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YOUR HEALTH IS IN YOUR HANDS: Take 1 minute to learn your personal cancer risk and get
simple steps to take charge of your breast health.
Know Your Risk
Did you know that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime? While you can't prevent cancer, it is important to be proactive about your health.
The BREAST CANCER RISK ASSESSMENT helps you protect your overall health and assess your breast cancer risk and Lifetime Risk (LTR) of developing breast cancer
There are several breast cancer risk assessment tools that doctors use to calculate a woman's risk of breast cancer. One of the most well-known is the Claus Model, which assesses breast cancer risk based.
Identifying Women Who Meet Criteria for High-Risk Screening MRI
Current American Cancer Society guidelines recommend annual screening MRI beginning by age 25 to 30 in women who have a lifetime risk (LTR) of breast cancer of 20 to 25% or more. Any of the models used to predict risk of a pathogenic mutation, or the Claus model, can be used to estimate lifetime risk for purposes of screening MRI guidelines. Annual screening MRI is also recommended in women who are known to carry pathogenic mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 (unless the woman has had bilateral mastectomy), and in women who are first-degree relatives of known mutation carriers but who are themselves untested.
At Advanced Women's Imaging, we use the Claus Assessment Tools, designed to predict an individual's lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. Not all tools can be appropriately applied to all patients. Each tool is most effective when the patient's characteristics and family history are similar to those of the study population on which the tool was based.
With the Claus model, lifetime breast cancer risk estimates are based on family history. The Claus model considers the number and ages of onset of breast cancer in first- and second-degree relatives. It also distinguishes between maternal and paternal relatives.
What it tells you: The patient's 5 years and lifetime risk to develop breast cancer. Remaining risk based on age is also calculated and displayed at 5-year increments using interpolation.
What it takes into account: Family history of breast cancer and ages of cancer diagnoses. The original model developed in 1991 only took into account a family history of breast cancer; later versions took into account ovarian cancer data. An expanded Claus model developed in 2004 also take into account bilateral breast cancer and risks for three or more affected relatives.
If the lifetime risk is greater than 20 percent using the Claus model, the patient qualifies for high-risk surveillance, according to the American Cancer Society. Women at elevated risk (≥ 20% lifetime) for breast cancer should be offered annual screening breast magnetic resonance imaging in addition to mammography.
The Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool
The Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool allows patients to estimate the risk of developing invasive breast cancer over the next 5 years and up to age 90 (lifetime risk).
The tool uses a woman's personal medical and reproductive history and the history of breast cancer among her first-degree relatives (mother, sisters, daughters) to estimate absolute breast cancer risk—her chance or probability of developing invasive breast cancer in a defined age interval.
Several breast cancer risk assessment tools have been developed that combine known major risk factors. Risk models either predict the risk of a pathogenic mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2, risk of developing invasive breast cancer, or both. Risk models can be useful in stratifying patients into risk categories to facilitate personalized screening and surveillance plans for clinical management of the patient.
Lifetime Risk (LTR) of developing breast cancer
Occurrence(s) of breast cancer in first-degree and second-degree female relative(s) by decade age of diagnosis
MRI screening (for 20% lifetime risk threshold)
"Mammograms miss over 50% of cancers in women with the densest breasts, so offering them only mammography for breast cancer screening is discriminatory. Women with dense breasts deserve the same opportunity for early detection of breast cancer, as women with non-dense breasts." Paula B Gordon, Radiologist, Clinical Professor, University of British Columbia
Why is It Important to have a Breast MRI?
- About half of women over 40 have dense breasts; about 10% have very dense ones. That raises their risk of cancer and makes it harder to spot on mammograms. Researchers studied different scanning methods on 40,000 Dutch women aged 50 to 75 with very dense breasts. MRI scans spotted more cancers than any other type of screening.
Dense breasts are associated with 2 important risks: the risk that cancer will be masked on the mammogram and the increased risk of getting breast cancer. Mammograms miss over 50% of cancers in women with the densest breasts, so offering them only mammography for breast cancer screening is discriminatory. Women with dense breasts deserve the same opportunity for early detection of breast cancer, as women with non-dense breasts. Women at elevated risk (≥ 20% lifetime) for breast cancer should be offered annual screening breast magnetic resonance imaging in addition to mammography.
Large scale supplemental screening with ultrasound in Connecticut (the first state to mandate density notification) shows 3-4 cancers per thousand women screened, and these ultrasound-detected cancers are almost all small, invasive and node negative. NOT DCIS, which arguably may be "overdiagnosed."
If those cancers go undetected, they grow until they are detected by palpation, as "interval cancers," which are larger at diagnosis and more often node-positive than screen-detected cancers. They tend to be higher nuclear grade, and more aggressive with a greater predominance of HER2 and triple negative molecular subtypes. They have a poorer prognosis compared to screen-detected cancers.
Research from Italy showed that the highest Breast Density category, compared with the other three together, had double the invasive BC risk, 5X the risk of an interval cancer, and almost fourfold risk of advanced cancer.
How to Calculate your Risk?
To calculate your risk score please use the drop-down boxes to indicate your age and the ages of your relatives at the time of diagnosis for breast or ovarian cancer and then press "What's my risk?" button.
The information in this document does not replace a medical consultation. It is for personal guidance use only. We recommend that patients ask their doctors about what tests or types of treatments are needed for their condition.
Claus EB, Risch N, Thompson WD. Autosomal dominant inheritance of early-onset breast cancer. Implications for risk prediction. Cancer 1994; 73:643-651
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19569248 and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16288118
Based on your family history, you do not have an elevated (20% or greater) risk of developing breast cancer. It is recommended that you follow the American College of Radiology's Recommendations for Breast Cancer Screening for Women of Average Risk:


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The New Yorker, August 8, 1994 P. 24
THE TALK OF THE TOWN'S ARTIST-AT-LARGE. Two-page color strip. Members of the Tall Club join the crowd one night at the Jukebox, on East 39th St. Ann Watt, President of the Tall Club of New York City, said, "It's a not-for-profit social club for women 5'10" and taller, and men 6'2" and taller." Club members Esther, Mike, and Rony said, " OIt's almost as good as the Portuguese Club in EgyptO; OIt stretches socializing to the limit, and I'm DutchO; OThere are many tall clubs in Europe. Warm, sincere people.' " Artist talked to other members of the club, too. Members of the club range from archeologists to doctors to a woman who writes for Soap Opera Digest. Artist also interviewed non club members including the bartender.

subset: commoncrawl


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Scotty Wisley
Raised in Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia, Scotty Wisley has a BA from Wheaton (Ill.) College and an MA in Development from Eastern University (Philadelphia, Pa.). He has been working in Papua since 1996 and is part of the marketplace ministries team. He insists that he has the best wife (Heidi) and kids (Walker and Arwen) in the world.
The Jesus Way
September 1, 2012
Alliance Life
In Papua, Indonesia, wedding invitations go out the day before the big event. Our friend, Albert Gombo, being sensitive to our […]


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High quality and 100% customer satisfaction are our top priorities.
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Everyone knows the potential destructive power of hurricanes, but few people are aware that storms like Hurricane Irene encourage growth of psychedelic mushrooms.
Yes, it sounds trippy, but one of the strange aftermaths of a hurricane is an increased amount of mushrooms popping up -- especially the psilocybin -- or "magic" kind -- the ones that cause hallucinations.
According to Dr. Casey Simon, an addiction expert based in Orange County, Calif., hurricanes create the perfect climactic conditions for the mushrooms to grow.
"Mushrooms are spores and they multiply in moisture and are spread by wind," he told HuffPost Weird News.
Dr. Suneil Jain, a naturopathic physician in Scottsdale, Ariz., goes even further.
"The moisture, humidity, the wind and the temperature during hurricanes is the perfect climate for mushrooms," he told HuffPost Weird News. "Also, both hurricanes and mushroom growth are associated with new or full moons, so there may be a lunar element as well."
Jain says, generally, psychedelic mushrooms are noted by their bluish-gray stems, but stresses that many mushrooms can be toxic and ones picked in the wild should not be consumed unless they've been examined by an expert.
However, despite the hallucinogenic effects, he says that magic mushrooms are relatively safe.
"These substances have been used for centuries, with just a handful of cases of addiction, or long-term problems," he said. "Generally, they are fairly benign."
Recent studies by Johns Hopkins University suggest psilocybin mushrooms may have medical benefits, and Jain is one of those who believes the findings could have a positive impact on humanity.
"There is evidence that it can help in treating OCD, body dismorphia issues and even marital problems," he said.
Simon says the real danger of the mushrooms isn't the psilocybin.
"Some mushrooms can attract a fungus that makes them more toxic," he said. "It looks like a gray mold on the under side. Just a few differences in temperature can make a difference."
Jain says that's why experienced mushroom experts pick mushrooms when they are as fresh as possible.
"The optimal time to pick is right after the storm before the other elements can affect them," he said.
Still, the news that the whole East Coast of the U.S. could soon be awash in 'shrooms is bound to get every hippie worth his hemp sandals and hacky sack on the hunt for a new high.
Mushrooms are likely to pop up in locations where bark is used for decorative landscaping, like industrial parks and government offices, according to ethnobotanist Clark Heinrich
It's important to emphasize that wild mushrooms -- both mind-altering or not -- should not be consumed willy nilly, but Jain hopes to use the fact that so many potentially medicinal mushrooms will soon be popping up all over the East Coast as a way to raise a discussion about an aspect of the medical-pharmaceutical industry he doesn't like.
"There are a lot of medicinal plants that [have health benefits]," he said. "For instance, the main ingredient in statin drugs comes from red yeast rice. But instead of focusing on the plants that can heal, medical science tries to find the active ingredient, change it slightly and then market that so they can charge a lot."
"Besides that, singling out one ingredient in the plant, like psilocybin, doesn't take into account that everything in the plant, and that they all work together."


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President Cristina Fernández announced that Argentina and Iran will meet to discuss the two bombings of Jewish targets in the 1990's, attacks in which Iran was accused by Argentine courts of playing a role.
Cristina Fernández announced the meeting during her speech on Tuesday at the United Nations General Assembly. She said the discussions would take place at the foreign ministry level on the sidelines of the annual gathering of UN member states.
I must tell you I expect results from this meeting, the Head of State said.
Argentine courts have accused Iran of sponsoring a 1994 attack on a Buenos Aires Jewish centre that killed 85 people.
That assault came two years after a group linked to Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a bomb attack on the Israeli embassy in the Argentine capital, which killed 29. Tehran has denied links to either attack.
The bombings at the AMIA and Israel embassy still are an open wound for us, the Argentine people the president assured as she highlighted that any decision over Tehran's proposals will be analyzed by the National Congress and the victims' families will also be consulted.
Cristina Fernandez said during her speech that she had received Iran's meeting request last Wednesday. My country that insists on dialogue, has decided to instruct its Foreign Minister to hold a bilateral meeting in the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, she continued.
Iran has vehemently denied any role in the bombings for the past two decades, and it was unclear whether its decision to agree to a meeting now was related to mounting international pressure over its nuclear program.
Under sanctions and increasingly isolated due to its nuclear program, Tehran has few allies and needs friends. Argentina is also on the 35-nation board of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, where Iran's nuclear program is a key issue.
Nevertheless, Cristina Fernandez was careful to say that she would consult victims of the bombings during any talks - highlighting the political sensitivities she faces in Argentina, which is home to Latin America's largest Jewish population.
She also reiterated a previous offer to have courts in a third-party country investigate the bombings. To that effect she mentioned the Lockerbie case when a US passenger plane was blown up in the air by a bomb in the luggage. The case involving Libyan officials was brought to court in Holland.
And these are the people Argentina wantys to be buddies with, hmmmmmmmSep 26th, 2012 - 09:19 am 0
Nobody is really surprised that Cristina would rub elbows with Iran subhuman garbage murderers, it's part of Argentine history:
Evita and Juan Domingo Perón, great friends and supporters of the Nazi party, received literally millions of dollars worth of Jewelry and works of art from the Nazi murderers that escaped persecution in Germany and Poland when world war II ended. Most of these Nazi murderers settled in the province of Córdoba, and some in the province of Buenos Aires. Some of these works of are now hang in the Casa Rosada (whorehouse) and Cristina is owner of some of these jewels which have blood on them. She is just as much a Nazi collaborator and should be judged as much!
Maybe Argentina could discuss the illegal invasion in 1982
I await the trolls response mentioning 1833 and the made up history of UK invading the falklands.
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Blu-ray Review: Elfen Lied – The Complete Collection
17/08/2015 Leave a comment
Elfen Lied is a series that has been released multiple times over the past decade; but how does this Blu-ray instalment from 101 Films fare? Find out in our reivew of Elfen Lied – The Complete Collection.
A strange girl washes up on shore naked, unable to communicate, scared and alone. Another, a powerful mutant, uses her inhuman telekinetic powers to escape from her prison and leaves a trail of death and destruction behind her. These two couldn t be more opposite…except for the fact that they are both the same person. When two cousins give the strange girl shelter, will they come to realise the deadly secret that lies inside the mind of this horrible monster?
Our View:
It's brutal, it's beautiful and it's got one hell of a story to share; but are you up for the insanity known as Elfen Lied? Bloody Decapitation, secret organisations and a families past shrouded in mystery is what's on offer in this thirteen long episode series and while some may find the show unwatchable, due to its heavy violence, questionable themes and constant nudity, it has a special place in my heart; and this Blu-ray re-release by 101 Films makes it all the better.
It all starts when a diclonius, which is a genetically modified human, known as Lucy escapes from a secret research facility and in doing so kills everyone she meets until she is ultimately wounded and left for dead in the ocean. Elsewhere cousins Kohta and Yuka arrive at their new home in preparation for their new school life; but while walking near the beach they find a girl unconscious and badly hurt. It's a chance encounter which leads to Kohta and Yuka being warped into a world of misfortune and pain; but for now at least everyone can act like a happy family with Kohta and Yuka caring for the girl as if she was a younger sister.
This girl is of course Lucy, the diclonius who savagedly killed numerous guards and employees during her escape from the research facility, however due to her injuries her personality has changed to that of a child and now goes by the name of Nyu in the household; or so it seems at least. When push comes to shove Nyu's personality changes to the cold-blooded-killer of Lucy and as a result she has constant confrontations with those who want to see her dead. Be it another diclonius, such as the papa-obsessed Nana, the psychotic scientist looking to best his brother or a mercenary looking for revenge – there is always someone willing to pick a fight with Lucy; and non of them end without some form of brutality.
Blood, Violence and some occasional foul language is the key-selling-point of Elfen Lied; not only was it different back in 2004 but here in 2015 the amount of violence is still something you don't often come across; however its not just the violence that sparks interest in this shows as it's also the phsycological ideas that it brings up in the process. Elfen Lied offers the premise that non of the characters have ever met before; but as the series progresses a harsh realisation is uncovered when its revealed that Kohta and Lucy have once met before – and it didnt end well. There's also the backstory of Mayu, a young girl who is constantly out on the streets with a dog named Wanta; at first you think it's just random occurrences that she keeps meeting up with Kohta and Nyu but in reality she too also has an emotionally depressing past.
Sure Elfen Lied can be brutal and the overall story itself, such as scientists trying to kill an escaped experiment, can be rather bland and cliche but it's the episodic events and the characters within them which bring out the best of what this show has to offer. Ironically however don't become too attached to these characters; as you'll never know who will get killed next – and it does happen.
This Blu-ray edition of Elfen Lied isn't just an excuse for an old series to be re-released into a better format; as it also comes with the inclusion of an OVA episode; an episode which was never included in the previous DVD instalments. As you'd expect however that's not all that's on offer.
Content that was previously on the DVD version, such as textless songs, Character Artwork and Production artwork, are all included here on the second Blu-ray disc and further 'expand' this already worthwhile collection. Instead of being listed in the extras the bonus OVA episode is placed on the main menu alongside the regular episodes; however to get the 'best' out of the OVA content you'd want to watch it after episode 10 for the optimal experience.
The OVA episode itself tends to focus on Nana getting accustomed to her new lifestyle living in the house with Nyu, Mayu, Yuka and Kohta while later segments of the episode showcase a flashback event with Lucy (Nyu) and Aiko Takada. In a sense this OVA episode attempts to 'fill the gap' into a few areas that may have felt incomplete in the series itself. While it's nice that this bonus episode is included there is a disappointment to be had as nearly all of the characters have been recast by Sentai Filmworks and as such their voices are different. To be fair though this only applies to the English Dub and, at times, you may not notice much difference – I didn't at least.
Media: BD 50 x1 & BD25 x1
Region: B
Running Time: 4:25:50 (Disc 1), 1:46:00 (Disc 2)
Video: MPEG-4 AVC
Audio: DTS-HD 5.1 (English & Japanese)
Subtitles: English (Yellow)
Resolution: 1920×1080 (1080p)
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Frame Rate: 23.976 fps
In a sense Elfen Lied follows the story of an injured diclonius, known as Nyu, attempting to lead a normal life with her new found friends Kohta, Yuka, Mayu and Wanta; but in reality the story is a lot more deeper and twisted than that. For starters when Nyu (or Lucy if you prefer) escaped the facility the idea was to contain or kill her; and as such countless mercenaries and even another diclonius are sent out to kill her. When these attack fail the story seems to move onto a more 'darker' storyline with backstories of these characters being told; more specifically an incident involving Kohta and Lucy, which he had long since forgotten, that resulted in the death of close family relatives and a scar on his mind. It's psychological warfare with a violent spin on it; and it all comes down to final confrontation between two diclonius.
Elfen Lied is one of those rare breed of anime shows whereby it offers an interesting combination of brutal violence and progressive storytelling; but ironically when you are watching the show it feels like nothing is progressing… that is until the later stages. It's not until around the eighth episode when things start to 'get interesting' as everything leading up to it just feels like mindless violence or precautionary measures taken by the research facility in order to protect their secrets from the world. There is reasoning behind it though; as it gives us time to get us familiarised with the mechanics of this world; and the unique abilities of the diclonius. When all is said and done though the ending is just as interesting and unique as the way it started; being abrupt and destruction.
Story aspect aside this Blu-ray release by 101 Films of Elfen Lied seems to be a partial replica of the original US Sentai Filmworks release; for starters theres an Anime Network trailer before you get to the main menu and the menu itself uses the same style and design as that of the Sentai Filmworks release. This is not a bad thing; but it does mean that we have 10 episodes on the first blu-ray disc – which is quite a large amount even by traditional standards – with the second disc having the remaining episodes and some bonus materials. Ironically despite this the picture clarity looks like everything I had hoped for and considering Elfen Lied was released over a decade ago the show looks as sharp, detailed and crisp as a series released today and much better than those of previous DVD releases.
In regards to audio options then both English and Japanese audio tracks are included, with the original ADV Films English dub being used for the TV Series and new English Dub being used for the OVA; both of which have been recoded into DTS-HD 5.1 as opposed to the original Dolby Digital 5.1 included on the DVD. The result is mixed; the background noises – especially on a 5.1 setup – seem to be louder than the spoken dialogue and as a result it can become difficult to hear what's being said – especially during fight scenes. This isn't a problem when watching on TV (or 2.1) speaker setups but it's a slightly disappointment as the show generally sounds pretty cool in surround sound. Of course if you prefer to watch it subtitled then you will be welcomed with clearly presentable yellow subtitles throughout.
Overall Elfen Lied is one of those shows that must be watched by all anime viewers; it's completely left-field to the norm and now with this Blu-ray release out and available in the UK fans can see it in its beautiful and gory glory – and with some added bonuses as well.
Elfen Lied – The Complete Collection is now available on Blu-ray as a Limited Edition Steelbook version; a bundle which also includes a 36-page booklet. We unboxed this item earlier in the year and the packaging is just as impressive as its on disc contents.


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When it comes to assembling a list of key big data terms, it makes sense to identify terms that everyone needs to know — whether they are highly technical big data practitioners, or corporate executives who confine their big data interests to dashboard reports. These 20 big data terms hit the mark.
The discipline of using software-based algorithms and statistics to uncover meaning from data.
A mathematical formula placed in a software program that performs an analysis on a dataset.The algorithm often consists of multiple calculation steps. Its goal is to operate on data in order to solve a particular question or problem.
Behavioral analytics
An analytics methodology that uses data collected about users' behavior to understand intent and predict future actions.
Big data
Data that is not system of record data, and that meets one or more of the following criteria: it comes in extremely large datasets that exceed the size of system of record datasets; it comes in from diverse sources, including but not limited to: machine-generated data, internet-generated data, computer log data, data from social media sources, or graphics and voice-based data.
Business intelligence (BI)
A set of methodologies and tools that analyze, report, manage, and deliver information that is relevant to the business, and that includes dashboards and query/reporting tools similar to those found in analytics. One key difference between analytics and BI is that analytics uses statistical and mathematical data analysis that predicts future outcomes for situations. In contrast, BI analyzes historical data to provide insights and trends information.
Clickstream analytics
The analysis of users' online activity based on the items that users click on a web page.
A graphic report on a desktop or mobile device that gives managers and others quick summaries of activity status. This high-level graphic report often features a green light (all operations are normal), a yellow alert (there is some operational impact), or a red alert (there is an operational stoppage). This "eyeshot" visibility of events and operations enables employees to track operations status, and to quickly drill down into details whenever it is needed.
Data aggregation
The collection of data from multiple and diverse sources with the intention of bringing all of this data together into a common data repository for the purposes of reporting and analysis.
Data analyst
A person responsible for working with end business users to define the types of analytics reports needed in the business, and then capturing, modeling, preparing, and cleaning the required data for the purpose of developing analytics reports on this data that business users can act on.
Data analytics
The science of examining data with software-based queries and algorithms with the goal of drawing conclusions about that information for business decision making.
Data governance
A set of data management policies and practices defined to ensure that data availability, usability, quality, integrity, and security are maintained.
Data mining
An analytic process where data is "mined" or explored, with the goal of uncovering potentially meaningful data patterns or relationships.
Data repository
A central data storage area.
Data scientist
An expert in computer science, mathematics, statistics, and/or data visualization who develops complex algorithms and data models for the purpose of solving highly complex problems.
ETL (extract, transform, and load)
ETL enables companies to take data from one database and move it to another database. ETL is accomplished by extracting data from the database that it originally is kept in, transforming the data into a format that can be used in the database that the data is being moved to, and then loading the transformed data into the database it is being moved to. The ETL process enables companies to move data in and out of different data storage areas to create new combinations of data for analytics queries and reports.
Administered by the Apache Software Foundation, Hadoop is a batch processing software framework that enables the distributed processing of large data sets across clusters of computers.
A software/hardware in-memory computing platform from SAP designed to process high-volume transactions and real-time analytics.
Legacy system
An established computer system, application, or technology that continues to be used because of the value it provides to the enterprise.
A big data batch processing framework that breaks up a data analysis problem into pieces that are then mapped and distributed across multiple computers on the same network or cluster, or across a grid of disparate and possibly geographically separated systems. The data analytics performed on this data are then collected and combined into a distilled or "reduced" report.
System of record (SOR) data
Data that is typically found in fixed record lengths, with at least one field in the data record serving as a data key or access field. System of records data makes up company transaction files, such as orders that are entered, parts that are shipped, bills that are sent, and records of customer names and addresses.
What terms would you add?
Is there an essential big data term that we missed, or is there one that always trip you up? Tell us which terms you'd add to this mini-glossary.
Note: TechRepublic and ZDNet are CBS Interactive properties.


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I have been receiving many calls and emails from past clients and relatives of clients asking me whether they qualify "for the new law." I have to explain to them that it is not a "new law" but merely a temporary executive action from the President. The next thing I tell them is that I am not certain whether they qualify or not because we still only have limited information about the requirements that are going to be needed. However, we all know a summary of some of the requirements:
- The applicant will probably need to have a clean criminal history;
- The applicant will need a US citizen or Legal Permanent Resident relative (such as a son or daughter);
- The applicant will probably have to document an extended period of living in the United States (such as 5 years).
I am telling my clients that even though we can apply for this "Deferred Action"- – we can still start the case by gathering the documents that we THINK will be needed. That's my suggestion to you: if you think you might qualify start now and be ready with all your documents for next year.


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Charcoal thoughts spill across
river deep eyes.
The flow of strong vision grasps at
the promise of angels
with empty pockets.
Whispers lift into voices, like ribbons
trailing behind youthful smiles and hope abounding.
A song rises into a chorus of winds,
spreading out like well worn paths.
Time releases the face of change. The sameness
wrapped in black and white. The start of stopping
and the joy of change.


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Web - Interactive - 3D - Social
Available from Bad Monkey Circus Worldwide
Product Details
Interactive: web site design, development, re-stage, e-commerce, social media marketing.
Banner ads- static, Flash, interactive, motion graphics, 3D animation – 3D model rendering.
Augmented Reality (AR) for print, outdoor, tradeshows, shopper marketing
Social media management: with our custom branded Social Circus™ Social Media service. Viral marketing - branded entertainment, webisodes, viral video.
Mobile: web sites


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Here's another great giveaway from my Prim and Whimsy Group! The event will last from Oct. 4th - 10th. (Limited to US residents only.)
There will be nine lucky winners to receive Halloween goodies donated from our creative members. Another fabulous giveaway I wish I could enter myself. You can check out all the treats here!
Good Luck and have a great Sunday! :)


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Optimism about sustainable availability of the (mainly material) conditions that you will need for living well. (Note that this doesn't necessarily mean being naïve about material goods: it could mean being confident in your own resilient ability to flourish regardless of material conditions).
Anderson, Chris (2009) Free: The Future of a Radical Price. New York: Hyperion
Lambert, Christy (2014) Radical Abundance: A Journey From Not Enough To Plenty. Difference Press
Sidalsky, Robert, and Edward Sidalsky (2012) How Much Is Enough? Money and the Good Life. New York: Other Press


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Green tongues, bleeding from every orifice, impotence, even deaths: These were some of the complaints South African miners working for an American company made in the mid-90s. When Dr. Marsha Coleman-Adebayo visited as a representative of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and heard about these health issues, she naturally reported them to the agency and encouraged them to investigate.
Little did she know that by basically doing her job, she was embarking upon a path of activism that would lead to the first whistleblowing legislation of the 21st century.
Given her background, it's not surprising. Coleman-Adebayo worked with political activist Noam Chomsky at MIT while getting her PhD in political science. She specialized in International and African development, and her dissertation topic was considered controversial as it was about American newspapers and propaganda. Back in undergrad at Barnard, she demonstrated against South African apartheid. And it all started when she grew up in the Detroit area during the 1967 riots and volunteered at Black Panther Party-sponsored breakfast programs for children.
After she received her PhD, Coleman-Adebayo lectured in African Studies for American University, worked for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation as a senior social scientist providing research on newly emerging nations in Southern Africa, and worked with the World Wildlife Fund in the areas of African conservation and natural resources management. She was recruited by the United Nations to work as a project director in Ethiopia and Tanzania during the 1986 drought crisis.
In 1990, she joined the EPA but not before making her boundaries clear: She warned the director that she wasn't going to be part of any policies or programs that had a negative impact on Africa or its people. As if her professional background wasn't enough indication, her husband is from Nigeria and she has family and friends who live throughout Africa.
As soon as Coleman-Adebayo started working at the EPA, she encountered an environment of hostility. At every level, women and minority groups weren't treated the same as their white male counterparts. When the governments of South Africa and the United States formed the Gore-Mbeki Commission to help with Nelson Mandela's transition to a democratic government and improve the lives of South Africans, Coleman-Adebayo was appointed executive secretary of the commission. This meant her job "was to essentially help the South African government to work on issues that impact public health." But it felt like a job in title only, as she wasn't given the resources she needed. The EPA, for example, wouldn't pay for her plane tickets to attend meetings, so the South African government offered to cover the cost.
Upon visiting South Africa, she met workers mining vanadium – which can be toxic for humans – while the company, Vametco, was ignoring their subsequent health issues. When Coleman-Adebayo reported her findings to the EPA, she was told they would raise funds to provide education and study environmental issues as well as the effects of vanadium.
But this never happened. Coleman-Adebayo told NPR that when she reported the situation in South Africa to her supervisors, she was incredulously told to "shut up" and just decorate her office. Instead of being rewarded for doing her job, she faced death threats, rape threats, and felt her family was in danger. "I was surprised that in the environment of the EPA…loyalty was a much greater value," she told NPR. "When I began questioning U.S. policy, I was considered disloyal. And at that point, in the minds of many people at the EPA, I had become their enemy."
Things only worsened. Coleman-Adebayo was removed from her position in South Africa, passed up for promotions she deserved, and then started getting impossible assignments. Her performance reviews went downhill and she told Barnard that she felt she was being set up to fail. When she discovered that she was the only person on an otherwise all-white professional staff of the Office of International Affairs who didn't receive an outstanding performance evaluation or annual bonus, Time reported, she filed a discrimination complaint with the EPA's office of civil rights.
When nothing changed, she realized her only recourse was to sue her employer. In the case of Coleman-Adebayo v. Browner, a jury found the EPA guilty of discriminating against her and creating a hostile work environment, awarding $600,000 in damages. The judge ultimately reduced the amount by half.
Even though the settlement surely did little to make up for the years of harassment, one benefit of the case was to make other EPA and government employees feel comfortable sharing their stories of discrimination by white supervisors. The support empowered Coleman-Adebayo, who testified before Congress and helped pass the Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act, or the No FEAR Act, in 2002. As the National Labor Relations Board states, "the primary purpose of the Act is to improve agency accountability for antidiscrimination and whistleblower laws."
Coleman-Adebayo demonstrated her trademark persistence when continued to work at the EPA even through her diagnosis of hypertension. She filed a wrongful termination suit, in which she alleged that the EPA had been trying to force her out of her job since the Browner case. She also alleged that the EPA was retaliating against her for the No FEAR Act. A year later, she was reassigned to a lower position, and eight days later, placed in another post. The Washington Post reported that for a year, Coleman-Adebayo and the EPA "traded letters like punches." She telecommuted until ordered into the office. After complaining of dizziness, she left in an ambulance and was placed on unpaid leave.
For the past six years, Coleman-Adebayo has been busy following through on what she started. She founded the No FEAR Institute, a non-profit devoted to educating the public about federal discrimination. She also founded the No FEAR Coalition, a group of civil rights and whistleblower organizations that fight for increased protection for federal employees and whistleblowers. In her book, No Fear: A Whistleblower's Triumph Over Corruption and Retaliation at the EPA (September 2011), she writes about everything in detail. And her extraordinary story may be coming to a screen near you, as a film about her experience with the EPA is currently in pre-production.
In an interview with MIT, she said whistleblowers should be considered the canaries in the mine. When society doesn't pay attention to these messages, the people who are causing the havoc develop a new confidence and their policies become more generalized, she added. "My message is that everyone should see themselves in a whistleblower…When we fail to pay attention, the larger society suffers," she said.


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Marijuana Marchers Fight for Their Right to Party
This year's edition of the Global Marijuana March saw dedicated activists and regular old stoners get together to fight marijuana prohibition.
Roughly 20,000 people, ranging from cheerful stoners to concerned activists, took to the streets Saturday to protest the continued prohibition of marijuana at the Toronto Global Marijuana March.
The Marijuana March happens just two weeks after another major marijuana protest, the annual April 20 4:20 smoke-in at Yonge-Dundas Square.
The 4:20 protest may have a more easily remembered brand, but Marijuana March co-organizer Gabe Simms points out that, in Toronto, his event is both older (this year's march was the 14th annual) and more integrated with the international decriminalization movement.
There are other differences between the two events. While the smoke-in had a sort of by-the-seat-of-your-pants quality, the Global Marijuana March was was almost stunningly well organized, with police blocking off traffic, two sound trucks—one bumping Kid Cudi and Jay-Z, the other featuring a band playing mostly Sublime covers—and an army of volunteers doing everything from accrediting media to cleaning up Queen's Park North, where the crowd gathered before setting off. While both events attracted lots of people who just wanted to get stoned rather than make any kind of political statement, the Global Marijuana March had a larger and more visible contingent of dedicated activists interested in a serious discussion on drug policy.
"By no means is it uniform," Simms said. "This has its roots as a protest, but, as you can tell, some people are just here to party. Others are here to show solidarity. We don't care why they're here as long as they treat themselves and their neighbours in a respectful manner and want to effect a positive change."
Dana Larsen, who is a longtime marijuana advocate and a former federal NDP candidate in British Columbia, doesn't think the presence of party animals detracts from the message. In fact, he said, their presence complements it. For Larsen, who flew in from Vancouver just to attend the march, simply smoking marijuana en masse in public is a political action.
"It's like the Pride Parade," he said. "People go there just for the fun, to show off and enjoy themselves, or to be sexy. But it's definitely a political event."
The day's most creative protest was staged by the National Organization for Reforming Marijuana Laws (NORML) Women's Alliance. The NORML women dressed up in 1920s costumes and were followed by a car of a similar vintage, driven by a man dressed as Al Capone. According to NORML media spokesperson Andrea Matrosovs, the Women's Alliance wanted to make plain the connection between the prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s and '30s—which was a boon to organized crime—and marijuana prohibition today.
"When women gathered together in the '20s and '30s, they made things happen," she said. "And it was to the benefit of families, and the disbenefit of organized criminals."
Matrosovs was somewhat unique among Saturday's demonstrators. She doesn't smoke marijuana at all. Her interest in legalization comes purely as a result of her social-science background and the time she spent as a high school teacher.
"If we could legalize, regulate, and tax, then we could take those revenues that are currently going to organized crime and direct them to good things," she said. "My background is as an educator…and it bothered me that our youth were being funnelled into alcohol, because that's legal in our society at age 19, where marijuana isn't."
Larsen says that the behaviour of the crowd—peaceful, largely complient with requests from both police and parade marshalls—provided the single biggest argument in favour of legalization.
"You can get thousands and thousands or people together, all getting really high, and nothing bad happens," he said. "If this was beer and everyone was getting really drunk, some people would have problems with that. There would be fighting and aggression…. At events like these, the worst thing that happens is a few people have to lie down."


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November 2, 2014
Rev. Diane Dowgiert with reading by Celeste Rodgers
There is equality in death. We know we all must die. Our Universalist heritage teaches that all souls are worthy in life and in death. To celebrate Dia de los Muertos, we'll honor the dearly departed.
© Rev. Diane Dowgiert


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The Ides of March behind us. St. Patrick's Day ahead, and with it, many topics that we could feature on the Covers Contest. But we'll go with hoops, March Madness—when the country pins its hopes on nineteen-year-olds and we all get little accomplished at our desks. Good luck!
Submit the first fully correct response via e-mail and win a copy of the brand-new anthology "The Only Game in Town: Sportswriting from The New Yorker." In the event of confusion, consult our official rules. We'll announce the winner tomorrow afternoon.


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Mass media exposure to tobacco messages among secondary school children in Mumbai
Nikita Shiraz Surani1, Hemal Pereira Shroff2
1 Research Officer, Salaam Bombay Foundation,102-Maker Chamber III, Nariman Point, India2 Assistant Professor, School of Health Systems Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, V N Purav Marg, Deonar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Correspondence Address:Hemal Pereira ShroffAssistant Professor, School of Health Systems Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, V N Purav Marg, Deonar, Mumbai - 88, Maharashtra IndiaSource of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: NoneCheckDOI: 10.4103/0019-557X.99917
Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
The objectives of this study were to explore differences in exposure to media messages (pro- and antitobacco messages, marketing and promotions) between students consuming tobacco, areca nut, nonconsumers, and those intending to quit and to examine differences between municipal and private school students. The Global Youth Tobacco Survey was completed by secondary school students (N = 534) from municipal and private schools in Mumbai. Overall, the number of students who reported ever use of tobacco was quite low (5.1%). There was no significant difference in exposure to media messages between users of tobacco, areca nut, and nonusers. There were significantly higher numbers of ever users of tobacco in private compared to municipal schools. There was a significant association between exposure to marketing and promotions and intention to quit, but not with the other exposure variables. Media exposure may be related to intention to quit but not to quitting behavior.
Keywords: Adolescents, Media communication, Tobacco advertising


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[A decade Canada was second only to South Korea in terms of broadband deployment and adoption. But unfortunately due to a number of factors including unrestrained market concentration, lack of foreign competition and regulatory capture Canada has fallen to the middle of the pack in terms of broadband deployment.Canada has now the most restrictive caps and usage based billing practices amongst the OECD countries. The US looks like it is headed in the same direction with the recent Comcast-NBC merger and the upcoming proposed merger between T-Mobile and AT&T. AT&T and Comcast have already announced caps (although much higher than in Canada). But with increasing market concentration and duopoly market it is likely that the US will soon follow Canada's path to becoming a second rate broadband country. The only ray of hope is Google's fiber announcement in Kansas City and the Internet 2 UCAN initiative.
Myself and many others like the brilliant Michael Geist have been blogging about the worrying concentration of market power and the anti-competitive duopoly for some years now. Thanks to some financial support from Netflix we have been able to undertake some in depth analysis of the myths and facts of usage based billing and caps which I hope will clarify some of the fear, uncertainty and doubt created by the telephone and cable companies on this subject. Michael Geist's paper deals specifically with the wholesale issues that are being debated before the Canadian regulator at this moment, while my paper is more generic and describes some of the technical and economic solutions to usage based billing and caps.
Michael Geist's paper:
Canada's Usage Based Billing Controversy: How to address the Wholesale and Retail issues
My paper
Myths and Fallacies about Usage Based Billing (UBB)
It is important for regulators and policy makers to understand the mechanics behind (UBB) and whether streaming video and other services imply an actual true increased cost for the service providers. More importantly it will be useful to understand whether or not infrequent or occasional users of the Internet are in fact subsidizing heavy users and if there is any true cost correlation with usage.
UBB has been proposed as an economic "Internet traffic management practice" intended to reduce network congestion by controlling heavy users rather than using technical processes to achieve the same effect. It has also been suggested that UBB is necessary to provide telephone and cable companies with revenues and incentives to make sufficient investment in their broadband infrastructure in order to meet the future tsunami of data that is predicted to be delivered over the Internet.
In this paper we will demonstrate three important facts:
a. Internet video streaming services actually reduce costs for Internet backbone networks operated by telephone and cable companies, even as traffic volume grows;
b. There is no correlation between volume of Internet consumption and costs for telephone and cable company last mile providers and that congestion, if any, is more of an artifact of design assumptions made by the operators; and
c. Cable and telephone companies operate competing video streaming services over the same last mile infrastructure used for Internet access services, which generally are not priced based on usage, and yet somehow seem to able to avoid congestion as well as provide the service for fraction a price of what they charge for delivery of the same video content delivered over the Internet.
These three facts call into question the whole rationale and validity of the need for UBB. More importantly, in other jurisdictions outside of Canada, Internet service is often provide without UBB and so one must question what is the real purpose of UBB in Canada?
The former monopoly cable-TV and telephone companies control the local wireline infrastructure duopoly and they offer on-demand regulated and unregulated video streaming services over this last mile broadband infrastructure that is also used to provide competitive Internet access. As well, several of these firms have extensive investments in broadcast content. This suggests that UBB may serve other purposes for these incumbent network operators. UBB can be a means for cable and telephone companies to recoup any decline in revenues as users shift to Internet services. It can also serve to constrain the competitiveness of unaffiliated on-line video streaming services by increasing end-user costs for those services. When passed-on at wholesale, UBB also greatly reduces the pricing flexibility of independent ISPs, making them less effective competitors. Moreover, and paradoxically, UBB puts downward pressure on demand for Internet services which reduces the need for, rather than creating an incentive for, network investment.
I look forward to your comments and questions
Green Internet Consultant. Practical solutions to reducing GHG emissions such as free broadband and electric highways. http://green-broadband.blogspot.com/
email: email@example.com
twitter: BillStArnaud
blog: http://billstarnaud.blogspot.com/
skype: Pocketpro


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Conics: Parabolas: Introduction (page 1 of 4)
Sections: Introduction, Finding information from the equation, Finding the equation from information, Word problems & Calculators
In algebra, dealing with parabolas usually means graphing quadratics or finding the max/min points (that is, the vertices) of parabolas for quadratic word problems. In the context of conics, however, there are some additional considerations.
To form a parabola according to ancient Greek definitions, you would start with a line and a point off to one side. The line is called the "directrix"; the point is called the "focus". The parabola is the curve formed from all the points (x, y) that are equidistant from the directrix and the focus. The line perpendicular to the directrix and passing through the focus (that is, the line that splits the parabola up the middle) is called the "axis of symmetry". The point on this axis which is exactly midway between the focus and the directrix is the "vertex"; the vertex is the point where the parabola changes direction.
The name "parabola" is derived from a New Latin term that means something similar to "compare" or "balance", and refers to the fact that the distance from the parabola to the focus is always equal to (that is, is always in balance with) the distance from the parabola to the directrix. In practical terms, you'll probably only need to know that the vertex is exactly midway between the directrix and the focus.
In previous contexts, your parabolas have either been "right side up" or "upside down" graph, depending on whether the leading coefficient was positive or negative, respectively. In the context of conics, however, you will also be working with "sideways" parabolas, parabolas whose axes of symmetry parallel the x-axis and which open to the right or to the left.
A basic property of parabolas "in real life" is that any light or sound ray entering the parabola parallel to the axis of symmetry and hitting the inner surface of the parabolic "bowl" will be reflected back to the focus. "Parabolic dishes", such as "bionic ears" and radio telescopes, take advantage of this property to concentrate a signal onto a receiver. The focus of a parabola is always inside the parabola; the vertex is always on the parabola; the directrix is always outside the parabola.
The "general" form of a parabola's
equation is the one you're used to, y
= ax2 + bx + c
unless the quadratic is "sideways", in which case the equation
will look something like x
= ay2 + by + c.
The important difference in the two equations is in which variable is
squared: for regular (vertical) parabolas, the x
part is squared; for sideways (horizontal) parabolas, the y part
is squared.
The "vertex" form of a parabola with its vertex at (h, k) is:
regular: y
= a(x h)2 + k
The conics form of the parabola equation (the one you'll find in advanced or older texts) is:
regular: 4p(y
k) = (x h)2
Why "(h, k)" for the vertex? Why "p" instead of "a" in the old-time conics formula? Dunno. The important thing to notice, though, is that the h always stays with the x, that the k always stays with the y, and that the p is always on the unsquared variable part. The relationship between the "vertex" form of the equation and the "conics" form of the equation is nothing more than a rearrangement:
y = a(x
h)2 + k
In other words, the value of 4p is actually the same as the value of 1/a; they're just two ways of saying the exact same thing. But this new variable p is one you'll need to be able to work with when you're doing parabolas in the context of conics: it represents the distance between the vertex and the focus, and also the same (that is, equal) distance between the vertex and the directrix. And 2p is then clearly the distance between the focus and the directrix.
Regardless of whether a given parabola is the "reqular" type or a sideways one, you can always find the intercepts in the usual way; namely, for the x-intercept(s) (if any), plug 0 in for y and solve, and for the y-intercept(s) (if any), plug 0 in for x and solve.
Comparing this equation with the conics form, and remembering that the h always goes with the x and the k always goes with the y, I can see that the center is at (h, k) = (5, 3). The coefficient of the unsquared part is 4p; in this case, that gives me 4p = 8, so p = 2. Since the y part is squared and p is positive, then this is a sideways parabola that opens to the right. The focus is inside the parabola, so it has to be two units to the right of the vertex:
vertex: (5, 3); focus: (7 3)
The temptation is to say that the vertex is at (3, 1), but that would be wrong. The conics form of the equation has subtraction inside the parentheses, so the (x + 3)2 is really (x (3))2, and the vertex is at (3, 1).
The coefficient of the unsquared part is 20, and this is also the value of 4p, so p = 5. Since the x part is squared, this is a "regular" parabola; and since the value of p is negative, then this parabola opens downward. Since the directrix is on the outside of its parabola, and since this parabola is vertical and opening downward, then the directrix must be five units above the vertex. Since the y-value of the vertex is 1, then the directrix is at 1 + 5 = 6.
To find the intercepts, we plug in zeroes in for our variables. (Note: While a given "regular" parabola will always eventually cross the y-axis, it might not cross the x-axis. For instance, if the vertex of this parabola had been below the x-axis, then the curve would never have crossed, and there would be no x-intercepts.)
For the x-intercepts, we plug zero in for y, which, after some rearranging, gives us the quadratic equation x2 + 6x - 11 = 0. Applying the Quadratic Formula, we get the following x-intercepts:
...or about x = −7.5 and x = +1.5. For the y-intercept, we plug zero in for x and solve, which gives us y = 11/20 = 0.55.
vertex: (3, 1)
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Graduate Officer, Reconciliation at Stanbic IBTC Bank
About the Company
Stanbic IBTC Bank is a leading African banking group focused on emerging markets globally. It has been a mainstay of South Africa's financial system for 150 years, and now spans 16 countries across the African continent.
Standard Bank is a firm believer in technical innovation, to help us guarantee exceptional client service and leading edge financial solutions. Our growing global success reflects our commitment to the latest solutions, the best people, and a uniquely flexible and vibrant working culture. To help us drive our success into the future, we are looking for resourceful individuals to join our dedicated team at our offices.
Job Title
Officer, Reconciliation
Job Location
Lagos Mainland
Job ID
Job Sector
Job Details
Operations: a range of essential and complex services to ensure processes across the bank work as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Job Purpose
To support the Team Leader, deliver prompt reconciliation of all accounts under review and ensure there are no long outstanding items that can lead to financial loss for the bank.
Key Responsibilities/Accountabilities
Key Responsibilities:
-Ensure cleanliness and Integrity of all Internal/GL accounts in the branches/Head Office entities under coverage through the review of their proof of accounts
-Maintain a culture within the Bank that emphasizes and demonstrates to all the importance of reconciliation and its corresponding effect on service excellence
-Ensure accurate reconciliation of all accounts.
-Follow up with Branches / Head Office entities on end of month suspense accounts proofs
-Follow up on all unmatched and outstanding items by generating written queries to the applicable unit / SOL
-Prompt rendition of month end reports on Suspense accounts exceptions
-Prompt rendition of monthly / Quarterly EFASS reports on Nostro accounts
-Ensure proper filing, storage and retreival for Nostro accounts;
-Work along with other reconciliation functions within various departments under Country Operations
Cost Management:
-Develops and implements initiatives to reduce cost and ensures that budgets for the Recons Unit are met.
-Develop initiatives to improve operational efficiency and achieve reduction in operational costs.
-Identifies and defines operational performance metrics geared towards meeting country objectives by analysing the existing gaps.
-Work closely with Team members to ensure that best practices and a standard approach is followed.
-Provides accurate and timeous MIS as per the matrix agreed with Centre (ROA Operations) to enable informed decision making
-Identifies and assesses the risks facing both systems and business processes thereby providing effective loss and risk management and so minimising the operational risks.
-Liaises with POR management in ensuring that regulatory, group policy standards and minimum operating procedures are observed to minimise the Bank's exposure to risk.
Self Development:
-Identifies appropriate formal and occupational (informal) training needs and courses (internal/external) to develop oneself.
-Up-Skills self regarding new processes and procedures through attendance of workshops/presentations and reading of internal and external communications.
Internal & External Relationships
PBB, Finance, Operations, HR, CIB – Internal Control & Support:
-Nature of relationship: Contribute to their service delivery
-Sphere of influence: Impact the whole business line (PBB, IB or EF)
-Description or examples: Reconciliation of Suspense & Settlement accounts , Develop & roll new products & platforms
Precise Financial Solution -Service provider:
-Nature of relationship: Influence industry norms
-Description or examples: Reconciliation Software Maintenance
CBN – Regulator; KPMG – Statutory audit:
-Nature of relationship: Influence their decision making
-Description or examples: Audit of Financial Statement
Preferred Qualification and Experience
-First Degree in Finance and Accounting
-Professional certification in Accounting (ACA,ACCA).
-Business Support – Operations; 1-2 Years Experience covering general banking PBB OPS,CIB OPS & Branch Control.
-Comprehensive knowledge of banking transaction processes relevant to products and services offered to customers;
-Practical knowledge of how to input, access and utilize information to analyse Financial statement,
-Understanding the branch service standard and practice
Knowledge/Technical Skills/Expertise:
-Computer proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel:
-Clear knowledge and application of the concept
-Risk identification and assessment skills:
-Applies concepts without requiring supervision, able to provide technical guidance when required
Accounting practices:
-A general knowledge of the bank's accounting practices
Application Deadline
Not Specified.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply online
Getting this job would require sitting for a test or an interview. Click here to use our app to prepare well !!!
Do you keep applying for jobs but don't get invited for interviews? Your resume and cover letter could be the issue. Click here and read this so we can help you!!!


text:
The Subject(s) at the Centre of Aesthetic Experiences
by Giacomo Bignardi, Kirren Chana, MacKenzie Trupp, & Sasha Koushk-Jalali
Reflections on Edward Vessel's Introduction to Visual Neuroaesthetics
On 15th November 2018, MSc Music, Mind and Brain and MSc Psychology of the Arts, Neuroaesthetics and Creativity students had the pleasure of having Edward Vessel discuss the nature of visual aesthetic experiences and their neural correlates.
Just as philosopher G. Santayana (1995) defines 'beauty' as the pleasure evoked by an object, and not the object itself, Vessel studies aesthetic subject matter not based on the particularities of the stimuli but rather on subjective responses to them. Contrary to some philosophers, Vessel believes aesthetics should also be studied from a scientific perspective. According to him, 'aesthetic appreciation represents a fundamental way of interacting with the world.'
Vessel has not set out to use brain imaging to define what is beautiful nor what art is, but instead stresses a distinction between external objective stimuli and internal subjective factors. Features of our visual world have less importance than the perceiver's reaction to them. This focus of low-level (visual) vs higher-level (emotionally driven, or semantic) factors presents difficulties for aesthetic scientific research. To address this, Vessel stresses the importance of individual differences in aesthetic experiences, and rejects the use of a simple average as a tool to measure aesthetic preference. By definition, when one averages ratings of liking, one loses information about subjective preferences.
Pairwise Correlation, Mean Minus One, and the Central Role of Meaning
The pairwise cross-correlation distribution is a tool used to measure agreement. A pairwise cross-correlation is calculated using the correlations of ratings of all possible pairs.
If the distribution is centred around 0, people had low agreement (i.e. low pairwise correlations), while if its centre is shifted toward higher numbers, we can say that people agree more.
What did Vessel do with this tool? He showed agreement on perceived beauty of images of abstract compositions is lower than those for images of real-world scenes. That is, people tend to agree when rating the perceived beauty of images of sceneries, but disagree for images that are abstract (Vessel & Rubin, 2010).
This led Vessel to hypothesise that there is a central role of meaning (semantic) in aesthetic experiences: our experiences are generalisable by the degree to which we have shared semantic interpretations. If people interpret an object in the same way, their aesthetic reaction to it will probably be similar. That is, according to Vessel:
"Shared semantics leads to shared preferences"
Another powerful statistical tool that Vessel utilised to measure agreement, and once more the role of meaning, is Mean Minus One (MM1). This specifically measures shared and unique variance amongst participants' ratings, and quantifies this to a value between 0 and 1. This is indicative of how much people agree between themselves, with 1 being a perfect match (100% of the variance is shared) and 0 being no agreement (0% of the variance is shared). Imagine collecting n x m ratings, where n = number of subjects and m = number of objects. This is roughly how MM1 is computed:
Neuroaesthetics: from measure to brain correlates of subjective Aesthetic experiences
Vessel has stated that, broadly speaking, aesthetic experiences have higher-level (semantic) and lower-level (purely visual) aspects, with one level perhaps contributing more towards people's overall reactions than the other. If this is the case, then are there measurable neural correlates associated with one or both of these states?
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is a technique widely used to research neural correlates in neuroscience. This methodology allows neuroscientists to establish a neurological correlation of activated brain area and a specified task (such as aesthetic rating). fMRI studies suggest beauty, regardless of its modality source, is processed by the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) (Kawabata & Zeki, 2004; Isizhu & Zeki, 2011). However, Vessel does not seem convinced. Firstly, the mPFC processes several experiences beyond beauty, such as subjective value (Kable & Glimcher, 2007) and social cognition (Amodio & Frith, 2006), suggesting the mPFC may not be specific to processing beauty. Moreover, looking specifically at perceived beauty might narrow the broader question regarding aesthetic experiences.
Thus, Vessel shifted the focus from 'how beautiful' to 'how moving' images were with the following instruction:
"...Respond on the basis of how much this images 'moves' you... what works you find powerful, pleasing, or profound" (Vessel, Starr & Rubin, 2012, p.3)
Participants were instructed to translate the degree to which they were "moved" on a scale from 1 - 4 while in the fMRI scanner. Stimuli were photographs of paintings from a variety of artists, allowing individual preferences to emerge (we know this because MM1 results show low agreement across participants).
Occipito-temporal regions of the brain were found to be linearly related to ratings (more 'moved by' = more brain activation). Additionally, a network of anterior brain regions were activated only by images considered most 'moving' (rated as 4). Some of these specific locations are important hubs in the Default Mode Network (DMN) (Vessel, Starr & Rubin, 2012; 2013).
Occipito-temporal regions in the brain process external stimuli, such as visual stimuli. Anterior regions process higher cognitive function, such as internally generated thoughts and emotions. The DMN is more active during non-task periods, and it is one of the brain networks associated with internally-oriented cognition (click here to read more about the DMN). When we are 'moved by' art, the network that processes external stimuli (Occipito-temporal) is engaged simultaneously with the network that processes internally oriented events (anterior/DMN). Vessel suggests that intense "aesthetic experience involve(s) the integration of sensory and emotional reactions in a manner linked with ... personal relevance" (Vessel et al., 2012, p.1). Thus, it seems that 'being moved', which is an access point to aesthetic experiences, might be categorically different from other experiences.
For Vessel, this is only the beginning, as studying the aesthetic experiences of the subject rather than the subject matter will give a central role to meaning. Aesthetic experiences, aside from beauty alone, seem to constitute moments where the external world is meaningfully integrated by the internal one, leaving the individual moved.
An Ecclesiastic, c. 1874. Mariano José Maria Bernardo Fortuny y Carbo Retrieved from https://art.thewalters.org/detail/37641/an-ecclesiastic/
Amodio, D. M., & Frith, C. D. (2006). Meeting of minds: the medial frontal cortex and social cognition. Nature reviews neuroscience, 7(4), 268.
Hindola Raga, c. (1790–1800), Pahari Hills, Kangra school Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.it/clemuseumart/
Ishizu, T., & Zeki, S. (2011). Toward a brain-based theory of beauty. PloS one, 6(7), e21852.
Kable, J. W., & Glimcher, P. W. (2007). The neural correlates of subjective value during intertemporal choice. Nature neuroscience, 10(12), 1625.
Kawabata, H., & Zeki, S. (2004). Neural correlates of beauty. Journal of neurophysiology, 91(4), 1699-1705.
Mariano José Maria Bernardo Fortuny y Carbo Constant, c. 1988. Valerie Jaudon. Retrieved from https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiz8v_RoYnfAhVIlxoKHQaVBzkQjhx6BAgBEAM&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F455848793507662652%2F&psig=AOvVaw1Okgus2wSv1zdWcuXvlyfr&ust=1544117750947388
Multiverse. (2018). [Gif]. Retrieved from https://www.fuseworks.it/en/works/multiverse/
Santayana, G. (1995). The sense of beauty: Being the Outlines of an Aesthetic Theory. New York: Dover (Original work published 1896).
The Nightmare, 1781. Henry Fuseli Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nightmare#/media/File:John_Henry_Fuseli_-_The_Nightmare.JPG
Vessel, E. A. (2018). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.gold.ac.uk/calendar/?id=11846
Vessel, E. A., & Rubin, N. (2010). Beauty and the beholder: highly individual taste for abstract, but not real-world images. Journal of vision, 10(2), 18-18.
Vessel, E. A., Starr, G. G., & Rubin, N. (2012). The brain on art: intense aesthetic experience activates the default mode network. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 6, 66.
Vessel, E. A., Starr, G. G., & Rubin, N. (2013). Art reaches within: aesthetic experience, the self and the default mode network. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 7, 258.
Zabelina, D. L., & Andrews-Hanna, J. R. (2016). Dynamic network interactions supporting internally-oriented cognition. Current opinion in neurobiology, 40, 86-93.


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Serial entrepreneur, Alastair Campbell, the co-founder of Carsnip, shares his thoughts on entrepreneurship and his plans for his revolutionary car search engine. Carsnip have been selected on The Fresh Business Thinking Shift 100, Retail Technology edition in association with KPMG Small Business Accounting.
What made you decide to launch your business?
Alastair: I wanted to do something different and I have always disliked the way the car search works as it doesn't work for car discovery, the way search currently works assumes a knowledge around cars that our research showed that 76% people don't have.
I'm building a search engine where you can find a car cheaper and faster and not just by searching across a small number of cars but for every available car in the UK. For example, Carsnip has currently 661k cars against AutoTraders 473k cars and Motors 361k.
We added 25000 cars to Carsnip last week alone. Every week there is more choice for buyers.
To what do you attribute your success?
Alastair: Persistence. Persistence is the key to all of it. In the early days, you don't have much money and it is difficult and hard. Never tell yourself that it can't be done, you just must keep going and if you believe it's right and you think it works and get the validation of what you do, in terms of people liking it, that's good. That doesn't include the validation of friends, because, overall, they will be quite nice to you. The real test is when strangers tell you it's a good idea.
What advice would you give for an entrepreneur just starting up?
Alastair: Don't spend much. Do as much of it for as little as possible, and try and get feedback and if your customers recommend it to other customers. Then if that's the case, go and raise some money to expand it, but don't put everything into it, if you have no validation as to whether it is a good idea.
And persist. More start-ups fail because people give up at the hard times when you have no money and you are working 12 hour days, so, if you come from a proper job to working 12 hours per day, then you need to change your mind-set. The best mind-set is where you don't have work and life, you just have life, which work is a part of.
For me, with all my businesses, it doesn't feel like work it's just something that I like doing, therefore it doesn't matter if I'm on holiday or jumping out of aeroplanes I don't think this is a nice break from work, it's all wrapped up in one thing. If you have a lot of pressure then you are probably going to struggle, because you need to see it as a way of life.
What were the main challenges to setting up your business?
Alastair: I would say the main challenges were, building on such a tight budget for it to be any use for selling, to get some money to carry on. In terms of making sales, that was challenging as well as finding the right people, which is a very difficult thing to manage.
How do you think technology is driving businesses forward?
Alastair: I think it always has. There is a lot of talk about it now about disruptive technology all about computers, but I think innovation is a thing that happens regardless and that businesses capitalise on that innovation. Innovation, especially in technology whether you've got a steam engine in the past or a web server in the cloud now, technology is a tool and people innovate around these things and invent new things, I don't see this as separate from the past. And I think with digital technology, it's easier for people to invent things because they want to invent them.
Now, especially with a small digital business it's mostly about distributing your content more widely to a global audience. So, distribution and awareness are probably the most important things for what that technology is doing.
What are your plans for your business for 2017 and beyond?
Alastair: 2017 will be fantastic (and very hard work!), we are employing our marketing & content team and are recruiting at least 4 more developers for the launch of interesting new products for car dealers. And we will be launching a new car search website for a client, so we will be having quite a busy year.


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Preceptorship Programme
For those joining the North Devon District Hospital, the Preceptorship Programme has been developed to support the preceptee during their transition from student to newly registered practitioner. The 12 month programme aims to be supportive and to facilitate the further development of professional knowledge, skills and values.
If you would like more information on the programme please contact the Clinical Training Team on 01271 311640
What is Preceptorship?
The term Preceptorship describes 'a period of structured transition for the newly registered Practitioner during which he or she will be supported by a Preceptor, to develop confidence as an autonomous professional, refine skills, values and behaviours and to continue on their journey of life-long learning'(DH, 2010). The Trusts preceptor mentoring programme has also recently been implemented providing preceptees with a senior leader 'Buddy' to offer guidance and development opportunities.
Preceptorship is designed to combine facilitated experiential learning in the work place with a theoretical component based upon facilitated group learning.
An effective transition allows you to provide effective care more quickly, feel better about your role and more likely to remain in the profession (DH, 2009).
This Programme is multi-professional and supports newly registered nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, return to practice practitioners, registrants entering a new part of the register and European/overseas prepared practitioners who register with the NMC / HCPC.
Why does the Trust offer Preceptorship?
- To promote best practice, to improve patient care and safety
- To assist with the integration of staff in to the work/clinical setting
- To help staff apply their knowledge to practice, consolidating their professional identity
- To assist staff on their professional journey through clear learning objectives
- To ensure staff are fit to practice
- To meet the standards set out for healthcare organisations (HEE, 2015)
The Preceptorship programme provides an opportunity for the Preceptee to:
- Develop confidence
- Benefit from multi-professional learning
- Feel valued and respected by your employer
- Receive coaching from a senior leader
- Be supported by a Preceptor and other colleagues in the clinical area for 12 months
- Apply and develop the knowledge, skills and values already learned
- Develop specific role specific competencies
- Have protected time to undertake the Preceptorship Programme, attend the study days, meet with their Preceptor/Manager and Preceptorship Lead as planned
- Reflect on practice and receive constructive feedback
- Receive career development guidance
- Become Practice Supervisor ready
- Compile a Preceptorship Portfolio and have the option to APEL the Portfolio towards degree / Masters credits with the University of Plymouth


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There's a reason Kim Carnes wrote a song about Bette Davis's eyes. The song might be lousy, but it pays homage to a simple truth: Bette Davis had the best eyes of any post-silent film era actress. The intensity of her stare is startling, and she could move through the emotional waves of a scene without uttering a word. Not that she ever stayed still long enough in her early career for you to notice. Part of the genius of her partnership with William Wyler was his ability to tame her tics and focus her intensity through her already famous eyes. Wyler was a director for whom the filmmaking rule "Show Don't Tell" was paramount, and he accomplished it through his camera and his actress in his second film with Davis, The Letter.
If I had any sense at all, I'd choose the first shot of this exotic noir as the Best Shot, but I have no sense (and I don't like choosing opening scenes). Still, I want to take the time to glide through the opening:
The camera begins by meandering through the grounds of a moonlit sugarcane plantation. The camera glides lazily by shadowed, sleepy workers, and happens upon the mansion in the background, lit brighter than the dark shapes crowding it.
Suddenly, a shot goes off, startling a bird and the audience. A distant figure stumbles out of the mansion door, followed by a woman who fires again.
We cut closer. The woman is Davis, stonefaced and firing repeatedly from the shadows. The camera pans in to see the murderess, but her eyes betray nothing.
Chaos. Workers, dogs, everyone is awake. Still the woman says nothing. Suddenly, the moon comes out from behind a cloud. The crime and criminal are starkly illuminated, and the audience gets the first flash of who this woman is, without her ever uttering a word. Everything is in her eyes.
The Letter, despite its melodramatic plot, may be one of the subtler performances of Davis's career. Leslie Crosbe is a woman with secrets to hide – letters and lovers and death. Unfortunately, when William Wyler controls the moonlight, it shines with the all power of a Hollywood spotlight. From this point forward, Leslie will hide from the moon. Her rawest scenes will be exposed by harsh moonlight. Every time she tries to hide, it will slip through cracks in the window and cracks in her facade. Moonlight isn't for lovers anymore.


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Welcome to my blog! My name is Melissa. I'm a young-at-heart 40-something, born and raised in Northern NJ, right outside of NYC. Cooking has always been a passion of mine and I'm thrilled to share it with all of you!
Category Archives: chicken
Feb 28
Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer
How great is this?! Anytime I can cut back my cooking time more than half the amount makes me happy…especially when the same results are achieved. Easy, delicious, crispy skin and tender meat. Use whatever seasonings or spices you like. … Continue reading
Posted in air fryer, chicken, low carb, main dishes, make ahead, QuickAndEasy Leave a comment
Sep 14
Pressure Cooker Salsa Chicken Burrito Bowls
I love simple and easy meals that are also healthy. This delicious dish took just minutes to make and is perfect for those living a low carb lifestyle. Or, use tortillas and wrap away! Add your favorite toppings, and you've … Continue reading
Posted in chicken, Instant Pot, QuickAndEasy 18 Comments
Dec 17
Buffalo Chicken Nachos
This is one of those "let me clear out the fridge and see what I can scrounge up" kinds of dishes. We've all been there. And your mind changes 100 times while going through what you have. You think you're … Continue reading
Posted in appetizers, cheese, chicken, leftovers, QuickAndEasy, snacks Leave a comment
Jun 2
Chili-Lime Chicken Kebabs
The weather has been amazing lately – perfect for grilling! Life has been crazy as well so I'm always happy when I find a new recipe that's quick and easy to make. These kebabs were perfect for yet another hectic … Continue reading
Posted in chicken, grilling, lime, low carb, main dishes, make ahead, QuickAndEasy 7 Comments
May 5
Crockpot Balsamic Chicken Breasts
After making this recipe a handful of times I'm finally getting around to sharing it. It's perfect for different things like salads, sandwiches, as a main course…here I have it sitting on top of cauliflower "rice" (recipe coming soon). SO … Continue reading
Posted in chicken, crockpot, low carb, main dishes, make ahead 2 Comments
Mar 24
Chicken Cacciatore
Dad's birthday celebration was yesterday and this was his dinner request (dessert request coming later this week!), and it was a great one. This is a recipe remake – I tweaked it a bit from when I posted it a … Continue reading
Posted in chicken, Giada, Italian, main dishes, make ahead, peppers 1 Comment
Mar 3
Spicy Sausage, Escarole & Bean Stew
Happy Monday! And hooray for March! Anything that gets us one step closer to spring is awesome in my book. I am OVER the winter. One thing I do love about the cold weather, however, is a nice bowl of … Continue reading
Posted in beans, chicken, low carb, main dishes, pork, QuickAndEasy, soup, stew 1 Comment
Feb 24
Chicken Lazone
We had a beautiful weekend here in NJ…a nice reprieve from the "polar vortex". It was nice while it lasted. More snow and cold this week 🙁 Enough is enough! I came across this meal while browsing Pinterest. It's perfect … Continue reading
Posted in chicken, main dishes, pasta, peas, QuickAndEasy 1 Comment
Jan 27
Chicken Chili with Black Beans & Corn
There's something about an easy meal that keeps on giving. A dish that is practically effortless and makes enough to feed you for quite some time (hooray for freezer meals!). And did I mention that it's a one pot meal? … Continue reading
Posted in beans, cheese, chicken, chili, freezer friendly, leftovers, low carb, main dishes, make ahead, Mexican, QuickAndEasy, stew, Uncategorized 1 Comment
Dec 16
Whole Roasted Chicken
I have a confession to make. Up until a few weeks ago, I had never roasted a whole chicken. True story. Not sure how I managed to let that go by after all this time… So, I finally crossed the … Continue reading
Posted in chicken, freezer friendly, low carb, main dishes, make ahead Leave a comment


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Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers responded to a report of a single-car, motor vehicle accident on Little River Road at approximately 1:39pm on Sunday, Nov. 13. The 2007 GMC Envoy left the roadway and landed upside down in the river approximately three miles east of the Townsend Wye. The vehicle was occupied by Sandra Gail Freeman, age 63, and Brenda Joyce Payne, age 69. Both women, from Gainesville, Ga., died as a result of their injuries.
Both women were extricated from the vehicle. Freeman was found dead at the scene of the accident and Payne was transported by Rural Metro to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, Tenn. where she later died from her injuries. Park Rangers, Rural Metro, and the Townsend Fire Department responded to the scene.
– National Park Service


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Frequently Asked Questions *
What is reassessment?
Reassessment is the process of re-determining the value of property or land for tax purposes.
Why have reassessments?
Reassessments are required by law to insure that each property is valued fairly. As required by the Code of Virginia, the City of Hopewell conducted a general reassessment that will take effect Jan. 1, 2019. The Code of Virginia requires that all property is assessed at fair market value.
What should I expect from reassessment?
A reassessment will result in a new value being established for your property. This new value will replace the value currently on your property and will be the basis used for taxing property. An increase or decrease in property value does not automatically mean an increase or decrease in your property taxes.
What is the reassessment process?
The City is divided into smaller neighborhoods for market comparison. Each property is visited by a field inspector who verifies data and collects additional data. The field review is done with the homeowner if they are at home. Data collection is entered into the mass appraisal system and accuracy validated. Neighborhood sales, land values, yearly appreciation trends and other data are analyzed throughout the process.
How will I know if someone has visited my property?
Field assessors had City-issued identification badges and cars using magnetic signs of the official City Seal. When property owners were not home at the time of the visit by the field assessor, a notice was left on the door saying the property has been inspected.
What causes property values to change?
The most frequent cause of change in value results from a change in the market. When market value changes, so do the assessed values. A property's value can also change for other reasons, such as additions, garages, remodeling or damage or destruction.
What is "Fair Market Value?"
Fair market value is defined as the amount a typical, well-informed purchaser would be willing to pay for a property, under the following conditions:
- The seller and buyer must be unrelated.
- The seller must be willing, but not under undue pressure to sell; the buyer must be willing, but not under any obligation to buy.
- The property must be on the open market for a reasonable length of time.
- The payment must be in cash or its equivalent, and the financing, if required, must be typical for that type of property.
- If all these conditions are present, this is considered a market value, or "arm's length," sale.
What do my real estate taxes go towards?
Schools, law enforcement, fire protection, libraries and other services are only a few of the amenities property taxes make possible.
How can I tell if my reassessment is fair and accurate?
Compare your property's value with other comparable properties. You may look at properties of similar age, lot and building size, construction, improvements, location, proximity to shopping, schools, and other amenities.
What do I do if I disagree with the assessed value?
A property owner has the right to appeal their property tax assessment. The burden of proof, however, is always on the taxpayer to prove why they should have their assessment changed. Simply saying: "My assessment is too high (or low)" or "My property value went up but my neighbors' all went down" is not sufficient; an appeal must be substantiated. There may be factors involved of which an owner may be unaware. You may appeal by either submitting a written appeal or by scheduling a face-to-face hearing.
The following may happen on appeal:
- 1) the assessed value may be raised;
- 2) it may be lowered; or
- 3) it may remain the same
Any appeals that are not resolved by the initial appeal hearing may be reviewed by the Board of Equalization.
A new appeal application must be submitted to the Board of Equalization in order for the Board to rule on the appeal.
The final appeal after the Board of Equalization would be to petition the City of Hopewell for judicial review. The Code of Virginia provides all property owners the opportunity to appeal an unfair reassessment through the Circuit Court system.
*This Manual more fully elaborates on this page of "Brief FAQS" and this page should be regarded only in light of the full manual.


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It's nearly the end of May and I feel like now that I have finally found my rhythm the schedule is about to change. I guess all mothers feel this way. And while I'm looking forward to sleeping in, family vacations (road trips with 5 teens?! What am I? Nuts?) and maxing out on the season pass at 6 Flags, I'm also a bit depressed that I will be missing the "just me" time.
I realize that a lot of people find this a selfish sort of thought…but I do not. SAHMs need down time just like every other "career" person. You hear about "career military" and "career businesspeople." But no one considers that SAHMs are "career parents." Yeah….some days it TOTALLY is a job. Now I am not at all saying that I am unhappy with being a SAHM. Far from it…..however, if a doctor, data entry person, garbage man, plumber, actress, lawyer, senator had to work 24/7/365 without EVER having a day off…..the unemployment rate would skyrocket and across all economic lines. One could argue that a senator is a senator 24/ 7/365 (at least while he or she manages to continue to be reelected.) However, they get time off for holidays. SAHMs do not. We get to double up on our work during the holidays. (Extra laundry, re-balancing the already balanced bank book because the kids home from school decide to make double-decker sandwiches and hold contests to see who can eat the most in the least amount of time, have water fights in the backyard (increasing the water bill directly (hose) and indirectly (laundry), and the extra impulse purchases at the supermarket with the increased begging for chips, candy, ice cream and cereals that have more fiber in the box itself than what is contained inside.
I enjoy my kids being home for the summer…..but I, too, would love to have a day off…..the ability to clock out…….to not be laughed at when I threaten to submit my resignation and find a better job.
Oooooooooooooo….job. Maybe I can line up jobs for all of them and have a summer off, too.


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The Way To Effectively Reach Your Workout Goals
Fitness means excellent health and health through good nutrition and fitness. When individuals achieve a solid fitness level, it not just helps them physically but mentally, as well. Look at this article to learn to improve your fitness if you're having a tough time returning fit and healthy.
When you are just starting an exercise routine you should consider a 1 time consultation with one of the gym's personal trainers. Trainers are worth their fees they already have the expertise to analyze your goals and your needs and help you craft a very-effective exercise routine. Although the first gym session could be scary, it is possible to breeze right through it by employing a professional to help you get started.
You will certainly be on your journey to a fantastic learn to a plan you can stick with.
It can be a great motivational tool to create goals in your fitness regimen. Once you have a target in your mind, you tend to focus on getting past difficulties rather than allowing them to hamper your progress. Setting goals keeps you on track together with your workout plan.
A good way to shed some weight is simply by counting calorie consumption. By counting the calories you consume each day, it may help you shed weight. In the event you keep the calories at the quantity of maintenance, and continue to exercise, you may be fit in almost no time.
You should not worry if the standard workouts don't satisfy your lifestyle. Riding a bicycle can be a perfectly valid workout. Biking is a fun, inexpensive alternative to your daily commute that also concentrates on fitness. In case your commute is about 5 miles, biking should help you get there within 30 minutes. Biking to be effective and back home is the best way to obtain the exercise you need.
The frequency of your respective weight training regimen depends solely in your goals. If you need muscle mass, you must not have several training for strength session a week. If you're working on building lean muscle, you need to spend lots of time weight training.
Be involved in a wide variety of fitness programs to preserve desire for your exercise routine program. Changing your routine gives you the opportunity find new activities and classes that may inspire you to attend the health club. Try kickboxing or yoga. Other programs to take into account include kickboxing or fitness boot camps. Remember that you just need to attempt each class once, while slimming down all the while.
Record your daily activity in a detailed fitness diary. Make a note of which exercises you did, like the inadvertent workouts you had been guaranteed to get throughout the day. Get yourself a pedometer to record the amount of steps you walked in the daytime. This written record will prove invaluable in tracking your progress on your own fitness journey.
As you have just read, it is possible to truly acquire a high level of fitness being very proud of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIUkdRKzDXQ Not any longer do you need to feel shame regarding your wellbeing. Study and implement these guidelines and you will probably soon be on the road to fitness success..