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Let me inhale you…
U exhale away my sorrows.
Because u bloom like heavens!
That I have always wished and wondered of…
I fear and want to flow at the same time
N u are such beautiful my love,
U hammer my frozen sea!
N somehow I flow…
In the wind,
In thunderstorms,
Against the luck
Confronting the norms…
With already the stumbling flames,
It stood against the destined plot!
Watching the scenario i thought
About the fire that fought…
My eyes were stuck,
On the fearless element,
That gave a shake
To the core of sentiment,
The rain droplets
Bestowed the adverse
As what for fire,
Shall be more worse!
Gifted to soul
An inevitable shot,
Still somehow burning…
The fire that fought…
Defending its principles,
staying to the cinder…
crackling of the flames…
Offered the hinder…
Soon the opposition
agreed to the blaze,
I was stunned
At the passion, at craze…
Superior to my writing,
Was what it taught,
Won the unyielded
Fire that fought…!! 🙂
Lesser and lesser,
Dimming more and more
The voice of your footsteps,
Like waves leaving shore…
Every presence of you
Fainting in the fog…
Like trees have no feelings,
For the dropping logs!
I never poked for perfection,
Only dreamed to be complete,
And you focused on business
Not my running heartbeats…
Without even a reason
One day i found,
That under my feet,
Was no more ground!
U gave a down,
That i might ever rise
U left me under,
The falling skies…
I was just played,
Like pawn of a chess,
And never realized,
The webbing mess'…
But Coming there,
I see a day…
When destiny will catch you
Your reeking hands with my blood!
And how much you insist,
As much as loud you shriek,
Let you get away!!
And if by chance we meet,
What will you say!
To the silences between us,
What will you say!
For your past plot array…
And i would just love,
To see you stealing eyes,
When you will have no answers
No curtains covering lies…
And that day you culprit!
Will get how one dies
When alone is he left
Under the falling skies…
Evaded and glossed over,
Left totally neglected,
Changing colors,wearing masks,
Like us they never acted.
Just because they lost,
Their body part or some ability,
We act like complete strangers,
To those who fought for country.
But yet,but yet,they understand,
The sick feelings we bestow,
It pinches them in plenty,
They just don't show.
Why don't you ask them
They will tell you…
What in real sense
Is frustration.
Annoyed by the ailing world,
They crawl and cry in corners…
They engulf their emotions,
When 'we' their own- become foreigners.
They let go off- their days,
They sacrificed their sleeps,
And look what we are giving them,
Suffering in their last days?
Bitter and abusive words?
Or rough meanings of life in heaps?
Alas! They still wonder!
That Someday some kind soul,
Will come to them
And ignite fire by whiffing the silent coal.
Why don't you ask them
They will tell you…
What in real sense Is hope…
They bathed in the bombs!
Ate shots for us
And we broke them in seconds,
Who just died for our smile-as purpose…
Listen to the most sad truth people,
We failed in our chief aim.
We couldn't afford affection For the 'Living Gods'
So on what good base!
'We are humans' we claim!
Sitting sad doesn't solve,
With love only the mankind evolve
Why don't we just get up
And give their desires an aspired response.
All the time,we roistered,
Enjoyed the freedom, forgot the fears
Was and is because of them
Who need our love today,
So why don't we go And wipe off their tears.
Why don't you ask them
How was their life…
Whimpering will they answer,
"There is no joy that soothes more…
Than living and dying for your own country.
My life was wonderful!"
"Hats off to every soldier! Who love his country more than life"
There have been times,
Times when your essence,
Has robbed me off me,
Making its own kind of sense…
In your dark times,
In your moods blue,
I will always be there,
Just for you…
When you look at me with your soulful eyes,
And i find myself there,
Even a logic less smile,
Looks to me so fair…
For your breath taking hobbies,
Like gifting people hopes…
I'll cross the seven seas,
And ninth cloud through
I'll go…
I'll go Just for u…
For your killing smiles!
For your caring heart,
kindness of your being…
beauty of every part,
I'll really love it…
let me pursue you.
You are a living fire
That I'll never let extinguish.
I'll curve my hands around
Your stumbling flames.
I'll fight for u…
Just for u…
In the ways you are perfect,
In the ways you are you…
My love will unconditionally
Always Stay true…
Just for you…
Just for you…
(For the few people,who are dying from inside to see how cruel is the world getting with its age. People, if you still try to do good to mankind, I am with you…just for you…Don't give up !! )
Imitating the forlorn winds,
I wander in the streets…
Like broken pieces of memory,
Crushed by tyrant feats…
I have never been too loud,
In silences I have grown,
And now I have million reasons
To think I am alone…
Avoided like invisible,
Unheard like ultrasonic!
My senses are mute,
Which inside shriek and panic!
I have never bragged,
Just from eyes I have spoken.
But misunderstandings to my perceptions,
Have made me reach a podium…
Where spotlights fall on me,
And shedding red tears,
I throw aside the mike,
And whisper I am alone…
I have been a poem,
Whose words cosmos enjoy
But I am finding someone,
To read the spaces between my words,
The aching voids…
Until that day,
I am wandering in the blacks…
Where humour doesn't heal
Where dark matters peel
The layers of my truth,
Layers of my originality…
And weeping but running,
From clinging to the fake tones
I am a song,
Ringing in the ears of a few people…
And this is how i feel contented,
When sometimes,
I wonder I am,


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Landscaping 101: Designing With Natives
Native plants are an important part of our ecological heritage and endangered wildlife and pollinator habitats. They are uniquely suited to challenges associated with our soils and climate. Design and maintenance are a little different with natives than with traditional plantings, so here are some tips to help you get...Read More

subset: commoncrawl


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GiftsForAwareness.Com presents it new awareness graphic design collection to ROCK OUT for advocacy, awareness and a cure with our eye-catching line of ADVOCACY ROCKS cancer awareness t-shirts, apparel and gifts. This ultra cool graphic design features a grunge ribbon attached to a guitar, enhanced with the words "FIND A CURE" and a background of whimsical elements to symbolize your support for the importance of cancer advocacy in a cool rock-and-roll style. Our line of awareness gifts were designed for the determined advocate to showcase their support and bring attention to a cause they support. Perfect to wear for awareness events, awareness walks, charity runs, fundraisers or anytime. Additional color ribbons for this design are available at GiftsForAwareness.Com. Shown below are some of our cancer ribbon colors modeled on shirts and other products.
Advocacy Rocks Breast Cancer by GiftsForAwareness.Com
Advocacy Rocks Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma by GiftsForAwareness.Com
Advocacy Rocks Brain Cancer by GiftsForAwareness.Com
Advocacy Rocks Hodgkin's Lymphoma by GiftsForAwareness.Com
Advocacy Rocks Thyroid Cancer by GiftsForAwareness.Com
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Filed under: Advocacy Rocks! | Tagged: advocacy rocks cancer apparel, advocacy rocks graphic tees, advocacy rocks shirts, advocacy rocks tees, brain cancer advocacy rocks shirts, breast cancer advocacy rocks t-shirts, cancer advocacy rocks shirts, cancer advocacy rocks tees, cervical cancer advocacy rocks bags, general cancer advocacy rocks t-shirt, hodgkin's lymphoma advocacy rocks shirts, non-hodgkin's lymphoma advocacy rocks t-shirts, stomach cancer advocacy rocks tee shirts, thyroid cancer advocacy rocks tshirts |


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The Anatomy of Medicare
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Though we don't like to think about it, all of us will make an exit sometime. Are you prepared?
Purchasing homeowners insurance is critical for protecting your home.
The importance of life insurance, how it works, and how much coverage you need.


text: Our Role: As part of the "Keep the Vision Growing" campaign, the goal of this video was to raise awareness and generate funding for the future generations of the English Lutheran Church in La Crosse, WI. Collaborating with English Lutheran church on the script and overall direction of the video, AVS Group donated production resources and equipment to complete the project. The video incorporates testimonials from church members, on camera talent, graphic elements, photographs, and background music to enhance the message and appeal to the viewers. This call-to-action video tells the story of the past, present, and future of the church and uses this to express the importance of the donations.


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By Reuters
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IEA chief had warned stubbornly high oil prices could crimp global economic growth
The global oil market looks balanced, Saudi oil minister Ali al-Naimi indicated on Sunday, while the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) said stubbornly high oil prices could harm economic growth.
When asked how he sees the balance between global supply and demand, the oil minister of the world's largest crude exporting country asked the reporter's view of the oil market. The reporter replied that he believed the market was balanced, to which Naimi said: "I agree with you."
"Everything is fine now," he said on the sidelines of a conference in the Saudi capital Riyadh when asked about the outlook for oil demand.
About 60 percent of Saudi crude is exported to Asia, where demand for fuel remains strong despite growing concern about the euro-zone crisis eroding demand in Europe.
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have raised their production over the last few months to compensate for the loss of Libyan supplies and prevent high prices dampening economic growth after failing to convince the 12-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to lift its production target in June.
Libyan oil output has since resumed and risen more rapidly than many expected, prompting OPEC price hawk Iran to call for Gulf Arab OPEC producers to cut to pre-Libya crisis volumes.
Naimi said on Sunday it was too early to predict what might happen when OPEC next meets in Vienna on Dec. 14. But in the past Saudi Arabia has not changed its production policy when Naimi has said he sees the market as balanced.
The head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) said at the same conference on Sunday that high oil prices - which have remained above $100 a barrel for benchmark Brent crude since February - could hurt the fragile world economy.
When asked whether he shared the UAE oil minister's view that prices of $80-$100 a barrel are "reasonable", Naimi said crude prices are determined by the market and that Saudi Arabia accepted them.
ICE Brent crude prices settled at $107.56 a barrel in London on Friday, down from $118 during OPEC's June meeting, but on course for an all-time record high for the year.


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One of our members is Sheeran the love and thinking out loud that she wants a date to Ed Sheeran's upcoming concert.
Nicki from Warkworth is a big fan of Ed Sheeran so she purchased two tickets to his Auckland show thinking that she would find a date to join her.
With just a few weeks to go until the show and still no date, a friend suggested that she put up the ticket for auction on Trade Me on the condition that the winner took her on a date.
The listing had a lot of media attention featuring on The Project, Stuff, NZ Herald and ZM.
33,000 views later, the listing sold for $205 and Nicki found her date to the concert!
We wish Nicki and her date all the best for the show.
The Project - A ticket to Ed Sheeran's show and a date
Stuff - Ed Sheeran ticket for sale - if you can take me on a date
NZ Herald - Ed Sheeran ticket and a date up for auction in women's bid to find love
NZ Herald - Ticket to Ed Sheeran - which comes with a date - sells on Trade Me
NZ Herald - Ed Sheeran concert date: Dad of one Karl Willets wins Trade Me blind date auction


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How an Idiotic Hoax Gave Skeptics A Bad Name and Reinforced A Dubious Discipline
Skeptic magazine recently published a piece describing a hoax article submitted to a gender studies journal (and published by one journal) in an attempt to debunk gender studies as deeply intellectually flawed. I'm not going to wade through the resulting controversy but suffice it to say that skeptic magazine didn't put in sufficient due diligence to verify the results obtained really backed up the conclusions about both the field of gender studies, the status of academic publishing or pay to publish academic journal. I was embarrassed that a publication so associated with the skeptic community didn't notice multiple major unjustified assumptions required to reach anything more interesting than a mild finger-wagging at the publisher and/or editor of NORMA: International Journal for Masculinity Studies for passing along (what they claim was an automated message sent mistakenly) suggesting republication in what Cogent Social Sciences along with their rejection. Worse, this failed attempt to discredit gender studies functions to further the narrative that it is a cogent academic discipline engaged in a search for the truth.
Indeed, if the hoaxers really believed that gender studies had gone off the railings they should have known no hoax would work. The discipline of gender studies must continue to hire and fire professors, determine which papers to publish in top journals and generally make determinations of status and it's not plausible that this is all accomplished by the toss of a coin. Rather, you would expect to see the same kinds of cultural signifiers of status you see in subgroups like hipsters of goths. Certain kind of language, references etc.. etc.. would all collude to let members of that subculture recognize each other and notice an interlooper immediately. This is even more true regarding choice of ideology. Just because Christian beliefs about Jesus have almost no basis in fact and to the non-believer sound like "Blah Blah Jesus nice…miracle…salvation…soul blah" doesn't mean an unfamiliar non-believer can just toss something together that sounds similar to them and pass as a Catholic theologian. When ideology because the driving force rather than fact people don't shrug and say 'close enough' they start killing each other over minor differences (at least Tuvel only had her paper withdrawn).
In other words the hoax was surely doomed to fail because, in a large part, gender studies is deeply flawed in something like the way they fear. But simple reflection should have made it clear this would mean they would have far more means of detecting belonging/status than a discipline with clear objective standards like mathematics.
Discrediting Gender Studies and Feminist Philosophy Myself
Rather than following the hoax strategy there is a much easier way to debunk gender studies (and it's relative feminist philosophy). Simply take a look at what they themselves write. For example, to quote from a paper I found by browsing Hypatia (a top tier journal) to get a taste of their articles (no, not cheery picked)
When it comes to relations among specific human beings, I understand sexual agency as the ability to contribute meaningfully to the quality of the sexual interaction in question. To have sexual agency is to be recognized and effective as an active element in the creation of an intersubjective interaction; it is, in an Irigarayan sense, to be recognized as sexually distinct from the other, such that the interaction is marked by that difference.
If you read that quote without contrarian fussiness it feels like something meaningful was said but try and actually identify what it was and it fades away. For starters, what is the effect of qualifying this passage to `specific human beings'? Are there non-specific human beings? While mere unreasonable verboseness isn't a mortal sin it is qualifiers like this which simultaneously create the sense that something deep and non-trivial is being said while leaving open the option to use 'sexual agency' in some completely different sense by setting up a metaphorical sense in which it is no longer about 'relations among specific human beings.' Coming to the definition of agency one finds oneself totally unenlightened. My grip on 'sexual agency' was stronger than my understanding of what is meant here by 'contribute', 'meaningfully' and 'quality.' For instance, does meaningfully operate as a synonym of significantly, indicate the phenomenological feeling of purpose/understanding or simply serve as a weasel word so that any time sexual agency needs to be denied one can simply say it isn't meaningful?
Then we come to what appears to be a further elaboration of that definition but now we are told that it is "recognized and effective as an active element in the creation of an intersubjective interaction." But this seems to be a completely different criteria than the one it elaborates. If your partner has a fetish for having sex with robots genuinely tricking them into believing you were a robot using your mad acting skills in a way you both find super hot should be off the charts on the first definition yet as you are literally not recognized nor is the interaction intersubjective the second definition says something completely different. Maybe the author is sneakily reading this sense of intersubjective recognition into the idea of quality which does violence to the plain meaning but that just highlights the tension between the robot example and our intuitive sense of sexual agency.
Note that none of these definitions makes any sense of the claim that in cases of where a woman's partner only seeks their 'consent' and wouldn't take any other reaction at face value their sexual agency is limited. Notice how the inattentive reader who is inclined to assume a cogent argument is being made is pulled along. It certainly feels like there is something limiting about having only one 'real' choice but even that is the result of a sleight of hand. Presumably there is nothing less real (only less desirable) about choices that require one to have unpleasant interactions. If we understood agency to diminish as the unpleasantness of the outcomes increases then we would have to say a disabled individual whose conditions imposes massive untreatable pain has much less agency because the outcomes of all his choices are deeply painful. Moreover, yet again the definitions above seem to give all the wrong answers and the situation continues downhill when we are later told that in an act of sexual violence the victims agency is 'negated' (whatever the hell that means) because what happens and how is unaffected by her desires, interests, etc.. etc… But surely some rapists are motivated by an active desire for cruelty and deliberately perform whatever acts they intuit their victim would most dislike so are we to conclude that in those cases the victims agency isn't 'negated'? Moreover, if agency is understood as the ability to contribute meaningfully then a victim whose rapist would deeply enjoy her consent (and if necessary suppose it would change the nature of the experience for her) is overflowing with sexual agency despite, intuitively, the fact that her agency is being denied by overriding her choice.
Note that I'm not engaging in unrepresentative cheery picking. The entire content of the paper (as well as the other papers I pulled) has this form. Worse, the author is not only apparently willing to let her concerns about what is desirable function as reasons for believing or rejecting specific claims she actually sees this as a huge positive.
What I aim to emphasize is that the very act of categorization needs to be recognized as a social and world-constituting act, one that ought not to be understood as an objective practice that either succeeds (by correctly aligning an experience with a definition) or fails (by mismatching an experience with a definition). To identify a particular experience as an instantiation of sexual violence (or not) doesn't just reflect the world as it is (or reflect it inaccurately); it creates new possibilities, and forecloses others.
This passage pushes the paper into the realm of the openly absurd. There is no sense in which all the fancy words in the article are actually an attempt to describe the world. Of course, those inclined to defend postmodernism will offer long erudite sounding defenses of this sort of thing but as the above exploration showed the kind of explanations they will provide shouldn't be assumed to have any factual content just because they sound smart. They will also surely explain that I simply don't understand what is being said here and it is only in relation to (big name drops) that I can appreciate this but at some point when a subject simply continues not to make sense as you dig down layer after layer you've simply got to shrug and say you don't believe there is anything there.


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Do you remember the financial collapse of 2009? Most of us recall the sudden loss of jobs and income, and the resultant anxiety about the future. Here in our family, my husband and I both lost our jobs and we were suddenly faced with the loss of our home, as well as all of the stresses of not being able to pay the bills.
The loss of health care coverage was of real concern, as our youngest daughter has Cerebral Palsy, and although she is quite healthy, there have been those moments when she lost her balance on the playground and broke off a front tooth . . . and then the time when she lost her balance while swimming and gashed her forehead on a dock, requiring 17 stitches. It took us a while to pay off that hospital bill!
The reason I am telling you this is because I suddenly realized that we have many new readers and writers who do not know the story of RUBY – how, when, and why the ministry of RUBY came to be, where we've been over the past seven or eight years, where we are now, and where we are going in the future. It is because of the financial collapse of 2009 that I became the Senior Editor for RUBY magazine. So just in case you are interested in the story of RUBY, I want to offer you that tale of God's direction in the life of one ordinary woman who found herself in the midst of a ministry that came along as quite a surprise!
In April, 2009, my husband lost his job working with a local construction company. I was working at a bank (which is not my favorite thing to do, but it helped pay the bills!), and our two young daughters were in elementary school, with daycare after school at a local church. Through that summer, we were struggling with only one income, but our Daddy was able to be home with the girls so that was a good thing. But then, in October of 2009, the bank I worked for closed all of its branches in the town where I worked, so everyone in our company lost their jobs. Eventually, my husband found another job, but not before we came very close to losing our home.
Late in 2009, as I was wondering what I should do next, I connected with a Christian woman online who had been publishing a small, independent magazine (which at that time was just a PDF file that she offered as a subscription, which included devotionals, craft tutorials, recipes, and other articles of interest to women of all ages). As we emailed back and forth, she asked me if I might be interested in helping her market the magazine, known at that time as Ruby Women. I indicated that I would be interested and available, and so began a conversation about how to build an audience for her magazine.
It was only a few weeks later, however, that she emailed me and told me that she was experiencing some health complications that would prevent her from continuing with the magazine. She had decided just to discontinue the project unless she could find someone who wanted to take it over completely.
Well . . . since I was not working away from home at the time, and my background was in writing, editing, and teaching, it seemed like a good fit for me at that time in my life. So, I said, "Yes!" and that was the beginning of my journey with RUBY.
Over the past seven years, there have been many changes here at RUBY. The first change came about when we were able to offer the magazine online as a digital document. It has always been available as a free online resource for Christian women on the RUBY blog which was another change that we implemented early in the project. I often describe RUBY magazine as somewhat of a Christian "Women's Day," in that we focus on resources for women for whom their primary ministry is in their home and with their family.
That is not to say that we do not offer encouragement and resources for single women, or women who work outside of the home, but we felt that God had given us the opportunity to be a blessing to those women who have devoted themselves to traditional homemaking and family ministry. Each issue of RUBY magazine includes inspirational articles, short stories, poetry, book reviews, craft tutorials and recipes.
From the beginning, the ministry of RUBY has not received any financial compensation for any of the work that is done every month in putting the magazine together. We occasionally have advertisers, but that is not our focus, so consequently all of the expenses of the ministry of RUBY have been covered from our family budget. God has provided and we have always been able to keep up with things, so for now, it continues to work out each month.
One of our goals for several years was trying to figure out the logistics of getting RUBY magazine in print – in light of the fact that I'm not a technology genius, this took me a while, but eventually we finally figured it out! Last August was the first issue of RUBY magazine that was available in print, and now each month there is a new issue of our beautiful magazine, available for free online as well as for purchase as a print publication. So far we aren't covering our expenses yet, but it is helping!
We also have an online Christian women's community on Facebook where we would welcome your participation in the conversations, the groups, and the Bible study. The RUBY community is a great way to connect with other Christian women. I hope you will stop by one day!
Here are some ways that you can help support the ministry of RUBY:
- Promote RUBY magazine wherever you can. You can post the magazine on your blog or website; you can share the link for each issue on your social media accounts. You can tell your friends and family about RUBY so that more people are aware of this great resource for Christian women.
2. Advertise with RUBY. Our advertising rates are very reasonable, perfect for small businesses, especially for online home-based businesses. Tell your friends and family about this marketing opportunity. Demographic and statistical information is available on the RUBY blog, or email for more information at email@example.com
3. Purchase copies of RUBY magazine for your friends and family. Or encourage them to purchase the print publication each month. It will take the sale of approximately 3 – 4 magazines for us to offer one free magazine to one writer, and that will not include any profit to cover the expenses of producing the magazine.
4. Get involved with the daily tasks associated with creating and publishing RUBY magazine. There are so many ways that we could reach more women with the words of blessing, inspiration, and encouragement through the ministry of RUBY, and I would love to include you in that process.
There is so much more that I could share with you about how God has used the ministry of RUBY over the years to reach and touch the hearts and lives of women around the world and across the street. If you feel God calling you to be part of the administrative team of RUBY, please email me at firstname.lastname@example.com and we can talk about the possibilities.
I'll keep working on making RUBY a great resource for women of all ages, and all stages of life, and look forward to sharing words of hope, inspiration, and encouragement with YOU, our readers.


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|Prasanthi Council
Dr. Narendranath Reddy - Chair
Dr. Reddy graduated with distinction from SV Medical College, Tirupati, India .He received his training in internal medicine at the New Jersey College of Medicine and Dentistry and did his sub-specialisation in Endocrinology and Metabolism at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, NY. He has been a practicing internist-endocrinologist in Southern California for over 30 years. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American College of Endocrinologists and is on the teaching faculty at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California. He chairs the Sri Sathya Sai International Medical Committee.
Mr. Leonardo Pablo Gutter - Member
Mr. Gutter is a psychologist by profession. He now represents some of the largest American, European, and Japanese TV and cinema studios in Latin America.He was previously Chair of the Sri Sathya Sai Organization of Latin America Region 2 and is one of the founding and first Coordinating Committee members of the Sai Organization in Argentina.
Dr. William M Harvey - Member
Dr. Harvey is a clinical and social psychologist andreceived the Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis where he also taught for a number of years. He specialized in the treatment and prevention of substance abuse and was consultant to the US Government on Addiction and Mental Health matters. Dr. Harvey also has a background in the print and broadcast media. He has served in several capacities, including the American Council President and Central Coordinator for International Region One.
Mrs. Marianne Meyer - Member
Mrs. Meyer graduated from Copenhagen Business College and later continued her university studies in philosophy, psychology, and pedagogic. She holds several additional diplomas in adult education training. She and her husband, the late Thorbjorn Meyer, established the Sathya Sai Organization in Denmark and the ESSE Institute. Mrs. Meyer has been a Sathya Sai Education teacher and was National Sathya Sai Education coordinator. She has served as Center President, Deputy Central Coordinator, and Zone Chair for Zone 7. She has been the ESSE Institute teacher trainer since 1987 and is the Director.
Dr. Art-ong Jumsai - Member
Dr. Jumsai obtained his B.A. (Honours) and M.A. in Mechanical Sciences from Cambridge University and D.I.C. and Ph.D. in Communications from London University. He holds a Ph.D. in Education from Chulalongkorn University in Thailand where he serves as a senior lecturer on the Faculty of Engineering. In Thailand, he has lectured in all the universities, been elected three times as a Member of Parliament, and was elected a Member of the House of Senate. He has received royal decorations and distinguished awards in Thailand as a scientist, philosopher, and teacher, and for his book Path to Peace for children 12-18 years of age. He serves as official trainer for the Ministry of Education in Human Values. He is Director of the Institute of Sathya Sai Education in Thailand and Chief Administrator of the Sathya Sai School, Thailand. He also serves as a member of the Education Committee of the Sri Sathya Sai World Foundation.


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On Friday following the release of a hijacked yacht crew, French commandos raided the Somali pirates responsible, according to The Independent:
French special forces conducted negotiations with the pirates and handed over a $2m ransom put up by the ship's French owners. The raid was, it appears, intended to counter criticism and prove that piracy does not pay. The French
military said that it waited until the hostages were aboard the [helicopter carrier]* Jeanne d'Arc* before the helicopter[s] attacked. ...*
Naval captain Christophe Prazuck, the spokesman for the French military chiefs of staff, said: "There were four helicopters involved. A sniper [in a Puma helicopter] shot out the motor of the pirates' four-wheel drive vehicle. A second helicoper [a Gazelle] (pictured – ed.) then landed nearby, allowing the six pirates to be arrested under covering fire from two other [Gazelle] helicopters. We are absolutely sure that there were no collateral victims."
The pirates, believed to be part of a well-equipped band of former fishermen called the Somali Marines, seized the 88-metre cruise ship, Le Ponant, eight days ago. They were tracked to a mooring place off the Somali coast by a French frigate, which was later joined by the helicopter attack ship, the Jeanne d'Arc. A French admiral was parachuted into the sea to command the operation.
This makes sense. Sniping to take out a vehicle's motor is a standard tactic across the military and law enforcement. Just one thing confuses me: an admiral parachuted into the sea?


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RoidApp or Cheetah Mobile Inc company have came up with their extremely popular application for Android smartphones and tablets. The app name is Photo Grid and its one of the best and simplest collage making application available for the Android platform. But I'm going to share a guide here that is going to guide you how to download Photo Grid for PC.
This app is available for free while there are certain paid features within as well. You can either ignore them to continue using rest of the features for free or buy them if you really liked this application. It is available under Photography app and its being rated 4.5 out of total 5 by millions of users till now which clearly indicates the quality of app.
You simply need not to think about credibility of this app as its developed by a registered company developer and also its trusted and used by millions of users over Google play store. Officially there is no PC version of Photo Grid but still there is a way following which you can get this app installed on your computer.
It comes with bunch of unique features like Video Slides, Scrapbook, Photo Editor, Grid, Collage Maker, FilmStrip, Layout-Create and hundreds of effects and tools using which you can customize any picture and make it look amazingly unique. I can bet that you're going to share every picture edited using this app on your social networking profiles and all your followers and friends are going to praise your art.
It can be used to create videos using pictures and you can even customize the video later. Collage files can be created using two or more pictures together and you can use either existing available frames or try your own.
The user interface is extremely simple and unique. Its designed so elegantly that you won't find any issues at all and also going to get a top notch user experience.
How to Download Photo Grid for PC Guide
In order to get this app installed on your Windows computer or laptop, you need to follow the steps mentioned down here as it is. If you face any issue then let me know it via comment section and I'll bring the solution ASAP.
- To get this app installed, download YouWave Android emulator file first. You can get it for free over here. It's a premium software trusted by millions of users.
- Double click on installer file when its downloaded completely and follow on screen instructions after clicking on 'Run' button. This will quickly install YouWave software at your end.
- Start the software and choose Free Trial option that will allow you to use this software for free for next 10 days. Within next few seconds, software will be running there.
- Start the Browser application there and open Google play store application. Use its search tool to find out Photo Grid Android app then.
- At last click on 'install' option ahead of the Photo Grid app in Google play store and then login with your Google account when asked.
That's it! The process is over now and I hope you like this guide so much that you'll share it with your friends over Facebook or any other social network you're using.


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Manchester United and Arsenal have suffered a blow in signing Claudio Marchisio in January after midfielder admitted that he is happy at Juventus.
The 27-year-old was linked with a move to England with the Premier League champions and the Gunners were believed to be interested in his services. The Italian international has started only one Champions League game in the group stages while making 11 appearances in the Serie A this season.
Marchisio was reportedly a transfer target for David Moyes in the summer. The midfielder admitted that recent rumours linking him with a move away from the Italian champions have become a matter of worry for him.
"No one has ever personally come knocking at my door to take me away from Turin. But every year, and especially in the summer, there are rumours concerning me," Marchisio told JTV, Juventus's official television channel.
"But, in addition to this season, I have two more years on my contract with Juventus. I hope to play for as long as possible at this club, it is not my intention to change clubs."
With Marchisio's latest comments, Moyes and Arsene Wenger will be forced to look elsewhere in the winter transfer window as United and Arsenal look to strengthen their midfield.
Antonio Conte saw his men crash out of the Champions League after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray in the final group stage fixture. The defeat has seen them finish third in the group table, leaving them to feature in the Europa League.
The Italian international expressed his disappointment after his side's failure to progress to the knockout stages of the Europe's most elite club competition. Marchisio has now set his eyes on winning the Europa League with the Italian champions.
"We were really disappointed to go out of the Champions League, but unfortunately that was the way it went. Now we know that we have to at least have a go at winning the Europa League, even if we know that will not be easy," the midfielder said.
"We want to have the possibility of winning the trophy in our stadium, but we saw in the group stages of the two European competitions that there are some very important teams," he added.


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External bluetooth keyboard support? iMovie on the iPhone? The clearest screen… ever? A bigger battery and a faster chip? What's not to love? To celebrate, I've created this short spot to highlight how Android phones are pretty much done.
New iPhone Crucifies AndroidJune 7, 2010
Midtown MadnessMarch 12, 2009
Hamster Dance + Women Driving = Pure Genius.
Note: The one at the end, the only one not ending in disaster, is a guy.


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Hello and thanks again for choosing to read one of our guides. This will be covering the collection Kingdom Hearts II.5 HD ReMIX, a combination of Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+, Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep Final Mix, and Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded. Like all of my guides, this one will take you throughout the game and help you achieve 100% completion along with all the achievements. The ultimate goal is to make this guide an encyclopedia for you, the reader. So, thanks again and I hope you enjoy reading/using this guide as much as I enjoyed playing the game and writing.
If you have any feedback or questions, please direct them to [email protected] or [email protected] We welcome all comments!
Greg (guide author) and Claire (guide editor).


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Another interesting day at Oliktok — one day I would love to have a few of the (seemingly) boring, go-through-the-motions days that we seem to be able to reproduce readily when flying in Boulder! We decided to switch up the schedule a bit today, taking a lunch with us so that we could stay through the afternoon if necessary. Until now, we had been going back to the NOC for lunch every day (about a 5-minute drive), and during that time the site would get drifted in enough to make it challenging to return. This way, we could complete a full day of POPS sampling and hopefully some DataHawk flights to boot. That was the plan, anyway… Reality turned out a bit different.
With regards to POPS, this seemed like the most straightforward item. Put stuff in the box, plug it in, turn it on, and put it up on the roof. After putting stuff into the box and turning it on, we noticed an anomaly, in that the light that should be blinking to indicate that the system is logging wasn't. We unpacked everything, and noticed that the logger worked fine when nothing was connected, but failed to log when the large multi-sensor serial cable was connected. After a moment of panic (this logging system is critical for our Pilatus operations, should the weather ever cooperate), we called back to Colorado to talk with Gabe LoDolce, who designed and built the system. We deduced that we likely had a short somewhere in our cluster of cables, most likely where the connector plugs into the shielded logger box. Fortunately, we caught this before putting things up on the roof — had we not, there would have been a good chance that we might have ended up with an inoperable data logger. Phillip has spent the whole day going through the wiring to find where the short is — good thing he's here!
Now on to the DataHawks — Yesterday I mentioned that we had an issue with radio communications. It seems as though this was the result of a recent "enhancement" to the system which increases the overall performance of the antenna system on board. This is an example of something that should work well, but encounters potential issues when deployed to the field! After bypassing this antenna diversity board, radio communications seem to have remained stable. With stable comms, we decided to get a flight or two in. In the end, I think that this was relatively successful. We completed a flight which included both manual and autopilot flying, with no communication issues. We also are very confident that we found the DataHawk's operational limit in terms of wind speed at cruise altitude. Initially, we had set the autopilot to fly at an airspeed of 20 meters per second. Winds had been hovering in the 13–14 m/s range at the surface, with higher gusts, and the plane was struggling to make forward progress in these conditions at an altitude of around 100 meters. Therefore, we decided to go to maximum programmable airspeed (26 m/s), but when we handed the plane back to the autopilot with this setting, we observed the plane to put its nose down gently and decrease altitude. Because the plane is not capable of actually reaching 26 m/s here at sea level and in cold conditions, it changed its flight trajectory to try to achieve that airspeed. At this point, Doug tried to take control of the aircraft, but with low visibility, turbulent winds, and a pretty substantial wake behind the hangar structure, this resulted in a somewhat rough inadvertent landing out on the tundra, about 100 yards off of the runway. With Al as bear guard we recovered the aircraft and it looks to be flyable at a later date (with slightly calmer winds…).
To add to the fun, there was a polar bear spotted out on the sea ice today. Now some of you may think this is pretty neat, but ultimately, it puts everyone on a higher state of alert and impacts the extent of our operations. As I said last summer, bears are cool but they get in the way of research!! The final icing on the cake has to do with our rental trucks, which also appear to be struggling with the cold. Both have diesel engines, and while they are running fine, both are giving us warning lights about the emissions cleaning systems with which they are equipped. This will mean a trip to Kuparuk camp (about 40 minutes away) on Sunday, when winds are expected to be howling at up to 50 mph. Never a dull moment at the interface of rocket science, climate science and the Arctic!


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LumiQuest® Photographic AccessoriesSaturday, October 23rd, 2010
If you like to use your speed light and are looking for a convenient way to soften it off camera then the Softbox LTp might be usefull to you. I got the following off the Lumiquest site. There is a video on the page for the softbox that shows how to install it. I like the looks of it and will be adding it to my arsenal of small gear.
The SoftBox LTp is roughly twice the size of our SoftBox III. The surface area is over 40 times that of the flash itself producing the softest shadows of any LumiQuest SoftBox. The LTp is designed exclusively for off-camera use.
Application: For those who have a laptop pocket in their camera bag/backpack and wish to use this feature to conveniently carry a larger SoftBox with over 120 sq. in. of surface area.
Light Loss: 1 1⁄2 stops
Dimensions: 10″ x 14″
I have no affilliation with this product. Just passing on information.


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Dushyant Asthana The Bandit Western Shirt in Nomad Print$90
• 100% Hand-printed Cotton, made by artisans in India
S - Shoulder: 17.75, Chest: 42, Shirt Length: 29.5
M - Shoulder: 18.5, Chest: 44, Shirt Length: 30.5
L - Shoulder: 19.25, Chest: 46, Shirt Length: 31.5
XL - Shoulder: 20, Chest: 48, Shirt Length: 32
These shirts are proudly made in small batches.
Dushyant Asthana's textiles and garments are designed in their Los Angeles studio and made in small quantities across local communities in India — celebrating the country where their founder was born and raised.
Dushyant Asthana prides itself on transparency and has an end-to-end view of where their fabric is sourced from and who tailors each garment. All garments are made from ethically sourced, fully sustainable fabrics and are produced responsibly with hand-loomed, hand-printed and hand-dyed fabrics. They also work to minimize wastage by producing their clothing lines in small batches. Each garment is classically tailored by following very specific design guidelines ensuring every piece adheres to the highest quality. Dushyant Asthana also pays their tailors fair, living wages for their timeless craft.
15-day hassle-free returns for U.S. customers
You can return or exchange eligible full price items* purchased on Made Trade for a refund or store credit, so long as you get in touch with our customer support team within 15 days of receiving your order. You can reach our customer support team by email at firstname.lastname@example.com. Returns and exchanges must be unworn, unwashed, unused and in original condition with tags.
If you're exchanging a product or receiving store credit then return shipping is 100% free. If you are returning an item for a refund we charge a flat $5 return shipping fee for each item ordered.
Discounted and sale items up to 40% off are eligible for exchange or store credit within 15 days of delivery.
Final sale items*
Furniture, lighting, oversized items (hampers and large rugs — excluding bath mats), gift cards, all underwear bottoms and face masks (for hygienic reasons), sale items discounted 40% off or more, and orders outside the United States are all final sale.
Domestic shipping (inside the United States)
Free shipping on all orders over $75 and flat $6 shipping on all orders under $75 (Continental United States). For orders of oversized items to Alaska, Hawaii, Guam or Puerto Rico (hampers and some large rugs), we charge a flat $50 shipping fee.
International shipping (outside the United States)
Flat rate shipping ($19 - $89) depending on the order total. Please note taxes and duties are not included. Furniture is not eligible for international orders. All international orders are final sale. We do not ship furniture or most oversized items outside the United States. Shipping furniture to Alaska and Hawaii may incur an additional fee. Contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com for more details.
on orders $75+
grassroots organization
100% carbon offset


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Back to school with hearing loss
The commercials have started and aisles toward the front of every store are overflowing with notebooks, 24 packs of crayons and rulers. Love it or hate it: back to school time is fast approaching so it is time to stock up. But parents of kids with hearing loss have to think beyond glue sticks and two pocket folders; the back-to-school lists for children who are hearing impaired or have hearing loss should have a few well thought out extras to ensure a smooth and successful year.
For a child with hearing loss, advocacy is vital. Even before school starts, there are a few things you can do to help ensure your child gets the most out of the classroom learning environment.
- Let the school principal and other administrators know of your child's specific hearing needs before school starts, to give them adequate time to obtain necessary equipment or train staff members.
- Ask about any hearing assistive technology, such as FM systems, the school offers.
- Meet with the teacher to discuss the child's specific hearing needs, and what has worked or not worked in the past. You can also use this opportunity to demonstrate the equipment so the teacher can become familiar with it before school starts. Demonstrate how to change the batteries, for example, or go over problems that might occur.
- Make sure cochlear implants or hearing aids are in proper working order, taking care of any necessary adjustments or maintenance prior to school starting.
If your child has hearing loss, in addition to the usual school supplies you'll want to make sure these helpful and necessary items are tucked into your child's backpack on the first day of school:
- Extra batteries for sound processors or hearing aids. You'll want to keep a supply at school so they are always available just in case.
- Adhesive to keep sound processors or hearing aids in place. During active times like P.E. and recess, equipment is more likely to fall out and get damaged. Some suggestions are fabric tape, toupee tape or body glue. Some hearing aids or C.I sound processors come with body clips, but for those that do not, a device called a mic lock will work in its place. A mic lock is a small plastic tube that attaches to the ear hook and bottom of the sound processor to form a loop. A cord clip ensures that if the processor falls off, it will stay attached to the child instead of falling onto the ground.
- Fabric softener sheets. Some sound processors are affected by static electricity, and the resulting zap can wipe out all of the programming information and MAPs contained within. When static electricity is present a quick wipe-down of the processor with a fabric softener sheet can prevent trouble.
- A notebook for notes to and from the teacher or classroom aid.
- Hard, labeled case for all hearing supplies.
- Cheat sheet or notecard for child's teacher with basic information about the hearing aid or C.I. processor.
Parents aren't the only ones with a responsibility to make certain children with hearing loss have an equal opportunity to learn; schools have responsibilities as well. For example, if your child has a 504 plan in place, during the school day it is the school's responsibility to make sure that the hearing aids or C.I. sound processors are functioning properly. Schools are responsible for seeing the teachers are properly trained to assist students when necessary.
To help your child, teachers should be able to check the functioning of hearing aids or sound processors during the school day. There are several kinds of testing equipment available, so check with your hearing healthcare professional or cochlear implant manufacturer to see which one is best for your needs. A testing stethoscope, for example, can be used to see whether the device is receiving and transmitting sound by allowing teachers to hear the sounds that the device is producing. Teachers should also know how to change batteries in hearing aids or sound processors, if your child is too young to do so himself.
In addition, hearing assistive technology must be provided at no charge to the family if the student requires it due to the presence of a 504 or IEP plan. Examples of hearing assistive technology include:
- Sound field system: Helps cut through the background noise by amplifying the teacher's voice through a microphone and broadcasting it through a speaker in the classroom.
- FM system: Like a sound field system, but instead of broadcasting sound through a speaker, it broadcasts sound directly into the student's sound processor or hearing aid.
- Personal audio cables: Also allow sound to be transmitted directly to the sound processor or hearing aid when the child is using a video or computer system. Personal audio cables should only be used with battery operated devices such as iPods, iPads and MP3 players, however, due to the risk of power surge. TV/HiFi cables offer surge protection, and can be used for computers and other systems than use electricity.
- Loop system: The teacher speaks into a microphone and the signal is fed to a loop that encircles the listening area. Useful for those with hearing aids that have integrated telecoils, these systems are inexpensive and easy to install.
- CART system: Short for Communication Access Realtime Translation, CART is like closed captioning for the classroom. A specially trained CART operator uses a transcription machine to record all spoken text. The text is then displayed on a monitor or screen. It is more expensive due to the need to pay an operator, so CART is generally only used at colleges or universities.
Just remember, back to school time can be stressful even for children with typical hearing. When it comes to children with hearing loss, advocacy, communication, planning and preparation can go a long way toward making sure the school year gets off to a good start.
Reprinted with permission from www.healthyhearing.com. Please visit our site for the original article: https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/52497-Back-to-school-with-hearing-loss


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MIDDLEBROOK PRIZE for YOUNG CANADIAN CURATORS
Founded in 2012, the Middlebrook Prize is awarded annually and aims to foster social innovation and curatorial excellence in Canada. #MPfYCC
The Middlebrook Prize encourages social connectedness and a shared sense of community. The winner is a curator under 30 and receives a space for their exhibition and a $5,000 honorarium.
We are pleased to announce that Missy LeBlanc has been awarded the 2019 Middlebrook Prize for Young Canadian Curators. LeBlanc's exhibition, Tina Guyani | Deer Road, has been selected as the winning submission and will be presented at the Art Gallery of Guelph from September 12 – December 15, 2019. The award was presented at a gala ceremony at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto on March 5, 2019.
News Latest Updates on the Middlebrook Prize
2020 Middlebrook Prize for Young Canadian Curators is Awarded to Maya Wilson-Sanchez
The 8th annual prize has been awarded to emerging curator Maya Wilson-Sanchez. Her project, Grounding, has been selected as the winning submission and will be presented at Art Gallery of Guelph from September 17 to December 13, 2020. The award was presented at a gala ceremony at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto on March 5, […]
2020 MPfYCC Call for Submissions
MIDDLEBROOK PRIZE for YOUNG CANADIAN CURATORS Founded in 2012, the Middlebrook Prize is awarded annually to an emerging Canadian curator who is under 30 with the aim to foster social innovation and curatorial excellence in Canada. Hosted and administered by the Art Gallery of Guelph, the winner is selected by a jury of arts leaders […]
Announcing 2019 Middlebrook Prize Exhibition
We are excited to announce that 2019 Middlebrook Prize winner Missy LeBlanc, will be opening her exhibition "Tina Guyani | Deer Road" at Art Gallery of Guelph. Curated by Missy LeBlanc, the exhibition features artists Glenna Cardinal and seth cardinal dodginghorse. There are two events planned: Wednesday 11 September at 6.30 pm Roundtable discussion with Missy LeBlanc, 2019 winner of the […]
2019 Awards Ceremony and Cocktail Party
On March 5th, 2019 we returned to Gladstone Hotel in Toronto to award the 2019 Middlebrook Prize. Shauna McCabe, Executive Director of Art Gallery of Guelph introduced two members of the 2019 Prize Jury, Michelle Jacques and Ryan Rice, who shared commentary on why Missy's submission was selected from the over 20 very strong applications. […]
Missy LeBlanc
is the winner of the 2019 Middlebrook Prize for the project Tina Guyani | Deer Road
epistemologies of the moon
Why We Created the Prize
Middlebrook Prize is unique in bringing a modern mentorship approach to build a cohort of leaders in Canada's visual arts community. Informed by playbooks from the technology startup ecosystem, the prize focuses support and attention on young professionals at a critical point in their careers, when opportunities are few and far between and resources are typically scarce. The applicants, all under 30 years of age, are among the country's best and the brightest young curators, scholars and artists. They are asked to demonstrate, through a proposal, their intellectual curiosity and considerable creative insights around the construction of an exhibition, and in return the winner is given a venue, an audience and the necessary support to disseminate their ideas to the broader public. Middlebrook is a national prize with national and international reach, while maintaining a commitment to community engagement and social innovation.


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And so! After a long pause, another installment of the story.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that after months away from the drawing tablet, the style of this cartoon is pretty consistent with the last few. You may notice, though, that I've slightly modified the character design of Kowak.


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|Chicken Gumbo
Nine years of marriage, and I only discovered that my husband would LOVE chicken gumbo!
Well, it was my first time cooking it. We had leftover chicken meat from roast chicken that we had over the weekend. And I guess all of us were getting tired of the usual chicken-and-gravy-on-toast or chicken sandwich that we have had in the past to use up leftover roast chicken meat.
I was browsing a KAF catalog when I saw the photo of "Gumbo Biscuit Bake" and I thought I could make gumbo without the biscuit (to eliminate wheat). When I still did not think much about consuming processed food, my fave soup to bring to work was Campbell's Chicken Gumbo soup. Now that we have been trying to stay away from processed foods (for health reasons), seeing the recipe for this one inspired me to make my own.
Reading the other ingredients, I thought I'd use the tapioca flour as thickener. I also used 1 can of diced tomatoes instead of 2, and just added homemade tomato sauce (probably a cup), and used homemade chicken broth.
The taste rivaled that of the commercial one, without the fake and unhealthy ingredients (like MSG or wheat, etc.). I think the natural umami developed in my homemade chicken broth made a big difference.
Thing was, I presumed hubby would not like it, so I cooked his usual ground beef-potatoes-brocolli meal (which I serve to him when I would cook something that he most likely would not eat like pancit canton). He was intrigued that I did not serve this to him, and asked to try a spoonful...and said it was delicious...and had another spoonful. Then he said he would eat what I cooked for him because I spent the effort and time to prepare it, but he would like to have the chicken gumbo for lunch the next day (he actually had it two days in a row).
2 tbsp cooking oil (I use coconut oil or chicken fat or pork lard)
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 celery stalks, sliced
1 large green pepper ( to 8 oz), diced
1 lb smoked kielbasa, sliced
10 oz cooked chicken breast, diced (about 1 big breast; you may sautee the raw meat instead of using cooked)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1/2 cup to 1 cup tomato sauce (I used homemade)
3 cups chicken broth (I used homemade)
1/4 cup tapioca or arrowroot flour for thickening (dissolved in 1/4 cup water)
|The spices
|Chicken breast, kielbasa, veggies
On medium high heat using a large saute pan , sautee the vegetables and cook for about 5 minutes or until veggies are soft.
|Sauteeing veggies
Add the meat, spices, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and broth.
|Add everything else
|Bring to a simmer. Add the thickener
|After 30 mins, serve or keep warm.
Serve hot. You might want to consider serving biscuits or rolls with this.
To can: Upon adding all ingredients into the saucepan and mixing to distribute, wait for the sauce to boil then ladle into jars right away instead of simmering for 30 mins.
The pressure canner will further cook the gumbo. Fill jars with 1 inch headspace. Use a bubbler to agitate and release bubbles, wipe rim with wet paper towel, adjust lids and bands. Pressure can for 60 mins at 10 psi on weighted gauge canner or 11 psi on dial-gauge canner.


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The Skateparks Project is a directory, a resource and a community website intended to help skaters around the UK discover and build new skateparks.
We're crowdsourced, which means we're driven by our members who send us updates, news and advice from across the UK. Whether you want to send us information about your local skatepark, write a news article or simply spread the word, there's always something to do and The Skateparks Project is open to everyone so get involved.
The Skateparks Project was initially started by Alex Jordan in 2005 as a list of skateparks in and around Oakham (roughly between Leicester, Grantham and Peterborough). Back then it was simple called 'Skateparks Directory' and was managed by local skaters including Alex. The original website was really successful for several years, but following local park closures, lack of time and people moving away, the site became dated and eventually closed down.
In 2014, having moved to London, Alex decided to give it another go, only on a much bigger scale. The next year was spent developing the idea with local skaters and industry contacts, collecting park information and news. The new website went live in April 2015 and The Skateparks Project was officially launched.
Mission Statement:
Our mission is to promote the UK skate scene through facilitating access to skateparks and promoting their development.
Vision Statement:
Our vision is to provide up-to-date information about every single skatepark in the UK and to be the go-to place for anyone looking to build or manage a skatepark.


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Latest Kaiser Health News Stories
Community Health Centers Caught In 'Washington's Political Dysfunction'
The centers, which serve 27 million people, get about 20 percent of their funding from the federal government. But that revenue is slated to end on March 31.
Amid For-Profit Surge, Rural Hospice Has Offered Free Care for 40 Years
Tiny Washington state hospice accepts no federal funds, relies on community volunteers and donations to serve the dying.
On Back Roads Of Appalachia's Coal Country, Mental Health Services Are As Rare As Jobs
Long commutes and scarcity of providers make it hard for patients who need counseling or psychiatric care.
Training New Doctors Right Where They're Needed
Eight teaching centers in California aim to train and retain doctors in medically underserved areas such as California's Central Valley. They are among 57 such institutions across the country that may soon receive a boost in funding from Congress.
Without Price Breaks, Rural Hospitals Struggle To Stock Costly, Lifesaving Drugs
A federal drug program blocks rural hospitals from getting discounts on rare-disease drugs, forcing staff to cut back on supplies of lifesaving medicines.
Rural Californians Want Price Relief From GOP Health Bill, But Unlikely To Get It
In far northern Lassen and Modoc counties, residents say Obamacare premiums are unaffordable. But under the proposed Senate bill, insurance premiums would increase even more.
Deep Cuts To Medicaid Put Rural Hospitals In The Crosshairs
Since 2010, at least 79 rural hospitals have closed across the country, and nearly 700 more are at risk of closing. The Republican repeal of the health law could hasten their demise.
GOP Medicaid Cuts Hit Rural America Hardest, Report Finds
Medicaid covers more children and adults in rural counties and small towns than in urban areas and rural America would be affected most by changes in Medicaid.
Rural Shoppers Face Slim Choices, Steep Premiums On Exchanges
The larger an area's population, the more likely insurers will compete in that market, according to an Urban Institute analysis.
Rural Doctors' Training May Be In Jeopardy
A program designed to address the shortage of doctors in rural and poor urban areas could be in peril unless Congress acts.
In Remote Idaho, A Tiny Facility Lights The Way For Stressed Rural Hospitals
In a region where bears outnumber people, a small medical facility sets a modern example for rural hospitals on life support.
Once Nearly Buried By Medical Bills, Farmer Braces For Insurance Drought
Barton County, Mo., is Trump country. And this rural area has big problems when it comes to health care. One farmer says he has a lot to lose under the Republican replacement plan.
ACA Repeal Threatens A Black Lung Provision Popular In Coal Country
The Affordable Care Act simplified and speeded up the complex process that allows coal miners who have black lung to get special benefits. Many in coal country want this reform to stay if the rest of the law is repealed.
As Obamacare Repeal Heats Up, Newly Insured North Carolinians Fret
More than half a million people in North Carolina buy health insurance on healthcare.gov. Many are confused what will happen to their coverage as Republicans work to repeal the Affordable Care Act, but they still are signing up for 2017 plans.
Even In Trump Country, Rural Hospitals Brace For Damage From Health Law's Repeal
The Affordable Care Act, which President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to repeal, threw a number of life-savers to rural hospitals, which are vital but financially troubled centers. And its full repeal, without a comparable and viable replacement, could signal their death knell.
Obamacare Boosted Community Health Centers' Reach. Now What?
Two studies quantify gains made as a result of the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion and fuel concerns about how GOP plans to repeal and replace it might undermine these advances.
Tighter Prescribing Rules: An Anti-Abuse Strategy That Could Hurt Patients In Pain
Responding to a national epidemic, many state Medicaid programs are making the coverage rules for these opioid-based medicines tougher so that physicians will think twice before prescribing them. But some worry that legitimate pain patients could suffer.
New Law Will Expand Mental Health Services For Low-Income Californians
Legislation recently signed by Gov. Brown will allow about 1,000 clinics statewide to bill Medi-Cal for treatment by marriage and family counselors, deepening the pool of mental health providers.
Video Chat? In Rural Areas Combating Drug Addiction, A New Way To Connect With Help
The federal government is supporting efforts to test whether telemedicine strategies can be used to treat Appalachia's painkiller addiction crisis.
Obamacare Expansion A Bumpy Ride For Rural Health Clinics
A Northern California clinic network is overwhelmed with Medi-Cal patients after the Affordable Care Act rollout.


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The 14th edition of the UK Civil Society Almanac has been published by NCVO, focusing on sector data for 2012/13. This shows a continuation of recent trends, with the charity sector economy flat-lining at a level slightly below a peak reached in 2007/8.
The news release 'Charity sector 'running to stand still' as overall financial position remains static' gives some more headline statistics. Also, senior research officer David Kane points out
"Inevitably, the aggregate numbers in the almanac disguise the changes experienced by individual organisations, some in real danger, others expanding rapidly. This year's almanac shows the sector was keeping its head above water in 2012/13, but its overall financial position remains challenging."
David Kane's short article 'Almanac 2015 – where to start' is indeed a quick starter guide, or go direct to the Almanac's own web pages – perhaps beginning with the Big Picture.


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Crafted by Peninsula
Blu Lipari Micro Elastic Swim Short
This model runs true to size, with a tailored fit.
Beautifully designed swimwear combining a flattering fit and artisanal attention to detail. Vibrant hues and a clean-cut silhouette meet fast-drying, soft materials in Peninsula's signature swim short. This particular model was inspired by Lipari, mother of the Eolian Archipelago. While its red and purple rocks speak of its volcanic past, its present has been softened over time by an olive-green flora that adorns its hills and flats.
Inspired by fond memories of a vibrantly Italian childhood, swimwear label Peninsula proudly encases sunkissed specks of its founder's appreciation for the Bel Paese. Featuring a refined blend of rustic, Italian architecture (think seaside villas and romantic hilltop churches) and a colour palette inspired by the sparkling Mediterranean, the brand offers a collection of beautiful mens' swimwear proudly made in Italy.
• 100% Micro Polyester
Special Care
Please wash me at a maximum of 30 Degrees Celsius using a gentle detergent to best preserve my quality and longevity. For best long-term results, wash by hand. If using a washing machine, please the turn bathing suit inside out prior to washing. Hang or lay flat to dry.


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EGC Precision Machining
CNC Machine Shop – AS9100 Certified
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I live in the Comox Valley (Courtenay) and am a cook at a seniors home. As of 2013 I have been there 30 years now and still like working there. The only hobby I really have other than this is swimming in our beautiful rivers. P.S. After a couple of years on this forum I can also add that my confidence level in my builds has increased dramatically. And as of 2013 I am still enjoying this forum very much
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Do you want to end your week with a drink, good company and interesting conversations? Do you want to expand both your professional and social network circles? If you have answered yes to either of the above questions then head to our Afterwork drinks - now on a Thursday at OneCoWork Plaça Catalunya!
Me, you and all that are part of our community are invited to join us at this fantastic event that will help us get to know each other a little bit better.
What better way to kick back with a glass of wine or beer than doing it surrounded by your fellow co-workers? Come to socialize, relax, or check out the new terrace.
This event will take place Thursday afternoon from 18:00.
The event will take place at the terrace of OneCoWork at Plaça Catalunya.
This is an informal social event; so, please avoid all formalities (suits & ties are not allowed!). Just come ready to converse, meet new people, enjoy and spread good cheer!
There's no need to sign up and remember, all members are welcome to attend Afterworks for either location!
*Please note that this event may be photographed and/or recorded for marketing and other purposes. You can learn more by reading our Privacy Policy.


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Archive for April, 2011
Icen and his 2+ months of cuteness
Cousins…the cuteness is almost too much. Ridiculous!
Apparently Lotus gnawed on Icen's fuzzy baby head for a second (while I was off changing out my lens). Can you blame her?
Lotus is still cute as ever!
Four months.
Why do photo shoots always end up with the clothes off?
She didn't seem to mind…
Can I go back to sucking my thumb?
Cutest baby ever…seriously!
Hard act to follow but baby Icen is next and I think he can hold his own;)
Easter fun 2011 has begun
Once again…went with raw eggs instead of hard boiled. They still dye up beautifully, hide beautifully, seek beautifully and go back into the fridge in its original, versatile, raw form beautifully. And less work for me! (Whenever there is an easier way, I take it! ha!)
I seriously love how the brown eggs dye up. So much richer than the white eggs, don't you think?
Maybe I should have gotten smaller baskets?
They each got a small box of assorted chocolates. Simon got a floor puzzle, Xander got oil pastels and stamps and Isaac got a quill and jar of ink. yep, smaller baskets would have been better. Hmm maybe I can label each thing and tuck them into the same basket?
Latourell Falls hike
Its been a long and emotional weekend with Jason sitting at his grandma's side until she passed and now helping his grandpa move.
With only one car, Jason has been the one to go and I stay home with the kids. I thought today was going to be the same but Jason realized he could use his grandpa's van and I could take the kids for a hike.
My sister, Omi and baby Icen came and it was wonderful! Great exercise, wonderful weather and awesome sister time.
You see that little Simon? He's four now…REALLY four, exhaustingly four. I love him:D
A great grandma is gone
Sunday night at midnight (or is that Monday morning?), Jason's Grandma Louise passed away:(
Grandma Louise, 100 years old this past November.
Just a week ago she was still cruising around in her wheel chair. The sweetest, smiliest, most loving grandma ever. She has been feeling ready to go for some time…maybe the arthritis pain or the loneliness that comes with outliving all her family was her motivation. We understand but she will be greatly missed by her hubby and us young-in's.
Jason is extremely sad but helping his grandpa move back from the higher care facility to a studio apartment at the retirement center has been wonderful for them both, I think. A chance for them each to focus on a task but also reflect on the loss.
I hope my kids remember her! She has been such a treasure to us.
Virginia Lake Loop Trail
A sunny day is here!
We broke out the Oregon Hikes with Kids book to pick out a new trail and Virginia Lake on Sauvie Island was the pick. Close and not too difficult.
Xander wanted to stay home so it was just me, Isaac, Simon, Lotus and our dog Luke. Lotus' first hike!
The clean, fresh air through my nose, Lotus snuggled into my chest looking around.
So many bees by this bridge area, the buzz was an impressive harmony.
Six snakes spotted, symphony of frogs, ducks quacking,
it was a good hike.
Do you see all the stuff I carried for the 2+ miles? I think this counts as a good exercise day;)
duck watching hideout…
Jason saw a picture of this style of hat and wanted me to make him one. There was definitely some "you never make anything for ME" comments involved.
So, I found the Brimmer pattern and made the necessary tweaks involved to get the basket weave texture he was looking for.
Due to my own haste in reading the pattern, I made it an inch too short (maybe the pattern could have hinted the 5″ was in addition to the 1″ of cuff for us late night knitters…just sayin') and I ended up having to make another. Luckily I have plenty of smaller heads eager to have a new hat, so it didn't need to be ripped out.
Just because Xander and Simon didn't want to be left out of picture time, they are modeling the same two hats…
Not Taco Bell
The kids thought the Taco Bell theme for lunch was a hoot.
"Pintos & Cheese and Cinnamon Twists"…but all made from scratch at home. mmmmmm!
These babies slide right off the baking sheet and into the bowl, and are quite good!
Simple pie crusty type recipe with a twist.
Need a bigger stand
Remember the lego iPod stand?
Jason and I need bigger ones;) We waited for second generation iPad to release and then we hit "buy." The portability along with easier to browse is fabulous. Facetime is fun too. I wish we had that while I was on my trip.
New docking station…
Jason is a mini master lego builder:)
New game that is fun but too much like World of Warcraft: Dungeon Hunter 2 HD. I guess I really am over that game. haha! or maybe it's because I couldn't choose a female character. girls rule!


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Armstrong/Isaacs bursaries are funded from the Armstrong/Isaacs Fund, which is based on a major donation from David Armstrong, who was a founder member of the original ULAA in 1947, a lifelong member of the LAA's predecessor the PFA and the latter's chairman from 1960 to 1964. His legacy, co-named with that of aircraft designer and builder John Isaacs, has since 1998 enabled many young prospective pilots to gain their PPL.
Bursaries are awarded to pilots under 30 years of age who are already in training and offers finance to supplement personal funding in the later stages of the course. Applicants must have reached 'first solo' standard and have completed a minimum of five hours solo training, hold a valid medical and should have passed the necessary ground examinations.
Since UK weather is notoriously fickle, applicants who, but for the weather, would have completed five hours solo may be considered. In such circumstances written confirmation must be provided by the CFI of the training organisation (DTO or ATO).
This year five bursaries of up to £1,500 are available.
The bursary can only be used for flying training and cannot be used for ancillary expenses such as travel or accommodation.
On award, the LAA will contact the nominated flying school to set up an invoicing system. Details of how the funds have been spent will be required from the DTO.
All applications must be completed on the form. Please complete and email to firstname.lastname@example.com with the subject title Armstrong/Isaacs Bursary. It should arrive on or before the closing date of 1st December 2020. The LAA may contact you for further information, and may request an interview, if it is thought necessary.
Successful applicants will be notified during February 2021. We look forward to receiving your application.
Light Aircraft Association
March 2020


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Government Transportation Revenues
Federal, state, and local government transportation revenues earmarked to finance transportation programs1 increased from $82.2 billion in 1990 to $113.6 billion in 2000 (in 1996 chained dollars2) for an annual inflation-adjusted growth rate of 3 percent (figure 104). However, the share of transportation revenues in total government revenues decreased slightly from 4.4 percent to 4.2 percent in the same period [1].
The federal government share of revenues averaged 32 percent per year between 1990 and 1997 and then rose to an average share of 38 percent per year from 1998 to 2000. On the other hand, the state government share of revenues dropped from an average share of 48 percent in 1990 through 1997 to a share of 43 percent between 1998 and 2000. The rise in the federal government share after 1997 can be attributed to increased federal motor fuel taxes, the introduction of new transportation user charges, and the shift of transportation receipts from the general fund for deficit reduction to transportation trust funds [1].
Among all transportation modes, highway usage generates the largest amount of transportation revenues, accounting for $79.2 billion or 70 percent of the total in 2000 (figure 105). Air transportation produces the second largest share of transportation revenues (17 percent). Transit revenues, a combination of money paid into the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund and proceeds from operations of the public mass transportation system, represent 10 percent of the total. With annual growth rates of 11 percent and 5 percent, respectively, pipeline and air revenues grew faster than did other modes from 1990 to 2000 [1]. Rail is not represented in revenues because fuel and property tax receipts from rail are channeled into the general fund for deficit reduction and hence do not fall under the definition of transportation revenues used by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Amtrak generates revenues from passenger fares, but since Amtrak is not considered a government entity, its revenues are not included.Source
1. U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Government Transportation Financial Statistics 2001, available at http://www.bts.gov, as of February 2003.
1 Money collected by government from transportation user charges and taxes, which are earmarked to finance transportation programs, are counted by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics as transportation-related revenues. The following types of receipts are excluded: 1) revenues collected from users of the transportation system that are directed to the general fund and used for nontransportation purposes, 2) nontransportation general fund revenues that are used to finance transportation programs, and 3) proceeds from borrowing.
2 All dollar amounts are expressed in chained 1996 dollars, unless otherwise specified. Current dollar amounts (which are available in appendix B of this report) were adjusted to eliminate the effects of inflation over time.


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Katrina Barillova's Elite Forces Workout
Are you ready to:
- Burn fat and build muscle?
- Increase fitness and stamina without sacrificing energy?
- Execute powerful movements with precise control?
- Effect real, lasting change in the way your body looks and feels?
- Enjoy the most engaging and entertaining workout of your life?
Then prepare yourself for the Elite Forces Rapid Readiness Workout featuring KATRINA BARILLOVA.
Katrina is a real-life former intelligence agent, and current high-tech company executive. Her mission: to get you fit!
The Elite Forces Rapid Readiness Workout is a complete fitness program, with a difference. Your elite training regimen begins with an instructional BASICS video followed by three unique, yet complimentary workouts: COMBO, SHADOWBOXING, and CARDIO.
BASICS – An instructional primer. BASICS demonstrates proper techniques to provide safety and maximize exercise benefits. Exercise equipment use is explained for each workout. (Use of exercise equipment is OPTIONAL for all workouts.) BASICS is included with each individual Elite Forces workout program if purchased separately.
COMBO - An energetic mix of martial arts kicks, boxing punches, muscle conditioning exercises and select Pilates techniques. Utilizing a multidisiplinary approach, COMBO turbocharges your fat burning ability.
SHADOWBOXING - A conditioning routine sure to maximize your power potential. Shadowboxing (with or without gloves and bag,) fosters reflex speed and muscle precision. The Shadowboxing Workout gives your body the perfect opportunity to knock-out stress and tension.
CARDIO - An endurance-building workout, with sustained movements at varying difficulty levels. Gains in cardiovascular fitness, posture, balance and stamina are the result. Encourages peak physical performance.
The Elite Forces Rapid Readiness Workout is serious about fitness, but it engages your mind as well as your body. Centered around a plot-driven story with a "secret agent" feel, the series includes many unique elements:
- Each volume begins with an action-packed mission sequence, where failure is not an option. Follow Katrina as she negotiates the dangerous path from headquarters to home. You'll be next to her as the missions unfold in: Katrina's bedroom, The Elite Forces Headquarters and Communications Center, and Katrina's relaxing bathtub scene.
- Movie-quality production values, sets, and design.
- M.A.S.S. - A 3-D Muscle Activity Sensor Scan, providing real-time graphics to track current muscle activity and time workout drills.
- Countdown clock
- MAX – Elite Forces' faceless trainer, remotely guiding the team's exercise moves.
- Audio options to mute music and keep instructional track
- Katrina Barillova is leading the Elite Forces Team. Identified as someone with exceptional intelligence and natual physical ability, the former Czechoslovakian Government targeted young Katrina for secret agent training. Recruited at the age of ten, Katrina's skills were developed until age 18. (Without her parent's knowledge.) To create the Elite Forces Rapid Readiness Workout, Katrina enlisted the aid of exercise physiologists and fitness professionals. Combining the best of her agent physical training, with today's knowledge of exercise science to create a one-of-a-kind complete fitness system. The result is no secret: The single most effective exercise routine ever created.
Contained within all ELITE FORCES WORKOUT video packages, whether purchased separately or in a boxed sets, are entertaining additional features including:
- Interviews with Director Michael Klaumann and Star Katrina Barillova.
- A time-compressed video diary outlining the rigors of training for such a production.
- Hilarious outtakes, and much more.


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This highly engaging interactive enables visitors to translate flight mechanics into onscreen action. Users step up to Kinect motion sensors and use their bodies to control the flight of a virtual pterosaur. Two pterosaur species with different aerodynamic features are available, and each travel through prehistoric landscapes filled with scientifically accurate plants and geological formations.
Nick Bartzokas, the creative lead on this project, created the experience to be powered by Kinect and developed on Unity. The game has been widely praised by the press and the gaming community. Thorough articles by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Mashable focused on this and other strategies envisioned by my department to foster learning through digital experiences.
PTE me 3-15 FLAP walkthru from Helene Alonso on Vimeo.
|American Museum of Natural History, 2012
|"Pterosaurs, Flight in the Time of Dinosaurs"
|iPad app
|Scientific Advisors: Mark Norrell, Alexander Kellner, Mike Habib
Executive Creative Direction: Helene Alonso
Creative Direction/Project Lead: Nick Bartzokas
Research & writing: Joe Levit
Animation: Camila Engelbert, Joshua Krause
Unity 3D Modeling: Nick Bartzokas, Brett Peterson, Ben
Programming: Nick Bartzokas, Brett Peterson, Ben Norskov
System Design: Ariel Nevarez


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Archive for the 'Lasting Memories' Category
My Sunday Best
Posted April 12, 2009on:
At last night's Easter vigil, I realized something. While I believe what we wear to church matters and reflects the dignity and solemnity of the liturgy, my dress clothes aren't the most important things I wear to worship. It's not the nice shirt, pressed pants, or tie that completes my ensemble.
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Son
Posted January 31, 2009on:
For at least the two months of my son's life, his screaming would drive me nuts. My blood pressure would shoot through the roof, my heart would pound, I'd have the overwhelming urge to run far away, and the Hulk had nothing on the rage I felt toward my little bundle of frustration. His screams, attributable to nothing I could conceive other than possibly tired (not hungry, not uncomfortable, not sick), were like an endlessly ringing phone with a really annoying ring tone.


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The thing I like most about flickr is not its openness or RSS support or community features. They're all great, but the thing I like most is its lack of handholding. This, to me, is the thing that differentiates it from older sites like Yahoo. It treats its users as being a bit savvy. Not complete geeks, but people who've used a website before.
In particular, the use of language. The Creative Commons page was down a few minutes ago, with the message "Creative Commons is having a Massage". When you log in, it will usually say hello in a foreign language (sometimes "Aloha Mahemoff", sometimes "Hola Mahemoff"). There's usually some randomness going on – the front page shows different photos, the tag page highlights different tags. Even the layout seems to change if I'm not mistaken, at least on the front page.
This might all seem pretty innocuous, and the language even a bit pretentious, but I like what it all says. Many large websites have been too heavily inspired by misinterpretations of Jakob Nielsen and others. Nielsen has urged people to use simple formats, plain language, and so on. However, this was meant as a general guideline, and should be taken in the context of the time Nielsen began writing: mid-90s, when the web was new to many people, even computers were new to many people, and the pinnacle of web creativity was blinking text and mouseover surprises. The advice was never meant to cause every website to end up looking like google or yahoo.
Flickr shows how to be simple without being simplistic, straightforward without being condescending. Can that sort of design help them build a loyal fan base? Ask Apple.


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Store Home
For better logistic arrangement, we only accept order of 2 boxes or multiples of 2 boxes of capsules in each stage.
Free delivery except outlying islands and remote areas*
The mom and baby integrated nutrition system is available online. We've made it quick, clear and easy to get the BabyNes® Machine, and just as simple to order the capsules for you and your baby.
Maternal Nutrition Supplement Formulas
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Wyeth BabyNes is delivered to you by designated logistic provider LF Logistics (Hong Kong) Limited.
*HK$100 Delivery charge is applicable to outlying islands and remote areas including Chek Lap Kok, Cheung Chau, Discovery Bay, Hei Ling Chau, Kat O Chau, Kau Sai Chau, Kiu Tsui Chau, Lamma Island, Lantau Island, Lok Ma Chau, Lo Wu, Luk Keng, Lung Kwu Chau, Ma Mei Ha, Ma Wan, Peng Chau, Penny's Bay, Ping Chau, Po Toi Island, Sha Chau, Sai Wan, Sha Tau Kok, Ta Kwu Ling, Tai O, Tap Mun, Tung Chung, Tung Lung Chau, Wu Kau Tang and Yam O.


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Email: [email protected] | Tel: 01285 711177 | Fairford Therapy Centre, London Street, Fairford, Gloucestershire, GL7 4AQ
I trained at Wolverhampton School of Physiotherapy in 1994 and in 2001 completed a Masters in Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. This was an intense and stimulating experience to go through and has changed my professional practice for the benefits of my patients. I have an extensive range of experience in treating knees, sports injuries, orthopaedics, whiplash along with neck and back pain. At Absolutephysio there is a friendly and welcoming feel when you visit us.
As a child I always knew I wanted to work in the field of medicine. I used to love the smell and buzz of hospitals. My first experience of physiotherapy was as a child when I broke my elbow. This reinforced my passion for working as a physiotherapist.
After qualifiying in 1994 I went to The John Radcliff in Oxford. This is a large teaching hopsital where I gained immense experience and it was there that ignited my enthusiasm in orthopaedics. During my time in Oxofrd I also worked in various private sectors, worked with the Oxford Blues rugby team and have organised pre race exercise regimes for the BT Global yacht race. I have been fortunate enough to be on the finishing line in a professional capacity at the London marathon. Another area of interest and enjoyment I have is lecturing to Consultants, GP, and fellow medical colleagues on latest physiotherapy research releated to musculoskeletal problems.
My enthusiasm for physiotherapy is still as strong as when I first started and I juggle my time between working and bringing up a family and I feel I have the best of both worlds.
I Iook forward to meeting you, helping you on the road to recovery and giving you the tools to move better and feel better.


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We are heading into the heart of summer and, particularly in places where the water sport season is short, people are itching to turn each sunny day into waterskiing and surfing nirvana. While the first instinct when thinking about strength training for these activities may be lower body, these recreational sports rely specifically upon excellent balance for optimal performance and injury prevention. I contend a balance training workout that primarily targets the core for strength training is most beneficial. I recommend this workout not only for surfing and waterskiing enthusiasts but also for those who participate in skateboarding, gymnastics, horseback riding, dance and balance-centric winter sports like snowboarding and figure skating. This would also be a great workout to compliment mind-body activities such as yoga and martial arts.
Activity-Specific Workout of the Month Defined: A 30 minute strength and stretch training workout tailored to benefit those who engage in a particular recreational sport or activity. The workouts will be challenging and safe for the novice but will also offer progressions for the experienced. If your children participate in these activities, know that strength and flexibility training is not only safe for kids but beneficial as well. The workouts will have minimal equipment requirements so they can be done anywhere. The goal is to properly strengthen and stretch the key muscle groups involved in the activity so the participant can achieve performance improvements and reduce the risk of injury. Click on the exercise to link to examples and step-by-step descriptions provided by www.acefitness.org.
Strength and Flexibility Training for Balance-Centric Activities
Concept: The primary strengthening focus is the core – abdominal and back muscles – as the core is responsible for stabilizing the body when balance is challenged. Secondary targets for strengthening are the thigh and hip muscles as the legs are providing the base of support in most of the activities involved in balance-based sports. The flexibility portion focuses on the core and hips because being limber in these areas is just as important as being strong when external forces cause one's center of gravity to be in constant flux. While I prefer to structure Workouts of the Month around using little to no equipment, the best way to train balance is to use unstable surfaces within a workout. Therefore progressions include using common balance training equipment. Fortunately, many of these props are space efficient and affordable. (*Examples of common balance training devices and price points are listed below.) Be sure you can master the base exercise with excellent form before incorporating a progression. Perform this workout 1-3 times per week, allowing a minimum of 48 hours rest between workout sessions, starting several weeks before and continuing throughout the season:
Warm-Up: 2-5 minutes of high knee marching, swinging opposing arms to shoulder height as you lift knees to hip height.
Strength Workout: Perform the following exercise circuit in succession with no rest between exercises:
Front Plank: Hold for 10-30 seconds. Strengthens entire core. Progression: hold plank for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, return to plank for 10-30 seconds
Forward Lunges: 8-16 repetitions each side. Works quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors, glutes & balance. Progression: Inverted Flyers or Single Leg Stands on Stability Prop*, 8-16 repetitions each side
- Side Plank with Bent Knee: Hold for 10-30 seconds each side. Strengthens entire core including obliques with balance challenge. Progression: Side Planks with Straight Leg, hold for 10-30 seconds each side
- Squats: 8-16 repetitions. Works quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors and glutes. Progression: Single Leg Squats, 8-16 repetitions each side or Squats on Stability Prop*, 8-16 repetitions
- V-Ups: 10-20 repetitions. Strengthens core. Three progressions are included in the exercise. Master each progression before moving onto the next one.
- After performing each exercise once, rest for 1-2 minutes and repeat the circuit (front plank through v-ups) for a second set of each exercise. After performing the circuit twice, perform the flexibility workout.
Flexibility Workout: Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds
- Warrior I: full-body stretch with emphasis on hips & thighs
- Standing Triangle Straddle Bends: stretches back & outer thighs
- Cat-Cow: stretches core
- Leg Cross-Over Stretch: opens up the hips & stretches the outer thigh muscles
- Childs Pose: targets core and provides instant relaxation to end your workout
The keys to safe and effective strength training are the same regardless of gender or age – proper warm-up, form, breathing, load, progressions and stretching. The cues for these exercises provided by ACE Fitness (via my links) are excellent and, if followed, anyone can perform this workout safely, even a novice. It's important to focus on your own body's feedback and listen to the cues your body is providing you. Adults are much better at reading those cues than children. For this reason, if any of these exercises are new to your child, I recommend having a professional (such as your child's coach, gym teacher or sports trainer) review the proper form for each of these exercises with your student athlete.
Now, go catch some waves!
*Common balance training equipment: Stability Air Pads ($10-50), Wobble Boards ($20-100), BOSU Trainer ($100+) – Important Note: if you have a history of knee or ankle injuries, be sure to check with your orthopedist before working with this equipment.
Author's Note: Always consult your physician before beginning any new exercise program.
Click on the link to view previous Activity-Specific Workouts of the Month: Hockey & Cross-Country Skiing, Snowboarding & Figure Skating, Golf & Softball, Distance Running, Racquet Sports, Swimming, Waterskiing & Surfing, Cycling, Rowing & Desk Jockeys, Track, Field & Court Sports, Throwing & Pitching, Dancing, Downhill Skiing