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This book contains nearly 4,100 longevity records (reports of highest documented age) for 3,054 vertebrate species/subspecies including 890, 817, 120, 777, and 450 mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish, respectively. The number of records exceeds the number of species because for some species we found separate longevity records classified by sex and/or by living conditions (wild or captive) and for others we included two or more record ages.
Longevity records do not represent so-called species-specific maximal ages. First, whereas the life span of an individual animal is unambiguously the interval between its birth and its death, "maximum longevity" is not an appropriate general concept. As Caughley (1977) notes, this is because an animal dies before the age of infinity, not because it cannot pass some bounding age but because the probability of its riding out the ever present risk of death for that long is infinitesimally small. In other words, there is no identifiable age for each species to which some select individuals can survive but none can live beyond. Second, the record age of a species is heavily influenced by the number of individuals observed. That is, the longevity records for species in which the life spans of large numbers of individuals have been observed will be significantly greater than the corresponding figure for a species with the same longevity but represented by a few dozen individuals (Gavrilov and Gavrilova 1991). For the vast majority of longevity records by species, the population at risk and therefore the denominator are completely unknown. Despite some of the analytical and conceptual shortcomings, we believe that the longevity records contained in this book are useful in a number of comparative and disciplinary contexts including demographic, gerontological, ecological and evolutionary. The longevity records provide frames-of-reference for life course analyses for selected species, shed light on the relative longevity of different groups (e.g. mammals vs birds), and help to situate human longevity in the broad context of all living vertebrates.
We organized the book into five sections. The first section introduces the book, describes the data collection methods, describes the major sources of longevity data for each of the vertebrate groups, and presents a brief summary graphic of the longevity data contained in the book. This is followed by a list of selected references on longevity. The subsequent four sections contain the longevity records for each of the four main vertebrate groups. Each section begins with a broad description of the group (e.g. Mammals) followed by a general description for each of the main subgroups (generally Orders, e.g. Artiodactyla), and finally a table with longevity records. These records are organized alphabetically by order, family, and genus-species name.
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© 2002 Max-Planck-Gesellschaft


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The conversion of 601 Dolores, aka the Castle on the Park, aka Hogwarts, has been approved by the San Francisco Planning Commission for use by Children's Day School. In a Thursday marathon session that lasted until 10:30pm, neighbors and parents alike lined the aisles to speak both in favor and against the project.
The discussion centered around the planned use of a roof deck as a classroom to teach sustainable urban gardening. Before its unanimous approval, the Commission added some conditions to the plan, including restrictions on any rooftop use after 9pm or any external lighting on the roof. As reported in Curbed SF: the proposal would house students in 5th through 8th grades, and the work for the conversion of the giant spaces is massive, including a complete seismic retrofit, partitions for 10 new classrooms, 7 administrative offices, 3 student and faculty lounges, 2 new interior stairways, one elevator, 5 restrooms, and a full second floor level within the Sunday school wing of the building. The conversion will not harm the historic interior nor will it alter the exterior facades.
Next up for the project is further structural engineering planning. When completed, the new school will house approximately 180 wizards … er … middle schoolers. Welcome to the park, Children's Day School!

subset: commoncrawl


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What if…
instead of focusing on
the never-ending process
of attempting to let go
of all that the mind
continues to conjure.
What if…
you bowed at the altar
of your heart
surrendered it all
to the Divine.
~ Sharon Lyn Shepard ~
"message from my inner wisdom"
♥ Sharing is always appreciated ♥
I invite you to freely share my offerings with others.
Please maintain the integrity by including the author and source website link.


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There are 4 golf courses in Fountain Hills, Arizona and 0 are municipal courses. There are also another 96 golf courses within 20 miles of Fountain Hills, including 60 public, 3 municipal, 3 PL and 30 private courses.
The oldest course in the Fountain Hills area is the Arizona Country Club opened in 1946.
The longest course is Whisper Rock Golf Club, which is 7,600 yards. We-Ko-Pa Golf Club is rated the best course near Fountain Hills. The following courses have won various awards: SunRidge Canyon Golf Club, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, Silverleaf Club, Talking Stick Golf Club, Troon Country Club, TPC Scottsdale, Grayhawk Golf Club, Grayhawk Golf Club, Desert Highlands Golf Club, Scottsdale National Golf Club, Troon North Golf Club, Troon North Golf Club, The Estancia Club, Camelback Golf Club, Wildfire Golf Club, Legend Trail Golf Club, Whisper Rock Golf Club, Whisper Rock Golf Club, Mirabel Golf Club, Papago Golf Course, Boulders Resort & Spa, Boulders Resort & Spa, Desert Forest Golf Club.


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Career options after SSC
This is a season to celebrate the results of SSC Examinations and all the students who conquered it! SSC results mark the beginning of an individual's professional journey. The SSC diploma holds value not only as a proof of academic performance but even as a date of birth proof. However, the most exquisite aspect of the academic achievement does select the avenues and career options for higher studies. Naturally, there are a plethora of options when we discuss career prospects. Thus, it is good to have an idea about the professional courses and stream before one selects their subjects for HSC.
Stream options after SSC for Science
First things first. It is of the extreme essence to choose your subjects well because it would reflect on your specialization later.
For Example:
Anyone aiming for Medical/Paramedical cannot skip Biology. The same stays true for Engineering, wherein skipping mathematics is a big no! You can read in all about Science and if you are cut for it!
This is the most chosen stream after 1oth and offers many lucrative career options including medicine and engineering. It is also popular for the fact that it keeps you options open, i.e. a student is allowed to select commerce or arts after pursuing science in 10+2, while commerce and arts students cannot pursue science.
Stream options after SSC for Commerce
Studying Commerce as a stream can be defined as a study of business activities such as sale and purchase of goods and services from the producer to a buyer. Students are advised to choose this field only if they have an affinity for numbers and are more interested in business and economy.
Most students feel that opting for commerce stream will offer them a broad spectrum of career paths after they wind up with class 12th, that will make them successful and bring them a sense of monetary security. What most students don't contemplate is that just like science stream, a student also needs to have a definite inclination towards commerce to become successful in it.
To help you with understanding, whether commerce is the right choice for you as your future stream, we have an extensive guide here.
Stream options after SSC for Arts
Arts stream is very diverse. This fact is evident from the studies involved in this stream. It covers a wide variety of studies such as- visual arts (painting, sculpting, drawing etc), performing arts (music, dance, drama etc), literary arts (languages, literature, philosophy etc), history, law, humanities subjects, geography, political science etc.
Thanks to the availability of such diverse areas of studies, career options associated with this field are equally impressive.
Brainwonders will help you find the best stream options after SSC for yourself.
There is a certain misconception regarding Arts stream among students and parents. Many of them think that arts stream is only taken by students who are academically dull. Well, people are under a false impression! There exist many challenging subjects in this stream too, and it takes unquestionable aptitude to perform well in these exams too! Often, Many subjects that are taken up in Arts, prepare students for the civil services exams. Considering it is a very vast stream, it is good to know more about if this stream suits you the best!
With so many options in play, one is bound to get perplexed. Thus, seeking professional guidance is extremely helpful. One can use a good assessment and counselling center like IIPM. We have various career assessments like DMIT, aptitude test, IQ and other psychometric tests that we use to provide expert career counselling sessions. Our DMIT is the most comprehensive assessment that reports the inborn potential with respect to personality, learning styles, brain dominance. multiple intelligence profiles and career introspection. Thus, it beautifully aligns the genetic traits with available options to ensure professional success!


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Blue Angel on the High Seas
The Alfred Wegener Institute's research vessels are operated as sustainably as possible
Needless to say, today environmental protection is also an important topic in the context of shipping. Accordingly, especially at a Helmholtz Centre like the Alfred Wegener Institute, whose experts regularly conduct research at sea, sustainability on board is a priority. This can be seen not only in the AWI's latest and retrofitted ships, but also in the somewhat older models, like the Polarstern, which has been traversing the icy waters of the high north and deep south since 1982.
On an average of 300 days a year, the Polarstern can be found forging her way through the rough seas of the polar regions, using her nearly 20,000-horsepower-strong engines to break through thick ice when necessary. In the process, she consumes roughly 900 tons of fuel in a month; nevertheless, the environmental impact is kept to a minimum – and not simply because ships generally deliver a better eco-balance than other forms of transportation, but also because on board the Polarstern, the available resources are used as sparingly as possible.
For example, the 118-metre-long ship can reach speeds of up to 16 knots (30 kilometres per hour), but only rarely runs at top speed. "Normally the researchers travel at 10.5 knots maximum, which is less than 20 kilometres per hour," explains Marius Hirsekorn, who is responsible for the logistical coordination of the AWI's research ships. Traveling at lower speeds cuts fuel consumption and massively reduces emissions of the climate-relevant gas carbon dioxide.
Moreover, the ship doesn't run on fuel oil, but diesel, a significantly cleaner choice. "The Polarstern bunkers the cleanest variant available, DMA, which is nearly as good as the diesel used in commercial trucks," says Hirsekorn, who served as a container-ship captain before joining the AWI.
Further, environmental protection isn't only important in the engine room, but everywhere else on board. After all, with up to 44 crewmembers and up to 55 researchers and technicians, there are nearly one hundred people on board, all of whom need to take showers and use the toilet. A sophisticated filtering system cleans the wastewater, producing crystal-clear water that would be safe for human consumption, but which is thrown overboard. In contrast, no litter is thrown overboard, even though, according to the regulations for high-seas shipping, doing so is permissible for biodegradable substances like wood or cardboard. On the Polarstern, the waste is clearly separated into food waste, plastics, and paper, collected in a six-metre-long container, and properly disposed of at the next port of call. Only in the event that the container becomes full before reaching the next port, which can occasionally happen, as the ship's journeys can take up to 80 days, is part of the waste burnt in an incinerator commonly used on high-seas ships.
On the AWI's 55-metre-long Research Vessel Heincke, environmental protection is a considerably simpler matter, because the maximum of twelve researchers and the same number of crewmembers never spend more than a month on board, sailing through the North Sea and in the North Atlantic to Spitsbergen. The waste that accumulates and is sorted on board can be easily disposed of after returning to Bremerhaven. Once back at her homeport, the ship can also be supplied with electrical power from shore, eliminating the need to burn fuel. Since the main engines of the Heincke, which was first commissioned in 1990, had begun showing their age, in early 2015 they were replaced by three diesel engines that produce a combined output of 2140 horsepower, but are more economical than their predecessors.
Further, the Heincke only had sufficient room for a soot and exhaust filtering system, which uses a catalytic converter to remove nitrogen oxides, once its original smokestack was dismantled. The filtering system is directly integrated into the new smokestack and, since its installation, the AWI's second-largest research ship has been cruising the North Sea and North Atlantic as cleanly as possible, thanks to the cutting-edge technology used. "But these lower emissions alone are hardly enough to obtain a Blue Angel label for ship operation," Hirsekorn explains. For example, the requirements for the much-coveted label include e.g. environmentally friendly lubricants, which are unfortunately significantly more aggressive than conventional substances. Accordingly, e.g. gaskets have to be checked more frequently, and replaced if need be. Requirements for day-to-day operations on board, which range from litter separation, to wastewater filtration, recycling systems for beverage containers, and eco-training workshops for employees, make the certification process even more demanding.
The process of obtaining a Blue Angel label for ship design for the 21-metre-long Mya II, which was commissioned in 2013, was much easier. According to Hirsekorn, "With this new ship, we were able to include the soot and exhaust filtering during the planning phase." The ship's engine runs on the same diesel used by commercial trucks, and the biocide-free coating for the hull, which is harmless for marine organisms, was also there from the beginning. Since the Mya II, based in List on the island of Sylt, is used for coastal research and primarily only makes one-day cruises, any litter and wastewater can easily be disposed of back at port. The ship's auxiliary diesel engine, which supplies electrical power on board, features a separate soot filter, and in port, the Mya II uses a power cable from the shore.
The AWI's next project for environmental protection at sea is the "Uthörn 2". The successor to the original Uthörn, a 30-metre-long research cutter commissioned in 1982, is currently being planned by Marius Hirsekorn and his colleagues, and is intended to optimally fulfil all relevant environmental standards. The ship's journeys, during which she is used e.g. to collect samples from the North Sea between Bremerhaven and Helgoland, while simultaneously giving young marine biologists a first impression of their research area, can take up to seven days. And in the near future, she'll also be underway with a Blue Angel label.


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Dear Customers,
We have opened our showroom on an appointment only basis and with safety measures in place. So if you would like to visit then please give us a call (01732 770222) or send us an email ([email protected]) and we can book you in. We can also offer video meetings to discuss your requirements if this is desired. All materials are available with normal lead times and we are able to install where safety guidelines can be met.
We welcome your enquiries.
The Naos Team


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1974 Harry Ailster, the flamboyant, mercurial music teacher of my fourth grade class, calls on me to answer a question. I look up, gape-mouthed, as I have not been paying the least bit attention. "He's reading Bugs Bunny," a classmate informs Harry, pointing at the book I am trying to hide under my desk. "I'll bugs HIS bunny!" Harry roars, and snatches the book from my hand.
1978 Harry makes each pupil learn and perform for the class a verse from an old folk song. I get up and sing my verse of "Joe Turner." Harry gives me an A and informs me I will be performing in the upcoming 8th grade musical, The Truth About Cinderella.
|Taking my bow.
July-August 1980 I spend the summer mostly with my only real friend, John Krause. We take frequent bike rides and bus rides to the library, where we borrow books and records to feed our new fascination with John Lennon. Krause is especially interested in Plastic Ono Band because it has a lot of strong piano parts. We get sheet music and learn the songs, practicing and performing them together at the Presbyterian Church, which has permitted John to borrow its magnificent grand piano.
September 1980 It is announced that John Lennon and Yoko Ono are returning to public life with a brand new album, Double Fantasy.
December 1980 John Lennon is murdered in front of his New York City apartment building.
Spring 1982 I am ordered by the head of the English department at my high school to report to auditions for the senior year musical, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. I ignore the order, being too cool and punk rock for such things (e.g., being an idiot). The head of the English department responds by giving me detention and orders me again to report to auditions for the senior year musical -- which happens to be directed by none other than Harry "I'll bugs his bunny" Ailster. I win the part of Benjamin Burton Daniel Ovington.
May 1982 I join the New Providence High School Folk Club.
May 1982 By the time of the New Providence High School Folk Club Concert, I had joined and performed with my first band, PinPoint (later the Hot Rods, among other names), a 50s-rockabilly quartet. But on this occasion I am playing with Kazumi Umeda, a superb classical pianist, and Steve Muller, a gifted bass player, and we had put together a set of John Lennon songs to perform at the concert. At this point I had suffered a lot of ridicule for having been so expressive about my grief over Lennon's death (such as carrying one of his albums around the halls in a daze the day after), and it had gotten so bad that kids would yell out "Lennon!" when I passed through the halls. I didn't care. Well, I sort of cared. On this, my first and last public appearance in front of my high school peers as an audience, I am greeted onstage by catcalls and mocking. The huge, stupid bully who had beat me up regularly a few years before yells out mockingly "LENNON". I quaver, a little.
Kazumi sits down at the piano and starts a gentle, perfect rendition of "Imagine". Amid hoots and whoops I start to sing. Seconds later, dead silence from the audience ensues. During the next two songs, "God" and another I can't recall, you can hear a pin drop. The applause that follows our performance is loud, and it stays with me and sustains me through a lot of years.
[EDIT: Kazumi tells me the third song was probably "Jealous Guy". I am certain he is correct.]


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The Tehran Graphic Design Week 2015 will open on the World Graphics Design Day, observed annually on April 27, during which an exhibition of motion graphics will also be held in cooperation with the Iranian Artists Forum (IAF).
The economics of art and motion graphics are two key areas of focus for the Iranian Graphic Designers Society (IGDS) at this year's graphic week, said Ali Rashidi, head of directors at IGDS.
"IGDS has established itself as the administrative center for graphic arts after certain constructive measures were taken last year including inauguration of the Graphic Design Museum of Iran in January 2015," he said at a press conference, ISNA reported.
Printed (still) graphics are waning as many modern subfields of graphic design have emerged. Motion graphics use animation technology to create the illusion of motion or rotation.
"Motion graphic designers will be supported and encouraged as the field is popular right now," said Rashidi and added that IGDS plans to focus on a new subfield every year to introduce and promote all subcategories.
Noting that "the economics of art is of essence to the ministry of culture and Islamic guidance as well as artists, Rashidi said promoting the culture of art will beget economic profits.
Graphic design is considered a more practical form of art than any other, and is touted as an effective cultural force and a strategic partner to business within the IGDS.
The event will be staged on a bigger scale this year. In addition to IAF, the selected works will be showcased at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, the graphic design museum, and several other venues. It will also feature an exhibition with works by two international graphic designers, Ruedi Baur from France and Ken Cato from Australia, plus a commemoration for Noureddin Zarrinkelk, the renowned Iranian animator, concept artist, graphic designer, illustrator, layout artist, and photographer.
Besides, the action-packed week will include an exhibition of posters and typography book covers titled 'First Came Words' starting on April 30 at the GDMI, and an exhibition of photographs by Bijan Seyfouri titled 'the Other Half' opening on April 31, at Lajevardi Gallery.


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Officials at a South Carolina prison failed to protect four inmates who were strangled to death in a cell last year, new lawsuits charge.
The slain inmates at the high-security Kirkland Correctional Institution were recklessly put in the same wing as two lethal convicted killers, according to the lawsuits filed this week by families of victims Jimmy Ham and Jason Kelley.
"You've got the most violent criminals in the same unit with the worst-of-the-worst mental problems," said lawyer attorney Carter Elliott, who is representing the families. "If that's not a recipe for disaster, I don't what is."
The bodies of Ham, Kelley, John King and William Scruggs were only found after killer Denver Simmons went to a guard and said "check my room."
Simmons told The Associated Press last year that he and Jacob Philip lured the inmates into their cells and strangled them with the help of a broomstick and an extension cord. They committed the brutal murders because they wanted the death penalty, according to Simmons.
The convicted killer said they picked weaker, trusting inmates who were not as likely to fight back. They were both charged with murder.
According to the lawsuit, Simmons told a counselor he was going to kill someone in the fall of 2016 if his medication wasn't changed.
The lawsuits allege that psychiatrists did a poor job treating inmates and didn't take into account histories of addictions or other problems.
Some counselors "would even go so far as to announce an inmate's mental health diagnosis in front of other inmates, using this information to humiliate and belittle the inmate," according to one of the lawsuits.
"Most of these people are getting out of jail eventually," Carter said. "Do you want them out there with no treatment for these serious mental illnesses?"
The lawsuits filed by the families in Richland County did not ask for any specific damages.
With News Wire Services


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Konpira Maru Epicus Doomicus Metalicus Mourvedre 2018
'Classic Queensland storms came crackling through over the cane fields at the worst time in the South Burnett this year, making the red grape harvest challenging, limiting yields and quality. After weeks of stress which eventually turned to desperation, a true hail mary moment occurred as the man, the legend, Coxy! appeared through the dark clouds. His sustainable vineyard in Stanthorpe is surrounded by a beautiful dry grown apple and pear orchard on what seems to be a solid granite boulder. His usual clients were not happy with the vintages lower than normal baume of the Mourvedre but it suited our style perfectly. Personally driven to Murgon by the man himself, a beautiful relationship was born
Monticello Estate, Stanthorpe, QLD
100% Mourvedre. 100% whole bunch fruit was bucketed into stainless tank for ferment. Light peage throughout ferment ensuring whole berries remained and basket pressed after 12 days. The wine was then left in tank, racked 3 times and bottled unfined, unfiltered with no additions. 11.7% abv, 1216 bottles.
Tasting note:
Bright and generous dark plummy fruit with whole bunch spice and subtle earthy tones. The palate is both powerful but also shows delicacy and restraint with the granitic soils really shining, providing grip, structure and layers of texture.'
- Konpira Maru


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HydraFacial® — A Skincare Treatment fit for Celebrities
Your skin is your body's largest organ. And in order for it to stay youthful and radiant, it needs ample hydration. In fact, hydration is the foundation of healthy looking skin. If you want to improve your complexion and decrease the signs of ageing, you need a proven hydration treatment like HydraFacial®. This multi-function treatment


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On Friday night, at 8:30pm eastern time, a draft began. It was not just any draft. It was the @Top2Sports PPR redraft league hosted by two staff writers (Mike Wallace-@HobbyWally and Myself @FFA_Marc). A third writer, @jpadgett (Josh Padgett), also joined the league because he just wanted to be in one more redraft league. There was some good-natured trash talk, lots of pick sniping, and an incredible amount of respect. It is going to be a great season.
For the record, the starting lineup for each team is 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 3 Flex (W/R/T). We decided to leave the crap shoot positions alone, so no Kicker or DST for us! We also have 6 bench spots available.
Best Running Back Squad
Like most drafts this fantasy season, Running Backs went off the board quickly. The result was that most teams were left with one strong running back and a low end RB2 at best. However, we have two exceptions:
@FFFreakz (FantasyFootballFreak) took advantage of his pick 1 to grab the consensus RB1 in Todd Gurley. What happened next was magical for his RB squad. He likely watched while holding his breath as pick 2.10 grabbed Mike Evans and pick 2.11 grabbed Stefon Diggs. This allowed Jordan Howard to fall to him at 2.12. A no brainer selection, in my opinion. His other RBs are Dion Lewis, Gio Bernard, Spencer Ware, and Kalen Ballage. Perhaps not the greatest of depth, but his top 3 RBs are stellar.
@HobbyWally (Mike Wallace) enjoyed a having the eleventh pick of the draft and used it to select my RB5, and 6th player overall, Dalvin Cook. This allowed him to come right back on the turn and select Kareem Hunt with the 2.02. He rounded out his RB squad with Rex Burkhead, Jamaal Williams, Jeremy Hill, and Nyheim Hines.
Best Wide Receiver Squad
Before I go on, I really like my WRs (Keenan, Demaryius, Golden Tate, Crowder). However, I'm not about to award *Best* anything to myself. Therefore, without further delay, the real awards go to:
@toupeewearer (Justin Campbell) drafted out of the 10 slot. He watched as seven of the first nine picks went to Running Backs and made a great selection with DeAndre Hopkins. He came around the turn and choose Michael Thomas with the 2.03. Instead of finally selecting his first Running Back, he went against the grain with his 3.10 by choosing Adam Thielen. While it was at the expense of his running back squad, Justin's WRs are excellent!
@ejh1528 (Eric H) stunned us all when he choose Antonio Brown with the 1.04. (For the record, I would have done the same if Gurley and DJ were not available.) He took a Running Back with his second round pick, but managed to grab Larry Fitzgerald with the 3.04. He also has Corey Davis. I'm lower than most analysts on Davis, but I will compromise with the consensus and call this a great pick in the fifth round. He also sniped me with his selection of Nelson Agholor in the ninth round. If his injury isn't too severe, that could be one of the best picks of the draft.
Biggest Reach
@bjzippe (Brian Zipper) selected LeSean McCoy with the 3.05. In truth, I think this is a good pick. However, in the drafts that I have completed, he is being selected in the fourth or even fifth round. I do not have any problem with this pick, but I wonder if he could have waited a round. I think he could have. I asked Brian for some feedback on why he choose Shady in the third round. Brian kindly replied, "Two rounds of guys being taken in front of my pick. It was my initial intention to go WR in the first 3 rounds and then target guys like Drake/Lewis in 4 and 5. AB was taken at 4 overall and you don't pass up Zeke for the next WR at #5. I got my WR1 when AJ got to me in the 2nd round, so round 3 I was wide open with options. I had settled in on Fitz only to have him taken right before my pick. For me that next group of WR is good, but I thought I could get similar production later (and did get my targets). I battled between Shady and Royce Freeman, but Shady is the only show in Buffalo and provides RB1 upside for only Round 3 cost."
@FFA_Marc (That's me!) I have to throw myself under the bus here for selecting Isaiah Crowell with the 5.07. By round 5, I only had 1 Running Back. The other backs available were Ajayi, Burkhead, Hyde, Duke, and Peyton Barber. I don't call Jay Ajayi "Captain Grandpa Knees" because I think he's going to have a good fantasy season. Hyde could end up sharing, Burkhead isn't a model of health and likely won't own the Patriots backfield. That left me with Crowell as the last remaining lead back. Please note that none of the other RBs that I listed above lasted until my next pick.
@eastwoodff (Clint Gosselin) selected Michael Crabtree with the 5.09 a full round ahead of his ADP. Via Twitter, I asked Clint to explain his selection. He graciously replied, "I wanted to go WR there, the other WRs available in that area were Woods, Sanders, Jeffery. I think Woods is gonna take a step back with Cooks there, I like Sanders but not as much as Crabtree, and with Jeffery potentially missing time I didn't want him in the fifth round. I think Crabtree's gonna eat in Baltimore with Flacco playing to hold off Jackson."
It's almost as if Clint was reading my mind. That sounds exactly like the reasoning I would have made with that pick.
Honorable mention: @toupeewearer with Robert Woods at the 5.10.
Biggest Value
@loftinsworld (Stephen) selected Kerryon Johnson with the 6.10. When compared to his ADP of 6.02, this isn't exactly a value. However, I'll remind you that RBs flew off the board. KJ is getting a lot of attention thanks to Twitter and fantasy football podcasts. I wish I could get my sixth round pick back and select Kerryon with my 6.06.
@KJH05 (Greg Shirron) joined most of the league in waiting on Quarterback. He was able to snag Russell Wilson with the 9.07. Wilson's ADP is the 6.03. I understand that people are wavering on Wilson because of the strength of the team, particularly their offensive line. But, he has legs and will be throwing a lot. Patience paid dividends and Greg's team is impressively balanced. If his picks stay healthy, I believe we are looking at a playoff lock.
You are a Brave Player Award
@brad_kinzett (Brad Kinzett) selected Jordan Reed as his Tight End. That alone is not necessarily a brave selection, especially when it was in the ninth round. However, Brad decided not to bench a second tight end despite Jordan Reed's……how can I say this nicely….injury history.
I Love the Raiders Award
@katscar (katscar) believes in Jon Gruden. How else can you explain her drafts of Marshawn Lynch, Jordy Nelson, and Doug Martin? She also drafted Aaron Rodgers, so maybe she's a Packers fan (which automatically would make her awesome!) and that's why she grabbed Jordy. I love the Marshawn pick and maybe Doug Martin is just RB insurance.
Looking to Week 1
Our week 1 matchups are tough matchups. In particular, we have a matchup between @bjippe and @katscar that is currently projected to have a final score difference of 0.2. I'll be watching this one closely.
Please return next week for a recap of the week 1 action and follow our league mates on Twitter. Good luck to you all, unless you are my opponent.


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Sciency Things
Articles written for the GLP list the source as Genetic Literacy Project. All other articles were written for the sources noted with excerpts provided by the GLP.
Are GMOs necessary to end world hunger?
Biology graduate student Amber Gabb analyses the role of GMOs in the future of food security. She writes that GMOs ...


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On Sale
Full Moon Ritual Candle
Full Moons have forever been a mystical time of connecting with our spiritual, sacred selves. During this magical time, energy peaks and releases. Signifying a perfect time to set good intention and releasing all that no longer serves you.
This white candle features amethyst to help with positive transformation, balance, and communication, plus white sage and rose petals for energy cleansing and loving thoughts. Scent profile includes white sage, tarooco orange, and nag champ. All natural, gluten free, vegan, and cruelty free.
Ingredients: Domestically grown soy wax and fragrance oils.
Size: 6 oz - 15 hour burn time.
Origin: Made in USA.


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This homemade cream-style corn is naturally sweet and delicious. The recipe is made with fresh corn scraped from the cobs, butter, half-and-half, and simple seasonings. If the corn is very fresh you can skip the granulated sugar—you won't need it.
This cream-style corn is a delicious dish, and it is so easy to prepare. If you're looking for something to do with fresh corn, try it—your family will love it!
- 6 ears fresh corn
- 1/4 cup butter
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon flour (blended with 1 tablespoon water)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup milk (or half-and-half)
Steps to Make It
Gather the ingredients.
Remove the husks and silk from the ears of corn and rinse well. Cut about 1 inch or so off of the top of each ear to make a flat end. Stand an ear on its flat end on a wide bowl or plate and, with a sharp knife, cut downward through several rows. Don't cut too close to the cob; cut the corn kernels about 3/4 of the way through. Once the kernels are cut from the cob, scrape the corn with the back of the knife to get all of the "milk" and pulp.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
Add the corn and juices, the 3 tablespoons water, and sugar. Cook, stirring, until the corn is tender.
Stir in flour and water mixture, salt, and pepper, blending well. Continue cooking, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. Cook for about 2 minutes longer. Do not let the mixture boil.
- Fresh-picked corn will be the sweetest and most flavorful, and it will be lower in starch.
- If you can't use the fresh corn immediately after picking (or purchasing from the local farmer's market), refrigerate it in its husks.
- If the husks have been removed, parboil the corn on the cobs for a minute or two and then refrigerate it for up to three days. The heat will keep the sugar from turning to starch.
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Despite the drizzly forecast yesterday, herds of well-heeled fashionistas flocked into a Chelsea warehouse for the Wayne 2010 presentation. I warded off the wind in my vintage trench, and threw on a white, thrifted dress straight out of the 80s for fun. The showroom, complete with massive windows facing a somewhat gloomy Hudson River, echoed with blaring MGMT mashups as sleek models paraded down a makeshift runway. True to the Vassar graduate's futuristic and androgynous designs, the SS10 collection featured sharp and structural silhouettes. The designer was inspired by minimalist sculptures, particularly those of Richard Serra, whose influence was beautifully translated into a sexy and streamlined collection. In keeping with the minimalist theme, colors were neutral—black, tans, and whites—except for the sporadic peak-a-boo of electric yellow. There were white, wrap up mesh leggings reminiscent of Rodarte, chic zip-up vests, and crazy cutout dresses fit for the future. However, the collection was not entirely space age—spandex shorts and the old favorite fanny pack did make cameos, to our delight!
—Emily Rothrum


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Maybe I'm the only one, but knowing a well-reviewed television show is, say, eight seasons long fills me with trepidation. But discovering that a book series is eight books long? Oh, the happy feelings!
These sci-fi and fantasy books below have aliens, dragons, suspense, laughs, heroism, and longing. Ranging from three books to 10 books, these series offer immersive reading and lots of late nights. Enjoy!
Culture series by Iain M. Banks
Banks's Culture series pops up fairly regularly when you get a bunch of SF readers together to talk about their favorite books, and for good reason. Whimsy waltzes with black humor against a backdrop of space battles, advanced intelligence technology, alien species jostling for dominance, and good old hand-to-hand combat. The socialist values of the Culture clash with the messy emotions of the various aliens it's trying to assimilate into its worldview, making for excellent drama and sheer fun. While the books are loosely connected, it's not necessary to read them in order. Still, start with Consider Phlebas. (10 books)
Lost Starship by Vaughn Heppner
The New Men want to destroy humanity. Their technology is better, their mindset is more ruthless, and they have infiltrated humanity up to the highest levels, making their domination almost unstoppable. Rumors of a starship built long ago by another alien race that might be able to defeat the New Men sends Captain Maddox on a mission to assemble a crew of specialists to find the ship and bring it back. Lots of action and personality conflicts between the crew keep the tension high, though the technology aspects require some suspension of disbelief. The A-Team in space, in other words. And as the series progresses, the New Men become the least of humanity's concerns as we continue to fight for survival. (9 books)
The Dragon Lords by Jon Hollis
The cover claims "Guardians of the Galaxy meets The Hobbit in this rollicking fantasy adventure," and that's not hyperbole. I chuckled all the way through Fool's Gold, the first book in the series. Like The Hobbit, a heist against a dragon is the centerpiece of the novel. Like Guardians of the Galaxy, it's a wonder that the characters survive, because they make a lot of ridiculous plans without a chance in hell of working… until they do. Fantasy has always had a few brave souls happy to poke fun at it, and Hollis will make you laugh along with him. (3 books)
A Novel of the Others by Anne Bishop
Readers of Faith Hunter and Patricia Briggs will find a new favorite author in Anne Bishop. Her novels of the Others follow Meg Corbyn, a human blood prophet, and shifter Simon Wolfgard, as they negotiate the tense, often lethal relations between shifters, vampires, and very-tasty humans in their efforts to safeguard their community, Lakeside Courtyard. Bishop excels at creating complex characters who become as close as family, as Meg discovers more and more about the powers within her and who she can truly trust. Once you finish these books, start Bishop's new Others series set in the same world. (5 books)
Alex Versus by Benedict Jacka
Readers of this urban fantasy series give it so much love that if you've drifted away from the genre in recent years, you might find their excitement a compelling reason to come back. Alex Versus is a mage in London who also has the gift of foresight—which, as you might imagine, gets him into more trouble than it gets him out of. The series gets better and more complex as it progresses—almost as big a challenge as looking into the future. Start with Fated. (9 books)
You might also like:
- Editors' picks: Best science fiction and fantasy books of the month
- 5 Novels That Reimagine the 20th Century with Magical - and Mecha - New Twists
- Robert Jackson Bennett on the Dangers of "Vigilance"
Sign up for the Amazon Book Review: Best books of the month * author interviews * the reading life * and more


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Visit CABRINHA for more info.
Get full 2015 gear info from 26 brands in the TKB 2015 Buyers Guide.
Cabrinha is introducing several new products to their 2015 lineup including the Radar and Genesis kites as well as the new Ace twin tip. They also streamlined their directional boards to three models including new signature boards from team riders Reo Stevens and Keahi de Aboitz, and are particularly excited about the new SMARTLOOP quick release on their control bars. Cabrinha's Todd Greaux walks us through the big changes and detailed refinements made to Cabrinha's 2015 product line.
What are the biggest changes for Cabrinha's 2014 kite line? At Cabrinha, we are always striving to obtain a never ending goal of top performance in an easy to use package. For 2015, we see a lot of refinements throughout the kite range, such as reduced diameter struts and improved handling characteristics in the larger drifter sizes and all of the Switchblades. We launched an all new kite dedicated to the school and progression part of the market, and named it the radar. The Contra's success led us to add a new size better suited for light riders, and the chaos has been pushed to be even more aggressive for our top pro freestyle athletes. We have refined the Velocity to have better VMG upwind ability and increased its already massive wind range. Lastly, we launched an all new strutless inflatable trainer called the Genesis.
The Radar is an entirely new kite for 2015. How does it fit into the lineup? The radar is our best relaunching kite to date. It's a full bodied, swept wing, 3-strut kite with reliable park and ride power. Any input given to the control system translates into an immediate response from the kite. It is a perfect kite for a person getting into the sport as it will keep up with you as you progress in freestyle or freeride and has credible skills in the surf arena.
The Switchblade has been a very popular kite for the past couple years. What changes have you made for 2015? The Switchblade is our most evolved and highest volume selling kite model. The first Switchblade was the second generation bow kite. With really fast depower and improved turning speed, added to its huge wind range, it was the perfect introduction of the bow kite for the freestyle riders on the team. Over the years, the shape of the kite evolved with many refinements including the departure from a pure bow kite to a hybrid kite with medium sweep. Now in its 10th edition, designer Pat Goodman is convinced that this is the best version to date.
In the Switchblade 2015 the kite keeps its DNA of park and ride stability, huge wind range, direct steering and great relaunch, but you will be most impressed with the improved low end power. The profiles of the kite have been enhanced to optimize its performance in all conditions. there has also been quite some work done in the bridling of the kite, so it is much more stable and less sensitive to back stall in light wind conditions.
The Contra and Velocity are both very capable light wind weapons. How should a rider choose between the two as a low wind option? The Contra is really about having fun in light winds, and is fully dedicated as a light wind kite. The Velocity is designed as a full wind range kite with performance as the single goal. So if pure power per size, full wind range, and upwind performance are the most important features, then the Velocity is superior. However, the Contra has a broader application in the market as it has very light bar pressure, turns fast for its size, unhooks well, relaunches easily, and excels as a fun to use product in light wind conditions. Lastly, the Contra has extra "grunt," and therefore can use a wider range of boards in the light winds while the Velocity uses more apparent wind to generate it's horsepower and usually benefits from a more advanced kiter at the controls.
You introduced the concept of on-the-fly adjustable bar ends last year. What changes have you made to the bar for 2015? In 2015 we have quite a few new features and options on the control systems. The single biggest change has been made to the quick release system and its loop. The Quickloop is a quick and easy QR system. You may have seen similar systems but what makes the Quickloop exclusive is that it's the fastest to reset on the market from what we've tested. It is so simple and easy to use that it can be operated with a single hand. The Overdrive1X can be adjusted while riding, and you can use it on your entire kite quiver.
The bar width has a major role in the turning speed of the kite, so you can customize your turning speed quick by switching the position of the bar ends depending on what you want. We didn't make any changes to the design of this function on the bar in 2015. The Overdrive1X comes in two different sizes, both of them adjusting 8cm. The STD version can adjust from 48 to 56cm and the XL version from 57 to 65cm. The brand recommends the STD version for any size from 4m to 14m, with optimum performance with 8m to 12m kites. For the light wind above 14m we recommend using the XL bar. In addition, we offer the Fixed CS bar, available in two sizes: 45cm for the small one and 55cm for the bigger one. This fixed bar is ideal for those looking to save some money without compromising performance. The small size is also particularly suited for the typical fast sizes, 7m and smaller.
The Drifter is back for 2015 as your dedicated wave kite. What changes or overall design elements make this kite suited to perform in the surf? It was hard to make this kite better. The main focus was on small tweaks in the large sizes to lower bar pressure and increase turning speed.
What construction techniques are featured in the 2015 twin tip line? In general, most of our twin tips are produced using basalt fiber construction which has strength properties much higher than fiberglass and better dampening properties for a smooth ride. Naturally minded and produced in a pure process, the technique is absent of toxic additives. Our high performance boards are built with a high Reflex Carbon Fibre Laminate – a lightweight and durable carbon fiber laminate that stiffens the flex pattern for increased response and explosive pop. Additionally, select carbon reinforcement provides the highest strength-to-weight ratio available on the market. All boards come with our unique GFN Hex flow fins which feature a hexagon dimpled pattern over the surface of the fin. The hex pattern helps to create a boundary layer which assists in the laminar flow over the fin.
How would a free rider choose between the Tronic and Spectrum line of boards? The Tronic is for riders who like to get huge air and carve turns in the surf whereas the Spectrum is for the rider who wants a versatile performance twin tip that likes to cruise.
The X Caliber, Custom, CBL and the new Ace are all performance freestyle boards, but what kind of riding style or target audience is each model specifically designed for? The X Caliber is a premium competition freestyle board designed for the high end competitor. The extensive use of carbon allows this board to be our lightest, most technical twin tip in the range.
The Ace is for freestyle riders who ride in any type of wind and water condition and experiment with alternate riding categories. It's fast, smooth, and responsive. It's built with a Parabolic Rail TM and basalt laminate construction. The Parabolic Rail provides a stiffer center section while delivering a more responsive tip and tail flex, keeping the board weight to a minimum.
The Custom is for progressive wakestyle riders that want a smooth ride. It's also built with our Parabolic Rail TM and basalt laminate construction and has a medium rocker line to maintain upwind performance.
The CBL is for riders who like wakestyle and cable riding, or like to mix it up between the park and kite. The P-Tex base is perfect when hitting obstacles. The rail channels provide the bite and the flat top 20mm GFN hex flow fins keep things grippy when needed and don't need to be removed at the park for added convenience.
Any changes in the footstrap/binding line for 2015? The H2 binding has been redesigned to have a completely floating upper section that caps off the five way adjustable system. The new floating upper allows a more custom fit for the top of the rider's foot. The premium H1 has also been redesigned to have the same comfort and adjustability as before but at a lower cost. The H3 is our all-new full boot. The H3 is specifically designed for kiters with easy velcro entry and exit, an ultra-lightweight outer shell, and a lower profile upper section designed for more lateral movement without sacrificing support. Other features include neoprene flex zones for flexibility, a closed toe design to reduce cramping and improve fit, and a lightweight nylon baseless chassis to give you a solid board feel with maximum impact absorption.
For 2015 the surfboard lineup has narrowed to three shapes. What type of surfing are these boards designed for? The most important changes to our directional line have been made in width, volume, and construction. Wider widths and higher volumes have been implemented in the area most needed. Each board in the range is different from the other which presents a completely different surfing or freestyle experience with each model.
The Proto is made for the surfer who needs a board that will excel in side shore and down the line surf. Next, we have the Phenom which is ideal for riders who are looking for a high performance surfboard with volume and trick riding capability. Finally, we offer the Secret Weapon for riders who surf in any type of waves and also need a board for flat water freestyle tricks.
Specifically, how did the Keahi and Reo model develop and what are the standout differences that riders will experience? Both Keahi and Reo worked with Pete Cabrinha on the outlines as well as the volume and rocker. They made some prototypes in Maui and refined the shapes from there. They are both very powerful riders that ride in all types of conditions. They often ride in larger waves with light wind so they pushed the volumes up to where they are now. This allows them to generate a lot of speed from the wave and not necessarily from the kite.
Since Keahi does competitions he wanted a board with maximum versatility. That's why the Phenom is offered in a 5-box configuration. It can be ridden as a quad fin or a thruster fin set-up. This makes this board work well in either side shore or onshore conditions.
Reo Stevens often rides down the line waves in side shore conditions. He needed something he could push hard through turns. This is where the Proto shines.


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Hello there. Ashley Corri here, Certified Massage Therapist & Registered Yoga Teacher. I completed my 500-hour certification in Massage Therapy at McKinnon Body Therapy Center in Oakland, CA. My path integrates Eastern and Western modalities, including Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue, Craniosacral Therapy, Acupressure, and Shiatsu. It is my intention to treat the whole person, not simply a collection of symptoms and aches.
I believe that being a human and having a body comes with a bit of a spiritual contract. We are living synthesis of psycho-spiritual-emotional components, and all of these layers will inevitably sustain traumas. Physical accidents and illnesses, poor holding patterns from the demands of everyday life, emotional upheavals – the imprints of these are held somewhere in the tissues and structures of the body. The same way a river will adapt its flow around a fallen log, our body's life force (Qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine, prana in Hindu traditions), however you want to conceptualize the energy in our body -even just as blood, oxygen, lymph, cerebrospinal fluid, – adapts its flow around places in our body that have sustained any kind of blow.
I first tangibly felt this after a motorcycle accident that left me with a concussion, sprained wrists, several vertebrae and my sacrum out of alignment. (relatively unscathed, as far as these accidents often go, for which I am grateful!) while not disastrous, I felt the effects of this on my body and psyche for some time! and what do you know, months down the line, the only thing that offered me lasting relief and re-alignment was therapeutic bodywork. Craniosacral therapy, specifically, which gently but effectively targeted the whole spinal system, from my concussed brain casing to my wonky sacrum.
To my grateful surprise, compassionate touch has also helped release the effects of trauma locked in my body for years, and-through this release- has eased the symptoms of my struggles with addiction and the rollercoaster of emotions and experiences that is being human!
I have come to experience and believe in the value of therapeutic bodywork (massage therapy and related energetic traditions) in one's path of healing. whether it be from a sprained ankle, chronic migraines, or psycho-emotional trouble. I have come to believe in the power of present, skillful, compassionate touch to drop one's body and psyche into a space where it can enact its own healing. the body knows what's up, and holds the energetic resources necessary to create healing. often one just needs someone to hold space and bear witness for the process to naturally unfold.


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Antimonene is a stable 2D allotrope of antimony that is predicted to have a direct bandgap, high third-order optical nonlinear susceptibility, and high electron mobility. These properties give it huge potential applications in photonics and optoelectronics. However, the nonlinear refractive response of antimonene dispersions, which is the key to nonlinear refraction-based devices, has not been fully investigated. In this work, we investigated the optical nonlinearities of the antimonene dispersions by spatial self-phase modulation (SSPM) at 405, 785, and 1064 nm wavelengths. The SSPM rings were observed at 405, 785, and 1064 nm, implying the broadband nonlinear optical response of antimonene dispersions from visible to near-infrared. The effective nonlinear refractive index, , and the third-order susceptibility, , of the antimonene dispersion were measured to be and , respectively. Furthermore, the nonlinearity of antimonene was demonstrated to be tuneable by the laser intensities. The relative change of the nonlinear refractive index, , was observed to range from 14% to 63% for different intensities. Our results will be helpful for the photonic applications of antimonene in a broadband wavelength range, such as optical modulators and switchers.
© 2018 Optical Society of AmericaFull Article | PDF Article
OSA Recommended Articles
Yue Jia, Youxian Shan, Leiming Wu, Xiaoyu Dai, Dianyuan Fan, and Yuanjiang Xiang
Photon. Res. 6(11) 1040-1047 (2018)
Mengixa Wang, Fang Zhang, Zhengping Wang, Zhixin Wu, and Xinguang Xu
Opt. Express 26(4) 4085-4095 (2018)
Gaozhong Wang, Saifeng Zhang, Xiaoyan Zhang, Long Zhang, Ya Cheng, Daniel Fox, Hongzhou Zhang, Jonathan N. Coleman, Werner J. Blau, and Jun Wang
Photon. Res. 3(2) A51-A55 (2015)


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Posted Mar 30, 2010 in Travel | 0 Comments
Shanghai Sights
I had the great fortune of accompanying my father on the trip of a lifetime. It was a short but sweet trip to Shanghai and to another city that I will reveal next week. I love these trips because my father has to work, so I go off on my own and explore.
Shanghai is the largest city in China, and it is filled with skyscrapers, bright lights and, of course, great shopping. The Puxi commercial district contains one of the most famous areas, "The BUND," which is magical to see at night. Another famous district just across the river is Pudong, which is filled with some of the tallest buildings in the world and makes the Eiffel Tower look miniature.
In terms of shopping, Nan Jing is one of the most famous streets and is divided into west and east. On West Nan Jing, you can find the ritziest shopping in the world with multi-floored centers filled with every European designer imaginable. My favorite store was a miniature department store similar to Barney's co-op on steroids called "I.T." found in 66 Plaza.
East Nanjing is filled with touristy traditional Chinese market shops and one of my newest discoveries called Me & City; it is a fusion of H&M and Topshop. I had never heard of it before, but it caught my interest with Orlando Bloom and Brit Model Agyness Deyn as the faces for their S/S campaign. If you only have a little bit of time for shopping, you MUST go the Super Brands mall (in Pudong), which is loaded with tons of stores, a basement supermarket, Uniqlo and the loudest arcades you can find.
If you want a taste of the Rodeo Drive of knockoffs, hit up the Qi Pu market (however, I warn you to go with someone else (who is preferably intimidating), as I went in and immediately left from discomfort).


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Roof y Cía, let us surprise you
Two concepts united by Casa Romana. Go up to our rooftop and enjoy a stunning panoramic view of Seville from our terrace or go down to the RoomZero space. Just like with Roof, we've created another chicer concept on the ground floor. Drinks and cocktails along with music and much more in a ground-breaking space. A warm, welcoming atmosphere for your gatherings.
Roof, the terrace which has it all
Roof is a terrace where you can enjoy the beautiful views of Seville's San Lorenzo neighbourhood while you enjoy a nice drink or cocktail.
Quality and avant-garde at RoomZero
Just like Roof, we created a chicer concept on the lower floor. Drinks and cocktails combined with music and much more in a groundbreaking space. A cosy and private space, ideal to host private events.


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Growing With Life Skills
Skills needed for a productive, enjoyable, and sober life.
Learning the skills needed for a productive, enjoyable, and sober life is a vital part of the addiction treatment and recovery process. Our compassionate team teaches strategies and techniques to give patients the best chance for success once they leave our campus. Depending on the patient's needs, we offer a wide array of vocational assistance, including:
- Resume-building
- Mock interviews
- Job searching
- Interpersonal relationship skills building
- Social cues
- Assertiveness skills for the workplace
- Budgeting skills
- Help with transportation systems and bus routes
- Tours to help patients become familiar with the community outside of our detoxification center
- Monitored job searches
- Volunteer work while job searching
Gain The Confidence To Excel
At the Mandala Healing Center, we believe our Life Skills program provides the framework and foundation necessary for a healthy and sober lifestyle. Having a sense of purpose and the confidence to excel is an essential component in achieving lasting addiction recovery.
The Mandala Healing Center values the kind and generous words that both professionals and patients have shared with us. Thank you.
The Delray Recovery Center has helped me in many ways. They helped me deal better with my traumas, become more educated about the disease of addiction, and open up more. The Delray Recovery Center crew is a great group of people who are willing to help if you are willing to change. I have strong hope after your recovery program. There is no doubt that the therapists are fantastic people. They helped me out so much and I won't ever forget them and what they did to help me in recovery.
It brings me pleasure to acknowledge the excellence of your facility. My husband recently stayed at the Delray Beach site. I was so pleased with my visit. Immediately, I noticed the neatly-groomed grounds and cleanliness of the rooms. It was very impressive.
During my husband's stay, he became very ill and needed emergency medical care. It is impossible to express, in words, our thanks and appreciation to Brett for his unbelievable job of observation, caring, and kindness to him. Also, for his patience with my many phone calls and willingness to assist beyond the call of duty with compassion.
I am also thankful to Mike, who assisted with the packing, and Joe for his conversations. The respectful and helpful manner of The Delray Recovery Center staff was beyond what I expected. My gratitude and prayers are with all. God Bless you and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
I think the world of you and what you're doing to help people. I do owe my life to you, Brett, and Mike, literally. Words aren't enough to express my gratitude, nor could anything in this world. Maybe someday, when you run into me clean and sober, you'll get some 'thanks' from above.
Those several days I spent with you changed something in me. I can't quite put my finger on it–but it's good. And you guys all had a part in it. For that, my deepest gratitude belongs to you, Joe, Brett, Mike, and the young lady who welcomed me with all the grace she had in her.
My hope is that we can become friends. Quality people like yourselves is what I need in my life.
Why has The Delray Recovery Center been successful when other programs were not? The Delray Recovery Center was a much longer term program than he had participated in previously, and Mark knew that if he didn't follow the rules that he had no chance of future family support.
These consequences may have been just as important as the rehab center itself. They staff at The Delray Recovery Center is appropriately strict, honest and demanding of their clients. They helped him address legal issues as well as helping him gain employment.
This was a relatively unique aspect of the center. It forced individuals to be proactive and encouraged optimism regarding the future.
I do not know if this is similar at other programs. The therapists at The Delray Recovery Center have also been exceptional: Chris, his therapist has been great–forthright, and great at communication. He has helped Mark sort out numerous psychosocial problems. Mark has continued to follow up with him intermittently since completing the program at DRC. I have no hesitation in recommending The Delray Recovery Center for someone with Mark's challenges.
Our Beautiful Recovery Facility
A serene healing environment provides a level of comfort and safety that influences a patient's positive attitude and response to detox. Situated on a peaceful 8-acre campus in West Palm Beach, The Mandala Healing Center is a retreat-like sanctuary designed to allow individuals to focus completely on healing — body, mind, and spirit.
Insurance & Payment Options
The Mandala Healing Center is in-network with a large number of insurance providers. We offer free insurance verification with no obligation.
Mandala's Admissions Coordinators are available 24 hours a day.
Call Now: 1-866-830-3211
All calls and forms are 100% free and confidential.


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Peace advocate: Children 'confused' between good, bad in Marawi crisis
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 23) — Maranao princess and peace advocate Bai Rohaniza "Honey" Sumndad-Usman said some children affected by the Marawi crisis have moral confusion — and peace education is the way to combat it.
The founder of the NGO Teach Peace Build Peace Movement said she was shocked when she discovered some children looked up to extremist groups.
"What really surprised us was when we asked about their hopes and dreams. Between the age bracket of 7 to 12 years old, some of the kids mentioned that they wanted to join a group... doing violent acts," Sumndad-Usman told CNN Philippines' The Source.
She noted some of the children had pleasant encounters with these fighters, who even offered them food.
"Nagkaroon na po sila ng [They have a] confusion between what is right and wrong, who is good and bad," said Sumndad-Usman. "That's why in our peace education sessions... we did a values clarification."
Her organization teaches peace education to children, including those affected by the conflict in Marawi. Their modules aim to impart critical thinking and the differences between peaceful practices and violent ones.
Sumndad-Usman maintains education is the most sustainable way to combat extremist ideology.
"These kids, even older generations, will always be exposed to negativities around us... That's why we have to develop their critical thinking skills," she said.
She also tearfully recalled the living conditions in evacuation centers.
"Pagdating po namin doon, pinipigil namin umiyak. We were so overwhelmed," she said. "Ang isa sa mga kuwento ng volunteers namin, sabi niya ang kanyang unan ay sako ng bigas at ang kanyang blanket at tarpaulin. Imagine that kind of trauma children have to undergo at a very, very young age."
[Translation: When we got there, we held back our tears. We were so overwhelmed... One of our volunteers said her pillow was a sack of rice and her blanket was a tarpaulin.]
According to Task Force Bangon Marawi, there are still at least 1,000 families scattered across 40 evacuation centers. A count from April 20 this year says that at least 45,000 more families are considered home-based displaced.
Lanao del Sur Crisis Management Committee spokesperson Zia Alonto Adiong also said quickly catering to the needs of the displaced would help combat violent ideology.
He said responding to the emergency needs of survivors would "rob any terrorist group the chance to capitalize on the destruction of Marawi as a PR to entice potential fighters."
"The intensity of military response during the siege against the terrorists must level or equal the intensity of help and services we provide to the people concerned," he said.


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Taxon details
Anelosimus seximaculatus (Zhu, 1998)
- Rank: Species
- Status: accepted
- Described:
- Last updated: - -
- LSID: [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:008686]
- Distribution: China
- External Resources *:
Theridion seximaculatum Song, Zhu & Chen, 1999: 142, f. 79G-H (f).
Anelosimus seximaculatum Zhang, Liu & Zhang, 2011a: 53, f. 10-14 (Tf from Theridion, Dm).
Song, D. X., Zhu, M. S. & Chen, J. (1999). The spiders of China. Hebei Science and Technology Publishing House, Shijiazhuang, 640 pp. -- Show included taxa
Zhang, B. S., Liu, L. & Zhang, F. (2011a). The cobweb spiders of the genus Anelosimus Simon, 1891 (Araneae: Theridiidae) in Hainan Island, China. Zootaxa 2833: 49-59. -- Show included taxa
Zhu, M. S. (1998). Fauna Sinica: Arachnida: Araneae: Theridiidae. Science Press, Beijing, 436 pp. -- Show included taxa
* Disclaimer
As External Resources, the World Spider Catalog links here to species pages of other databases. They may contain further information for the given species. The databases, listed as External Resources, however, are not managed by World Spider Catalog and the information given there is not necessarily in agreement with the World Spider Catalog. All responsibility for such data is with the external database.
GBIF.org (2019). GBIF Home Page (via GBIF API). Available from: https://www.gbif.org [1 September 2019]
No logging data available so far.


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When Vanderbilt trudged its way through a 41-7 loss to South Carolina with 56 scholarship players available Oct. 10, it marked the beginning of a tumultuous week in the Southeastern Conference.
Two days later, "Positive tests & subsequent quarantine of individuals within the Vanderbilt FB program" postponed Missouri's homecoming game against the Commodores. It was the first SEC football game postponed, but the Tigers had already had other sports affected.
The game was moved to Dec. 12, the open slot on the back end of both teams' schedules. With an unexpected week off, Missouri aimed to recover and regroup before the next game.
"We'll use the week to get healthy," Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz told reporters this week. "We'll use the week to improve. We'll use the week to get refocused on our academics. Then we'll use the week to get focused on our next opponent after that, which will be Florida."
Except it wasn't Florida.
After the Gators paused team activities the following day because of positive COVID-19 tests within the football program, the scope of the conference changed. During a conference call with reporters Wednesday, coach Dan Mullen said that the team had moved to everyday testing and that it was on its fourth consecutive day.
Two assistant coaches, as of Wednesday, tested positive and were asymptomatic. Then on Saturday, Mullen himself announced on Twitter that he tested positive for the virus and was self-isolating.
Mullen also clarified his comments about "packing the Swamp" — a reference to Florida's home venue, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium — earlier in the week after receiving criticism around the country, saying he doesn't question the local health officials and wants the fans that can enter the stadium to bring energy. .
The LSU-Florida game scheduled for this week was postponed, resulting in Missouri's games against Kentucky and Florida being flipped Friday. Missouri will now have its matchup against Florida on Oct. 31.
Kentucky's game against Georgia was also moved back one week.
Before the week's headline matchup of No. 2 Alabama against No. 3 Georgia, Alabama coach Nick Saban tested positive for COVID-19. But after three negative PCR tests 24 hours apart to "satisfy the requirements of the Task Force policy regarding the handling of asymptomatic PCR positive tests," he was able to be with the team against the Bulldogs on Saturday night.
Drinkwitz said he might try to catch that game but knew this weekend would be full of recruiting after watching some Friday night high school football games.


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John grew up in the countryside outside of Olympia. After graduating from Olympia High School, John joined the Navy instead of going directly to university. That decision had a profound impact on his life and success.
During his service in last days of the Vietnam war and subsequent cold war, John learned leadership, responsibility, and accountability. The Navy trained him in advanced digital electronics and he conducted electronic intelligence work with a top government security clearance. During his college years, John joined the Navy Reserve.
Alongside his professional and family obligations, John served in the Reserve for 24 years, attending the U.S. Navy's Senior Enlisted Academy, leading his river boat unit during combat operations in Kuwait and Iraq, and for two deployments to the Korean peninsula. He retired in 2008 with rank of Master Chief Petty Officer.


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Tag Archives: royal academy
Summer Exhibition, Translations and Ocean's 8
On my July MoveTo Town and Country Arts page: Exhibition Grayson Perry curates a colourful and inclusive Royal Academy Summer Exhibition Film Girl power in the all-female reboot Ocean's 8 Theatre Brian Friel's Translations at the National Theatre is a tender epic Commuter corner Anuradha Roy's All … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Fiction, Film, Journalism, Theatre Tagged All the Lives We Never Lived, anne hathaway, Anuradha Roy, art, banksy, best, book, brian friel, cate blanchett, commute, commuter, david hockney, exhibition, fiction, film, grayson perry, grenfell, heist, july, london, met gala, moveto, moveto town and country magazine, movie, national theatre, novel, oceans 8, painting, play, read, review, rihanna, royal academy, sandra bullock, summer, summer exhibition, theatre, translations, ukip, visit london Leave a comment
Russian phantoms, American identity and S-Town
On my April MoveTo Town and Country Arts page: Pick of the month: Russian phantoms The Design Museum resurrects utopian Soviet architecture Don't miss: American abyss From Edward Hopper to Grant Wood: 1930s Americana at the Royal Academy Commuter corner Samanta Schweblin's Fever Dream and new podcast … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Fiction, Journalism Tagged 1930s, america, america after the fall, april, architecture, art, book, building, commute, commuter, depression, design museum, edward hopper, exhibition, fever dream, gallery, grant wood, imagine moscow, london, moveto, moveto town and country magazine, novel, painting, pick of the month, podcast, read, royal academy, russian, russian revolution, s-town, soviet Leave a comment
Capability Brown, Summer Exhibition and Adam Buxton
On my July MoveTo Town and Country Arts page: Pick of the month: The big picture Landscape photographers showcase Capability Brown on his 300th anniversary Don't miss: Seeing double International artistic duos at the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition Commuter corner Adam Buxton's interviews and Harry Potter Read … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Fiction, Journalism Tagged adam buxton, art, book, buy, capability brown, commuter, exhibition, gardener, harry potter, harry potter and the cursed child, interview, landscape design, london, moveto, moveto town and country, photograph, podcast, read, royal academy, script, summer exhibition, the building centre Leave a comment
Street art, space savers and Caitlin Moran
On my April MoveTo Town and Country Arts page: Pick of the month: Space savers The Royal Academy's Urban Jigsaw competition produces innovative approaches to brownfield development. Don't miss: Street art Somerset House and A(by)P reclaim graffiti as a path to new thinking. Commuter corner Caitlin … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Fiction, Journalism Tagged art, benedict cumberbatch, book, brownfield, building, caitlin moran, commute, commuter, competition, development, exhibition, graffiti, housing, law court, listen, london, magazine, moveto, podcast, radiolab, read, royal academy, somerset house, street art, underground, urban jigsaw Leave a comment
Barnes, Pepys and painted gardens
Highlights of my January MoveTo Town and Country Arts page: Pick of the month: Dear diary A new exhibition at the National Maritime Museum shows London through Samuel Pepys's eyes. Don't miss: Green fingers The Royal Academy of Arts brings together Monet, Matisse, Kandinsky and more in … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Fiction, Journalism Tagged anniversary, app, art, book, city, commute, commuter, country, culture, diary, exhibition, fitness, gallery, garden, great fire of london, history, julian barnes, kandinsky, london, lose weight, matisse, monet, moveto, moveto town and country, museum, myfitnesspal, national maritime museum, novel, painting, plague, read, renoir, royal academy, samuel pepys, the noise of time, town, van gogh, water lilies, whats on, work out Leave a comment
The art of living
Highlights of my June MoveTo Town and Country Arts page: Pick of the month: Child's play Indulge your inner child (or take one with you) at RIBA's reconstructed Brutalist playgrounds Don't miss: Summer in the city Big names and fresh talent at the Royal Academy's famed … Continue reading
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ESA engineers investigate the components to be used within space missions down to the most exacting of scales, as shown by this detailed flythrough a pressure transducer, used in satellite propulsion systems.
This fly-through was made possible by the part being put through a medical-style CT scan – short for 'computed tomography' – inside a massive X-ray tomography machine based at ESA's Materials and Electrical Components Lab at its ESTEC technical centre in the Netherlands. This giant item weighs in at 7.5 tonnes, including its internal lead screens. When it was installed, its sheer weight sunk the floor of the Lab by about 4.5 mm.
The machine reveals the details of the interior of a test item without destroying it in the process. The test part is slowly moved around as a thousand X-ray images are taken. Then specialised software stacks these individual images into a detailed 3D model. Total acquisition time depends on the size of the part – it might be completed in six to seven hours. For a larger part multiple acquisitions might need to be performed across different sections of the part, then merged.
The resulting 3D model has a spatial resolution down to around 0.03 mm, portraying not only its surface but also its interior features, so that the engineers can perform a detailed flythrough around – and deep inside – the test part.


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Pitt PhD candidate Camilo Ruiz (BCHS/Anthropology '20) collaborated with artists Leah Patgorski of the Other Border Wall Project and Gil Rocha from border-town Laredo, Texas, on a community mural-making workshop resulting in a magnificent art piece entitled "Disrespecting the Border."
From October 11-15, Rocha led the workshop for designing and creating the mural which reflects trajectories of migration through vehicles. Constructed from the elements of participants' everyday life, these vehicles carry memories of homelands, Spanglish, motives for migration, research, music, knowledge, and other elements. They all are connected and pulled by a caracol encapuchadx, a hooded or masked snail in honor of rebelliousness and freedom, critical forces for enduring dark times.
The mural was created collectively over five-day process by a diverse group in terms of genders, ages, national origins, and professions. Nine women and ten men joined the mural painting process. People's age ranges oscillated between 7 to 50 years old. Participants described their origins as Chilean, Colombian, Salvadorian, Guatemalan-American, Mexican, Mexican-American, and American. The group was composed of students from primary school to grad school, graffiti artists, constructors, artists, filmmakers, merchants, and professors.
The design of this project is a joint effort from a University of Pittsburgh multidisciplinary team of grad students and professors representing anthropology, communication, education, history of art, and public health. Thanks to Pitt's Hispanic Heritage Month committee, the Year of Creativity initiative, and community partner Casa San Jose for their support of this effort to dignify and make visible the Latinx presence in Pittsburgh.


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Burial Announcement!!!
04 April, 2019
The family of our colleague , Late Engr. David Tobechukwu Okereafor has released the burial arrangement and is to hold as follows:
- Wake Keep to hold on Thursday, 25th April, 2019 at St. Donald Catholic Church, Behind EFCC, Karu FHA, Abuja by 6:00pm prompt.
- Service of Songs to also hold at the family compound at Plot D15, Beside NNPC Filling station , Karu Site , Abuja.
- Burial:
On Friday 26th April 2019, his body leaves National Hospital Mortuary at exactly 8:00am while the lying in state commences at exactly 9:00am at his residence Plot D15, Beside NNPC Filling station , Karu Site , Abuja.
- Funeral Mass starts at 10:00 am same day at St. Donald Catholic Church behind EFCC, Karu Site, FHA Abuja.
- Interment follows immediately at Gudu Cemetery, Apo Abuja.
May his soul rest eternally with the Lord. Amen.
Brief Biography:
David was an IEEE volunteer since his first year at the university and was the Chair at FUTO Student Branch between 2011 to 2013. Until his demise, he was IEEE Nigeria Section's Webmaster and the Secretary of the Robotics and Automation Society in the section. He will be dearly missed.
For your Tribute, please visit forever missed:


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In The News
About a year ago The New Yorker carried an in depth article about the language of money. As the author succinctly pointed out, "It is potent and efficient, but also exclusive and excluding. Explanations are hard to hold on to, because an entire series of them may be compressed into a phrase, or even a single word."
However, while sometimes overwhelming and often confusing, it is not a reason for you to abdicate your role as King or Queen of your kingdom. Your kingdom runs on money – as does everyone else's. And, unless you understand and control the money, you'll eventually lose your kingdom.
But, while confusing, the landscape of money doesn't have to be fully understood in order to care for the money you have and will have in the future.
SOURCE: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/08/04/money-talks-6
Daily Health Tip
Most investment bankers and counselors should be well versed in the language of money. All people who intend to live through retirement should be well versed in the application of concepts which drive good investments and savings plans. But not all of us have achieved that goal or intend to.
Your retirement funding won't miraculously appear on the horizon after 20 years of putting your head in the sand, much as you would like it to. Learning how to invest your money and what to do with your savings is not as difficult as it might first appear.
The trick is to start small – as you would with any other change you make in your life – and continue to move forward, one step at a time.
Making Changes
Start by creating a budget at home that accounts for all the money you spend each month. If you aren't sure where the money has been going, then it's time to keep a ledger of everything you spend, every day, for a couple of months. You might think that this process will reduce your financial freedom and make you feel like you're caught in a maze of lines and numbers – but in fact it will do just the opposite.
Suddenly you'll find the holes in your financial planning where money has been running out of the house at a rate you might find nerve wracking. If you don't know where the money has been going, how can you control where you want to put it?
Once you have a good handle on the money that is coming in and gong out of your home, you'll be able to build a budget that allows you those little perks you've come to enjoy, while still building a nest egg you can rely on when your boss tells you it's time to hang up the proverbial spurs.
Start small by recognizing the flow of money in your home, and building a budget that accommodates your current and future needs. Once you've taken this step, then you can take the next by learning about one or two ways to invest that money. Start small with what you know and build from there.
This process doesn't require that you are well versed in the language of the investment broker, but it does require that you keep your head out of the sand and your feet planted firmly on the ground. Only this way can you enjoy the benefits of retirement, instead of worrying about paying your monthly bills.
Have a wonderful day!
Your Healthy Life America Team


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Life Style
WordPress is a favorite blogging tool of mine and I share tips and tricks for using WordPress here.
Georgian composer and author of music for the films "Mimino" and "Kin-dza-dza" Gia Kancheli passed away
Kancheli passed away at the age of 85. This was told by members of his family. The exact causes of death were not disclosed,…Read More »
Profile: Greta Tunberg
Photo by Shannon Stapleton, Reuters From September 20 to September 27, a week of climate protests takes place around the…Read More »
After watching Iron Man 2, Steve Jobs called Disney CEO Bob Iger and said the movie sucks
By the time this conversation took place, Steve Jobs and Bob Iger were good friends – the co-founder of Apple was the…Read More »
"If he was still alive, we would join our companies": Disney CEO Bob Iger on friendship with Steve Jobs
On September 23, the book The Ride of a Lifetime is published, written by Disney CEO Bob Iger about the lessons he…Read More »
Who does not sleep with his wife on duty and rests in shoes? Where superstition leads
Black cats, broken mirrors, women with empty buckets. If you pay attention to all superstitions accumulated by generations, then you can…Read More »
Dwayne Johnson became the highest paid actor – in the year he earned almost $ 90 million
The top 10 also included Adam Sandler, Paul Rudd and Jackie Chan. According to the Forbes rating, which takes into account the…Read More »
Painted Keanu Reeves fan art in the style of cyberpunk
The Fan draw Keanu Charles Reeves fan art in the spirit of #cyberpunk and recorded the video t and upload…Read More »


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Newark & Sherwood Local Development Framework Plan Review - Preferred Approach Town Centre & Retail
Preferred Approach to NAP1 Newark Urban Area
NAP1 - Newark Urban Area
D. Newark Town Centre
Promote a competitive and healthy Town Centre which is host to an appropriate composition of main Town Centre uses, proves to be resilient and adaptive to change and is able to thrive and grow over the plan period. This will be achieved through:
- Managing retail and other main Town Centre use development in line with Core Policy 8, Policy DM11 and NUA/TC/1;
- Seeking to address the shortage within the Town Centre of larger format units which meet the requirements of modern retail and office uses. Proposals to deliver such units through the amalgamation of existing units, where this requires planning permission, and/or new development will be supported subject to the level of impact on the historic environment;
- Promoting the re-use of vacant and underused shops and other buildings within the Town Centre, and securing the redevelopment of vacant sites for appropriate main Town Centre uses;
- Supporting the continuation of a viable Newark market, including by ensuring that where appropriate proposals for new retail development properly assess their impact on the market in line with Policy DM11;
- Promoting Newark Town Centre as a key tourism and leisure destination. Supporting opportunities to deliver cultural and tourism facilities, particularly those which exploit the Town's unique historic heritage, and to increase leisure and entertainment provision in and around the Town Centre. In particular the following will be supported:
- An appropriate range of, complementary, uses which contribute towards the evening and night-time economy. This includes the expansion of restaurant and café uses around the Market Place, in line with Policy DM11;
- Tourist accommodation; and
- Appropriate new leisure and tourism development which takes advantage of Newark's riverside area.
- Supporting the delivery of improvement schemes which enhance the quality of the Town Centre's offer and environment. In order to assist the identification, planning and delivery of schemes the production of a Newark Town Centre Strategy will be explored. Priority locations for intervention include:
- The Buttermarket; and
- The Carter Gate and Appleton Gate areas.
- In addition to utilising the Development Management process the District Council will also work proactively to attract and deliver new investment and/or development to realise the above.
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Is social media making you miserable?
-Dec 4, Jenny Paul, Mind -
Hands up if you've ever felt a twitch of irritation, anger or jealousy whilst scrolling through your Instagram or Facebook feed? – If so, you're not alone. We explore the concept that social media might be causing more harm than good.
A study has shown that seeing edited, two-dimensional snippets of information from other peoples' lives is making Facebook users miserable, because they start comparing what they see in their newsfeeds with their own lives.
Why is social media toxic?
Psychologist Mai-Ly Steers says: "One danger is that Facebook often gives us information about our friends that we are not normally privy to, which gives us even more opportunities to socially compare.
"You can't really control the impulse to compare because you never know what your friends are going to post. In addition, most of our Facebook friends tend to post about the good things that occur in their lives, while leaving out the bad."
Do people lie about their lives on Facebook?
Add to that the fact that research shows that only 1 in 5 people are actually truthful on Facebook (in other words what you're being aggravated by in your newsfeed is probably either a lie, exaggerated or not the full picture) and you're unlikely to come away from Facebook sessions feeling happy and brimming with joy, instead of seething.
How social media can wreck lives and upset people
Karen Hyde, 36, from London, tells Lumity Life magazine that she was criticised by friends of friends who saw her posting happy, smiling pictures of herself online, shortly after her boyfriend Jake Andrews, 39, died in a motorbike accident last year:
"I was going through the worst time in my life, but if I went for a rare night out then of course I would put my make-up and best clothes on and try to smile for the camera," Karen explains.
"People who didn't really know me very well or who hadn't seen me for years saw the photos being posted on Facebook and started saying nasty things behind my back: They were sniping that I didn't seem to be all that upset that Jake had died and that I was having the time of my life when of course my putting on a brave face was a coping mechanism for extreme grief.
"They were only seeing a tiny fraction of my life as the rest of the time I was at home in bed sobbing my heart out. As well as being devastated, I had all kinds of financial worries as the home I bought with Jake and planned to raise a family in was eventually repossessed as I could no longer afford the mortgage payments on my own.
"I was only leaving the house when my friends were coming over and forcing me into the shower, doing my make up for me and dragging me out to have a break from all the misery for a few hours."
How social media photos often hide the truth
Karen continues: "Of course I didn't want to write all of this on Facebook so I posted happy photos only instead of pouring my heart out, mainly so people wouldn't be worried about me.
"To hear that random acquaintances were looking at smiling photos and not saying, 'Good for her, she's making the best of a terrible situation' really hurt. I've deactivated my account now as it was all so toxic and I only spend time with close friends and family – just like I used to years ago.
"I feel so much happier for not being on Facebook and I am glad I'm no longer wasting my time chatting back and forth with people who I would never see or talk to in the real world. I'm dealing with my grief in a private and healthy way and life feels more authentic now – I much prefer it that way."
A psychologist's view on social media
Emma Kenny, the psychologist behind the brilliantly clever website MakeYourSwitch, tells Lumity that she wishes that people would do regular social media detoxes, as well as ditching their mobile phones for an entire day every weekend.
She says: "I'm a massive advocate of social media detoxes and believe that social media is bad for us because it's normalising things which aren't real.
"We're encouraged to falsely believe that we're connected to other people when in fact we're not and that often compounds feelings of loneliness.
"People end up seeking validation from people they barely know who aren't even in the same room as them and probably never will be and wanting likes on their status updates and photos.
"The answer is to look at why you're seeking validation from near strangers, and instead go out and connect with the people in your real life – focus on building and strengthening your relationships with your close friends and family, not people online."
How to do a digital detox
Emma suggests: "Leave your phone at home at least one day every single weekend, go out and enjoy the world and really savour what you're up to rather than sitting wasting time and worrying about what people are saying in a virtual one.
"Eventually the panic of being without your phone will subside and you'll love feeling focused on the here and now instead of ignoring everyone around you and tapping away on your phone."
Well, we certainly agree with that. If you're looking for some easy ways to get out in the fresh air, why not try this? And, Pilates guru Erika Bloom reveals her golden rules for wellness.


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Mandolin's Grilled Tiger Prawns
These grilled tiger prawns epitomise Greek cooking at its best - seafood fresh from the sea, grilled and dressed simply, the kind of laidback fare I enjoyed so much when I visited the island of Lesvos a few years ago.
This recipe is from the Mandolin Aegean Bistro in Miami, Florida, opened by husband and wife team Ahmet Erkaya and Anastasia Koutsioukis in 2009. On a trip there from New York they stumbled upon an old 1940s bungalow and decided to move and open their dream restaurant serving simple, unpretentious, healthy food using the freshest ingredients. On a recent visit to Miami from New York, I enjoyed a delicious alfresco meal there.
- Prep Time : 20-25 minutes
- Cook Time : 8-10 minutes
- Yield : 4
- tiger prawns - 12, heads and shells intact
- paprika - 1 teaspoon
- dried oregano - 1 teaspoon
- extra virgin olive oil - 6 tablespoons
- sea salt
- lemon - 1, cut into 4 wedges to serve
Using a sharp pair of scissors, carefully cut through the shell of each prawn from the backside, starting at the tail and going through the body, stopping before the head and exposing the vein.
Carefully remove the vein and rinse the prawns in cold water, keeping the shells and heads intact and essentially "butterflying" them.
Place 1/2 teaspoon paprika and 1/2 teaspoon oregano in a bowl with the olive oil and mix well. Pour over the prawns and leave to marinate for 15 minutes.
In the meantime, preheat the grill to medium and season the prawns with sea salt. Grill the prawns for about 4 minutes on each side, moving them around so that the shells don't burn.
Continue grilling until the flesh is opaque. Divide the prawns between four plates and sprinkle with the rest of the paprika and oregano.
Drizzle with olive oil and serve with lemon wedges.


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Get a grip buddy boy. CONGRESS has the real power in government with the power of the purse strings and the power to create laws. If they can't do anything with that power – don't try and blame W. Just 'cause you hate a person as well as HATE our country – let's use a little rationale and logic here. I have yet to meet a Democrat that can do either, but lets give it a try.
Oil companies – not sure why you hate them so, they provide a whole lot of products for a whole lot of people. And how much did they spend to make that profit (which is about 7% profit margin). NOW let's look at Google – they make about 80% profit margin – why don't you bitch about them??? OH right you were educated in a government school and don't have the capacity for logical thought. Fair enough.
And for a corrupt government, you really should dig for the truth about the clinton's – that is the greatest example of a corrupt adminastration. OH Right again, you are a liberal/fascist/pink-o-commnie/progressive liberal and can't think for yourself.


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The winner(s) of our poll today won't win accolades or prizes, but with this whole selection process heating up for Tesla, one really has to wonder where it will end up. Tesla bringing large scale battery manufacturing to one lucky south/west US state has big implications. The states said to be in the running are Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. If you follow the news … [Read more...]
Two for Friday First Edition – Industry and Talent Update
As advocates of the manufacturing industry we love to serve, we're always plugged in to see what the news and trends are. So in this new feature every Friday we'll bring up two topics to discuss with you. There are a number of critical topics this week but two really stood out: Will 2014 be a good year for US Manufacturers? Acquiring Skilled Talent Will 2014 be a good … [Read more...]
Why US Manufacturing Advocacy Matters
If you or someone you care about works in the US Manufacturing industry, chances are you have a strong opinion about the importance of keeping the Manufacturing sector strong. Job growth rebounding from one of the worst recessions most of us have (and hopefully will) experience in our lifetimes is good for all. So on the level of jobs alone, it is a worth-while endeavor. When … [Read more...]
Why the Manufacturing Employment Skills Gap is Irrelevant
There are two vocal positions in the manufacturing jobs debate, particularly as optimism grows around the industry. The first is that there is a skills gap that is slowing hiring and the rise of manufacturing in the USA. The second is that industry exploits a non-existent gap to further an agenda such as allowing more skilled immigrant visas. The truth is that everyone tends to … [Read more...]