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Wednesday 15th March, 2017
'Our NHS' (a campaign highlighting our local health and care services) looks this week at hospital care in Coastal West Sussex.
Did you know more than 9,400 people work for Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, making it one of the largest employers in the area? The organisation, which runs St Richard's Hospital in Chichester, Worthing Hospital and Southlands in Shoreham, also benefits from more than 1,000 volunteers regularly giving freely of their time to help patients and staff.
It is thanks to this 10,000-strong family of local NHS colleagues that people living in West Sussex have access to some of the best hospital healthcare in the country, as recognised last year by the Care Quality Commission when it awarded the trust an overall rating of "Outstanding" - an accolade only four other acute hospital trusts in the country have received.
Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards, commended the positive attitude of staff and their innovative solutions to continually enhancing the care they provide. He said:
"Staff we spoke with were exceptionally compassionate when talking about patients and we observed kindness not only towards patients but towards each other whilst on site."
The caring culture at Western Sussex Hospitals helps the trust attract and retain excellent and engaged staff which, in turn, is critical to the organisation's success at meeting the many challenges confronting the NHS.
For local hospitals, the most significant of these has been a continued increase in demand. For example, since the trust was awarded foundation trust status in 2013, the number of outpatients appointments has increased by 26% - which is the equivalent to 127,000 more attendances this year than was the case three years ago.
The most challenging demand, however, has arisen from people needing urgent care; this year there were 8,000 more emergency admissions than was the case three years ago and, over the same period, the number of over 85-year-olds needing urgent acute inpatient care has gone up by nearly 18%.
This winter, in particular, has been widely acknowledged as the most difficult for the NHS and locally A&E staff have managed unprecedented increases in the numbers of people coming to them for help. For example, in the first two weeks of January, attendances to accident and emergency in Worthing and Chichester were at times 30% higher than the year before.
Unfortunately, such peak demand has meant more patients have had to wait longer to be seen but, thanks to extraordinary efforts of staff working closely with colleagues in community health and social care, the trust remains the best performing organisation in NHS South, in terms of the four-hour A&E waiting time target.
At a public meeting of the trust board earlier this month, chief executive Marianne Griffiths praised her colleagues for "heroic and wonderful" achievements and trust chairman Mike Viggers said:
"our staff have done an amazing job, especially when you look at the national picture".
Against many national performance measures, Western Sussex Hospitals is bucking the trend. For example, the organisation was the only trust in the country that is delivering a surplus to meet its Sustainability Transformation Fund savings targets at the end of 2016.
Again, while referral to treatment times are deteriorating across the country, with only 42% of trusts meeting the national target, at Western Sussex Hospitals, in December and January, more than 92% of patients received treatment within 18 weeks of referral. Over the same period, the trust also achieved its highest ever scores on the national Patient Safety Thermometer, peaking above 99%.
Supporting each of these achievements are staff project teams employing continuous improvement methodology as part of the trust's unique Patient First programme, which has been widely lauded across the NHS for its innovative approach to continually enhancing patient care.
Four years ago, the leadership team of Western Sussex Hospitals visited one of the safest and best performing hospitals in the world to learn the secrets of their success.
At the Virginia Mason Institute in Seattle, USA, they discovered a hospital where staff were highly engaged and empowered to make improvements every day with expert training and support.
For Marianne Griffiths, chief executive of Western Sussex Hospitals, the visit was a "professional epiphany" and inspired the development of the trust's leading Patient First programme.
The long-term approach to transforming hospital services for the better empowers front-line staff to make improvements themselves by enabling them with the training, tools and freedom to innovate.
The CQC endorsed Patient First in the trust's "Outstanding" CQC report last year and the programme continues to receive many plaudits from other trusts, national commentators and political leaders.
The health secretary Jeremy Hunt visited the trust last October and speaking at a national NHS conference shortly after praised Western Sussex Hospitals for having "the strongest learning culture" he had witnessed "anywhere in the NHS".
At St Richard's, Worthing and Southlands hospitals, hundreds of staff are receiving specialist problem-solving training while many more continually enhance services for patients by participating in daily improvement huddles and improvement projects.
From ward to board, through Patient First, colleagues have a shared focus on improving patient experience, quality of care, a reduction in waiting times, balancing the books and increasing staff engagement.
Across all of these measures the trust is making significant improvements, and excellent NHS Staff Survey results reveal more colleagues than ever before recommend Western Sussex Hospitals as a place to be cared for or to work.
A&E = accident and emergency – not anything and everything! Nationally, up to 40% of A&E attendances are deemed inappropriate and could be dealt with better in other care settings, helping hospitals prioritise the care of those most in need. If unsure how best to access care, please contact your GP, call NHS 111 or visit a pharmacy, unless you are seriously unwell or injured.
Discharge planning – anyone can become unwell or have an accident. It is important for loved ones to have "what if" conversations and talk about being prepared for, and after, a stay in hospital. Once patients no longer require acute hospital care it is important they are discharged in a timely way both for their own health and to release beds for others in need. It may be necessary to accept interim care arrangements that are not your first choice.
Attend appointments – each week more than 10,000 people attend hospital appointments on time at Western Sussex Hospitals, helping to ensure they get the care they need at the right time and that others do not wait longer than necessary and valuable resources are not wasted through rescheduling.
Staff - the trust is always looking to appoint new nurses and doctors, as well as support staff and apprentices - see the latest vacancies.
Volunteers – more than 1,000 volunteers regularly give freely of their time to help patients and staff in the hospitals - find out more about volunteering.
Members – around 7,000 people living locally have become members of the trust – find out more about becoming a member.
Fundraiser – the trust's dedicated charity Love Your Hospital is strongly supported by local population and business community – read more about our fundraisers.
You can reach our communication team by:


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The Cochlear Implant Center has been involved in developing and designing cochlear implant systems for more than 30 years. Our team includes experienced audiologists, surgeons, psychologists and others who are dedicated to the evaluation, surgery and follow-up care of patients with hearing loss. We emphasize working as partners with the families of our patients and collaborating with schools, teachers, therapists and other health care providers.
You'll need a referral from your child's pediatrician or specialist to make an appointment. Once you have the referral, please call the number below.
Cochlear Implant Center at Mount Zion
2380 Sutter St., First Floor
San Francisco, CA 94115
Phone: (415) 353-2464
Fax: (415) 353-2603
Hours: Monday to Friday
8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Additional Locations
Cochlear Implant Center at Mission Bay
Public parking is available in two parking garages near our Mount Zion campus. One is a UCSF garage at 2420 Sutter St. and the other is a public garage at 1635 Divisadero St. Entrances to both garages are on Sutter Street, between Divisadero and Broderick streets.
The 2420 Sutter St. garage is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday to Friday, and closed on weekends and UCSF holidays. The rate is $6 an hour with a $30 daily maximum ($12 daily maximum for patients with a valid disabled placard). If you have a valid disabled placard, you may have the parking fee reduced to $6 by obtaining a parking voucher from your clinic or the lobby information desk at 1600 Divisadero Street. Present the voucher, your disabled parking placard and your garage receipt to the cashier.
For more information about parking in the 2420 Sutter St. garage, call (415) 514-8935.
The public parking lot at 1635 Divisadero St. garage is open from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Friday, and closed on weekends and major holidays. The rate is $2 each 20 minutes with a $28 daily maximum. UCSF parking vouchers are not valid at the 1635 Divisadero St. garage.
For more information about the public parking lot in the 1635 Divisadero St. garage, call (415) 441-5408 or visit www.1635divisaderogarage.com.
Other public parking garages are available nearby.
Metered street parking is rarely available.
UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion is accessible via the following Muni bus routes:
The No. 1 California bus route stops at the corner of California and Divisadero streets, which is three blocks north of Mount Zion.
For more information about Muni, visit www.sfmuni.com.
* Wheelchair accessible bus routes
Free UCSF shuttles travel between the Parnassus and Mount Zion campuses as well as other UCSF locations.
For more information about UCSF transportation, please call (415) 476-1511.

subset: commoncrawl


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Congresswoman Angie Craig's Bipartisan Bill to Reduce Water Pollution Passes House
Today, U.S. Rep Angie Craig's (MN-02) bill cosponsored by Rep. Brian Mast (FL-18) to reduce harmful water pollution in our local waters passed out of the House with overwhelming bipartisan support.
The Local Water Protection Act would reauthorize and increase voluntary grants from the Environmental Protection Agency designed to give local and state governments the flexibility to create conservation programs to reduce water pollution from storm runoff and snowmelt that are specific to their communities.
Rep. Craig led this effort with Republican Rep. Mast because she is committed to working across the aisle to push legislation that makes the communities of the Second District stronger.
You can learn more about the Local Water Protection Act here.
"Local communities are the experts on the most innovative and effective ways to address pollution caused by snowmelt and storm runoff in their water sources," said Rep. Craig. "I'm honored to have passed my first bipartisan bill out of the House today to support local government efforts to keep our water clean and safe for generations to come."
"Like many other states, Florida has felt the social and economic consequences of environmental disaster firsthand. The water issues stemming from Lake Okeechobee exemplify why it's absolutely critical that we work together to strengthen conservation programs, promote public health, defend our environment and protect our waterways," Rep. Mast said. "This bipartisan bill will increase federal support to address pollution from agricultural runoff, assist with septic to sewer conversions and prevent other forms of pollutants. It goes to show how working together we can make a real difference for our waterways."
The Local Water Protection Act passed with an overwhelming bipartisan vote.


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Hurriyat leaders express grief over demise of Sheikh Kabir
Srinagar, December 02 (KMS): In occupied Kashmir, Abdul Kabir Sheikh, the father of martyred prominent freedom leader, Abdul Hameed Sheikh, passed away in Srinagar.
Abdul Kabir Sheikh breathed his last at his residence in Batamaloo area of Srinagar on Thursday night.
Thousands of people belonging to all walks of life including Hurriyat leaders and activists attended the funeral prayers of the deceased.
Meanwhile, Hurriyat leaders and organizations including Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi Al-Safvi, Fazl Haq Qureshi, Musaddiq Aadil, Muhammad Yousuf Naqash, Mir Shahid Saleem, Hakeem Abdur Rasheed, Javaid Ahmed Mir, Mukhtar Ahmed Waza, Zafar Akbar Butt, Farida Bahenji, Zamruda Habib, Nahida Nasreen, Shabbir Ahmed Dar, Muhammad Iqbal Mir, Muhammad Ahsan Untoo, Imtiyaz Ahmed Reshi, Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar, Democratic Freedom Party and High Court Bar Association expressed deep grief and sorrow over the sad demise of Sheikh Abdul Kabir. They hailed the contribution and sacrifices of Sheikh Abdul Kabir to the ongoing resistance movement.
The leaders said that Sheikh Abdul Kabir had to endeavor the loss of his eldest son, remain in jails and torture centers and at times tolerate the incarceration of his wife and other children too. But, they added, all these hardships and oppressive measures failed to subdue his resolve and he continued with his humble social work, benevolence and patronage to needy people. They prayed Allah Almighty to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant patience to the bereaved family to bear this great loss.
On the other hand, delegations of various pro-freedom organizations visited the residence of the deceased in Batamaloo area of Srinagar and expressed condolence and solidarity with the bereaved family.


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Mumbai: Bollywood celebrities like Saif Ali Khan, Alia Bhatt, Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Kemmu attended Adoptathon, where pet lovers can choose from over 150 Indian breed pups and kittens for adoption. Its aim is to find homes for these animals.
Kunal, who was accompanied by wife Soha on Saturday, said: "We have been attached to the cause for last three years. Last time, we adopted two puppies. I am grateful to the association for doing this good job."
Soha, a pet lover, added: "We always encourage people to spend time with animals."
Which is Kunal's favourite - a cat or a dog?
The actor said that he is more of a dog lover.
But Alia, who was present at the event along with sister Shaheen, wanted to take home cats.
She said: "I already have two cats in my house. I feel like taking home one more. But my mom has warned me not to take any cats as I am not able to look after them."


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Keith Harding is Practice Lead, Anti-Financial Crimes Advisory Services for Dixon Hughes Goodman, the 17th largest accounting firm in the nation.
In his role at DHG, the Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) provides risk advisory services to top-tier financial institutions across multidisciplinary risk domains. Keith specializes in anti-financial crimes, enterprise risk management and operational risk, with a focus on delivering strategic enhancements by driving change through transformation initiatives and regulatory response efforts.
Before joining DHG, Keith worked as a business risk and control manager within Global Liquidity & Cash Management (GLCM) at HSBC, where he helped business partners identify, assess and mitigate risks within business processes and operational functions. He also was a primary contact for the OCC, FRB and HSBC's DOJ-mandated independent monitor for GLCM during regular review cycles and ad hoc examinations.
Highly active throughout the compliance community, Keith is a board member of the ACAMS New York Chapter and he serves as the Director of the board's Virtual Currency Committee. Keith's interests are in the identification, and mitigation, of emerging risks posed by FinTechs within the payments landscape, as well as the disruption of human trafficking operations through advanced typologies.
Before starting his career, Keith earned a Bachelor's in urban planning and a Master's in management information systems from the State University of New York at Buffalo.


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Baby Chewable toy
Suitable from birth
Excellent BABY SHOWER GIFT
- CHEWABLE – Soft and pliable teether helps to massage and soothe tender gums
- ATTAHCABLE – Harness strap can be attached around the car seat, buddy, pram and harness. No more picking up dropped teethers or losing precious friends
- SENSORY – Made from natural latex rubber, tactile, easy for little hands to hold, soothing smell and cute squeak to stimulate the senses
- SAFE – Safety tested to the highest standards worldwide, Chewy contains no phthalates or BPA and will never flake or peel. 100% safe to chew on.


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Is anyone there? Did I get bumped off the list? Has today REALLY been this slow? Did everyone start thinking like groo again? Is this another ploy by Cyber-Erin? Will Batman triumph over evil? Tune in next week. Same Groopie chanel. Same Groopie time....
______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com


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After years of enjoying a close relationship with the Obama administration and other Democratic leaders, Google's parent company Alphabet is increasingly showing signs that it's cozying up to Republicans as it adapts to new leadership in Washington.
But Alphabet also finds itself in a bit of a tricky position, trying to curry favour with a White House that has already put forth policies counter the company's culture and business interests, like the immigration ban from predominately Muslim countries.
On Monday, about 2,000 Google and Alphabet employees from around the world walked out to protest the immigration ban, and company leaders like Google CEO Sundar Pichai, co-founder Sergey Brin and other execs spoke to those gathered.
It was the biggest anti-Trump demonstration from a tech company, following the flood of statements from practically every major CEO or leader in the industry.
For all the public display of discontent, Alphabet is hardly shunning the new Republican-controlled government. As a for-profit public company with vast business interests tied to US policy, Alphabet can't afford to disengage with the government. And as a result the company is taking a more pragmatic approach behind the scenes, ramping up lobbying efforts in Washington and looking for ways to get closer to the Trump administration.
Getting closer to Republicans
At the end of last year, Alphabet parted ways with the Podesta Group, a Democratic-leaning lobbying firm led by Tony Podesta, the brother of Hillary Clinton's former campaign chairman John Podesta, Bloomberg reported.
Alphabet had worked with the Podesta Group for 12 years, and Bloomberg noted that the timing coincided with a Google job posting for someone to spearhead "conservative outreach." However, a source familiar with Alphabet's relationship to the Podesta Group said to Business Insider that the lobbying firm was actually the one that cut ties because it was asked to do so by Oracle, another big tech client which is a Google competitor. The Podesta Group did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
This month, The New York Times reported that Google financed a swanky party in Washington in a partnership with the right-wing news outlet The Independent Journal Review. The party took place the day after the new Congress' first day, and most of the lawmakers in attendance were Republicans, the Times reported.
In December Alphabet CEO Larry Page and chairman Eric Schmidt attended the so-called "tech summit" in December at Trump tower with then President-elect Trump, along with other notable tech leaders like Apple CEO Tim Cook, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. But that meeting wasn't the end. Schmidt was spotted in Trump Tower again about a month after the tech summit, although it's unclear what he and Trump discussed.
Schmidt also met with Republican legislators Johh Thume, who chairs the Senate's Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and House majority leader Kevin McCarthy before visiting Trump tower according to the New York Times.
What does Alphabet have to gain?
Google has worked with both Republicans and Democrats in the past. And the company spends millions of dollars every year lobbying across both sides of the aisle — in 2016, Alphabet spent more than $15 million on government lobbying.
For Google and Alphabet, there's a lot at stake.
Google was the target of an FTC investigation several years ago that alleged anti-competitive business practices (the case was closed without charges in 2013). An unfriendly FTC in the new administration could potentially take another look at Google's business practices, especially as the company continues to face antitrust investigations in Europe.
Peter Thiel, the tech billionaire and advisor to Trump, has criticised Google's power in the past and is said to be leading the search for a new chair of the FTC, according to BuzzFeed. BuzzFeed also reported that Schmidt has had trouble gaining favour with the Trump administration, and Google's preferred candidate for FTC chair, Joshua Wright, is unlikely to be picked.
At the same time, Thiel has written before about the merits of monopoly power, so there's still a chance his FTC pick wouldn't want to go after Google again.
It wasn't always this way
Although Google's DC office has plenty of Republican staffers, including former Republican congresswoman Susan Molinari, who runs the office, the perception has been that Google's activities leaned more to the Democratic side of political aisle, especially the Obama administration. For example, President Obama hired longtime Googler Megan Smith to be the country's first CTO. Google also hired Obama's national security adviser Caroline Atkinson to run public policy. And Alphabet Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt served on Obama's presidential science and technology advisory board.
"We've worked with both Republicans and Democrats for over a decade, advocating policies to encourage economic growth, innovation, and entrepreneurialism," Molinari said in a written statement to Business Insider. "We'll continue to do exactly that."
Schmidt also had ties to Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, providing funding to a software company called Groundwork that provided technical services for the campaign. Schmidt was even spotted wearing a "staff" badge at what was supposed to be Clinton's election night victory party, something that caught the attention of Wikileaks and conservative media outlets.
Recent resistance
Despite the efforts to get closer to Republicans, there are signs that Google is already bristling at some of the new administration's policies.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai sent a memo to staff last weekend criticising Trump's executive order that banned immigrants from seven predominately Muslim countries. And Sergey Brin, one of Alphabet's co-founders, was spotted at San Francisco's airport protesting the immigration ban, and spoke out forcefully against the ban at a rally at Google headquarters on Monday.
Monday's protest at Google campuses across the world flooded social media with photos and videos of cheering employees and company leaders slamming the Trump administration's immigration ban. Soufi Esmaeilzadeh, the Iranian-born Google employee, told her story to those gathered at the company's Mountain View campus.
Esmaeilzadeh was flying from San Francisco to Zurich when Trump signed the executive order banning immigrants from seven predominately Muslim countries. After contacting Google's immigration team, and was told it would be best to stay in Zurich indefinitely, fearful she'd risk deportation if she came back to the US. After a federal judge issued a narrow ruling on the ban Saturday night, Google immediately booked
Esmaeilzadeh on a flight back to San Francisco.
Brin, himself a refugee who came to the US from the Soviet Union during the Cold War, delivered the strongest words during the demonstration.
"I think it's important to not frame this debate as being 'liberal' versus 'Republican' and so forth," Brin said. "It's a debate about fundamental values, about thoughtful policymaking and many of the other things that I think are — apparently not universally adored — but I think the vast majority of our country and our legislators and so forth support."
(You can read a full transcript of Brin's remarks here.)
Schmidt also spoke out against the same administration he's tried to get close to at a meeting with Google employees last Thursday, according to BuzzFeed. Schmidt said he thinks the Trump administration will continue to do "these evil things" such as the immigration ban, according to the report.
Finally, Google is donating $2 million and matching another $2 million in employee donations to the ACLU and other groups to battle Trump's immigration ban.
Another fight brewing
There's also likely going to be growing concern at Google and other large tech companies as the Trump administration considers changes to the H1-1B Visa program that allows companies to hire workers from other countries. As Bloomberg reported, those changes would require companies to give priority to American hires first.
Such an order could severely limit tech companies' ability to recruit the talent it needs. Google, Facebook, Amazon, IBM, Apple, and just about any other company you can think of are consistently among the top sponsors of H-1B Visa holders, according to My Visa Jobs.
Business Insider has reached out to most major tech companies regarding potential changes to the H-1B Visa program. All have either not responded or declined to comment until more information is available.
If you have an information about how Alphabet's leadership is handling Trump administration policies, you can anonymously email [email protected]
Photo of Google/Alphabet Chairman Eric Schmidt wearing Clinton campaign "staff" badge pic.twitter.com/uZANaEwOPD
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) November 17, 2016
Google cofounder Sergey Brin at SFO protest: "I'm here because I'm a refugee." (Photo from Matt Kang/Forbes) pic.twitter.com/GwhsSwDPLT
— Ryan Mac (@RMac18) January 29, 2017
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The Teifi Boating Club (TBC) was started by a group of boating enthusiasts over thirty years ago. From a germ of an idea as long ago as 1964, the purchase of the site in 1973 and the official opening of the clubhouse in October of 1975 the club hasn't looked back.
The TBC caters for all aspects of boating activities, Cruisers, Power Boats, Sailing Dinghies, we have a full programme of both Boating and Social activities and are always happy to welcome new members.
Subscription charges for year 2020
Combined/Family members £86
Full (single) member £73
Single Ancient Mariner £37
Combined Ancient Mariner £43
Junior member £31
Joining Fee £20
Temporary Membership
Valid for maximun 14 days in any one year period
Applicants must either be:
a) Visiting sailors who are boat owners, or
b) A member of a RYA Affiliated Club
Section a) Applicants pay the fee of £5 per day
Section b) RYA Affiliated Members are not required to pay a fee
Boat parking annual fees 2020 (dependant on availability)
Boats in Dinghy Park
Sailing/rowing dinghies up to 16′ £46.00
Boats in main boat park
Up to 19ft £67.00
19ft - 25ft £82.00
25ft - 30ft £112.00
30ft - 36ft £142.00
Over 36ft £197.00
Multi-hull up to 20ft £90.00
Multi-hull 20ft - 30ft £143.00
Multi-hull over 30ft £234.00
For an application form or more details please contact:
Gareth Rowlands (Hon Membership Secretary)
Teifi Boating Club
The Patch
01239 613846 during bar opening hours
Or download from here:
Membership Application 2020
Membership Renewal
Boat Contract
2019 Boat Launch Card
Temporary Membership


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Why don't we talk about miscarriages?
The heartbreaking pain Markesha Melton felt after her stillborn delivery dug as deep as her emotions. It was physical. Violent.
"My chest started to feel so bad," said Melton, 29. It's been five years since her daughter was delivered without a heartbeat one day after her due date. But Melton still remembers the visceral manifestation of her living nightmare.
"It's physical pain, and I couldn't breathe one night because I was holding it in so bad," she said.
"Holding it in physically hurts," Amy Everman said in response to Melton's confession. The women were seated in stackable chairs dragged into a circle in a church's community room for a Sunday night meeting of Houston's Aid in Neonatal Death (HAND), a pregnancy-loss support group.
Melton and Everman nod, as do another couple of women in the room. They've all felt the strain of "holding it in."
There's an oppressive silence around the topic of miscarriages in in American culture, as pregnancy loss remains one of the last taboo subjects in conversations about families and health. And zipped lips can compound the pain women experience when they lose a child.
"Why is miscarriage so differently perceived than most other conditions we deal with?" asks Zev Williams, director of the Program for Early and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, in New York. "I think part of it is it's a taboo subject that's rarely discussed, and I think a lot of that has to do with ancient underpinnings of miscarriage and fertility."
Most conditions we have today - heart disease, diabetes - are diseases of the modern era, Williams observes. "But fertility and miscarriage has been part of the human condition from the beginning, so a lot of our notions about it come from a very ancient mindset, and the idea of sort of blaming the woman is more prevalent than you'd see with other conditions," he said, pointing to common misconceptions that stress, lifting heavy objects and having doubts about the pregnancy can lead to a miscarriage. "I think part of it too is there's a lot that's still not known about miscarriages, and often when there's a void of real knowledge, pseudoscience can seep in."
One thing doctors know for sure: Miscarriages happen a lot more than you think.
In a recent study, Williams and other doctors found that the majority of people surveyed thought miscarriages occurred in 5 percent of less of pregnancies. In reality, the share is about 20 percent, resulting in between 750,000 and 1 million miscarriages and stillbirths per year nationally.
"This misperception may foster the alienation that patients feel as they experience a miscarriage," the study says.
Everman knows all about that alienation. Her first son, Bennett, is 6. Two years after Bennett was born, Everman suffered a miscarriage 11 weeks into her second pregnancy. A year after that, her second son, Griffin, was born seven weeks early; he died five weeks later, on Jan. 21, 2014. When she delivered her youngest child, Bowen, late last year, the news came a surprise to most of her friends.
"I had a subchorionic hematoma, and I was paranoid," she explained. When she was ordered to stay in the hospital for six weeks before delivering Bowen, she and her husband decided against posting anything about the pregnancy on social media. "I didn't want to have to see the posts if he died."
This self-preservation extended further than her online self.
"I went to this nail place this last time, because I don't really like it that much, and I thought, 'If I lose this baby, I'll never have to see them again,'" she said, adding, "I didn't want to go to my son's school this year because I didn't want anyone to see me pregnant."
It's incredibly common for expectant parents to keep a pregnancy under wraps in its beginning stages. Many couples wait until after the first trimester to announce plans to expand their families, just in case. Couples keep quiet because the risk of miscarriage is greatest in the first 12 weeks, said Kathleen Borchardt, an obstetrician at Houston Methodist.
"When patients ask, 'When can I tell people?' my answer is to go ahead and tell whoever you would be OK with knowing if something bad happens, so you have a support group," Borchardt said.
Borchardt and Williams both stress the importance of opening up the conversation around miscarriage, which Williams refers to as "pregnancy loss" because the very construction of the word "miscarriage" implies the woman miscarried.
Williams' study found that the majority of people incorrectly believe that actions taken by a pregnant woman can lead to pregnancy loss. Seventy-six percent of those surveyed erroneously thought a stressful event could end a pregnancy; 64 percent thought lifting a heavy object could do it.
In reality, Borchardt said, half of miscarriages are caused by chromosomal abnormalities.
"I think that's why a lot of people don't talk about it," Borchardt said. "They feel like it's something they did. And if people know that I had a miscarriage, would they think I was doing something bad or wrong?"
This self-blame is so pervasive that Williams says he has even treated sisters who both suffered miscarriages, but never told each other.
"I think it's almost a rule that there's self-blame." he said. "It almost invariably happens that they think back to everything they did the week leading up to the miscarriage and blame themselves."
In Williams' study, 47 percent of the respondents who'd miscarried reported feeling guilty, 41 percent said they'd felt they'd done something wrong and 28 percent said they felt ashamed.
"So you can imagine if you couple those three elements we're talking about: the self-blame and the guilt; the fact that people can't really discuss it with other people because it's something that's private and secret; and how emotionally devastating it can be, that makes it a very hard experience for a couple to go through."
One step toward getting rid of the shame around a miscarriage is talking about it, Williams said.
"People only keep things secret when there's a sense of shame about it," he said. "And when people talk about it publicly, it gets rid of that shame."
Open discussion could also help women connect with support systems they didn't know existed.
"It's one in five pregnancies, which is why I encourage everyone to talk about it when it happens," Borchardt said. "If they bring it up, they'll realize their friend, their mother or their sister might have had one, too."
A wider conversation will also "help the public realize that the majority of the time, it's not something the woman could help or something they did to cause it. It will help take the stigma off," she said.
For Melton and Everman, the HAND support group has helped their long journey toward healing, by alleviating that great pain of holding it in.
"Losing a child is unexplainable, but there are individuals out there who are willing to support you." Melton said. "They understand and they know you're not alone. You just have to know it's OK to reach out."


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I am remodeling a second floor bathroom in an Victorian house est 1030's. The bathroom tile was put on with cement blobs about 2 inches thick behind it. It almost looks like cement patties because there are gaps in each corner of the tile corners of the old 4x4 tiles. My guess is that the cement was used to build out the tiles to fit the tub area. now I am retiling the bath and I see behind the tiles this matrix of cement blobs do I close up the holes /gaps with more cement or leave it as it is, I am replacing it with the same size 4x4 squares although today's tiles are thinner. My fear is that the grout may crack since the new tiles are thinner and mold and mildew will be more likely to form over time. Or put a cement board on top of that which will make the wall tile come out farther into the tub area? Is it possible to close up the gap with more cement or mastic to make no holes in the wall behind it?
I need to replace the whole package. Transom, side-lites, and door (fiberglass) along with all the trim inside and out. House is 11 years old. Door, Transom and side-lites are in good shape but the wood is bad and has leaked inside. Have patched over the years. The builder did not use the proper wood when the house was built and many homes in the neighborhood have the same issue. Lowe's tells me my door is 1/4 inch too small and I need to go with a "custom" order through them. My gut is screaming run to another Lowe's. Question is...is it really worth my time should I go with the specialist? If I do need the "custom" Lowe's door the $$ difference will be about $2,000 is it worth it?
I want to make a full wall into a half wall between the kitchen and dining room and add some cabinets and a countertop. Will doing this make it one big kitchen instead if 2 rooms? Concerned about resale value and having to state one less room. Thanks.
We're Midwesterners and will be renovating a home we bought in Atlantic City, New Jersey. What is the best roofing material for withstanding a combination of salty air and strong winds?
I'd like to grow tomatoes in an 8 x 10' greenhouse in my south-facing back yard, which is visible from many windows of the house. The sunniest area is dead center near the back fence. I'd like to plant landscaping--flowers or a hedge about 5' high-- to partially screen the greenhouse. Will that cut out too much light and warmth for the tomatoes?
We are looking at buying a house that needs a little help in the kitchen. I would like to be able to create a pass through & counter from the kitchen to the dining room which would require knocking out the top half of an interior wall. The wall now has cabinets attached to it and is a partial wall which stops at the doorway from the kitchen to the dining room. Wanted to know if there was a clear way to tell if part of a wall can be taken out when we go back to look at the house. Many thanks!!!
I currently have outside storm windows over my inside wood windows. They are falling apart and need to be replaced. Should I get one whole new window or look for just storms? What is the best mid-grade replacement window? My house is not sided and has wooden cedar shakes on the outside. If I put in replacement windows, they will cover the painted trim around the edge of the window that matches the trim on the house and it will be all white. Then there will be no contrast around the window. A storm window will not cover that wood but I'm told storms are old news.
We just want it very low maintenance and to look presentable. Should we take down all the tile on walls and floor, or should we just take down the bathtub tiles and put something that is less maintenance than grout and tile? What are some low maintenance options?
After deciding to add deep color (garnet) to the master bedroom that is 15 x 20 I was okay with the contractor needing two gallons of paint max to do the job. Well after 5 gallons of paint (in addition to white primer) I am not happy and ready to do the job myself. The materials are excellent quality. I need to know how to go about correcting this wrong? Would it be better to try another contractor? This one has done good work, has good references, but come to find out not that experienced in dark paints. Thanks.
What is the proper way and what material should be used to insulate a crawl space? The floor of the crawl space is dirt and about 2 to 3 feet high. It is accessed by small passegeways in the foundation. We live in northern New Jersey and have fairly cold winters.


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- Fellowship Evening 2020
- Fellowship Day 2019
- Fellowship Day 2018
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- Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (CertAVP)
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- Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing
- An overview of the Practice Standards Scheme
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- Apply for accreditation
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- Promoting your accredited practice
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- Contact the Advice Team
- Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons
- Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses
- Code of Professional Conduct app
- GDPR – RCVS information and Q&As
- Advice on Schedule 3
- I want to raise a concern about a veterinary surgeon
- I want to raise a concern about a registered veterinary nurse
- Confidential Reporting Line
'SUPERB' checklist poster to assist Schedule 3 delegation
31 October 2019
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has produced a six-point checklist poster for use in the practice setting to help veterinary surgeons remember the key things they need to consider when delegating work to veterinary nurses under Schedule 3.
Schedule 3 to the Veterinary Surgeons Act provides that vets may delegate medical treatment and minor surgery (not involving entry into a body cavity) to registered veterinary nurses (RVNs) and student veterinary nurses (SVNs) under certain circumstances. Following an RCVS survey of the veterinary professions to gauge how well both vets and vet nurses understood the provisions of Schedule 3, it was clear that both groups, but especially vets, could benefit from some additional guidance and greater clarity around some of the terms and language in the Schedule.
Following the publication of the survey report, the RCVS Veterinary Nursing Schedule 3 Working Party made a number of recommendations, including the production of a number of case studies (available via www.rcvs.org.uk/schedule3) and a reference poster to assist veterinary surgeons in making those everyday decisions on delegation in practice.
An A3/A4 poster setting out the key principles of delegation has now been prepared and will be printed and posted to all UK veterinary practice premises this autumn.
Ian Holloway, RCVS Director of Communications, who helped develop the poster with the RCVS Standards Committee and the College's Standards & Advice Team, explains: "It was clear from the survey results that we could do more to help vets and vet nurses understand and remember the principles of delegation under Schedule 3, so hopefully our six-point checklist, using the memorable mnemonic 'SUPERB', will do just that.
"If the poster can be placed in a prominent position in the practice setting, we hope it will become a handy, everyday reference tool for all veterinary professionals, and help vets remember the six questions they need to consider before delegating work to their VN colleagues.
The mnemonic SUPERB stands for:
- Specific procedure – is the procedure medical treatment or minor surgery not involving entry into a body cavity?
- Under care – is the animal under your care?
- Person – can you delegate to this person?
- Experience – does the RVN/SVN feel capable, and have sufficient competence and expertise?
- Risks – have you considered the risks specific to this case?
- Be there – are you available to direct or supervise as necessary?
Only if veterinary surgeons can answer all six questions in the affirmative, can they delegate to RVNs and SVNs accordingly.
The poster will also available to download from www.rcvs.org.uk/schedule3 where further resources about delegation are available, including links to the relevant chapter of the supporting guidance to the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct and the Schedule 3 case studies.


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I'm a big fan of modern 3D. Whenever I have the opportunity to see a movie in 3D instead of 2D, I take it. Especially IMAX 3D, which is just awesome. (I'm fortunate enough to live close to one of the best IMAX theaters in the US, and I go regularly.) Yes, 3D can be done poorly, but I find most modern 3D films handle it well. I just saw Captain America in 3D a couple of nights back and enjoyed it.
So you might expect me to have been one of the first to have jumped on the 3D HDTV bandwagon, but you'd be wrong. Oh, I fully intend to buy a 3D HDTV, but I'm waiting for the industry to shake out a bit. I'll let them work out the kinks, mature the technology, and get prices down a bit more, then I'll upgrade.
One of those 'kinks' that I've been waiting for them to work out is the idiocy of having multiple, incompatible systems for the glasses. Most vendors today use active shutter glasses, but the glasses from one vendor won't work with a TV from another vendor, which means your friends with a Sony TV can't bring their glasses over for movie night on your Samsung. OK, let me step back and give a quick overview of where we stand. Oversimplified, but it'll suffice.
We see the world in 3D because each eye sees objects from a slightly different angle. The brain uses this parallax to calculate the distances and provide depth to what we see. But projected images, like conventional TV, all come from the same plane – they're 2D. There is no parallax, and thus no depth. So the obvious solution is to provide a different image to each eye, each simulating a different angle, creating the illusion of parallax to provide depth. But that's simpler to explain than to do.
Older 3D systems tended to be anaglyph, using different color filters for each eye – often red & blue, but there are a number of systems. The two images would be projected with matching color filters, and the filters in the glasses meant each eye only perceived the corresponding color projected. This system works well enough for B&W, but the nature of the system – colored filters – often wrecks havoc with the colors in a color image. And it isn't that sharp, you get bleed through from the opposite eye's image if the filters don't block 100%, etc. Anaglyph is still used for printed materials, and sometimes for video, but it is really used mainly as a novelty these days.
Modern theatrical systems are almost all based on polarized light. The glasses are similar to quality polarized sunglasses, only allowing light waves moving in one direction to pass through. A simple way to imagine it is that you can give light a left hand twist or a right hand twist as you project it. So the 3D system does both – using left hand for the left eye and right hand for the right eye. Corresponding filters in the glasses allow only the matching twist through, so that eye sees only the image projected for it. These systems work fairly well, the only real drawback is that the glasses block some of the light, and so make things dimmer – but that's easily compensated for by increasing the brightness of the image. Since the glasses are simple lenses and all of the work is done in the projector – or the TV – these systems are called 'passive'. The advantage is that the glasses are simple, cheap, and light. They aren't quite universally compatible, as there are different ways to do the polarization (mainly circular polarization vs. linear polarization), but most theaters, and passive 3D HDTVs, use the same system so de facto they tend to be.
On the other hand, most 3D HDTVs today use active shutter glasses instead. As the name implies, in this system the glasses are an active part of the system. Instead of each eye receiving a constant stream of light, filtered for that eye, active shutter systems alternate images to each eye. The glasses contain liquid crystal lenses (similar to the LCDs in a digital watch) which alternate between transparent and opaque – exactly out of phase. So the left eye receives the image while the right eye is blocked, and vice versa. This is sync'd with the image on the screen, so a left eye image is shown while the left lens is transparent, etc. The downside to this is that the glasses are complex, relatively heavy, expensive, and need to be recharged regularly. Oh, and each vendor has used a different synchronization system, making them incompatible, as above, but I'll get back to that.
So, why do only a few vendors (like LG & Vizio) use passive 3D while the rest use active 3D with the expensive glasses? Well, active 3D is a higher quality solution for the home right now. See, with active 3D each eye sees the full image. So if you have a 1920x1080p 'Full HD' display, then each eye gets Full HD – just half the time. But with the displays refreshing at 120Hz or 240Hz, you still get the effect of full HD since the brain can't tell the difference. It is still equivalent to 60Hz or 120Hz per eye. (Remember classic film is 24 frames per second and, in the US, classic TV was only 30fps (OK, 29.97).) On the other hand, passive 3D systems today use fixed polarizing filters on top of the screen which divide the image in half, line by line. So every even line is for one eye and every odd line is for the other. The end result is that each eye is only getting half resolution, so your 1080p set is only 540p in 3D mode. This is another one of those kinks I mentioned, and it will be resolved, which I'll get to – but first, back to active shutters.
So, active shutter glasses are more expensive and complex, but provide a better image. That's fine. But they're expensive, with prices ranging from $50 to $200, while passive glasses start at a couple of bucks. The cost of active glasses wouldn't be so bad, except for the compatibility problem and the stinginess of vendors. When you buy your shiny new 3D HDTV it may not even come with a pair of glasses. And when they do, it is generally just one or two pair. If you have a family with more people, or ever want to have friends over for a movie night, you need more glasses. Maybe your friends have their own 3D HDTV – great, they can bring their glasses. What, they have a different brand of TV? Oh, that's too bad.
Different vendors have used different systems to keep the glasses in sync. There are IR- and RF-based systems, using different protocols. So while Sony, Samsung, and Panasonic, for example, all have used IR – they've used different IR protocols. Some vendors, like XPAND, have seen this as an opportunity and have been producing 'universal' glasses which implement multiple standards to work with multiple TVs, but it still means buying more if your TV came with vendor-specific glasses. Finally the main vendors supporting active shutter, Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, and XPAND, have formed the 'Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative' to produce universally compatible glasses across all members.
The new glasses will support RF and IR protocols. Of course, they're not expected to be available until 2012, but they will be backwards compatible with 2011 model 3D HDTVs. Basically they're going to cram all of the protocols into one set of glasses for backwards compatibility, though it sounds like going forward the vendors will be using Bluetooth as a standard RF system on their sets. So one day we may have one protocol across all of the sets, which would allow for simpler 'universal' glasses.
So that's one kink worked out, or at least on the path there. So, time for me to start shopping for that 3D TV.
Actually, no. See, I don't like active 3D. Sure, the image is great and all, but I don't like the heavy, or at least heavier, glasses and the costs involved. I have a hard enough time remembering to plug in my PS3 controllers to keep them charged, I don't want to deal with having to keep my 3D glasses charged. Or worry about them falling into the couch or getting sat on, etc. I think the RealD glasses at the theater are pretty comfortable, and you can even buy custom, designer, even prescription, passive 3D glasses if you want. I'm a big fan of passive 3D, in other words. But I'm not willing to sacrifice quality either, the kink I mentioned earlier.
Fortunately, that's on its way to being resolved too. While current passive 3D systems use a passive, fixed polarizing screen on a conventional HD display, that's not the only way to do it. One obvious solution – up the native resolution of the display. If you're halving the resolution for each eye, the higher the native resolution of the display, the higher the resolution for each eye. A 4k native display would provide better than Full HD for each eye. But making such high resolution displays in large panel sizes is a very expensive option today.
There's another approach though, as pursued by RealD in their RDZ system, add an active polarizer to the screen. This is kind of a hybrid between active shutter and passive 3D systems. The glasses are passive, but an active layer is added to the screen. Instead of an on/off shutter, it is a polarizer, that alternatively polarizes the full image left or right. While the glasses are passive, since each lens only allows the matching image through, one eye sees nothing while the other sees the image, just like with active 3D. But all of the complexity and cost is in the TV. The glasses are literally the same as used in the theater – if you need more just bring them home next time you go, instead of tossing them in the recycling bin.
Sets using RDZ are expected to hit the market in 2012 from Samsung, and there will probably be similar, competing systems. Personally I think this solution is the best of both worlds. You get the Full HD image quality with cheap, lightweight glasses. Cheap enough that you can have plenty on hand for friends, and not worry about breaking or losing a pair. And if you need prescription lenses (as my fiancée wears) you can have prescription 3D glasses made that you can use at home and in the theater. No more having to sacrifice clarity for 3D, or trying to wear two pairs of glasses. It is hard to justify the cost of a prescription pair just for the theater, even for a die-hard movie goer, but if you can use the same glasses at home all the time, it is easier to justify.
Oh, yeah, I left out 'glasses free' 3D systems. That wasn't an accident; I'm extremely unimpressed with them. They work OK on small displays – cell phones, handhelds, etc. – though even there they have major limitations. But they have too many drawbacks. Glasses free systems work via two major systems – lenticular screens or filter slats. Lenticular screens are familiar to most people – you know those images that seem to move when you tip them back and forth? Those have a lenticular screen on top. Basically rows of linear lenses that create 'slices' of an image. so when you view at a given angle you seen only specific slices, as directed by the lens. If you ever see one of the images without the lens in place it looks like several images all sliced up into ribbons, interlaced with each other. And that's exactly what the display is doing – it is actually displaying columns of left & right images interlaced, and using the lens to direct each one to one eye. The slat system works in a similar manner, but even simpler. There are vertical slats positioned in front of the display designed to simply block every other column of pixels from each eye. But in such a way that it blocks the odd columns for one eye, and the even columns for the other.
So, in these systems you have the same drawback as today's passive 3D – it halves the resolution. But, worse, there are very specific fixed points (or point in some cases) for viewing. While active and passive glasses systems work pretty much from any viewing angle the display supports, with glasses free systems you have to be in one of the 'sweet spots' where the effect works. Anywhere else and you may see nothing, or garbage, or 2D, it depends. Again, you know those cheap lenticular pictures? Know how as you tip them, as one image dissolves into the next there is a point where it is neither image and just a mess? The displays are like that, if you sit in the wrong place.
I'll never say never, but to date I haven't seen anything out or announced that truly resolves these issues with glasses free 3D. I've seen systems that will increase the number of viable points for viewing, but that's just polishing a turd. You still have finite points and you still lose quality. Until someone comes up with a real breakthrough I think passive Full HD 3D will be the best option. I'm just waiting for it to arrive – and be priced reasonably, of course. I picked up my current set, a 61″ Samsung 1080p DLP, in late 2006, so it has plenty of life left in it. I can wait.
Press release spotted via Engadget.


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A taut, claustrophobic thriller set entirely inside an Atlantic City hotel and sports arena complex, "Snake Eyes" stars Nicolas Cage as not-so-straight Atlantic City police detective Rick Santoro, invited by his boyhood friend, Navy Commander Kevin Dunne (Gary Sinese), to a front row seat at a championship fight where Dunne is in charge of security for the U.S. Secretary of Defense. But when the Secretary is gunned down in the middle of the fight, Santoro is forced to rise to the occasion to both solve the crime and clear his friend's conscience.
Die-hard De Palma fans will undoubtedly embrace this latest work if for no other reason than its brave sense of style, much of which hearkens gleefully back to the heydays of such De Palma classics as "Body Double," "Blowout," "Sisters" and "Obsession." From its extended opening tracking shot to such familiar De Palma devices as the cross-cutting splitscreen, "Snake Eyes" is saturated in style, although never so much as to short-circuit its pacing or tension.
Unfortunately, as is too often the case with larger, studio offerings nowadays, "Snake Eyes" suffers somewhat in the script department, lacking the unforeseen and often perverse twists and turns that once earned De Palma persistent comparisons to Alfred Hitchcock. The David Koepp script, based on a story co-written by Koepp and De Palma, isn't all that hard to figure out, leaving little beyond the sheer audacity of De Palma's style to maintain interest throughout.
As for Cage, who plays Santoro with his trademark manic energy, the film is yet another splendid showcase, complete with action, snappy dialogue and romance. Supporting turns by Gary Sinese and Carla Gugino, meanwhile, are likewise excellent, even if their characters appear, at a certain point, to be drifting into cliche territory.
On the whole, however, "Snake Eyes" is welcome summer entertainment, an intelligent and modestly-scaled thriller which, if it doesn't quite recall the classic Hollywood days of yore, it comes desperately close. Starring Nicolas Cage, Gary Sinise, John Heard, Carla Gugino, Stan Shaw and Kevin Dunn. Directed and produced by Brian De Palma. Written by David Koepp. A Paramount release. Thriller. Rated R for some violence. Running time: 98 min


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Rudy A. Arambulo
- Divorce, Family Law, Criminal Law ...
- Missouri
Rudy A. Arámbulo, a licensed attorney in the State of Missouri, is a graduate of University of Arkansas School of Law. Rudy has lived in the Branson area since 1992, having graduated from Branson High School. Education has always been important to Rudy and he started his under-graduated studies at Brigham Young University, returning to Missouri to graduate with his Bachelor's Degree from College of the Ozarks. Choosing the practice of law was deeply personal and Rudy attended the University of Arkansas School of Law. Rudy went on to attend Arizona State University, Sandra Day O'Connor School of Law and William and Mary Law School (the oldest school of law in the United States) to further his studies in select areas of the law, returning to Arkansas where he graduated with his Juris Doctorate Degree. Before starting the Tri-Lakes Law Firm, Rudy practiced as a solo attorney, always staying close to his roots here in Branson. Mr. Arámbulo is deeply committed to the people in the Tri-Lakes region with a passion for family law matters. He serves as the appointed Guardian ad Litem for the Taney County Juvenile Court, where his role is to advocate for the best interests of children brought into the juvenile system. ntentionally keeping his Firm small, he is able to meet the needs of the community with personalized service by practicing in several areas of the law including: Family law – divorces, paternity actions, and modifications of existing judgments Adoptions Business matters Collections Criminal matters DUI/DWI cases Immigration Municipal court matters Probate, Wills and Estates Proud of his heritage, Rudy is one of the few bi-lingual attorneys in Taney County, fluent in Spanish. An avid traveler, he conquers a new part of the globe each year even going so far as to trek across Europe by train with only a backpack and a travel buddy – visiting nearly 25 countries in 10 days!
- University of Arkansas School of Law
- J.D. | Law
- College of the Ozarks
- Court appointed Guardian ad Litem - Juvenile Division
- Taney County Circuit Court - Juvenile Division
- -
- Taney County Bar Association
- Member
- Current
- Missouri Bar Association  # 61252
- Member
- - Current
- Missouri
Free Consultation
I welcome the opportunity to discuss your personal situation and how our Firm can best help you and our fee structure.
- Credit Cards Accepted
- Divorce
- Family Law
- Criminal Law
- Probate
- Landlord Tenant
- Personal Injury
- Collections
- Immigration Law
- Italian: Spoken, Written
- Portuguese: Spoken, Written
- Spanish: Spoken, Written


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R&B newbie Elle Varner may have caught your attention singing alongside J. Cole that she "only wants to give it to you" or you may have caught her killer curves on the BET Awards on an endless loop. Either way, the curly-haired darling is here to make some serious waves in the R&B pool.
Must Read: What's Drake's Favorite Vacation Destination?
With her latest single, "I Don't Care," Varner is giving you all that's soulful about Jill Sott, but with a more youthful twist. Varner's debut album, Perfectly Imperfect debuts on August 17th. Everyone is running around happy that Frank Ocean is "saving R&B," but I think Elle Varner is doing more for R&B than the Channel Orange crooner. Don't get me wrong–I love me some Frank Ocean, but Elle Varner's got this R&B thing on lock!
Listen To Elle Varner's "I Don't Care" Below:
LIKE HelloBeautiful On Facebook To Keep Up With Your Fave Black Celebs!
More On Elle Varner Below:
Why Beyonce Made Elle Varner Cry
Listen To This Elle Varner-Inspired Playlist!
Check Out This Hot Gallery Of Elle Varner!


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'Professional' is a loosely used term in the business world. It often refers to desirable forms of work behavior and that's significant in the business world, but the true meaning of the word has more detail. A professional is not only a person who behaves acceptably, but also someone who has achieved level of knowledge and expertise that permits him or her to be considered a reliable source of solutions for problems that spring up in the course of business. That knowledge is more than just on the job training or work experience: it is gained through specialized, results oriented, training and/or instruction. A benefit ought to be derived and value realized from such efforts. A vital question to consider before even starting is what does ITIL certification mean for a company and, more importantly, what does it mean for the individual who is willing to take the time to go through all the training courses to achieve it?
The ITIL foundation certification is a valuable marketing tool for any information service consulting firm. It tells potential clients of the expertise of the consultant or consulting team, and can allow the consulting firm to justifiable charge rates in line with advanced skills. The certification's value for any other company is that there is a person on staff with a level of knowledge about the Information Technology Infrastructure Library who could be called on in the event the company decided to implement ITIL or, if it is already part of the information system, be able to keep the functions flowing at a desired level.
Without going too far off course, what Latin was to the spread of knowledge and science in Western Civilization, ITIL certification and its new vocabulary can be to IT service management: a unifying communication that leads to increasingly more competence in this sector of information technology. It requires people to be willing to first learn the words and then continue the training process until they can construct the sentences and finally the paragraphs of a new text for IT service management.


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Carbonates on Mars
Evidence for carbonates on Mars has remained elusive until recently. For example, most remote sensing instruments such as OMEGA and THEMIS that are sensitive to infrared emissivity spectral features of carbonates, had not suggested the presence of carbonate outcrops[1] at 100 m or coarser spatial scales.[2] Though ubiquitous, carbonates dominated by Magnesite (MgCO3) in Martian dust had mass fractions less than 5% and could have formed under current atmospheric conditions.[3] Furthermore, with the exception of the surface dust component, carbonates had not been detected by any in situ mission, even though mineralogic modeling does not preclude small amounts of calcium carbonate in Independence class rocks of Husband Hill in Gusev crater[4] (note: An IAU naming convention within Gusev is not yet established).
The first successful identification of a strong infrared spectral signature from surficial carbonate minerals of local scale (< 10 km²) was made by the MRO-CRISM team.[5] Their spectral modeling identified a key deposit in Nili Fossae dominated by a single mineral phase that was spatially associated with olivine outcrops. The dominant mineral appeared to be magnesite, while morphology inferred with HiRISE and thermal properties suggested that the deposit was lithic. Stratigraphically, this layer appeared between phyllosilicates below and mafic cap rocks above, temporally between the Noachian and Hesperian eras. Even though infrared spectra are representative of minerals to less than ≈0.1 mm depths[6] (in contrast to gamma spectra which are sensitive to tens of cm depths),[7] stratigraphic, morphologic, and thermal properties are consistent with the existence of the carbonate as outcrop rather than alteration rinds. Nevertheless, the morphology was distinct from typical terrestrial sedimentary carbonate layers suggesting formation from local aqueous alteration of olivine and other igneous minerals. However, key implications were that the alteration would have occurred under moderate pH and that the resulting carbonates were not exposed to sustained low pH aqueous conditions even as recently as the Hesperian. This increased the likelihood of local and regional scale geologic conditions on Mars that were favorable to analogs of terrestrial biological activity over geologically significant intervals.
The absence of more extensive carbonate deposits on Mars was thought to be due to global dominance of low pH aqueous environments.[8] Even the least soluble carbonate, siderite (FeCO3), precipitates only at a pH greater than 5.[9][10]
Evidence for significant quantities of carbonate deposits on the surface began to increase in 2008 when the TEGA and WCL experiments on the 2007 Phoenix Mars lander found between 3–5wt% calcite (CaCO3) and an alkaline soil.[11] In 2010 analyses by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, identified outcrops rich in magnesium-iron carbonate (16–34 wt%) in the Columbia Hills of Gusev crater, most likely precipitated from carbonate-bearing solutions under hydrothermal conditions at near-neutral pH in association with volcanic activity during the Noachian era.[12]
After Spirit Rover stopped working scientists studied old data from the Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer, or Mini-TES and confirmed the presence of large amounts of carbonate-rich rocks, which means that regions of the planet may have once harbored water. The carbonates were discovered in an outcrop of rocks called "Comanche."[13][14]
Carbonates (calcium or iron carbonates) were discovered in a crater on the rim of Huygens Crater, located in the Iapygia quadrangle. The impact on the rim exposed material that had been dug up from the impact that created Huygens. These minerals represent evidence that Mars once had a thicker carbon dioxide atmosphere with abundant moisture. These kind of carbonates only form when there is a lot of water. They were found with the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) instrument on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Earlier, the instrument had detected clay minerals. The carbonates were found near the clay minerals. Both of these minerals form in wet environments. It is supposed that billions of years age Mars was much warmer and wetter. At that time, carbonates would have formed from water and the carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere. Later the deposits of carbonate would have been buried. The double impact has now exposed the minerals. Earth has vast carbonate deposits in the form of limestone.[15]
Huygens Crater - circle shows location of carbonate deposit - representing a time when Mars had abundant liquid water on its surface (Scale bar = 259 km).
Nili Fossae on Mars - largest known carbonate deposit.
See also
- Geology of Mars
- Composition of Mars
- Iapygia quadrangle
- Aeolis quadrangle
- Scientific information from the Mars Exploration Rover mission
- ↑ Bibring; Langevin, Y; Mustard, JF; Poulet, F; Arvidson, R; Gendrin, A; Gondet, B; Mangold, N; et al. (2006). "Global Mineralogical and Aqueous Mars History Derived from OMEGA/Mars Express Data". Science. 312 (5772): 400–404. Bibcode:2006Sci...312..400B. doi:10.1126/science.1122659. PMID 16627738.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Catling (2007). "Mars: Ancient fingerprints in the clay". Nature. 448 (7149): 31–32. Bibcode:2007Natur.448...31C. doi:10.1038/448031a. PMID 17611529.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Bandfield; et al. (2003). "Spectroscopic Identification of Carbonate Minerals in the Martian Dust". Science. 301 (5636): 1084–1087. Bibcode:2003Sci...301.1084B. doi:10.1126/science.1088054. PMID 12934004.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Clark; et al. (2007). "Evidence for montmorillonite or its compositional equivalent in Columbia Hills, Mars". Journal of Geophysical Research. 112: E06S01. Bibcode:2007JGRE..11206S01C. doi:10.1029/2006JE002756.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Ehlmann; Mustard, JF; Murchie, SL; Poulet, F; Bishop, JL; Brown, AJ; Calvin, WM; Clark, RN; et al. (2008). "Orbital identification of carbonate-bearing rocks on Mars". Science. 322 (5909): 1828–1832. Bibcode:2008Sci...322.1828E. doi:10.1126/science.1164759. PMID 19095939.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Poulet; et al. (2007). "Martian surface mineralogy from Observatoire pour la Minéralogie, l'Eau, la Glace et l'Activité on board the Mars Express spacecraft (OMEGA/MEx): Global mineral maps". Journal of Geophysical Research, Planets. 112: E08S02. Bibcode:2007JGRE..11208S02P. doi:10.1029/2006JE002840.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Boynton; et al. (2007). "Concentration of H, Si, Cl, K, Fe, and Th in the low- and mid-latitude regions of Mars". Journal of Geophysical Research Planets. 112: E12S99. Bibcode:2007JGRE..11212S99B. doi:10.1029/2007JE002887.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Grotzinger, J. and R. Milliken (eds.) 2012. Sedimentary Geology of Mars. SEPM
- ↑ Catling, David C. (1999-07-25). "A chemical model for evaporites on early Mars: Possible sedimentary tracers of the early climate and implications for exploration" (PDF). Journal of Geophysical Research. 104 (E7): 16453–16469. Bibcode:1999JGR...10416453C. doi:10.1029/1998JE001020.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Fairén, Alberto G.; Fernández-Remolar, David; Dohm, James M.; Baker, Victor R.; Amils, Ricardo (2004-09-23). "Inhibition of carbonate synthesis in acidic oceans on early Mars" (PDF). Nature. 431 (7007): 423–426. Bibcode:2004Natur.431..423F. doi:10.1038/nature02911. PMID 15386004.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Boynton, WV; Ming, DW; Kounaves, SP; Young, SM; Arvidson, RE; Hecht, MH; Hoffman, J; Niles, PB; et al. (2009). "Evidence for Calcium Carbonate at the Mars Phoenix Landing Site" (PDF). Science. 325 (5936): 61–64. Bibcode:2009Sci...325...61B. doi:10.1126/science.1172768. PMID 19574384. Unknown parameter
|doi_brokendate=ignored (help)<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Morris, RV; Ruff, SW; Gellert, R; Ming, DW; Arvidson, RE; Clark, BC; Golden, DC; Siebach, K; et al. (2010). "Identification of carbonate-rich outcrops on Mars by the Spirit rover" (PDF). Science. 329 (5990): 421–4. Bibcode:2010Sci...329..421M. doi:10.1126/science.1189667. PMID 20522738.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100603140959.htm
- ↑ Richard V. Morris, Steven W. Ruff, Ralf Gellert, Douglas W. Ming, Raymond E. Arvidson, Benton C. Clark, D. C. Golden, Kirsten Siebach, Göstar Klingelhöfer, Christian Schröder, Iris Fleischer, Albert S. Yen, Steven W. Squyres. Identification of Carbonate-Rich Outcrops on Mars by the Spirit Rover. Science, June 3, 2010 doi:10.1126/science.1189667
- ↑ Some of Mars' Missing Carbon Dioxide May be Buried


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In our house, we call a pacifier a "nimmy," because a certain ten-year-old dubbed it as such, back when toddled around with one his mouth.
Sidney's nimmy was nothing special. We got hooked on the hospital freebie, that inartful, but candy-like Gumdrop pacifier. I never graduated her from the 0-6 months size because at some point I assumed she'd become bored by its minuteness and its seemingly poor imitation of an actual nipple.
She never did become bored, and so … when she was one, two, and well into her fourth year, she'd walk around with her "nimmy" stuck in her face. She'd stick her fingers inside it, poke around her mouth and hum a happy song. (Interesting note: it's the same song M hums while eating chicken.)
When I ran out of the freebies I bought more. Many more. They were scattered all over the house, shoved in coat and bathrobe pockets, and stashed in car cupholders.
I lied to doctors and dentists and said that she only used it at night, but in truth, she had that thing in her face whenever she felt like it. This was partly because as the youngest of five, Sidney pretty much writes her meal ticket — we are tired, worn down, and out of steam. But it's also because for the most part, I am believer in letting the kids tell me when they are ready to do something like give up a pacifier. At two we moved Sidney across the country, at three we moved her into a brand new house. Of course I knew that if you can write your own name, you're probably to old for rubbery pacification, but it never seemed the right time to yank it from her.
As much as I'd harbored some envy for parents who had sleep schedules, not to mention those ones who electrocuted their kids with those medieval night time underpants because they were fed up with pull-ups and wet sheets, I've generally taken my cues from the kids … and this was even before I got tired, worn down, and down right lazy.
So last week, days before my baby turned four, she announced that she was done with the nimmy. Done. We all celebrated and M and I bathed in some smugness and congratulated ourselves on being the right kind of parents. The parents who wait it out. The parents who let their kids decide when the time is right.
Until I started to miss the nimmy.
With the nimmy I could always hear her coming down the hall, heralded by that sucking sound. With the nimmy even though she was so big in so many ways, she still looked like my little baby.
Without the nimmy it seems that I don't really have a baby anymore. M tells me I ought to have my head examined. He then reminds me that no matter how broody I get, there will be no puppy.
A puppy is just a dog and I'm cool without one. But I love the babies. I'm ready for this next phase, but no nimmy = no baby, and as far as I can tell … that kind of sucks.


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- New
Small Pink Flower Adjustable RingRef: AJRB602/1
Add a subtle floral and childlike touch to your style with the small pink flower adjustable ring. It is a unique creation by Roca Balboa pour N2 by Les Néréides.
The adjustable ring is made of hand-painted 3D brass.
The adjustable ring is made of hand-painted 3D brass.
delivery and return
Livraison rapide par Colissimo 48h-72h et retour gratuit.
Care Instructions
In order to maintain their original aspect we recommend the following: Clean your piece of jewelry on a regular basis with a soft and dry fabric. Avoid contact with water or cosmetics (perfume,soap, cream). Keep your piece of jewelry in its original packaging or in a protective pouch. All the pieces of Les Néréides brand (except fragrances and candles) bought online carry a 1 year warranty from the date of purchase. Please note for hygiene reasons, earring (except clip-on), perfumes and candles cannot be returned nor exchanged.


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Rating: 4.0/5 (406 votes)
Game DescriptionAssess your observing skill by finding the hidden symbols which are in Despicable Me pictures.Avoid clicking unnecessarily,as otherwise your score will get reduced.In 3rd level,find the chosen symbols will get disappeared.
How to playUse mouse to play the game.
Copyright © 2013 - Play Despicable Me Games Online.


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Realtime Access Map
Microstructural, mechanical, and corrosion characterization of plasma-nitrided plastic injection mould steel
MetadataShow full item record
Plasma nitriding can be used to improve wear and corrosion behaviour of moulds for plastic injection by modifying the near-surface layers of these materials. In this study, a ferritic stainless steel (X36CrMo17) was plasma nitrided at 520-540 °C for 15-18 h under various gas mixtures of N2+H2 in an industrial nitriding facility. The nitrided layer microstructures, thicknesses, and strengths were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), conversion electron and X-ray Mössbauer spectroscopies (CEMS and CXMS), cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and cross-sectional nanohardness measurements. The corrosion behaviour was investigated by a salt spray method. Combined Mössbauer, XRD, and SEM analyses demonstrate that (Fe,Cr,Mn)-nitrides, the ε- and γ′-nitrides, the Fe3C-like carbide, and CrN are distributed in the top nitrided layers of several micron thickness. The CEMS and CXMS analyses clearly show the nearly complete decomposition of the surface and deeper layers into phase separated mixtures of pure bcc-Fe, (Fe,Cr,Mn)-nitrides, and CrN. The nitriding conditions with the gas composition N2/H2=1 produces the thickest nitrided layer (∼135 μm) with enhanced corrosion protection. The nanohardness of the surface layers is found to be plateau-shaped and increased by about a factor of three in comparison to that of the substrate material.


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Coastal waves breaking on a stony shore.
perfect :D
Loved the recording, thank you very much! I used it in a podcast (www.haialarm-podcast.de/HAP013 at 10'10'')
Thanks! Using it for my short film Shipwrecked Under Wasted Tables!
Thank U so much! Great sound. I used for a childrens musical event.
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text: Outlook 2003 is Microsoft's primary messaging client. Outlook provides all of the tools necessary to manage e-mail, scheduling, tasks, and communication. The Outlook Package gives you 24 hours of interactive courseware, with courses at the beginning, advanced and power user levels. This learning package explores all of the features of Outlook 2003, from the basics of setting up your e-mail with outlook, adding new contacts and sending new e-mails to more advanced features like utilizing a calendar, setting up automatic replies and sharing folders. This course will prepare you to use the many features of Outlook 2003 in the workplace, in class, or at home.


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A harmonizing blend of essential oils that is stimulating and relaxing in equal measures. The AromaStick Balance helps mind and body operate in sync helping you to maintain inner balance when you need it most.
Don't let the day get the better of you. By soothing mind and body, the AromaStick Calm ensures you stay composed and in control, no matter what the situation.
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Whether it is due to seasonal allergies or cold and flu symptoms, the nose is one of the first organs to be affected. Now you don't have to let it get the better of you with the AromaStick Breathe, there to soothe the nose, no matter the time of year.


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Pub Theology: Faith, Hope, Love and…BEER?
"We're not trying to do church at a bar, we're trying to be the church at the bar"
–Daron Earlewine, Pastor
Sunday morning: wake up, ready the kids, grab a snack and off to church — sound familiar? Church for some in Indianapolis, Indiana has a different meaning. Hang out with friends, listen to a dee-jay, play a game of pool and grab a beer. Yes. Really! Where most seek a house of worship each weekend, Pastor Daron Earlewine will bring the spirit of Christ to you — almost every day of the week — at a pub near you!
Many churches boast they are church for the unchurched. Pub Theology lives it. Before casting judgment upon the pastor's merits, recall that Christ was accused of hanging out in places that the religious leaders of his day frowned upon:
The Pharisees asked the disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners" (Matthew 9:11-13, NIV).
Pub Theology began in 2001 as a coffee-house for young adults. One night while driving home, Pastor Daron Earlewine noticed local bars packed with more patrons than his coffee-house — bars packed with the same people he was trying to reach. He suddenly realized that he had been trying to recreate an environment which already existed, and the conception of Pub Theology came to fruition!
Rockin' God's House: Daron, offering theology from a pub environment… Has it affected your life?
Daron: Absolutely, it has transformed and turned my life upside-down. When we started Pub Theology, I was a young adult-teaching pastor at an Indianapolis, Indiana mega-church. Now, five years later, this is my full-time life's work.
The church sent my wife and me out as domestic missionaries. Although controversial, they believe in the mission and have taken the risk with me.
Over the years my wife and I have raised money as missionaries. Additionally, we have a small group of people who support and believe in Pub Theology. Lastly, we have one more year from a three-year agreement with a church who offers financial support.
Rockin' God's House: How many clubs house and sponsor Pub Theology?
Daron: We are currently at five locations. We also offer Tail Gate Theology, so we are usually in a few more during football season.
Rockin' God's House: What hours do you offer Pub Theology?
Daron: A Wednesday or Thursday event runs from about 8:00 PM To 11:00 PM. A Friday and Saturday night event goes from about 9:00 PM to midnight.
Rockin' God's House: Do you have regulars who attend?
Daron: Each bar has its regulars. We have a good following at each location. We have regulars who love the environment and like to hangout. They bring friends and family into an environment which makes them comfortable.
Rockin' God's House: For the person walking through the door that has no idea they are about to enter a Pub Theology event, is there a shock factor?
Daron: [laughing] The name alone is a shock factor. We tend to get a more cautious, unexpected reaction. However, most often after the event begins, and they experience the night, their opinion changes. In the years we've been doing this, I can count on one hand the amount of times I've had a negative reaction at the end of an event. I think that's because we do our best to respect the environment. We know that first and foremost Pub Theology is a Christian ministry!
Metaphorically speaking, we are attending an away game. We're on the turf of a bar. Our tag phrase is "Indianapolis's Best Party with a Purpose." We want people to walk away saying, "We had a blast at Pub Theology! That was the most fun I've had at my favorite bar in a long time."
We offer raffles, giveaways, games, live music or a dee-jay. We give away items such as an autographed Indianapolis Colts footballs, bottles of wine, Indiana Pacer's basketball tickets, gifts cards, and more. We want them to leave an event with so much more than they came with, whether it's from a giveaway, sense of love, faith, or hope in God.
Perhaps the greatest impact of Pub Theology is its effect on the staff. Many of them start off thinking, "Oh no, is this some stupid church group." They're there for every event and often become our best endorsements. At the end of a recent event, a bouncer wanted me to know he was taking off work for the next event so he could attend and enjoy the night. He said he was unbelievably skeptical when he first heard of Pub Theology.
Jesus is very attractive to people, as are the ideas of compassion, generosity, servanthood, hope, and encouragement. We are hardwired as humans to respond and become inspired by the heart of God. Pub Theology can be a way to extricate those realities outside of people's perceptions and past experiences of church. I'm consistently amazed about how open people are to the Gospel. I think often many people's perception of the Gospel was just religion, or just following rules, or going to church. Extricate people from that, and you get a positive reaction.
Rockin' God's House: What is your format for a Pub Theology service?
Daron: The night starts with the band or dee-jay. We offer a welcome and explain the night: what we're going to do, the charities, and the kind of games and giveaways we'll be having. We go back to the band or dee-jay. Then we'll offer some type of game like a pie eating contest called, "Pie For Pacer's Tickets." More live music and giveaways, then I'll interview and briefly discuss the charity of the night. We offer a video if the charity has one, and we explain how people can get involved. We'll take up an offering for the charity where 100% of the proceeds go to the charity of the night. We've given over $40,000.00 to charities over the last several years. After more music, I get up and offer my Pub Theology thought for the night — usually about a three to five-minute sermon — then back to more music and giveaways.
Throughout the night we offer a text number for questions or prayer requests. At the end of the night we do our best to answer them.
We end with prayer, hang out and play music for the rest of the night.
Rockin' God's House: What can churches learn from Pub Theology?
Daron: The text Q&A! We did it when I was on staff at my previous church. A couple Sundays we offered sermon texting. During the sermon, people were allowed to text questions, which we would answer at the end. It's amazing what happens when a service goes from a monologue to a dialog. Some of the questions seemed to have nothing to do with the sermon — an indication that what we were trying to say is not always what people were hearing!
When people are allowed to interact, the learning becomes deeper. It allows the congregation to become more engaged.
I'm not saying that everyone should start hanging out in bars; it's about going to someone's third space. Some author years ago defined your home as your first space, work as second space, and then everyone has a third space — a place where they enjoy spending their time.
Starbucks discovered this when they exploded on the scene. They wanted to be everybody's third space. They created an environment where people wanted to be.
After working in a church for twelve years, I began to buy into the myth that Jesus didn't work on adults anymore. I think the national stats claim that 90% of the people make a decision for Christ before the age of eleven. I don't think we have many people coming to faith past the age of twenty-one.
I remember one of our first fundraisers. We'd just completed the video attached to this article, and it dawned on me that everyone in the video was over twenty-one, and the oldest I think was sixty-two. Jesus works on adults. Church needs to start creating real environments for people over the age of eighteen.
Churches have camps, conferences, and lock-ins, everything to program for children up to high school. Unless you're at a rare church that has a young adult college ministry, after eighteen, churches expect you to just show up and attend. Jesus still works on adults. He works on people who have never gone to church a day in their life. We need to create environments where people can authentically meet Jesus and be surprised by his love.
I'd love to see golf course theology or just fill-in-the-blank of any place where people gather. If you can go to a place where people gather, engage and entertain them, Jesus starts doing what He does.
Rockin' God's House: What type of music do you perform?
Daron: As I mentioned earlier, this is an away game. The predominate style of music is secular. When my band is playing, we play about 95% secular. If we have a band coming in which is a cover band and some of the guys in the band are Christians, we'll ask the band to choose a worship or spiritual song before or after my talk for the night. Occasionally, we will have a worship band play.
Rockin' God's House: Do you offer communion or baptisms?
Daron: Not at the event. We've had people who have come to Christ and been baptized outside of that environment. Last year we experimented with communion at our Tailgate Theology locations because they fell on a Sunday. We took a moment to explain what communion is and why Jesus gave it to us, and we invited people to partake. However, Pub Theology is not really designed for that. We're not trying to do church at a bar, we're trying to be the church at the bar.
Rockin' God's House: Tell me about your business partnerships?
Daron: Each bar pays us to be present as entertainment for the night. Additionally, we have sponsorships through T-shirt companies, local restaurants, a dental office, and an eye doctor.
Rockin' God's House: Should every church offer something similar to Pub Theology?
Daron: No, it can be a dangerous environment. It's not easy to do what we do. There are temptations and adversity. It will put you on the devil's radar.
But more than that, you must be authentic to the environment. Jesus could go into real life environments and be accepted by people who didn't know Him. I earlier mentioned Golf Theology, but I'm not a golfer; it wouldn't be authentic to start it just to reach people. I would look like a moron dressed up and acting like a golfer.
For me I've been in bands my whole life, and I've played bars much of my life. I can be authentic to the environment because I lived it for many years.
Find the environment which is authentic to you, and meet Jesus, because He is already there!


text:
Should You Insure Your Cruise?
On a similar note...
On a similar note...
Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own.
Ask anyone if you should buy travel insurance for a cruise and they'll answer before you've finished your sentence: Yes. Absolutely. After all, what if something goes wrong?
Easy for them to say. They're not the ones who'll have to pay the premiums.
The medical plan that covers you at home may not cover you in certain destinations, such as Cuba, for instance. Check with your insurer to learn what medical coverage you'll have onboard and in every port. If you're not covered for every step of your journey, you need a travel insurance policy that covers catastrophic medical expenses, including emergency helicopter transportation.
How do I decide if I need cruise insurance?
But if your health plan has your back when you travel, the question of whether to purchase cruise travel insurance comes down to weighing how much of your travel costs you stand to lose versus how much you have to pay to insure them.
Imagine you've shelled out $1,500 for a nonrefundable cruise and cruise travel insurance will pay that full amount if you cancel for a covered reason. Sounds great, but an absurd hypothetical illustrates a problem: If the insurance itself costs $1,500, it would be a terrible deal because it's guaranteed you'll be out the $1,500 whether or not you have to cancel your trip. If it cost $750, it would be a good purchase only if your odds of canceling were better than one in two. If it cost $500, it would be a good buy only if your odds of canceling were greater than one in three.
» Learn more: How to find the best travel insurance
Insurance is typically nowhere near that expensive, and you can't know how much your trip will cost to insure till you get a quote. But it's certain the insurance company knows the odds you'll cancel better than you do, and they add a profit margin on top of their own financial risk. So the cards are already stacked against you.
Yet it still makes sense to purchase trip-cancellation-only insurance if you're prepared to absorb the loss. If you're not, that could be a clue that you're spending beyond your means for travel.
What should I consider when purchasing cruise travel insurance?
Think about missed connections. Travel insurance is best known for covering cancellations due to illness or emergency. But sometimes it's your airline's fault you missed your cruise. Policies vary, but many compensate you if you miss your ship's departure because your flight was canceled or delayed. Often, this means you'll be reimbursed for the cost of flying to a port where you can catch up with your ship, and sometimes it will cover a hotel in the interim.
Consider the risk of lost, misdirected or stolen luggage. If you're in Miami and the airline sent your clothes to Mumbai, many policies will reimburse costs. If your luggage is lost or stolen, even the jewelry, electronics and other valuables inside could be covered.
Remember elderly or sick family members. Your own health isn't the only risk variable when you book a nonrefundable cruise. If a family member falls ill, you may need to cancel to be by their side. Family emergencies are covered by many cruise insurance policies.
Comparison shopping pays off. You can either go directly to a cruise travel insurance provider like AIG, or you can use a one-stop comparison site like Travel Insurance. Be sure to compare at least a few options before you buy.
How to Maximize Your Rewards
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Planning a trip? Check out these articles for more inspiration and advice: Best travel credit cards of 2018 I survived a cruise — and you can, too Cruise control: Does cruise travel fit into your credit card points strategy?


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DYNASET Hydraulic Power Units
HPU Hydraulic Power Unit
The Dynaset Hydraulic power unit provides power where the hydraulics of the working machine is not available. This power can be used to generate other equipment like generators etc.
The units have an electric start system, guaranteeing an easy start in all circumstances. The unit comes with rubber wheels and folding handles for easy moving.
Other units available on request.