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Celebrities Can Affect Our Medical Decisions, Angelina Jolie Breast-cancer Testing Study Shows
Celebrities can not only influence our fashion and diets but also our medical decisions, according to a study that analyzed breast cancer gene testing rates after Angelina Jolie did an opinion piece advocating testing in 2013. The study, led by Harvard Medical School Researchers, was published in the British Medical Journal." It was titled "Do celebrity endorsements matter? Observational study of BRCA gene testing and mastectomy rates after Angelina Jolie's New York Times editorial." After Jolie's op-ed in The New York Times, there was a spike in testing for the BRCA gene, which increases the risk of breast cancer. The spike did not lead to an increase in breast-cancer surgery rates, however. A possible interpretation is that the BRCA tests failed to increase breast cancer diagnoses, most likely because those who tested were at low risk of BRCA mutations to begin with. Researchers considered this a good example of how celebrity endorsements can fuel the use of health care services, but not necessarily among those most in need of the services. "Our findings underscore celebrity endorsements as a powerful influence on health-related behaviors, but they also show that such endorsements do not necessarily target those most at risk for developing a disease," Sunita Desai, a Seidman Fellow and researcher in the Department of Health Care Policy at Harvard, said in a press release. Jolie


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Kitchen/Diner, Living Room, Utility, WC, 4 Bedrooms & 2 Bathrooms
A series of renovation works are required
Lifestyle equestrian facilities
Option for Annexed Accommodation subject to P.P.
Garage/Tack & Feed Room
4 Stables & a Pony Box, Muck Heap
Approximate Distances (miles)
Tattenhall 3.5m | Malpas 5m | Tarporley 9m | Whitchurch 9m | Chester 11m | Wrexham 11m | Crewe 15m | Liverpool 30m | Manchester 49m
Ivy Farm Cottage is in a popular location in South Cheshire set within beautiful rural countryside yet having great access to the major North West Cities of which many people commute on a daily basis. The property lies between the popular villages of Tattenhall and Malpas which are about 3.5 & 5 miles respectively offering an excellent range of day to day convenience shops, pubs and restaurants. Crewe railway station is within 15 miles and has a regular service to London Euston which is normally within an 1½ hour journey.
Malpas is a picturesque village with its gothic style church, St Oswalds to the heart of the village and has a range of local shops, pubs and restaurants. The Heber High School is a successful secondary school and there are some excellent private schools in the region including Abbeygate Collage, Kings and Queens Schools in Chester and Morton Hall and Ellesmere Collage are also within easy reach.
Tattenhall and Tarporley are only 3.5 and 9 miles respectively which are both very popular villages in the local area for further schooling, shopping, restaurants and bars.
For the equestrian enthusiast, there are great opportunities from the doorstep with miles of outriding through the National Trust occupied Bickerton Hills (permit required) which provide access onto the Sandstone Trail. Broxton Gallop is an all-weather hill gallop available to hire just half a mile along Old Coach Road (off Ivy Farm Lane). Tushingham and Kelsall Hill Equestrian Centres are 8 miles and 15 miles respectively for various competitions and training throughout the year. Set in the Wynnstay hunting country and also close to the Cheshire Hunt, there are some great meets locally if this is your equestrian interest. Local horseracing can be enjoyed at Bangor on Dee and Chester along with Polo also at Chester Racecourse and Tarporley.
Carden Park Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa offers two championship golf courses only 3 miles away with excellent leisure facilities.
Ivy Farm Cottage offers spacious four bedroom accommodation over two floors, converted from an original farm outbuilding constructed of brick with a pitched slate roof. The property currently requires a series of renovation and improvements mainly to the interior. The property contains many original timbers exposed throughout.
The property is entered through an overhang porch area into the main hall, stairs and cloakroom providing access to the Sitting Room and Kitchen.
The Sitting Room has a brick fireplace and oak mantel and space and flue installed for a wood burning stove. Dual aspect windows to the rear over look the equestrian facilities and land. The Kitchen has an oil fired, two oven Aga with limestone tiled flooring continued through to the Dining Room.
A second front entrance hall with second stair case and utility room to the rear has access to the Garage which completes the ground floor level.
On the first floor, both stair cases lead to their own two bedrooms and bathroom with circulation being provided through bedroom three which has been used as an office. The bedrooms are all double rooms and have dormer windows out to the rear aspect, all having built in storage. The master bedroom has an en-suite Jack n Jill bathroom having second access off the landing.
The property has the benefit of ideal equestrian facilities for the lifestyle or semi-professional user having four brick built stables and a pony box within a brick barn attached to the house itself. The stables open out to the rear of the property with tarmacadam frontage and secure courtyard leading onto the manege, muck clamp and paddocks.
Stable One 4.74m x 3.17m
Stable Two 4.73m x 3.84m
Stable Three 4.48m x 3.75m
Stable Four 4.48m x 3.34m
The manege measures approx. 25m x 40m and is in need of upgrade and renovation.
As a whole, the property is set within 3 acres and is fenced with post and rail and securely gated with good horsebox parking.
There is great potential for further accommodation if required within the stable building subject to the relevant planning permissions required.
Mains electricity & water
Private drainage via a septic tank
Local Authority
Cheshire West and Chester
Council Tax Band E
Follow the A41 from Chester towards Whitchurch, on arrival at Broxton roundabout with Broxton Garage on the right, take the first exit, proceed up the hill for approximately ¼ of a mile, take the next right signposted Duckington, follow this for approximately ¼ of a mile, turn left onto Ivy Farm Lane and the property will be on the right hand side.
JACKSON PROPERTY for themselves and the vendors of the property, whose agents they are, give notice that these particulars, although believed to be correct, do not constitute any part of an offer of contract, that all statements contained in these particulars as to this property are made without responsibility and are not to be relied upon as statements or representations of fact and that they do not make or give any representation or warranty whatsoever in relation to this property. An intending purchaser must satisfy himself by inspection or otherwise as to the correctness of each of the statements contained in these particulars. The agent has not tested any apparatus, equipment, fixture, fittings or services and so cannot verify that they are in working order, or fit for their purpose, neither has the agent checked legal documents to verify the freehold/leasehold status of the property. The buyer is advised to obtain verification from their solicitor or surveyor.

subset: commoncrawl


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Staying up to date with current trends — whether it be fashion, food or even music —can be endlessly frustrating, since these days everything changes at the blink of an eye. However, when it comes to social media marketing, staying ahead of the curve and learning potentially profitable strategies for the new year is key to your company's success. If you're looking to increase your social media know-how and need a few pointers on how to go about improving your business presence online, here are some social trends making their way to the forefront in 2019.
Despite the trend of live-streaming having been around for a few years now, it's still presented as a major key player in the realm of social media marketing. A vast majority of audiences seem to prefer live-streaming videos over basic blog posts or small brand clips, making this a tried-and-true hotspot for your company's marketing campaign going forward.
The use of video over print is a consistent success story in the marketing world today — and it only appears to be getting stronger. Therefore, the next heavily encouraged option for your business's social media domination is the rapidly-growing virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) arena. Full-blown immersive experiences are starting to take the world by storm, especially for brands who use its futuristic platform to demonstrate their products and services to their customers. This strategy can influence your customers directly, while using the easy viability of a customer's mobile phone as your tool.
Speaking of smartphones, many customers have begun to experience and enjoy vertical videos, as opposed to the average horizontal display of past years. This concept is another important trend beginning its journey into the social media marketing sector, as customers can see advertisements and influencer posts without needing to adjust their screens, while also appreciating the long-form format that gives them more content to watch overall.
Overall, despite the rising success of these 2019 marketing trends, it's important to always focus on one social media strategy that never becomes dated over time: being human. People enjoy the comfort and stability of knowing they're communicating with another person. Therefore, creating a dependable brand voice and forming relationships with customers is still the most powerful weapon in your social media arsenal. Interacting and responding to people, while also generating content that's relatable and honest, can go a long way in maintaining your company's position at the head of the line.
Give your business presence a boost by capitalizing on these social media marketing trends in 2019, and find yourself becoming a social media master in no time.


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Zap To It
Played 1467 times
Zap To It game information:
Mandy and Billy have made an awful mess and they must clean it up before Dad gets home. If they borrow Grim's spell book it'll take no time at all however. Be careful not to make a mistake or it could
How to play:


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Sat., Oct. 17, was Military Appreciation Day at the Rocky Mountain USAF Flight Training Center (aka, Aero Club), a day set aside to thank military members for their service to our country. All military, DoD civilians, and their families were invited to take a 20-minute orientation flight in a small aircraft at an incredibly reduced rate.
The flights sold out quickly. The weather was perfect. The Aero Club Manager reported, "We flew over 100 people safely, from 0800 to 1630. All of the 13 instructors and office staff that were present, volunteered and worked for free. Everyone was delighted to see what it is like to fly a small aircraft. Some are coming back for more."
One young passenger exited the plane, still gripping her stuffed bear. She flashed a front toothless smile and threw up her hands excitedly to exclaim, "I never been up THAT high . . . ever in my life!" A future pilot?
Customers enjoyed a complementary lunch prepared by the staff. The informal atmosphere prompted lively Q & A between some of the seasoned pilots, who offered their expertise to those interested in pursuing a similar career.
A very lucky customer won a free orientation flight with private pilot introduction, thanks to the generous support from our commercial sponsors.
Kudos to the many pilots, who are members of the Aero Club, for donating their time to make the flights super affordable and enjoyable for everyone. We also appreciate the volunteer staff for their time and effort to make this a memorable day.
To learn more about the programs offered by the Rocky Mountain USAF Flight Training Center (Aero Club), call (719) 556-4310. Or visit their web page: http://www.21fss.com/about/aero-club/
We thank these commercial sponsors for their outstanding support:
Allied American University
First Command Financial Services
Grand Canyon University
Omni Financial Group
University of Phoenix
No federal endorsement of sponsors intended.
To sponsor 21 FSS MWR events, call (719) 556-4977 or email: email@example.com


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The importance of risk management cannot be overemphasised. When you are proactive in identifying and mitigating potential threats for your project it means that fewer issues are likely to arise. High performing project managers don't sit back and assume that the road to project delivery will be straightforward. They regularly take time out to assess everything that could impede the success of the project and actively do something to manage the situation.
Be collaborative
One of the biggest secrets to good risk management is to not treat it as a mechanical process to be carried out in isolation behind your desk. Risk management works best when all team members collaborate and share their knowledge and insight. When risks are analysed, planned and assigned in collaboration, not only does it improve the process, it also reinforces accountability and ownership. Project managers sometimes assign themselves to most of the items in the risk register. But that doesn't leverage the team or create a shared sense of responsibility. It's important to have the courage to assign the right owners and to gain their buy-in and acceptance for fully managing a risk.
Let's examine the steps involved in managing risks in a collaborative manner.
Step 1: Brainstorm all possible risks
The first step in collaborative risk management is to brainstorm all possible risks with your project team in a workshop. Give people a stack of post-it notes and ask them to consider anything that could go wrong on the project. As they think of potential pitfalls they should write down each risk on a post-it note and stick if on the wall. Help the team think through everything you are supposed to deliver, and consider your success criteria, assumptions, and dependencies. You can also review standard risk lists and lessons learned from other projects.
Some of the risks you think of will be specific to your project, while others will be generic risks that affect all projects—for example, user unavailability at the time of user acceptance testing. Pay equal attention to both sets of risks, as they could all turn into issues if not properly mitigated. Don't make the mistake of deliberately omitting certain risks because they are too precarious to discuss. Remember, that it's much easier to manage a risk than to wait until it becomes an issue.
Step 2: Analyse the risks
The second step is for you and your team to analyse the risks have you identified. To do this, consider the root cause of each risk by asking why, why, why? Keep digging until you find the ultimate source of a risk. This will make it much easier for you to determine how best to deal with it and mitigate it. For example, perhaps there is a risk of key team member moving to another team. You might think that the best way to deal with this is to cross-train staff and line people up to fill the vacancy. While that is definitely a good idea and will help lessen the impact of the risk, you will really only be able to lower the probability of this risk by investigating why the team member wants to move and doing something about the root cause.
Step 3: Determine Probability and Impact
Once you understand the root cause of the risk, the next step is to determine the probability (or likelihood) of the risk happening as well as the level of impact (or severity) in case it does happen. In other words, what will happen if this risk materializes? How will it affect time, cost, quality, business benefits, and resourcing of your project?
The best way to assess the impact and probability of a risk in a collaborative manner is to draw a risk matrix on a whiteboard with Probability along the horizontal axis and Impact along the vertical axis. Along each axis you can either use a numeric scale of 1 to 5, or a rating of High, Medium, and Low. You then look at each of the identified risks in turn and collaboratively place the post-it note on the whiteboard according to how likely it is to happen and how big the impact would be in case it does happen.
Step 4: Capture the risk response
The next step is to focus on the risks with the highest probability and highest impact and determine what the best risk response would be. You simply draw a line from the top left hand corner of your risk matrix towards the bottom right hand corner. Any post 'it notes to the right of your line are the most severe and the ones you will be devising a strategy for. The ones on the left hand side of the line may not be important enough to even include in the risk register. Use your judgement to draw this line.
With your team you now look at what actions must be taken to lower the probability and lessen the impact of each risk in the top right hand side of your risk matrix. Listen to your team's suggestions and log the actions in your risk register. The risk register can be a simple Excel file where you describe each risk and capture the risk action, the owner and the date by when the action must be completed.
Sometimes the only thing you can do is to accept a risk and prepare a plan B (i.e., a contingency plan) in case it materialises. An example of such a risk is the implementation of new government legislation that would change the requirements of your project. Although you will not be able to alter the probability of this happening, you will be able to lessen its potential impact by anticipating new legislative features in your project.
Step 5: Assign owner
Next, you need to assign an owner to each risk. The owner should be the person who is best suited to implement the risk response and monitor its progress. It could be anyone from within the team or steering committee as long as they accept responsibility. Many project managers make the mistake of assigning themselves to too many risks. As the project manager you are responsible for facilitating the risk management process, but that doesn't mean that you should own each individual risk.
The best way to secure ownership for the risks is to collaboratively agree who owns what. Determining risk responsibilities in a workshop is much better than you assigning ownership on your own and hoping that people will accept it.
Step 6: Monitor and communicate risks
The final step is to continually monitor the risks you have identified along with the agreed-upon actions. Schedule regular risk reviews with your team and stakeholders to talk through outstanding actions, remove risks that have passed, and identify new ones. Also, be aware of any changes to the nature of a risk.
Remember to always mention your main risks and mitigating actions in your progress reports and to highlight them during steering committee meetings. Not only will this show your stakeholders that you are being proactive, you might also get valuable feedback that will help you do an even better job of managing and mitigating the risks.
But what about the unknown risks?
The above risk management process is great for risks that you can foresee, but what can you do about unknown risks that your team is not aware of? One of the ways in which we can get around this is to involve people in the risk identification process from outside the project. People who think in unconventional ways and have a different viewpoint may be able to spot the unknowns that we cannot spot ourselves. Some risks however cannot be spotted either by the team or by outsiders as they are inherently unknown. All we can do in those cases is to build contingency and flexibility into the plan so that we can cope with the impact of the unexpected, wherever it comes from.
Risk management is imperative to effective project delivery, as it is much easier to manage risks than waiting until they become issues. One of the cornerstones in managing risks is to be collaborative in your approach by brainstorming potential risks with key team members and stakeholders. It helps you identify and deal with potential threats and creates a shared sense of responsibility. You should also involve people from outside the project to help you spot the unknown risks.
After you have identified your risks with the team, explore the root cause and determine how to best mitigate the risks that have the highest impact and probability. Resist the temptation of assigning yourself to too many risks by jointly determining who the most appropriate owner of each risk is.
Encourage a discussion around the project's main risks at the monthly steering committee meeting and remember to always communicate an important risk to senior stakeholders in person before they see it in writing.


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Rome: A Marked Men Novel
Unabridged Audiobook
Written By: Jay Crownover
Narrated By: William Sharpe, Alicia Neil
Date: January 2014
Duration: 9 hours 46 minutes
New York Times and USA Today Bestseller
Sometimes the wrong choice can be just right . . .
Fun and fearless, Cora Lewis knows how to keep her tattooed 'bad boy' friends at the Marked in line. But beneath all that flash and sass is a broken heart. Cora won't let herself get burned again. She's waiting to fall in love with the perfect man—a baggage-free, drama-free guy ready for commitment. Then she meets Rome Archer.
Rome Archer is as far from perfect as a man can be. He's stubborn, rigid, and bossy. And he's returned from his final tour of duty more than a little broken. Rome's used to filling many roles: big brother, doting son, supersoldier—but none of those fit anymore. Now he's just a man trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life while keeping the dark demons of war and loss at bay. He would have been glad to suffer through it alone, until Cora comes sweeping into his life and becomes a blinding flash of color in a sea of gray.Perfect may not be in the cards, but perfectly imperfect could just last forever . . .
Patricia Cox
Lois Burger


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The Chess Festival took place on July 21st-30th in Senta, northern Serbia. Events included: Main "A" tournament, unrated "B" group, blitz and rapid tournaments (both held on July 24th), kids rapid and woman rapid tournament.
IM Misa Pap is the winner of the main tournament with 7.5 points out of 9 rounds. In 8th round he has defeated previous leader GM Miodrag Savic with black pieces, and it proved to be decicive moment since all top games in round 9 were drawn.
"A" group final standings (144 players):
1. IM Misa Pap (2409) 7.5
2-3. GM Miodrag Savic (2518) and IM Branko Tadic (2487) 7.0
4-11. GM Vladimir Kostic (2433), IM Miroslav Miljkovic (2399), IM Nikola Ostojic (2416), IM Slobo Vratonjic (2465), IM Zoran Arsovic (2441), Mirko Mamuzic (2233), FM Zoltan Simonyi (2239) and Nikola D. Nestorovic (2353) with 6.0 etc
Winner of the "B" group was German player Martin Seifert who scored 8.0 points out of 9 rounds.
"B" group final standings:
1. Martin Seifert 8.0
2. Velibor Trajkovic 7.5
3-5 Mihalj Ujhazi, Janos Csomos and Ferenc Mester 6.5 etc
Blitz tournament final standings:
1-2. GM Milos Perunovic (2526) and GM Vladimir Kostic (2433) with 7.5 out of 9 rounds
3-7. GM Goran Cabrilo (2461), GM Miodrag Savic (2518), IM Miroslav Miljkovic (2399), IM Radovan Govedarica (2415) and Imre Balog (2265) with 7.0 etc
Rapid tournament final standings:
1-2. GM Dusan Popovic (2533) and GM Miodrag Savic (2518) 7.5/9
3-7. GM Milos Perunovic (2526), IM Viktor Erdos (2528), GM Vladimir Kostic (2433), IM Nikola Ostojic (2416) and IM Miroslav Miljkovic (2399) with 7.0 (136 participants)


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- Playstation 4
Science and VR collide... in a good way! In this video, Dr. Hans Larsson talks about the science that went into bringing the prehistoric creatures in Minority's Time Machine VR back to life. Dr. Larsson is Research Chair in Vertebrate Palaeontology at McGill University.
In Time Machine VR, you are a time-travelling cadet tasked with exploring the Jurassic era and the ancient creatures that once ruled the prehistoric oceans. Use an array of advanced tech tools to track, examine, and discover scientifically accurate creatures like mosasaurs, livyatans, and megalodons. As you uncover the mysteries of the ancient past, find the connection between a prehistoric virus, the melting ice caps, and a present-day epidemic that is exterminating humankind. If you are a paleontology buff, beat the game and check out Exploration Mode, where you can revisit the oceans and unlock more intelligence about the ancient era creatures you encountered in Story Mode.


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Spread over a sprawling 25 acres, the nine-hole course is enriched with more than 3,400 trees belonging to over 1,000 species. This beautifully landscaped course was designed by Peter Thompson, who had redesigned the Bombay Presidency Club and Delhi Golf club.
Guests and non-members are also permitted to play golf.
The heritage club building is more than 100 years old and stands in its traditional architecture. This Pagoda shaped, 7,000 sq ft tall building is typical of the old buildings of the colonial era. Apart from the regular facilities, the club also offers rooms, premises, party area, and film locations for rent.
Copyright 2014 by Online Highways LLC. Enjoy some India trivia. Send Us Your Comments


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The brand-new myWW™ program is designed to help you build healthy eating habits in way that is truly your own. myWW takes flexibility to the next level, giving you more ways to combine points and enjoy your food. Get to know us and hit the road to healthy with WW of Arizona today!
Our Approach
In the Workplace
News and Notes
U.S. News & World Report:
#1 Best Diet
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It's proven and it fits your life. There's never been a better time to join WW (Weight Watchers).


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hard to say, my Kimber is in 45acp, my rossi is in 357, and now my new Sig p226 is in 357sig.
.38 special
.357 mag
.357 sig
.45 acp
.454 Casull/.45 Colt
hard to say, my Kimber is in 45acp, my rossi is in 357, and now my new Sig p226 is in 357sig.
"When I whet my flashing sword and my hand takes hold in judgment, I shall take vengeance upon mine enemies and I will repay those who hate me"
G27 in .40 DT 155GDJHP in summer G27/w OEM .357sig barrel GT 125gr GDJHP in the winter.
Steyr S9 around the house and when wearing an "overshirt." It fits in the pocket of cargo pants, but needs something to cover the pocket. Without a cover garment it's a Makarov (East German- very nice gun, especially for $110). BUG is a .38 snubbie. Sometimes it's 2 .38s. A S&W tacticool folder completes the ensemble. I have found that a gun isn't much good for field dressing an apple, removing a hangnail, or eating a pork chop.
I have a small.45 auto, but 9mm ammo is SO much cheaper and the Steyr has been completely reliable with every weight bullet available in 9X19mm. The Mak has also been perfect in reliability, but marginal in power if you're dealing with a meth head who may or may not even realize that he's been shot. The 9X19 got a reputation as a poor stopper with military ball ammo, but with modern JHP there isn't a lot of difference in the relative stopping power of the pistol calibers from 9mmP through .45acp. The 9mm is cheap enough to practice with and shot placement trumps caliber. A hit with anything beats a miss with anything, and the fact that he always works with any ammo I have used makes Mr. Steyr my choice for bad breath range social encounters.
Last edited by revjen45; 10-03-2007 at 05:53 PM. Reason: afterthought
Better to perish in the struggle for freedom than live to see defeat. There ARE things to be feared more than death. The fyrd is a Constitutional imperative.
Primary is a Kimber Ultra Carry in 45, I sometimes carry a S&W Sigma SW9F in 9mm.
For most purposes I have my Smith & Wesson model 6906 9mm. It is along the lower powered of what I consider serious self defense rounds. I also carry the Bersa thunder 380 when conditions don't permit the 9mm. I find myself to be a great shot with it, and it's better than not having anything when clothing or conditions don't allow for the 9mm. In California, I'm only permitted to have concealed. If I ever move to another state, I will likely grow up to a 40 cal. when open carry might be more available.
I carry a full size springfield 1911 with Winchester Ranger SXT 230 gr. HP.
I carry a Sig P226 9mm. However, I'm converting to a Springfield 1911 which I bought used from a dealer. After having it inspected by my smith I'll carry it for the additional power. Also, if I should be in an incident I know the pistol will be taken by the police for the investigation and the chances of getting it back are slim to none barring a court fight. So I'd rather lose my $500 reliable 1911 then my pretty $1000 Sig with all the work I've had done on it.
Rotating between .40 and 9. The .40 is a Glock; the 9 is an S&W M&P which feels better in my hand, so I end up carrying it more often.
http://www.zionsbest.com/proper_role.html (The Proper Role of Government)


text: I'm late again, I should've blogged this already last week. Oh well… Our challenge #134 at Through The Purple Haze is "Romantic". Which was quite a bit of a challenge for me, as my usual cardmaking style is about as far from romantic as it possibly can be. I'm quite pleased with the outcome of my romantic card though. I used papers from my fave brand Stamperia, and stamps from one of my fave clear stamps set from Verve Stamps.


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This padded, reinforced bag lets you safely and efficiently transport your winter gear. Boot compartment has fold-down panel that doubles as a handy standing mat. Crushproof compartment protects small, fragile gear. Durable tarpaulin construction.
This padded, durable boot backpack provides you with the storage and protection you need for your boots, helmet, outerwear, and other gear. A boot compartment can double as a standing mat when you are changing shoes. Multiple pockets including a crushproof compartment store extra gear and accessories. Padded shoulder straps and multiple grab handles make the bag easy and comfortable to carry.
The boot compartment in the back of the bag holds your ski or snow boots, and the back panel flips down, allowing you easy access. The compartment also doubles as a standing mat, so you can change in and out of your boots without having to stand in the snow. This compartment also has grommets on the bottom, which let water from your wet boots drain out of the bag without causing damage to the bag or your gear.
A heat-molded, crushproof SafeZone compartment on the top of the bag protects your goggles, sunglasses, smartphone, and other small and fragile items from scratches and breaks. A zippered compartment on the front of the bag stores a helmet and other gear. Two zippered external pockets on either side of the bag store outwear, gloves, and other accessories that you need with you on the slopes.
This bag can be transported in a number of different ways. It can be carried with the 2 padded shoulder straps or one of the multiple grab handles. And adjustable chest strap buckles across your sternum to help you when lugging around heavier loads.
This backpack is constructed from durable, heavy-duty tarpaulin material. The extra thick padding on the bottom of the bag provides additional protection of your gear.
The built-in loops on the front of this bag let you attach it to a Thule RoundTrip rolling ski or snowboard bag (sold separately), allowing you to travel with ease.
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
The Thule Test Program takes safety to a new level, exceeding the current ISO standard by far. At Thule, we believe that the only way to make sure a product will live up to and exceed expectations is to thoroughly test it. That's why we have created the unique Thule Test Program, and built the Thule Test Center, featuring state of the art test equipment and climate simulation facilities. We perform crash tests, drop tests, and hammer tests, as well as a wide variety of endurance tests, all to be able to design the toughest and the safest products on the market. But all of this means nothing if the products do not perform in real life, and that is why we always perform further tests in the field. All of this ensures that you can use any Thule product with confidence. It will withstand whatever life throws at it..
Average Customer Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars (2 Customer Reviews)This padded, reinforced bag lets you safely and efficiently transport your winter gear. Boot compartment has fold-down panel that doubles as a handy standing mat. Crushproof compartment protects small, fragile gear. Durable tarpaulin construction.
It was a great boots bag that I expect 458877
This bag is huge and fits boots, helmet, goggles and almost all my ski clothes. The goggle storage is way bigger than my googles so you can put other stuff in there too. This along with the matching ski bag is all you need for a trip and the airlines consider these two things as one checked bag as long as you keep it under the weight limits. Only con is that the shoulder straps do not have a way to zip them away for checking luggage but you can cinch them down and tie up the ends with rubber bands or something. 375101
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Discuss all aspects of country living, from farming and animal welfare, to sustainable living, organic farming, and fishing.
Has anybody a young female/kid goat for sale, breed not important.
loads on DD AT THE MO.
Kid goat meat lovely
not much on a kid goat, lol.
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Symptoms for Dental Implants
There are several tell-tale signs that could indicate you or a loved one you know need dental implants. Pre-existing tooth loss or severely compromised existing teeth are the most obvious reasons to consider dental implants –– and identifying the warning signs is critical so you are able to start a relationship with a dentist, diagnose the condition, and come up with a solution. Below you will find links to several pages that explore different symptoms and conditions to look for when considering dental implants to correct missing or compromised teeth. If you have any questions at all, do not hesitate to contact our Gainesville dental office! Our friendly dental team is always ready and willing to help.


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Our commitment to community starts with our Founder.
Growing up in a small town outside of Pittsburgh, nothing was more important to Chad than family and community. But career goals landed him in Philadelphia, New York City and Los Angeles where large metropolitan settings seemed to dismiss the need for that warm, fuzzy community feel.
He was determined to support the health and wellness of neighborhood communities of all sizes (and bring back that loving feeling). Hence, Remedy Hike's commitment to local, sustainable, organically grown business partnerships.
Chad Hildebrand, Doctor of Pharmacy, Certified Health Coach
Founder | Remedy Hike
Adventure Seeking Do-Gooder
Community builds through the support of our team of professionals that care deeply about sustainability in health.
After nearly a decade working for Bayer as an agricultural marketing strategist, Jon-Erik founded DBG Marketing to help local farmers navigate the world of sustainable farming before joining our team at Remedy Hike.
Following Hurricane Maria, Jon-Erik went back to Puerto Rico not only to help his own family but also his community. He poured his energy into helping the relief efforts, rebuilding local farms and creating lodging for eco-tourism.
Jon-Erik Escribano, Food and Resource Economics
Marketing Director | Remedy Hike
Part-time Farmer, Full-time Explorer, Lifetime Outdoorsman
Myles Spar, MD
Founder & Executive Director | Integrative Medicine Access
Integrative Health Zealot
Sarah Tiefenthaler
Founder | YogAqua
Reebok Woman Athlete
Kevin Kunkel, MA, CMT, CYT, LMFT
Psychologist | Akasha Center
Bouldering Aficionado
Swati Desai, PhD, LCSW
Founder | 2meditate
Mindfulness Educator
Deborah Carruthers, BA, BSW, MA
Clinical Counselor | Director Harmony Yoga & Wellness Center
Nature, Health & Happiness Guide
Jeffrey M Egler, MD
Medical Director | Parsley Health
Outdoor Enthusiast
Lisa Brisse, Exercise Physiologist
Founder | State of the Heart Fitness
Trainer of the Heart, Mind, Body & Soul
Kathy Cass, MA, BC-DMT, C-IAYT, AHC
Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist | UCLArts and Healing, SMC, ECC
Lover of Art and Nature
Jasmin Figueira, RYT 200
Instructor & Leader | Corepower Yoga & Trip Tribe
Plant-Loving Mermaid Yogi Dancer
Want to become part of our team? We are always looking for talented Health Educators and Navigators.
Email us at
We hike for change, both literally and figuratively.
Health is our real wealth, and not pieces of gold and silver.
Remedy Hike is on a mission to change the way we think about our health. We hike for change. Because we see Health Outside the Ordinary.
(541) 668-7578
RemedyHike.com is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, medical treatment, or therapy. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding any mental health symptom or medical condition. Never disregard professional psychological or medical advice nor delay in seeking professional advice or treatment because of something you have read on RemedyHike.com


text: How to Tell If You Need to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality Posted October 24, 2016 According to the EPA almost 90% of our lives are spent indoors, including the office and in your own Suffolk/Nassau County home. A lot of our exposure to contaminants happens indoors, with indoor air being two-to-five times more contaminated than outdoor air. That is why your home's indoor air quality is essential for good health. So what are some signs that you may need to improve your indoor air quality? How You Feel There are a variety of physical symptoms of poor indoor air quality in Suffolk/Nassau County, for example: fatigue, watery eyes, headaches, coughing, sneezing and a number of others. The symptoms can often be misidentified as other illnesses such as allergies or a cold. If your symptoms seem to go away when you're outside of the house, it might be an indoor air quality issue. Odors and Damage Bad indoor air quality doesn't just affect your health; it might damage the items in your home. You may start noticing your walls or ceilings look tarnished, your wood furniture warping or your paint chipping. These are all indicators that you could have bad indoor air quality. There also could be a musty smell that doesn't seem to go away. If your home seems to be impacted by reduced indoor air quality, we offer Healthy Climate® whole-home solutions to boost your indoor air quality. Our products work in tandem with your heating and cooling system to get the job done. We also have the industry-leading air purification system that handles all three types of indoor air pollution typically found indoors. Our Healthy Climate® ventilation system will keep fresh air flowing through your home, which could also lower the levels of impurities. Your home comfort and your health are important to Airmax Long Island Inc in Suffolk/Nassau County. Our experts can talk you through all of the products we have to better your indoor air quality and keep you breathing easy. We are ready to answer any questions you might have, just give us a call at 631-737-5566. 1https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Guides/Home/The-Inside-Story-A-Guide-to-Indoor-Air-Quality Back To Blog


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Grey-Bruce OHT
Connecting Care Close to Home
The Grey-Bruce Ontario Health Team (Grey-Bruce OHT) is a group of 25+ allied organizations that offers complementary and integrated health and community care to patients in Grey and Bruce counties.
We work together to provide a better healthcare experience.
What is an Ontario Health Team?
- Addresses LOCAL needs – meets the unique needs of the communities it serves.
- Provides INTEGRATED healthcare services – improves access to and quality of care and reduces duplication of services.
- Improves CARE DELIVERY – builds integrated partnerships between all healthcare providers to improve the delivery of services for patients.
What does it mean for patients in Grey and Bruce counties?
Our Team
We are a dedicated partnership of connected organizations in Grey and Bruce counties working to improve the future of healthcare in our communities. The Grey-Bruce OHT team to date includes:
Core Partners
Primary Care
South East Grey Community Health Centre ~ Brockton Area and Kincardine Family Health Team ~ Kincardine Family Health Team & Organization ~ Hanover Family Health Team ~ Hanover Family Health Organization ~ Owen Sound Family Health Team ~ Sauble Family Health Team ~ Peninsula Family Health Team
Mental Health and Addictions
Canadian Mental Health Association ~ Keystone Child, Youth and Family Services
Long Term Care
Home and Community Support Services
Hospice Palliative Care Collaborative ~ Home and Community Support Services of Grey-Bruce ~ Alzheimer Society of Grey Bruce ~ Dale Brain Injury Services ~ Participation Lodge ~ Participation House
Collaborative Partners
Supportive Partners
Get Involved
Join the discussion. We invite all members of the local health and community care landscape in Grey and Bruce counties to become a partner, or reach out with your comments, concerns or contribution.
Contact Us
Please fill in and submit the form below.
Grey-Bruce Ontario Health Team Partner Portal


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Photocells - Dusk to Dawn
8 Watt LED A19 60 Watt Replacement Dusk-To-Dawn Lamp 2700K
8 Watt LED A19 60 Watt Replacement Dusk-To-Dawn Lamp 2700K
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S11421 - Sat [CA]
Operating Voltage:
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Security Lighting
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Dusk-to-Dawn Security Light
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CRI (Color Rendering Index):
Energy Star Qualified
Enclosed Fixture Rated
Dusk-to-Dawn Photocell
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Medium E26
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Warm/Soft White
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60 Watt
** Non-CEC Compliant - NOT Lawful for Sale in California **
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Lamp Wattage:
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120 Volt
2.38" W x 4.19" (MOL)
NO - Non-Dimmable
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800 Lumens
60 Watt Incandescent
Energy Star, Damp, Enclosed
Light Color:
2700K Warm White
3 Year Limited
Satco's A19 LED dusk to dawn light bulb is just what you have been looking for. This product is a regular A shaped light bulb with a built in photocell, or dusk to dawn sensor. This enabled the bulb to automatically turn on at night and turn off in the morning. You no longer have to worry about wiring in a photocell. Just screw this bulb in your regular medium base E26 socket fixtures and you are good to go! It replicates a true A19 incandescent replacement lamp with a 200 degree beam angle. These LED A19 replacement bulbs are available in 8 watt lamps and are designed to replace a 60 watt incandescent bulb. Satco's Enclosed Rated LED A19 Lamps with Dusk To Dawn can yield up to 85 percent savings in energy.
This Satco S11421
, 2700K warm white LED A19 light bulb with photocell operates on your existing 120V circuit and consumes just 8 watts. These 60 watt incandescent equivalent A19 LED retrofit lights generate 800 lumens and have a color rendering index of CRI of 80. These 120 volt LED light bulbs fit fixtures with a regular E26 medium base.
The bulb's dimensions are 2.38 inches wide by 4.19 inches MOL (or maximum overall length. The lens conceals the LEDs from sight and evenly distributes the light. Click here to see the complete
Satco S11421 LED A19 Dusk To Dawn Specification Sheet
These bulbs are damp location rated and are also rated for use in totally enclosed fixtures, which means that putting this bulb in a totally enclosed fixture will not shorten its lifespan and they come with a 3 year warranty.
Typical Applications
This ENERGY STAR certified A19 LED lamp features a built-in photocell that detects daylight and turns the bulb on in the evening and off at sunrise. Ideal for sconces, entry porches, and lamp posts, the dusk to dawn lamp provides a soft white functional light that enhances security and energy savings in exterior and interior applications.
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text:
C434-5691 Pathfinder map at Arnotts
11 November 1964
Mr. and Mrs. Cyril D. Duff manager with Dublin Regional Tourism Organisation using the new display.
- Filename
- C434-5691.jpg
- Copyright
- Copyrighted to SKP & Associates Ltd trading as Lensmen & Associates, Lensmen Photographic Agency and Lensmen Photographic Archive, Irish Photo Archive. wwwirishphotoarchive.ie COPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS ACT, 2000. Under the Copyright and Related Rig
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- Contained in galleries
- Search ALL, 1964 Inauguration of the Pathfinder, Search ALL, images of ireland 1960s


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February 6, 2020 - February 8, 2020
Event Navigation
Emerging Researchers National (ERN) Conference in STEM
The Emerging Researchers National (ERN) Conference in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is hosted by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Programs and the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Human Resource Development (HRD), within the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR). The conference is aimed at college and university undergraduate and graduate students who participate in programs funded by the NSF HRD Unit, including underrepresented minorities and persons with disabilities.


text:
Our People
Diana France
Friary Court
65 Crutched Friars
London EC3N 2AE
United Kingdom
Office Telephone: +44 (0)20 7264 8000
Office Fax: +44 (0)20 7264 8888
Direct Dial (London): +44 (0)20 7264 8103
Mobile: +44 (0)7720 080166
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More about Diana
Diana advises clients across the energy sector on a wide range of issues, including upstream oil and gas, LNG, energy management, electricity and renewables. She previously worked in industry with British Gas Exploration and Production (now BG Group) and then with Dalkia, the energy branch of Veolia Environment.
Diana France has been named in the energy, real estate and infrastructure section of The Lawyer's 2015 Hot 100 list. Diana is ranked in Legal 500 2015 for Oil & Gas (Tier 3), "The highly regarded Diana France advised a major NOC on a range of commercial matters, including a joint tender for various Middle East projects". Chambers UK 2010 wrote of her: "Diana France is the key name in HFW's upstream oil and gas practice. She has been advising on pipeline and coating agreements, including detailed advice on liability and indemnity issues, for a major European oil company acting in a consortium for the development of a cross-border pipeline."
Diana is listed as a notable practitioner for Oil & Gas in Chambers UK 2011 and is also named in Legal 500 UK 2011 for her experience in this area.
Diana is qualified in England and Wales.
We are working with clients across our international network to help them minimise the impact of COVID-19 on their business and to prepare for what's next. To find out more, visit our dedicated Covid-19 hub.


text:
Lucknow, Jan 22 (IANS) Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be arriving in Rae Bareli on Wednesday on a two-day visit.
Rae Bareli is the parliamentary constituency of Sonia Gandhi.
According to party sources, Sonia and Priyanka will arrive at the Fursatganj airport around 2.30.p.m on Wednesday and will go straight to the house of former Congress MLA Ajay Pal Singh, whose son recently committed suicide, to offer condolences.
The two leaders will then go to the Bhuyemau guest house where they will be meeting party workers.
Congress sources said that the programme for Thursday was not yet finalized but Sonia and Priyanka would discuss the prevailing political situation with party leaders and also work on the strategy for the next assembly elections, due in 2022.
Sonia and Priyanka will return to Delhi on Thursday afternoon.


text:
Leading clothing and footwear brands across the country are trying to boost their sales by offering repeated discounts, as they are seeing lower sales due to the economic slowdown in Pakistan.
The unabated inflation rate has had a negative impact on the purchasing power of customers, particularly the brand conscious and middle-class income group of the society. This has resulted in declining sales of these brands.
A majority of large companies have adopted a strategy to bolster their sales in the market by offering handsome discounts of up to 70 percent to attract new and old customers.
"We had an annual sale event to clear out our stock last year, just like every year, but this time, we have had three such sales events in 2019," said a salesman at the leading footwear brand, Hush Puppies, located in Clifton. The customer turnout has improved and their sales have recovered.
The discount offers on different brands could be seen on different occasions such as Pakistan Day, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Independence Day, Summer Sale, etc. The sale season even continued before and after Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha—two of the biggest sale seasons of the country.
High Inflation Rate
High inflation has pushed a significant section of customers to adopt austerity measures in their households, who are now spending less for their day-to-day essentials such as foods, medicines, utility bills, transportation, etc. On the other hand, the revised income tax on the salaried class has reduced their disposable income.
"This is our third sale event this year," said a sales manager at a Diner outlet situated in Millennium Mall, Karachi.
If sales continue to stay low, we have to offer discounts every other day to attract customers, forcing us to sell our products at smaller margins.
Most of the brands put their products at up to 70 percent sales. Some of the struggling brands offered a flat 50 percent discount on most of their products. Some of these major brands are Hush Puppies, Urban Sole, Bata, Stylo, Diner, Outfitter, Gul Ahmed, Levis, Kids and Kids, etc.
This way, these brands not only offload their older items but they also attract new customers to their outlets.
Following this trend, the emerging or tier two brands of clothes have also hopped on the bandwagon to sell off their products at discounted prices. Brands selling various household articles, cosmetic products, toiletries, kids products, etc. have held multiple discount sales this year.
High-Interest Rates on Credit Cards
Besides high inflation, one of the factors for lower clothes and footwear sales is high interest rates on credit cards.
In the past one and half year, interest rates have recorded an astronomical hike of double-digits in tandem with staggering high policy rates, which saw a surge of 7.5 percent in this period and pushed up the interest rates on credit cards.
Some banks introduced discount offers on using credit cards but these offers have had limited success.
Recent Expansion in Retail Outlets
Various brands have expanded their network of retail outlets in big cities at shopping centers such as Packages Mall, Emporium Mall, Lucky One, Hyperstar, etc. Some of the brands such as Khaadi, Levis, Hush Puppies also increased their franchises to widen their sales network for dealing with the increasing demand of customers and tough competition.
These brands gradually received a better response from the customers with better purchasing power and the availability of financing options from banks, but the graph of sales became gradually stagnant from 2018 and things have been getting tougher in the last few months.
Inflation and interest rates are not the only two factors affecting their sales. Competition among renowned international brands is also a key factor, which will not only persist but immensely increase in the local market with the expansion of online shopping channels. Franchise networks like these give more options to customers to choose from.
Sales managers are of the view that sales targets are elusive at most of the outlets, though heavy discounts help maintain the supply and demand at the cost of reduced profit margins. However, adding insult to injury, the cost of operations has picked up due to the high cost of utilities.
In time, a segment of customers will enjoy their shopping experience, particularly the ones who can afford them and have savings. The middle-income customers will also get to try out international brands thanks to high discounts.
you should write about food outlets offering discounts too. foodpanda is chock full of tasty discounts these days :P
These clothing brands have looted people for decades with extremely high prices of mediocre products, now they are worried about their profits. HAHAHAH


text:
The Alpine Community Center Presents, BREAKFAST WITH SANTA – Saturday, December 7, 2019 from 9am to 11am. Join us for a buffet style breakfast, and EVERY CHILD will receive a GIFT from SANTA! There will also be holiday crafts for the kids! All Proceeds benefit the Alpine Community Center!
Tickets are $15 for Adults and $5 for Children ages 4-9 (kids 3 & under are FREE!) Tickets are available at www.alpinecommunitycenter.com . Reservations are required so get your tickets early as they sell out fast and are not available at the door. The Alpine Community Center is located at 1830 Alpine Blvd., Alpine Ca 91901. For more info please call 619-445-7330


text:
Pre-Purchase Roof Inspections
We offer detailed roof surveys throughout Manchester, Cheshire & the North West, compiled by experienced roofing contractors. Your survey will detail any proposed works that need attention plus associated costs for those works. These surveys are backed with photographic evidence and explanations of any issues found.
You can use your roof survey to provide evidence of any issues to your vendor or their estate agents before you purchase your new property. This works as an effective way to ensure that your liability for the works is passed on with respect to the purchase price.
If you would like to discuss your roof inspection requirements you can contact us on 0161 207 0110 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Bridgewater Corners, Vt. — Long Trail Brewing Company's family tree is branching out with the release of Citrus Limbo IPA.
Inspired by its mouthwatering older brother, Citrus Limbo IPA (7.6% ABV, 80 IBU) is a grapefruit- and tangerine-infused India pale ale that adds an extra kick to the passionfruit flavors of Limbo IPA.
"We love citrusy beers and we've been talking for some time about how to get more of that grapefruit-y, tangerine-y kind of flavor into a beer," said Dave Hartmann, brewmaster at Long Trail Brewing Company.
With Citrus Limbo IPA, Hartmann and his team used cold-pressed tangerine and grapefruit peels to create a "super juicy IPA."
Cold pressing is a method in which fruits are mechanically pressed to extract their essential oils. For this brew, Hartmann and his team used the essential oils from grapefruit and tangerine peels for an added citrus punch.
"The peels of the fruit contain the super juicy flavors and aromas you want," Hartmann said. "What we're basically doing is supplementing the hop oils with this really delicious, citrusy, juicy, aromatic essential oil from tangerine and grapefruit."
This process – which involves soaking the Galaxy and Mosaic dry-hops in the grapefruit and tangerine oils – works well with Limbo IPA's already tropical flavor profile, according to Hartmann.
"We've really kicked it over the top [with grapefruit and tangerine]," He added.
Brewhouse lead, Sam Clemens, agrees.
"It's just a super juicy IPA experience," he said.
Citrus Limbo IPA will be available year-round in six-packs of 12oz. bottles and on draught beginning in late-September, so grab a glass and enjoy this super juicy creation.
About Long Trail Brewing Co.
Inspired by the 273-mile hiking trail that traverses through the Green Mountains, Long Trail Brewing has been a caretaker of Vermont craft since 1989. From small-batch recipes developed in our farmhouse turned pilot brewery to large-scale staples like our flagship Long Trail Ale, our brewers are committed to crafting a trail-worthy family of beers.


text:
By: Adonia of The Ashtar Command
(For background and historical information to the ET presence, visit: The Extraterrestrial Presence in Our World Today )
The Ashtar Command is the airborne division of the Great Brother/Sisterhood of Light, under the administrative direction of Commander Ashtar and the spiritual guidance of Lord Sananda, know to Earth as Jesus, or the Christ, our Commander-in-Chief. Composed of millions of starships and personnel from many civilizations, we are here to assist Earth and humanity through the current cycle of planetary cleansing and polar realignment.
We serve like midwives in the birthing of humanity from dense-physical to physical-etheric bodies of light, capable of ascending into the fifth dimension along with the Earth.
With blessings, we are the Ashtar Command.
ASHTAR COMMAND: The Galactic Federation of Light Warns Humanity!!!
The Ashtar Command Spiritual Hierarchy
Ashtar Command Original Starseed Transmission
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August 2020
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Ryan Cabrera Apparently Performing On 'So You Think You Can Dance' Finale
Ryan Cabrera posted the following bulletin to fans on his MySpace on Wednesday (August 8):
Tune in2 Fox So You Think You Can Dance season finale
thursday august 16th:
there might just be a special guest performer!!!!! hint hint booooooyah!!!!!
much luv


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Hi everyone! With this quick and short post I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas! This is how I look today. I saw this eyeshadow on a sale recently and I couldn't resist. I decided to intensify it with purple and white glitter. It made me feel so Christmassy! On my lips I'm wearing purple gloss from Revlon. Not a common choice but I'm so happy with it. I think it's really pretty! Of course I used meteorites from Guerlain for extra shine on my cheekbones. I do not use them often only with special occasions because they are too sparkling for every day.
More photos and list of the products I used:
List of the products I used:
Dior air flash foundation in 200
Giorgio Armani Micro-Fil Loose Powder in 2
Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturizer in Medium Tint (contour)
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
Estee Lauder Expert Color palette (63 mocha cup and 04 dusty rose Pure Color eyeshadow, 213 rose wood Tender Blush, 1W transparent Aeromatte Ultralucent Pressed Powder, on T-zone)
Rimmel Glam'eyes mono eyeshadow in 410 plum romance
La Prairie Concealer in 010
ELF waterproof eyeliner pen in Teal
ELF makeup mist & set
MAC eye pencil in white
YSL long lasting eye pencil in 1 black
MAC studio finish concealer in NC20
Purple and white glitters
ELF eyebrow gel in dark
Dior Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum
Lancome Hypnose Mascara
Revlon ColorBurst lipgloss in Decadent
Real Techniques Buffing and Contour Brushes
Dior brushes from travel set
Read also:


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What began with 3 guys working out of Billy's apartment on the banks of the Delaware River has grown to over 20 staffers in a dedicated headquarters in Clinton, NJ — only a 20-minute drive from our first "office".
Of course, many other things have changed in that time. We've seen the country led by 3 different Presidents. We've worked out of four different locations. We've opened a satellite office in Pennsylvania. Employees and clients have come and gone. Apple has issued numerous versions of its operating system, not to mention a few generations of the iPhone — which did not even exist when we got started.
One thing that hasn't changed is our belief that creativity can make a difference. Or our faith that the right team of dedicated and experienced professionals can solve a problem quickly and effectively for clients of any size, shape, or color.
Over the coming year, we'll be sharing some of the best memories and moments from Mint's history in this monthly newsletter and on our various social media channels. We hope you tune in. If you've got your own favorite Mint story from the past 14 years, please share it here.


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I've finally had time (during two airport layovers en route to Cuba) to assemble a bit of video footage I took of the cockle collectors of Tambillo (see May 16 post, "The cockle collectors").
Posts Tagged 'Ecuador'
Concheras reduxJune 7th, 2009
Shrimp v mangroveMay 18th, 2009
For the factually inclined, here is some background data on the shrimp vs mangrove conflict from a conversation with Lider Góngora, president of the Ecuadorian organisation C-CONDEM. As well as fighting for mangrove protection and empowerment of mangrove-reliant communities, Lider and his staff operate a newly opened seafood restaurant in their office complex in Quito (see earlier post).
* Ecuador was the first country in Latin America to jump on the shrimp bandwagon. The first farms were established in 1977 near Huaquillas, my first port of call in Ecuador. From there the industry spread north, cutting down mangroves as it went. Labour was cheap, profits were high and destruction was rapid.
* By 1998 Ecuador was the world's largest exporter of shrimp. Shrimp was the country's second largest export, oil being first.
* Ecuador originally possessed 364,000 ha of mangroves. By 2001, 70% had been destroyed. Of the 108,000 ha of mangroves remaining, 20,000 ha have been granted as concessions for communities to co-manage in conjunction with government agencies.
* It is illegal in Ecuador to cut down mangroves or to site a shrimp farm within mangroves. With reference to these laws, many of Ecuador's 254,000 shrimp farms are illegal operations.
* More than 1 million Ecuadorians live and/or work among mangroves, and 150,000 depend directly on them for their livelihoods.
And here are some more pictures of the shrimp v mangrove situation in Ecuador.
A stone in the shoeMay 17th, 2009
Peter Segura had been in hiding for a month when I met him. His home is in Olmedo, where I had stayed while visiting the giant mangroves of Majagual, but it wasn't safe for him to meet me there. So he came to the capital, Quito, and told me his story.
Peter Segura opposes shrimp farming. He is, as Pedro Ordinola had said, "a stone in their shoe." When a powerful person has a stone in his shoe, he likes to get rid of it—which is why this quietly spoken 40-year-old Afro-Ecuadorian and his family were in hiding.
What is interesting about Peter is that for 10 years, from the mid 1980s to the mid 1990s, he worked on shrimp farms, so he knows something of the inside story. The work, he said, was difficult, dangerous and low-paid, and the living conditions were spartan. Typical tasks included cleaning algal scum off the pond walls and water filters, keeping down weeds, spreading food and agrochemicals and hand-harvesting the shrimp. The workers handled hazardous materials such as fuels, growth hormones and the preservative metabisulphite without protection. If a worker complained, he was down the road.
Peter worked for several farms in both Guayaquil and Esmeraldas, and came to the conclusion that they were operating outside of the law. Farms were supposed to be a maximum of 250 hectares, he said, but by creating multiple subsidiaries a shrimp owner could achieve a spread of 3–4,000 ha. Many shrimp operations had politicians, ambassadors and councillors as partners or directors. The alliance of business and government "could do whatever it wanted with the laws, the ecosystem and the people," he said.
And what it was doing was frightening. Peter began hearing of mass fish die-offs, the causes of which were never established, but were considered by locals to be the result of chemical spills. One of the farms he worked for stopped mangrove fishers such as crab and cockle collectors from entering the mangroves adjacent to the farm on the pretext that they were thieving shrimp. There were reports of trespassers being killed. Peter claimed the number was as high as 300 across three provinces. And mangroves themselves were being laid waste as the farms proliferated.
In 1996 he renounced the industry and returned to his home in Olmedo. He started working with the community to protect their health, livelihoods and environment, and this put him at loggerheads with the shrimp farm that had been built adjacent to the village. He claimed that the shrimp farm had ordered the destruction of community gardens, that its activities were contaminating the village water supply and poisoning fisheries and even that it had tried to exterminate green iguanas on the grounds that they were digging nest holes in the pond dykes and weakening them.
Protest action against the farm made him a marked man. Friendly messages began to reach him, saying he needed to be careful or something might happen to him. Four times since 1997 he has been obliged to leave the community because of such threats.
The threat to him is direct, but Peter believes the wellbeing of his entire community is at risk. The laws relating to environmental protection are explicit, but there is no institutional will to apply them, he said. "Big business can buy anybody off."
I asked him what he thinks the future holds for him. "My future is decided," he said. "It is to fight for mangroves and for the thousands of forcibly displaced families in the poor provinces where the industry flourishes."
Peter Segura remains a stone in the shrimp farmers' shoe.
The cockle collectorsMay 16th, 2009
A line of women walked across the mudflats in front of Tambillo village, carrying woven cockle baskets and coconut-palm smoke torches. There was laughter and gaiety, the esprit de corps of an expedition about to commence—despite the fact that these women have been making this expedition since childhood.
At the boat the owner checked off the names on his list as the concheras climbed aboard. He poured cups of fizzy drink, noting that down in his book as well. When everyone was aboard the boat headed for the mangroves, first crossing open water then navigating ever narrower channels until coming to a stop against a clump of prop roots.
Torches were lit and the concheras climbed up the root scaffold, pushing their way deeper into the forest. I joined them, orienteering across the strong, springy roots. I photographed for a while, then tried my luck. Unlike catching crabs, where you plunge your arm full length into the mud, with cockles you probe down only a hand's depth until you feel the shell.
It took me several minutes to find a single cockle, and that was undersized. In the interests of replenishing the stock, concheras, in consultation with a biologist, have agreed to a minimum length of 45 mm—though they grumble about the fact that their decision to forego smaller cockles is not reflected in the price.
"We are being more selective and providing a higher quality product, so we should be paid more," Aracely said.
There was little chance of that happening. Where middlemen control prices, producers don't get such breaks.
I noticed that several concheras weren't doing much better than I was. I didn't hear any of the singing Aracely referred to, with the women calling out as they picked up each cockle. Today, it would have been a very slow song.
Later, back in San Lorenzo, Edgar Lemos was talking about how to create change in the economy of places like Tambillo, and how to improve the lot of the concheras. He used an expression that had particular resonance, given the clambouring around in the mangrove maze I had been doing that afternoon. "It is difficult to climb an old twisted tree. Better to plant a young tree and grow it straight."
For change to come to the communities of the mangroves, the focus needs to be on the young: educating them and equipping them with options beside the traditional livelihoods and economic models. Clear-thinking, outspoken people like Aracely and Edgar are spearheading this move. I can only hope that the "young tree" they plant grows fast and strong.
A conchera speaksMay 16th, 2009
This morning the plan was to talk to the cockle collectors of Tambillo. In this community of 600, around three-quarters of the women work as concheras. I envisaged walking around the houses, knocking on doors and asking: "Buenos dias, señora, es conchera?" (Well, not exactly. Elaine does the heavy lifting, communication-wise. I just suggest questions and then scribble furiously while she translates back and forth.) Julio, head of the fishermen's collective, didn't think this was such a good idea. He thought it would be better if he approached some concheras and invited them to speak to us in his house.
And that was how we met Aracely Caicedo, 28, an Afro-Ecuadorian mother of four, a conchera, a confident and eloquent woman who turned out to be one of those people whose story makes a writer's day.
To begin with, she spoke about the physical demands and dangers of the job: the chafed knuckles and broken nails, the wasp and mosquito bites, the snake whose local name means "rot maker" because its bite can lead to gangrene, the stinging nettle which once pricked her in the eye, making her blind in that eye for a month.
Then there is the dreaded pez sapo, the toad fish, which lives in pools in the mud. If you accidentally step on this creature it releases sticky eggs that cause a painful skin infection. The only remedy is to heat a knife and sear the affected flesh, or use gunpowder. Julio, who had been a conchero for four years as a child, demonstrated the gunpowder technique, producing a length of fuse and lighting it. I could just imagine how an attractive young woman like Aracely would feel about stabbing a burning fuse to her skin.
Julio gathered cockles between the ages of 9 and 13. He worked six days a week, he said, fitting the trips to the mangroves around school hours. He hated the enslaving work, and the fact that each day you could only make enough money for that day's needs.
Aracely, too, spoke about the economic hardships of life as a conchera. There are regular fixed costs, such as rubber gloves (which last only about a week), boots, pants, smoke torches to keep insects at bay (one torch is needed per day), and the cost of the boat that takes concheras to the mangroves. If you want to eat or drink while you're in the mangroves, that's extra, too. The going rate is eight cockles for a cup of Coke.
Concheras rarely eat the cockles they collect. They can't afford to. Cockles are their only source of income. "Sometimes we pick mangrove snails from the roots, or we catch crabs to keep," she said. But most of the time they are focused on collecting as many cockles as they can for the limited time they have before the rising tide forces them off the beds.
They need to, because many have large families to support. "In this culture, women often have several partners through their lives." Children from those relationships always stay with the woman, so she may have to provide for a large family. A lot of single women are thinking, 'How will I get enough cockles to keep my children fed?' Such is the economic pressure that pregnant women work right up to when the baby is due. One woman gave birth in the boat, she said.
The livelihood of a conchera, marginal at the best of times, has become even more difficult with an influx of men into what was once primarily the domain of women and children, placing even more pressure on a diminishing resource. Many men used to work in coconut and oil palm plantations, but when the plantations cut back production they turned to cockle collecting. The men work more destructively, said Aracely. "They break the roots and cause more damage to the cockle beds. Women work more delicately," she said.
Out in the mangroves, there's a balance between cooperation and competition among the concheras. "The women sing back and forth as they collect—'one,' 'two,' 'three' as they find cockles," Aracely said. This enables the collectors to know which of them has found the most promising cockle bed. On the other hand, there's a prayer the women make to the Virgen del Agarrarero, the Virgin of the Collectors, which basically says: "Let me get the cockles first, and don't give any to the others."
Was there anything about the job she enjoyed, I asked? She laughed and said: "The only good thing is a lot of money in your hand."
Getting that fistful of dollars is increasingly difficult. The cockle stocks are in decline. A skilful conchera used to be able to collect 700–800 cockles a day, Aracely said. Now 100 is considered a good haul. Concheras receive less than 10 cents a cockle. They have to sell their catch to the boat operator who takes them to the cockle beds. One boatman may set the price at $8 a hundred, another $7.50, still another $7. The women can't sell to the person offering the best price, because more often than not they will be in debt to one particular boat owner. Boat owners advance them money for shoes or gloves, or tide them over if they are sick. The boat owners become money lenders, and women find themselves drawn into a cycle of debt from which they cannot readily escape.
Knowing that at peak times such as Christmas, Easter and Carnival cockles may sell for up to $20 a hundred in the cities is bitterly frustrating for the concheras, who receive only a fixed low price. "The price goes up and down for the consumer, but never for the conchera," Aracely said. "No one values our work."
Edgar Lemos, who is travelling with us, wants to help create a community bank so that the women of Tambillo can begin to gain a measure of both respect and financial self-determination. Small loans are the key to creating alternative business ventures that will reduce the pressure on the cockle beds and help them recover. Aracely strongly supports this idea. In fact, she is running for office in the local council in the hope of improving the lot of the concheras. She doesn't rate her chances of election, however. Candidates generally woo voters by extending various forms of largesse, and Aracely has nothing with which to buy votes. All she has are her dreams and her energy and desire to see a better future for the children of Tambillo.
"It is not good for them to start as a little girl and become an old lady and be a conchera all their life," she said.
We fell silent, letting that reality, that sentence of inescapable destiny, sink in. In a few hours, when the tide was low enough, I would go out with the women and children to the cockle beds and see their work for myself.
Happy hour in TambilloMay 15th, 2009
After leaving Olmedo we retraced our steps to San Lorenzo, then took a boat through the mangroves to the fishing village of Tambillo. I had wanted to spend a night in a community of concheras, or cockle collectors. While we were buying waterproof boots in San Lorenzo we bumped into Alfredo, a schoolteacher from just such a community. With a phone call, he had organised it.
At Tambillo's wharf we were met by health officials collecting visitor information in connection with swine flu. Ecuador had just had its first confirmed case, leading the more sensational newspapers to run melodramatic headlines such as "Pig disease has descended upon us," as if it were one of the plagues of the apocalypse.
We walked into the village—a grid of mud-and-cockleshell alleys and shanties built on stilts. Julio Valasquez, the director of Tambillo's fishermen's cooperative, welcomed us into his home. As he talked I caught the words "manglares bonitos"—beautiful mangroves. There is no question in a place like this about the importance of mangroves: everyone in this community draws sustenance from the rainforests of the sea.
Day's end is a languid time in the tropics. On a shady veranda women played bingo using dried kernels of corn for counters. Around the corner, men slapped domino tiles onto a weathered table. Children spun tops, flicking them down on the hardened mud of the alleys then scooping them up to spin on their palms.
Is there anywhere in the world where digital cameras have not yet extended their reach? Whenever Elaine and I produced ours, it was moths to a flame. Little ones four and five years old thronged us, begging us to take their picture and then demanding we turn the cameras around so they could point at the images and shriek with laughter.
Seeking a cool breeze and respite from our young entourage, we walked to the end of the pier, where a man was teaching his four-year-old to swim, releasing him time and again to flail and laugh and swallow salt water for a few metres to the concrete steps, from where the boy would launch himself back into his father's arms. Flocks of grackles streaked across the estuary, flying within splash distance of the water, making for their island roosts. A line of pelicans performed a slow Mexican wave.
After dark, I sat on a veranda listening to schmaltzy Ecuadorian bolero music pouring out of a nearby cantina, with the added percussion of a sheet of loose roofing iron rattling in the wind. The smell of frying fish and plantains drifted on the night air. Packs of scrawny dogs ranged through the streets and under the houses, occasionally erupting in a snarling scrap.
I have a special affection for places like Tambillo. They trigger nostalgia for a life less complex, with fewer demands and gentler rhythms. Reason can counter these sentiments a dozen times over, but I choose to ignore its cold calculus. Wasn't it Pascal who said, "The heart has reasons that reason knows nothing about"? I'm with Blaise. And I'm loving Tambillo.
Tomorrow I go into the mangroves with the concheras.
Embracing the inner mangroveMay 15th, 2009
Here a couple more pictures from my visit to the giant mangroves of Majagual.
Among giantsMay 14th, 2009
Today I walked among the giant mangroves of Majagual.
They are indeed remarkable trees. Though not especially broad—I could have wrapped my arms around the trunks of most of them—they soar to heights of 30 and 40 metres. Prop roots spring in every direction from the trunks, the largest forming massively thick buttresses that hold the trees aloft in the soft soil. From the canopy, long dangling tresses of lichen hang down, and the roots and trunks are studded with bromeliads. Some were in flower—a scarlet splash amidst the green and brown of the mangroves.
Yet even in this cathedral of nature Big Shrimp casts a cold shadow. In 1993, a 600 ha shrimp farm was established nearby, with some of its ponds built right up to the boundary of the forest reserve. The dykes and channels of the farm have disrupted the hydrology of the area. The mangroves of Majagual may not survive the changes.
Florencio Nazareno, our guide, pointed at the mud beneath the boardwalk and said it should be sticky and wet; instead, it was dry enough to walk on without even sinking. Only the very highest tides now reach the roots of the trees. Because of the reduced salinity, alien species such as fern and strangler fig have invaded the forest. As we walked, Florencio slashed at head-high fern with a machete. In places, it had reached across the boardwalk and was blocking our path. More importantly, the aggressive fern chokes the ground and stops regeneration of the red mangrove seedlings that are the future of Majagual.
When the shrimp farm went in, Florencio was one of those who resisted. Like others in the fishing village of Olmedo, which has custodianship of the mangroves, he understood the threat the farm posed. "For generation after generation it has been passed down that mangroves are our life," he said. "If you kill the mangroves you kill us."
He participated in protests against the shrimp farm, and for his efforts became a marked man. He fled inland to the Amazon, where he worked in an oil palm plantation. Six months later, when he felt it was safe to return, he took up a job as a ranger in the mangrove reserve, though his main livelihood is still fishing. He feels sure that if a mangrove reserve had not been formed in 1995 to preserve Majagual and other mangroves in the Esmeraldas, the forest where we were standing would now be a shrimp pond. (I'll have more to say about the mangrove reserve in a future post.)
Whether the Majagual mangroves are the tallest in the world I can't be certain, though to my eye they seemed no taller than mangroves I have seen in other places. But the question of supremacy is surely irrelevant. To be in the presence of such remarkable trees is a gift to the spirit. And to learn that these forest patriarchs are under threat is a deep sadness.
Have a bananaMay 13th, 2009
Two days ago I looked across a river and saw Peru. Today I was on an estuary near the border with Colombia. Between these two ends of Ecuador lay the delights of a 12-hour trip on the night bus from Huaquillas to Esmeraldas. I'm getting used to these interminable journeys. Freezing air conditioning or no air conditioning—those are the only options. Beverly Hills Ninja in Spanish, if you should be so lucky. A 4 a.m. stop at some soulless terminal where bleary-eyed passengers stagger past bleary-eyed vendors selling trinkets, fizzy drinks and coconut toffee.
From Esmeraldas (which means "emeralds") we travelled the rest of the way to the border town of San Lorenzo with Edgar Lemos, who, like Pedro in the south, spends his life working for the protection of mangroves. Besides a love of mangroves, we found something else in common: we are fructophiles. We both have home orchards—though whereas mine is a quarter of a hectare in suburbia, he has a three-hectare spread on the banks of the Rio Esmeraldas, planted in citrus, coconut, banana, cacao, and many other fruits whose names defied easy translation.
It turns out that Edgar can spot a rare variety of banana from 100 yards, so the journey was punctuated by stops at roadside fruit stalls. That Ecuador is the world's largest exporter of bananas is well known—and confirmed by the fact that in the south of the country you can travel for tens of kilometres and see nothing but banana palms to left and right. "On either side the highway lie long fields of palms but not of rye," to mangle Tennyson. Indeed, one region is called El Oro, the gold, named not for the metal but the fruit.
But Ecuador also has many artisanal bananas, varieties that never see the hold of a ship. Small, plump, thin-skinned and bursting with fragrance, these yellow bombshells are a revelation in flavour, showing up supermarket bananas for the taste-deprived specimens they are.
Edgar has been involved in mangrove advocacy for eight years. The issues he deals with are the same as elsewhere in the country: illicit logging, shrimp-farm expansion, transfer of public land into private hands, overfishing, pollution from Ecuador's new agricultural boom crop, the African oil palm. But here there is the added twist of Colombia's narcotics war, which is being waged on the mangrove coast.
Edgar tells us stories of cocaine kitchens discovered in the depths of the mangroves, of drug shipments being moved across mangrove channels by fibreglass submarine, and of the refugee problem. When the fighting intensifies, up to 3000 men, women and children flee across the border and take refuge among the Ecuadorians. Some stay. Over lunch of fried plantains and cockle cerviche, I met UNHCR staff working to help integrate the Colombian refugees into the local economy.
Edgar thinks it would be unwise for us gringos to stay in San Lorenzo. The town has an itchy-trigger-finger feeling about it, and our presence will not go unnoticed, he says. San Lorenzo has muchos oidos, many ears. We retreat to Olmedo, a town which has a community tourism project. Why would tourists come to a 187-person community living in stilt houses among mangroves? Among other things, because the mangroves here are reputed to be the tallest in the world. Tomorrow I will visit these monsters.
Life and deathMay 12th, 2009
With Pedro Ordinola's words about armed guards and attack dogs fresh in the memory, we set out this morning to look at the shrimp farms near Huaquillas, on Ecuador's southern border. It was full tide at the port when we arrived. Shrimp-farm boats were heading out with loads of dried feed and molasses for their hungry charges. On the banks of the channel, great egrets, with necks so impossibly thin you could easily encircle them with just a thumb and forefinger, perched on low mangrove branches, their stark whiteness arresting against the muddy water. The channel is the border. With just a few flaps of its archangel wings, an egret can cross from Ecuador to Peru.
On the topmost branch of a mangrove, two magnificent frigate birds preened. "Magnificent" is part of their name—and why not? With the male's red chest pouch that it blows up like a party balloon to court its mate; with its jet black wings, all angular like a fighter plane; with the splayed tail that gives it its nickname "scissors of the sky," it is nothing if not magnifico.
With a boatman and a few other members of Pedro's crab-collectors association (see yesterday's post) we motored through the network of islands that fill the estuary. The mangroves fringing the islands were thick with shorebirds roosting in the lush foliage, waiting for the falling tide to expose their feeding grounds. But all was not as it seemed. The mangroves here are a beauty screen—a curtain that is one tree thick. Pull back the curtain and you find shrimp farms stretching to the horizon.
We motored steadily. Every few hundred metres was a gap in the curtain and a shrimp farm hut. Sometimes a sign with skull and crossbones had been tacked to a mangrove trunk: Keep out. Armed guards. Sometimes a guard dog barked its head off.
We turned down a channel barely wide enough for the boat and followed along the exterior dyke of a shrimp pond. Pedro stood on the bow, watching for underwater snags and pushing away the mangrove branches that crowded overhead. Every now and then he ducked suddenly to avoid webs that industrious arachnids had spun across the channel. At the centre of each was a spider you would not want to tangle with—the body at least 5 cm long, the size of a large grasshopper.
We stopped at a scene of desolation. Black stumps and branches were strewn over an area several football fields in size. The area had been cut two years ago, Pedro said. His association had lodged a protest, and eventually development ground to a halt when the shrimp farm ran out of money—a rare success in Pedro's struggle against the aquaculture juggernaut. But it's a cat-and-mouse game, he explained, trying to stop the area being developed by some other farm. Pedro keeps an eye on this site and others, to be ready in case development starts up again.
While we talked, one of the men plucked a handful of ripe mangrove seeds from the intact trees at the edge of the site and without fuss starting planting them in the sludge. It was such a simple act, yet the bright green mangrove cigars seemed to glow with promise. One man sows destruction; another counters it with life.
So it went through the morning, stopping at sites where the long-term productivity of mangroves had been sacrificed for the short-term gain of shrimp. I was struck by the depth of knowledge that resides in the memories of fishermen who have worked all their lives in these places. Such and such a spot was known for its large mud crabs, somewhere else was a place where cockles were especially numerous or sweet. We came to a bay renowned as a nursery ground for sharks. "Now if you set a net all you catch here is mud," José Ordinola, Pedro's nephew, said.
There was a wistful look in their eyes as they spoke of mangrove stands they had worked 20 years ago, now either too dangerous to work, or long since bulldozed and torched. Or they remembered where land in the centre of islands had been watermelon gardens and fruit orchards—now, like the mangroves, converted into ponds. Walking around the perimeter of one shrimp farm, we found crab pincers and legs mixed up in the dried mud of the walls. José, Pedro's nephew and a crab collector, couldn't resist reaching his arm into the mud at the base of the wall to see if crabs still survived under there. He found one, a female, and beamed. Even in this alien place, traces of the old world remain.
The tide fell so far that our boat grounded. While we waited for it to float free we rested, drank warm Coke and watched the world of the mudflat—a world of crabs endlessly gesticulating to each other with their arcane semaphore, of egrets wading with silent predatory intent, of wimbrels, oystercatchers and ibises probing the sediment, of pelicans, pajarro viejo, "the old bird," floating in the shallows and then taking to the sky with slow, grand wingbeats.
Parts of this world remain, but chunks of it are disappearing, preserved only in the memory of old fishermen. The Pedros and Josés, the crab collectors and concheros, are doing their best to resist the decline, and doing so in the face of far-from-idle threats. When I asked Pedro if he was worried about his personal safety, he said nature would protect him, just as he is protecting nature. I hope he's right.