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When shares of Etsy, the online marketplace for arts and crafts, began trading for the first time last week, the company became not only the latest hot technology start-up for investors but also the best known B Corp to go public.
So-called B Corps commit to upholding high social and environmental standards, even at the expense of easy profits. Certified by a nonprofit organization called B Lab, the companies attain their designation by achieving a combination of workplace wellness, philanthropy and transparency. "B Corp is to business what Fair Trade certification is to coffee or U.S.D.A. Organic certification is to milk," B Lab says on its website.
For a company to qualify as a B Corp, it must score a certain number of points on a lengthy questionnaire. Questions on the assessment include what percentage above the minimum wage the lowest-paid workers receive, how diverse the board and executive ranks are, and whether there is a companywide recycling program.
Some evidence suggests that the movement is gaining momentum. Etsy is just one of more than 1,000 B Corps spread across 33 countries. It is among the largest and also the third to trade its shares publicly.
Another public B Corp is the Brazilian cosmetics maker Natura, with annual revenue of more than $2 billion. Last week, Natura's shareholders voted to approve amended articles of incorporation, reaffirming the company's commitment to social and ecological responsibility.
Other well-known companies that are also B Corps are still private, like Patagonia, the big apparel manufacturer, and the eyeglasses manufacturer Warby Parker, which may yet go public.
Some B Corps are subsidiaries of larger conglomerates. Plum Organics was acquired by the Campbell Soup Company in 2013 and Method, a soap maker, is owned by Ecover, a Belgian corporation. Ben & Jerry's was acquired by Unilever, one of the largest makers of consumer goods in the world, which said it was considering becoming a B Corp itself.
The momentum suggests that it is only a matter of time before more big companies join. But the truth is that most B Corps are small businesses, not complex multinationals or even subsidiaries of big conglomerates. A recently released list of top B Corps, titled Best for the World, featured companies that almost exclusively had fewer than 50 employees.
B Lab acknowledges that, for now, it's not so easy for a big company to become a B Corp.
"It's easier to make changes if you're smaller," said Katie Kerr, who runs communications for the organization. "Big companies are more risk-averse and are slower to adopt."
"We're now working with large companies, which takes longer," she added, "but has a great impact."
To become a B Corp, a company needs to be nimble enough to make changes quickly across human resources, supply-chain management and investor relations, and data collection can be challenging.
B Lab requires exhaustive reporting from B Corps and those hoping to attain the certification. For a big multinational, that would mean hundreds if not thousands of hours of work, which could in turn mean additional employees.
"With all the brands that are under Unilever, you're going to have two or three extra people on each brand just to do the data analysis," said Kyle Westaway, a lawyer who works with B Corps.
There's another catch. Being a B Corp is not a legal designation. It has no bearing on a company's articles of incorporation or the rights of its shareholders. For that, a company must become a benefit corporation.
Benefit corporations, which are legal structures in several states, including Delaware, the cradle of American corporate law, allow companies to consider factors beyond the bottom line when making critical decisions. In theory, this shields them from shareholder litigation over a decision that forgoes near-term profits in pursuit of higher ideals. (There is not yet any case law on the issue.)
Like B Corps, benefit corporations are gaining traction. But so far, no public company has become one, further illustrating the limited reach of these initiatives. One big test is whether Etsy eventually registers as a benefit corporation. If it does not within two years, it will lose its status as a B Corp.
What is more, companies don't have to pass any stringent test or intensive analysis to become a benefit corporation. They can simply profess their intent to influence society positively and reincorporate with the blessing of shareholders.
Faced with an overlapping morass of voluntary certifications and legal loopholes, it's understandable that many big companies are reluctant to jump on the bandwagon. Yet for big companies that aren't yet prepared to become B Corps or benefit corporations, there are other ways to use this nascent movement to make a difference.
Some companies, like Ben & Jerry's, are encouraging their suppliers to become B Corps. Those that can't qualify immediately are encouraged to take the B Corp assessment annually and publicly report the results.
In the event of an acquisition of a B Corp, the buyer can pledge to allow the purchased company to remain a B Corp, as Campbell's did with Plum Organics. And big companies could also simply set internal benchmarks and strive to become better social and environmental actors without bothering with the B Lab paperwork.
But until becoming a B Corp is easier for big companies to achieve, and until there is more coordination between B Corps and benefit corporations, most big companies are likely to remain on the sidelines.
"It's just a matter of time and commitment," Ms. Kerr said. "Hopefully in 10, 20 or 50 years, this is the way everyone will do business."


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Jassen Strokosch thanks public for search effort
Oak Park dad makes first public comments following last week's disappearance
An Oak Park dad who went missing for a few days last week made his first public comments Monday night, thanking friends, neighbors and "kind strangers" for the three-day search for him that ended Friday.
Jassen Strokosch, 39, disappeared the morning of Wednesday, July 20, setting off a public search effort that had volunteers passing out fliers all over the area, and people scouring the Thatcher Woods Forest Preserve for his whereabouts. That ended Friday, as friends and family announced that Strokosch was found alive, and was at a local hospital.
Strokosch — a father of two, who recently gained local attention for his leadership in a campaign to support the District 97 referendum — and his family have asked the public for privacy following his reappearance on Friday. But the following message from Strokosch was posted on Facebook Monday night, before the page that was setup for the search effort was taken down shortly after:
Dear friends, neighbors and kind strangers,
I am indescribably touched and humbled by the selfless help you provided in the search for me and most importantly in buoying my family in my absence, from giving them moral support through words and actions, to taking in our two wonderful kids and cooking meals. To those who searched tirelessly, a million thanks. I can never thank you properly, but my gratefulness will never fade. I also want to apologize for the disturbance the past days created. As thankful as I am for the awe-inspiring response, I am sorry so many of you had to set aside work and your loved ones for the sake of our family. But this is what makes Oak Park and communities like it so special, because we stick with each other. I feel honored and fortunate to call Oak Park home. And to those of you who inquired and helped from thousands of miles away, you proved that distance is only physical. It has been hard for a private person like me to have such a difficult chapter in our lives play out publicly. This was a personal issue that reached a crisis point. And now my family and I are receiving help to deal with it and move on. Please know we have what we need, which is first and foremost each other. There will never been enough time and words to express the love and deep gratitude I feel for all of you. Thanking you from the bottom of my heart is the best I can do.
P.S. I expect to take a break from the online world for some time to focus on this one, so please do not be offended if I do not respond to posts here. I look forward to seeing all of you soon.
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Reader Comments
6 Comments - Add Your Comment
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Middle-aged mom from oak park
Posted: July 26th, 2011 6:39 PM
It was encouraging to read Jassen's note and I wish him the best. I'm glad the Wednesday Journal published it. Many here became concerned for his welfare after receiving the District 97 listserv appeal for help in their inboxes, and hearing from Jassen in his own words provides welcome closure.
Jim Coughlin
Posted: July 26th, 2011 3:56 PM
Please allow this man and his family to heal in peace.
Posted: July 26th, 2011 10:49 AM
I hope Jassen wanted this to appear on Oakpark.com.
Jennie from Oak Park
Posted: July 26th, 2011 10:21 AM
that is the most amazing 'bravest face' I have seen in a while. wishing you continued strength on your healing road. I love Oak Park.
Kathleen Lee from Oak Park
Posted: July 26th, 2011 10:11 AM
This community would have done nothing less for you, or anyone else in peril. Jassen, thank you for all you have done for this community, and all that we know you will continue to do. This is the first day of the rest of your life. Hug tht family of yours and enjoy the day. We are blessed to have you as a neighbor and resident of Oak Park. Best wishes to you and yours.
Everyday Person from Oak Park
Posted: July 26th, 2011 2:14 AM
Jassen, I do not know you--but thanks for reminding me and others of what a great place we live in. We should never forget that there is always someone that could use a helping hand.
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subset: commoncrawl


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You are here
Featured Resource
The USDA-ARS National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) is a coordinated network of 19 genebank locations throughout the United States that perform research to acquire, maintain,
These best practices represent a compilation of previous CPC guidelines with updated
October 17 Morning Sessions at University of British Columbia:
Selecting the geographic origin—the provenance—of seed is a key decision in restoration. The last decade has seen a vigorous debate on whether to use local or nonlocal seed.
The Standards of Excellence in Plant Collections Management developed by the Plant Co
A companion Self-Assessment Tool is now available to help you evaluate your organization's current level of collections management.


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By Sarah Hugill
Apologies all you lovely bloggers as I seem to have fallen off the face of the earth!
What with exams and then working full time i've been pretty rubbish at updating our blog, so it's about time I get cracking!
I don't know about you guys but I couldn't wait for bank holiday weekend! No surprises it rained cats and dogs, typical English weather, so I decided to crack out my recent New Look purchases to brighten up my mood!
I worse a kimono (which I am slightly obsessed with at the moment, so many prints and colours to choose from!) this one caught my eye with the floral and bird print in a silvery shade so that you can wear it with pretty much any colour from New Look. I then wore a white vest top with detailing along the bottom also from New Look, a mint green, cream and white clutch back… you guessed it from New Look with a pair of leggings (as they're quick drying) incase I got caught in a down pour.
I teamed the outfit with a spot of red lippy, dressing up the outfit for the occasion of a bank holiday meal out!
Have you joined the kimono trend? Have you had a shopping frenzy in New Look recently? Let us know @thesarahsblog


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United States world order. We are not free.
Month: August 2015
The head count of lives taken by American Police Officers 2015
As of July 2015, a total of 545 people have been killed by officers.
Guardian website ► http://is.gd/guardianhome
R.I.P. Julian Bond
As legal slavery passed, we entered into a permanent period of unemployment and underemployment from which we have yet to emerge.
– Julian Bond
The Christian Taylor Shooting
R.I.P. to yet another young back man killed by a police officer.
In this video it looks to be that Christian Taylor may have been going through some issues (mentally) with his actions, not such an aggressive behavior which warranted murder. It is tragic and a reality blacks have dealt with for centuries – the hatred of our skin color by whites.
Not sure if there is ever a chance of a world functioned by morality.
Racism – Media Mind Control
I will be sharing videos showing the truth with the entertainment business which is owned and controlled by white men. The minds of the masses are being controlled unconsciously. Sadly, a majority of people have no idea the television shows, music and all other types of imagery being fed to them is a successful ploy to keep their minds at the lowest possible state.
The strategic moves the entertainment business and United States government make against people of color is a system of oppression and destruction.
Open your minds my Black people *** That is the only way to a higher state of being.


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I'm not sure if I'm extremely bad at this or if everybody is. I personally just seem to have astounding problems noticing what changes actually happen.
At some point or another I've for example
- stopped eating lactose, glucose and FODMAP-stuff and started eating them again
- taken vitamins regularly, but mostly not
- slept more, and less
- read books with and without making notes and
- exercised and not exercised.
I have no idea what kind of effects this kind of choices have really had. I seem to be generally healthy and happy anyways. The only causal effect I have managed to note is that if I drink lots and lots of beer, my stomach will get angry over it. Otherwise I'm completely oblivious if exercising makes me happier or more energetic than sitting on the couch.
This is really annoying and makes forming any good habits really hard. Even if taking vitamins would objectively be a brilliant idea, I can't really notice any sort of difference if I'm taking them or not. As the effects in this case are subtle and hard to notice (didn't get a flu, when I could have gotten it, if I wouldn't have been taking my vitamins), it's impossible to rely on any sort of natural feedback mechanisms to help.
Luckily, the effects of most habits can be sort of guessed: vitamins and exercise are good for you, playing WoW for 140 hours a week is probably bad for you, etc. Nowadays you have so many tools for starting a habit and tracking the effects, that even I seem to be able to get something done.
Fitocracy was pretty much the thing that helped me start exercising more, as it gives out immediate rewards. You don't have to wait for 40 years for not to die of a heart attack, but can immediately get Internet points for going on a jog.
Google sheets (and Excel, naturally) can be used to track any kind of stuff at all. I'm tracking alertness and cleanliness of the apartment, for example. I'll have to tweak the tracking system still, but at least the tools exist and I can update them anywhere I go. Maybe at some point I will have some hard data and can go: "if I sleep less than 6 hours, I seem to be really tired, but more than 8 doesn't help extra, hmm!"
Beeminder can be used as a tool and as a meta-tool to make sure I use the other tools. I've tried tracking stuff on google spreadsheets before, but always just forgot about it rather quickly. Same issue with Trello. Beeminder helps me create habits and also can keep me using the tools that I've chosen.
I would still love easier methods to track the results though. Quantified Self -movement probably would be a good community to crowd source this kind of thing. If measuring is the big and important thing, then there should be some very easy-to-use tools or apps to do that. Tracking stuff on Google spreadsheets is one step forward from writing down your weight on a paper every morning, but there should be something better out there already.
Happy-track-o-mat.com or something?
Upgrading the Wetware


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Time: 9 p.m.
Cover: by Donation
We have begun recording our first album with Jon Martin at Green Recording Company and are really looking forward to sharing it with all of you in the fall. Please come out to this show and support us on this journey, the money raised will be used to pay for our studio time. The very talented Tara Warburton (Calgary, AB) will also be performing!
Makiisma is doom folk group from Lethbridge, Alberta. Combining heavy, riff driven melodies with unexpected melodic changes, all doused with dazzling keys gives the band its unique sound.
Tara Warburton Music: They come in whispers she'll say, if you ask singer/songwriter Tara Warburton what inspires her songs. Her soulful, raw and even sometimes all too real songs evoke emotion and relatability amongst audiences. Bordering country-folk-indie rock, she says she's never been one for labels, but rather sings and writes what feels right in the moment.
Following the 2018 SCF Song writing contest win, she released the single "Raise Up My Spirits" on all platforms including iTunes and now heads back to the studio to complete her first EP release, expected this Fall.
Not only do we have the best pizza in town, we are also the center of Lethbridge's NightLife.
We are the only bar in town featuring live music every day of the week. Canadian touring artists, local legends and new emerging artists, everyone stops here.


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This case is bound to get worse before it gets any better. Singer Usher Raymond's ex wife Tameka is stopping at nothing until she gets exactly what she wants. She is now willing to air out all of their dirty laundry just over custody of their kids.
Usher's custody battle with his ex-wife Tameka Foster is heating up. Tameka, the mother of Usher's two young sons, Usher V, 4, and Naviyd, 3, is threatening to air all of the former couple's dirty laundry.
In an Atlanta courtroom on May 21, fighting for rights to see his two boys, the 33-year-old singer was visibly shaken and in tears when talking about Usher V and Naviyd.
"They give me purpose," Usher tearfully explained. "I used to be begged to come home. Now I'm begging to come home to be able to spend some time with them."
But Usher's crocodile tears are falling on deaf ears. The 44-year-old Tameka is now threatening to name several big stars she insists her ex husband slept with during their depressing two-year marriage, which ended in 2009.
However, Tameka might want to think twice about her spiteful tactics against Usher, who is now happily dating Def Jam record executive Grace Miguel, 44.
"Though she's trying to paint Usher as a wild party boy with a huge sexual appetite, it's backfiring and making her look bad," says a famous American magazine "Everyone's testifying that she's the one displaying erratic behavior."
Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.


text: My First BERNINA: Edith's Story September 27, 2018 I purchased my first Bernina Record in 1975. I was a new Mom of a baby girl and was so thrilled to be able to sew little outfits for her. Over a 40 year span, my Bernina has created clothing for my 3 children, my husband and myself, and lots of curtains and crafts. The first real accessory I purchased was a walking foot in 1997, when my interests turned to quilting. My Bernina has travelled with me to many different homes in 2 provinces. It still works well and I love it for it's quiet hum, and perfect even stitches. My new Bernina, a B530 Swiss Edition was purchased in Feb, 2015 , from Creekbank Sewing Center. I have created a multitude of quilts in my retirement years, still using my old Bernina when I carry it to Quilting Days or classes. And you know, I still love it best! Facebook conversations View All Other blogs My First BERNINA: saida's Story Sep 27, 2018 My First BERNINA: Iris's Story Sep 27, 2018 My First BERNINA: Brenda's Story Sep 27, 2018


text: We have provided a number of downloadable resources pertaining to the Arkansas Department of Correction and it's facilities. The fact brochures provide statistical information about our facilities and the newsletters provide information about current events within the Department of Correction. We've also provided several reports and forms for your convenience. The constituent services section also provides a guide brochure to help answer questions and address concerns of family members who visit an inmate in an Arkansas facility. In addition, the related links section also provides a number of helpful online resources for your convenience.


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e-CFR Navigation Aids
Advanced Search
— Boolean
Related Resources
e-CFR data is current as of July 31, 2020
Title 16 → Chapter I → Subchapter A → Part 16 → §16.10
Title 16: Commercial Practices
(a) Detailed minutes of each advisory committee meeting shall be kept. The minutes shall reflect the time, date and place of the meeting; and accurate summary of each matter that was discussed and each conclusion reached; and a copy of each report or other document received, issued, or approved by the advisory committee. In addition, the minutes shall include a list of advisory committee members and staff and full-time Federal employees who attended the meeting; a list of members of the public who presented oral or written statements; and an estimated number of members of the public who were present at the meeting. The minutes shall describe the extent to which the meeting was open to the public and the nature and extent of any public participation. If it is impracticable to attach to the minutes of the meeting any document received, issued, or approved by the advisory committee, then the minutes shall describe the document in sufficient detail to enable any person who may request the document to identify it readily.
(b) The accuracy of all minutes shall be certified to by the chairperson of the advisory committee.
(c) Minutes need not be kept if a verbatim transcript is made.


text:
Great for
- Parking
- Medical Facilities
- Parks & Recreation
- Pest Free
- Schools
Not great for
- Public Transport
- Nightlife
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Families with kids
- Retirees
- Singles
- Country Lovers
Got a burning question? Why not ask the locals! Simply ask your question below
rating details2yrs+
- Neighborly Spirit
- Safe & Sound
- Clean & Green
- Pest Free
- Peace & Quiet
- Eating Out
- Nightlife
- Parks & Recreation
- Shopping Options
- Gym & Fitness
- Internet Access
- Lack of Traffic
- Cost of Living
- Resale or Rental Value
- Public Transport
- Medical Facilities
- Schools
- Childcare
"Lots of convenient stores and the traffic that goes with it!"
Meridian is a suburb of Boise and is growing larger every day. There is a lot of convenient shopping nearby, as well as tons of restaurants. There are a lot of nice city parks, so it's family friendly. My only real complaint is that the traffic gets worse every year. I don't think they planned for the population growth we've seen when they first developed Meridian and its surrounding areas.
Recommended for
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Retirees


text:
Spring 2015 Ready-to-WearA.W.A.K.E. MODE
A.W.A.K.E. designer Natalia Alaverdian has kept a relatively low profile since launching her London-based brand. This season, though, the semi-Muscovite designer had her coming-out party: Pal Miroslava Duma and her publication, Buro 24/7, threw a big ol' soiree in Paris for A.W.A.K.E.; Kim Kardashian West was one cohost, Caroline de Maigret was another. Natalia Vodianova turned up. So: Does Alaverdian's latest collection stand up to the spotlight? If you're on board with the A.W.A.K.E. sensibility, then yes. Alaverdian's thing is to take an animal reference—this season, the dragonfly—and extrapolate it in ways that are so baldly literal, her clothes come in nipping distance of the surreal. There's also a good deal of froth in the A.W.A.K.E. aesthetic, and it was poured on liberally here, as Alaverdian added Japanese kawaii culture and '60s-era girlishness to her inspiration mix. All of which sounds pretty insufferable, but it was hard to resist the charm of Alaverdian's dragonfly-print skinny suit, or the scribbled-on trousers with legs so wide they were redolent of wings. Alaverdian was also up to something interesting with her metallic jacquards covered in sheer organdy, though plain metallic pieces, like the nice sparkly jackets, will probably be a bigger hit on the sales floor. Her yellow lace baby doll and long shirtdresses, meanwhile, made you re-evaluate the style factor of The Lawrence Welk Show. (For those born after 1977: Look it up.)


text:
Anil K. Kar, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, who has made wide-ranging contributions to the science and practice of civil engineering, including pioneering the invention of the C-bar, which will significantly enhance the lifespan of the concrete structures, is the recipient of ASCE's Henry L. Michel Award for Industry Advancement of Research. Proprietor of Engineering Services International and chairman and managing director of Engineering Services International Private Limited, Kar is well known in India and abroad for his contribution to the state-of-art in many areas of engineering. A recipient of the ASCE's State-of-the-Art of Civil Engineering Award, Kar is the holder of several Indian and international patents and has more than 50 years' experience in engineering management, research, analysis and design for structural systems, engineering for nuclear power plant facilities in different countries, industrial and other projects, weapon design, missiles and explosion, shock and vibration, and structural rehabilitation. Kar has to his credit many innovative and award-winning designs, including the C-bar, a rebar with a plain surface and a deformed axis, with its capacity to enhance the lifespan of concrete structures without having to incur any additional cost, and its potential to replace the present generation of high-strength steel rebars with surface deformations. C-bar increases the energy-absorbing capacity of reinforced concrete structures by an order of magnitude. He is also the developer of Permakar Technology for structural rehabilitation, waterproofing systems, and protection of structures against corrosive elements, and the developer of the well-known Kar Formulae on the phenomenon of missile impact, used worldwide in weapon design and protective design for missile impact. Working extensively on seismic qualification of equipment, and systems for many nuclear power projects in India and abroad, his contributions in the area led to many improvements in the field of seismic qualification of nuclear power plant facilities. The semirigid seismic support system for electrical cable trays and HVAC ducts, a standard design practice for all nuclear power plants worldwide since 1974, is another of Kar's contributions. Kar also developed the highly ductile cement composite Karcrete, which has exceptional strength in flexural tension and enormous capacity in energy absorption. This work led to the concept of deep slab in the design of very thick foundation slabs, and attendant savings in the cost of constructing of such slabs. Kar, who received both his master's and doctoral degrees in civil engineering from Pennsylvania State University, has his biography listed in International Who's Who in Engineering, Who's Who in the World, International Who's Who of Intellectuals, 2000 Personalities of the Millennium, 5000 Personalities of the World, Who's Who in the Commonwealth, Who's Who in Asia, Who's Who in the East, International Who's Who in Community Service, and Who's Who in Science and Engineering.
ASCE Presents Kar with Its Henry L. Michel Award for Industry Advancement of Research
August 6, 2014
Congratulations Kar Saheb


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Garmin Jr. Fitness
We have a great line of Garmin products to keep you connected to any activity or fitness you want to track. Whether you already live an active lifestyle or you just want to get started, we have the gear to take you further. From fitness bands to smartwatches with built-in sports apps — and even smart scales with wireless connectivity — taking steps toward a more active lifestyle starts right here. Also, no two runners are the same, and that's exactly what we keep in mind with our running watches. From the easy-to-use GPS trainer to watches with onboard music storage and even triathlon-friendly powerhouses that offer advanced performance metrics, we have a training partner that's right for you. Just ask yourself — where do you want to go on your next run?
Take a look at our great products with the mind to keep you Anywhere Connect in your active lifestyle.


text:
Whoever said not to change your hairstyle after a breakup hasn't met Stacy Keibler.
If there's one person who can pull off an extreme makeover, it's George Clooney's ex. The actress and former professional wrestler is almost unrecognizable (not to mention stunning) on the cover of Line Magazine's Fall 2013 issue.
The 33-year-old Supermarket Superstar host rocks a fiery curled 'do, dark plum lips, a plunging bohemian v-neck, and a funky embellished headband for the sultry shot. We have to admit – we're liking Ms. Keibler's edgier side.
Keibler told PEOPLE Magazine: "This was my absolute favorite shoot to date. It was so fun to try different and more dramatic looks. It felt almost theatrical."
Stacy and actor George Clooney split up this past July after dating for two years. She opened up to Extra shortly after the breakup, saying, "I'm someone that's always lived the present moment. I always look at the positive on everything… I'm so excited for all these projects coming up, and I'm super busy."
Good for you, Stace! Keep your ridiculously good looking chin up, girl.


text:
In the early days of my diagnosis I hated going to the Motor Neurone Disease (MND/ALS) clinic and witnessing all the other patients with varying degrees of war wounds from their battle with this cruel disease. See, I was still in denial and somehow closing my eyes was my pathetic attempt to protect myself from my hopeless future. Unable to block my ears, I was forced to hear the frightening tones of a patient who was losing their voice to MND. Something about the pitch of their groaning muffled voice used to make me feel nauseous with fear. It was a voice you would never forget, an unpleasant sound, it felt uncomfortable in my ear. Without knowing, you could sense behind this ugly sound there was a serious problem.
My voice has been the hardest thing I've lost to MND. So much of your identity and personality is contained in your voice. It's your means of engaging and immediately interacting with the world around you. I didn't lose my voice overnight, it eroded over a year and a half. At the beginning I was slurring certain words, eventually all my words sounded drunk. Then the tone and pitch altered, the horrible groaning muffled tone made itself more prominent. The sound attracted curious ears, it was impossible to ignore. No matter how hard I tried to enunciate words, my mouth muscles just wouldn't play along. Everybody tried really hard to understand my attempt at every word. Countless frustrating moments were experienced by us all – my tears were never far away as I struggled to come to terms with my latest MND crisis.
When I first got my Eye Gaze Computer I was excited and couldn't wait to use it. By the second day, I hated it. It was just so hard to use. I ignored it for a few months until I eventually lost the power in my hand and could no longer use the communication app on my iPad. Until I had no means of communication except nodding my head I was forced to work with my nemesis.
The early days were tough, with lots of teething problems. You have to train your eyes to focus on the letters and turn off your peripheral vision. Sounds simple but it takes weeks of practice. Position and distance from screen, glare from sun and lights, medication, other people's eyes and even wearing glasses all affect the Eye Gaze performance. [I eventually had to ditch my glasses, I'm short-sighted so can see the screen but everything beyond is a blur.] These obstacles are all equally annoying in their own right.
I like to prepare people in advance of what to expect with the Eye Gaze. It's an unnatural and unsociable means of having a conversation:
* It's slow, it takes me time to type out a response, I'm always a conversation behind.
* The eye trackers at the bottom of the screen that read my eye movements are extremely sensitive; if I look away they lose my eyes and can take up to 30 seconds to reconnect. In the mean time, I get frustrated, throw my head back and close my eyes, trying to re-establish connection. This happens numerous times a day.
* I have to concentrate on typing so I keep focused on the screen; consequently I don't make as much eye contact and people presume I'm not listening. To make matters worse my neck muscles are weakening so I can't even nod to acknowledge anymore.
* People stand beside me and read while I type, it's a natural reaction but the eye trackers are so sensitive they pick up the other eyes and throw me off course, forcing me to reconnect again.
Those issues aside; once I sorted out the teething problems and everyone around me got used to the Eye Gaze, I began to love it. Now, I couldn't imagine life without it. It's an extraordinary piece of technology which gets many wows and looks of amazement. It has allowed my brain run free from my paralysed self. Without it I would be trapped inside my own body, unable to express myself, unable to talk to my little boy, my husband or my family and friends. I firmly believe I would be gone by now if it wasn't for my Eye Gaze; it's my portal to having a life.
Sharon x


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Purple Queen (Purple Heart)
Plants I Love (AKA The Plants that Don't Die on Me)
Below are helpful links to plants I've had success with in Central Florida and are growing in my garden currently.
Purple Queen (Purple Heart) – This plant is much maligned as an invasive. My honey hates it because it can get scraggily and finds its way into the pool. My parents have battled a patch growing in their yard for years. They finally laid brick over it as part of a patio and the purple shoots are poking through the cracks. But I love its deep purple foliage and how it takes the heat. Besides, there is absolutely no easier plant to propagate. Cut off a leaf with a good portion of stem, poke a hole in the ground with a pencil, stick the stem in it, and walk away. Done. Practically my definition of great plant.


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Twitterspeak: OMG [email protected]
July explodes onto the scene as reports of Windows 7, version 7264 flood the internet. Why the excitement, what's different about this version? Well, first off the beta and RC1 license keys that have been so abundantly supplied by Microsoft, will not activate the software. This is a sure sign that the RTM release day is close. Additional evidence is noted by changes in the EULA. All references to "development" have been removed, and while there are other more subtle changes, these are enough for me.


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You might be wondering why I would say that evolution and creation aren't enemies, I know that is the popular view especially with the growing number of websites, book, and video online that show the debate between the two. Scientifically and philosophically the points for either side are argued and most the time just as in a sporting event there are those cheering for their favorite. Here however is the issue with it.
Creationism, as suggested by its name is an explanation for creation. In other words, no matter how much further this a person takes it in their debating, creationism is the term given to the theological view that God created life. Evolution on the other hand has specifically to do with what happens once there is life. In other words, these two ideas don't exactly cross one another, sure they both have to do with life on our planet and possibly even other planets but the fact is one is about how it came to be and the other is about what happened once it already was.
It might surprise you to know that there are evolutionists whom are also Christians. They believe God created the life and the biological mechanism for evolution as well and that once he created life this mechanism took over shaped the future of that organism. There are evolutionary scientists whom while they may not be Christians do recognize in writings that there is a missing element and even Charles Darwin himself has made comments about his own theory that show that he himself knew that there was a big gap between the creation of life and its evolution.
Most people have heard of the "primordial soup" theory. This is the theory that before there was life there where pools of various chemicals on earth in the extreme ancient past. The theory suggests that the chemicals needed to produce the building blocks of life were present and in similar to the way we believe stars' form, some spark of energy triggered a chemical reaction resulting in simple life. Some theorize it was lightning, some say it may have been geothermal or radiation and I'm sure there are even more theories about it out there. In the 1950s a famous experiment was conducted by 2 scientists named Stanley Miller and Harold Urey. They took the chemical conditions they believed to be present at the time that scientists theorized this evolutionary process to have begun, and did just as the theory suggested and introduced an energy source in this case electricity. As the atmospheric chemicals traveled through the apparatus they were hit with the electricity and then the resulting resin was collected in the trap at the bottom of the apparatus. This was meant to test whether or not the building blocks of life could be produced by such a process and if so could it be the origin of the evolutionary process.
The results of this experiment is kind of a mixed bag. It wasn't realized at first but this experiment did produce, not exactly the building block of life but something similar. That seemed like a win for this theory but there's more to it. For this one positive there were two negatives, one being that the product though similar would have never produced viable life. It was chemically incorrect and unstable. The second issue being that they chemical compounds used to simulate early atmosphere where also found to be incorrect and used in incorrect measure so what was produced, even though it was already insufficient to prove the theory, was also in correctly produced that whole experiment was pretty much a loss.
When I first read about this my thought was, "sure maybe it wasn't all the way correct but if they refine the experiment and try again maybe they could get it right" I mean this was the process I was familiar with, when you have a partially successful method you refine the viable elements of the process and remove the inviable and each time you do so you move closer to a fully viable process. To that end I researched this experiment and scientist who had worked on the results of the miller Urey experiment and those whom had taken it father and refined it just as I thought should have been done and what I eventually learned is that the results were changing yes but not really getting any closer to actually producing viable material.
I bring this up for a couple reasons. First of all, there have been a few big scientific breakthroughs in my lifetime that have cause people to assume that science had in fact disproved Gods existence. Evolution is a theory that gets more and more popular every day, I have the privilege of being able to speak with people both adept and novice in this area quite often. I know it's a stereotype that Christians thing evolution is evil and Godless but I don't hold that view. As I have outlined in this paper I don't see that evolution and creation can coexist. Sure there are elements where these two world views will collide and I'm not saying that I myself believe in evolution, I am however saying that there is no need for the hostility in this discussion. Evolution doesn't eliminate God just like creationism doesn't eliminate evolution.as I said at the end of part one…
Evolution and Creation aren't enemies.
You might be wondering why I would say that evolution and creation aren't enemies, I know that is the popular view especially with the growing number of websites, book, and video online that show the debate between the two. Scientifically and philosophically the points for either side are argued and most the time just as in a sporting event there are those cheering for their favorite. Here however is the issue with it.


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To meet the requirements of documentary proof, those engaging in the export of processed foods may apply to the competent authority for an inspection and examination. Those that comply with the regulations would be approved with the issuance of an export proof document such as sanitary certificate, test report or certificate of free sales and manufacture. Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) provides the services to apply for aforementioned documents for processed foods that are manufactured in Taiwan. In order to avoid potential delays, and speed up the certification process, TFDA promotes two ways to reduce the processing time of export proof document applications for domestic processed food manufacturers.
Firstly, TFDA provides online "Export Certificate Application Process System" to be used to address requests for different types of export proof documents for processed foods and will prompt respondents to provide the facility and product information necessary for TFDA to review and process such requests. Food manufacturers can use this system to apply sanitary certificate, test report, manufactured sanitary certificate and certificate of free sales and manufacture online, that not only helps to improve work efficiency but also detects input errors in time. The application of certificate of free sales and manufacture is comprehensive online on March 1 2018.
Secondly, Inspection will be conducted by competent authority to attest that the food product complies with standards and requirements for issuing the sanitary certificate. In Taiwan, certain food manufacturers (e.g. Canned foods manufacturers) are requested to follow the regulations of secondary verification, which includes Good Hygienic Practice (GHP) for food and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) and confirmed by a certification body. For sanitary certificate application from these food manufacturers, inspection could be omitted because they have been inspected regularly under secondary verification. This could decline the fee of request application and speed up the working time of reviewing process to 10 days.
Through the new approaches mentioned above, application for an export proof document could be more convenient and less cost. TFDA encourages food manufacturers to apply export proof documents by these ways. TFDA offers a free service number 0800-676-668 that could provide more free consultations, if there are additional questions for application process.


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Is a FanArt created in carrara 3D from scratch. Thanks for looking.
Rika (Japanese: ファル Fal) is a Numan, the product of a thousand years of continuous research in genetic engineering by the biological support system artificial intelligence, Seed. Rika is effectively a descendant, clone, and superior version of Nei, originally born to carry out the will of Seed.


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Biography of MELVIN BANGGOLLAY
I love poetry there is no doubt about it.
I was born in a poor family
but nurtured with humility,
Tendered and cared with simplicity
by parents whose hands showed me
the joy of life and all its glory
amidst great life pains along the way
of making me a man, I am today
as a lover of peace and harmony
as an advocate of nature's ecology
and a soul searching God's beauty.
I am presently residing at Tabuk, Kalinga, Philippines and presently working at the Department of Trade and Industry as a senior specialist.However, I was born at Saliok, Natonin, Mountain Province, Philippines to a poor family. I was able to finish my degree of Bachelor of Science in Commerce, major in Accounting and management at St. Mary's University, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines as an scholar of the National integration Study Grant Program (NISGP) sponsored by the Department of Education and National Student Loan Center, Philippines. I owed my success to my parents unending support, love and concern to my every undertaking. I also earned my Master of Public Adminstration (MPA) at Kalinga-Apayao State College.
I entered the government service since 1991 after earning my degree. I was once a clerk, college instructor, financial analyst and as a training and program specialist at the Department of Trade and Industry where I am now connected.
I may not have Sharepares's tongue
That can elicit the winds commands
But I have a heart and a sublime mind
That can go even far what is beyond
To bring the light of my magical wand
To inspire and give joy to anyone.
For more info: visit this web
www.diwangakingkaluluwa/blogspot.com or
Melvin Banggollay
Tabuk, Kalinga, Philippines
MELVIN BANGGOLLAY's Works:
I have not published any book so far but i have shared some of my poems to the internet particularly to www.lovepoemsnandpoetry.com/kalinga or www.poetryvista.com/kalinga
MELVIN BANGGOLLAY Poems
I Am A Filipino
I AM A FILIPINO Melvin Banggollay
A Love Went Wrong
The sun keep on shining high With sweet and tender smiles As melody of rhythm fill the sky with scents of joy more than mile.
A Love That Endures
A LOVE THAT ENDURES Melvin Banggollay
A Breath Without A Life
We need to breath to live to see the the birds to fly To feel the wind to leave To let our dreams go by
A Burning Mountain
A BURNING MOUNTAIN Melvin Banggollay Early morning, I greeted the day with smile
Ullalim, The Epic Of Love Of The Maducay...
ULLALIM, THE EPIC OF LOVE OF THE MADUCAYAN By Melvin Banggollay Jr. An ullalim epic is a traditional music and poetry form of the Philippines. These are long chanted stories passed down for hundreds of years that tell the exploits of heroes. They are classics of the Malayo-Polynesian language family. The most skilled poets would memorize epic cycles that took two to four days to recite during all-night dramatic performances. Two examples of precolonial (before the Spanish came) epics that survive today are Biag ni Lam-ang (Legend of Lamang) in Ilocano (a northern Luzon dialect) and Ibalon in Bicol (a southern Luzon dialect) . The term ullalim is sometimes used today to refer to that style of song, but the real ullalim is the epic poem of the Kalinga people. An article I read says that the singer would dress up in brilliant, flashy clothes like the hero described in the story.
Freedom Is, Freedom Is Never
FREEDOM IS..., FREEDOM IS NEVER Melvin Banggollay FREEDOM IS:
A Teacher's Prayer
Heavenly Father, unto thee I fervently offer My gratitude for the blessings you've delivered Unto me who behold a life of a humble teacher For without thy grace and mercy for me a sinner
A Child's Prayer
A CHILD'S PRAYER Melvin Banggollay
Welcome To The Cordillera
WELCOME TO THE CORDILLERA mELVIN d.bANGGOLLAY
Accounting Of Love
ACCOUNTING OF LOVE Melvin Banggollay
Be A Star To Others
BE A STAR TO OTHERS Melvin Banggollay
A Tribute To A Leader
A TRIBUTE to a LEADER Ex. B.Captain NOEL WANASON by: melvin banggollay
A Poem For A Day
A POEM FOR A DAY Melvin Banggollay
PoemHunter.com Updates
- Check out
Classic Poets
- Footsteps of Angels
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
- A Song About Myself
John Keats
- A Very Short Song
Dorothy Parker
Poet Never Dies
Poets of all walks of life the world had seen
May rest their laurels to end their own being
but their spirit through their works will remain
Touching, reminding, loving and inspiring.


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Sheehan arrested outside White House / About 200 protest there; others demonstrate at Pentagon
(09-26) 15:22 PDT Washington (SF Chronicle) -- Cindy Sheehan, the Vacaville mother who ignited the anti-war movement with her 26-day protest this summer outside President Bushs Texas ranch, was arrested today at the White House for demonstrating without a permit.
Sheehan and about 200 hundred other protesters joined in the planned act of civil disobedience, sitting down in front of the black iron gates on Pennsylvania Avenue and chanting stop the war now! She carried a photo of her 24-year-old son Casey, a U.S. soldier who was killed in an ambush in Iraq last year.
U.S. Park Service police warned demonstrators several times they were breaking the law by failing to keep moving, then began making arrests.
Sheehan, 48, who had never been arrested before, was the first taken into custody. Police officers lifted her off her feet and handcuffed her before leading her away to a police vehicle.
People were screaming her name, said Samantha Miller, a 20-year-old student from Los Angeles and activist with the anti-war group, Code Pink, who witnessed the arrest. People were cheering for her and thanking her.
One man climbed over the fence to enter White House grounds, but he was quickly apprehended by Secret Service agents.
Police also arrested Sheehans sister, Dede Miller, as well as other military family members and several members of the clergy. The protesters cooperated with police and there were no signs of violence.
Park police said those arrested were taken to a processing center to be fingerprinted, photographed and given tickets for demonstrating without a permit, a misdemeanor. All the protesters were expected to be released by Monday evening.
The crowd outside the White House included Buddhist monks in saffron-colored robes, who silently beat drums in support of the protesters, and young black-clad anarchists who danced on an American flag and kissed one another in a symbolic love-in demonstration.
When police backed up two city buses to haul away hand-cuffed protesters, the crowd began chanting, Where were the buses in New Orleans?
Among those arrested with Sheehan was Al Zappala of Philadelphia, whose son Sgt. Sherwood Baker, a Pennsylvania National Guardsman, was killed in Iraq in April 2004 while providing security for inspectors searching for weapons of mass destruction.
Theres a long history of civil disobedience going back to Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., said Zappala, 65, shortly before he and his wife, Joan Kosloff, were arrested by police. We felt we needed to do this to bring attention to this illegal war.
The planned acts of civil disobedience followed a weekend of anti-war protests around the country, punctuated by the largest demonstration since the Iraq war started, which brought tens of thousands of people to Washington on Saturday. Sheehan was a featured speaker at the protest.
About 500 pro-administration supporters also rallied in the nation's capital this past weekend.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan, asked about the protesters message Monday, said: Theyre well-intentioned, but the president strongly believes that withdrawing would make us less safe and make the world more dangerous.
Another group of about 40 protesters was arrested abound 7 a.m. at the Pentagon, where they briefly blocked two entrances to the building. They carried signs with photos of U.S. soldiers and Iraq civilians killed in the war and handed out flyers to Defense Department workers.
We came with this very simple invitation to Pentagon employees to think about what they are doing and the war machine they are part of, said Frida Berrigan, a Brooklyn activist with the War Resisters League. We invited them to do something different with their work and their livelihood.
But the discussion between protesters and Pentagon employees soon fizzled.
Most of us were arrested very quickly by Pentagon police, said Berrigan, who was released within a few hours, but must return to Alexandria, Va., for a court appearance in December. We think they heard us and they saw us, but the conversation really wasnt able to happen.
Critics of the anti-war protesters noted that few top Democrats appeared at this weekends demonstrations. But aides to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said the San Francisco Democrat, who opposed the war in Iraq, plans to have a private meeting but no photo opportunity with Sheehan in her Capitol Hill office on Thursday.
Shes from the region. Its a courtesy meeting, said Pelosi spokeswoman Jennifer Crider. What Mrs. Sheehan brings is a very personal story about how this war is impacting families around the country, and putting a face to it for members and people around the country who have not been directly affected.


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Interim provost appointed after unexpected resignation
June 5, 2018
Following the May 23 resignation of former Provost Chukuka S. Enwemeka, Dr. Joseph Johnson has been appointed to serve as interim provost, according to an email announcement made on Tuesday by President Sally Roush
The email said Johnson, who is the Executive Director of the National Center for Urban School Transformation, will begin his appointment on June 6 and will serve for at least a year while officials search for a permanent provost.
"I believe SDSU is a great institution and I hope to support the efforts of faculty, staff and administrators as they work to make the university even stronger," Johnson said.
The announcement comes after the mysterious resignation of Enwemeka, who had recently undergone an early administrative review following his decision to terminate former Associate Vice President of Faculty Advancement Joanna Brooks in spring 2017. However, it is currently unclear whether this situation played a role in his resignation.
Johnson said he has worked at SDSU as a professor since 2005, becoming the dean of the College of Education five years ago. Prior to his time at SDSU, he said he had worked as a state Department of Education official in both Texas and Ohio and was a senior executive officer for the U.S. Department of Education.
While Johnson had initially intended on retiring at the end of June, Roush's email said he has put his retirement plans on hold to take over the interim provost position as well as continue his work with the National Center for Urban School Transformation.


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Influence Of Biggie [The Breakfast Club]
Steele sharpens steele. The album we were working on together would've only made me better. That's God's plan. I personally don't believe anybody could stop me.I was destined to be here.
Sports Management [The Breakfast Club]
They have that thing that belief that you can only do one thing. We're inflicted with that disease. I can walk and true gum. What does he know about sports? Everything. More than you. Those guys have been sitting around just doing the typical thing. They get an athlete and knock on the same doors and sit back. They've been sitting for 20 or 30 years doing the same thing. Me coming is a problem for them. Now they have to wake up and do things for these athletes. I'm gonna do more for the athlete than they're going to do for me at the end of the day. I do this as an extension of the bigger goal, for all of these artists to get their just due…They don't care about these guys, that's why they go broke in four years. it's a shame that guys sign for $90 Million are broke in four years. That's terrible money management.
Miley Cyrus [Angie Martinez]
People want her to be Hanna Montana and she's like 'I'm not that, I was 6 years old.' That must be really frustrating. Maybe it's loud but it's understandable. There's room [for her] on the [Roc Nation] roster.
5 Percent Chain [The Breakfast Club]
Religion is like a personal computer. You let people in if you want to….We're all gods.
Jay-Z On Signing Lil Wayne, Obama Texts & Beyonce Surrogate Rumors [VIDEO] was originally published on theurbandaily.com
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"Now, as we close one chapter, the pen is gradually inking up, preparing itself to write the next." – Mie Hansson
As 2016 draws to a close, it is time to contemplate the year that was (including discovering how hard taking a 2 person and a licking dog selfie actually is !)
With no shortage of world wide tragedies and losses of amazing people (including one close to home – a much loved relative who succumbed to depression), I'm going to keep the focus on what made me happy this past year.
Favorite movies
An arvo movie, followed by an early dinner/natter with a treasured friend/mum/partner – is one of my favourite things to do. There's been some good ones in 2016 – 45 years, Rams, The Daughter, Mia Madre, I Daniel Blake and Patterson. This list has made me realise what a "human interest" movie lover I am (OK, most of them had an animal or two in them too).
Engrossing TV
Happy Valley, Wentworth, The Night Of, Flea Bag, Rectify, The Fall, Catastrophe. All fantastic and either funny or gripping. Itching to get into the latest Scandi drama – Midnight Sun (SBS on demand)
Must read books
On par with a brilliant movie is an engrossing read. My recommendations from the year are : A Man Called Ove (Fredrick Simpson), The Anti Cool Girl (Rosie Waterland), Another Love (Amanda Prowse), A Little Life (Hanya Yanagihara), A Happier Hour (Bex Weller) and A Year in Provence (Carolyn Tate).
Inspiring people
There's many out there but these 3 lovelies impressed me..
Jan from the Beet Retreat
I have yet to have the pleasure of meeting this wonderful woman but I do feel more than a touch of kindred spirit-ness with her. Jan spent a couple of decades in the Victorian Mounted Police before opting out for a completely different life, more in line with her values. Now in her almost mid 50's (unfathomable when you see what she looks like), she runs a vegan B&B, The Beet Retreat, in country Victoria and does incredible things to advocate for animals (like running obscene distances). Jan is the epitome of compassionate, healthy and positive living. Her Facebook page and Instagram are fab ones to follow (her kelpie Mac is pretty damn cute too).
Mel Wojtas – The Hive Village Project
I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Mel at the Lucy's Project conference. She is a young, single mum who has faced and triumphed over domestic violence. Her drive to set up a village of self sufficient homes for people escaping domestic violence (AND their animals – so desperately needed) is utterly inspiring. An enjoyable, simple way to support her project is a night out at the movies to see the documentary Call Me Dad on 6th Feb 2017 in Ryde, Sydney.
Zach Skow – Marley's Mutts Dog Rescue
From America, this man has made such a turn around in his life. From being at death's door as a result of alcoholism and drug abuse, he is now healthy and investing his everything into saving dogs in desperate need. He also recognises the benefit of the human / animal connection in his prison programs (Pawsitive Change) where inmates are buddied up with a dog who needs some TLC before being re-homed. These stories are fascinating and heart warming to follow. (just quietly but…. Zach is quite easy on the eye too). Find him on facebook or instagram.
Cosmetics for my old lady skin
Cruelty free, not outlandishly expensive and effective- as far as is possible for my 46 year old skin anyway. Am loving…
La Mav – particularly their serums (Flora and Fauna are a great online shop to buy cruelty free products like this)
Lush – Skin drink facial moisturiser, Let the Good Times Roll scrub and Ultrabland facial cleanser.
New music discoveries
Profoundly lacking (aside from Sia's new album – This Is Acting). Suggestions please !
Delectable (and kind !) eating out discoveries
Two Chaps (Marrickville, Sydney), Kindness Cafe (Darlinghurst, Sydney), Fina's 2 (Fitzroy, Melbourne), T's Tantan (Tokyo, Japan)
My last post was purely on this topic and I do not know enough superlatives to describe how outstanding I find this group. From sending off a little email inquiry a couple of years ago, the butterfly effect led me to the life changing Lucy's Project. Domestic violence (and other violence related offences) and animal abuse – the link is clear. So much more needs to be done. This group of wise souls has had such a profound effect on me, my work and has brought with it new friends, direction and challenges. 2017 will hold great things for this magnificent group. I am thrilled to be a part of it.
Nitty Gritty Committee, The Slow Home Podcast, Mia Freedman's No Filter & Freedom of Species. All are brilliant – they help me learn so much about all sorts of weird and wonderful things as I stride around doing my 12,000 steps !
Louder Minds and it's associated closed facebook group – have allowed me to be completely accepting and more understanding of the way I am.
Head Space is gently easing me towards the year's end too, one 10 minute meditation session at a time.
Zen Habits and all of it's soothing tips to lead a calm, intentional life.
Best recipe stalking sites
These are about to get a massive workout (for my household's Veganuary challenge) – there are endless fab ones but if I had to single a few out, they'd be…Vegan Richa, The Lazy Cat Kitchen, Carrots and Flowers, The Buddhist Chef and The Gentle Chef. Cook book wise, I adore my "Bed and Broccoli" cookbook (they have a gorgeous looking new vegan B&B in country Victoria too) and use it constantly.
Utterly random enjoyable things
Yoga with Adrienne, trying to get to 12,000 steps each day on my fitbit and making soap and epsom salt/essential oil bath salts
In 2017, I'm looking forward to……
- Veganuary. I currently eat a few organic eggs a week and have the occasional bit of cheese and smoked salmon so…. I am so close to what I know is the kindest way to tread through this life. The real challenge will be my fella.. Post coming up just for this awe inspiring moment where the ultimate meat/eggs/dairy lover goes animal product free for 31 days. I am totally proud of him – despite the big time bribery involved ($300 is going to his favourite charity Medecins Sans Frontiere if he makes it through the month animal product free). There is still time to sign up and join us !
- A sanctuary visit to Where Pigs Might Fly in the Hunter Valley.
- FINALLY, after being an avid supporter of Animals Asia for well over a decade, we'll be visiting the bears at the Chengdu rescue centre in China later in the year. Cannot wait. Which segues me into….
- Decluttering my sea of stuff (and getting my buddies to as well) and selling the collective wares at a market stall to make lots of money for the beautiful bears at Animals Asia for Honey Money Days.
- Some huge work aspirations – trying to create change from within (#lucysproject) ! Whopping project.
- Lots more walking. Bundeena to Otford – coming soon !
- I'd love to see if any creativity lies within and do a drawing / painting course. I love the look of the on line Lisa Congdon ones on Creativebug or a real life one from Shani (from the Rare Pear Studio) – who pops across to Sydney (from Cowra) a few times a year to do classes at Little Lane Workshops in Brookvale, Sydney.
- Another mid year solitary sojourn – any suggestions ??
So from my little family to yours, have a wonderful 2017. I hope you will continue to tread kindly through it with me. Love Ing xxx
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Wind Energy
The Service's Program Roles in Wind Energy Development
The Maine Field Office Conservation Planning Assistance Program (CPA) typically becomes involved in the review of potential wind energy developments in several ways. On public lands we get involved through the National Environmental Policy Act environmental compliance process. This may be as a cooperating agency or because of the Service's responsibilities under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, or because of the Agency's special technical expertise. CPA may also become involved in the review of potential wind energy developments on private lands if our technical expertise in addressing wildlife issues is requested in areas known to contain concentrations of migratory or breeding birds, and/or areas where bald and or golden eagles may breed, forage, or migrate. Frequently local communities and private citizens contact us for more information about wind power projects' impacts on fish and wildlife. Finally we become involved when the wind project is required to obtain other Federal permits, including Clean Water Act permits. In that case the lead Federal agency (e.g. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) contacts us for technical assistance.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Wind Energy Development


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Science project
What Burns Best?
Grade Level: 5th to 7th; Type: Physical Science
This project determines what types of objects burn, and which burn faster and cleaner.
Research Questions:
- What types of materials burn, and which do not?
- Which materials burn cleaner (with less smoke)?
Fire has many uses, from cooking to fireplaces to combustion engines. Learning what types of materials burn and how quickly can determine which materials are better for certain applications. It is also good to know which materials to keep away from fire and heat sources to keep ourselves and our houses safe.
- Outdoor grill or fire pit
- Lighter or matches
- Varying materials to test for flammability: different types of cloth (know what the composition of each type is, for example polyester, cotton, nylon), green vegetable matter, dried twigs, paper, crayons, green and brown leaves
- Water for putting the fire out, just in case
- Notebook and pencil to record all observations
- Stop watch
- Adult to supervise all activities involving fire
Experimental Procedure:
- Set up the grill or fire pit in an open area on concrete, brick or asphalt, away from any low-hanging branches or leaves.
- Place each object in turn at the bottom of the clean grill or pit. Watch whether it burns, and observe how it burns: is there black smoke? How much smoke? Does it burn quickly? Is there any smell? Does it melt? Is there any ash or does it all burn away?
- Time each one and record the time.
- Make a chart showing the material tested, whether it burns, observations, time it takes to burn completely, and if there is ash.
- Determine which material is most and least flammable. Make suggestions for applications for each material involving fire.
Terms and Concepts: flammability, applications, fire safety and use
Education.com provides the Science Fair Project Ideas for informational purposes only. Education.com does not make any guarantee or representation regarding the Science Fair Project Ideas and is not responsible or liable for any loss or damage, directly or indirectly, caused by your use of such information. By accessing the Science Fair Project Ideas, you waive and renounce any claims against Education.com that arise thereof. In addition, your access to Education.com's website and Science Fair Project Ideas is covered by Education.com's Privacy Policy and site Terms of Use, which include limitations on Education.com's liability.
Warning is hereby given that not all Project Ideas are appropriate for all individuals or in all circumstances. Implementation of any Science Project Idea should be undertaken only in appropriate settings and with appropriate parental or other supervision. Reading and following the safety precautions of all materials used in a project is the sole responsibility of each individual. For further information, consult your state's handbook of Science Safety.


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During some hours in the morning, they reviewed the edible plants that grow in gardens and evaluated together with the teacher the tasks to be carried. After observing, they began to clean the weeds so that the plants could grow unimpeded and with all the nutrients available only to them. Among the tasks during weekdays, the young students prepare natural remedies which they later spray on the plants to scare off predators like are slugs and ants. In addition, they attached the plants that grew in height to rods of cane to help them grow upright, thus preventing them from falling to the ground and their fruits deteriorating.
Once the outdoor tasks were finished, the theoretical class began. This week the professor explained how a pruning is carried out and where the branches should be cut so that next year the new branches and the leaves emerge with strength and health.
The menu chosen for that Saturday consisted of some vegetables harvested from the garden, such as potatoes and squash, to which they added eggs, onions and pieces of bacon. After cutting everything and cooking it in the oven, they added cheese to grill it.
After a day of community work a good lunch shared with the students and coordinators, surrounded by nature, is the greatest pleasure for the Pacheco Community.


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Sponsorships and Speaking Engagements | 8-11 March 2015 | Dana Point
27th Annual ROTH Conference
Hogan Lovells is pleased to be sponsoring the 27th Annual ROTH Conference taking place 8-11 March 2015 in Dana Point, California. Hosted by ROTH Capital Partners, this event draws over 500 participating companies, institutional investors, private equity investors, VCs, and business executives, and 3,000 attendees from a variety of industries, including cleantech, healthcare, technology and media, and consumer products.
This year Hogan Lovells partner Harriet Pearson has the distinct honor of introducing Governor Tom Ridge for his keynote address on cyber security and managing cyber risk.
For additional information about the event, please visit here.
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text: Wayne Huirua is a worship pastor based at Equippers Church Auckland, New Zealand. Known best for his ministry with the original Parachute Band, he has been ministering in worship around the world with his wife Libby for over 25 years. They are especially passionate about empowering local church worship with training, equipping and inspiration for worshipers, worship leaders, musicians and worship teams worldwide.


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Father in heaven, today I choose to forget the past. I don't want anything to hold me back from what You have in store for my future. I choose forgiveness. I choose peace. Help me, by Your Spirit, to press forward into the life of blessing You have for me in Jesus' name. Amen.
Jody K Young


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Email newsletters are far from being a thing of the past. As businesses continue to experience great influxes of new customers with content marketing and online-oriented virtual shops, you will want to stay connected and relevant to your customer base. For every time you fail to stay in touch with your audience, a competitor has the chance to steal them away.
Flaunting You – It's What You do Best
Your perspective, your experience and your personality are some of the most important things you offer to a potential customer. With so many articles and information on the internet, anyone can appear to have the same level of knowledge. To gain trust, you will have to go beyond that by showing a personal side of yourself that really connects with the reader.
What You Offer Your Reader
Personality can't be the only thing you provide, however. Authoritative articles that provide value to a customer in some way must also be a part of your newsletter. Give pointers, tips or advice that your target audience will find relevant to their lifestyle.
- Tell a personal story to make yourself relatable
- Note important business milestones to show company progress
- Announce local events to promote participation in the community
- Give advice or tips that your audience will find helpful and unique
By providing a range of interesting articles, your audience will stay interested and not feel like you are pushing your services or overstaying your welcome in their inbox.
Leading Onward with Click-Throughs
According to Curata's "Curation Habits Report 2012," articles successful in attracting readers to click-through were neither too long nor too short. Curata found that the optimal length that encouraged a click were longer than 150 characters, but shorter than 1,200 characters.
Linking your website, pages, blog articles and other resources to your newsletters is important for leading clients back to the main focus—sales. Converting your target audience happens only when they are able to easily access your product and are convinced of its value. A major part of proving you have a valuable product is proving you are a valuable business leader. This can be achieved through successful email marketing.


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It's just a playroom. But it's also so much more than that.
When Versa Platinum Construction renovated the playroom in Sharon Smith's 1950s-era North Delta home, they also helped her family rebuild their lives. "I feel like we were getting rid of the old and moving forward to the new stage of our lives," Smith says.
There was plenty of the "old" she wanted to leave behind.
In 2016, just a few weeks before Smith's maternity leave was to end, her baby Huxley got sick. Really sick.
Diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, he spent nearly six months in hospital, his mother at his side most of the time, watching in distress as her baby had seizures and other reactions to the chemotherapy. On Fridays, she would go home to do the laundry, shop for groceries and spend as much time as possible with her then-husband and her older son Nateo.
Even when Huxley finally came home, things didn't get much better. Her marriage ended. Money was tight. Then she discovered that being a critical caregiver doesn't guarantee your position the way being on mat leave does. She lost her job of 11 years. To pay the mortgage she rented rooms to students, conscious of how tired her home was beginning to look.
Then, right before Christmas of 2017, her friend Lianne Gilder recommended she enter a Facebook contest Versa was holding. Each year the construction company does something special for the community, usually making a generous donation to a worthy cause. Last year, they offered a makeover of a bedroom or playroom instead. "We want to hear stories from our fans," the post said, "and give a young person a room as unique as they are."
Smith entered the contest, telling Versa in her letter: "The boys need a place they can enjoy. They've both had so much upheaval in their lives." She didn't really expect to win, she says. She just wanted to tell her story.
Then, late on Christmas Eve, the phone rang. It was the owner of Versa, who told her she'd won the makeover. "We had quite the little celebration," she says with a laugh.
Over the next few months, Versa replaced the playroom ceiling and floor, and completely redecorated with new paint, storage, furniture and even a chalkboard wall. It's deliberately been designed to be a room the boys can grow into—Nateo is a few years older than Huxley and will soon be a teenager—and the student renters can use to relax in.
"They were amazing. They listened to what I wanted," says a delighted Smith, who has since found full-time work at Postmedia Networks.
Best of all, she says, "The room is all about play for them. We love the space now. It's the best room in the house. When people walk in, they go, 'Wow!'"


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Kingdomino is a game by Bruno Cathala and Cyril Bouquet, published by Blue Orange Games. It is for 2-4 players. In this game, players take on the role of Lords of a budding new kingdom. They must explore new territories as they try to add the best spots to their kingdom. Of course, their opponents are trying to do the same thing and might snatch up those places before they can. In the end, the player that can build the best kingdom and earn the most points will be declared the winner.
To begin, players choose a color and take the corresponding colored castle. They are also given a starting tile which they place in front of themself. They then will place their castle on the starting tile. The dominoes are shuffled face down and then randomly placed back inside the tray of the box. Depending on the number of players, a certain amount of dominoes are removed from the tray, not to be used during the game. Each player is given a wooden king of their chosen color. In a 2 player game, each player gets 2 of these. A number of dominoes are then drawn from the tray based on the number of players. For 2 and 4 players, 4 dominoes are drawn. In a 3 player game, only 3 dominoes are drawn. The dominoes are then placed face down in a column from lowest to highest number. Once the column is determined, the dominoes are flipped over to their landscape side. A player takes all the colored kings into their hand and shuffles them up. One at a time, a king is drawn out of the player's hand. Each time a player's king is drawn, they will then place it on one of the face up dominoes. Once all the dominoes have been chosen and kings placed on each one, a new column of dominoes is chosen by drawing new ones from the tray and repeating the same process as earlier. Once completed, play now begins.
The game is played over several rounds. Each round players will place dominoes into their kingdom. The order in which this is done is determined by the position of the kings placed previously. Starting with the domino at the top of the column, the player whose king is on that domino now retrieves their king and places it on one of the dominoes in the new column. They then place the domino they removed their tile from and place it into their kingdom. This continues down the column until all 4 tiles have been placed in kingdoms and new dominoes chosen. A new column of dominoes are drawn just like during setup and a new round begins. It should be noted that as players add dominoes to their kingdom, they must be in a 5×5 grid. Each domino must connect to either the starting tile or to another domino that matches 1 of the lands on it. If there are no matching dominoes or empty spaces around the starting tile, then the domino must be discarded.
The game continues until the last dominoes are lined up. Players then complete 1 final round of placing dominoes. However no new dominoes are chosen as there will be no new column to choose from. Once the last dominoes are placed, the game ends and scoring occurs. Players gain points for each group of connected lands that match. Each square earns the player an amount of prestige points equal to the number of crowns on all the matching and connected lands times the number of squares. For instance if there are 3 squares of connecting forests and two of the squares have a crown on them, then the player would earn 6 prestige points for the forest. Players add up their prestige points for all their territories and the player with the most points is the winner.
This game doesn't consist of a whole bunch of pieces. There are 4 colored castles that must be assembled from 4 punchboard pieces. There are 4 small starting squares that each player will place their castle on. There are 8 wooden kings in 4 different colors. Finally there are the stack of dominoes. The cardboard castles are kinda nice looking and pretty easy to put together. The wooden king pieces are really bright colored and look nice. The starter squares and dominoes are all really thick with a glossy finish. They are super sturdy. The box has an insert that actually works with the dominoes and makes it easy to pull them from. The artwork on the dominoes is really nice. It has a kinda cartoony feel to it that should appeal to kids. I have to say that I really like the look and feel of the different pieces. I think overall it's really well designed and looks light and fun.
8 out of 10
The rulebook is written in 3 different languages; English, French and Spanish. Each set of rules is separated into it's own section. Each set is only 3 pages long, making it very fast and easy to read over. There are lots of pictures throughout the book, as well as plenty of examples of gameplay. Each page of the book has a nice full color glossy finish to it that looks great. The back cover of the book has a nice reference guide to all the dominoes, telling you exactly how many squares there are of each type of land and how many of each land have crowns on them. For instance, there's only 1 mine tile that has 3 crowns on it, but there are 21 blank desert tiles. Overall I think the rulebook conveys the rules in a really simple and easy manner. It's well written and looks really nice. I'm pretty much happy with the overall look.
9 out of 10
This is a really fun and simple game. Basically you're drafting tiles and then placing them in your kingdom as you try to match up the different territories to earn points. This is a quick game that even my daughter enjoyed. You can play a game in like 10 minutes, especially if you're playing only 2 players. There is a little bit of strategy involved as you'll have to think about whether you want to be able to go first the next round or to take that bottom domino for the crowns on it. You can block out your opponents and do a little hate drafting but I find it to be more fun to simply try to get the best for your kingdom. The game is very simple and easy to play. After playing through the game once, you'll most likely want to play it again. My daughter regularly requested to do just that. There are a few variants included in the rules to add a bit more difficulty but it's still not a difficult game. Fans of tile laying games like Carcassonne should really enjoy this one. I'm not normally a tile laying fan, but the drafting aspect of this one really saves it for me. It's really a nice fun game that can easily be played with the whole family. I highly recommend it. It's full of fun for everyone.
9 out of 10
Kingdomino is a light weight tile laying game with a bit of drafting thrown in for fun. It's really quick and easy to play. Most game sessions last around 10 to 15 minutes, making it a great little filler. If you're like us, you'll most likely want to play it again. The components are all good quality and the artwork is light and fun. I like that every aspect of the game was well thought out including the insert for the box. There's not a lot of strategy involved but can include a bit of hate drafting for those that choose to go that direction. Fans of games like Carcassonne should enjoy this one. Even if you don't like that game, you might enjoy the drafting aspect of this one. Overall, this is a really fun and simple game that's great for the entire family. The young kids will enjoy it as well as the adults. I highly recommend this one. Long live the King.
9 out of 10
For more information about this and other great games, please check out Blue Orange Games at their site.


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Tess Giberson Fall/Winter 2015 collection
TESS GIBERSON speaks to an expanding global audience of strong, empowered women. The line is recognized for its cool, effortless and creative aesthetic with a distinct knitwear component. Designer Tess Giberson's focus originates largely from the influence of her parents, both artists, while growing up in rural New Hampshire in the early 1970s. They raised Giberson with an emphasis on craftsmanship and creativity, traits further cultivated when attending Rhode Island School of Design.
Some of the most outstanding garments for Fall/Winter 2015 are:
An ivory shearling knit sweater vest, a fringe turtleneck, a silk cashmere cardigan, white leather leggings, gloves, leg warmers – all one outfit. Anyone who has ever been subjected to a Nor'easter didn't see mere stylistic choices; they saw good ideas they could repurpose for real life.
Amidst the cavalcade of textures Giberson employs here – boucle, herringbone, jacquard – she keenly intersperses beautifully simple silk cashmere, and even pleated satin, as seen in a navy dress and a must-have silver pleated satin skirt. And start dissecting piece by piece and you'll note that many garments were sleeveless - like a tabard-like ivory rib knit tunic and a stunning indigo coated jacquard vest, essentials of transitional dressing for when this frigid cold finally lays to rest. Seasonal smarts in spades.
The color palette: black, white, ivory, grey - the winter colors.
Photos and information: tessgiberson.com
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We are looking for men's suit tailors, fashion designers, managers, fashion consultants who want to share their knowledge and tips in an article or video and contribute to the site! Please email us at email@example.com Don't miss the opportunity as this will be a free advertisement for yourself and your menswear brand!


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If you want to improve the benefits obtained from your properties just offered as in temporary rentals in Argentina and/or you want to have additional profits by introducing new units, please contact us.
2RENT offers professional and tailored services in real state and temporary rental in Argentina . These services include, among others, the identification of potential guests' profiles, usual market prices, property presentation and recommended equipment as well as how to take advantage of specialized sites offering accommodation and tourism services.
Additionally, if you decide to include your property in the site of 2RENT, you could obtain very convenient commercial conditions without any initial charge
All the people who are part of 2RENT have a high commitment to give the best service and our main goal is the generation of solid and long term relationship between Partners, both: owners and guests, maintaining at the same time the highest possible value in the equation Cost / Benefit for the Real state investment.
Please, send a mail to firstname.lastname@example.com with the information indicated below:
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Mid Tipperary Under 21 A Football Championship
Congratulations to Moycarkey Borris Under 21A team who overcame Holycross Ballycahill in Littleton on Saturday last on a score line Moycarkey Borris 2-8 Holycross Ballycahill 2-6.
Membership for the 2017 season is now open and can be paid to Senior Club Registrars Kieran Morris or James Power or Juvenile Club Registrar Mary Shelly. The membership rates are as follows - Juvenile (Single) Player - €30; Minor (Single) Player - €30; Adult (Single) Player - €50; Family (2 Adults / 2 Boys*) - €70 (Note: Each additional boy is €15); Non-Player / Mentors - €40.
Nutrition talk
As part of Moycarkey Borris GAA club's Health & Wellbeing programme, a talk on nutrition was given by Michael Fennelly (of the Kilkenny Senior Hurling Panel) to the Senior, Juvenile, Ladies Football & Camogie clubs in the Munitir na Tíre hall, Littleton on Wednesday last. This event was very attended by young and old and alot of useful information was delivered on the night.
Tipperary GAA Gaeltacht Scholarship
Tipperary GAA have announced details of their Gaeltacht Scholarship. Full details on how to apply and the application form are available on the website, www.moycarkeyborris.com
Scór na bPáistí
The Parish Scór na bPáistí will be held in Muintir na Tire Hall, Littleton on Sunday, February 5th at 2.30pm. The categories are as follows: Céili Dancing, Sean Nos Dancing, Question Time, Ballad Group, Instrumental Music, Solo Singing, Novelty Act, Recitation and Storytelling, Set Dancing. Any club member who is still in Primary School is eligible to participate in Scór and can do so by contacting Helen Dowling or Mary Shelly. The members who are successful at the Parish Scór will go continue on to compete in the Mid Semi Final on Friday, February 17th in Clonmore at 7.30pm. The Mid Final will be held in Holycross on Saturday, March 4th at 7pm and the County Final will be held on Sunday, March 12th in Cashel at 2pm.
Club Notes >


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Recently a digital edition has been completed of the registers made by the clerks of the counts of Holland and Zeeland in the first half of the fourteenth century. This concerns 25 volumes, together counting some 2000 pages, in which mainly charters issued by the count were registered, but also other documents. In this publication, made by J.W.J. Burgers, one finds not only the edition of all 3515 texts, written in Dutch, Latin or French, but also a complete set of images of the registers.
Posted by: Jan Burgers (email@example.com).


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Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions. If your question or concern is not listed or answered here, please feel free to contact Kevin. Kevin is happy to answer any and all questions concerning:
Common Questions Asked About Hypnosis
What is hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a natural and normal state of the mind in which the body experiences a state of deep physical relaxation while the mind remains clear, alert, and focused. In this altered state of awareness, the subconscious mind becomes open and suggestible. A person naturally enters this state many times during a normal day – just most of us are not aware that it is happening. How many times have you been thinking about something while driving your car and suddenly realized that your exit was 3 miles back? Most of us go to the movies and get so caught up in the drama of the story we forget that we are only watching a movie. Most of us daydream from time to time. All of these are examples of a natural state of hypnosis called "environmental hypnosis."
How can I tell when I'm hypnotized?
It depends on the individual. Some people are more aware of the changes felt in their bodies than others. It also depends on how deep into the hypnotic state the person has allowed himself to drift. You may experience sensations of feeling very light or floating, very heavy, tingling sensations, dry mouth, or just pleasantly relaxed.
What does it feel like to be hypnotized? – Does it feel good?
It feels great! Most people will experience different bodily sensations ranging from a dry mouth, limbs feeling very heavy or light, or tingling sensations. Most people feel wonderfully relaxed and enjoy the hypnotic state very much.
Can anyone be hypnotized?
Yes. Any person of at least average intelligence and ability to focus and concentrate can go into hypnosis. The better one is able to concentrate and focus and the more intelligent a person is, the easier it is for him to go into the hypnotic trance. Above all, the person must be willing. No one can hypnotize you if you don't want to be hypnotized. Your natural defenses in your mind will prevent this from happening.
Will I be asleep or will I know what is going on around me?
No, you are definitely not asleep, though, to an observer, your body appears to be sleeping because you are in a state of deep physical relaxation. You are completely awake and aware of your surroundings. You hear everything. Since all your senses are magnified 8 times, you are actually more alert and aware while you are in hypnosis than you are in your normal waking state.
How does the hypnotist put someone into hypnosis?
All hypnosis is self-hypnosis, and the power comes from within the mind of the person being hypnotized. The hypnotist is merely the guide who directs and leads the person into the hypnotic state. The hypnotist induces the hypnotic trance by using certain words and phrases the subconscious mind understands, as well as using various techniques like deep breathing, imagery, and tone of voice.
Is hypnosis dangerous?
No, hypnosis is not dangerous. It is just a natural state of the mind utilized by the hypnotist for purposes of entertainment (as in stage) or to help the individual change certain habits or patterns of behavior. The mind has natural defenses built in which will automatically reject any suggestions it deems harmful.
Is hypnosis "mind control"?
No, hypnosis is not mind control. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. The hypnotist can not make you do or say anything you ordinarily would not do unless you wanted to. You always remain in control and are awake and alert the whole time.
Will I lose control when I'm under hypnosis?
No, you will not lose control while you are in hypnosis. You are fully conscious and very aware of what is being suggested. You are always in control. The mind will reject any undesired suggestions automatically.
Aren't people who can easily be hypnotized just gullible, stupid or weak-minded?
Quite the opposite! A gullible, unintelligent, or weak-minded person is incapable of maintaining the necessary focus and concentration necessary to go into the hypnotic state.
Won't being hypnotized make me become weak-minded
or cause me to develop a "weak will"?
No, hypnosis is used often to boost a person's concentration and willpower.
How much will I remember when I wake up? Will I forget everything that went on?
Most people remember everything that went on while they were in hypnosis, but sometimes, if they went into a particularly deep state, they may forget what happened. Sometimes the hypnotist will suggest that they will forget what happened, and they do. Other times people have the misconception that they are supposed to forget everything, so they do – because they gave themselves the suggestion to forget!
How deep into a trance will I go?
That depends entirely upon the individual himself as to how willing he is to enter into the hypnotic state and how far he is willing to let himself go. Some people are naturally able to enter a deeper hypnotic state (somnambulists), while others are capable of entering into deeper states because they have been hypnotized in the past, practice yoga or meditation. It is not important how deep you go, just that you are willing to give hypnosis a chance to work.
Does the hypnotist have any special "powers"?
Absolutely not! A hypnotist is just an ordinary person like you or me. He has had special training to learn how to speak directly to your subconscious mind in a way it understands. There are no Svengalis or hypnotists like you see in the movies. The hypnotist has no mystical or supernatural powers. Anyone with the same training can learn to hypnotize.
Can the hypnotist make me do things against my will-like in the movies?
No! A hypnotist can not make you do anything against your will, morality, or ethics. What you have seen in the movies is fantasy. A hypnotist can not call you up on the telephone and order you to rob a bank or murder someone (unless you already wanted to do that.) Your mind has natural defenses against harmful suggestions. It will always protect itself.
Will I wake up afterward – What will happen if I don't?
Yes, the majority of people who are hypnotized will come out of the state when brought out by the hypnotist. On occasion, someone will choose to remain in the hypnotic state because they either entered a particularly deep state or it feels so good they want to remain in hypnosis. They will drift into a natural sleep state and wake themselves up naturally.
What can hypnosis be used for?
Hypnosis can be utilized in many ways, though the hypnotic state not always called "hypnosis." Hypnosis is used for entertainment purposes (stage shows) or in a clinical setting such as in hypnotherapy to make positive changes in a person's life. It is used often in the medical and dental fields as well. It is used by psychologists and psychiatrists as an adjunct to their treatments. Self-hypnosis is an integral component in yoga, biofeedback, and meditation. Top athletes are using self- hypnosis when they focus during a competition to "get into the zone."
Can hypnosis help me?
Yes, definitely! Hypnosis can be used to make positive changes in your life.
Some examples are: stop smoking, lose weight, improve self-esteem and
confidence, improve sales ability, and memory retention. Practically any bad or destructive habits or behaviors can be removed via hypnosis. It can help ease fears and phobias, improve relationships and communication – the list goes on and on.
Can I learn self-hypnosis?
Yes, anyone can learn to do self-hypnosis since you naturally do it anyway.
Most of the time, however, we are giving ourselves negative suggestions (self-talk) instead of positive, uplifting ones. You can learn self-hypnosis from a trained hypnotherapist or you can purchase Kevin's Self-Hypnosis CD.
I want to learn how to hypnotize someone or perhaps become a stage hypnotist. Where can I learn more about hypnosis and stage hypnosis?
Kevin offers a wide variety and selection of books and study materials available on hypnosis, hypnotherapy, and stage hypnosis. Contact Kevin to get the information you need.
Hollywood Hypnotist Kevin Stone