based UC deployments surpassed on-premises ones for the first time last year, according to IDC's Worldwide Enterprise Communications Market Forecast 2014-2019. And cloud-based UC deployment is expected to account for up to 56.7 percent of enterprise communications solutions within a couple of years, the research firm says.
Meanwhile, a 2015 BroadSoft survey indicates UC's cloud market share will increase six fold by 2020, when it's expected to reach 41 percent. BroadSoft says, cloud-based UC is poised to grow by more than seven times in the mid-market arena.
Huawei, which in recent years has successfully moved into the leadership position in a wide array of communications and network categories, will be there when it does. Its existing relationships with large companies bodes well for its positioning on this front.
Huawei Enterprise, which reported 2016 revenues of CNY40.7 billion, a year-over-year increase of 47.3 percent, serves 43 Fortune 100 enterprises and 172 Fortune 500 enterprises. The company's Smart City solution, offered by Huawei Enterprise BG, has been deployed in more than 100 cities in more than 40 countries. Huawei Enterprise says it has helped many large banks in China embrace the cloud, and outfitted financial firms around the world with communications solutions. More than 170 electric companies in 65 countries use Huawei's Better-Connected Grid Solution. Huawei also has had success with manufacturing and transportation customers, among many other industry verticals.
Edited by Erik Linask


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Orzammar ist ein Zwergen Thaig das tief unter den Frostback Mountains liegt. Der Legende nach stammt der Name der Thaigs von einem der sieben Brüdern, die das Zwergen Imperium gründeten und seine Nachkommen bildet die Mienen Kaste.
Die Geschichte besagt, dass sich die Zwergen Königreiche einst über ganz Thedas ausbreiteten und es bald mehr der Thaigs genannten unterirdischen Stadtfestungen gab, als man zählen könne. Kal-Sharok war damals die Hauptstadt und die Heimat aller Adelshäuser, Orzammar beheimatete nur die Bergarbeiter- und Schmiedekasten. Es ist ein Ehrfurcht gebietender Anblick: eine große Stadt aus Stein, die sich in einer gewaltigen Höhle über einen See aus geschmolzener Lava erhebt. Dort klingen die Schmieden am lautesten und die besten Schmiede erschaffen Werke, um die sie sämtliche Rassen beneiden. Zahllose Thaigs fielen der ersten Verderbnis zum Opfer, als die Dunkle Brut wie Rauch aus den Tiefen Wegen strömten. Mit jeder Generation mussten mehr Tiefe Wege versiegelt werden und mehr Thaigs gingen für immer verloren. Jetzt steht nur noch Orzammar - die letzte Bastion der Zwergen Rasse und ihre großartigste Schöpfung.
According to the dwarven history, the dwarven empire once spread across all of Thedas, and that the underground city-fortresses called thaigs were almost beyond counting. Kal-Sharok was the capital then, home to all the noble houses, and Orzammar was simply the home of the miner and smith castes.
It is an awe–inspiring sight, a great city of stone standing within a vast cavern, poised over a sea of molten lava. There the forges ring loudest, and the finest smiths create works that are the envy of all races. Countless thaigs were lost in the First Blight, when the darkspawn poured out of the Deep Roads like smoke. With each generation, more of the Deep Roads had to be sealed, more thaigs lost forever. Now only Orzammar stands—the last bastion of the dwarven race and its finest creation.[1]
Orzammar, its last remaining sister-city of Kal-Sharok and Kal'Hirol, are considered "great thaigs", as opposed to the numerous other thaigs as they were once the main centers of the dwarven empire.
PlacesAlimar's Emporium Carta Hideout Chamber of the Assembly Orzammar Chantry, if you complete the quest The Chant in the Deep. Orzammar Commons Orzammar Diamond Quarter Dust Town Dust Town Home Figor's Imports, locked when you first arrive. Orzammar Hall of Heroes Harrowmont's Estate Janar Armorers, a smithy. Orzammar Prison, encountered in The Exile quest. Orzammar Proving Orzammar Royal Palace Orzammar Shaperate Tapster's Tavern, a popular tavern of the area.
The Diamond Quarter
Orzammar Diamond Quarter is the home to the very pinnacle of dwarven society, the Noble caste and the Royal family. It is, also, the highest point in Orzammar, looking down upon the rest of the city. The many halls here contain the most important aspects of dwarven society and is not often seen by those of other castes. On some occasions, however, a select few of the Merchant caste are allowed to set up stalls here and sell their wares directly to the nobles.
The Royal Palace, home to the House Aeducan's own Prince Bhelen Aeducan, sits here as does the estate of Lord Pyral Harrowmont. The Assembly resides next to the Palace, the home of Orzammar's bitter political battles. For those few outsiders engaging in diplomatic relations, a ceremonial Key to the City awaits, should they take it upon themselves to learn more of dwarven culture. The Shaperate lies next to the Assembly, the literal memories of the Dwarven society. If it is not recorded within the Shaperate, it is either completely unknown, misplaced in the Deep Roads or outright ignored.
This is the starting point for the Dwarf Noble Origin. Orzammar merchants are here for a time being, but you cannot go anywhere else other than the Proving Grounds.
The Commons
The home to the working classes of Orzammar, particularly those of the Merchant Caste. It is where they, and those permitted from the Surface dwarves, peddle their wares. It is a respectable and well maintained sector, a far cry from the destitution of Dust Town, playing host to the Proving Grounds.
The Proving Grounds are the home of the honourable dwarven gladatorial contests known simply as "The Provings". While these Provings are often the sole preserve of dwarven honour and politics, adventerous outsiders with more "exotic" fighting styles can seek out certain parties and participate in matches with young, glory-hungry nobles. Monetary compensation is provided, of course.
Dust Town
Dust Town is the poorest sector of Orzammar. The old palace of the thaig used to be located here but now it is in an appalling state of disrepair and ruin and is the veritable "seedy underbelly" of the city. The reason is that it is the home of the Casteless, or "Dusters" as they are informally known, dwarves shunned by the rest of society and left to rot. The inhabitants of Dust Town have no rights and are not allowed to do work that is performed by any of the other Castes and, as such, the majority turn to crime. Those who choose a life of crime rally under the banner of the Carta, headed by Jarvia. Beyond crime, the only other means of survival are begging, "Noble Hunting" or hunting nugs.
Dust Town is a dangerous place and should an unwary outsider ever find their way in the midst of the Carta's territory, the local Dusters will feel no hesitation in relieving them of their possessions.
Dust Town is also the starting point for the Dwarf Commoner Origin. it is also home to the commoner's home. but if you travel back to Orzammar, your house is taken by the Carta.
Associated quests
All of the following quests are initiated, but not necessarily completed, in Orzammar itself.
HauptquestsA Lord's Trust: The Second Task A Prince's Favor: The Second Task Shifting Allegiances Betrayed from Within
- Eine verlorene Nug
- Die Hoffnungen einer Mutter
- Eine ungewöhnliche Gelehrte
- Ungewöhnliche Maßnahmen
- Jammers Kiste
- Aus den Erinnerungen verschwunden
- Von adeligem Blut
- Die Suche nach Seneschall Bandelor
- Der Gesang in den Tiefen
- Die Kaste der Toten
- Die Golem Registrierung
- Der Schlüssel zur Stadt
- Ein Dieb im Haus des Lernens
- Zerlindas Not
Quest (muss eingeordnet werden)
- Dulin Forender
- Zugang zu Jarvias Versteck
- Der Amboss der Leere
- Vartag Gavorn
- Ein bewundernswerter Oberflächler
- Zerschnitten
- Das Lager der Herumtreiber
Surrounding environments
These quests take place entirely outside of Orzammar, though they are filed under "Orzammar" in the journal.An Admirable Topsider Asunder The Drifters' Cache
Key to the CityKey to the City
While wandering through Orzammar, you will come across several pieces of Codex with regard to governing in Orzammar. Once you have collected all of them, you will receive a new quest called 'The Key to the City'. To collect the Key to the City, go to the Assembly in the Diamond Quarter and enter the left alcove. There will be a large crate here. Inside is the Key to the City accessory.
Notable gifts for companions
- Hauptartikel: Gifts (Origins)
Unique EquipmentNugbane, may be stolen (with a toolset fix) from the Mines Commander.
This item is improperly flagged as equipped, yet marked as stealable were it not for this fact. Unequipping this item from the npc through the toolset will allow it to be stolen as the stealable marker suggests it should be.Dwarven Defender, may be stolen (with a toolset workaround) from the Captain of the Guard.
This item was never properly placed within the game, given the eventual obsolescence of crossbows and the limited amount of Sureshot Bolts, the addition of this otherwise unobtainable item has little effect on long-term gameplay.
Companion remarks
One of your companions may make interesting remarks at certain spots:
- Just outside Tapster's Tavern
- Entering Tapster's Tavern
- Entering Dust Town
- Outside the Royal Palace in the Diamond Quarter
- Entering the Proving
Party banter may be triggered at the following spots:
- On the bridge leading to the Proving and in the Hall of Heroes near the dwarven scholar.
- In the Diamond Quarter outside the Chamber of the Assembly.
- In conversations the Warden will say that he/she won't leave the city until the election is settled, but if you go into the Deep Roads, you can travel to the Party Camp. When leaving the camp you are able to travel to the outside world, but you cant travel back into the roads, just back to Orzammar.
- In the Commons you are allowed to change your party. Go to the bridge that leads to the Proving and have your Warden/PC's back towards one of the side railings, so that when you change party members the new members will spawn directly behind your PC making them end up in the lava. From there you can switch to your party member below the bridge and go off exploring underneath Orzammar and beyond. You can place your team on hold, if not they'll teleport to your position if you travel far enough. It is possible to get back to the streets of the Commons from below.
- ↑ "Orzammar". Official Dragon Age: Origins website. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
- ↑ Vorlage:Cite wot


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Virtual Field Trips and General VR Content Apps
- Google Expeditions and Google Expeditions Pioneer Program – The first and broadest content provider of 360 pictures for VR field trips and career shadowing experiences. Sign up for the Google Expeditions Team to come to your school and bring a VR field trip with them.
- Nearpod VR – One of the most widely-used VR field trips and lessons providers. Product can be used on tablets, phones, and in VR headsets. They also provide kits for purchase by schools.
- Cerevrum – site dedicated to developing progressive virtual reality apps for education. Utilizes the Samsung Gear VR and possibly Oculus Rift (Brain training game and Public Speaking App)
- Unimersiv – website with many educational virtual reality apps for both Cardboard and the Oculus Rift
- EON Reality – AR and VR company with arms in many different facets of the AR/VR world. Has a VR creation tool as well as plenty of educational VR content on their mobile app.
- HiverLab – An interactive 360 video company that has a promising 360 video annotation platform called Storyhive. Could be a Google Expeditions competitor.
- Youtube – An always growing list of content and videos, some amazing, some not. Just know what you want to search for and beware of falling into the Youtube video rabbit hole.
- Embodied Learning – Embodied patient experience labs (U.S.)
- E-learning Studios – offers VR and AR learning technology design and development services (U.K.)
VR equipment or Google Expedition Kits sellers
(Disclaimer: this is just a list we compiled and we are not responsible for any transactions you have with these sites)
- eWeb360.com – VR equipment rental company, sells Google Cardboard kits cheaper than Best Buy, based in Canada, available to ship globally.
- Red Box VR – A U.K.-based Google Expeditions Official Partner. Sells Expeditions Kits for prices comparable to Best Buy.
- Virtual Reality Experiences – A U.K.-based VR hire and event-planning company with the major headsets, PCs, and more for rent.
- Aquila Education – A teacher-focused site with kits to sell, lesson plans, and other education technology-related content.
- Best Buy – The big box store sells pre-made kits for schools. Expensive but you've got the assurance, warranty, and convenience of buying with a well-known company.
- Amazon.com – Of course, you can pretty much buy everything from here. It probably won't be the cheapest option though.
- Alibaba – If you're not from Asia then Alibaba might be unfamiliar to you. Its sort of like the Amazon.com of China. You can get great prices on Google Cardboards but the shipping times might be long. You can usually pay with Paypal so you're protected by their rules and you can even haggle (through Alibaba.com and email) about the price you want. I haven't bought smartphones from them but I have bought bunches of Cardboards three times with little trouble.
- Dynamic Innovative Data solutions – An Indianapolis, IN, USA-based company providing less expensive classroom VR kits.
- VRXOne – A VR technology and kit provider based in Bahrain, serving the Middle East and Subcontinent region
- Viar360 – A 360 video authoring and publishing platform focused on creating educational experiences.
Web-based VR Creation Tools – Visit this link for reviews of some of the tools below.
Academic Institutions & Labs specializing in VR
- Teachers College, Columbia University – GizmoEdTech Lab
- Teachers College, Columbia University – Game Research Lab
- Stanford University – Virtual Human Interaction Lab
- University of Arkansas, Little Rock – Emerging Analytics Center
- The Ohio State University – Buckeye Virtual Reality Project
- The Northern Arizona University – Immersive and Interactive Virtual Reality Lab
General Links to Education-related Virtual Reality Resources
- Oculus Quest – a wireless VR headset with quality and resolution that approaches wired headsets. Will need a tablet or phone to sync. (~$399)
- Google Cardboard – has a fly-around Earth mode and Versailles Tour (French History anyone?)
- Google Cardboard Camera – take 3D 360 degree photos with your smartphone and relive them (audio too!), great for teachers visiting a location and wanting their students to experience the moment with them back in the classroom
- Samsung Gear VR – a VR headset that is a little more expensive than Google Cardboard but made with better quality materials ($50-100 depending on the version)
- Leap Motion VR – a camera attachment for desktop VR headsets that allows for your hand motions to be tracked in the virtual environment
- Google Daydream VR – Google's next offering of a VR headset. Requires Daydream-compatible phones (usually $600-800). The wand/remote that comes with it is the biggest difference between it and the old Samsung gear. Now Samsung Gear VR version 2 also has a similar product.
- Enduvo – VR learning platform enabling experts to build interactive lectures and for students to get 1-on-1 learning experiences from an experts point of view. Currently has mostly medical and anatomy applications but is robust enough to be used in other fields.
- Cognitive3D – Company utilizing VR/AR to help brands and marketers extract and analyze customer behavior data
Virtual Reality News sites
- RoadToVR – virtual reality news website
- UploadVR – virtual reality news website
- VRCircle – virtual reality news website
- Voices of VR Podcast – excellent daily interviews of people in the VR comunity, very informative
- Reverend Kyle Podcast and Website – great VR news and commentary, updated less frequently now
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The possibilities of virtual reality in education, focusing on apps and research-backed effective uses of virtual reality in the classroom.
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" From the stance, Paul cautiously moved out on verglassed rock, round the left arête of the chimney, then climbed direct up slabs right of the couloir. Out of sight round the corner he was obviously experiencing some difficulty as the rope snaked out very slowly. I shouted up to let him know that he was nearly out of rope, "How much is there?" he asked " about 20ft " I replied. "There's a stance 40ft above me, take the belay off we'll have to move together." I did as he asked and climbed very carefully on the iced rock hoping that he had clipped some pegs on the way up. After what seemed an eternity, I was relieved to hear a peg going in. At the stance, we agreed that this pitch must have been HVS. Paul had sunk the belay peg in up to the hilt. I led through towards the summit ridge. When Woolcock passed that way a couple of weeks later, suspecting it was our peg, he tried to remove it but soon gave up. He knew Paul didn't give away gear easily and that if it had been removable, it wouldn't have stayed there. At the ridge we turned left and climbed the last few feet to the summit. We had done one of the six classic north faces of the Alps; 3000ft graded TD Superior it had taken us 8 hours. We had been the only ones on the face so were not held up at all, in fact we didn't see anyone else all day on the whole of the mountain.
At the summit ridge we were hit by a strong wind so deciding to forego the brew that we had promised ourselves began to descend as quickly as possible by the North Ridge. Somehow, we got onto the SW face on very loose rock, enormous loose flakes but nothing solid enough to belay on. Deciding that it was too dangerous we retraced our steps to the summit'.....'
Later this week,Al Parker, author of the acclaimed history of the UK's Alpha Mountaineering Club, describes a memorable week in 1962 when with mountaineering legend-the late Paul Nunn-he tackled the classic Cassin route on Piz Badile in less than perfect conditions to make an early English repeat of the route.


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IM 5'2 15 year old female who weighs 9.6stone (61kg) and 134.4 pounds am I overweight?
Help I converted it into different weigh measurements
15 Answers
- 1 year ago
No you are fine
- 1 year ago
yes you are. maybe lose about 20 more pounds
- 1 year ago
Yes a bit overweight
- CathyLv 51 year ago
yes you are
you need to lose 35 pounds
- What do you think of the answers? You can sign in to give your opinion on the answer.
- 1 year ago
Not really
- OnlookerLv 71 year ago
Yeah, just a little overweight.
- MamawidsomLv 71 year ago
Relax. You are 15. Please, please, please don't get obsessed with your weight. Weight is not a good indication of body composition, health, fitnesses, clothing size, intelligence, beauty, or popularity. You can look up your BMI online (see the link below). According to this calculation with is for teens not adults, your BMI is 24.5 which is right at the edge of overweight. This is important not for looks but for health.
Now is a great time for you to start learning about food and making healthier choices. Small changes in your lifestyle will make big changes in how your look and feel over time:
1. Drink lots of water instead of fizzy drinks/soft drinks (even diet), milk, and juice drinks.
2. Eat four cups/170 grams of fresh veggies every day. Any combination of salad or steamed. Mix it up. Try new things.
3. Cut back on or cut out fast food, junk food, snack foods, sweets/treats/pudding.
4. Get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day. Take walks, follow a DVD at home, play a sport/game with your friends, ride a bike. Again, mix it up. You don't have to go to a gym -- just get active.
5. Get plenty of sleep.
6. DON'T try crazy or dangerous fat diets. Yo don't need them. Your body and brain are still developing and they need high quality fuel.
- k wLv 71 year ago
over by, approx 15-20lbs......
- dLv 61 year ago
It's just on the borderline between healthy weight and overweight. A better way to tell is by your waist circumference. For your height, it should be less than 30 inches. Hope this helps.
- busterwasmycatLv 71 year ago
Probably. That is heavy for the height. It really depends on your build and body structure. Some people are built stocky and some thin. Overweight is relative to what the body wants and is healthy, not a set window in a bunch of numbers. But the numbers do reflect averages so if you are outside the window, it is because you either are not close to average or you are and are overweight. Which is it? I think if you have to ask, the answer is pretty obvious.