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Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) is a Government institution established on November 3, 1996, under the Ministry of Science and Technology with the objective of developing and promoting renewable/alternative energy technologies in Nepal. Currently, it is under the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation. It functions independently and has an eleven members board with representatives from the government sector, industry sector and non-governmental organizations.
The mission of AEPC is to make renewable energy mainstream resource through increased access, knowledge and adaptability contributing to the improved living conditions of people in Nepal.
An institution recognized as a regional/international example of promoting large-scale use of renewable energy sustainable and a national focal point for resource mobilization". The focus is to make AEPC recognized as an active institution promoting Renewable Energy Technology (RET) in the region.

subset: commoncrawl


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It was a clash of two teams from last year's postseason, but that's where anything in common between the Clippers and New York Knicks ended Wednesday night.
The Clippers entered the game at Staples Center with a 10-5 record and in first place in the Pacific Division. Coach Doc Rivers was his jovial self before the game.
The Knicks (3-10) went in a six-game losing streak and in last place in the Atlantic Division. Coach Mike Woodson's pregame briefing was cut off after 2 1/ 2 minutes, about five minutes shorter than that of Rivers.
Of course, in the New York fishbowl, Woodson is under fire and the questioning was cut short after the coach was asked about his team's confidence during the losing streak.
"It's something we haven't experienced in the last two years but we've just got to stay the course," Woodson said. "This is no time to panic and feel you can't get out of it. You win one game, that gets your confidence back on and no telling what can happen. We've just got to stay the course keep riding it and see what happens."
Rivers, whose Boston Celtics were eliminated from the playoffs by the Knicks, was asked about a coach "losing the locker room" in trying times. He said he agreed losing can spawn disgruntled players but stopped short of agreeing with the locker room theory.
"It's happened to me and you just keep coaching. You can't worry about it," Rivers said. "When you lose, everybody wants the ball more, they want to play more, they should do more. It's just the nature of it.
"Woody's a tough guy and a great guy and he's going to handle it fine. I don't ever believe in that locker room stuff. It's usually the guy that isn't playing. Of course he's unhappy, and he gets a chance to say it. It's just part of it. This is a hard league and he'll figure it out."
Another find
Rivers admitted that the game of J.J. Redick is similar to that of Ray Allen.
"It's an offense in itself," Rivers said. "I didn't realize how important Ray was to us until he was gone (from the Celtics). I didn't realize offensively that guy running around screens, forcing bigs to jump out of their defensive positions to help, it creates an offense in itself."
Rivers has said that about Redick all season, but he's noticed the characteristic in Jared Dudley as well.
"What I didn't know coming into this year that Dudley did the same thing," Rivers said. "I knew he was a good shooter, I didn't know he could move and he and J.J. together have created something that I didn't know we were going to have."
Clippers guard Darren Collison was hardly overlooking the Knicks, who were boosted by the return of Raymond Felton, who had missed the previous four games with a lower back/hip injury.
"Not to let up even though the Knicks are struggling," Collison said when asked of the outlook on the game. "They are still a very good basketball team despite their record. We know they're going to come in and give it all they've got. Our antennas are up."


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Cats Meow 3
This is the form for The Cat's Meow. The amount of time it takes to obtain the recipes, reformat them, and then maintain the collection has become too great. We have a new collection The Gambrinus' Mug. Readers may post recipes which become instantly available for everyone. Try it!
Last update: November 27, 1996
Number of available recipes: 1,009
Categories-- Pale Ales
-- Steam, Smoked, and Sour Beers
-- Belgian, German, Brown, Old, and Scottish Ales
Copyright 1994 by Mark Stevens and Karl Lutzen. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication or distribution of this collection without the express written permission of the editors is prohibited.
Printing out Cats Meow
The downloadable version is in Adobe Acrobat format and prints about 3-4 recipes per page, requiring about 310 pages. Questions or problems with this version should be reported to Mark Stevens, .
Back to the Brewery


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Guess what my topics will be about? Now set your phasers on stun, sit back and engage your warped hive mind because its time for some trek delights. I discovered the A to Z challenge on Alex J Cavanaugh's blog. I'm hoping this trip doesn't overload my little grey cells too much or I'll be heading straight to Dr McCoy's sickbay for a good shot of Saurian Brandy. A good slug of the good stuff usually does the trick.
Meanwhile back in the Galactic realm of Star Trek reality, Spacerguy will attempt to expound on every letter in the alphabet for the month of April. Wheres Data when you need him?
Hey, Alex suggested using a theme and I know a good A to Z spin off. Remember the librarian MrAtoz from the planet Sarpeidon in All Our yesterdays? We could launch it as Mr Atoz's Trek Challenge!


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Amazing Race's John and Jessica: We Should Not Have Asked for the Answer
John and Jessica had an unhappy Roman holiday on Sunday's Amazing Race All-Stars. After leaving the Detour first, the couple had taxi trouble and arrived last to the Roadblock at Rome's Spanish Steps. Fortunately, the Globetrotters and the Afghanimals were still there, and Jamal shared the answer with John and Flight Time, thinking there was still another team behind them. Unfortunately, there wasn't, and because John had to get a new postcard to write down the answer, the Season 22 alums were eliminated. "Yeah, I shouldn't have asked them [to tell us the answer]," Jessica tells TVGuide.com with a laugh. "I was a little surprised they did, but at the time none of us thought we were fighting for last."So why did they think Caroline and Jen were behind them? And is this elimination harder to swallow after their infamous Express Pass miscue? See what they say below.
Amazing Race's Margie and Luke: Waiting for standby tickets was a "stupid decision"
All of you seemed shocked that you were the last three teams. What made you so sure Caroline and Jen were behind you when you never saw them?
Jessica: We weren't sure when we got to the Roadblock. We thought for sure we were dead last. We were shocked that there were other people there. I think the Globetrotters thought the singers were behind them because they had left the Detour before Caroline and Jen, so I think they thought it would take them a long time to do the Detour, and they weren't sure if they had done their Speed Bump or not. ... I think everyone was just really tired and really optimistic. You just want to get to the finish, so you just think so optimistically, like, let's work together, thinking it was the best option when it wasn't.
Last time, you got eliminated because you thought someone was behind you, so you didn't use your Express Pass, and now you thought someone was behind you and you got eliminated.
John: Right! If we had an Express Pass this time, we definitely would've used it on the Spanish Steps! [Laughs]
Did you arrive at the mat thinking you still weren't last?
John: No. By then we knew. We showed up to the Roadblock certain we were last, then it was suggested to us that none of us were fighting for last place, and we shared the answer. The way the answer got shared was just this random sequence that unfolded naturally. That was really the determining factor in how we all ended up on the mat in the order we did. You could only grab one postcard at a time. [If the answer] wasn't right, you needed to get a fresh postcard at the bottom. When Jamal started sharing the answer, I was on my way down after getting the wrong answer and Flight Time had a new card. When Jamal gave us the answer, I wrote it down, but I had to run down the stairs, get a new postcard, write it there, run to the top and submit the answer, whereas Flight Time just had to write it down and run up.
It was bad timing.
John: Yeah. How do you plan for something like that? The answer-sharing just happened out of nowhere from my perspective. It's just really interesting to think about how everything panned out. At that point, since we were sharing answers, we were under the assumption, "Oh, maybe there is a team behind us," which we didn't think coming in.
Because why would you share answers with everyone if there wasn't someone behind you?
John: Exactly. So we bought into that idea. We were all feeling good about it. ... Everything was done in good will. But when we started running, the dynamic changed.
Jessica: I had a head-start on John because he was still coming down the steps. As we were running, it just hit me that we could be last and if you're seventh, you were last. ... I get tunnel vision a lot on the Race, so I literally saw Big Easy and I just remember darting as fast as I could. I ran my heart out. They were pretty far away and I ended catching up with them, but as soon as they saw how fast I was running, I think it hit them, like, "Whoa! Why is she running so hard?" They threw off their backpacks and picked up the pace. At that point, there was no way we could've beaten then. They had more energy than we did and they're Globetrotters! I guess I could've been more stealth about it and snuck around them. Leo and Jamal were praying, "Let us be four, five and six." But I knew we were last.
Amazing Race's Joey and Meghan: We don't regret letting the taxi go
Jess, you suggested Jamal share the answer. Do you regret that now? It didn't seem like he was going to until you brought it up.
Jessica: Yeah. ... We were all talking about it. I feel like I was definitely egging him too, so I definitely take responsibility for that. It was just Leo and I talking and then Big Easy got involved. Big Easy and I were kind of joking about it, like, "You can share the answer with us!" Then they were like, "OK!" Because they wanted people on their side and not get U-Turned. I wish I did not say that at the time.
John, you were only one number off the right answer the first time. So it seemed like you would've gotten it eventually since Flight Time didn't even know you had to add the year.
John: Right. I mean, you never know. That seems like that was the path I was on, so I'd like to think that I would've figured it out. It's hard to say unless you do it. I'm pretty sure I had the year right and I counted the gutter on the bottom. Until yesterday when we watched it on TV, I was confused why it was 135 and not 136, and then I realized it was the gutter step. We ended with a sprint to the mat, so I never got a chance to reconcile with the gutter.
Jessica: It was really confusing. I think people started counting side stairs. No one really knew. John could've ended up being there longer. I think it ended up being fine.
Part of it was your bad cabbie. How much time did you lose figuring out it was the Spanish Steps?
Jessica: Two hours. It wasn't all our cabbie's fault, but he was definitely a factor because he was so stubborn and so certain that he was taking us to the right spot. We knew we had to be very thorough with our taxi driver. He was over-the-top certain, which was a little annoying. We felt a little uncertain, so we should've stuck to our guns, like, "Hey, you're taking us to the wrong place." I knew it was a riddle and it wasn't Via John Keats. But you don't know where you're supposed to be going, so you just hope that someone has the right place.
Did he search on his phone? Some of the other teams' cabbies just whipped out their iPhones.
Jessica: I know! He didn't. But we looked on people's iPhones and it wasn't the first thing that came up. I think we had to change some settings and the language. You had to research a little further down. Some people had really good luck with their cabbie Googling. That sucked for us.
When did you dump him?
Jessica: After we went to Via John Keats, we stopped at an insurance company and they told us to go three hotels called Roman Holiday, and we were like, "OK." Again, you don't know ... and at least that was taking us back to the city because we were on the outskirts and we knew it was not right. We weren't getting a good vibe from him, so we decided to leave him then. Your first instinct when you get a clue isn't to go to a hotel because that takes time, but we thought, "Let's just slow down and find a computer and sit down and figure this out." So we went to a hotel and we found on a Wikipedia article about John Keats dying next to the Spanish Steps. ... It was frustrating because watching the show, the cowboys went to Via John Keats too. And they went to the coffee shop by it and talked to the barista and the barista happened to have some time and found it on his iPad. But when we went in there, he was really busy and was like, "Wait 15 minutes and I can help you." But we weren't going to wait 15 minutes. Now we realized we should've!
So everything after the Detour was just bad timing.
John: Oh yeah! All around! Everything was like, if something had happened a little bit differently or like a minute later, who knows? Maybe I would've been on my way back with a new postcard when they were giving us the answer.
Is it tougher to go out this way with a series of unfortunate incidents and decisions or last time with your Express Pass unused?
Jessica: [Laughs] I think it's way easier this time. There wasn't too much that we could've done differently. The cabbie was out of our hands. A lot of it was just bad timing.
Check out the hottest looks from the MTV Movie Awards
It's interesting because last time everyone gave you so much grief for not using the Express Pass. But now I feel a lot of people are sympathizing with you and saying the Globetrotters should be out.
Jessica: Yeah! People are so nice! We've gotten so many great tweets. We haven't gotten any negative comments. The Express Pass thing doesn't bother us, but no one's really bringing that up. I think part of it is that we were in the back of the pack this time around and we hadn't really caught up yet.
What are you up to now? When's the wedding?
Jessica: It's in the fall. There's a whole lot of planning left. It's stressful, but we're excited and we're looking forward to it.
Are you inviting the Afghanimals like they asked?
Jessica: [Laughs] Oh, yeah! We're inviting some Racers! For sure the YouTubers will be there. I think there'll be some other appearances.
(Full disclosure: TVGuide.com is owned by CBS.)
View original Amazing Race's John and Jessica: We Should Not Have Asked for the Answer at TVGuide.com
Related Articles on TVGuide.com
Other Links From TVGuide.com


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Buy this stylish handset from the house of Nokia the Nokia 5233 that comes in black color to attract everyone. It is a sleek and elegant phone for those who like stylish items to carry on themselves. The mobile phone is full of great features and amazes everyone when they see the optima price of the Nokia 5233. The Nokia 5233 price is Rs. 6,159 approximately, and has all the features that come with a phone of this segment.
The stylish handset has a display of 3.2 inches with full touch screen display and 16:9 wide screen aspect ratios with 640 x 360 pixels resolution. The mobile phone Nokia 5233 has dedicated keys for the camera, power, menu, volume, send and send and a media bar for video center, share multimedia and web browser. You also get a plug in for play/pause back and forward. The phone is also equipped with voice commands. If you are looking for a perfect touch-screen phone with tactile feedback then this is it. It is well equipped with accelerometer that is utilized for auto rotation of the home screen and the proximity sensor that saves power. You also get the software for handwriting recognition.
The other interesting features of the Nokia 5233 are the 2 megapixel camera with 3 x digital zoom. You get advanced camera system like the white balance, scene mode, exposure compensation, photo editor, auto mode, auto exposure and dedicated camera key. The mobile phone is capable to capture video up to 640 x 480 pixels at 30 fps. The Nokia 5233 comprises of multi format video playback, video feeds and video streaming and has an on-phone video editor. The other multi-format features are the music player and the FM radio. And the Nokia Ovi player and Nokia Podcasting can support adds to the various functions. The phone comprises of internal dynamic memory of 70MB and is expandable up to 16 GB with microSD memory card. Regarding the power of the mobile phone, it has a battery of Lithium-ion and gives a talk time of 10.7 hours and standby time of 45 hours. Even the video playback is sufficient, which is 4.4 hours and the music playback is 33 hours. The other network features are the GSM/EDGE that operate at 850/900/1800/1900 frequencies. There is a automatic switching between GSMs.
The mobile stores have many handsets from the Nokia mobile phones and have also kept a Nokia mobile price list in order to have a huge price range of Nokia.


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8415.0 - Mining Operations, Australia, 2012-13 Quality Declaration
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 04/06/2014
|Page tools: Print Page Print All
Drop in sales erodes coal miners' profits
Coal mining profits fell by over 88 per cent during 2012-13, according to a report released today from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Mr Chris Thompson, ABS Director of Annual Industry Statistics, said that this was largely due to the value of sales dropping by 16.9 per cent during the year.
"While coal miners reduced expenses by 2.6 per cent, it wasn't enough to offset the sales decline," said Mr Thompson.
"Metal ore mining profits also declined by 41.4 per cent and their sales fell by 8.9 per cent. Total expenses grew by nearly 10 per cent, mostly in non-wage expenses, which contributed to the fall in profits."
However, the mining story was not all dire.
"Oil and gas extraction profits grew by nearly 40 per cent on the back of sales growth," added Mr Thompson. "Oil and gas also saw growth in employment and earnings."
These results are only a preview of the information available from the Mining industry component of the annual Economic Activity Survey, which is sent out to over 800 Australian Mining industry businesses.
Further information from the survey is available in Mining Operations, Australia (cat. no. 8415.0) available for free from the ABS website.
Media notes
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Way back when we first started talking about talking about peer review, Kate made a point that has stuck with me ever since – that we talk being accessible a lot in libraries but we usually talk about it in one sense of the word. To be fair, it is the first sense listed by the OED:
1. Capable of being used as an access; affording entrance; open, practicable. Const. to.
This meaning gets at access to information – our ability to physically get our hands (or our eyes) on the information we want or need, our ability to get past technical barriers, bad interfaces, or paywalls. It also gets at our accessiblity in terms of open hours, our availability to answer questions and maybe even a little bit our openness in terms of friendliness.
What Kate pointed out that for our students, actually for a lot of us, the scholarly or scientific discourse is inaccessible in another way (OED's 3rd)
c. Able to be (readily) understood or appreciated. Freq. applied to academic or creative work.
How many times do we teach students how to find scholarly articles by showing them the physical access points – the databases (or results limiting options) that will bring back articles that have been peer-reviewed, that will meet their professor's requirement that for one, three or five "scholarly articles? while all the time we know that they will struggle with reading, understanding, and really USING these articles in their work?
How often do all of us begin poking around on a new topic to find scholarly articles that are too narrowly focused, assume too much about what we know about context and significance, full of technical terms, and just plain inaccessible to us, at least early on in our investigation?
And it's not the articles' fault. The authors of peer reviewed articles have an audience to consider, and it's not us. Which is why I love the idea of these same authors writing for a different audience – and academic or science blogging is a great way to do that. I know I've made this point here before, and I'll probably do it again, but I thought this post today at Dracovenator (by Adam Yates, an Australian palaeontologist) was such a great example of it that I wanted to put it out there.
I only clicked on the link today (out of ResearchBlogging's Twitter feed) because the title of the post was SO inaccessible to me. I was just delighted by the post though – look how accessible it is, on every level. Quick explanations of technical terms, a short summary of the research, an explanation of the context. That context piece is one of my favorite parts, actually. But then also a critique of the research.
And you can tell from the first line of the post that this isn't a dumbed-down explanation written for the uninformed – the author assumes we've all heard about the study. I think there is so much positive potential in scholars and experts simply showing how they interact with the work in their field, how they understand it, how they read it, and how they talk about it.


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Welcome to Tacoma World!You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.
As a registered member, you'll be able to:
- Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
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Does anyone know of a good HID Kit for a 2001?
Discussion in 'Lighting' started by B-Field, Jun 1, 2008.


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Today's digital cameras are chock full of features, making it easier than ever to take a great set of pictures. In fact, the most difficult task you'll have to do is to pick one camera from the seemingly endless selection available.
But don't fret: we've got a few tips on what to consider when looking for a camera. Use this checklist to find a point-and-shoot with the features that meet your particular needs. And if you're still stumped, we have a few suggestions to start you off.
Types of point-and-shoot cameras
There are a daunting number of point-and-shoot cameras to choose from. To help narrow down the options, start by deciding what type of camera you want: a basic point-and-shoot, a megazoom or pocket megazoom, a rugged camera, or a camera with advanced controls.
Basic Point-and-Shoot:
A basic point-and-shoot camera is a no-brainer pick for anyone who just wants a camera to have on hand at all times; most of them even shoot 1080p HD video now. In-camera automation is getting better and better, meaning that these cameras basically drive themselves; you don't get manual controls that help you fine-tune your photos, but these cameras normally have very good Auto modes and scene selections that choose the appropriate in-camera settings for your shot.
These cameras have small sensors, so don't fall into the trap of buying an inexpensive camera with a very high megapixel count. Packing more megapixels into a small sensor usually leads to image noise, especially when you're shooting at higher ISO settings.
Although they won't offer the same optical zoom reach as more expensive cameras, a good thing to look for in a basic point-and-shoot camera is wide-angle coverage (ideally around 28mm on the wide-angle end). That extra wide-angle coverage comes in very handy for group shots, arm's length self portraits, and landscape shots.
- Strengths:Very easy to use; inexpensive; small enough to fit in a pant pocket; usually have a large number of scene modes that select the right in-camera settings for your shot.
- Weaknesses: Usually don't have any manual controls; image quality is usually mediocre, especially in low light; inflated megapixel counts.
Advanced Point-and-Shoot (compact camera with manual controls):
Not all point-and-shoot digital cameras can live up to the scrutiny of a DSLR-toting pro, but an advanced point-and-shoot often gets the pick as a pro shooter's secondary, more-portable camera. These cameras have manual controls for setting the aperture, shutter, and ISO, letting you fine-tune your shot more granularly than you can with a basic point-and-shoot.
Although you don't get the zoom range of a pocket megazoom, image quality is often better; you don't get the distortion you sometimes see with a high-zoom lens. These cameras also often have wider apertures, so that you can accomplish a greater depth of field and shoot at higher shutter speeds.
- Strengths: Better image quality than most fixed-lens cameras; manual controls over shutter speed and aperture settings; good secondary cameras for DSLR owners; good learning tool for novice shooters.
- Weaknesses: More expensive than a basic point-and-shoot; can be more complicated to use than a basic point-and-shoot; smaller optical zoom range.
Megazoom (fixed-lens high-zoom camera): Megazooms don't give you the same lens-swapping versatility of a DSLR or compact interchangeable-lens camera, but they are the most-versatile fixed-lens cameras available. They're called "megazooms" because they offer a whopping 20x to 30x optical zoom lens, usually serving up impressive wide-angle shots and telephoto reach.
Most megazooms also offer DSLR-like manual controls for aperture and shutter, as well as good image stabilization to help steady full-zoom shots. Because of the versatility of their lenses, they're good cameras for landscape photography (they can capture both wide-angle vistas and faraway details), sports photography (you can sit in the crowd and still get tight shots of in-game action), and animal photography (because you really shouldn't get too close to that bear).
Although a megazoom camera is smaller than a DSLR, it's about the same size as some interchangeable-lens compact cameras, and it won't slip into a pocket or purse. You'll probably need a backpack or camera bag to tote it along with you.
- Strengths: Very high optical zoom range; manual controls; normally have excellent image stabilization; better lenses than standard point-and-shoot cameras.
- Weaknesses: Bulkier than a point-and-shoot camera; slightly expensive; not much smaller than an interchangeable-lens camera.
Pocket Megazoom (compact high-zoom camera):
If you're attracted by the versatile fixed lens of a megazoom camera but want something a bit more portable, a pocket megazoom is your best option. These compact cameras offer optical zoom ranges from about 10x to 15x, and although they're definitely more compact than a full-size megazoom or DSLR, some of them aren't quite small enough to slip into a pocket. Carrying in a small purse or backpack should be easy, however.
Although many pocket megazoom cameras have manual controls such as aperture and shutter priority, not all of them do, so be sure to check the specs if you'd like those features. These cameras normally have very good optical image stabilization to bolster their high-zoom lenses.
- Strengths: Very high optical zoom range for a pocketable camera; portable but versatile; normally have excellent image stabilization; many of them have manual controls.
- Weaknesses: Some are a bit bulky; more expensive than basic point-and-shoot cameras; some lack manual controls.
Rugged Point-and-Shoot: These are the ultimate cameras for extreme-sports enthusiasts, mountaineers, snorkelers, and the just-plain-clumsy. Quite a few waterproof, freezeproof, drop-proof, and dustproof cameras are available, and they're great for taking underwater shots of fish, lugging to the beach, or taking on a snowboarding trip.
Due to their unique looks and sometimes-barren feature sets, these cameras aren't the first choice for everyday on-the-go use. Image quality can be a mixed bag, as well: they're rugged, but they usually don't have the best optics or biggest sensors. But they're durable, and that might be a more important trait to some.
- Strengths: Immune to drops, water, freezing, and sand.
- Weaknesses: Usually have fewer features than a standard point-and-shoot camera; sometimes have sub-par image quality.
Point-and-shoot camera features
Once you've settled on the type of camera you want, you should have narrowed your search to a more manageable number of cameras. From this point on, you can base your decision on features and performance. If your camera is hard to navigate or doesn't have the controls you need, you probably won't use it. Here's a breakdown of what to look for when making your decision.
The megapixel myth: As already noted in our buying advice for digital SLRs, a high megapixel rating doesn't mean better image quality. In fact, because of the relatively small size of a point-and-shoot camera's image sensor, higher megapixel ratings can adversely affect low-light performance and result in increased image noise. However, having more pixels does give you more flexibility when making enlargements or cropping. If all you want are 4-by-6 photos, anything with a resolution over 6 megapixels will work fine.
Zoom in: Look at optical zoom and ignore digital zoom. Though digital zoom offers a longer zoom range, the image quality isn't as good as optical zoom. If you choose a camera with a long zoom lens (generally anything over 5x), make sure it also offers optical image stabilization to help minimize blurry photos from camera shake (more on that later).
If you're looking for a compact camera but are concerned that the typical 3x zoom (the equivalent of a 35mm–105mm lens) won't be sufficient, consider investing in a camera with 8 megapixels or more so you'll have room to crop later. If you do a lot of nature or sports photography, you may want to look for a camera with at least a 10x optical-zoom lens.
Viewfinders: An optical viewfinder can be handy when shooting in bright light, which can make it difficult to see an LCD. However, many compact cameras rely solely on the LCD as viewfinder and don't include a optical one. Generally, the bigger the LCD, the better. Some cameras—typically bulkier models—even offer an LCD that can tilt or swivel, making it easier to take pictures at awkward angles such as over your head or close to the ground.
Judging LCD quality: Inexpensive cameras in particular tend to suffer from poor LCDs that show streaks of light in bright sunshine. When comparing LCDs, the image should be sharp and saturated, even in bright lighting. As you pan the camera, make sure that the LCD's image is able to keep up with the motion; it shouldn't be jerky or delayed (a particularly common problem with compact cameras).
If you tend to rely on the LCD for framing shots and reviewing photos, look for a camera with at least a 3-inch screen (measured diagonally). But be aware that a camera's LCD doesn't provide an accurate view of color or exposure. All cameras crank up saturation and contrast to help ensure that the screens are visible in bright light. To assess exposure, serious photographers will want the option of displaying an image's histogram while in playback mode. A histogram will help you determine if an image is over- or underexposed, and if it has enough contrast.
You'll also want to consider what settings and parameters are displayed on the screen when shooting. Ideally you want a display of number of pictures remaining, battery life, shooting mode, current ISO setting, white balance setting, and exposure compensation setting.
Image stabilization/antishake: Some cameras offer antishake (also called image stabilization) as a shooting mode or as a feature that can be turned on and off. This is helpful when you're shooting photos in situations where it's difficult to get a sharp image, such as in low light. More advanced cameras, including SLRs, tend to employ one of two methods: optical image stabilization, in which an element in the lens adjusts to compensate for movement); or sensor movement, in which the camera's sensor moves in order to compensate for the shaking. Some point-and-shoot cameras offer a digital image stabilization which attempts to steady the shot by adjusting the camera's settings or correcting the image after it's been taken. Digital image stabilization is less effective than optical stabilization (see our guide to different forms of image stabilization). For those who want this antishake feature, it is worth spending more money for a camera with optical image stabilization.
Camera modes: Point-and-shoots offer shooting modes that automatically set the camera based on your situation. For example, a Portrait mode keeps a foreground subject in focus; a Sports mode is good for fast action shots. If you like to tinker with camera settings, look for a point-and-shoot with manual shooting modes.
Face recognition: One of the more useful modes on many cameras is facial recognition. In detecting people's faces, the camera aims to optimize both focus and exposure for the subjects. We've found the results to be very helpful, especially for candid shots in a group or party setting, and think it's worth spending a little extra to get this feature. Some new cameras even have smile recognition, which will automatically take a picture when someone in the frame smiles; this feature may help with baby pictures or when shooting an otherwise moody subject, but it's not an essential feature.
Wireless Internet: If you like to upload photos to an Internet photo-sharing site, consider a camera with built-in Wi-Fi. When connected to the Internet via a Wi-Fi hotspot, these cameras let you upload directly to the site.
Power play: Some cameras use AA batteries, while others come with a proprietary rechargeable battery. If you plan to be out and about with your camera, consider the battery type and figure out what you need to do to have an extra battery at hand. AA batteries are readily available (you can even use rechargeable ones). A proprietary rechargable battery can carry a charge longer than AA batteries, but are more expensive to replace or buy a spare.
File formats: Most point-and-shoots save pictures as JPEGs, a commonly used file format. A few also use raw files, a format that's ideal for users who want to do significant image editing on their pictures. Raw files are larger than JPEGs and will fill up a memory card faster.
Memory cards: If you have an existing storage card that you'd like to use with your new camera, make sure that it's compatible with your new purchase. Most cameras on the market today use SD (Secure Digital) or SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) format cards. SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) cards are more expensive, offering storage capacities up to 32GB, but they're not backward-compatible with standard SD slots. There's also a new format on the block: SDXC, which supports storage capacities up to a whopping 2TB; those are even more expensive, and they aren't compatible with all SD/SDHC card slots.
In addition to storage capacity, there's also the speed issue to consider. SD and SDHC cards have a "Decoding Class" rating listed, which refers to the data-writing rate for each card. The higher the Class number, the faster the write speed; if you're planning on shooting video or using a high-speed burst mode, look for a Class 4 or Class 6 card at the very least.
To complicate matters further, there are a couple of other formats out there. Some cameras support MicroSD or MicroSDHC cards, a smaller version of the SD card format that isn't compatible with full-size SD slots. Older Sony cameras take MemoryStick cards, and older Olympus cameras use the XD card format; both companies' new cameras now support SD/SDHC cards. If your camera accepts multiple memory cards, it's best to go with the standard SD/SDHC options, as you will more likely be able to use that across various cameras, and future camera purchases.
Software bundles: Almost all point-and-shoot cameras work with Apple's iPhoto or Image Capture software for importing pictures from the camera. You can also access the memory card using a card reader, and use the card like you would any other storage device.
All cameras come with software, but the included Mac software is often outdated. You're better off using iPhoto, Preview, or ImageCapture to manage your pictures and to make minor adjustments.
Video: Many point-and-shoots are able to shoot high definition (HD) video, either at 1280-by-720 or at 1920-by-1080. Most sub-$100 point-and-shoots let you record videos at 640-by-480 and/or 320-by-240 resolutions only. The video quality often isn't as good as a dedicated camcorder, but is easy to use in a pinch. Dirt-cheap point-and-shoot models don't usually offer this feature.
Often, you can download the recorded videos to iPhoto, and then use them in iMovie for editing. Some cameras may require a QuickTime software plug-in before you can watch the video.
The camera you ultimately decide to go with depends greatly on your budget and which features are most important to you. Here are a few recommendations to get you started.
Basic: Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3, $280; Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX5, $330, Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX9, $400 (See a list of the current top-rated point-and-shoot cameras)
Advanced: Canon PowerShot S95, $400; Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5, $500; Nikon Coolpix P7000, $500; Canon PowerShot G12, $500; Olympus XZ-1, $500 (See a list of the current top-rated advanced compact cameras)
Pocket megazoom: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V, $350; Nikon Coolpix S9100, $330; Fujifilm FinePix F550EXR, $350; Canon PowerShot SX230 IS, $350; Samsung HZ35W, $350 (See a list of the current top-rated pocket megazoom cameras)
Rugged: Lumix DMC-TS10, $250; Casio EX-G1, $300
If you have your own recommendations, leave them in the comments!
[Editor's note: This is an updated version of a previous article to reflect changes in the camera market and include our latest recommendations.]
Fujifilm FinePix F550EXR Compact Camera
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX9 Compact Camera
Read our full Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX9 Compact Camera review
Olympus XZ-1 Compact Camera
Read our full Olympus XZ-1 Compact Camera review
Samsung HZ35W Compact Camera
Coolpix P7000
Read our full Coolpix P7000 review
Canon PowerShot G12 Compact Camera
Read our full Canon PowerShot G12 Compact Camera review
Canon PowerShot S95 Compact Camera
Read our full Canon PowerShot S95 Compact Camera review
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 Compact Camera
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V Compact Camera
Cyber-shot DSC-WX5
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 Compact Camera
Read our full Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 Compact Camera review


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By Clyde Davis: Local columnist
Sometimes the world is best seen through the eyes of a child, where the world of wonder is still all encompassing, where the harsh limits of reality have not yet begun to intrude into one's life space. Such a view is still capable of believing, for example, in a magical rabbit who delivers chocolate, and I, for one, do not believe that this interferes with a child's spiritual development at all.
On the contrary, it may actually add to that development, enabling the more reasoned admittance of miracles whereby Christians accept that the Christ arose from the tomb, or the Jews place faith in the Exodus based events of the Passover.
Be that as it may, I have a granddaughter who actually and still realizes that a rabbit delivers eggs and chocolates, and who is becoming more fully aware of the realness of Jesus the Christ. One does not interfere with the other, to my observation.
Her world of belief does not end there, and she uses her imagination in amazing ways to help her make sense of life.
Last summer, she explained her growing ability to swim, and overcoming her fear of water, by theorizing that she must be turning into a mermaid. The assistance of her brother, who was visiting for the summer and who knew exactly when to tease and when to cajole, did not seem to enter into the equation, for her.
It's my belief that a great many mermaids have been created with the help of older brothers who knew how to alternate negative and positive reinforcement.
She also has an interesting theory about the shark's tooth necklace which my grandson, who lives in Florida, picked out and bought as a gift for me last summer, with my money. {Isn't that what 9-year-olds do?} She posits that Jason went on into the water, caught the shark and ripped out its tooth for Granddad.
My position is, if he could, he would. So in a sense, it's true.
We could apply the same anthropological sense of myth(a story containing a deeper truth, which may or may not be literal) to Mikayla's view of animals. Most children, her brothers included, love animals. Few children would hurt an animal, or see it hungry or homeless. (Yes, I believe cruelty is made, not born).
My granddaughter, however, Loves animals, with a capital L. She explains this by instructing us in the reality — that she can, with great effort, turn herself into any kind of animal which she chooses, even a snake or a dinosaur.
Time will pass, and magic will move out of her life. She may, given her empathies, enter an animal related field, but she will realize, someday, that she is not a shapeshifter, just as my grandson realized, gradually, that he may well become a policeman but was not likely to become a superhero.
Our childhood dreams shape our adult realities. Let's, then, allow our children to dream as long, and as fruitfully as possible, and make futures out of the malleable dreams they form.


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- This event has passed.
Qigong: Self-Care for Stress Reduction
02/20/2018 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Join practitioner Anniina Gregg and learn about the benefits of QiGong. Qi Gong (pronounced chee gung) is an ancient Chinese healthcare practice that combines the body, breath and mind to increase inner strength and vitality. "Qi" means life force or energy, and "gong" means to gather, cultivate or a skill that is cultivated with consistent practice. It is a gentle practice that benefits many body systems and is safe for all ages. It will promote healing, increase energy, and improve mental focus and inner balance.
In this one hour class, you will learn the different Qi Gong movements that help reduce stress, increase vitality and build stamina. You will also learn about some basic theory and philosophy behind the practice.
Those interested should bring a yoga mat and wear comfortable clothing that is easy to move in. Free to attend.
Anniina Gregg is a licensed acupuncturist (L.Ac.) and a certified herbalist and Oriental Medicine practitioner (NCCAOM). She specializes in healthy aging, digestive and fertility support, and restorative and rejuvenating therapies for stress and fatigue. Her unique style cultivates and encourages patients to find new balance and improved states of physical and mental health.


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Posts tagged 'divorce men'
HOME REMEDY-New Company Helps Men Remake Their Living Space After Divorce
By Beth Neuman
Although both men and women can face a tough period of transition following the break-up of a marriage, men often have a more difficult time reorganizing their lives after divorce. Because women typically retain custody of the children and residence of the marital home, men face the dual challenge of adjusting to their new parental role and making a new home.
Men who have had little or no input into the day-to-day household decisions while married often find the latter task to be the most perplexing. For some men in this situation, the last time they were responsible for maintaining their own home, their apartments were decorated with empty liquor bottles and furniture from their parent's basement.
While reliving these days – and décor – may seem at first like a romantic notion or an expression of lost youth, this is not something that often works out in the long run. A messy or unfurnished home could hurt a guy's chances with new relationships because women often see a man's living space as a reflection of the whole person and his potential as a mate. But most importantly, divorced men need to provide a comfortable and appropriate living environment for visitation with their children.
Unfortunately, getting your life and living space together after a divorce takes time – something many men who work long hours just don't have. Although many men have the resources, they simply don't have the time or knowledge to get their lives on track.
A new company, Hemancipation Interiors for Men (HIM), focuses exclusively on guiding men through this transition. The company's select group of consultants taps into a nationwide network of resources and experts to help men find a new residence and create a comfortable new home after divorce. Because Hemancipation Interiors for Men employs interior designers, architects, lifestyle consultants and relationship managers, they offer divorced men a variety of experts that can assist them based on their own specific needs.
According to the company's founder, Akilah Kamaria, the inspiration for Hemancipation Interiors for Men came from an item in the society section of a newspaper. The note was about a successful businessman whose wife had filed for a divorce. He was spotted in the lobby of the luxury hotel where he had taken up residence. The notation was not kind – he was being ridiculed because he was living in the hotel. Kamaria said that although she did not know the circumstances of the divorce she felt compassion for the man whose life had evidently been turned upside down.
"That's when my journey began," said Kamaria. "I needed answers so I initiated discussion with men – a lot of men – everywhere I went. I wanted to know what choices and services were available to them. So I talked to therapists and attorneys, I talked to men in barbershops, in taxicabs, in elevators, on the street and at grocery stores. I also searched the web, read books, magazines or any relevant literature that I could find on the subject. One thing was soon evident: no matter the socio-economic scale, from CEO's to the security guard in the lobby, the male experience was consistent. They did not have a resource."
Kamaria said all the stories were unique, but had a common thread. One gentleman said it has been five years since his divorce (his wife was cheating while he worked two jobs) and he was still struggling to get his life back on track. Another gentleman went to church one Sunday morning and came back home to an empty house, his wife had taken all their belongings and he was left with nothing. One divorced man moved into the couple's second home when the divorce was final and quickly discarded everything in the home because he always hated his ex-wife's taste. According to Kamaria, these men had the financial resources, but were living in empty unfurnished houses because they lacked the time, inclination or knowledge to create a comfortable space.
Kamaria said she was surprised to find many women were not supportive of her endeavor.
"The general female population was not interested in my newfound desire to assist men," Kamaria said. "They expressed an odd displeasure with me as if I was betraying the gender by even caring what men were experiencing. As if men somehow deserved the hardship and punishment of divorce. No matter the fact that maybe he was the 'good' guy in all of this."
The fact is everyone, especially men, need support during the transition that follows divorce. And there are many issues newly single fathers have to consider that may have previously been their ex-wife's domain: food allergies and food preferences, medicine, clothes shopping, decorating, favorite toys, doctor's information, hobbies and school functions.
The following are six tips developed by Kamaria for dads looking to make their new homes kid-friendly. More information on Kamaria and Hemancipation Interiors for Men can be found online at www.hisdesigner.com.
Private Space: Ensure that child has their own space in your home. Sleeping on a sofa/floor or in an open area is not conducive to having your child feel stable in your home. For teen girls, make sure there are little mini containers in the bathroom for her personal affects.
Decorating Dad: Invite your children to help with decorating their room in your new home. Your child can pick paint colors, posters, and toys to decorate the room. If you keep a second set of their favorite items, clothes, toys, games, etc. it eliminates the drama of forgotten toys and clothes while transferring from mom's place to dad's place. It helps the child to feel secure and make visits less traumatic.
Leather Love: Men's preference for leather works well with children because it is a great fabric that is easily cleaned of minor spills. Leather is great to create a comfortable masculine space and your child can bring their dog or cat for the weekend because leather does not collect pet hair.
Safety First: Men and women see things differently and mothers are on the lookout in the father's space for safety issues, items that may pose a danger to children. Look around your home; is it clean and comfortable? Take an inventory of items that may be issue- Glass tables, sharp edges on furniture, cleaning supplies under the cabinet, stairs without a stair guard, etc. If you have toddlers, crawl around on the floor to see what they see at their eye level. Ex-wives I have spoken to did not want the children visiting Dad's new residence because they were concerned about perceived safety issues although they never mentioned it to the ex-husband.
Image is Everything: Make sure there are images in your home of your children, especially if you have remarried and have children with your new wife. Children notice if they are not represented and will feel unwanted and forgotten even if they do not mention it. For dads handy with a computer, use your children pictures to create the screensaver on your home computer. It's a nice touch; and if you are not computer literate, you can ask your child to do it. They will enjoy the task and appreciate the attention from dad.
Create School Space: Ensure that your children have space to do homework in your new residence, even if you are living in a small space. Make sure there is a desk or area for the child to work. This shows that you have thought of their needs even if you are no longer with them each day. Sign up for your child's' school newsletter to stay involved in their activities. Most schools have online sites, so check out the school calendar.


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Wa alaykum as-salam, these are some further remarks on what was conveyed by Brother MF Khan from the following source:
[Mufti Ebrahim Desai FATWA DEPT. Jamiat Ulema Islam. South Africa] http://www.albalagh.net/qa/milad_qa2.shtml on the subject of the presence of the Prophet – Sallallahu `alayhi wa Sallam – at Mawlid gatherings:
The Belief that the Prophet Comes to the Milad Meeting Some people also believe that Rasulullah, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, comes to this function and due to this belief, they stand up in respect and veneration. This is absolutely untrue. Rasulullah, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, does not arrive at any "Eid-e-Milad-un Nabee, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam" function. He is in his Rawdha-e-Mubarak (grave) at Madinah Munawwarah and will emerge from it at the onset ofYawmul-Qiyaamah, or the Day of Judgement.
Does Mufti Ibrahim Desai have `ilm al-ghayb and the gift of ubiquity? For he positively affirms that the Prophet – Allah bless and greet him – (1) is not present at a given Mawlid function and (2) is not possibly present at any place other than in Madina.
Yet testimonies from the great Awliya' and Salihin of this Umma have flown uninterruptedly for a thousand years to the effect that the Prophet – Allah bless and greet him – was and continues to be seen by countless pure eyes in countless different locations. No need to ask "how". Read the fatwa to that effect in Shaykh al-Islam al-Haytami's Fatawa Hadithiyya (p. 297), entitled: "Question: Can the Prophet be seen in a wakeful state?" The answer is yes, and if he is seen, then he is present.
Yes, we know with positive knowledge that he is in Madina al-Munawwara – but in the state of BARZAKH. And that state, by the decree of Allah, is governed by laws other than phenomenal laws. Read about it in Sayyid Muhammad `Alawi al-Maliki's Manhaj al-Salaf if you wish. I translated the relevant parts in my volume entitled "The Prophets in Barzakh," available at As-Sunna Foundation of America Publications. Or, read about it in Kitab al-Ruh by Ibn al-Qayyim. Or in al-Tadhkira by al-Qurtubi.
There is a rule (qa`ida) that says: "Al-Ithbaat Muqaddamun `ala al-Nafy" meaning: "Affirmation takes precedence over denial" and another one that states: "Laysa man la ya`lam kaman ya`lam" meaning: "The one who does not know is not like the one who knows." Even in the matter of a simple hadith narration there are things we know and things we do not know, as Mufti Ibrahim is well-placed to know.
I will now quote from Sayyid Muhammad ibn `Alawi al-Maliki's commentary on this very issue from his book on Mawlid titled Hawl al-Ihtifal bi Dhikra al-Mawlid al-Nabawi al-Sharif ("Regarding the Celebration of the Prophet 's Birthday") which was translated and cited in Shaykh Hisham Kabbani's Encyclopedia of Islamic Doctrine (3:45-48), and I recommend that Mufti Ibrahim take a look at the original text of al-Maliki before pursuing this matter any further:
"Some of those who forbid standing for the Prophet, do so because of what they imagine people to believe when standing and invoking blessings on him: namely, that the Prophet – Allah bless and greet him – is actually present in person at that time. However, this is not the reason why the people stand and no-one claims this except those who actually object to standing. Rather, those who stand are only expressing happiness and love, and they are overflowing with respect and dedication at the Prophet's mention in the august assembly of those who remember him. They stand to attention because of their awe before the light that dawns upon creation for the one whose fame Allah has exalted high. They stand as a sign of thankfulness for the immense mercy bestowed on creation in the person of the Prophet Muhammad, blessings and peace upon him.
"At the same time it is impermissible to object to the freedom of the soul in barzakh to travel wherever it pleases by Allah's permission, according to the sayings reported by Ibn al-Qayyim in his book Kitab al-ruh (p. 144) whereby Salman al-Farisi said: "The souls of the believers are in an isthmus of land from where they go wherever they wish," and Imam Malik said: "I have heard (balaghani) that the soul is set free and goes wherever it wishes."
[So the Shaykh acknowledges that although the Noble Presence is not the reason why people stand up, yet there is no impediment to its possibility anyway.]
"Standing or dancing out of joy for the Prophet, or for what is connected to him or proceeds from him, has clear proofs in the Sunna."
[Here he lists a long list of the well-known authentic nusus to that effect. Then he concludes:]
"There is no doubt that such singing, dancing, reciting of poetry, and banging the drum was for joy at being with the Prophet, nor did he condemn or frown upon such displays in any way whatsoever. These are common displays of happiness and lawful merriment, and similarly to stand up at the mention of the Prophet's birth is an ordinary act that shows love and gladness symbolizing the joy of creation: it does not constitute worship, nor law, nor Sunna! That is why the savant al-Barzanji said in his famous poem of Mawlid:
wa qad sanna ahl al-`ilmi wa al-fadli wa al-tuqa
qiyaman `ala al-aqdami ma`a husni im`ani
bi tashkhisi dhati al-mustafa wa huwa hadirun
bi ay maqamin fihi yudhkaru bal dani
"It is the usage of the excellent people of knowledge and piety
"To stand on their feet in the best demeanor "
Acting as if the Prophet (s) were actually present "
Every time they mention him, and visualizing him coming to them.
"Observe that he spoke well when he said: acting as if he were present and visualizing him, that is: strongly calling to mind his gracious form and qualities so as to increase and perfect the motions of their hearts and bodies towards respecting and loving him, as the narrations show. This is a delicate matter from which are shut out those in whose hearts Allah did not place mercy. And Allah knows best."
[End of al-Maliki's text as translated and paraphrased in the Encyclopedia of Islamic Doctrine (3:45-48).]
At a future point insha Allah I intend to post the text of Shaykh al-Islam Taqi al-Din al-Subki standing up in uncontained emotion in the midst of a Mawlid recitation in Damascus, at the mention of the passage in which Sayyida Amina bint Wahb gave birth to Rahmatun li al-`Alamin Sallallahu `alayhi wa Sallam.
At any rate, the presence of the Noble Ruhaniyya of the Prophet – Allah bless and greet him – is a ghaybi matter which should not be declared positively impossible. As for the verses quoted in the rest of the post they are quite irrelevant to the specific matter of seeing the Prophet Sallallahu `alayhi wa Sallam or of his presence in the gatherings of the Salihin in dunya or and Akhira. To tell the truth I find the reasoning behind the quotation of some of this evidence and in the concluding paragraph of Mufti Ebrahim, disturbing. Was-Salam.
Hajj Gibril
The following Ayat and Hadith testify to this fact: The Qur'an, addressing
Rasulullah, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, announces explicitly: –"Lo! Thou wilt die, and Lo! They will die. Then Lo! On the day of resurrection, before your sustainer, you will dispute." [Az-Zumar 39:30-31] At another place, Rasulullah, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, is addressed together with the rest of mankind: – "Then Lo! After that you surely die, then Lo! On the day of resurrection you are raised (again)" [Al-Muminun 23:16] Rasulullah, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, himself has said in a Hadith: – "My grave will be the first to be opened on the day of Qiyamah and I shall be the first person to intercede and the first person whose intercession shall be accepted." These Ayat and Hadith as well (and there are others) prove that all of mankind will be raised from their graves on the day of Qiyamah, with Rasulullah, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, being no exception. On this, there is consensus of the entire Ummah.
[End of quote of Mufti Ebrahim Desai FATWA DEPT. Jamiat Ulema Islam. South Africa]


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As if streets didn't have enough pandemonium, Japanese designer Yuri Suzuki has created a White Noise Machine. He put it in a street in Delhi, India, and this is what happened.
The White Noise Generator analyzes the sound coming into it, and spits it back at you as gibberish. Sometimes I believe that Times Square does this on its own, out of pure acoustics. [Designboom]


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As a British person, you may have felt left out as you watched our American chums preparing to choose their president. And now they've made the right choice, perhaps you're wondering how, in your own small British way, you too can make a difference. Well, fear not! For I have found a couple of petitions with which you can express your idealism, good nature and sound judgment.
The first petition aims to increase cycling access in Richmond Park by excluding motor vehicles from the seven-mile loop on Sundays. The giddy dream is that the proposal will be debated in parliament if it gets enough signatures.
At first, I thought the concept isn't a bad idea. Cyclists who don't yet feel confident riding among cars would get their own mini-Sky Ride every weekend. Then I posted a link to the petition on the London Dynamo forum, and now I think it's a great idea. Because, perversely, it seems my cycling club – one of the largest in the country – is not keen on this particular plan to promote bike riding. And if there is one defining hallmark of a great idea it is the mood of fearfulness with which it is greeted.
You can't read the thread I started unless you're a member, so I will try give a fair précis of the objections and provide my counter-arguments. The main fear is that with lots of beginners and children pootling along at 10mph, more serious cyclists such as myself wouldn't be able to use the park for training rides on Sundays. Well, I'm fine with that. Dynamo's group ride in the park is on Saturdays; everyone heads for the hills of Surrey on Sunday. Under this proposal, less experienced riders would get to enjoy the park for one day a week, 'Mos and other club cyclists would get the other six, and maybe at some point a few of those beginners would gain the confidence to ride with us. We all win!
Another objection is that it fixes a non-existent problem: you can still use the park early in the morning when there is almost no traffic. I would suggest the almost total absence of pootlers at that time of the morning shows this is a lousy option that has, in effect, already been rejected. If I had kids, I wouldn't relish waking the family up at the crack of dawn and getting to the park to ride for a measly hour or less before the cars showed up. The other alternative is sticking to cycling on the straight strip of car-free tarmac bisecting the loop, which is an excellent plan if you want to be bored out of your mind. You'll never get more people cycling if you make the activity seem unappealing.
Some Dynamo members appear to be thinking of other people's concerns. What about the residents surrounding the park? Surely they won't like golfers parking on their doorstep to use the park's course, and they'll be miffed at the increase in traffic on the roads in their neighbourhood. Also, if fewer people visit the park, then there will be an economic impact on the cafes within its grounds. But then there is no guarantee any of these eventualities will occur. Sunday golfers may have a round on Saturday instead. Roads surrounding the park do not become insurmountably clogged when it is closed for deer culling. The custom of hungry cyclists in cafes could replace that of motorists.
There was one alternative suggestion to car-free Sundays: a congestion charge, levied in the park throughout the week. I suppose this ambitious plan could reduce the traffic, although it can't weed out the worst drivers, which is what really puts people off riding. So it's only a partial solution.
Basically, it comes down to this: I would like less confident riders to experience of the same simple pleasures I have enjoyed in the park over the years – things like the big, long descent or the nonplussed deer watching you on the small climb to Richmond Gate. So if you think this a reasonable and commendable aim, then please add your name to the list.
The second petition I signed aims to reinstate Danny Baker's weekday afternoon radio show on BBC London 94.9. You've probably heard what happened to the Candyman after coverage of his magnificently funny and defiant two-hour swansong last Thursday made just about every news outlet you care to mention, including the front page of The Times.
And yes, regular dwellers of this blog will have already noticed me gabbing on and on about how much pleasure Danny's show has provided. Nestled amid the phone-in topics and chats with his co-hosts Baylen, Amy and the inimitable David Kuo was a central idea: that the kinks, quirks and fleeting moments of oddness in popular culture and people's everyday existence are what gives these things life. So if you value originality and good humour – which, of course, you must surely do – then sign now. If you do, I promise to stop gibbering on about how much I love Danny Baker. You can't say fairer than that.


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We all know what we should do to take better care of ourselves — eat healthier, exercise more, reduce stress (good luck on that last one). Employee wellness programs aim to get workers practicing better self care, but are they actually effective? And in the long run will they save companies, agencies or government entities money on health care benefits and reduced sick days?
If one goal of health care reform is to promote wellness, when and how will implementation of such programs be mandated?
The Kitsap Sun is doing an article on the effectiveness of employee wellness programs. We hope you'll take part in our online survey. Click here to take survey.
Also, let us know if your company has some innovative ideas on promoting employee wellness.
If you have any questions about the story or about how your responses will be used, or if you'd like to comment on your company/agency's employee wellness program, call reporter Chris Henry at (360) 792-9219, or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.
Thanks for your help. Chris Henry, reporter


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by Chris Hedges
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
November 19, 2012
Gaza is a window on our coming dystopia. The growing divide between the world's elite and its miserable masses of humanity is maintained through spiraling violence. Many impoverished regions of the world, which have fallen off the economic cliff, are beginning to resemble Gaza, where 1.6 million Palestinians live in the planet's largest internment camp. These sacrifice zones, filled with seas of pitifully poor people trapped in squalid slums or mud-walled villages, are increasingly hemmed in by electronic fences, monitored by surveillance cameras and drones and surrounded by border guards or military units that shoot to kill. These nightmarish dystopias extend from sub-Saharan Africa to Pakistan to China. They are places where targeted assassinations are carried out, where brutal military assaults are pressed against peoples left defenseless, without an army, navy or air force. All attempts at resistance, however ineffective, are met with the indiscriminate slaughter that characterizes modern industrial warfare.


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The Late Movies: Flash Mobs Around the World
Flash mobs, defined by Webster's as "a group of people who organize on the Internet and then quickly assemble in a public place, do something bizarre, and disperse," have become part of global pop culture. The clips below feature some that were organized for advertisements, some for commemoration, and some just for fun -- but all were carefully planned in order to surprise unsuspecting passersby.
Flash mob -- featuring the university's president -- in the student union building at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio in 2010
Pillow fight flash mob in Birmingham, UK in 2007
"The Great Trafalgar Square Freeze" in London, UK in 2008
Flash mob performance choreographed for a Belgian television show, filmed at Central Station in Antwerp, Belgium in 2009
Michael Jackson-themed flash mob in Paris, France in 2009
The Who-themed flash mob in San Francisco, CA in 2009
Flash mob performance choreographed for T-Mobile commercial, filmed at Heathrow Terminal 5 in London, UK in 2010


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posted by Adrian Foo | 2015-09-05 18:05:00
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Once you've made a decision to start a restaurant you will need to select a location where your brand new endeavor can prosper. Area is of fantastic relevance towards the viability of a bistro enterprise. As you know you will need a great restaurant spot with plenty of place, there are a variety of other aspects to consider. These provides a long list of selection requirements which you can use to evaluate how excellent a specific area is.
Neighborhood Zoning Rules
The first things to consider when you are picking out a spot for a cafe or restaurant is exactly what makes use of your building is authorized to be used for under the neighborhood zoning system.
A Trade Off Between Cafe Location and Hire
It really is obvious which a cafe should try to be in a prime location which has good visibility and great close by traffic runs. However these sorts of places can come at a cost and that is certainly the high rent payments you will have to pay for. A good choice can be to get a much less notable location such as down a area lane or in the next or next ground of any building. You can expect to then have the capacity to save lots of money on rent payments and work out far more ideal leasing phrases with the creating manager. Nevertheless, you do need to compensate for a poor spot having a top notch marketing strategy in addition to meals and service that motivates consumers to return.
Procedure Size
You have to have a very good concept of how big the cafe procedure that you might want to establish. One of the simple requirements by using a place will likely be that it must be big enough so that you can put in place a nearby restaurant of the ideal dimensions and idea. Health and safety legal guidelines will determine the amount of men and women can take up your building so that you should find out about these demands prior to starting considering locations. You could possibly turn out figuring out that this residence that you simply considered was perfect is simply too tiny for the customers you have to bring in.
Ease of access
You will notice that dining places are often located in regions with great availability and therefore are near company zones and household locations. Being accessible will make certain you can draw in the volumes of people that you need to maintain your organization. Stay outside the building that you are thinking about employing to open your cafe. Matter automobile and foot visitors moves and compare them with other spots that you are currently contemplating.
The exclusion to the guideline this is for those who have an 'out of the way' place like in a seaside or perhaps a vineyard for instance. Often the unconventional spot of your bistro could become a promoting level. Take into account that beneath the correct situations people importance functions such as a seaside look at or mountain peak scenery over comfort and availability.
Lease contract or Purchase
You have to determine if leasing or acquiring properties for your restaurant would be the best relocate. Both choices have their pros and cons. Most restaurant business owners start out renting and protect their funds for new venture expenses and organization progress rather than making an investment in residence at the same time.
Possess some preliminary discussions with building owners and attempt to get a solid idea of how accommodating they will probably be around the regards to a lease. Reaching an agreement over a lease might be a extended approach thus it helps provided you can take care of constructing owners that you can talk well with. The must be available to some negotiation and discussion.
Place Demographics and Researching The Market
Think about what sort of area your proposed diner place is located inside of. Then look at the sort of cafe that would be ideal for the nearby people. Spend some time to learn the demographics in the place to attempt to figure out the age, racial background and socio-monetary position in the nearby human population.
The Neighborhood Overall economy and site Selection
Folks will only be going out to restaurants in eating places should they have tasks and discretionary cash flow to spend. Consider local monetary problems before putting together your cafe. How is company sentiment from the geographic area?
The neighborhood economic climate will even have an impact on your choice of principle. Fastfood typically continues to be preferred inside a inadequate economy but greater costed food list solutions will probably not work well inside a community where there were production line closures.
Competition and Other Enterprises
Before selecting a restaurant spot one of many conditions that you must consider is the other businesses that are in your community. Plenty of level of competition is not always a bad thing mainly because it means that the marketplace is good and might help a lot of dining places. Nevertheless you obviously desire to reduce your competition you will probably have in close proximity your diner around you can. No less than make sure that you go with a cafe principle which is unique in your community so that you have few straight competition.
Next, you should determine if there are more enterprises in close proximity that may be supporting to some bistro. For instance, when there is a movie theatre across the road through your restaurant you might see great enterprise from motion picture goers as these come in to dine before viewing a movie.
Vehicle parking
You ought to have a rather good idea of how consumers would get to a restaurant at the offered spot. A fantastic bistro will ideally have its very own car park. Depending on your strategy, near by community car parking can be appropriate. Nonetheless, remember that lots of people only will push on to another restaurant should they have nowhere to park there vehicle. Keep in mind that in certain metropolitan areas, distance to open public transport may be more important than vehicle parking.
External and Setting
Take a good look in the pathways and also other complexes which are round the location that you are interested in. They could at times affect a prospective diners impact of your respective company. You will get small power over your friends so you want to go with a restaurant location with surroundings which are tidy, organised and well maintained.
Reconstruction Fees
Distinct areas will have different expenses associated with switching an accessible room right into a restaurant. One particular big component having an effect on the level of refurbishments could be the complexes earlier use. In case the prior proprietor also ran a restaurant on a site then redesigning requirements should be small.
You need to keep redecorating expenses to a minimum if you are leasing a place to your bistro. You could potentially take into account investing much more if you are able to barter using the developing owner and have them bring about these costs. The duration of your rent will also be a factor in determining just how much to invest.
Get along a creating inspector or some building contractors who have experienced encounter remodeling complexes for diner owners and get them for tips on renovation charges.
When you choose to get started on a nearby restaurant understand that location is probably the most significant elements that can establish your prosperity. Think about the above standards when you go through the choice method. The property that you just pick should not only be in a notable place but it really should also be sensible and useful to permit your restaurant to work easily.
Inspired by: ezinearticles


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Monday, January 6, 2014
Guest post: The two kinds of mothers in medicine
18 comments:
I don't think it's about changing who you are or even changing your perspective. I think every mother has to find the combination of work/home that works best for her and her family. That combination can and should look different for different people! Also, we all go through periods of time when we are more or less happy with how we are balancing things.ReplyDelete
And don't delude yourself -- even the "committed to work" mothers who love what they do and aren't working 80 hours per week anymore feel a yearning to be with their kids when they are at work and a sense of guilt for missing things from time to time. I think that's just human nature. And, of course, if you're a resident working 80 hours per week, or you're unhappy at your job, these feelings are likely to be amplified.
For me, the way I feel better about my choices is in acknowledging that is what they are: choices. And that I am lucky to have them. And then in permitting myself to feel happy when I am not with my daughter. Some days it is easier to do this than others. I also remind myself that the family where one parent works full time and the other stays at home is a recipe for disaster if something should happen to (especially) the working parent, since re-entry into the workforce can be really difficult after a hiatus. Having both of us work, in our family, is an insurance policy that is not really optional since we have no family help.
That's my perspective for today anyway... :-)
- AnonymousJanuary 6, 2014 at 9:04 AM
Fight the patriarchy. You can do it! You can feel at ease with your choices.ReplyDelete
I would recommend a technique called cognitive restructuring, which is just what you're doing when you think the truth after having a guilty thought, except you write it down. So you fold a piece of paper in half lengthwise. On the left you write the repeating negative thought. Then next toto it on they gritting that, write the truth. It is a very powerful technique fromCBT.Replies
- AnonymousJanuary 6, 2014 at 1:10 PM
"toto it on they gritting that" @#$#ing auto correct. #$@#%ing ipad.Delete
"to it on the other half"
Also, I would dissent with the idea that all moms feel guilty about parenting/work choices. I have never felt guilty about my parenting. My kids are turning out amazing, so I don't think there's anything I could do that would be better. If I'm not there for something, they're learning independence and to value things for their own merits rather than my approval. If I'm there for something, then I'm there.
My mom also worked full-time and I never felt like she was doing a bad job. She taught me that her life and her work are important, meaning that when I grew up, my life and my work are important too. I'm not trapped by the belief that I have to be at every soccer game or that there even have to be soccer games. (Also not trapped by the belief my house has to be clean.)
Your story does sound a bit like Dr. Isis (at isisthescientist.com). Many ages ago she was talking about feeling guilty for not being a perfect homemaker on top of an R1 professor. More recently she's opened up about her childhood abuse and neglect-- her mom was definitely not a perfect homemaker. So I wouldn't discount your childhood experiences influencing your views. But it's society that's selling the June Cleaver model as ideal mother. That's limited. Great mothers come in many more varieties, most definitely including working moms. You know that intellectually, but maybe haven't internalized it yet.
I agree with OMDG, I think everyone has some degree of internal conflict---whether they are vocal about it or not. I also don't think you're going to 100% be happy to be working every minute you're at work, whether you have kids or not. There were many many times during my training, for example, where I felt terrible for missing important events in the lives of my close friends and family (weddings, birthdays, surgeries). Life is about making choices, and if you are comfortable with those choices the majority of the time (and its seems you are?) then thats the best you can get. I am unapologetically happy to work full-time and have my kids in daycare...but yesterday my 4-year old was crying that he didn't want to go to school and wanted to hang out with me, and this morning has been rough. But I'm sure tomorrow he'll be fine, and I'll be fine again. I also don't like missing every single school field trip----but they are scheduled on the one day I HAVE to be in clinic...ReplyDelete
I've been out of residency for 9 years, full time family practice, two daughters 12 and 6. I can't say my life is "balanced," but I do feel at "peace" with my life.ReplyDelete
Speaking for what has worked for me:
-Refuse to feel guilty for not being perfect (at home or at work).
-Take every vacation day that is due.
-Don't buy into the competition over homemade cupcakes (gluten, egg and dairy free). A bag of grapes works well.
-Don't allow reception to double or triple book your schedule when you just can't work that way. I'm on production, and I work as hard as I need to for my personal goals, no harder.
-Schedule tasks like hair cuts into your routine. Leaving at 3 p.m. one day every 6 weeks is not going to hurt anyone.
-Set a bedtime for your kids and maintain it, for the sanity of everyone. After 8:30 p.m, it is personal time for my husband and me.
-Say no to committees that you just don't care about, and avoid meetings that serve no purpose besides "face time."
-Refuse to feel personally responsible for the lousy decisions your patients make. It is their life, let them live it. Let them own the consequences.
-It's going to be hard, but let your children own their lives and decisions too. Refuse to take it as personal attack when your daughter or son wants to do it their way. You are planting and cultivating individuals, not clones. I see so many friends personally mourning when their child wants to give up soccer or stop playing an instrument.
In terms of resources, I recommend Debora Spar's book "Wonder Women: Sex, Power and the Quest for Perfection." Her message it to be "good enough."
I'm decidedly in the second group, not the first, and I actually don't feel conflicted at all about being less invested in medicine than I am in my family. For me, a real moment of clarity when I was early in the working mother years and still working full-time was when one of my mentors gave me her tip - she left by 5pm on Fridays to make sure she could make and eat dinner with her kids that night. Considering that I had been running out the door at 4:15 every single day of the week since my first day back from maternity leave (nursing baby got hungry), and still felt work was taking too much from my family life, her tip showed me how career invested I didn't want to be. (And, for the record, I respect this woman very much as a physician, professional, and mother; I just want to make different choices for myself and my family.) Unless the patient is actually coding in front of me, there is no patient or patient problem I care about more than getting home for dinner with my kids, and that is my attitude all day in clinic, which keeps me on track, schedule-wise, to be done in time to make that happen.ReplyDelete
i love the tips from other moms above - including the practical ones! i can honestly say that am happy with my balance of full time (though decent hours!') medicine. but sometimes when i feel guilt ABOUT liking my current balance, i think about how proud i would be of my daughter (currently not even 2 yet) if she had a full career that she loved. i am setting a good example for her. plus, i do enjoy my work AND the financial benefits it brings (including taking some of the stay-at-home parent chores OFF of the table for me so that the time i am home can be more of a pure parenting role).ReplyDelete
I am not yet a mom but am the child of a mother who was very busy, and although she was not a physician, her job as a researcher would require her to travel internationally for six weeks at a time, and she probably worked in the 60+ hours per week range (and still does). We would often need to "reschedule" birthdays because she was out of town, she certainly didn't make it to every sporting event or dance recital, and even today, she told me she wouldn't be able to make it to my first wedding dress fitting because of work. For me, it really wasn't a big deal. It was always evident that she loved both her job and her family. Even though I now know she felt guilty being away, this was never apparent from my perspective as a child which was totally fine. All three of us turned out well and have great relationships with our parents.ReplyDelete
I have never wished that my mom had stayed at home or was less busy. She was an amazing role model, and I don't think I would have had the resilience I have had it not been for her example. Growing up, she made a big effort to take us to the office/lab occasionally (usually for lunch) so that we would have some kind of understanding of what she was doing while she was away (I think this was really helpful). She always brought me to take your daughter to work day (she was the only female researcher/faculty member in her department), and would often include the whole family in her work travels (most of my vacations growing up coincided with some kind of research conference). I did miss her at times, and was sad that she was gone, but what I remember most was how special she made the time we did spend together. When she was spending time with us, she was fully invested. She never once made cupcakes for a bake sale, but she did show me how to bake and decorate my own (with some supervision, of course) if they were needed for school, which did way more for me than having perfect Cake Boss worthy mini-pieces of art. My dad did stay home with us for a couple years while he was working on our masters degree when we were infant, 3 and 5, but to be honest, I don't really remember it. I think it was probably easier on my parents that it was necessary for us. We had several wonderful nannies, who we developed wonderful relationships with. I think these people enhanced our family life and it's amazing to still be in touch with them now more than twenty years later (one of them is attending my wedding this summer).
Long story short, after being the child of a busy working mom, I can't imagine myself doing anything different as I'm now contemplating motherhood. Nothing was perfect, our house was never Martha Stewart ready, we'd have an occasional miscommunication about pick-ups from activities (which resulted in the purchase of my first cell phone), and my mom took a fair amount of judgement from the PTA (which is probably why I have a weird unreasonable resentment toward SAHMs). However, I grew up with an amazing strong woman as my role model, my parents modeled a relationship where both partners contributed to the bank account and the chores (which has laid the groundwork for me to have what I think is a healthy, equal partner relationship), my brother sister and I are very independent people who were not in shock the first time we were away from home and had to care for ourselves, and my younger brother has a huge respect for women. I wouldn't ask her to change a thing about her choices.
**A side note, when my mom was gone, she would always leave (what I can only assume was) a stack of hand written notes and occasionally little trinkets for my dad to leave under our pillows each night. I still have some of them. They were mostly 1-2 sentences, but they helped me know my mom was thinking about me even if she wasn't physically present. I still tear up a little when I think about it and how much it showed she cared. Little things like that make such a huge impact.Replies
I love this comment thread. I am in the first category, but only because I've consciously decided to be so. Just say "no" to Pinterest.ReplyDelete
Great post & great comment thread.ReplyDelete
I am a new mom of a 7 month old boy & a family doctor in a small city in Canada. I do family practice office, low-risk obstetrics and ER. I am just learning how to balance my day, but even before my son was born, I would say I fall into the 2nd category. When I started my practice I was so idealistic, and thought I could meet everyone's needs, but it didn't take long to see that I could not. No matter how much I tried to tweak my schedule to offer more appointments for patients, it seemed I could never satisfy everyone. I am starting to realize that I can't make everyone happy, but I can make myself and my family happy by putting our needs first and knowing when to say "No" and when it's time to go home. My schedule is not perfect by any stretch, and it's a struggle to stay on time so I can get home for dinner, but I am working on it. I love some of the ideas & suggestions above. And I love this website! Thanks!
Trying to figure out which group I think I am in versus which group readers think I may be in. I'm in residency working the 80 hour plus work weeks that OMDG referenced. I think I fluctuate back and forth. Docmom's points are ones that I live by every single day. She is spot on!ReplyDelete
I often tell myself that even if I were, for example, someone working 2-3 hourly jobs to make ends' meet, I would likely feel the same guilt about not spending time with my husband and son. I think of my ancestors who worked long and hard so that I could follow my dreams; they worked long hours, they fought against discrimination that I can never imagine. They may have spent even less time with their families.
I'm a doctor because it's my life's goal. I know many people who work long hours (though not as many as mine) in mundane jobs who also feel guilty about not being home enough and it's not their passion and they are not living their dream. I'll take the working long and hard and following my dream route. And I look forward to the day when I'm an Attending with a much better schedule than an Attending.
Oh and commit yourself daily to being the very best parent that you can be. Doesn't have to fit anyone else's mold. Doesn't have to be better than anyone, just needs to be your best and keep your kids healthy and alive!
I'm definitely in the second group. I've struggled with my guilt of being away from home and my guilt of not having "professional ambition." I made the difficult decision to not persue a fellowship this last year. At some point, what I'm doing and what I've already accomplished has just got to be good enough.ReplyDelete
Im also in the second group, but for me it has gotten easier once I came to peace with my own upbringing, my childhood and my mother. I started this wanting to be a perfect mother according to my own standards, and on the way Ive found out that I have to be less hard on myself... after all, the best mothers are most often not the perfect ones.ReplyDelete
I see it more as a spectrum not only in terms of a spectrum between two ends of the extreme but also a spectrum in terms of where someone falls at a particular stage in her life and career.ReplyDelete
I got to this post through the roundup of most viewed posts, and it really resonated. I think most working Moms are in the second group, and the guilt never goes away. It's hardest for me when my kids are sick and I'm not the one wiping their noses and taking care of them. We actually wrote a blog post on the topic in honor of Mother's Day, and it just went up today: http://blog.medicalscrubscollection.com/the-working-mothers-guilt/ReplyDelete


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Christian Jungersen
Photo: © Hans Ole Madsen
About the Author
Christian Jungersen's first novel, Undergrowth, won the Best First Novel Award in Denmark in 1999 and became a bestseller. His next novel, The Exception, won two of Denmark's highest literary awards, remained on the bestseller list there for nearly two years, and has been published in twenty countries. He lives in Malta.