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Life Breathed into Dry Bones
Click here to listen to this sermon.
"Thus says the Lord God to these bones: 'Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord'" (Ezekiel 37:13-14).
"Thus says the Lord God to these bones: 'Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord'" (Ezekiel 37:13-14).
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
It sounds almost like a scene out of one of my favorite movies, "The Sixth Sense." The young man talks to his counselor, a ghost.
"I see dead people."
"In your dreams?"
"While you're awake."
"Dead people like, in graves? In coffins?
"No, they're in a valley, a valley of dry bones, dead and lifeless bones."
But this is not a Hollywood movie; it is a biblical account. The young man who sees dead people is the thirty-year-old prophet, Ezekiel. And the Counselor with whom he speaks is the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of the Lord, who has brought Elijah to this valley. And the "dead people," "the dry bones," that Ezekiel sees are the Israelite refugees returning from Babylonian exile.
As Ezekiel writes this, Israel is, for all intents and purposes, dead and gone. The ten northern tribes were conquered by Assyria 150 years earlier. They had been wiped out and replenished with foreigners transplanted from other vanquished nations. Now the southern tribes are captives in Babylon, far from the rubble that was once Jerusalem. That is how nations and peoples disappear in the ancient world. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
Ezekiel is the prophet called by God to speak to the remnant of Israel held captive in Babylon, and one would think that it will be his job to pull the trigger and declare their final judgment. That's what they've got coming, isn't it? All that God had given them is gone because of their own stubborn refusal to trust Him and follow His Word. But the Lord declares that He has different plans for His rebellious people. Even if they are faithless to Him, He will remain faithful. He will not forget His promises. That's Good News, right?
Unfortunately, the faith of the child of God is constantly threatened by two opposite dangers: overconfidence and despair. This is certainly true of the people of Israel. In the previous chapter, Ezekiel had to preach scathing Law to them in order to convict them of their pride and self-conceit. Here, in our text, the prophet has to overcome their reluctance to accept the Good News of restoration. It seems too good to be true, so rather than rejoice, they have fallen into doubt and despair. "Our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off," they lament (Ezekiel 37:11).
In His mercy and grace, the Lord grants Ezekiel a vision of a valley of dry bones that is to convince his hearers that their despair grows out of their refusal to believe in a Creator who "calls into existence the things that do not exist" (Romans 4:17). They are struggling because they do not trust in the One for Whom "nothing will be impossible" (Luke 1:37) according to His Word.
God's question to Ezekiel—"Can these bones live?"—normally would have to be answered in the negative. Ezekiel's reply is interesting. He says, "O Lord God, You know," implying that only the Person who made all those bones could make them alive again. The Lord promises to do just that.
At His command, Ezekiel prophesies to these lifeless bones the Word of the Lord, and there is a rattling noise as bone comes together with bone. To Ezekiel the valley seems no longer to be full of disconnected bones but of skeletons—an improvement to be sure, but still not exactly the poster children for life.
Ezekiel prophesies again, sinews and flesh fill out the bones. Now the valley resembles a battlefield littered with corpses. Human bodies, yes, but still lifeless human bodies. Dead people. They have no breath. Like Adam of old, they need the Spirit of God to breathe life into them. So God tells Ezekiel to prophesy again. The prophet obeys. Breath enters the army of corpses. They come to life and stand up.
Through this vision, God reveals how He will recreate His people now apparently lost in Babylon. Humanly speaking, Israel's hopes appear as unlikely as expecting a vast array of skeletons, dried and dismembered, to come to life again on their own. It just isn't going to happen. Yet at God's command, death must surrender its victims. Against all odds, Israel will continue. The Lord will give life to the nation. He will bring the people back to their land. He will raise them as a people from death to life, to be a blessing to all people—to be a blessing for you.
That's right… for you! You see, the Lord has to bring Israel back so that a virgin might conceive and give birth to a Son in Bethlehem. It is necessary that Jerusalem and the temple might be rebuilt, so that the Son of David might enter the city triumphantly at Passover, so that the King of the Jews might be led outside the city walls to a cross. Simply put, the Lord raises that nation from the dead in Babylon so that He might raise you from the dead for the sake of Christ.
In all of this we see the creative power of the Holy Spirit at work through the Word of God. Don't underestimate the Word; don't ignore it. By it all things hold together. The Word creates, renews, sanctifies, and enlivens. Bodies long dead are resurrected to life. All by the preached Word; yet not by the word of the preacher, but by the power of the Holy Spirit who breathes life into dry bones.
Wouldn't you love to have been there to watch Ezekiel preach life into dry bones? Or maybe not? It's a little too weird, perhaps. I suspect many people today would find it easier to believe in a zombie apocalypse. We're certainly far too sophisticated to think that dry, dead bones can come to life with a sermon.
The same could be said of the conception of Jesus. A young virgin in some hick town in Galilee is told by an angel that the Holy Spirit will come upon her? The power of the Most High will overshadow her? She will conceive, and give birth to a son—the Son of God? No way! That's inconceivable!
Or how about Christ's bodily resurrection? It's terribly inconvenient and uncomfortable to the old Adam in us to think that the tomb of a dead man is empty, His body risen. Yet that's the point of Peter's Pentecost sermon: Jesus was not abandoned to the grave. His body did not see decay. God has vindicated Jesus by raising Him bodily from the grave. "And we are all witnesses of the fact."
Remember, this is the same Peter who wept bitterly when he shamefully denied His Lord three times just hours after he had proudly claimed: "Don't worry, Jesus. I've got Your back. Even if the rest of these guys fall away, I'll stand beside You." Now he's boldly proclaiming Christ's death and resurrection and calling the crowd to "repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
So what happened? What happened that Peter and his brothers, who just fifty days earlier had been so timid and frightened, would now preach boldly and fearlessly? Jesus had been raised from the dead. Jesus had breathed on them, bestowed His Holy Spirit, forgiven their sins, and then sent them out to forgive sins. And that made all the difference in the world.
The creation of Adam. The valley of dry bones restored to life. The nation of Israel returned to her land. The annunciation and incarnation of Jesus. Christ's resurrection. His equipping the apostles for their ongoing work of testifying to His death and resurrection. The Pentecost miracle. What do these all have in common? This: The Holy Spirit breathes life where there was not life. And this is the case from creation all the way to Pentecost. But the Holy Spirit didn't stop on the day of Pentecost. He continues to breathe life into dry bones like you and me.
Like the exiles returning from Israel, there are times when we need to be shaken ourselves. We need to have our bones rattled by the Word that says, "You are no more alive than those dry and dusty bones. Dead in sin. Dead in iniquity. Dead in transgression. Dead in lust and idolatry. If you persist in this state you will be dead for eternity. Not just physically dead, but spiritually dead. Hellishly dead.
But brought to contrition and repentance, we also need to hear the life restoring Gospel: Those bones of yours can live, and do live. Not by your efforts, of course. After all, what can bones do to live? But God, being rich in mercy, has made you alive together with Christ. You have been saved by grace through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. And how does He do it? "Not by might, nor by power, but My Spirit," says the Lord—the Spirit who works through the Word. For that is how the Spirit works—solely through the Word.
We confess the Holy Spirit, "the Lord and giver of life." By the Spirit-Breath of God, we breathe; we have life. The Spirit and the Word; the Word and the Spirit—the two always go together. You can't have one without the other. The Holy Spirit is a preacher—calling, gathering, enlightening, and sanctifying, stirring up faith, forgiving sin, bearing fruit—all by the Word He causes to be preached, the Sacraments through which He bestows His gifts.
When that little congregation gathered together at Pentecost, there was the sound of rushing wind—the breath of Jesus blowing over His Church. And there were tongues like fire, separating and resting on all the disciples. Wind and fire were the unique elements of that first Pentecost. They were like the fireworks and balloons at a grand opening. God was inaugurating the Last Days. The time of the end had come. Christ had died on the cross for the redemption of the world. He was raised again to life, for forty days being seen by over 500 eyewitnesses. Jesus had ascended to the right hand of the Father, disappeared into a heavenly cloud, out of sight but not absent; rather, truly present by Word and Spirit.
Peter preached that day. He preached boldly to thousands, where fifty days before he was afraid to even admit to a servant girl that he was one of Jesus' disciples. The resurrection of Jesus and the Spirit will do that to you—turn cowards into courageous preachers of good news. Filled with the Spirit, the disciples spoke in a variety of languages and dialects, and everyone who was in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost heard the preaching of Jesus in His own native tongue. It certainly was a marvelous, miraculous sight to behold.
But most the time the Holy Spirit flies under the radar. He does not seek to draw attention to Himself, but to point to Christ. He operates discreetly—even hidden—hidden in simple things like Word, water, and bread and wine. This is even true of the day of Pentecost. The lasting gift of Pentecost is not rushing wind or tongues of fire or speaking in fluent foreign languages. The lasting gift is the Spirit-breathed Word of God. The Word of God preached out of the mouths of men with the very breath of Jesus. "The sins you forgive are forgiven."
At the end of that Pentecost day, three thousand were baptized. Three thousand were born again by water and the Spirit. Three thousand had the Word have its faith creating, faith enlivening way with them. Three thousand became members of Christ's body, continuing in the teaching of the apostles, in the breaking of the Bread, and in the prayers. Three thousand who were dead in their trespasses and sins, were born to new life by the power of the Word and the Spirit.
Your personal Pentecost is your baptismal day, whenever and wherever that was. There you were joined to Jesus by the Word and Spirit in the water. And in a real sense, every Sunday is Pentecost when you hear that your sins are forgiven in Jesus, that your death is answered for in Jesus, that your life is hidden in Jesus, and His life—His own Body and Blood—are hidden in you. Through these means of grace, the Holy Spirit breathes life into your dry bones. You, who were once dead in your trespasses and sins, are given new life, eternal life.
And this will be brought to completion on the Last Day. The forgiveness of sin that the Spirit applied to you in the Gospel will bear its ultimate fruit in you. The Lord and giver of life, sent from the Father and the Son, will raise your body from the grave. Your dry dead bones will not only be raised to life, but to everlasting life! Never to die again! To be forever with the Lord!
Can these bones live? Yes, they can! As surely as Christ is risen from the dead is sure, these bones can live. As surely as the Word and breath of the Spirit blow over them, they will live. As surely as the Holy Spirit breathes new life in Christ in you, you will live—you will live forever. Just as surely as He brings you this Word of the Lord to you today: "You are forgiven for all of your sins."
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.


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Research from BroadStream reveals that three quarters of British TV viewers (75 per cent) don't know that a local channel could be launching near them this year, with a further 15 per cent claiming to have heard of 'local TV' but don't know where these channels are due to launch.
BroadStream polled a representative sample of the UK
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ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — Record low temperatures the first week of January plunged the state into a deep freeze, but the cold came too early to cause significant plant damage or have much effect on insect pests in 2014.
Lelia Kelly, horticulturist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said most plants were firmly in their dormant stage when the extreme temperatures hit.
"Some tender plants and evergreens like magnolias and gardenias may have some damage, but we should not overreact and remove them too quickly," she said. "Most will shed some leaves and recover when spring and summer get here."
Kelly said plants are challenged by cold weather when they are planted north of their target zones. Mississippi has three growth zones beginning with zone 7 in the northern counties, zone 8 in the center and zone 9 along the coast.
"Zone 7 plants can survive temperatures as low as 0 to 10 degrees. The double whammy occurs where there is wind with the cold temperatures, making the plants more susceptible to damage," Kelly said. "Since this probably wasn't our last cold snap, we should watch the forecasts. If you don't want to lose plants later in the season, take steps to protect them with blankets or mulch."
Extension fruit crops specialist Eric Stafne said while this was the best time of year for a hard freeze, some citrus is showing damage.
"We are seeing some injury to strawberry plants, satsuma, kumquat, lemon and orange trees. We don't expect to have any damage to blueberries. They can tolerate colder temperatures than the others," he said. "Everything should have been as dormant as it was going to be. A month later and we would have been in real trouble. Of course, we are not out of the woods yet."
Stafne said this season has been colder than recent winters, so plants are accumulating chilling hours that will make them ready to grow when the weather warms up.
"That could impact the plants if we have late freezes. Just a week of warmer temps could cause the buds to swell, and then they will be more vulnerable if temperatures drop to the mid-20s," he said.
Winter wheat is the only agronomic crop currently growing in Mississippi fields. As the name suggests, these wheat varieties handle low temperatures.
"We are not likely to see much damage to winter wheat at this stage of development," said Erick Larson, Extension small grains specialist. "Early vegetative stages that have not started erect growth are more tolerant of extreme cold during the heart of winter than anytime else."
Larson said some of the crop was younger than normal when the deep freeze hit because of fall planting delays, and lower-than-normal temperatures slowed early growth.
"Overall, cold temperatures this winter are limiting growth, but this extreme cold snap should not generally create major issues," he said. "One of the negatives that could occur from this past hard freeze or future events is from the ground freezing and then thawing. That can pull some plants out of the ground, and the exposure would make them vulnerable and kill them."
Larson said wheat planted with a drill is typically safe, but plants growing from broadcast seeding are more vulnerable because some seeds will not be buried deeply enough to protect the base of the plant.
Rocky Lemus, associate Extension and research professor in MSU's Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, said annual ryegrass and clovers may have been damaged in areas where the temperature dropped below 15 degrees. In those cases, less forage would be available for livestock in the upcoming month.
"Annual clovers and small grains — especially crimson clover and bermseem clover — and oats are heavily impacted by cold damage," Lemus said. "Some winter kill of bermudagrass, especially on fields that were lightly disked for the planting of annual ryegrass, is to be expected. Producers should allow proper resting between grazing periods and delay fertilization until new growth is observed."
"Anytime temperatures get very cold, Mississippians start hoping it will mean fewer insect pests during the next growing season," said Blake Layton, Extension entomologist. "Unfortunately, native pests are not affected by our winters. The best hope is that harder winters might push invasive tropical insects south, but it won't take them long to regain their ground."
Layton said many southern invaders, such as Argentine ants and Southern green stink bugs, tend to have greater numbers and progress further north following mild winters. He said he hopes this winter will reduce those threats.
Brian Templeton, an Extension associate in landscape architecture and a certified arborist, said most healthy trees will show little to no injuries from the freeze. Some species, such as live oaks and magnolias, may shed damaged leaves that will be replaced this spring.
"On healthy trees, woody stems are protected from the cold, and only the leaves are vulnerable, even the buds are generally protected," he said. "Most trees have evolved to withstand these types of temperature fluctuations. However, the severe freeze could push trees that were compromised by other health conditions over the edge, resulting in losses."
Templeton said late hard freezes are the most damaging, especially to Asian magnolias and other exotic trees, as well as some plants in the landscape that bud and flower in late winter or early spring such as camellias.
… we'd like to ask for your support. More people are reading the Mississippi Business Journal than ever before, but advertising revenues for all conventional media are falling fast. Unlike many, we do not use a pay wall, because we want to continue providing Mississippi's most comprehensive business news each and every day. But that takes time, money and hard work. We do it because it is important to us … and equally important to you, if you value the flow of trustworthy news and information which have always kept America strong and free for more than 200 years.
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Everyone is looking for ways to save money. Coupons and sales helps stretch your hard earned money. When you know how to properly shop online, you can take advantage of its convenience and savings. Read on for some money saving strategies.
When you shop online, you ought to do some comparison shopping. With the speed and convenience of online aqurium shopping, it's not at all difficult to locate the best possible deals. However, ensure you only search for prices on websites you are comfortable purchasing from. It doesn't matter if they offer great prices if you don't feel comfortable giving them your personal information!
Take your time and see the prices at many online retailers to see how products compare on all of the sites. Unless there is a brand you really want, compare products. Choose one that has all your desired features, but compare price points as well. Check your favorite sites frequently so you don't miss new product offerings.
Use caution when shopping from unfamiliar online retailers. Verisign and/or Cybertrust both have security signs that you should look out for to identify legitimate retailers.
Look to your URL bar in your browser before you try to put any kind of payment information into a site online. If the URL begins with "https" rather than "http", then you know that the website is secure. Otherwise, the website is not properly secured; therefore, you could be exposed to potential fraud due to the fact that your personal information is not secure.
Prior to buying from one of the standard retailers, look at discount vendors and/or online auction houses. Most of the time, better online deals can be found at Amazon and eBay than traditional stores. You can save a lot this way. Make sure you go over how they handle returns, however. This is important because different retailers have different return policies.
If you can wait, save large purchases for the holiday season. Certain holidays will make sites have a lot of sales in regular stores, but online stores are participating most of the time as well. While some sites have sales on holidays, others will ship items for free. There are even stores that will offer both.
Look for the lock in your browser when you are shopping online. This means that the site you're doing your shopping with has definitely taken the necessary precautions to ensure your safety. While nothing can be fool-proof, it sure does help you to have this safety mechanism.
Refurbished products can also be surplus inventory. Look at the item's description to see if it's overstock or repaired. You can save lots of money by purchasing surplus or refurbished merchandise.
Because you are now equipped with excellent online-shopping strategies, you can begin shopping. You will know how to buy the things you need at a discount, and you can have these things shipping directly to you. What else could you want besides a massive selection and unrivaled convenience?


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The Lansing Capitals of the North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) are pleased to announce that 18U forward Jack Brandstetter, 18, has signed an NAHL tender agreement with the Minnesota Wilderness. The Wilderness compete in the NAHL's Midwest Division.
The native of Minnetrista, Minnesota joined the Capitals in January and played in the team's five games at the most recent event in Troy. Brandstetter (6'5/195) made an immediate impact as he recorded six points in the five games, which included three goals and three assists.
Brandstetter has played in nine games with the Wilderness this season as an affiliate player. He has recorded two assists in those nine contests.
Last season, Brandstetter played high school hockey in Minnesota for Mound-Westonka. During the regular season, he had 39 points in 25 games played.
Brandstetter is the fourth Lansing 18U player to sign an NAHL tender this season. He joins Ronnie Hein (Aberdeen), Trent Kulczyk (Aberdeen) and Jacob Gwillim (Johnstown).
(Nathan can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com)


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IBDP Subjects
For the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme at SISHK, in addition to fulfilling the core components (TOK, EE and CAS), all students will study the following subjects (one from each):
- Group 1 : Language and Literature
- Group 2 : Language Acquisition
- Group 3: Individuals and Societies
- Group 4 : Sciences
- Group 5 : Mathematics
- Group 6 : Arts
There are some exceptions to the above rule:
- If a student chooses two subjects from Group 1, they can omit a subject in Group 2. In this case, they will qualify for the IB Bilingual Diploma if they do well in these subjects.
- A student can choose to replace a subject in Group 6 with a choice from either Group 3 or 4.
- A student must at least offer Chinese B HL or higher if he/she has achieved a high level of proficiency in Chinese language education at the IGCSE examinations. In this case, he/she can choose to offer Chinese B HL as the fourth HL subject.
IBDP Subject Choices
These are the subject that are currently offered in the school. The class confirmation is subjected to the demand of a subject class (with at least 3 students choosing to offer the subject and the level).
|Group 1: Language and Literature
|Group 2: Language Acquisition
|Group 3: Individuals and Societies
|Group 4: Sciences
|Group 5: Mathematics
|Group 6: The Arts
Note: The class is only confirmed if there are at least 3 students who are offering the level and subject.


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What about conveying a face move to the house? A little change in the insides, a little scene in the garden, refurnished furniture and floor coverings? Approve, you can likewise give another shading to your little manor. Do I get notification from you, that it's somewhat costly? Try not to expect that it will tear your wallets. Presently back will be given to you to for all these. Still solid somewhat implausible? Join me, to the universe of choices named credits.
Sometime in the past a man needed to battle to discover cash to revamp his home. Nobody was eager to loan him money. Indeed, even the credit suppliers used to dismiss their face from him. Lost hope chap has no entryway open. Be that as it may, now things are not the equivalent. Home enhancement credits carried another shading into the refurnishing of homes.
Benefiting the Loans
Is it an extreme assignment to profit an advance with a point of enhancing the presence of the house? Never. The developments of the money related market have brought about a substantial increment in the opposition among the advance loan specialists, making it considerably simpler to get profited. It has decreased the conventions and complexities making it significantly less difficult for the client to obtain the back.
Purposes for Which the Loans Are Used
The home enhancement credits can be utilized for different development exercises identified with the house, including expansions, and development of new rooms. Likewise there is a choice of procurement of furniture, window ornaments and other vital things in the house. The fund benefited through this credit can likewise be used for painting, rebuilding solidify and other imaginative works done in the house with a point of making it more excellent.
Loan fees
Obviously, it's regular to have questions in the psyches of the advance borrowers on financing costs charged for the credits. The money related market has extensive number of credit suppliers. Their extreme rivalry has made things more helpful for the clients profiting the credits at a lower rate of intrigue. It turns out to be accordingly the obligation of the client to pick the advance for the enhancement of house that is accessible at a low rate of intrigue. The benefiting of the monetary help with a modest rate of intrigue is certain to decrease the migraine of the client of future installments
Ordinarily there is an arrangement for reception of anchored home enhancement credits, where the advance is profited by the client against an anchored resource. Continuously this is considered as a superior alternative as the financing costs charged by the advance moneylender will at a lesser rate.
Have you at any point pondered on the terms and conditions with respect to the home enhancement advances? Normally, the letter of concurrence with terms and conditions is unquestionably to have certain concealed charges, which the client must know about. If not taken consideration initially, these things will exacerbate the situation later. It is in this manner essential for the client benefiting advances to clear up every last terms and conditions illuminated while taking the credit.


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DAY 1 - Arrival
You will be met at Corfu airport and then take a private transfer to your villa. There you will receive refreshments and a welcome snack. Then it's time to settle in and relax before your magical week begins.
DAY 2 - Wine Tasting Afternoon
After a leisurely breakfast and a chance to relax at your villa, you will be picked up by private minibus and taken for a drive through the lush countryside bringing us to the Theotoky Vineyard. Situated in the verdant Ropa Valley, this 300 acre estate is surrounded by fragrant pine forests and ancient olive groves. The Theotoky family are one of the oldest on Corfu and their estate is famed for its fine wines and organic extra virgin olive oils that are exported across Europe.
We will have a guided tour from the estate manager, explaining all about the processes, new and old, for creating their produce. Then we get to sit under a shady tree and sample their wines with plates of local cheeses and meats and fresh produce from their gardens.
Day 3 - A Day on the Water
A trip to Corfu would not be complete without seeing the stunning North East coast from the sea. Your day will start at 10am when you will be picked up from a local bay and head along the coast for a more relaxed day of sightseeing, swimming and snorkling. A fantastic BBQ lunch is provided, including traditional salads, dips, cheese and incredible grilled fish, chicken or pork along with locally made wine.
Day 4 - Old Perithia
Today we will head up close to the top of Mount Pantokrator to explore the abandoned village of Old Perithia. It is the oldest example of a mountain village on Corfu. Written records date back to the 14th century and it is believed to have been inhabited long before then.
Nestled in amongst the ancient buildings we will find our Taverna for lunch, loved by tourists and locals alike, here we will sample a meze of some of the most traditional food on the island.
Made entirely from locally sourced products and cooked with love, the food here is amazing and it is a perfect spot to spend a relaxed and above all, very Greek afternoon.
Day 5 - Cookery Class
Today is the day you learn how to cook in true Corfiot stlye! Your private minibus will take you to Ambelonas, a beautiful old vineyard set up on a hill with panoramic views.
You will receive and introduction to the history of the place, learn about the principles, ingredients and techniques of Greek cuisine and then it's hands on cooking with fresh local ingredients.
You will all taste and discuss the dishes at various stages and at the finish, seated under the canopy of vines, sit and enjoy the meal you have created together. With the acompaniment of authentic local wines it truly is a remarkable day and one that you will all enjoy.
Day 6 - Corfu Town
An absolute must for every visitor to Corfu is its beautiful and vibrant capital, Corfu Town. Here your dedicated guide will describe for you the rich and varied history as they lead you through the streets.
Corfu old town is facinating, from the Old Fortress through the cobbled Venetian streets to the amazing church of St Spiridion there is something for everyone here. After the tour you have free time to do some shopping, or just relax with a coffee and take in the atmosphere of this lovely town. We will then have dinner in one of the most traditional tavernas on Corfu Island to complete our day.
Day 7 - Relax
Today is a free day for you and your guests to enjoy your villa, why not spend some time by the pool, or visit a local beach. Alternatively you can choose from one of our optional extras, whether you would like spa treatments at your villa, would like a luxury day out at sea, or want to go horse riding, just let us know and we'll organise it it for you!
The experiences listed are our ideal version of your perfect week. However, due to seasonal availability, weather and unforeseen circumstances we may have to swap things around. A final itinerary will be sent to you before you arrive and we will always keep you informed of any changes. In the event that we can not provide a suitable alternative we will refund the cost of the day listed in your final itinerary.


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Anniversary Masses in April
Ruan: Friday 29th April 2016 at 7:30 pm
First Anniversary Mass for Janet Neilan
Anniversary Masses in May
Ruan: Sunday 1st May 2016 at 10.00 am
Caoimhe Lynch
Ruan: Monday 2nd May 2016 at 11:00 am
First Anniversary Mass for Eileen Moroney, also remembering Simon Moroney
Dysart: Saturday 7th May 2016 at 6:30 pm
Danny Griffin Agnes Griffin Nora O'Neill Cathy O'Neill Sr Cecelia O'Neill Mary O'Neill O'Donoghue Family Drummina O'Donoghue Family Kinvara O'Donoghue Family Cree Michael O'Donoghue Cooraclare Burns Family Nooan
Weekday Masses: Ruan: Tuesday and Saturday at 9:30 am. Friday at 7:30 pm.
Dysart: Thursday at 9:30 am
Eucharistic Adoration: Ruan: Wednesdays - Hourly from 3pm to 7pm
Dysart: Thursdays - Hourly from 10am to 1pm
Weekly Collections: Thank you very much for your contributions.PDF: €755.35 Baskets: €255.42 Candles: €12.73 Trócaire: €1.50 Priests Collection: €255.00
Readers & Ministers of the Eucharist
Dysart Saturday at 6.30 pm Ruan Sunday at 10.00 am
Reader this week: Monica Tierney Reader this week: Ruth Crowe
Reader next week: Louise McDonnell Reader next week: Rachel O'Loughlin
Euch Min this week: Rose Foudy Euch Min this week: Eileen Hannon
Euch Min next week: Ita Hastings Euch Min next week: Francis Howard
Next Baptism Course: Crusheen on Saturday 14th May from 11:00 am to 12 Noon.
All people intending to have children baptised must complete the baptismal course before each child is baptised.
Confirmation: Confirmation will take place on Saturday 14th May in Dysart at 10:00 am and in Ruan at 12 Noon.
Tea/Coffee Morning continues every Tuesday Morning in Ruan Community Centre at 10:00 am. All are welcome.
Part-Time Temporary Home Helps Required FETAC Level 5 qualifications and full driving licence essential. Panel to be created. For application form please contact Mary Cosgrove, Home Help Manager, Clarecare Limited, Harmony Row Ennis. Tel 065 6828178 or e-mail: email@example.com
Thought for the Week
Alzheimer's Tea Day takes place all over Ireland on Thurs. May 5th. Every day another 11 people are diagnosed with dementia and there are 48,000 people living with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia right now. Every €25 raised provides an hour of Home Care, every €50 funds 5 hours at a Day Care Centre, every €200 pays for an overnight stay in Respite Care.
If there is anyone who would like to organise it in Toonagh Hall they can contact the Alzheimer Society at www.teaday.ie. or call 0870610212 for details.
Clothes Collection: A clothes collection will be held in Toonagh Hall on Thurs. 5th May. Members of the Parents Association will be on hand from 9-10am, 1.45-3pm and 6.30-7.30pm to take bags from people and should anyone need bags collected, they will also collect them from their homes. Monies raised go towards school supplies.
Fitness 4 Fun with John Conroy for both men and women, continues in Ruan Community Centre every Wednesday from 1:15pm to 2:15pm. Cost €5. John who is the founder of Fitness4Fun is an experienced and qualified fitness coach for older adult fitness. Exercise can reduce the risk of developing some age-related diseases and disabilities. People with arthritis, heart disease or diabetes benefit from regular physical activity and exercise can also help people with blood pressure, balance problems or difficulty walking. All are welcome to come.
Clare Parkinson's Support Group meets at Carrigoran Health & Wellness Centre, Newmarket-on-Fergus at 10.00 am on the last Friday of the month. These informal meetings provide a chance for people to talk and discuss worries and experiences. Normally the meeting includes a presentation by a guest speaker, such as a healthcare professional or complementary therapist. Activities that assist people living with Parkinson's such as Yoga, Dance, Occupational Therapy or Tai Chi generally form part of the get together - and there is the social aspect with time to enjoy a coffee or tea and a home baked scone! The next Clare Parkinson's Support Group meeting is on Friday 29th April. For further information contact 087 415 8430
Mass & Anointing for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses in Ennis Cathedral on Wednesday, 25th May at 2:00 p.m.
Fr Tom Hogan, PP will be Chief Celebrant and Homilist
Clare Burren Marathon Challenge -
Sat May 28th 2016: The Burren, Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare.
'Mobile make-up artist' available: contact Sheila Malone 087-4133172 for bookings please.
Bingo in Corofin Hall: Bingo takes place very Tuesday night at 8:30 in the newly refurbished Hall in Corofin. Please support.
Ruan GAA:
Lotto Results: W/E: 17/04/2016: No's drawn: 2, 6, 8, 26 No Jackpot Winner:
Five lucky dips: O'Donnell Family, Jack O'Halloran, Gerard Keating, O'Connor Family and Anne Lough.
Next week's Jackpot: €9,750 Team: Frank Lyons Venue: Mortys
April >


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Alfred Hitchcock is a British film director who, while already great during his time in his homeland, had truly made a name for himself as a Hollywood director. What Hitchcock has contributed to the thriller genre can easily be compared to what Pixar has done for Western animation (minus Cars 2). Thanks to his imposing eye for detail, near perfect control of the story and pace he had brought a simple genre into new majestic heights; and he made sure it stayed there until he died, because that's how he rolled!
The lion wasn't told to sit, he just knows better.
That being said, it seems like many youth only remember him for his film 'Psycho', or at least the shrieking violins. While there is nothing wrong with 'Psycho', a director with a filmography that is as great as it is large, as Hitchcock's should not be defined by one film. It is like walking past a city a gold to find a diamond. Anyway here is:
Hitchcock for Dummies: 5 Great Thrillers
Alfred Hitchcock, in spite of his status as a mainstream filmmaker, had a penchant for experimenting with his equipment. Each film he made is created with a distinctive approach with 'Rope' being among his boldest. Hitchcock originally wanted 'Rope' to be filmed in one take, but since that is too awesome to be possible, he settled with recording at ten-minute lengths. In short, during the entire 80 minutes of 'Rope', there are about 10 camera shots.
The story of 'Rope', while not as elaborate as the cinematography, is no less unconventional. Begins with two men strangling another man for no real reason except for the belief they were superior to their victim. Adding insult to fatality, they put his body in a trunk and use it as buffet table for a party they scheduled before the story began. Their guests suspect nothing, even when the hosts start acting edgy, with the exception of their former college professor (played by James Stewart).
Rear Window
In a Greenwich Village apartment complex lives photographer named L.B Jeffries (Stewart) who, after breaking his leg, can't find anything better to do than spy on his neighbors. Then one day he notices that Mr. Thorwald's wife has suddenly disappeared, did she leave him, was she kidnapped, Jeffries must know the answer. Now it is up to him, his girlfriend and nurse to discover truth behind the disappearance of Mrs. Thorwald.
'Rear Window' is a great thematic study about curiosity and voyeurism. Not only does the audience become intrigued by this hazy murder mystery, but with the other neighbors daily dramas. For 'Rear Window', Hitchcock literally created this little neighborhood where all of these very minor, yet engaging characters work through their daily routine. The fact that every outdoor shot is from the view of L.B Jeffries' apartment only encourages the viewer to become as nosy as the main character, forgetting that curiosity killed the cat.
The Birds
What happens when an A-list Hollywood director decides to create a cheap monster movie? One thing the audience will notice is that 'The Birds' does not have a musical score. This actually improves the film as it relies on distinct sound effects and visual cues, rather than the traditional shrieking strings and brass, to emphasize its bleak atmosphere. The visual effects in 'The Birds' have aged like milk (even with the use of real birds) but the on going sense of dread is more than enough to cause even the heartiest viewers' spines to shiver in terror.
While Alfred Hitchcock is admittedly a sadist but in 'The Birds' he is downright merciless as men, women and even kids fall victim to the wrath of a thousand crows and seagulls. Eyes are gouged out, cars explode, and this is made all the more frightening in that these birds have no motive for their actions. The victims of Bogeda Bay wonder in trembling fear as to why the birds are attacking and so will the audience.
'Notorious' is the sexiest movie of all time. 'Notorious' plays like a thinking man's idea of a James Bond film. Alicia Huberman (played by Ingrid Bergman) is a playgirl and daughter of a Nazi spy who, after his conviction, is recruited by an agent named T.R. Devlin (Cary Grant) because of her father's connections. Before her assignment, both Devlin and she fall in love, which complicates her mission, as it requires her to seduce a Nazi leader. This leads our lovely heroine into a romantic thrill ride dripping with innuendo, back stabbings and champagne.
Compared to the majority of Alfred Hitchcock's work the acting is impeccable. Bergman plays her character brilliantly as someone is both strong willed, vulnerable, and icy. Claude Raines manages to do the impossible by making a Nazi, of all people, to be sympathetic. But the man of the hour is Cary Grant, who not only plays the tall, dark and handsome man he has parodied throughout the majority of his career (like in 'Gunga Din' and 'His Girl Friday'), straight, he plays it with greater nuance than anyone before Notorious and until Sean Connery played James Bond.
North by Northwest
With Independence Day coming to an end, why not mention the film where Cary Grant climbs down George Washington's face, it makes sense in context. Anyway, Cary Grant plays Roger O. Thornhill an advertising executive who is mistaken for a secret agent named Kaplan by some gangsters. Curious as to whom Kaplan is, and not wanting to get killed, Thornhill travels across state lines to find this secret agent. What he finds instead is a crop-duster, the radiant Eva Marie Saint and a @#$%load of twists.
'North by Northwest' at first glance is a paint-by-numbers Hitchcock film. The film is about a man on the run the love interest is a platinum blonde, lots of innuendo, and cops; by all technical standards 'North by Northwest' should be called unoriginal. Yet it this excessive amount of tropes and how well they are written into the story that makes 'North by Northwest' so great. Alfred Hitchcock and Ernest Lehman, the screenplay writer, clearly had a blast creating this highly stylized thriller. The dialogue is sharp as a tack and the characters not afraid to snarky in the face of danger.


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Happy 17th Birthday Noah. This boy of mine is 17 today.
Here are some fun facts about my boy:
-He is my last child born "under" my heart.
-loves to read
-great at construction
-works hard
-LOVES his little brother, Hunter
-eats…a lot (his favorite food is Stuffed Pepper Soup)
-talented in baseball
-the only child with special blessings from both my sisters
-has my heart
In this case, no one asked my permission for him to get older. I simply cannot believe that my last, biological child, is 17. However, here he is one year away from being an "adult". Who came up with the fact that 18-year-olds are adults? Ironically, the brain is not even fully developed until their mid-20s, but whatever, no one asked me.
Happy birthday, Boo.
Related Posts:


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Danielle LaPorte's website, DanielleLaPorte.com, has been called "the best place online for kick-ass spirituality," and named one of the "Top 100 Websites for Women" by Forbes. Entrepreneur magazine summed Danielle up as, "equal parts poet and entrepreneurial badass…edgy, contrarian…loving and inspired."
Danielle, who credits green juice to fueling her digital empire, was a director for a think tank on future studies prior to founding her wildly popular website. She also explored the fundamentals of Buddhist meditation. "I'm as stoked about pop culture as eastern mysticism," Danielle says. "I've had conversations with thousands of women about what 'success' really means, and I've concluded that the best self-help is self compassion. And, true self love includes serving the world around you."
Danielle believes that our relationship to ambition is inside out, which is why she wrote: The Desire Map: A Guide To Creating Goals With Soul. The book turned into an international facilitator's program. She also wrote the book, The Fire Starter Sessions, to shake up notions of success.
Danielle, who is "often mistaken as an extrovert," lives in Vancouver with her favorite person, her 12-year-old son. Her charity of choice is Eve Ensler's V-Day, a movement to end violence against women and girls, because she believes that empowered women heal everything around them.
Follow Danielle:


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Foosball Pencil Erasers Bring The Game To Your Desk
Earlier this year, you may have seen those erasers that turn any table into a foosball table. Cool as they were, they didn't quite have that classic foosball look—they just looked like cheap rubber. Updating the concept with some better uniforms for these erasers is Peleg Design's Penball, which turns your drafting materials into something a little more legit.
Of course, it's still going to be one-on-one. But heck, shootouts are better anyway.
Ethan Wolff-Mann is an editor of Supercompressor. He loves shootouts more than the game. And the Spanish announcers more than shootouts. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.


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Valid Nov. 27–28, 2015 Only. Order total must be reached pre-tax and pre-shipping charges. May not be used for gift certificates. Not applicable on previous orders, promotional deals or previously discounted pricing. Can be used on Clearance products. One coupon per household/per valid email address, no exceptions. Valid on in-store purchases or phone orders only.
Give the gift of light this year! Hurry in…deal ends Saturday!


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F.A.I. Cup Final at Dalymount Park. (N71).1981..20.04.1981..04.20.1981..20th April 1981..Today saw the FAI Cup Final played out at Dalymount Park between Sligo Rovers and Dundalk...Dundalk: Blackmore, McConville, Dunning, Keely, Lawlor, McKenna, Flanagan, Byrne, Crawley, Fairclough, Archbold...Sligo: McIntrye, Ferry, O'Doherty, Sheridan, McGeever, McGroarty, Fagan, Doherty, McLoughlin, Bradley, Patton. Subs: Coyle for Patton, McDonnell...The match was won by Dundalk by a two nil margin. The winning goals were scored by John Archbold and Mick Fairclough..Following are a series of action pictures of the match.Add to Cart
- Filename
- N71-256.jpg
- Copyright
- Copyrighted to SKP & Associates Ltd trading as Lensmen & Associates, Lensmen Photographic Agency, Lensmen Photographic Archive and Irish Photo Archive..COPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS ACT, 2000..Under the Copyright and Related Rights Act, 2000 the copyright
- Image Size
- 1024x730 / 260.6KB
sepia photographs of Ireland film photography Sligo Rovers vintage photos Dundalk Ireland old photos black and white prints Irish heritage Irish culture images of Ireland Irish society Eire Irish people Republic of Ireland news photos photography print Dalymount Park Dublin 1980's.antique photos FAI Cup Final Irish images old pictures image library Irish history Irish photos Irish gifts black and white pictures picture library history pictures black and white historical photos old print Irish pictures
- Contained in galleries
- Search ALL, Search ALL, 1981 - F.A.I. Cup Final at Dalymount Park. (N71).


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- Real-time analysis provides instant feedback on pollution events
- Single, selective analysis of chemically diverse compounds
- High sensitivity and wide linear range (pptv to ppmv)
- 24/7 operation with minimal downtime (<1% downtime for validation)
Industry Challenges
- Odor compounds are chemically very diverse, making analysis very difficult for conventional analytical techniques
- Odors are dynamic, requiring fast response, whereas odor panels and/or lab-based analyses are expensive and based on time-averaged samples
- An objective human response to odors is usually only achieved by extensive training, but trained panelists still get fatigued
- Human odor thresholds are often too low for low-cost instruments to be able match, in addition to their issues with selectivity
- Comprehensive analysis, including inorganics and chromatographically challenging compounds
- Real-time and high-throughput analysis options
- High sensitivity and wide linearity range for all odor compounds
- Designed and engineered for demanding laboratory, R&D, and on-site applications
- Mobile instrument solutions
The SIFT-MS technique is the premium tool for a wide range of odor applications due to a unique set of characteristics:
- High-sensitivity detection of all odorous compounds (e.g. sulfur compounds, amines, aldehydes, and organic acids) in one simple, rapid analysis
- Direct analysis eliminates compound losses caused by preconcentration and chromatographic separation
- Wide dynamic range and high selectivity of eight rapidly switchable reagent ions allows detection of traces of odorous compounds in a matrix containing high levels of innocuous VOCs.
SIFT-MS provides a consistent, objective measure of odor. Industry applications include:
- Odor source profiling
- Landfill and biogas analysis
- Fence-line monitoring.
SIFT-MS platform capable of high-throughput gas and headspace analysis for VOCs and inorganic gases.
Auto-validation inlet allows switching between sample, calibration standard, and background gas streams.
Multi-port inlet enables multiple sample streams to be analyzed (e.g. cyclically from multiple odor sources).
Software package for viewing and analyzing Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS) data from multiple instruments, customizing analyses, and interacting with the Voice200ultra.
Compound Library
Access detection and quantitation parameters for over 1000 compounds to leverage the diverse capability of the platform.
Downloadable Resources
|Environmental Solutions Brochure
|Petrochemical Industry Solutions Brochure
|Landfill Gas Analysis using SIFT-MS
|White Paper SIFT-MS: Real-Time Air Quality Monitoring
|Flyer – Ambient Air Analysis Solution


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On the way to their camp after an evening well spent in a pub, two Tommies ran into a dark figure.
"Friend," said the man.
"Go 'way," said the Tommies.
"Friend," repeated the man.
The Tommies leaped on the man, discovered that he was a Nazi flyer, shot down in that night's raid on England and trying to surrender....
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Radiance Skin Therapy & Laser Center
Our Facilities
Radiance Skin Therapy is centrally located in Madison, WI on the corner of Todd Drive & the Beltline Hwy. You will find us in the East Arbor Gate Tower on the first floor.
We are excited to have expanded our current facilities, offering more privacy for our valued guests along with more treatment space. More space has allowed us to provide you with new services, more talented staff and more available appointments. We are excited for you to see the renovation which was complete January 2018.
We look forward meeting you!
Enjoy a Virtual Tour!
Connecting with the Community
Being a small, local business we know the importance of community. Radiance Skin Therapy strives to show support & give back locally whenever possible. We spread the love every year to several charitable events & programs. See how Radiance Skin Therapy gives back with past & present community charities…
Stop by and say 'Hello'!
2501 West Beltline Hwy
Suite 101
Madison, WI 53713


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I bet the quoted sentence in the heading of this article is something you've heard countless times. So have I. It is a self-explanatory sentence which requires little or no debate. Or is it? When put in the appropriate context within game design it sparks joy with one amateur game designer while at the same time awakens fear in another. I am afraid that when it was up to me, I was the latter of these two examples. Here's why. A large chunk of my past time when I was in high-school was spent on creating complex card-game systems, fighting systems that can be used in various pen & paper RPGs and I remember Martin a.k.a. Helion doing a board game similar to chess involving mirrors and lasers.
So you see we were not the "start small" type of guys. This made things difficult for us to start with. Even our own point and click adventure game "Who I am" which we did on a game jam included three levels which was much more than needed if seen from today's perspective. Instead of making it easy, we kept making it harder for us, because we loved working hard when working on games. We did not like simplicity in games. I remember the day when I got my first tablet and went deep into Android trying to discover a world of games previously untouched. I was devastated when I faced what gaming has come to. And what works. You know the answer, that same old – simplicity. At first it was a huge shock to me when I saw games like endless runners, match three games and "strategy" monetization machines covered with a layer of sweet design on top. Then, luckily I played games like Monument Valley and The Room which gave me hope and thought me a lot about today's "small" games.
If need arises, give yourself a limit, make it a challenge!
My initial though was "Ok, make a stupid little game, earn some money, so you can make that big cool game you've always wanted." But being exposed through The Internet to all those beautiful games developers are creating by themselves, in time crushed my boring idea I had one sentence ago. I realized I can enjoy the game development process with all of my games, no matter how small they are. Doesn't mean they should be dumb. Actually being small makes them more challenging. A book can describe everything in detail since there is no page limit, but if you read short stories like I do, you can see that there is much that can be done with one page of text because there is a limit. Same goes for comic-book text 😉
And if you stop and think for a minute you will see that there is a natural limit to everything. You can overdo work, but eventually you will faint 😛 You can play games for 12 hours strait and you will probably end up with the same result. This is why it is really important to do as much as you can within the limits you can and will set for yourself. A wonderful small game that manages to do a lot with just one level is Backterria's RockRocket. I have probably mentioned it before and I will in the future 🙂
This guy is a living proof that awesome games can be made and they can offer experiences like Journey or Firewatch with gameplay that lasts moments instead of hours.
In order to start small you need to change how you think.
"I was very sad when I realized I had to do small games before going to some of my bigger ideas. Yet to this day, all I have done are my small games." – a quote…by me 😛
It all started when I took all of my activities that I do in a day and severed them in separate chunks. Looking at them separately and putting some more thought into them. This actually helped me to enjoy them more and to become aware of all little daily tasks like: working on my PC, cooking, training, going to the store, walking my dog, talking on the phone… since I am a game designer I saw games within all of those things (Read my older article here that explains how). Finding out that these were not some boring every-day actions, rather tasks I actually find fun to do, (and have limited time to do) made me do them quite well.
This feeling/tactic transferred afterwards to everything I do, because I now knew that something small does not have to be something horrible, boring or something that signifies an amateur's beginning . Some beginnings can be great so there is nothing wrong with creating a perfectly well made game that only has one level like Backterria's game and there is nothing wrong in making more and more small games if you have too many ideas dwelling in Your mind.
Therefore sit back and explore yourself as a game designer and see how you work best. Are you that organized guy that really spends that 2-3 hours per day working on a game? Are you a total mess and need pressure to work hard but cannot create that pressure by yourself? Are you a night-crawler working weekends only from 4AM to 9AM? No matter. All of these game designers are creative I know. And everyone will tell you to let your creative side flow. I say the same. But I also say, let if flow into a nice little stream. Then slowly turn it into a river. Only then will you reach the lake.
Now go and make some small games people 🙂


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There seem to be a lot of petitions going around, and since they're quick and easy to sign, you may as well sign all of them!
NHS Support Federation: http://www.nhscampaign.org/white-paper-comment/e-petition.html
Save our NHS: http://saveournhs.org/
38 Degrees: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/Protect_our_NHS_Petition
Still inspired and have energy to spare? Here are 10 other quick actions that you can do:
1. Write to or visit your MP – if you need some pointers on what to say, just get in touch!
- copy in Andrew Lansley as health secretary
- and David Cameron as Prime Minister
2. Attend local meetings and events to find out more.
3. Make friends and build a networks – 38 Degrees can help you here
4. Talk to your GP. Ask them what they think and if they would call a patients' meeting. There are plenty of patient groups out there you can join in with.
5. Write to local media, plan visual stunts, ask if they would like to interview you on air
6. Talk about how much you 'Love The NHS' and post our blogs on your Facebook and Twitter so others can see just how much you care.
7. Collect positive NHS stories + write a blog
8. Put up posters/distribute flyers
9. Collect signatures for a petition
10. Email firstname.lastname@example.com and tell us what you've done or to find out how to join us!


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Mars rover Curiosity has doubtlessly been doing a whole lot of important science up there on the red planet, but it's also been sending back a ton of pictures to keep us simpler, non-scientist folks amused by all the pretty
colors red. But what kind of cameras does that thing have anyways? JPL explains.
Curiosity doesn't just have one or two cameras, but instead a full suite of 17, each with its own specialized purpose, like filming the rovers decent, or watching the rover's back for sneaky
aliens rocks.
The most awesome secret JPL's gone out of its way to explain though, is how exactly the rover shoots those seemingly impossible, wide-angle lens shots of itself, in step-by-step detail.
They say the tools don't make the photographer, but considering Curiosity is nothing but tools, it seems to be doing pretty OK. [JPL via PetaPixel]


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Apula Singh
Research Associate | VIFVision India Foundation
A series of three articles aims to shed light on the rationale behind the trifurcation process; its impact; and the outcomes of trifurcation, particularly on service delivery. These articles are drawn from primary research undertaken from October 2015 to January 2016, for a Master's thesis by Apula Singh, VIF Research Associate. Different officials across the MCD, Delhi government and councillors were interviewed to collect primary data.
Read the complete article published at Huffington Post.
Urban Policy


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Overloaded with wheat
So, I had an interesting patient last week, and it got me thinking – are we consuming too much wheat? When I say 'we', I mean YOU. I asked this patient to keep a food diary for 5 days. Without going into too much detail, I can tell you that out of the 4 main meals consumed in a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack); three of those had wheat as the main constituent.
Have you thought about how much wheat you consume? Most people have toast or cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and sometimes pasta for dinner or a nice piece of bread. Let's see what an alternative day would look like:
Breakfast – oats or pancakes made with non wheat flour (I have an awesome recipe that I will share in my recipe section);
Lunch – miso soup, omelette with wilted greens;
Dinner – poached chicken on brown rice or buckwheat noodles with a small piece of eye fillet and sautéed cabbage drizzled with tamari. Okay, I'm starting to salivate and it's 10pm.
You get the idea. There are so many other non wheat alternatives. I thought I should give a run down on some other things you could try.
Kamut flour/bread (also referred to as Khorasan) – Kamut is my all time favourite bread. It has a lovely sweet nutty flavour. It is an ancient grain and is similar to wheat but it hasn't been genetically modified or tampered with in anyway. The amino acid profile, protein and minerals are far greater than standard wheat products. However it still contains gluten. Not recommended for coeliac's but okay for those who have mild sensitivities.
Spelt – another ancient grain. It does contain gluten, but has more nutrition than standard wheat. Not recommended for coeliac sufferers. I use the wholemeal version for my ricotta and spelt hotcakes every Saturday morning. My kids (and husband) are crazy for them.
Buckwheat – despite its name, this is not a wheat and completely gluten free. Extremely nutritious and a very low glycemic index. It has a nutty taste that takes some getting used to. High in magnesium, fibre and selenium I struggle to find any other type of grain that is so nutritious with a low allergy profile. Available as a flour, perfect for pancakes, cakes, biscuits; and also available as a pasta or noodles.
Oats – So these are not gluten free but they are wheat free. I absolutely adore oats. Not just in porridge, but I love oat flour (which I make in my thermomix) which I use in my cakes, breads, bagels, pancakes, and the list goes on. Incredibly high in minerals, they are also high in fibre, have omega 3 and great for people with high cholesterol.
If you're game, take couple of tablespoons and whizz it up in your smoothie machine along with your fruit. It will keep you full longer.
Chia Bran/Flour – My obsession with Chia seeds started years ago. Way before they were commercialised and found in supermarkets. Well, these little gems have come a long way from the standard seed – now they're available as an oil, flour and bran. Amazing. High in fibre and omega 3 they are perfect for people wanting to shed a few kilos. However, I am way too stubborn to avoid food and for me, I enjoy this seed soaked in coconut cream overnight. The next day, this sludgy and slimy pudding like delight is gorgeous drizzled with coconut nectar or sliced mango for sweetness.
Mung Bean – incredibly high in protein mung bean flour is also really tasty. I found a great mung bean pasta at Terra Madre which tastes great and very filling.
Quinoa – Another great seed. Dense in nutrients including iron, magnesium and protein, quinoa is gluten free and perfect for vegetarians. I really enjoy adding lashings of quinoa to roasted vegetables lathered in tamari and lime. OH-MY-GOSH!
Quinoa flakes are great for adding to porridge; quinoa flour is quite bitter so I tend to make a 20% mix of quinoa to 80% other flour when baking.
Amaranth – Ama-what? Amaranth. This guy is similar to quinoa in that it's great for vegetarians but not as bitter in taste. If your kids love rice bubbles, get them some puffed amaranth. Drizzle some maple syrup or honey over a bowl of amaranth and milk and it makes for a great breakfast. Caution – this stuff is lighter than air! Do not sneeze or breathe heavily around it unless you want your kitchen to be coated with puffed amaranth.
Well, that should be enough to keep you going. There are so many products out there that are much healthier than wheat but may take your taste buds some getting used to, but well worth the challenge. Imagine how many more nutrients you would be able to get if you consumed something other than wheat everyday. Imagine how much happier your gut would be not having to deal with wheat everyday. That in itself is worth changing for.
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I'm a lover of fine food, amazing cheese and sharing with people I love.
June 2018


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Very very Close- Arsenal Set To Announce Another HUGE Deal
Goonersden brings you news from top football news sites from the likes of ESPN, SkySport, Daily Mail, Daily Star and Metro… We also Analyse football, player, transfer and predict Arsenal starting line-up.
Arsenal very close on a deal to sign Lucas Torreira in the summer transfer window, according to a report.
Premier League giants Arsenal are set to complete a transfer deal for Sampdoria star Lucas Torreira in the next 24 hours, as per reports in Uruguay.
Arsenal to sign Sampdoria star
Website Football.London is citing unnamed sources in Uruguay that are suggesting Torreira is close to completing a move to Arsenal from Serie A side Sampdoria ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
The same report states that Arsenal are prepared to make public their second summer arrivals after the Gunners reached a £26million agreement with the Italian outfit.
As per the same report, the Gunner officials and the player's representative Pablo Bentancur are travelling to Russia to discuss a deal before the FIFA World Cup kicks off.
Deal to be sealed before World Cup fixture
The Uruguayan media claims add that the national squad have handed permission for the 22-year-old to depart their team camp to resolve a transfer deal before their FIFA World Cup opening match against African giant Egypt.
Torreira netted four goals and created one assist in 36 matches in Italian Serie A in the 2017-18 campaign to attract interest from Napoli and Arsenal.
Arsenal brought in Switzerland skipper Stephan Lichtsteiner on a fee from Juventus in the summer window.


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The final countdown to the 2018 Winter Olympics is on. With the PyeongChang Games opening ceremony only 30 days away, Gracenote Sports presents its latest Virtual Medal Table (VMT) predictions on the expected top five performing countries, possible impact of the recent ruling on Russia and rising star athletes to watch. With this update, we are also highlighting host nation South Korea's projected performance and how Japan is coming into form as the Games approach.
This report updates the Medal Table last published on November 1, 2017.
- Germany retains its number one position on the Gracenote Virtual Medal Table ahead of Norway. If Germany manages to win the most overall medals in PyeongChang as projected, it will be the country's first appearance atop the table since the 2006 Games.
- Norway is only three medals behind Germany in second place on the table. Canada, the U.S.A. and France round out the top-five countries based on total medals. No other nation outside of these five is projected to win more than 20 medals.
- Russia has been removed from this Virtual Medal Table because of the recent ruling, but confirmed entries under the "Olympic Athletes from Russia" designation will be included in our final medal forecast just before the Games begin on February 9.
- Fifteen athletes have ascended into the virtual gold medal position since November 1 as strong performances in the final events leading into 2018 Games influence Gracenote's forecasts.
- Host nation South Korea will depend heavily on its short track skaters to deliver on the country's home advantage in PyeongChang and maximize its medal haul.
- Japan, host nation of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games, is seeing its Winter athletes come into form at just the right time. Japan is now on target for its best Winter Games performance, two years before hosting the next Summer Games.
On December 5, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned Russia's National Olympic Committee (NOC) from the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang. The IOC also announced that it will allow some of Russia's athletes to compete under a neutral flag provided they can show that they are not associated with the doping program for which Russia's NOC has been banned. Since it is currently unclear which athletes will be allowed to take part under the Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR) banner, we have removed all 19 of the projected OAR medalists from this version of the Virtual Medal Table. The athletes who are allowed to compete will be included in our final Virtual Medal Table release just before the Games begin.
The current forecast of 19 medals (4 gold, 6 silver and 9 bronze) for the Olympic Athletes from Russia NOC would be enough to place them in 6th place on our latest VMT projection. The countries on our Virtual Medal Table which benefit from Russia's absence are Germany, whose projected medal total increases by five (+5), Norway (+4), Canada (+2), France (+2), Italy (+2) and Finland, Great Britain, Japan and the Netherlands (all +1). The Netherlands (+2), Canada (+1) and Japan (+1) have inherited the virtual gold medals from the Russian absentees in this month's table.
The Top Five Medal Winning Countries
Note that the below ranking is based on total medal counts by country. For a view of predictions ordered by gold medals per country, please refer to the graphics at the end of this article.
- Germany is still set to top the PyeongChang 2018 medal table by winning a combined 40 medals (14 gold, 12 silver and 14 bronze), the most of all competing countries. Based on the data today, these Winter Games should be the Germans' most successful since 2002 when they took home a record 36 total medals. Germany's strongest sport at the upcoming Winter Games is likely to be biathlon in which they are projected to win 10 medals, one shy of the Olympic record of 11 set by Germany at the 2006 Games. Since the November 1, Gracenote Virtual Medal Table release, Germany has increased its projected medal count by five.
Leading gold medal contenders for Germany: Laura Dahlmeier (Biathlon), Francesco Friedrich (Bobsleigh), Johannes Lochner (Bobsleigh), Felix Loch (Luge), Natalie Geisenberger (Luge), Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken (Luge), Eric Frenzel (Nordic Combined), Johannes Rydzeck (Nordic Combined), Jacqueline Lölling (Skeleton).
- Norway is currently placed second on the virtual medal table and should win a combined 37 medals (14 gold, 11 silver and 12 bronze). The PyeongChang Games are projected to be Norway's best performance to-date by a wide margin as the country has never eclipsed the 26 total medals won at both the 1994 and 2014 Winter Games. Norway is forecast to take home 19 medals in cross country skiing alone, six more than the current Olympic record of 13 set by the Soviet Union at the 1988 Games. Additionally, if Norway wins three snowboard medals as projected, it will be the best performance in the sport by any country. Since November 1, Norway is up five medals according to the Virtual Medal Table.
Leading gold medal contenders for Norway: Kjetil Jansrud (Alpine Skiing), Johannes Bø (Biathlon), Martin Johnsrud Sundby (Cross Country Skiing), Marit Bjørgen (Cross Country Skiing), Johannes Høsflot Klæbo (Cross Country Skiing), Maiken Caspersen Falla (Cross Country Skiing), Ingvild Flugstad Østberg (Cross Country Skiing), Maren Lundby (Ski Jumping).
- Canada is predicted to take third place in PyeongChang by winning a combined 33 medals (7 gold, 12 silver and 14 bronze). Canada, like the United States, is expected to win medals in 10 different sports out of 15 overall at the 2018 Games. This would equal the Olympic record set by the U.S. in 2002 and equaled by Canada in 2006, Germany in 2010 and Russia in 2014. Since November 1, Canada is up two medals.
Leading gold medal contenders for Canada: Kallie Humphries (Bobsleigh), Kaetlyn Osmond (Figure Skating), Mikael Kingsbury (Freestyle Skiing), Maxence Parrot (Snowboard) plus the men's and women's curling teams and the men's ice hockey team.
- U.S.A. is forecast to finish fourth with a combined 29 medals (10 gold, 10 silver and 9 bronze). Team U.S.A. has won at least 25 total medals since hosting the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. In PyeongChang, the Americans are set to win medals in 10 different sports out of 15 according to the Virtual Medal Table. The country's best performances should be spread across alpine skiing (Mikaela Shiffrin, Lindsey Vonn & Ted Ligety have the best chances), freestyle skiing, snowboarding (via Jamie Anderson and Julia Marino) and speed skating (Heather Bergsma). The U.S. could also win its first Olympic medal in biathlon with Lowell Bailey currently projected to win silver in the 20km individual event. Since November 1, the Team U.S.A. medal count is unchanged.
Leading gold medal contenders for the U.S.A.: Mikaela Shiffrin (Alpine Skiing), Ashley Caldwell (Freestyle Skiing), Aaron Blunck (Freestyle Skiing), McRae Williams (Freestyle Skiing), Jamie Anderson (Snowboard), Lindsey Jacobellis (Snowboard), Heather Bergsma (Speed Skating) plus the women's ice hockey team.
- France is projected to round out the top-five in terms of overall medals in February. The French team should win a record 24 medals (9 gold, 9 silver and 6 bronze) overall. This would smash their best-ever Winter Olympic total of 15 medals won at the Sochi Winter Games in 2014. France is heavily reliant on biathletes Martin Fourcade and Marie Dorin Habert to reach the medal podium as they are responsible for eight medals in the latest Virtual Medal Table forecast. France's record Olympic medal haul in biathlon is six won in 2010. Since November 1, France is up three medals on the Virtual Medal Table.
Leading gold medal contenders for France: Martin Fourcade (Biathlon), Maurice Manificat (Cross Country Skiing), Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron (Figure Skating), Marie Martinod (Freestyle Skiing), Tess Ledeux (Freestyle Skiing), Pierre Vaultier (Snowboard).
Since World Cup events leading into the Winter Games are taking place weekly, the gold medalists forecast by the Gracenote Virtual Medal Table change regularly. There have been a total of 15 changes of projected gold medalists since November 1. Below are a selection of athletes to pay attention to:
Tina Weirather (Liechtenstein), Alpine Skiing
Victory in the Lake Louise World Cup super G followed by third place in St. Moritz has moved Tina Weirather up to the gold medal position in the women's super G event, ahead of Switzerland's Lara Gut. If Weirather wins in PyeongChang, she will be the second person to win Olympic gold for Liechtenstein. The first was her mother, Hanni Wenzel, who won the downhill and giant slalom at the Lake Placid Winter Games in 1980.
Mikaela Shriffrin (U.S.A.), Alpine Skiing
Mikaela Shiffrin has dominated alpine skiing's slalom event, winning 21 of her last 26 World Cup races and was therefore already a virtual gold medal winner in PyeongChang. She has also risen to virtual gold in the giant slalom after winning this season's World Cup races in Courchevel and Kranjska Gora.
Kaillie Humphries (Canada), Bobsleigh
In one of the potentially great battles at the Winter Games, Kaillie Humphries has taken over the virtual gold from American driver Elana Meyers Taylor in the women's bobsleigh. Based on our most recent projections, Meyers Taylor has dropped to the silver medal position previously occupied by Humphries after the Canadian finished ahead of the American in all three World Cup events in November.
Johannes Lochner (Germany), Bobsleigh
Johannes Lochner has overtaken Francesco Friedrich and Latvia's Oskars Melbardis in the four-man bobsleigh and has moved from virtual bronze to gold. Lochner's rise is based on big wins at two of the four World Cup events this season. Friedrich is now forecast silver and Melbardis has dropped out of the top three altogether.
Charlotte Kalla (Sweden), Cross Country Skiing
Victory in the 10km freestyle at the Toblach World Cup has put Charlotte Kalla into the virtual gold for cross country skiing ahead of Norwegians Ingvild Flugstad Østberg and Marit Bjørgen. Norwegian and Swedish competitors now occupy the top five positions on the Virtual Medal Table for this event.
Maurice Manificat (France), Cross Country Skiing
By winning the 15km freestyle World Cup race in Davos, Manificat has moved ahead of Norwegian Martin Johnsrud Sundby in the Virtual Medal Table projection for the event at the PyeongChang Winter Games.
Johannes Høsflot Klæbo (Norway), Cross Country Skiing
After winning the sprint event at the Lillehammer World Cup event in December, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo has moved into the virtual gold medal position ahead of compatriot Petter Northug. The Norwegians are expected to dominate the men's sprint in PyeongChang.
Marie Martinod (France), Freestyle Skiing
Marie Martinod won the Copper Mountain halfpipe competition in December and put her ahead of world champion Ayana Onozuka of Japan on the Virtual Medal Table projection.
Natalie Geisenberger (Germany), Luge
Natalie Geisenberger, who was forecast to win silver in the women's singles luge, has swapped places with Germany's Tatjana Hüfner. Geisenberger won three of the first four World Cup races of 2017/2018 season while Hüfner was victorious in only one.
Kamil Stoch (Poland), Ski Jumping
After becoming only the second man in the 65-year history of the prestigious Four Hills Tournament to win all four of the events in that competition, 2014 double Olympic gold medallist Kamil Stoch is the new virtual medal table leader for ski jumping's large hill at the Winter Games.
Nao Kodaira (Japan), Speed Skating
World Champion Nao Kodaira has won all seven World Cup races over 500 meters this season. Because of this she has moved ahead of 2014 Olympic champion and 2016 world champion Lee Sang-Hwa (South Korea) as the favorite to win Gold in PyeongChang.
Projected to win 10 medals total, including seven golds, host nation South Korea appears poised to finish sixth on the Gracenote Virtual Medal Table. If the country hopes to post its best overall Winter Games performance, it will need to surpass the 14 overall medals won in Vancouver 2010.
The sports of short track and speed skating are expected to produce South Korea's best medal chances. However, the country also has opportunities to reach the podium in bobsleigh, skeleton and snowboarding.
Historically, short track has been South Korea's best event with 42 of the country's 53 overall Winter Games medals won in the sport. Prior to the introduction of short track at Albertville 1992 Winter Games, South Korea had never won a medal. By winning 44% of golds in the sport since its Olympic debut 26 years ago, South Korea has dominated short track.
In addition to its core sport of short track, South Korea is forecast to occupy four other podium places in the Virtual Medal Table with Yun Sungbin (silver in men's skeleton), Lee Sang-Hwa (silver in women's 500m speed skating), Lee Seung-Hoon (gold in men's mass start in speed skating) and Kim Bo-Reum (bronze in women's mass start). In snowboarding, Lee Sang-Ho is currently ranked in the world's top-8 as are Yun-Jong Won's 2-man bobsleigh team and the South Korean women's curling team.
Japan is expected to see the biggest change in its total medal haul since our last VMT predictions in November. The country is projected to improve to 4 golds, 7 silvers and 4 bronze from 3 golds, 6 silvers and 2 bronze in November. Based on this, Japan has moved up three places on the table into the top-10 if ordered on gold medals. Here are the Japanese athletes who have improved within the top-3 or broken onto Gracenote's virtual podium over the last two months:
- Akito Watabe is now projected to win silver in nordic combined's large hill event after winning November's World Cup event in Ruka, Finland.
- Nao Kodaira (Speed skating) is set to win virtual gold in the women's 500m, in which she has not been beaten since March 2016, and silver in the 1000m where she will battle American Heather Bergsma.
- Miho Takagi (Speed skating) is projected to score silver in the women's 1500m after four World Cup wins in November and December and may take over the virtual gold medal position from Team USA's Heather Bergsma soon if the American's form does not improve.
- Women's Team Pursuit: Including Miho Takagi and her sister Nana, the speed skating team is now forecast to win gold ahead of previous favorites, the Netherlands, after beating the Dutch at the Heerenveen World Cup in November.
Gracenote's Virtual Medal Table (VMT) is a statistical model based on individual and team results in previous Olympics Games, World Championships and World Cups to forecast the most likely gold, silver and bronze medal winners by country. This information is presented in simple to understand predictions and seamless data feeds that enable broadcasters, media publishers and pay TV operators to deliver unique Olympic-focused stories across Web, mobile and broadcast properties.
About Gracenote
Gracenote, a Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN) company, provides music, video and sports content and technologies to the world's hottest entertainment products and brands. Gracenote is the standard for music and video recognition and is supported by the largest source of entertainment data, including rich data on 4,500 of the world's most popular leagues and competitions as well as a deep trove of historical Olympics information going back to the very first modern games in 1896. For a closer look at the full Virtual Medal Table, its features and methodology, please visit: http://sportsdemo1.gracenote.com/documentation/vmt. For more information on Gracenote Sports, visit: https://www.gracenote.com/sports/global-sports-data/.


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Inversion in African American English: When Negation Isn't Enough
Lisa Green
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Multiple negative elements in African American English (AAE), which receive a negative concord interpretation, have been argued to emphasize negation. However, negative concord (1) alone is no more emphatic than single negation (2):
1. Nobody didn't want to ride the bus.
2. Nobody wanted to ride the bus.
Negative concord alone does not emphasize negation, but other strategies are used in AAE for emphatic negation. For instance, negation can be stressed by negative modification with N-words, such as no, nothing, and nowhere, as in (3).
3. A: That girl ate all his beans.
B: That girl didn't eat all his beans nothing.
'That girl DIDN'T EAT ALL HIS BEANS'
4. A: She going to the mall.
B: She ain't/not going nowhere.
'She's not going TO THE MALL'
Another strategy for emphasizing negation in AAE is inversion. Declarative Negative Auxiliary Inversion (NAI) structures in AAE, as well as in other varieties of American English (e.g., Alabama English, Appalachian English, West Texas English), have received a fair amount of attention (Feagin 1979; Foreman 2004; Green 2002, 2011a; Labov 1972; Labov, Cohen, Robins, and Lewis 1968; Martin 1992; Parrott 2000; Sells, Rickford, and Wasow 1996; Tortura and den Dikken 2010; White-Sustaíta 2010; Wolfram and Christian 1976); however, questions still remain about them, especially about whether the negated auxiliary actually undergoes To to Co movement. The canonical NAI constructions are characterized by an initial negated auxiliary followed by a negative indefinite DP, which together receive a negative concord interpretation:
5. DIDN'T NOBODY want to ride the bus.
'Not a single person wanted to ride the bus'
The analysis of NAI constructions in this paper, like previous analyses, considers the positions of the negated auxiliary and negative indefinite DP, but it differs from other studies by exploring the relationship between the structural positions of the initial elements and pragmatic meaning of NAI. I pursue the claim that the preposed negative signals an absolute negation reading of the indefinite DP or a strong domain reading in which there are no exceptions in the domain. As such, the negative focus reading of the inverted construction in (5) differs from the reading of the non-inverted structure in (1). I analyze NAI as resulting from a preposed negated auxiliary that is attracted to Co by a NEGATIVE FOCUS ([NegFoc]) feature. I consider the CP-system in AAE in light of research on the cartography of syntactic structures (Rizzi 2004), especially in relation to discourse and the structural positions of CP elements in ForceP and FocusP. Finally, I explore questions about the late acquisition of negative inversion in child AAE from the perspective of the proposed analysis.


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Didn't watch the "Game of Thrones" series finale? Turn away now or endure spoilers.
"Game of Thrones" has come to an end and Isaac Hempstead Wright, who played Bran Stark, had a pretty blasé reaction to it ― particularly considering his character became King of the Iron Throne.
After eight years of people fighting and dying horrible deaths, all in an effort to take control of the Seven Kingdoms, Bran the Broken was voted into power by a group of the remaining most powerful people in Westeros.
Fans have known Bran since the first episode, when he was pushed out of a window by Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) after the young boy saw Jaime and his sister Cersei (Lena Headey) having sex. Since then, Bran has journeyed far and become the Three-Eyed Raven. As such, it's unclear why he didn't just tell everyone he'd ultimately be voted king as soon as he knew, but alas... television!
Anyway, Wright tweeted just two emoji Monday morning in response to his character's evolution: a crown and a boy shrugging.
Not sure that a shrug encompasses all of our feelings about the finale, but if it works for Wright, it works for us.


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X1 works well when searching for single words or standard sentences however is I try to find "word1.word2.word3" I get issues (word1 etc are place holders for actual text used). Specifically it lists a load of emails but there is nothing highlighted in those I have inspected as having been found, let alone the actual phase searched for.
Further when testing using the search criterian "This.is" it found "This is" ---- NOTE No full stop. I assume this is by design: how do I disable this?


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Jewelry-making is one of the oldest and most widespread forms of decorative applied art, including folk art. Jewelry, which throughout the course of history has been closely linked with the changing conditions of everyday life, at one time served as a mark of the owner's social status and sometimes was invested with magical meaning. In the course of historical development, the social prestige and significance of jewelry gradually came to supplant the religious and magical ideas associated with jewelry.
In the 20th century jewelry-making continues to be a means of shaping the whole artistic milieu, making it possible to emphasize both the beauty of the initial material and the elegance of the artistic work.
The materials of jewelry making are quite varied. Traditionally, metals of many kinds, gemstones, wood, ivory, bone and vitreous enamels have been used in the creation. Today jewelry artists use many materials such as clay, silver, glass beads, precious and semi-precious gems or stones, wood, enamels and plastics and many more.
Many jewelry artists at Traditions Hand Craft Gallery create pieces using silver art clay and decorative beads using a glass technique known as lampworking.
Lampworking can also be used to create artwork, figurines, marbles, small vessels, Christmas tree ornaments, and much more. It is also known as flameworking or torchworking, as glass is melted over a lamp or torch. Once in a molten state, the glass is formed by blowing and shaping with tools and hand movements to create beads or other decorative forms.
Silver Art Clay is composed of silver particles, organic binders, and water. The clay is then molded into its desired generic shape, and dried. Once the clay is completely dry it can then be filed, carved, and sanded; after which it is fired with a gas stovetop, butane torch, or kiln.
During the firing process, the organic binders burn away and the resulting silver particles "sinter", becoming denser and stronger. The burning away of binders and sintering of metal causes the piece to shrink 8-10% in overall size while retaining the original form. Once completely fired, the remaining piece is composed of 99.9% pure silver. The difference between Sterling Silver and Pure Silver is Pure Silver is composed of 99.9% silver and nothing else. Sterling Silver is composed of 92.5% silver and 7.5% of one or more other metals. Sterling Silver is stronger than Pure Silver, and as an alloy, it tarnishes more quickly as well.
Related Artists
Deborah Potter, Fran Zerr, Winston Quan, Ba-Hung Tran, Lorraine Long, Sue Hunchuk


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I see a need to get additional training in a different direction as regards CQB. The training I've had has not become invalid but I am aware now of a dimension, I guess I'll call it, that is missing that could make a difference if I'm ever having to use this to stay alive some time.
I'm not going to like doing this because it requires me to get past a fear and an internal limiter I have noticed about cornering that I have that is currently pretty strong. But it's also a potentially fatal limiter I've placed on myself. So it has to go. I'm simply going to have to deal with the discomfort that is coming in the learning and training and work until that limiter is either gone completely or reduced enough that I can do what is best for whatever situation I'm in at the time.
I try to keep an eye out for such gaps or lack of knowledge and capability and address them as often as I can when I find them.
I try and keep a watch out for any knowledge or practice that is better than something I've written about in the books I've published in the same way. When I find that and after I've determined as best I can that it really is a better or at least as good as what I've written about before I will either replace the current with the new material or add the new material as an addition to what's in the books already. I do this and want to do this whenever I either create a new version of a current book or other production or when I do periodic reviews and updates.
It might be that changing the material bothers me as much as the new CQB training emphasis will. It may be that I want to hang on to the old stuff for some reason. But if the other is better, if the other adds something to the current, if the other is more effective….It has to go in. It has to.
Simple as that.
Reluctance? Inertia? Limiters?
I have to get over that.
So do you–if you want to be as good as you can be at defending yourself and your loved ones.
My feelings about something are not as important as that.
Neither are yours.


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Part 1: New Rules in Loyalty Liability & Revenue Recognition
Accounting rarely makes any marketer's Top 10 list for enthralling must-reads, but if you have a loyalty program, or are contemplating one, sharpen your pencils and grab your pocket protectors. In Part 1 of this 3-part Brierley+Partners' Mind the GAAP series, we'll summarize the accounting changes, potential impacts to your bottom line, and reporting needs. In Part 2, we'll highlight some examples of how these changes are impacting several leading programs' financial statements. And in Part 3, we'll share some best-in-class strategies and tactics to maximize loyalty program results in this new era.
Until recently, there were two different ways to account for loyalty programs. As the illustration below summarizes, prior to 2018, most US companies following Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) set by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) used the "incremental cost" method. Under this method, points were reported as a marketing expense (estimated incremental cost of loyalty currency awarded), and all revenue was recognized at the point of purchase (when points/currency was earned). Meanwhile, most companies outside of the US were following the "deferred revenue approach" under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) developed by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). Under this approach, loyalty currency earned was treated as a separate component of the sale and revenue was deferred (liability) until the underlying reward was redeemed or the points expired (revenue recognized). The two accounting standard organizations representing the US (FASB) and international countries (IASB) reviewed the 2 approaches and agreed to adopt the "deferred revenue approach". Starting in 2018, US companies (private and public) are required to use the "deferred revenue approach" to account for the financial impact of structured loyalty programs.
By now you are saying to yourself, "this is why I slept through all of my accounting classes." So what does this mean? Why does it matter? Hang in there. The end result of these changes differs depending on multiple factors, but in most cases, there is a potentially short-term adverse financial statement impact as revenue must now be reduced/allocated to the loyalty currency issued with each transaction and deferred (now based on "fair value" of points issued) – reducing revenue (and hence earnings) and increasing the liability for deferred revenue.
Those who really want to understand the debits, credits and calculations involved in the old incremental cost vs. new deferred revenue approach can review the illustration Brierley+Partners has developed based on FASB Topic guidance in the Appendix.
Note that many publicly traded companies have begun accounting for this impact with their First Quarter 2018 Financial Statements and Form 10Q's filed with the SEC. We reviewed reporting and analytics supporting existing Brierley clients as well as 10Q's from select leading companies with significant loyalty programs to inform some key insights and observations for any marketer looking for guidance (or at least some background for inevitable questions from your Finance peers):
Forecasting and Data-Driven Estimates Are More Critical Than Ever
Managing loyalty program liabilities has always required some level of estimation and modeling for spoilage, program changes, and valuation of points; however, the new GAAP requirements require more precise and ongoing updates to assumptions, models, and estimates. In following GAAP's 5-Step guidance in implementing the new accounting standard, estimates are critical in determining the transaction amount, allocation, and recognition of revenue (and liability) associated with loyalty:
Reports and Analytics Supporting Loyalty Forecasts
The degree and frequency of reporting and analytics typically mirrors the complexity and size of the structured loyalty program. For example, Brierley+Partners provides a suite of regular reports, dashboards, analytics and in many cases, forecasts to enable our clients' accurate, timely financial reporting and management of points (or other currency) liabilities and revenue recognition. Although specific reporting and analytics differ by client and industry, in general, these reports should include:
Implications for Forecasting Loyalty Liabilities and Revenue Recognition
In this initial installment, we've provided a high level review of the changes in accounting rules that impact how structured loyalty programs' contributions impact your company's financials. In Part 2, you'll see how the new rules have impacted some leading programs. And last, but not least, in our final installment of Mind the GAAP, we'll dive deeper into some best in class examples to show how to further maximize your loyalty program's financial contribution and impact!
For those who want to really understand how these changes play out in a "simple" illustration, Brierley has developed the following example based on FASB guidance – Topic 606 "Revenue from Contracts from Customers". It highlights the impacts of the new accounting rules in Years 1 and 2:
TailorMade Menswear has a loyalty program, TailorMade Rewards, where members earn 1 point for every $10 spent. Each point is good for $1 off any future purchase and the company estimates a 90% redemption rate.
As the Year 1 illustration notes, the deferred revenue resulted in a 3.7% decrease in revenue vs. the old "incremental cost" method, and a 129% increase in deferred liability as the revenue on the unredeemed points remained on the books at yearend.
In year 2, Rewards members redeem 3,000 additional points. Based on this higher than anticipated redemption, TailorMade increased the assumed redemption rate to 95%. For simplicity, we've ignored points earned on sales in year 2.