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A qualified healthcare professional with more than 30 years experience in Healthcare Marketing, Administration, Medical affairs, services and operations management. Demonstrated business acumen in leading and managing healthcare operations, effectively delivering functions and achieving higher rate of growth. Extensive experience in conceptualizing and implementing SOPs, process improvement measures, resource allocation, costing and utilization in healthcare operations. Vast experience in hospital planning and OPDs, public relations, hospital management, general hospital operations, patient related services etc. Possesses diagnostic, decision – making, problem solving and effective people management skills. Worked as profit centre head in top leading hospitals of Delhi/NCR.
Bachelors of Business, Loyola University
Masters of Accountancy, University of Nevada
I'm here to answer any questions you might have about our products and services. Feel free to contact me using any of the following methods:
Email: email@example.com
Phone: (800) 555-5555 x35
Twitter: @Envato


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The X-57 'Maxwell' , named after the pioneer in electromagnetism James Clerk Maxwell, is the first designation refers to the 'X-plane' in a decade, hence the importance of development, because remember that the X-1 plane created in 1947 was the first aircraft to break the sound barrier, so the X designation has always represented innovation and a change of rules.
Thus this aircraft is an adaptation to a plane Tecnam P2006T, made in Italy with bi-engine and light structure, which is adapted capable longer wings to bring 14 electric motors , of which 2 are located in the tip of each wing for use in cruise altitude, while the remaining 12 are for takeoffs and landings.
In this project it is that all power comes from batteries and is capable of reaching speeds up to 282 km / h . This development represents a decrease in operating costs of up to 40%, plus there are no carbon emissions, which benefits its use.
NASA expects to make the first real test in the coming months , which will serve to determine the feasibility of this technology deployments targeting larger aircraft and scope.
More information | NASA

subset: commoncrawl


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Witness Service
Handbook of Operating Procedures 5-4420
Witness Service
opeThe University of Texas at Austin
Executive Sponsor: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
November 1, 2001
- Policy Statement
The University of Texas at Austin provides paid administrative leave to an employee subpoenaed or otherwise compelled to serve as a witness (other than a paid expert witness) in a judicial or legislative hearing to which he or she is not a party.
- Scope
This policy applies to any employee who is subpoenaed or otherwise compelled to serve as a witness (other than a paid expert witness) in a judicial or legislative hearing to which he or she is not a party.
- Compensation
In order for employees to receive compensation for witness service, employees shall furnish their immediate supervisor with a copy of a subpoena or summons unless they appeared as a witness pursuant to stipulations by University counsel.
- Appearance in an Official Capacity. Employees called to appear in their official capacity and paid a witness fee shall not retain that fee, but shall deliver that fee along with the subpoena to the Office of the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer after their appearance. Employees may receive expense disbursements and mileage allowances for serving as a witness as long as there is not double reimbursement to the employee for those expenses.
Appearance in an Unofficial Capacity. An employee is entitled to any customary witness fees if not appearing in an official University capacity and if testifying from personal knowledge concerning matters related to the inquiry.
- Expert Witness
Expert witness activities are governed by the existing rules regarding outside employment.
An employee who appears as an expert witness is entitled to accept expert witness fees and other monetary compensation only if the appearance is made on the employee's own leave time including travel time. If an employee does not have the appropriate accrued leave, then the employee must take leave without pay.
- Employee Responsibilities
Employees shall report to work when they are not actually in a court or legislative hearing or serving in connection with such service.
Employees shall provide the supervisor with a copy of their subpoena or summons, and shall promptly and accurately record the use of leave.
- Supervisor Responsibilities
The supervisor shall review the documentation and shall make any necessary adjustments in the workforce. The supervisor must review and approve the leave, verify that the employee has accurately recorded the leave, and sign the time report.
- Delegation of Authority
Authority is hereby delegated to the department head or designee to determine work schedules and approve use of leave.
For Assistance: Questions regarding witness service should be directed to the Human Resources, Benefits Services Section, or to the website: http://www.utexas.edu/hr/.
Electronic time sheet website: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/pntime.
Source: Texas Government Code 659.005;
Previously HOP 7.F.16


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Sue Barker Hits Moffat
Sue Barker only by name
Yes it`s me Sue Barker well by marriage anyway, it`s been a delight to follow the current event this week at Moffats very own Tennis Club.
Moffat has hosted the The South of Scotland Tennis Championships here on their newly refurbished courts, and with the help of Colin Hanbidge as one of the referees, a well known coach and player on the tennis scene, its been a very successful week.
The tennis club in Moffat was one of the founding members of the Scottish Lawn Tennis Association (now Tennis Scotland) in 1895. The Scottish Tennis Championships were held in Moffat from 1895 to 1907.
In 1904 the championships included a mixed doubles event; another 9 years passed before the first mixed doubles event was played at Wimbledon!
Moffat is of course still home to the historic South of Scotland Tennis Championships. The grounds at Beechgrove were laid out in 1870 at a cost of £600 and comprised of bowling, croquet and lawn - tennis grounds and an 'excellent' pavilion.
Unfortunately the original Beechgrove Tennis club disbanded in the late 1990s. As a direct result the courts became badly maintained and were rarely used.
In 2007 a group of enthusiastic volunteers banded together to try to re establish a tennis club at Beechgrove and Beechgrove LTC was formed.
Since 2007 Beechgrove LTC has gone from strength to strength.
So here I am talking to Colin, enjoy our little interview.
It was a great pleasure having Colin stay here with us at Dell-Mar, I sincerely hope he will return for future tournaments, even if each day he tested out my culinary skills, from tattie scones to the Full English, Thank you Colin!
peter thompson
8/9/2018 12:29:59 am
What a great read!
Comments are closed.
Susan, 52, Love discovering new and exciting adventures in Moffat.
June 2022
Dell-Mar Bed and Breakfast
6 Beechgrove, Moffat, Dumfries & Galloway, DG10 9RS


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When My Love To God Grows Weak
When my love to God grows weak
When for deeper faith I seek
Then in thought I go to thee
Garden of Gethsemane.
There I walk amid the shades
While the lingering twilight fades
See that suffering, friendless One
Weeping, praying there alone.
When my love for man grows weak
When for stronger faith I seek
Hill of Calvary I go
To thy scenes of fear and woe.
There behold His agony
Suffered on the bitter tree
See His anguish, see His faith
Love triumphant still in death.
Then to life I turn again
Learning all the worth of pain
Learning all the might that lies
In a full self sacrifice.
John Reynell Wreford (1800-1881)


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Eric Earling joins State of Reform team, opens New Orleans office
State of Reform is adding to its senior leadership team with the addition Eric Earling as Senior Vice President. Earling is a former Vice President of Corporate Communications at Premera Blue Cross, one of the nation's leading regional health plans, and adds to State of Reform's policy expertise.
"I'm excited to be a part of the team that made State of Reform a leading health care policy venue. This is an exciting time to be in health care, especially when collaboration and understanding the changing landscape is so important," said Earling.
Earling recently relocated to New Orleans where he will open and build a State of Reform office and presence. The New Orleans office will support the growth of State of Reform's South Central edition, which currently includes Texas, New Orleans, Arkansas and Oklahoma.
"Eric is exceptionally gifted at connecting the dots across health policy and health care," said Karianna Wilson, one of State of Reform's co-hosts. "He understands how the market and policy worlds impact one another in health care in a way that our readers are conference attendees will find hugely valuable."
State of Reform Continues to Grow
Earling will help lead expansion of State of Reform events and news at stateofreform.com to additional markets. State of Reform has six years of experience organizing top tier health care policy conferences, starting in Seattle and now having expanded to Anchorage, Portland, Spokane, Sacramento, and Los Angeles.
In 2017, State of Reform will be growing to cover health care news and policy in multiple states, and will include convening market-level health care conferences in Hawaii, Louisiana, Texas, Arizona, Utah and Colorado.
"State of Reform has been a real success story. These policy conferences are incredibly valuable venues for leaders and decision makers across the health care system to discuss and learn more about the big issues driving change in health care today," added Earling. "I saw that as a sponsor and supporter of State of Reform while at Premera. Now I'm looking forward to helping more communities have these conversations in such an important time of change."
Earling an experienced health care policy voice
Earling's role at Premera Blue Cross included leading strategic communications on high profile issues like the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, as well as for Premera's effective cyber-attack announcement in 2015.
Before his work in health care, Eric was a political appointee in the Office of Communications and Outreach for the U.S. Department of Education under President George W. Bush. Previously he led public affairs for the Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association, and served on staff of former U.S. Senator Slade Gorton.


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You need to speak the Language in the publishing industry so you can understand what the heck everyone is talking about. Here is a cheat sheet.
"AAP" Association of American Publishers. The industry association of book publishers, primarily the larger ones.
"Advance" Money's paid to the author prior to publication. These days, it is common for advances to be given as royalties, based on the number of advanced copies that were sold.
"Agent" I'm sure you know what a Literary Agent does, just make sure everything is in writing. The agent usually receives 10% or sometimes 15%.
"Back-list" Titles that have been published previously to the current season and continue to sell sufficient copies to keep the book in print.
"Content Editing" This is the editing of only the content of a manuscript, not the grammar, done usually by an author or someone in the publishing industry. Examples of content editing are characters, plot, events, chapter size, point of view, flow, pace, interest, and clarity.
"Cooperative Advertising" Ad's run by a bookstore in which part of the cost is paid by the publisher. This is an important means of getting stock into a bookstore and announcing the availability of the book to the public.
"Copy-editing" Careful review of a manuscript prior to publication by an expert in grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and clarity.
"Copyright" Property right posed by the author once the work is fixed in a tangible form. (Typed, handwritten, filmed, etc…) Copyright does not protect the "ideas," only the authors particular expression of those ideas.
"EL-HI" The educational market covering elementary grades (Kindergarten-8th grade) and high school.
"Fair Use" The right for an author, under Section 107 of the Copyright Act, to use materials, published or unpublished, in a carefully restricted manner without permission of the copyright holder. (This is so authors can use information and resources as references for their books.)
"Foreign Rights" The rights owned by the author, which can be conveyed by the publisher in writing, to publish his/her book outside the United States, either on his/her own or through a license with a foreign publisher.
"Galley" Refers to the proof of the manuscript. (It's all typed out!)
"Imprint" Name of a publisher shown on the spine of the book, jacket, and title page.
"List" A catalog list of the publishers books.
"LMP" Literary Market Place. The annual directory of the entire publishing industry.
"Manager" A marketing professional that works with the author to brand his/her name and build a following for the author. Manager's also advise on all aspects of publishing, writing, and promotions.
"Mass Market" This is an estimated one hundred thousand retail outlets that are not traditional bookstores. Examples are: supermarkets, drugstores, warehouse outlets, and Target!
"Option" A commitment that the current publisher can acquire a subsequent book of an author, prior to that manuscript being made available to competing publishers.
"OP" Out Print. Refers to those books that are out of print and no longer available in publishers stock.
"Publicity" Cooperating advertising by the publisher, for the author, to make the public aware of the author's book. This can be done in many ways, such as author tours, book signings, posters, review copy mailings, catalogs, and advertising in media outlets.
"PW" Publishers Weekly. A weekly indusrty trade publication. This is essential for authors. (Available in most libraries.)
"Remainders" Books that the publisher cannot sell at full price, as long as stock remains. The retailer will offer to the public at a fraction of the regular selling price. Reasons for this is because the book was unsuccessful at full price, or it is a way to give the consumers a good value, or the publisher would like the book to stay in print for a longer period of time.
"Reprint" A new printing of the book by the original publisher or a licensed publisher.
"Reserve" An accounting procedure used by publishers to cover an expense in case the author's books are returned.
"Returns" Books that are unsold and returned by the retailer or wholesaler to the publisher.
"Review Copy" Free copies sent to established book reviewers for newspaper and magazines.
"Royalties" The amount received by an author based upon sales of his/her book. Earned royalties must surpass the advance given to the author, before the author receives additional royalty payments.
"Serialization" This is when magazines or newspapers condense a book or select important sections of the book and publish them. If this is done prior to the book's release, the author receives 90% of the income. A Second Serialization is when this has been done after the book's release, in which case the author would receive 50% of the income.
"Slush Pile" Also known as Unsolicited Manuscript. A manuscript sent to the publisher on by the author on their own, not through an agent and without invitation from the publisher. These manuscripts usually end up in the Slush Pile, which is a pile of query letters or books the publisher will read when they have time. This is also known as "over the transom."
"Subsidiary Rights" These are rights derived from the literary work and owned by the author. If the publisher owns just the rights to the hardcover, this means the author owns the subsidiary rights to everything else. (Paperback, foreign sales, translation, book club publication, movie/TV, etc…)
"Trade Books" Books created primarily for the general reader to be sold in bookstores.
"Author" A writer of books and the originator of ideas and events.
Ron Knight
Author of "2-10" www.upauthors.com/authors/ronknight
Novelist, Reader, Co-Founder of UP Authors
Manager: Melissa Link
Contact: email@example.com


text:
Alabama Veterans Benefits & Disabled Veterans Benefits
In addition to federal programs there are veterans' benefits programs provided by the individual states. The following are the Alabama veterans benefits programs. These programs are for various areas including education, housing, health care and employment.
Alabama Veterans Benefits and Disabled Veterans Benefits
Jump to:
Education Benefits for Veterans in Alabama
In addition to federal programs such as the GI Bill, Alabama provides different education benefits programs for residents of the state.
Tuition Waiver for Purple Heart Medal Recipients
Purple Heart recipients may be eligible for free education at Alabama public institutions of higher learning including two-year and four-year technical colleges, community colleges, and junior colleges.
Check with your Alabama school of choice to see if they participate in the program.
Find colleges in Alabama with our School Finder. Use the filters to sort schools by state.
Alabama GI Dependents Scholarship Program
The state of Alabama will waive up to $250 per semester hour and $1,000 for books each semester at any Alabama institution of higher learning including two-year and four-year technical colleges, community colleges, and junior colleges.
Any dependent child under 26 whose parent is, or was, an Alabama resident veteran with a VA disability of at least 20 percent may qualify for up to five years of benefits.
Spouses or unremarried surviving spouses of veterans rated 100% permanently and totally disabled can also get five years of benefits.
Spouses and unremarried surviving spouses of veterans rated 40-90% disabled can get three years of benefits.
RELATED: Scholarships for Military Spouses
Alabama National Guard Education Assistance Program (ANGEAP)
Covers the cost of full tuition for members of the National Guard.
Housing Benefits for Veterans in Alabama
Exemption Of Debts Incurred Pursuant To National Housing Act Or Veterans' Benefits
If you have any debts or extensions of credit that were incurred because of the National Housing Act, or any debts or extensions of credit you might have incurred relating to veterans' benefits, you will be exempt from any law of the state of Alabama that relates to usury, prescribing or limiting interest rates.
Military Family Relief Fund
This will prohibit a mortgagee from initiating a foreclosure against a surviving spouse or the estate of a mortgagor who dies while deployed overseas on active duty military service for 180 days after the death. Any civil penalties from this will be deposited into the Military Family Relief Fund which the ADVA might use to assist military families.
Health Care Benefits for Veterans in Alabama
Commitment Of Incompetent Veterans
If an incompetent veteran of any war, military occupation, or expedition is eligible for treatment in a US Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) and they need to be committed to the facility for the proper care and treatment, the courts of Alabama are hereby authorized to communicate with the administration with reference to available facilities and eligibility.
After receiving a certificate from the administration that states that there are facilities available in a VAMC, they will be entitled to being hospitalized there. The court can then direct such a veteran's commitment to that hospital. The veterans right to appear and defend shall not be denied in any pending proceedings.
Employment Benefits for Veterans in Alabama
Business Occupational License Exemptions For Disabled Veterans
Any permanent resident of Alabama who is a veteran of WWII or served when the United States is or was engaged in hostilities with any foreign state and who also has physical disabilities of 25% or more, whether service connected or not, may be exempt from business or occupational license taxes.
If the veteran has a business that is their means of livelihood through their own efforts and only has no more than one employee, they shall be entitled to licenses from the state, country, or municipality to carry on such business upon paying the license taxes that shall not exceed $25.
If the veteran's property, both real and personal, is valued at $5,000 or more or if net income is $2,500 or more, they will not be entitled to these business and occupational license exemptions.
Job Status and Reemployment Rights
State employees that are not in classified service, who are called into or enter military service, will have the same rights and privileges to reemployment by the state or any department, as those who are in classified service.
Those who are state, county, or municipal officials who enter military or naval service during a time when the President of the United States has declared a state of emergency will have preservation of their job status as well as reemployment rights.
If you are a teacher that enters military service during an existing state of war between the United States and any other country, you shall be granted a leave of absence for the rest of the war, and until the beginning of the next school year after you are released from military service.
If you are a teacher who has entered the military, who is not on continuing service status but who has accumulated one or more years of teaching experience immediately before entering military service, you will be given credit for that experience if you return to your position within one year after your release from military service.
Membership In State Employees/Teachers' Retirement System
Those who are state employees and teachers, who enter the Armed Forces, and then return to state employment after they are discharged will have their retirement benefits preserved.
You can also be granted credit for your military service for up to four years if you do not withdraw contributions, and return to your employment within one year of being honorably discharged. You will need to make sure that you pay an amount that is equal to 4% of the average compensation paid to a state employee during each claimed year of full-time military service, as well as 8% interest compounded from the last date of claimed military service.
These contributions will need to be made by whichever comes first between a period of time that is equal to the length of your service in the military or when you turn 60. If you are a state policeman, you would need to do so before age 56. You will not be given any credit for your military service if you are receiving military service retirement benefits.
Military Leave Of Absence
Members of the Alabama National Guard, naval militia, the Alabama State Guard organized in lieu of the National Guard, the Civil Air Patrol, the National Disaster Medical System or the reserve components of the US Armed Forces, will be entitled to a military leave of absence from their civil duties and occupations on military orders. They should be able to do so without loss of pay, time, efficiency rating, annual vacation and sick leave. Those who are granted a leave of absence with pay should not be paid more than 21 working days per calendar year.
Military Retiree Income Tax Exemption
Any compensation that is received as retirement benefits by anyone that is retired from the US military as well as any survivor benefits derived there from are exempt from any state, county, or municipal income or similar tax.
For more information regarding Alabama veterans benefits, please visit – Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs website


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Today's pictures were all taken on the 4th of July at the Southampton Fresh Air Home's 21st Annual American Picnic at a private home on the ocean. Southampton Mayor Mark Epley led the countdown for the Gucci Fireworks over Shinnecock Bay and everyone had a blast being patriotic. BUT...who was the best looking family there?
Tim and Carole Reed and fam
The Mnuchin family
Richard Wooster and Kirsten Galef with kiddies
Kate Roger and kiddies
More contestants below:
Johan van Kempen, Simon van Kempen, Francois van Kempen, and Alex McCord
Jerry Jones and kiddies
Peter Cardel and kiddies
Jack Kugler, Barbra Kugler, Katy Kugler, and kiddies
The Harland family
Nicole B. Brewer with friends and family


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"Because of the sound of my groaning, my flesh sticks to my bones. I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins, I stay awake; I am like a solitary bird on a roof" (Psalm 102:5-7) There is a sleep related condition called catathrenia in which a person makes a groaning sound that can last up to 40 seconds in one exhale, ending in a sigh or a grunt. It is not related to snoring (an inhale issue) and it doesn't interrupt sleep, except for the person with whom the groaner is sleeping.
The Psalmist, however, depicts a circumstance in which his groans were the result of deep suffering and affliction accompanied by an inability to eat or sleep. In addition, he felt isolated and alone, much like an owl whose very appearance seems downcast and who seeks habitats of desolation. While we do not know the situation which generated the writing of this Psalm, v.18-20 may provide a hint, "that He (God) looked down from His holy height…to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die."
Perhaps the writer had a Dostoyevsky-like experience where he was rescued at the last moment from a firing squad. Whatever the circumstance, the beauty of his lament is in its focus on the eternity and faithfulness of God. Though the earth and the heavens will wear out like an old garment, God will remain the same, "and your years shall have no end." This has led someone to say that we can only truly praise God when we can trust him with our lament.
When was the last time you groaned before God? Maybe you were facing bitter disappointment (a Seahawks fan perhaps?), enduring chronic or acute pain, or enduring personal struggle or tragedy. Such situations tend to isolate us and make us feel like barn owls while everyone around us seems to be happy, healthy, and successful. Such is a value of the Psalms of Lament: "They reduce the sense of isolation that grievers might feel as they realize they are in concert with a long line of sufferers." (Terry Smith) The Psalms of Lament also give us a framework so that our sadness does not become a barrier but a bridge to God who loves us, but who also allows evil to exist so that he can use it for his good purposes.
Let me suggest that you investigate some of the Psalms of Lament: 4, 10, 12, 13, 44, 60, 74, 79, 80, 83, 85, 90, 102, 123, 126, 129. Pray through one these out loud and use it as the sound of your own groaning. When you do this, you will realize that you are not alone in your lament; you will join a vast host of saints throughout the ages using this very Psalm. It will also be an opportunity for you to affirm the character of God that you see revealed therein and revel in his love for you in Christ.
Through your groaning, the Holy Spirit will also articulate your deepest needs to the Lord Jesus Christ who will intercede for you before the Father. (Rom. 8:26, 34)
"Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5).


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This month The Virtual Book Club for Kids is reading books by Laura Numeroff. Early this month I shared some of her books and activities to go along with the If You Give series.
January is a big birthday month around here. Today we get to celebrate Little Buddy's second birthday, and one week from now we'll be celebrating Lovey's fifth birthday. It's not possible she'll be FIVE!
This post contains referral links.
Birthday Books by Laura Numeroff
We love reading birthday books as we get closer to everyone's special days, and Laura Numeroff has written quite a few books that go great with a birthday theme. So far we've read Happy Birthday, Mouse!, If You Give a Cat a Cupcake, If You Give a Pig a Party, and Otis and Sydney and the Best Birthday Ever.
Lovey requested not to have a birthday party this year, and I was happy to honor that request. However, I still wanted to make this a special birthday for her, so instead of a big party (which she finds overwhelming) we'll be doing a little something each day for the week leading up to her birthday.
First we'll spend today celebrating Little Buddy. Then this afternoon when we get home from dance class Lovey will find a special delivery waiting on our doorstep. I've filled a box of all the supplies for our special birthday countdown and a little note for Lovey telling her how special she is and how excited we are to celebrate her fifth birthday. Over the next week we'll do a couple of the activities each day until we reach her birthday.
Fun Birthday Traditions
As I was thinking of ideas to make the birthday box extra special but also simple enough for us to include in our busy schedule, I read a few great articles from other sites. You'll see some of the ideas from each of the posts below wrapped into our birthday box in some way.
20 Ways to Make Kids Feel Special on Their Birthdays from The House of Hendrix
Balloon Birthday Countdown from The Imagination Tree
Birthday Traditions shared at B-Inspired Mama
Our Surprise Birthday Box
So what goes in the box? The great thing about this tradition is that it can be anything that your child will enjoy. If it's something the girls enjoy (and I'm betting they will!), then it will be so much fun to change the special surprises over the years as they get older and their interests change.
How much stuff goes in the box? There's a lot of flexibility there, too. You can choose just one special activity and deliver the box on your child's birthday. Or choose a handful of ideas that your child will really enjoy and do one a day as your schedule allows. I had a little trouble narrowing down my list, so we'll be doing more than one activity per day.
How do you keep track of which activities to do each day? I'm not numbering the items in the box so we are free to change the order of activities, but I will be keeping a list of the activities planned and crossing them off as we go. You could also wrap the individual item that goes along with each activity to add that surprise element, but if you do that be sure to number them or identify them in some way so you remember what is in each package. I'll be leaving the items unwrapped so Lovey will have sneak peek of what we'll be doing…she's a planner, and she likes to know what's coming (a bit like mama).
So what's the plan already?!? Below is a list of the activities we'll be doing. I won't be placing all of the materials we'll need for each of the activities in the box, just something that symbolizes each activity. That item is noted at the end of each description.
- Special Delivery -Have fun with the delivery of the birthday box. We have a very busy day the day we'll be starting, so ours will be in a special place when we arrive home from gymnastics in the afternoon. I haven't decided yet whether I'll say it is a special box from Mommy and Daddy or the Birthday Fairy. You could also have the box delivered to a special location where your child will be. {Birthday Box}
- Birthday Pretend Play -Have a party without the party. Set up a birthday pretend play area like this one from The Imagination Tree so kids can play birthday party all week (month?) long. Add a felt birthday cake set for even more fun. {Hats, Invitations, Noisemakers}
- Watercolor Birthday Banner -I adore this birthday banner from The Handmade Home. It will be a great project for the kids to make together, and it will be a great decoration to hang up for the week. {Watercolors}
- Buy or Pick Birthday Flowers -Lovey always likes buying me flowers when she goes to the store with someone else. For her birthday we're going to take her to buy a special bouquet of her choice. {Vase}
- Birthday Cake Craft-Like the birthday banner this cake craft from Happy Hooligans is another collaborative project that the kids can enjoy together. It will make another cute decoration, too. {Crepe paper}
- Birthday Popsicles-Winter or not, popsicles are always a beloved treat around here. We'll be making birthday popsicles like these ones from Rachel Cooks. {Popsicle mold}
- Birthday Shirt-Since we made our glitter Christmas shirts in December Lovey has been asking to make more sparkly shirts, so she'll get free artistic license to design her own birthday shirt. {Glitter}
- Birthday Books-Each year since the girls were born they receive a special book for their birthdays. It usually ties into the theme of their birthday party or something they are interested in at the time. We have friends and family sign the book to add a special tough. Each birthday book, including this year's new book will be in the box. Each night before her birthday we'll read one of the the books and look at photos that go along with that year's birthday. {Books}
- Birthday Interview-Do a simple birthday interview. You can create your own, or use a free printable like this one from Digi-Mama's. If you have done previous birthday interviews, add them to the box and have fun reading them. {Interview Paper}
- Trip to the Ice Cream Shop-Take a trip to a favorite ice cream shop for birthday ice cream. {Ice Cream Scoop}
- Birthday pancakes -The girls love pancakes on the weekends, so we'll have special birthday pancakes the weekend before Lovey's birthday. {Sprinkles}
- Special Dinner -Plan a special dinner at home or a restaurant. Lovey would like a special dinner at a restaurant, so we're taking her to dinner with Cinderella. {Outfit, toy or restaurant clue that relates to the dinner. Lovey will get a princess dress to wear to dinner.}
- Play Date with Family -Plan a low key play date or lunch at a park or your home. Invite close family members. Lovey adores her cousins, so we'll be having a play date with them at the park. {Family Picture}
- Decorate the Bathroom Mirror -You can decorate the bathroom mirror or another special area of your house or car to celebrate the special day or invite your child to help. I think the girls will love decorating the bathroom mirror together. {Window Markers}
- Cake and Ice Cream-On her actual birthday Lovey will get to decorate her own birthday cake, and we'll celebrate her official birthday with cake and ice cream. {Cake Decorations and Candle}
- Birthday Bath-We'll finish the night off with a special birthday bath {Balloons}
And when it's all over, she'll be FIVE! Can you tell I'm struggling with that a tiny bit? 🙂
What ways do you celebrate your child's birthday? Does anyone have a kid like mine who would prefer not to have a party?
Now that we've shared our activity with you, we're excited to see what you came up with! Please link up your Laura Numeroff inspired posts to the blog hop linky below.
- Link up only posts inspired by Laura Numeroff's books that share book inspired crafts, activities, recipes, etc. Any other posts will be deleted.
- Visit other blog posts on the linky and comment on or share the ones you love!
- Add our Virtual Book Club button to your post if you'd like.
Stop by and check out some of the other blogs that participate in The Virtual Book Club for Kids.
Toddler Approved– The Educators' Spin On It– Rainy Day Mum– 3 Dinosaurs– Learn~Play~Imagine – Crafty Moms Share – Reading Confetti–Inspiration Laboratories – Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas – Kids Yoga Stories – Enchanted Homeschooling Mom– Ready-Set-Read – Boy Mama Teacher Mama – PlayDrMom – Fantastic Fun and Learning – Growing Book by Book– Royal Baloo – The Outlaw Mom® Blog – Kitchen Counter Chronicles – Teach Preschool – Mama Smiles – Coffe Cups and Crayons – Juggling With Kids – Here Come the Girls–
If you are looking for more book-related activities to try now, check out the Virtual Book Club for Kids Pinterest Board.
Looking Ahead to Future Virtual Book Club Authors
Below is the author list for the upcoming year. Mark your calendars so you can join in and read along with us!
Pinnable image photo credit: tiverylucky via freedigitalphotos.net
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SALISBURY, Md. – The Salisbury University women's tennis team remained perfect on the 2019 season with an 8-1 win against visiting Catholic University of America on Friday afternoon.
The Sea Gulls (3-0) began the afternoon in the Indoor Tennis Center with a sweep of the three doubles matches. Senior Taylor Cooper and sophomore Laura Brown made a quick run at No. 2 doubles for an 8-1 win, while junior Jordan Schaefer and freshman Sarah Dover picked up an 8-2 win shortly thereafter at No. 3.
Junior Annika Kezman and sophomore Sydney Soto battled to an 8-4 win at No. 1 to finish the sweep.
Kezman rolled through her No. 1 singles match, getting the first point on the board with a 6-0, 6-1 win just moments before Brown sealed the team match with a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 2.
After taking the first set in her No. 4 match, 6-1, Ariana Leggio dropped the second set to Colleen McLaughlin, 6-2. McLaughlin was able to outlast Leggio in the super tiebreaker, 13-11 for the win.
Junior Kayla Allen earned a 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 5 and senior Shannon Hickman earned a comeback win at No. 3. After dropping the opening set 6-3 and trailing in the second 4-1, she roared back to win the second set 7-5 and took the super tiebreaker, 10-7.
Freshman Kathryn Allen earned her first collegiate win, picking up the final point at No. 6, winning the opening set in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-2), before closing out the match with a 6-3 win in the second set.
The Sea Gulls will be away from home for their next six matches, next traveling to The College of New Jersey on Saturday, March 9, beginning at 4 p.m.


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[★TRENDING] Tao cries at his first public event since reports of departure from EXO
On May 2nd, Tao got emotional as he made his first public appearance since reports of him leaving EXO surfaced.
To celebrate his new movie You Are My Sunshine and birthday, Tao rented out a theater in Beijing, China and invited fans to watch the film with him.
During the birthday party held after watching the movie, Tao expressed this gratitude for those who support him, revealing that he feels extremely happy to be able to share one of his best moments with his beloved fans, while in tears.
Tao expressed, "I will fulfill the promises that I made to all of you. Please give me some time and I will come back and stand before all of you again."
While there was a Q&A session with Tao personally answering questions submitted by fans, Tao did not comment on the ongoing dispute with SM Entertainment, leaving fans still wondering about the progress of the situation.
Check out a short clip of the event below!


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Maldives' Minister of Tourism Meets With Chairman Of Sri Lankan Airlines At World Travel Market 2015
The new Minister of Tourism for the Maldives, the Hon. Moosa Zameer, met with the Chairman for SriLankan Airlines, Mr Ajith Dias, at World Travel Market 2015 to discuss further developing and improving the relationship between the destination and the airline during 2016, including an increase in connectivity from Europe to Malé.
During the meeting, both parties also discussed the cost of flights from Colombo to Malé and providing a more cost-effective fare during 2016 making it even easier and more affordable to travel between the Maldives and Sri Lanka.
SriLankan Airlines currently operates direct, daily flights from London Heathrow to Colombo with immediate connectivity to Malé taking approximately one hour and has introduced a new A330-300 fleet with the arrival of its fifth Airbus 330-300 on 10 November 2015 and a further two aircraft to be introduced before the end of the year.
Hon. Mr Moosa Zameer, Minister of Tourism, said, "We are very much looking forward to working even more closely with SriLankan Airlines during 2016 and beyond, and providing more affordable and frequent flights to tourists from Europe and China. The European market is extremely important to us and we are seeing a continuous growth in visitor figures, with the UK one of the best-performing markets including an increase of 4% from January to August 2015."
The Minister of Tourism, Hon. Mr Moosa Zameer, was appointed to the position on Wednesday 28th October 2015 and this marks his first visit to World Travel Market 2015.
More Press Releases
You and Me Maldives Introduces "Dine Around" Concept
Kandolhu Maldives Launches New All-Inclusive Spa Concept, 'Well-Inclusive Spa'
Kuramathi Maldives Honours World Environment and World Oceans Day
Hotel Jen Male', Maldives by Shangri-La celebrates Global Wellness Day 2019
LUX* North Male' Atoll Unveils its LUX* Retreats a first of its kind in the Maldives


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Source: Houston Press
Art Dula is the defendant in a $49 million fraud suit calling him a con artist with a warehouse full of antiquated space junk that was never meant to get off the ground.
Dula has allegedly created several shell companies under which he hid other people's money. Investors were apparently convinced by his claims that he had acquired Russian space capsules which would be updated with Western technology and launched again. This is a fascinating and cautionary tale.


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The Leather House is a distributor for Prime Leather Finishes. They distribute and service our Coatings for Leather, Footwear, Upholstery and Leather Goods. The Leather House specializes in the Chinese and Asian Markets, as well as other markets worldwide.
The Leather House is a US company that operates from offices in Houjie Town, Dongguan, Guangdong Province.
They are critical to the Scotchgard™ process by supplying pricing, service and worldwide communications between 3M, Prime Leather Finishes, and the Customer and/or their factories.
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Their team in China is available for setting up factories, problem solving, and quality assurance with their dedicated and experienced Technical Account Representatives, as well as their US owners visiting on a monthly basis.


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It took me a long time to understand what it means to forgive someone. I always wondered how I could forgive someone who chose to hurt me. But after a lot of soul searching, I realized that forgiveness is not about accepting or excusing their behavior... It's about letting it go and preventing their behavior from destroying my heart. -1 Inknown Author . . . #life #lifequotes #love #lovequotes #motivation #success #quotestoliveby #quotestagram #quotes #quoteoftheday #quote #positivevibes #poetr
Dude if a girl wants to talk to you every minute of the day, wants to talk on the phone to hear your voice, wants to introduce you to her friends and family, willing to travel distance for you, wants to smother you with affection, waits for you no matter how long, sticks by your side no matter how much wrong you've done Like dude she fucking loves you man don't fucking waste a good girl like that


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Purdue officials prepare for snowy, icy conditions ahead of IU basketball game
- IU at Purdue, 2 p.m. Saturday, Fox
A wintery mix of snow, freezing rain and sleet could threaten Saturday's rivalry game between Indiana and Purdue.
The National Weather Service predicts 4 to 6 inches of snow, mixed with gutsy winds and cold temperatures starting Friday night. The icy conditions could impact travelers heading to West Lafayette.
A winter storm watch for Indianapolis is in effect through late Saturday night.
School officials are considering all options, even postponing the game, to make sure fans arrive safely. But despite the frosty forecast, postponement is not likely.
"Safety is first and foremost for the student-athletes and also the fans," Purdue Senior Associate Athletics Director Tom Schott said. "Unless the forecast really misses the boat and spills a lot worse than they are projecting right now, presuming Indiana gets here per normal, the game will be played as scheduled."
The Hoosiers (12-5, 3-3) are expected to arrive in West Lafayette Friday afternoon, ahead of the impending storm.
If the weather does take a turn for the worse, it would not be the first time an IU-Purdue game was postponed.
In 2007, a Feb. 14 game between the Hoosiers and Boilermakers (11-6, 4-2) was postponed due to inclement weather. The team's took the court Feb. 15 and Purdue beat 25th-ranked Indiana 81-68.
Hoosiers:Langford is sensational, but IU struggles with defense, depth and rebounding
Boilers: Sasha Stefanovic steps up
Schott said Purdue athletic department officials will consult with IU, the Big Ten and local authorities on road conditions if postponing the game needs to be considered.
To accommodate travelers, Purdue will open its facilities 30 minutes earlier for the 2 p.m. tipoff. The Mackey Arena parking lot will open at noon. Gates will open at 12:30 p.m.
The atmosphere inside the arena will be intense, but Schott wants fans to proceed with caution.
"Take it slow. Be careful," he said. "It's just a game, even though it's a very important game. Common sense should always prevail. We'll do the right thing. We're not going to sacrifice possible negative ramifications for an event."
Follow IndyStar sports producer Akeem Glaspie on Twitter at @THEAkeemGlaspie.


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Missouri Republican Todd Akin's remarks about women not becoming pregnant from "legitimate rape" are so self-evidently offensive and ignorant they scarcely require a response. What merits more attention is what the episode exposes about the most fundamental of political instincts: self-preservation.
Start with Akin. The six-term congressman now running for the Senate posted a Facebook statement Sunday, explaining that he "misspoke" in making an "off-the-cuff" remark.
Misspoke is when you accidentally introduce your vice presidential running mate as the "next president of the United States." (See both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama.) Misspoke is when your mouth gets ahead of your brain. (See Joe Biden, most recently on Republicans putting "y'all back in chains.") Misspoke is a politician's way of never having to say he's sorry, the first cousin to the non-apology apology ("I'm sorry if you were offended").
But suggesting that in situations of "legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down" is not misspeaking. It's mis-thinking.
By midday Monday, Akin was in full grovel, appearing on Mike Huckabee's radio show to disavow his remarks without ever managing to explain them.
The Romney campaign followed a similar arc. First came the non-denunciation denunciation. On Sunday night, hours after the story broke, the campaign put out a joint statement by Romney and Paul Ryan mildly saying that they "disagree" with Akin's statement and "a Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape."
Disagreement is when you differ over the proper tax treatment of capital gains income. When an ally comes under assault, the first impulse of politicians of both parties is to circle the political wagons, to concede only as much as politically necessary and not a millimeter more.
Thus the Obama campaign's steadfast — and wrongheaded — refusal to distance itself from an inflammatory ad by an Obama-supporting super PAC insinuating that Romney helped contribute to the death of a laid-off worker's wife.
The second impulse is to throw the offending person under the bus. As the outrage over Akin's remarks mounted, so did the tone of the Romney campaign's rhetoric.
By Monday morning, Romney was telling National Review's Robert Costa that Akin's comments were "insulting, inexcusable and, frankly, wrong," adding, "Like millions of other Americans, we found them to be offensive." After we thought about it for a while.
Then there is the sheer cynicism of Democrats' attitude toward Akin, even predating his rape remarks. In the three-way Missouri GOP primary, Akin was the Democrats' favorite Republican. No surprise there: He was the most conservative of the field, and therefore represented Sen. Claire McCaskill's best shot at holding on to her endangered seat.
The cynical twist was that a Democratic super PAC intervened in the primary to try to bolster Akin's chances. Majority PAC, a group allied with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), spent more than $1 million attacking the GOP front-runner, John Brunner.
This maneuver isn't unprecedented: the Patriot Majority PAC, run by a former Reid staffer, pulled the same stunt in Reid's own race two years ago, intervening in the Republican primary to help propel tea party candidate Sharron Angle.
This time around, McCaskill herself seemed to be meddling in the GOP primary, with ads blasting all three Republicans. But her critique of Akin as the "true conservative" in the race and a "crusader against bigger government" appeared designed more to bolster Akin than to hurt him — and it represented the vast majority of McCaskill's spending.
There was McCaskill on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Monday, modestly demurring about whether Akin should withdraw as the nominee.
"It's not my place to decide," she said. "I really think that for the national party to try to come in here and dictate to the Republican primary voters that they're going to invalidate their decision, that would be pretty radical. I think there could be a backlash for the Republicans if they did that."
How nice of McCaskill to care so much about the other party — having helped cherry-pick its nominee.
Contrast McCaskill's tender concern for Missouri's Republican voters with that of Texas Sen. John Cornyn, head of the Republicans' Senate campaign arm, who all but shoved Akin out the door Monday.
Cornyn issued a statement calling Akin's remarks "wrong, offensive and indefensible" and urging him to take 24 hours to "carefully consider what is best for him, his family, the Republican Party." A short time later, Romney was urging the same.
Is it any wonder Americans hate politics?


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This post is part of the Time management in youth ministry series. In youth ministry, there's always more to do than we have time for. If your to do list is anything like mine, it can become quite a challenge to determine what gets priority and what will have to wait. I use very two effective ways to determine my priorities that I'd like to share with you. In another post, I describe the INO system, which is a third way of determining priorities.
80/20 rule
In short, the 80/20 rule (also known as the Pareto principle) says that for many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. Some examples for youth ministry:
- 80% of the students take up about 20% of your time. It's the other 20% that takes up the remaining 80%
- 80% of your 'success' in youth ministry comes from 20% of what you do
- 20% of your church does 80% of the 'work'
- 80% of the complaints you get come from 20% of the church (and you can fill in the names yourself…)
Well, you get the drift. The key thought here is that you have to focus on the 20% activities (your priorities) that make up 80% of your 'results'. That requires that you take some time to analyze everything that's on your to do list (just group them together in general activities or tasks) and then determine their overall importance. Do they contribute to the success of your youth ministry and can therefore be considered a priority, or are they either the 'finishing touch' or more or less a waste of time?
I've done this analysis a couple of times to get a clear picture of what was contributing to the growth and success of my youth ministry. While it's not always easy to determine, it's very helpful to gain insights into your key activities and priorities. By the way, a good way of identifying time-consuming activities that have little result is to do some time tracking.
Once you've identified your key 20%, setting priorities on a day-to-day basis becomes a whole lot easier. You just ask yourself: is this in my key 20%? If so, it should get priority. If not, it will have to wait till you have the time.
Covey's time management matrix
Stephen Covey is famous for The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People of course, but in another book he wrote (First Things First) he gave a time management matrix that I have found to be very effective in setting my priorities. It divides all your activities into four quadrants, based on two questions:
Is it urgent?
Is it important?
These are the two questions you can ask for every item on your to do list to determine what quadrant they're in and therefore, if they are a priority. At first, this may seem like a hassle, but eventually it will become a habit and it won't take any time.
The key here is to stay out of quadrants three and four, the unimportant stuff. That's for when you have time to spare, which will be a rare event I'm guessing. It may take some effort to convince yourself to leave the stuff in quadrant three and four be, because they may be important to others and if you're anything like me, saying no isn't much fun (which is why it's a good idea to prevent these kind of activities from showing up on your to do list in the first place!).
Another key is to work out of quadrant 2 as much as possible, doing important things that are nor urgent (yet). Because if you spend the majority of your time in quadrant one with only important and urgent stuff, you'll end up having a lot of stress because of all the deadlines involved.
Staying as much as possible in quadrant two doing what has priority, but isn't urgent yet, means you'll have to plan in the important things and do them before they become urgent. In my experience, this often means blocking time for big things. When we start 'doing stuff', we often start with the smaller things and then we end up with no time left for the big things. So plan those in first.
What do you do to determine your priorities? What helps you to say no to certain activities?


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Did you know there are multitudes of ways your gut bacteria influences your overall health? I bet you'd be surprised to know just how important those little bugs inside your stomach are to your overall brain and body health. Many of you might be surprised just how much they affect, in a good and bad way, according to the levels of good and bad bacteria you have. Considering our gut bacteria plays a major part in our immune system, it's essential to take care of it as much as possible. To do that, you need to be sure to take a high quality probiotic daily, as well as eat foods that optimize gut bacteria. Along with those measures, be sure you're aware of all these ways your gut bacteria influences your health so you can make the best choices for your tummy each and every day!
Let's start with one of the most basic ways your gut bacteria influences your health. First, your immunity is of utmost importance when it comes your gut bacteria. Over 80% of your immune system is actually located in your gut, and the tiniest little thing can upset that beautiful balance in there we're all looking to achieve. When levels of unhealthy bacteria take over in the gut, guess what happens? Your immune system takes a big plunge. You'll see this happen when you take antibiotics usually. Even though you're sick and antibiotics help get rid of the virus, guess what else they do? They also kill all your good gut bacteria that protects you from further infections, along with yeast overgrowth. This is why many women who take antibiotics get a yeast infection. It can cause constipation due to depletion of gut bacteria as well. However, if you simply supplement with probiotics year round and consume a healthy diet, good bacteria takes over in your gut, and you can actually prevent colds and other viruses from coming on in the first place. This is all due to your immune system being in tip-top shape!
Another issue to be aware of when it comes to gut bacteria is yeast. We all have levels of yeast in our digestive system. Some of these are for our good, and others, not so much. When unhealthy yeasts take over our body, such as the popular form known as candida albicans, then they can cause overgrowth and rapidly damage our entire bodies. This usually comes in the form of weight gain, brain fog, sugar cravings, food addictions, joint pain, poor digestion, and leaky gut, among others. When you have enough healthy bacteria in your gut, candida and other harmful yeasts can't thrive. They take over anytime you live with high stress consistently, eat a large amount of sugar and carbohydrates, and consume yeast in the form of breads, alcohol, or molded foods like cheese. Eating fresh foods, clean sources of protein, avoiding alcohol, eliminating breads and other high carbohydrate, yeasty foods, and eating plenty of fresh greens is a good diet protocol for gut health. It's also good to consume plain, unsweetened yogurt since it is rich in probiotics, eliminate sugar and alcohol, and take a good probiotic to ensure yeast overgrowth does not happen.
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Your digestion is also directly affected by your gut health. When your healthy levels of gut bacteria are reduced, your digestion is greatly compromised. You'll often suffer from issues such as constipation, diarrhea, bloating, pain after eating, irregularity, IBS, and gas, just to name some of the most common issues. Healthy levels of gut bacteria are needed for everything from nutrient absorption to healthy bowel movements. Taking care of your gut bacteria is essentially the best way to ensure your digestive system works just like it wants to.
Surprisingly, even your mood can be a sign, as well as a result, of the levels of good bacteria in your gut. People with depression have actually been found to have drastically low levels of good bacteria in their guts. To make matters worse, healthy bacteria is diminished by anti-depressants, which creates a vicious cycle for constantly depleting bacteria further. People with low levels of good bacteria will often be moody, depressed, unmotivated, and even suffer hormonal swings not associated with aging-associated issues, such as menopause or puberty.
Yeast overgrowth causes dandruff and an itchy scalp. Whether it occurs on your scalp or not, it can still be a sign of yeast overgrowth in the entire body. Guess what causes that? You got it! Low levels of healthy gut bacteria can spur yeast overgrowth all over the entire body, including on your scalp. People with low levels of good bacteria usually suffer from dry skin or eczema as well.
Your weight can also be easily affected by your gut bacteria levels. Many people who are overweight, or extremely underweight, all have low levels of good gut bacteria. If you're suffering extreme food cravings, up and down hormonal swings that disrupt healthy eating practices, or you eat a highly processed, high sugar diet, your healthy gut bacteria takes a hit quickly. To optimize weight loss, eat a clean diet and take a probiotic. Fermented foods have also been linked to lower weight. These foods include kimchi, sauerkraut, cultured veggies, unsweetened yogurt and kefir, raw cacao, miso, kombucha, raw apple cider vinegar, and tempeh. These foods won't directly help you lose weight, but will alter your gut bacteria to a positive state, helping reduce food cravings and enhance hormonal function that can lead to weight gain. Just be sure to eat a clean diet the rest of the way as well.
Your skin is also a huge sign of your gut bacteria health. If you suffer acne, rosacea, eczema or other skin eruptions, then your gut bacteria is usually to blame. Healthy levels of gut bacteria will show up on your face. I noticed when I got my gut bacteria to a healthy state through a clean diet and probiotics that my acne disappeared all within a week, and my skin practically glowed. Getting rid of sugar is the first step to not only reducing your acne, but also optimizing your gut health.
Almost anyone who's ever had a problem with gut bacteria will tell you nothing is more miserable than the symptoms you'll suffer as a result. While probiotics are essential, so is a clean, low sugar diet, free from preservatives, additives, and refined foods. A lower carbohydrate diet has been directly linked to optimizing gut health as well since unhealthy levels of gut bacteria feed on high carbohydrate sources of food as the "fuel." To learn more about gut bacteria, visit my favorite website, Body Ecology, which you can learn more about at bodyecology.com. Have you ever had problems due to an imbalance in good and bad gut bacteria levels?
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Photo courtesy of www.stockfreeimages.com
The fictionalized account of the life of Buddha by Deepak Chopra is an engaging, beautifully written story that inspires and educates. I picked it up because it's different than anything Chopra has penned, plus I'm a sucker for well-researched accounts of historical characters presented in the format of a novel. This one did not disappoint.
Ultimately, Buddha is the story of a man, Siddhartha, who gave up everything he had–wealth, status, power–and went on a quest to understand the true nature of self and to attain enlightenment. He didn't know what the answers would be, but he was willing to learn from spiritual masters and go to great lengths to delve deep into himself to connect with the source.
Once he found enlightenment and transformed into the Buddha, he was surprised that he had to use words, or sermons, to communicate. His healing touch and thoughts could bring freedom–from guilt, sorrow, and attachment to worldly pleasure and pain–but they couldn't bring enlightenment. He found that without a Dharma, or philosophy, earthly beings couldn't take the next steps away from their current way of life toward the understanding that the self is an illusion and that the end of suffering is possible.
Buddha never talked about God or the gods. He shunned ceremony and "religious practices," because they distract from the true nature of being one with the source, or superconsciousness. Ultimately, each person's path to clarity and freedom is unique. That's what I love about Buddhism. It's not a religious practice; it's a personal journey. One can follow any of the paths to enlightenment and move toward peace, tranquility, and connection.
At the end of the book, Chopra wrote an FAQ about Buddhism to help make it more accessible to the lay person. If you're seeking clarity, or freedom, or enlightenment, I encourage you to read this book. If it calls to you, it's time.


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If your business regularly sponsors equestrian events or riders, our customizable products make sought-after prizes. Customize high-quality Hansen Equestrian products with your company logo for use as promotional items, horse show prizes, employee swag, sponsored rider gear, or barn branding.
Drop us a note and we'd be happy to talk bulk discounts and custom colours.


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Cleveland Whiskey
Cleveland Whiskey has developed disruptive technology to dramatically accelerate the maturation and flavor development of distilled spirits. They use truly transformative woods and innovative technology to create a line of revolutionary new flavors that push the boundaries of traditional whiskey. The current Cleveland Underground Select line includes bourbon whiskey finished with: Sugar Maple Wood, Apple Wood, Black Cherry Wood, Honey Locust Wood, and Hickory Wood. This is not your typical bourbon.


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PROFILE: Suspected Toulouse Gunman Associated With al-Qaida, Taliban
Mohamed Merah, a French citizen of Algerian origin, was arrested in Afghanistan for planting bombs but later escaped in mass prison break.
French school shooting suspect Mohamed Merah was jailed for bombings in Afghanistan in 2007, but escaped months later in a mass prison break organized by Taliban insurgents, a top Afghan prison official said on Wednesday.
Merah, a French citizen of Algerian origin, is suspected of killing seven people in the name of the al-Qaida militant network, including three children at a Jewish school in southwestern France.
Afghan security forces detained Merah on Dec. 19, 2007, and he was sentenced to three years in jail for planting bombs in the southern province of Kandahar, the Taliban's birthplace, Kandahar prison chief Ghulam Faruq said, citing prison documents.
Merah escaped along with up to 1,000 prisoners, including 400 Taliban insurgents, during an attack on southern Afghanistan's main Sarposa Prison in June 2008, when the Taliban blew apart the main gate with a big truck bomb.
The high-security prison, on Kandahar's southern outskirts, has separate compounds for ordinary criminals and inmates being held for political and insurgency-related offences. Merah was likely in the political section, prison sources said.
He was in Afghanistan at a time when Afghan security officials were pleading for more international help, saying more than 4,000 foreign fighters had flocked to the country to aid the Taliban, most of them from Chechnya, North Africa and Pakistan.
It was not clear where Merah fled to after he escaped from prison and how or when he arrived in France, but many foreign fighters left the conflict-racked country as a surge in NATO reinforcements gained momentum in 2009.
French Interior Minister Claude Gueant said the gunman had been to Pakistan and Afghanistan, and had carried out his killings in revenge for French military involvement abroad.
France has 3,600 troops in Afghanistan as part of the 130,000-strong NATO-led force, mainly patrolling Kapisa, a mountainous province near Kabul. They are to shift their focus in March to training and leave the country at the end of 2013.
In Pakistan, an intelligence official who declined to be identified said Merah had never been arrested there.
"We have no information about him," the Pakistani official said.


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all images the Arab Image Foundation
Here's a short interview with Charbel Saad for the Activating the Archive symposium in Bristol on
May 5th
Charbel Saad works for the Arab Image Foundation, an organisation that works with some brilliant archives from North Africa and the Middle East, archives that include beauty, humour, and bemusement in equal measure. Get a taste of the work they do here.
What has led to your involvement with archival material?
Growing up in Beirut, amidst the demolitions and reconstructions that followed the Lebanese Civil War, I didn't have many clues of my Lebanese and Arab identities, especially that education of Lebanese history in local schools concludes, even until today, with the country's independence in 1943.
When I came across the collections of the Arab Image Foundation, I was fascinated with the subjects, locations and everyday lifestyles portrayed in the photographs, which offered a wider perspective and a more familiar narrative than the images I grew up with. Joining the Arab Image Foundation in 2013 offered me a first hand experience with these intimate photographs from my region's past, and an opportunity to contribute to the institution's mission in digitisation, using the skills I acquired throughout my undergraduate studies in graphic design.
Stereoscopic autochrome, 13 x 6 cm
Aziz Zabbal
How does the Arab Image Foundation activate, and present, the material it collects?
The Arab Image Foundation has presented its work to the public over the past 20 years through exhibitions, publications, videos and public events, in partnership with international museums, galleries, cultural institutions and schools. These productions were not conventionally curated or edited endeavours, but rather artist-driven initiatives that build on the research projects being carried out by members of the AIF. Since 2015, the AIF has taken on a more focused mission of digitising its photographic collections, covering over 600,000 items in various formats, in preparation for the launch of its new online database in September 2018, to be accompanied by the re-opening of its public space in Beirut.
Beirut's old Airport Road in 1975
Photo Naltchayan
Jean-Pierre and Yasmina Zahar collection
In a post-digital world, what role do physical archives play?
Over the past years, our archivists put a tremendous amount of work in cleaning, numbering and storing our collections in conditions appropriate to their physical state. Without their contributions in organising the archive, digitisation cannot possibly be a sustainable activity. We believe that the physical collections will always remain the primary source of information. Our objective therefore, through digitisation, is to capture as many layers of information from the original material as we can, a process that is heavily dependent on the imaging guidelines we defined for ourselves, and the equipment we use, whether it was a flatbed scanners or camera reproduction stands. For even though we strive on producing long-lasting digital images, we understand that they are not here to replace the original material, but to facilitate its access and use.
Laure Skeels at the AV store in Beirut that
she ran with her husband Frank
Briefly, what can we expect from your talk?
For those who are not already familiar with our work, my talk will shed light on the unique nature of the Arab Image Foundation as an institution, explaining the involvement of artists and scholars in constructing the collections and studying them through their personal practices and narratives. I will take the chance to highlight a few subjects within the collections, among whom amateur, professional and anonymous photographers, as well as families and collectors who entrusted us with their photographs. I will also give an inside look into our work today, and the various efforts we are taking in the digitisation of our photographic collections.
Charbel Saad will be talking about all this and much more on Saturday 5th May at the Arnolfini in Bristol in this brilliant symposium on the archive with speakers including Maja Daniels, Charbel Saad, Thomas Sauvin, Kensuke Koike, and Amak Mahmoodian.
It's a serious bargain at £25 for the day and takes place in the wonderful waterfront location of the Arnolfini, with fantastic food, drink and cake all available within a few minutes walk.
Buy your tickets for ICVL's Activating the Archive here.
Buy your tickets for ICVL's Activating the Archive here.


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Windows 10's latest major update, the October 2018 Update, has turned out to be a big mess for Redmond. To bring you in line with everything that's happened so far, here's a quick breakdown: on October 2, Microsoft started rolling out the update, users then started submitting reports of a data deletion issue on October 4, forcing Microsoft to pause the rollout and pull the update on October 6.
Over the last few weeks, Microsoft has been working to fix the data deletion issue and completely investigate the reason behind it. Today, the company is finally re-releasing the update to the public after weeks of silence.
Microsoft said in a blog post that the company has carried out extensive testing to ensure the data deletion has been completely resolved, stating "in addition to extensive internal validation, we have taken time to closely monitor feedback and diagnostic data from our Windows Insiders and from the millions of devices on the Windows 10 October Update, and we have no further evidence of data loss."
Redmond will continue to roll out the update slowly as it does with major Windows 10 updates, meaning the update won't arrive right away for your device. The company says it will launch a new Windows Update status dashboard next year that will provide the public with frequent updates on Windows 10 update rollouts.
The update is available for commercial customers of Windows 10 starting today as well, including users of Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server Version 1809.
Microsoft knows the company has made a huge mistake here, so it's trying to make users aware of all the testing it does to ensure good quality of the software it makes. The software giant detailed its approach towards making sure Windows 10 works perfectly for everyone in a blog post, claiming that the data deletion bug was a "small but serious issue."
Microsoft continues to boast about its testing process with Windows 10 — the company says it uses Machine Learning and other data-driven techniques to identify and resolve issues in the OS, as well as using feedback from Windows Insiders. The company said that the Windows 10 April 2018 Update had the highest Net Promoter rating so far, which is essentially the rating users give Windows 10 when it randomly annoys them with a notification asking how likely they are to recommend the OS to their friends.
Although Microsoft claims the quality of Windows 10 is improving with every new release, it's clear the company's testing approach still needs a ton of tweaking, especially when such a serious data deletion issue makes it through to the public after months of testing.
"We will up our effort to improve our ability to prevent issues and our ability to respond quickly and openly when issues do arise. We intend to leverage all the tools we have today and focus on new quality-focused innovation across product design, development, validation, and delivery," the company said.
The update should be available for download here.
Tagged with October 2018 Update, Windows 10, Windows 10 October 2018 Update, Windows Update


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Whiteheads are a type of acne formed, just like blackheads and pimples, when dirt and oil clog your skin pores. They occur due to hormonal changes, excessive use of cosmetics, heredity, unhealthy food, menopause, stress and mainly unhygienic handling of your skin. It can cause a problem to many of us, making us feel self-conscious when dealing with people. It's not too hard to get rid of whiteheads so you need not worry, just make use of the following tips.
How to get of whiteheads
First and foremost, never touch your face with unclean hands. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before you make any sort of contact with your face. Dirt from your hands may clog your skin pores and cause whiteheads. Even before you wash your face, make sure your hands are clean.
Make sure you wash your face at least twice a day using a face wash that suits your skin type. Get rid of excess oil while making sure that your skin doesn't get too dry either. Excess oil may clog your pores, causing whiteheads. Make sure you take off your make up at night, no excuses.
Benzoyl peroxide and Salicylic acids can be applied in recommended doses to treat whiteheads. These two chemicals are found in most of the skin care products. They help unclog skin pores and let your skin breathe. Discontinue the use if it irritates your skin.
Apply tea tree oil to your skin twice a day for 20 minutes each for 45 days to see quick results. Tea tree oil is a natural remedy and has fewer side effects than chemicals like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. Discontinue the use if your skin gets irritated.
Apply moisturizer after washing your face. It keeps your skin supple and gives it a healthy glow. Make sure you apply sunscreen with the recommended SPF whenever you step out into the sun.
Use scrubs and exfoliation cream to get rid of the dead skin which otherwise may clog skin pores. Exfoliate your skin at least twice a week.
A thick paste of baking soda and water will do wonders in getting your skin rid of whiteheads. Apply it and leave it on till it dries and then wash it off with warm water.
Honey is a natural anti-bacterial agent. Apply honey on the affected part and leave it on to dry. Wash off when dry. Honey helps unclog pores and prevent future acne breakouts.
If your problem is extreme, seek professional help.
Try the above tips and see results. Click here to see a range of related products waiting for you at Joy By Nature.
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Mexico military 1999
Military branches: National Defense Secretariat (includes Army and Air Force), Navy Secretariat (includes Naval Air and Marines)
Military manpowermilitary age: 18 years of age
Military manpoweravailability:
Military manpowerfit for military service:
Military manpowerreaching military age annually:
Military expendituresdollar figure: $6 billion (1998)
Military expenditurespercent of GDP: 1.3% (1998)


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Users can attend Virtual AU for FREE this year and subscription users have full access to free training by watching recoded classes online. Do a search by instructor to find my classes.
Class ID CI5085
Title UnConditional Corridor Love
Assemblies are essential for roadways, railways, traveled ways, channels, ditches, utility runs, and airport runways. They are relatively easy to create, and the 3D model is essential for design. This class will focus on conditional subassemblies and explore the possibilities for delivering data from the model that was not made obvious. The focus will be on applying one assembly with conditional subassemblies to automatically design driveways, sidewalks, intersections, medians, and even ADA ramps. We will reveal valuable tips and secrets. Code sets, styles, and settings are only the beginning. We will show you how to apply real-world materials to corridors and, if time permits, describe how to add paint stripes and animation along the centerline.


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Severe and protracted childhood trauma can physically damage the brain's development, adversely affecting both its structure and functionality, which, in turn, can contribute to the development of very serious psychiatric conditions such as complex posttraumatic stress disorder (complex PTSD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD).
In this article, I will focus in on the main ways in which the brains of individuals suffering from PTSD / Complex PTSD may differ from 'normal', non-traumatized brains.
According to the various neuroimaging studies, the brain areas that differ most markedly between these two groups are as follows :
- the hippocampus
- the amygdala
- the prefrontal cortex
Let's consider each of these three brain regions in turn :
The hippocampus is part of the brain's limbic system. The limbic system is intimately involved in how our memory functions, our motivation and how we experience emotions such as fear and anger.
It is theorized that it can be damaged by excess cortisol being released into the body in those who suffer severe chronic stress (cortisol is a hormone released into the body under conditions of extreme stress and perceived threat to help mobilize the body and prepare it for 'fight or flight.')
Indeed, studies have also shown that the size of the hippocampus is smaller in those suffering from PTSD (however, it should be borne in mind that one cannot categorically infer that this reduction in size has been caused by prolonged exposure to extreme stress – it could be that some people are born with a smaller hippocampus which, in turn, makes them more vulnerable to the adverse effects of stress. Indeed, some research has been carried out that lends this alternative view some weight).
Damage done to the hippocampus by trauma can result in :
- extreme and persistent fearfulness
- problems recalling the traumatic event/s or parts of the traumatic event/s
- constantly intruding, unwanted, distressing and vivid memories of the traumatic event/s
- susceptibility to extreme fear responses in relation to 'triggers' (i.e. anything that reminds the traumatized individual of the traumatic event/s on either a conscious or unconscious level)
The amygdala is a small part of the brain and its function is to immediately assess whether incoming sensory information (i.e. all the information we take in by sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell) IS A THREAT OR NOT.
So, for example, the amygdala is responsible for making you jump if you hear a sudden, unexpected, loud bang. It operates below the level of our conscious awareness so the responses it gives rise to (like making us jump) are NOT UNDER OUR CONSCIOUS CONTROL.
It works at lightning speed on a 'better safe than sorry' basis, so, using the 'loud, unexpected noise' example, the sound of the bang will make us jump whether it is the result of dangerous gunfire or a harmless firework.
It is only after this initial, automatic, immediate response (which has evolved in order to be of optimum survival value) that the brain further processes the information to assess whether the noise REALLY DID REPRESENT A THREAT OR NOT.
Because of the amygdala's function, it is also sometimes referred to as the brain's FEAR CENTER.
The effect of chronic, severe trauma on the amygdala is that it eventually becomes over-reactive, or, as it is sometimes described, 'stuck on red alert', so that we become hypervigilant and may become terrified by people, events, situations etc. that, objectively speaking, pose no threat whatsoever and would not, in the least, cause anxiety in a non-traumatized person. In essence, we start to 'see threat everywhere' and may live in a constant state of, at best, apprehension and trepidation.
When we are living in a constant state of fear due to an overactivated amygdala we are essentially locked into the fight/flight survival mode. As such, we become completely focused upon ourselves and selfish, (but it is not a willed, conscious, decision; it is our brain's way of increasing the chances that we will survive).
This can also result in a much-diminished sense of empathy for others (altruistic and other positive behaviours towards others like forgiveness, generosity and consideration are far more likely to occur when a person feels safe, secure, content and have most of their own needs fulfilled; in relation to this, one need only consider the difference in most people's behaviour when things are going well compared to when they are going badly).
It should also be noted that the amygdala cannot stay hyperactivated indefinitely which means those suffering from PTSD, at times when the amygdala becomes 'exhausted' by its relentless, frenetic activity, will move out of the fight/flight state and move into the 'freeze', or dissociated state.
In PTSD sufferers, the prefrontal cortex becomes UNDERACTIVATED.
The prefrontal cortex is often described as the THINKING CENTER of the brain and studies involving both humans (including functional imaging studies) and animals suggest that chronic and severe trauma impairs its functioning.
It is theorized that the resulting dysfunction of this brain area impairs its ability to appropriately inhibit the fear-generating amygdala, thus allowing it (i.e. the amygdala) to 'run riot', as it were.
Severely traumatized individuals may also experience increased blood flow to the right prefrontal lobe which, in turn, can intensify feelings of sadness and aggression.
Damage done to the brain as a consequence of severe and protracted trauma can result in various cognitive, emotional and behavioural problems in adulthood.
However, thanks to a quality in the brain known as neuroplasticity, that it is now known that, under certain conditions, the brain has the potential to recover from the damage it incurred during early life.
For example, if our brain was affected in such a way when we were young that, as adults, we are extremely anxious and hypersensitive to stress, mindfulness meditation has been shown by much research to have the potential to greatly alleviate this problem.
In order for positive changes to take place in the brain that are long-lasting, it is necessary to alter the structure of the brain on a neuronal level; seven major elements that are of great importance to achieving this are as follows :
- NOVELTY– the brain must receive new information and stimuli in order to change itself (e.g. by using repeated self-hypnosis).
- REPETITION– the brain must be repeatedly exposed to this new information to enable it to start making, strengthening and consolidating new neural connections.
- ATTENTION– it is necessary to pay good attention to the new information/stimuli for the new, beneficial neural connections to occur (paying attention stimulates the production of acetylcholine in the brain which aids the development of these new neural connections)
- DIET– in particular, Omega 3 helps the development of new neural connections (Omega 3 can be bought as a supplement).
- AEROBIC EXERCISE– research suggests that this form of exercise helps the brain to positively regenerate itself
- RELATIONSHIPS – forming close bonds with others (and, importantly, relating well to ourselves) has also been shown to lead to beneficial brain development
- SLEEP – it is important to get sufficient sleep (research suggests that the brain most actively 'repairs' itself during sleep.)
My eBook How Childhood Trauma Can Damage The Physical Development Of The Brain now available for instant download from Amazon.
David Hosier BSc Hons; MSc; PGDE(FAHE)


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Battle: Los Angeles: War of the Cliches
Battle: Los Angeles isn't a remake, but chances are you've seen pretty much everything in it before. An alien invasion flick shot in jittery, faux-newsreel style, it serves up a smorgasbord of lamely repackaged movie moments ripped off from other, better films—and little else.
Movie geeks who want to play spot-the-reference will at least have something to keep them busy. The movie, which stars Aaron Eckhart and a cast of relative unknowns as Marines battling aliens in the streets of L.A., starts War of the Worlds-style, with news media accounts of strange happenings—and, eventually, an alien invasion force landing off the coasts of the world's biggest cities. It finishes much like Independence Day, with a sacrifice-filled battle against a hulking alien command ship, and the subsequent passing along of info about how to beat the rest of the extraterrestrial baddies. (Consider this a non-spoiler: The good guys win, at least if you ignore the destruction of most of L.A.) The vaguely insectoid invaders look suspiciously like slightly modified robotic cousins of the aliens in District 9. Just about everything in between comes across as equally reheated.
Not all of the source material comes from the alien-invasion category of your Netflix queue: Director Jonathan Liebesman previously helmed a prequel to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and he recycles plenty from the horror genre too: There's the it's-only-a-pet fakeout, the reanimating baddie who just won't die, the moment of relief/levity violently interrupted by a flash of terror. Mostly, though, Liebesman borrows from against-all-odds war movies like Saving Private Ryan and, in particular, Black Hawk Down—hence the gritty, war-torn ambiance. Even the score seems to have nabbed Inception's thudding foghorn-blast as its primary musical cue.
Maybe if you liked most of those movies, you'll also like this one? Sadly, I doubt it. Liebesman managed to appropriate a host of familiar scenes and situations from Hollywood's war-and-invasion oeuvres, but forgot to steal a story or characters worth watching. There are a few clever action gags disbursed throughout, but mostly it's a mish-mash of meaningless military-movie cliches and copycat conflicts any infrequent moviegoer has seen a half-dozen times before. Despite its title, Battle doesn't even bother to deliver an authentic Los Angeles; most of the city scenes were shot in Louisiana on account of the state's generous film subsidies. (Apparently Liebesman is also willing to take money borrowed from taxpayers.)
Worse, the movie can't even muster the commitment to stand by its own banalities. About two-thirds of the way through the film, Eckhart launches into one of the most earnestly corny monologues in recent movie memory, a brutally cheesy go-for-the-gold motivator about the need to press forward at all costs despite personal rivalries, setbacks, and blah, blah, blah—and then, after a well-placed dramatic pause, says "None of that matters right now." He's more right than he knows, though; in this warmed over exercise in cinematic copy-and-paste, very little matters at all.


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Community Music Online
How do you deal with all of the online tools available to you - websites, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, email lists, and everything else at our disposal. It seems that community music groups in Australia cover the entire spectrum from "We have no idea how to deal it", through to "We'd like to but don't know how" and then "We're pretty comfortable with running an up-to-date web presence with integrated website, social media and e-newsletter". in this blog post we cover where to find help and a quick guide to social media.
Where to find help
1. We're here to help. The Music in Communities Network is developing a Community Music Online scheme, to help community music groups and organisations get online and navigate the possibilities online. This includes articles, workshops, and a dedicated page on our site for Organisational Members (for those that want it).
2. Look for someone in your group, circle of friends, relatives or colleagues with some experience. These days there are many ordinary people with moderate to advanced knowledge of websites, online tools and social media. Look around for some in your community who can help.
3. Online articles. Each week there are countless articles about online tools and marketing, particularly (in the music sector) for contemporary groups wanting to raise their profile through social media. Learn what you can from them. The MCA's Music Career wiki has a portal to articles about Social Media and Marketing & Promotion, for a start.
Quick Guide to Social Media
'"In essence, social media and the performing arts share a number of common practices: collaboration, creative expression and participation. Similarly, both satisfy a common need: the desire for community. They do this by facilitating communication, self-appraisal and shared imagining through participation. In this sense the performing arts themselves may be seen as forms of social media and, as such, be seen to have as yet untapped potential to lead innovation by making use of digital social media to foster stronger and more reciprocal engagement with the wider community."
- Robert Reid, in ''Hello World! Promoting the Arts on the Web" ([http://www.currencyhouse.org.au/node/185 Platform Papers No.27, April 2011])
An article I read recently - "7 Steps to Draw Up a Social Media Game Plan" - begins with this:
Is your website current? Do you have an email system? If not, go no further with social media.
That's probably good advice for community groups too. However, a basic Social Media presence for your group may not take long and can provide an easy platform to connect with your members and supporters, for free, without much fuss.
Most people have a profile on Facebook, and those that don't would at least be aware of its overwhelming impact on online communication over the past few years. . In December 2011, ,Facebook had an estimates 11,200,000 Unique Australian Visitors (see table) - that's about half of the population! 60% of MiCN's Organisational Members have a Facebook presence, 43% with a Page and 17 with a Group. Pages are a great platform for an organisation or group to share information, have multiple people administering it, setting up events, The Music in Communities Network uses a Page, as does the Music Council of Australia.
The micro-blogging platform is addictive for some, baffling or annoying for others. 10% of our members have a Twitter profile, and in December 2011 there were 1,800,000 Unique Australian Visitors. Without going into a lot of detail, here are a few little pieces of Twitter advice:
1. Don't get into Twitter just because you feel like you have to, or because you think "everybody else is doing it". Not everybody is doing it, and you don't have to be involved. For those that like the platform and use it regularly, it can be a good social media platform. A profile without up-to-date content and no followers is probably less useful than none at all.
2. If you're going to try Twitter for your group or organisation, you may as well like using it yourself. If you enjoy using Twitter to keep up with news, people's opinions, events, and everything else that Twitter has to offer, it will be easy for you to add the occasional update for your group. If you don't like the platform or never use it, you might find that it's a hard slog to keep up with it for your group.
3. If you have a smart phone (iPhone, Android or similar) or tablet you may find twitter easier to follow on one of the various apps, such as Hootsuite or Tweetdeck.
11 million Unique Australian Visitors used YouTube in December 2011, which according to Social Media News recorded the highest level of growth last year. We found that 15% of our members have a YouTube profile of some description, and a number of others have videos uploaded of their performances.
Not everyone that views YouTube videos has a profile on YouTube. If you do have a profile you can create a playlist of other people's videos (like us), and upload your own content. If you're realling interested in YouTube have a look at the YouTube Playbook.
The list of Social Media tools is endless - Google+, Tumblr, Blogger, Delicious, LinkedIn, Myspace, Flickr, Digg, Pinterest and many more. We'll stick to the ones listed above for now, a) because they're among the biggest, and b) because they seem to be most useful for community music groups.
By the way, don't forget to join us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube!
Written by Alex Masso for the Music in Communities Network, February 2012


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Consult a Disability Lawyer before agreeing to a Lump Sum Settlement
Occasionally, an insurance company will approach a disabled claimant and offer to pay them a one-time lump sum payment rather than continuing to pay monthly disability benefits. In exchange, the claimant signs a "Full and Final" release whereby they surrender all further entitlement under the group disability policy.
In most circumstances, an insurance company will offer a lump sum settlement if they believe it is unlikely that the claimant's health situation will ever improve. Thus, rather than pay monthly benefits until the claimant reaches age 65, the company will look to reduce their liability by offering a one-time lump sum payment which is discounted.
There are pros and cons to accepting a lump sum offer. The largest disadvantage is that no matter how large the sum, a claimant will receive less (often significantly less) than if they remained on claim and received a monthly benefit to age 65. Further, once the lump sum has been spent, the claimant is not eligible to receive any further disability benefits under the policy. Thus, unless the claimant returns to the workforce, their only source of income may be CPP disability benefits, social assistance, or other government disability benefits. Another disadvantage may be that the claimant loses other benefits contained in the group policy – for example, group life insurance coverage.
However, some claimants prefer to receive a lump sum as opposed to monthly benefits so that they can use the money to purchase a home or pay off a mortgage. Some claimants also prefer a lump sum because they will no longer have to deal with the insurance company and the continuous requests for updated medical information. Once a lump sum agreement is reached, there are no further dealings with the insurance company. Further, if after taking a lump-sum benefit a claimant's health improves such that they can return to the workforce, they will not be required to return any of the money to the insurance company. Finally, for claimants who are taxed on their monthly disability benefit, the entire lump sum amount received would be non-taxable. For these reasons, some claimants will themselves approach an insurance company and inquire about the possibility of a lump sum settlement.
It is critical that you consult with a disability lawyer prior to entering into a lump sum agreement. A disability lawyer can provide you with a present value calculation of your monthly benefit and advise you as to the reasonableness of the insurance company's offer. A disability lawyer can also review your policy and explain all the ramifications of surrendering your coverage and signing a Full and Final Release. A disability lawyer can also negotiate the lump sum settlement on your behalf.
At Yazdani Law Office, we have experience and expertise in negotiating and assisting clients across Canada with lump sum settlements. Contact us today for a free and confidential consultation with disability lawyer Mark Yazdani.