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Foundation for the Arts and Trauma, Inc. / ALIVE
ALIVE's vision is to create schools that support open conversations about the truth in students' lives, and thereby liberate their energies and spirits for the important work of learning. By attending to students' stresses before they break down with symptoms and negative behaviors, ALIVE helps the entire classrooms and school to calm down.
Philosophy: Our nation's current policy is to wait until highly stressed young children cannot hold on any longer and break down into symptoms of anxiety and depression, and disruptive behaviors in the classroom, and only then to provide expensive support services and treatments. ALIVE aims to reach these highly stressed students before they need to break down. This is accomplished through methods of early identification, in which every child is asked how they are doing, on a regular basis.
ALIVE Program for Elementary Schools – Miss Kendra's List:
A list of child safety items is placed in every classroom and linked with a fictional figure of Miss Kendra who is a single mother who experienced stress but overcame it by contributing to society. The students are encouraged to write to Miss Kendra about their worries, and then receive a letter back from her. These letters emphasize emotional literacy, a growth mindset, empathy, and penmanship. Weekly classroom activities help the students learn more about and share experiences relating to child safety, consolidating their understanding.
Dear Ms Kendra,
When I get bullyed I feel like i mean nothng to the world i'm just a piece of trash waiting to get swept up and be put in a trash can where i belong away from everyone and when i see people get bullyed i help them and tell them stand up for your self and don't let them get to you and there's this song thats called little me by little mix that talks about bullying. When people get bullyed the people who are bullying them there just hurt so they hurt others.
Love, Nuresh
Dear Miss Kendra,
I thank you for sending me that letter back I cry everyday thinking about my mom can you send me a bead for my strength because I bet you know how i feel, but my mom died when I was three weeks old, I need you, Miss Kendra. P.S. This is me. Draw me back when you send me a real picture Please please please please please!!!!
Dear Miss Kendra,
One time where I had to be strong was where my mom's old boyfriend Jimmie physically abused me and he picked me up by my neck, choked me, and threw me down the stairs, he punched a hole in my door he would steel money out of my moms purse and he threatened me if i told anybody he was abusing me he would kill me and my family and I felt that i had to stay strong and not tell anybody.
Sincerely, Charlie
Dear Miss Kendra,
I separated from my wife and kids last year and since I left my two boys I miss them so much. There is not a day that I don't cry when I can't see them. I always thought that I would raise my kids in my own home, and be with them every day. If left my wife because she would not stop fighting and screaming and I didn't want my kids to be raised in that environment. I left because it was what I thought was the right thing to do, but there hasn't been a single day that I don't regret leaving. They ask me to stay and live with them again every day. They still cry when they ask me to stay and so do I when I tell them I cannot. This is my new life now….
I hope I and my kids can get used to being away from each other.
Thank you!


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As the baby boomers who embraced Buddhism in the wake of the Vietnam War age, many wonder what American Buddhism will look like in coming years.
Buddhism today is not as counter-cultural as it was in the 60s and 70s; words like karma and zen are part of our vernacular, and meditation and mindfulness practice are mainstream. But while younger generations may include more dabblers in Buddhist thought, there are fewer full-fledged converts and formally trained teachers, pushing American Buddhism further to the Oprah side of the religion to self-help continuum.
The Winter 2008 issue of Buddhadharma includes a forum on "the future of Buddhism in a post-baby boomer world" (excerpt only online). Four Buddhist practitioners of various ages discuss the current state of Buddhism, the future of the dharma when the baby boomers are gone, and ways of making it more relevant and inviting to young people.
A few highlights:
On the tension between popularized Buddhism and its traditional forms:
Norman Fischer: [In America today] there is mindfulness training of various kinds and lots of research on mindfulness and health…So, a perspective that you can define very broadly as Buddhist is now one of the key streams in our society. Somebody might say that…isn't really Buddhism. I wouldn't argue that it is, but I would say that it's heavily Buddhist-inflected. Far from waning or atrophying, then, I'd say Buddhism is morphing and becoming more and more important all the time.
Sumi Loundon Kim: As Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and other aspects of the Buddhist tradition become diffused and permeated throughout mainstream society, at what point do we say that it is Buddhism anymore?
Sumi Loundon Kim: There is something appealing about the integrity of a tradition that has liturgy, cosmology, ethics, and practices that have been developed over the centuries so that they work together to transform a person. In the wake of globalization and the dissolution of tradition, there will be people who will seek the roots that come with a tradition.
Iris Brilliant: But I'm also excited when any group of young people wants to get together and learn just about the techniques of meditation…even if they're doing it in a secular and detached way.
On efforts to reach out to younger generations:
Rod Meade Sperry: There are young people retreats and people of color retreats and queer retreats, and that's certainly not a bad thing, but it sometimes misses the point. If you're a young person and your best bet is to join a retreat like that, which means that the practice community doesn't really include you, it's like being relegated to the kids' table at a family function. It's nice, but it's also sort of dismissive. What do you do when you're sent off to the kids' table? You either sneak off with the other kids and go play, or you find that one cool uncle who will chat you up. What dharma centers need are more cool uncles, more people who will automatically bring younger voices into the everyday life of their sangha.
Sumi Loundon Kim: I have a beef about the whole dharma scene being so meditation-oriented and retreat- and program-oriented. As a mother of young children, I have no time for retreats…There's a pretty strongly antisocial or nonsocial component to dharma centers in general. I don't understand how anybody…can really feel like they're part of a community.
Iris Brilliant: I think socially engaged Buddhism will be a strong driving force for younger people…People are using practice, especially mindfulness, in a way that is deeply intertwined with social justice.

subset: commoncrawl


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When Darius Willis transferred to Kansas University from Buffalo before the 2010 season, he came to play out his college career for the man who first recruited him.
But two seasons into Willis' time as a Jayhawk, former KU coach Turner Gill was fired, and Willis fell completely off the depth chart and moved into a starring role on new coach Charlie Weis' scout team.
Down but not out, Willis began working his way back into the picture, late last season at a new position on the defensive line and this spring at his old spot at middle linebacker.
"It became more of a motivational tool for me," Willis said. "It was to the point where I felt I had to prove something to myself, and that's what drove me. It wasn't anything outside, it was just me and finding that person inside of me that I know I can be."
Willis' resurgence has earned the respect of Weis, who recently singled out the 6-foot-2, 240-pound senior as one of the pleasant surprises of spring practice.
"When you go over to the show team, one of two things can happen," Weis explained. "Either you're going to go through the motions and you'll be anonymous the rest of your career, or you'll fight your way back. He worked his butt off. He worked his butt off in everything he did, (and) eventually I said, 'We need to find something for him to do.'"
That "something" turned out to be rushing the passer, and Willis began to work at defensive end behind former Jayhawk Toben Opurum. Weis said Willis' quickness and fast-twitch skills made him suited to help the Jayhawks off the edge, but it was his change in attitude that made it possible.
"When you're trying to run everybody out of here — because I would have gotten rid of 50 if I had to — some guys will go the other way," Weis said. "You always hear about the guys who are gone, but you don't hear much about the success stories, about the guys who had one foot out the door and fought their way back, not only to be around, but to be productive."
Willis, whom Weis quickly pegged as "one of those entitled guys," is one of those success stories. He's back playing the spot he had played his entire career, one that better fits his frame and mind-set.
"It's a lot of fun actually being in space again and running people down, not having to worry about being in the trenches and always fighting with a guard or a tackle," Willis said. "I really haven't gotten to the point where I want to be, so I'm really not too confident. I feel like there's so much work left to do, and this is just one step closer to what we want to accomplish, and that's to be a good defense."
Willis has impressed so much this spring that Weis said it was no longer a given that junior Ben Heeney, last year's leading tackler who finished third in the Big 12 in tackles, would dominate the reps at middle linebacker.
"It's not a run-away with Heeney in first," Weis said. "(Willis) is pushing him for playing time. It's been a nice competition, and I've been very pleased with Willis. He's one of those guys that could have thrown in the towel, but he went in the other direction. And kudos to him, because that's why he is where he is right now."
During the past week, Heeney has returned to the form he showed during the 2012 season, and his resurgence and Willis' emergence has left Weis feeling pretty good about his middle-linebacker position.
"Ben Heeney, early in camp, I actually was a little disappointed with," Weis said. "I think he felt good that he had a zillion tackles last year. I reminded him that he had a zillion tackles on a team that went 1-11. As of late, he's been on a very, very big rise."
KU Cowboys?
Former Jayhawks Opurum and Greg Brown worked out for the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday in Dallas.
Patriots workout
Three former KU starters recently worked out with the New England Patriots in Lawrence in preparation for the upcoming NFL Draft, April 25-27.
Shortly after KU's pro day, which attracted scouts from 17 NFL teams, Opurum, quarterback Dayne Crist and safety Bradley McDougald went through additional drills at the request of the Patriots.
NFL Network analyst Gil Brandt first reported the workouts and said several of the scouts were impressed by what they saw from Crist, who ran a 4.94-second 40-yard dash, pushed 15 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press and turned in respectable vertical (29 inches) and broad (8 feet, 11 inches) jumps.
Webb tears ACL
Former KU quarterback Jordan Webb, who started for most of the 2010 and 2011 seasons and transferred to Colorado before the 2012 season, recently tore his ACL and will miss the 2013 season.
According to a report in the Denver Post, Webb, a fifth-year senior who started at CU last year and led the Buffs to their only victory, plans to apply for a sixth season after rehabbing the injury.
"It's another obstacle that I have to overcome," Webb said in a statement.
Give Webb his year - he's earned it.
Webb is going to have a doctorate by the time he's done playing football.
We were thinking the same thing rock chalk 1990, but you beat me to it by a couple of minutes.
Sorry to hear of Jordan Webb's injury. He's a tough young man. He'll be back. On the plus side, maybe he can have his PhD completed by the end of his career.
You guys actually bring up a point that I've thought for many years makes great sense: if a kid is a full-time student, on pace for completion of either a first undergraduate, first masters or first doctorate, why not let him/her play collegiate sports?
Perhaps an 8-year limit - regardless of injury/redshirt. I could see a good number of players using the master's option while the doctorate would be a rarity. To me, there would be a lot of upside with virtually no negatives.
Keeping those non-pro players in the program would provide depth, stability and some parity - especially in college football.
Because you could potentially have a 28 year old man (20 yr old freshmen + 8 yrs) playing against a 17 yr old kid. That's a huge negative. The Purdue Boilermakers got their nickname because of it. The football coach had grown tired of losing to IU, so he recruited some of the local factory laborers to take some of his PE classes and play football. They destroyed IU that year. As good as it is to destroy IU anytime, it ultimately is not good for college athletics to have men playing boys.
Doesn't stop the NCAA from letting former professional baseball players come back and play football (or basketball). In fact the most infuriating thing I ever saw was Chris Weinke winning the Heisman at the age of 28. WTF!! Brandon Weeden was the same age.
Yet somehow Jeremy Bloom was declared ineligible for taking sponsor money to compete in amateur skiing events. The NCAA is a complete clusterf##k.
A little off track with that rant. Sorry.
Most freshmen are 18 - not 20. Most freshmen who play have developed the physical skills that allow them to compete at almost any level. If they don't have the size and ability, then they work hard and develop it as juniors and seniors. Your argument makes absolutely no sense.
He was referring to Mizzery players. Those first three freshmen years of high school are the worst.
Brady Morningstar would still be playing on this team. What is he 40 years old? For the slow to recognize sarcasm I realize he is only 35.
Kudos to Willis perseverance and enthusiasm. KU 8-4 this season.
Crist impresses??????????????? Really??? He was terrible! Webb would have been an upgrade! I can't imagine Crist making an NFL team. Was he a really nice young man? Sure but that doesn't mean he's a player. I see him coaching football in college someday. And also I think I remember hearing how good he was throwing the ball in practice when the red jersey was on. Maybe he's gotten over that being scared. Trust me I wish him the best I'm just not sure from what we saw last year he's even got a chance.
Congrats to Willis. I thought he'd be a beast in the middle when he transferred. I'm a Hutchinson guy though so I'm pulling for the hometown guy! Good luck to Ben Heeney this fall hope he tears it up in the middle. It would be great to have a player that you can sub in if needed and have little to no drop in talent. Wish we could have them both on the field.
Rock Chalk!
Crist has always been a great practice player and that's all these work outs are. Crist has all the physical tools you want to see in an NFL QB so that will always get attention and interest from scouts, but the game film should always be the biggest scouting tool out there and the game film says Crist can't get it done when the lights are on and there's no chance he gets drafted. Crist will probably even get an invite to training camp somewhere, but he won't make the 53 roster or even the practice squad. I don't blame NFL scouts for taking a look at Crist because he does have the physical tools to be an NFL QB, but that's about it.
" I reminded him he had a zillion tackles on a team that went 1-11. As of late he has been on a very very big rise." I love it.
The photo of KU and Tayhorse uniforms makes me think KU's uniforms are preventing KU from fully manning up in football. It was a nice idea to create brand consistency between football and basketball uniforms, and piggy back football on the KU basketball legacy, but the sports are fundamentally different and require different design approaches. Alabama's football and basketball uniforms bear no resemblance, for example. Nor do Nebraska's. Nor do Oklahoma's. Nor do USC's. And so on.
So: since KU has no strong, positive football legacy to live up to, and football and basketball uniforms tend to diverge anyway, I would suggest that KU ask for uniforms to be redesigned that are MORE manly than Tayhorse's uniforms. Recall Darrell Royal set the Texas standard, when asked why Texas wore pants with no stripes, he responded something like: these are work clothes, not formal wear.
Minimum change scenario: Same uniforms, but lose the stripes on pants and change type face of Kansas and the jersey number to same block style as Texas, only LARGER. Texas is the competitive standard in football. Set our sights to beat them, not to meet them. Screw finesse and subtlety in football uniforms. Next, lose the KU on the helmet and the blue color. The KU logo just barks inferiority complex, since the jersey already states the obvious. Paint the helmets white with a small Jayhawk emblem on each side sized just slightly larger than the long horn emblem. Again, these are work clothes, not formal wear. And if you can't stand not having a letter on the helmet put a small, crimson K, in a script like the K on the shoulder drapes that were once used in pictures of KU lettermen.
Maximum change scenario: Add a Prussian spike to the top of the helmets of KU defensive players.
When you are trying to play catch up, first show you can at least master the competitive standard in uniforms.
KU guys shouldn't have to walk out on the field looking like North Carolina football sissies.
Texas' uniforms communicate: we're big, we're bad, we mean business and here we come.
KU's uniform's communicate: we don't know what we are, we are second class footballers, we're going to get our asses kicked, so we're stylin'.
Rock Chalk!
Whatever...Just DON'T go "Impact Camo" on the football unis too!
I would say just go back to the uniforms of 5 years ago except with block numbers instead of trajan font numbers. When KU went back the royal blue uniforms instead of the navy blue ones, they were near duplicates of the New York Giants at the time and the New York Giants are about as blue collar, traditionalist as it gets in football.
I always liked the Texas uniforms. The bleach white away uni with no stripes, only burnt orange letters and helmet logo with a small logo on each hip. Even the face mask is white. I would love to see KU do something similar.
How about this helmet? (except with a white face mask, instead of gray)
Oops. Forgot to submit it.
Whatever. It won't let me submit the photo.
I'll sign the petition, Jaybate!
Bama, OU, Texas, Penn State, Nebraska, USC, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State....all have signature uni's and all are pretty straightforward. My hat is off to Oregon for developing a uniform strategy that every kid under 18 in America wants in on. There can be no debate, the Ducks struck a nerve with young recruits.
If you put 100 of us in a room, we'll design 100 different uniforms. Jaybate's main point is on point: get something with a specific attitude, that screams mean and that doesn't change for awhile.
The "Trajan" font adopted by the corporate identity folks on the hill needs to be set aside for use on letterhead from the chancellor. It has no place on a sports uniform.
Wasn't crist the mvp of the senior bowl when he actually had receivers?
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I will readily admit, on any weekday during the school term, my toddler daughter likes to watch a good dose of preschool television! Like all parents with younger kids at home, it's my rare opportunity to regain some control over the mess that I never seem to get on top of, while the older kids are out.
There's so much my little girl loves on TV during these times and you can bet I am thankful for that!
One of her absolute faves is the delightful Ella the Elephant show.
No doubt you've heard the sweet little tune that accompanies this show, twinkling in the background of your own home as you too, do your grown-up work (if you're also home-based). Little Ella has a cutesy voice and jingle and an even cuter collection of little elephant friends that accompany her on some fun adventures for kids.
Ella, with her trademark magic red hat, lives on Elephant Island which is home to Ella the Elephant and her adorable elephant friends Frankie, Tiki and Belinda. The group get up to some exciting adventures as they learn, help others and enjoy themselves. I've no need to tell you, younger kids love it.
My girl was so happy to discover that one of her most watched programs has some exciting little playthings that she can enjoy simultaneously, to extend her fun. Celeste is positively bubbling with joy at her newest Ella the Elephant Ella and Friends poseable figure collection she was sent in the post recently.
Ella and her friends are perfectly realised renditions of the animated series and with the bonus of moveable parts, they're a whole lot of fun for little people to play with too. While my girl watches the show, I observe her playing happily with these at the same time. Being a great compact size, they can be tucked away in a bag easily for play on the move as well. They're a hit!
Young fans of both sexes will be so excited to know that there's a great new-release Tree Fu Tom Ultimate Tom to enjoy at home. He's a really well designed action figure with all the right proportions for smaller people. He has no fiddly bits plus chunky features for younger fingers and all the bells and whistles that keep kids enthralled and playing over and over again.
Ultimate Tom features lights and sounds and button-pushing fun. By pressing the button on his chest, Tree Fu Tom plays the theme from his TV show when kids put him into a flying pose. There are pop up wings and the buttons either side of his Sapstone Belt and his Holopax will trigger both parts to light up and make Tom speak one of over 30 Tree Fu Tom phrases.
Tree Fu Tom Ultimate Tom is available at ABC Shops for RRP $39.99.
Tree Fu Tom has a great new DVD for kids too - Tree Fu Tom Time for Tree Fu! There are 6 cool adventures over 130 minutes to keep kids off your back and happy. Tree Fu Tom's latest DVD retails for $14.95.


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Last weekend I finished the The Everything Store, which details the rise of Amazon from a fledgling online book retailer to its current form. One pattern that stood out for me was how Amazon was able to continuously push into new business areas due to the infrastructure that they had in place based on previous decisions and commitments.
They started with books but were able to grow into other smaller products once they figured out the logistics behind shipping smaller items. Once Amazon had that in place they kept tweaking their distribution system to expand the variety of products offered while improving the speed of delivery. This allowed them to keep amassing a list of products which they used to open up their platform to third party sellers. And as Amazon improved their infrastructure they were able to open that up to these third party sellers as well. In parallel, they built AWS to provide computer services to internal Amazon teams but were able to turn it into a brand new line of business that powers the majority of new startups. And now their are rumors of Amazon building out a shipping service to bypass FedEx and UPS.
Ben Thompson coined this the "ladder-up strategy" and I'd argue it's the only way companies can keep consistently growing. Relentlessly focusing on a few things and then using them to attack adjacent markets is how you grow from a struggling startup to a powerhouse. The challenge is making the short term decisions that set you up for success in the future as well as knowing when to leverage that infrastructure to move into the next thing. The former is incredibly difficult - it requires thinking beyond the immediate step and understanding the opportunities that become available after a successful execution of the initial step. Then follow up by thinking of what the next strategic step will be and what doors that will open up. After a few iterations of this exercise you may get a glimpse of your company's future. But the ideas are the easy part - the execution is an order of magnitude more difficult. Scenarios will consistently come up that necessitate changing your approach but each change will pull you further and further away from your initial vision. You then need to either steer the company back towards the original direction or adapt your plan based on these new directions.
It's incredible seeing this successfully execute though. Companies that are able to do this consistently increase the size of their moat and become nearly impossible to dislodge. Each of their activities complements and reinforces the others which when coupled with their benefits of scale grant them monopoly-like powers.


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Often I see people complaining about a movie not having enough black people or saying a film has enough black people in.
There are ways to overcome this, make your own. I have written blogs before outlining this. I'm no film buff but I'd be happy to try and facilitate the making of a film my project management experience and knowledge would be put to the text, though I use project management organise myself rather than being a project manager.
Enough waffle, I am aware a film can be expensive to make though you do not need to look to Hollywood to make one just make it simple with a great story line.
The Nate Parker film, I'll watch it but I'm aware that black people have been at it again, mental masturbating and laying down excuses. If we as a people were motivated then more of our projects worldwide would get started and more of our films would be backed.
If you want to see a film which had yourself and reflects you watch Nollywood and if you have a big idea contact some Nollywood producers.
Further Information
Nollywood World's Second Largest Movie Industry


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Trees are a great way of reducing the harsh climatic impacts and keep our environment safe and healthy, they provide us with a healthy living space. While everyone focuses on planting new trees and maintaining the old ones, it is also important to remove trees as sometimes they can cause more harm than good. There are certain situations which require emergency tree removal, if you want to know when you need to remove trees then this article will act as your complete guide.
The first thing that comes to mind when it comes to emergency tree removal is when a storm approached, but during that time the tree removal companies are all busy and have a really tight schedule. To avoid such a situation you can always notify them beforehand by noticing any possible threats. The first thing you should look for is an overgrown branch that might look like it could hurt somebody. Do not hesitate, in such a situation you need to call a tree removal company as soon as possible in order to avoid any accidents.
Once a tree starts to die it is better to get rid of it as soon as possible, people tend to delay such things, however, it can pose a serious threat. Make sure to remove the tree in order to avoid any spread of harmful disease. This threat is not limited to just you or your family it can harm your whole neighborhood so make sure that you get it removed as soon as you see any signs.
Besides all the other factors a tree should also be removed if it looks like it could damage any of your property, to avoid such risks make sure you call in the experts to let them do their job.


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'Love is the most beautiful of dreams and the worst of nightmares'
– William Shakespeare
Love, oh love, how dark, bitter and semisweet thou can be, but chocolate, I prefer thee exactly that way. As bars, truffles, fudge and cake, no person can resist the allure of chocolate. From ancient Mayan civilization to modern 21st century times, the cacao bean has been an object of seduction, temptation and satisfaction. Processing, blending, tempering, decorating and molding is not as easy as one thinks, and it takes a true artisan to master the complex craft of chocolate making. I had the privilege of meeting one such chocolatier in Vancouver, once during dinner at Le Crocodile and the following day at his newly opened patisserie and café in Kitsilano.
Born and raised in Germany as a fourth generation Konditormeister, or Master Pastry Chef, Thomas Haas was destined to follow in his great grandfather's footsteps. His great grandfather opened Café Conditorei Haas in 1918 in the Black Forest village of Aichhalden, Germany. After graduating from school, Thomas went on to work at several Michelin starred restaurants in Europe before settling in Vancouver for his first executive pastry chef position at the Four Seasons Hotel. It was shortly after working alongside Daniel Boulud as Executive pastry chef to open the famed Michelin starred restaurant Daniel in New York that Thomas exploded onto the scene, winning numerous competitions and awards for his creations. He now runs 2 namesake patisseries in Vancouver, the original location in North Shore and the newest addition in the trendy neighborhood of Kitsilano, which happens to be right next door to Daniel Boulud's restaurant db Bistro and Lumière.
Thomas Haas patisserie and café in Kitsilano is one of the few places in the world where you can buy handcrafted artisanal chocolates and pastries, and also enjoy it with a cup of coffee or tea. On any given day, you will see Thomas behind the counter, serving viennoiserie, packing chocolate truffles and working the cash register while answering questions and giving recommendations to customers with a friendly smile. For a busy konditormeister and restaurateur, it's nice to see that he is so involved with the front of the house and extremely approachable. He even came over to our table with complimentary macaroons and took the time to chat with us about all of his beautiful creations.
Thomas Haas' signature dish is the dark chocolate ganache with pecan, caramel and Brittany fleur de sel, but his silky dark chocolate ganaches with fruit flavors like cassis, rasperry, lime cachaça, lychee and passion fruit are also famous. Perfect little balls of chocolate truffles made with Jamaican rum and matcha are tantalizing, as well as his elegant pastries like raspberry financier and pistachio sour cherry tart. He doesn't stop there- chewy caramels, pâtes de fruits, chocolate sparkle cookies in the freezer that you take home and bake, chocolate bars that come in several flavors and cocoa percentages (I love the dark chocolate rooibos-rose and milk chocolate chai), and hot chocolate made with Valrhona chocolate that come in gorgeous tins (the Aztec with chipotle and ancho chile has even made a guest appearance in a foie gras appetizer in one of my previous dinners).
Manjari chocolate cake with manjari chocolate mousse and rum crème brûlée with a cup of vanilla rooibos tea was seductively rich and subtly sweet with a slight hit of smooth rum, and the perfect dessert to follow our burger lunch at db Bistro. The white chocolate wedge printed with the Thomas Haas logo was a cute touch.
Cassis, chocolate, vanilla and passion fruit macarons were an absolute delight, and some of the best macarons that I have ever had, rivaling the Pierre Hermé, Fauchon and Ladurée versions that I have had in Paris. A perfect crunchy outermost layer, deceptively thin, that gives way much easier than expected to a moist meringue that collapses around the flavor packed center filling. The passion fruit is my favorite, as the filling is made with the perfect balance of sweet and tart, but they're all light and soft with a clean finish.
Thomas Haas' award winning chocolates and pastries in Vancouver are absolutely worth the trip, and Thomas makes the visit even more worthwhile by creating a unique atmosphere for those who want to stay for a cup of coffee and scrumptious pastries. His North Shore store, which houses the main kitchen, is constructed to look like the inside of a chocolate box. The Kitsilano location takes a more scientific approach to its decor, where the door frame is inscripted with the molecular structure of theobromine, the primary alkaloid found in cocoa and chocolate, and the mirrored ceiling tiles represent the structure of this chocolate molecule.
Love can be dark and bittersweet, but Thomas Haas' dark and bittersweet chocolate creations will make you forget about lost loves and make everything just perfect.
Thomas Haas Fine Chocolates and Patisserie
Kitsilano store:
2539 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC V6K 2E9, Canada
(604) 736-1848
Random trivia: Did you know that chocolate contains over 1500 flavor components? Just like coffee or wine, chocolate has many different flavors due to complex layering of distinctive notes like cinnamon, tobacco, berries and rose. The origins of the beans (Ghana, Jamaica and Venezuela, for example), process of fermentation, soil and roasting process all contribute to distinct subtleties in flavors, which is one of the reasons why chocolate pairs with wine so well.


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Lace Caps Lead Home
23 April 2010
We have tried to impress upon people researching French ancestors that they must have three pieces of information to make a beginning: a name, a place and a date, preferably for a birth, a death or a marriage. Why, you ask? There is no centrally indexed collection of records or data available to genealogists that would enable a nation-wide, department-wide, or even municipality-wide search for a person. Many of our readers use Ancestry.com to search US federal censuses and expect to find a similar resource available for French records. No. Thus, those requests for a "Jean Martin born in France around 1800" would require a team of researchers in more than one hundred locations, searching innumerable parish records one by one. It will never happen.
Which brings us once again to the happy sleuthing through family mementos and detritus for any little hint as to whence came that French ancestor. Today, we look at coiffes, those delicately crafted lace and cotton caps that were once a lady's joy to wear, showing both her skill and her regional pride. Perhaps a home-knitted scarf of the colours of one's favourite football club would be the modern equivalent.
Like any bit of folkloric dress or traditional costume, the coiffes had styles that were unique to regions or even to specific villages. The shape, structure, materials and lace patterns all together can identify the place of the cap's origin, and thus possibly that of the wearer. The old postcard above shows some of the traditional coiffes worn in Normandy. Below is the utterly unique coiffe of the Bresse area of eastern France:
(We honestly do not know what to make of the fellow next to the coiffe wearer, or of his own coiffe. )
Should you be so lucky as to have inherited a French coiffe or a picture of your immigrant ancestor wearing one, studying it could help identify her place of origin. A few simple points to know:
- earlier coiffes tended to be made of linen, while by the end of the 19th century they were more often of cotton
- lace was always expensive; the more lace, the costlier the coiffe
- there were coiffes for different occasions, and every day coiffes
Three of the best sites we have found for further explanation are
- that of Parole et Patrimoine, which has many, many photos and pages of explanations
- that of the Musée de la vie rurale et de la coiffe, which has, in addition to photos and explanations, many good links to other sites
- the page of the Association Micarmor on the coiffes of Bretagne gives a very nice, if limited, description of that region's styles and production
It may take a bit of work and writing to experts about your coiffe, but if it yields the name of a village for where to begin your research, it will have been worth it.
©2010 Anne Morddel
French Genealogy


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2019 Ford F350 Diesel
Moving up a league doesn't at all times bring success. The rewards may be greater, but the competitors will probably be more durable. So it's for the 2019 Ford F350 Diesel. The one-time Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage rival has been reinvented as a costlier SUV, so now it's up towards formidable prestige-badged competition such because the BMW X1.
Thankfully, the brand new 2019 Ford F350 Diesel builds on the strengths of the authentic, offering extra space, a classier feel and improved effectivity. It's nonetheless designed mainly for on-road use, but four-wheel-drive 4Motion variations now feature adjustable drive modes that help you tackle completely different situations.
Learn on over the following few pages for every part it's essential know in regards to the 2019 Ford F350 Diesel, including which engine and trim to choose. And don't forget to go to our new automobile offers to see if you will get a decent discount off a 2019 Ford F350 Diesel.
The most effective-selling 2019 Ford F350 Diesel is the 148bhp 2.Zero-litre diesel mannequin (badged 2.Zero TDI 150) and it is easy to see why; it affords a positive mix of efficiency and gasoline financial system, whereas the cheaper 115 model (with 113bhp) feels a little bit in need of puff. There's also a 190 model of the two.0 TDI engine that delivers plenty of punch but is reasonably pricey, while the range-topping 240 version brings but extra tempo for an much more eyebrow-raising price.
Should you're extra interested by petrol energy, the entry-level 125 model places out 123bhp from its turbocharged 1.4-litre engine. Nonetheless, whereas it's probably the most affordable mannequin within the vary, it struggles a bit up inclines, especially when loaded up to the gunnels. The 150 version is better, however nonetheless lacks the low-rev pulling energy of the diesels.
As for the 2.Zero-litre 180 petrol engine, it feels quick and is quick off the line, thanks to all-wheel drive coming as normal. It doesn't fairly have the in-gear flexibility of the diesels, although, however round city you'll have little situation with the respectable efficiency it affords and out on the motorway there's no problem overtaking.
By small SUV standards, the 2019 Ford F350 Diesel rides very well certainly. It smooths over larger imperfections, akin to velocity bumps, better than the BMW X1, yet the suspension remains to be firm sufficient to stop the body from bouncing up and down too much alongside undulating roads.
Patched up roads and broken Tarmac can unsettle the 2019 Ford F350 Diesel a bit of – particularly when you select a version with big alloy wheels – however compared with its key rivals the 2019 Ford F350 Diesel is snug. Even the sporty R-line trim is bearable, if not as good as lesser fashions. If you'd like a more settled journey, you'll need to choose something with a decrease centre of gravity, comparable to a VW Golf.
We would not bother with the 2019 Ford F350 Diesel elective adaptive suspension. It does not enhance the ride that a lot and there are more worthwhile extras to spend your cash on.
The 2019 Ford F350 Diesel handles extra like a traditional hatchback than lots of its SUV rivals; it is genuinely pleasurable to drive. Some might really feel the steering is a bit of too gentle, but it surely's precise, making the car simple to position on the road. There is not an excessive amount of physique roll by means of corners and all versions have loads of grip, although the four-wheel-drive 4Motion fashions unsurprisingly offer higher traction in slippery circumstances.
True, the X1 and Seat Ateca are even more agile through the twisty bits, however the 2019 Ford F350 Diesel outshines most other small SUVs, together with the Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage. The R-line mannequin is offered with sports suspension however this doesn't make the 2019 Ford F350 Diesel any extra fun.
4Motion models add a dial next to the gearlever that allows you to select totally different modes depending on the terrain and provoke a hill descent system. A further choice is adaptive chassis control – this lets you stiffen or soften the suspension to prioritise either ride comfort or flatter handling.
The petrol engines are particularly clean, even when being labored onerous, and while the diesels sound a bit clattery at tickover and while you actually put your foot down, they're nonetheless muted at a cruise and much from raucous when accelerating. That stated, the diesel engines within the rival X1 are slightly quieter.
At excessive speeds, you'll hear a flutter of wind noise around the 2019 Ford F350 Diesel door mirrors, however nearly no street noise except you opt for a version with really huge alloy wheels. The manual gearbox is mild and easy to use, while the DSG automatic is clean and soothing the vast majority of the time, with solely the occasional jerk at low speeds.
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- Bruton SB coach takes his 8th-seeded SB team into the tournament
- Only one Region I tournament berth is available
- Both top-seeded teams missed out on tournament championship last year
POQUOSON — — If you're looking for an example of how much parity there is in Bay Rivers District baseball and softball, dig this:
Bruton softball coach Dave Falin was sure his his ninth-place team's season would end Thursday, that he booked a 6 a.m. flight for Friday to go see his daughter Jen Falin play for Christopher Newport University in the NCAA Division III softball final eight in Wisconsin.
Falin had to cancel the flight when Bruton upset then-second place York 3-2, moving the Panthers into a Friday playoff for the No. 8 seed into the tournament, which starts Saturday. The No. 8 seed in the Bay Rivers is more meaningful than in many districts, as Southampton showed in upsetting No. 1 Poquoson in last year's softball quarterfinals.
In the Bay Rivers, most of the eight baseball or softball teams enter today's quarterfinals with realistic hopes of winning. And the district tournament is important this year, because other than Poquoson — the regular-season champion in baseball and softball — the rest will battle for one remaining Region I tournament berth.
"That brings a ton of intensity, because there's so much on the line for each game," York softball coach Amy Hunter said. "If everybody comes and plays at their top level, it's going to be a really really exciting tournament to play in and to watch."
What's at stake
Very little for Poquoson baseball (16-1 district) and softball (15-2) teams, because their district titles qualified them for a spot in the Region I quarterfinals on Memorial Day. Still, both want to win one of the few prizes that eluded them a year ago.
"The big thing is that we want to go into the regionals hitting the ball well," said Islanders coach Ken Bennett, whose team won the AA state title last season, but not the district tournament. "We're going to play to win the tournament."
Said Maggie Tyler, Poquoson's ace softball pitcher: "We want to win the district tournament after getting knocked out (by Southampton) last year."
The other seven teams in each tournament will fight for the regional tournament berth. The baseball team at Tabb (13-5) and the softball team at Grafton (14-4) have the inside tracks, because the second-place team gets the second berth if the regular-season champions win the tournament.
Should Poquoson falter in either tournament, however, the tournament champion gets the second regional berth.
"I'd rather go into the tournament in second place," said Hunter, whose Falcons dropped to third with the loss to Bruton. "But the tournament is really up for grabs, because anyone can win it."
Tournament mind-set
York baseball coach Rusty Ingram, whose team finished third in the regular season, said he'd also like to have finished second, rather than having to overtake Tabb for the regional berth by winning the tournament. But he said he's not focusing on the big picture — winning the tournament — so much as getting his players to focus on playing well.
"Most of the kids are aware that we've got to win three in a row to make the regional tournament," Ingram said. "But if that's what they're thinking about, and not thinking about the game pitch-by-pitch, too many things can happen in a baseball game that can really mess your mind up.
"If you're ready to compete pitch-by-pitch, and you win enough pitches, winning will take care of itself. Thinking about, `I've got to win this game or I've got to win that game," is looking too far ahead and making it hard to focus on the task at hand."
Hunter agrees.
"I told my girls, `Yes you want to win, but if you can walk off the field and tell me you played your hardest, that's the way you want to end a season. You want to know you put up a good fight.'"
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The Challenging Road To Convergence
The Missing Piece of the Convergence Puzzle Has Finally Been Delivered
by Jake Ehrlich
We live in a fascinating time in history, where many traditional ways of doing things are quickly becoming obsolete. Worlds are colliding and converging very quickly. We see this with smart phones you can watch TV and movies on, read a book, play games, search the web or keep up with friends on Facebook and Twitter.
When one technology overcomes and supplants another, it is referred to as an inflection point. Trains replaced a horse and buggy or stagecoach, and airplanes replaced trains.
First we replaced paper encyclopedias and dictionaries with CD and DVD-Roms, and now we have replaced them with crowd-sourced versions like Wikipedia and the Urban Dictionary. iPads are quickly replacing and supplanting newspapers and magazines.
Convergence Defined
A quarter-century ago, the high-tech world began contemplating the notion of convergence. A decade and a half-ago, in the mid 1990s, one of the hottest topics in tech was "Convergence" also known as "Interactive Television" or, "Interactive TV."
Actually, the very first truly Interactive TV was invented in 1968 by Ralph Bear, when he invented the game Pong, which was played on a TV. Here is a video from 1969 of Ralph Bear and Bill Harrison playing Ping-Pong on TV, which was the very first Video Game in history:
Everybody was taking about convergence, and the great question, was whether or not we would end-up watching TV on our computers, or Computing on our TVs? That question was answered, and today we watch TV, movies and experience all sorts of "Multimedia" on our computers.
The best example of this would be things like watching You Tube, Hulu or Netflix, and mainstream TV programming on your computer screen. The challenge is that TVs and Computers converged into Computers, but the way we control this experience has not.
Ironically, it was Bill Gates that was one of the early proponents of convergence, and he perhaps better articulated the idea of convergence in a 1999 Forbes magazine story when he said:
"Amazingly, it's been more than 20 years since the concept of 'convergence' entered the high-tech lexicon. For most of that time, convergence has meant two things: the coming together of the computer, consumer electronics, and telecommunications industries and the merging of gadgets such as the PC, TV and telephone.
But as the 21st century approaches, sophisticated digital technologies and the promise of exploding bandwidth are combining to create a third kind of convergence that will change our lives more dramatically than anything we've seen so far. It will deliver the power of the information age into the hands of everyone, anytime, anywhere.
...A lot still needs to be done to make this a reality. First, in the same way that people must speak the same language if they are to understand each other and collaborate, smart devices also need to speak a common language to communicate effectively."
Six years later, in 2004, Bill Gates said:
"Convergence doesn't happen until you have everything in a digital form the consumer can easily use on all the different devices...There's one thing missing: You have to sit down at the keyboard to work with it. You need a remote control interface at a distance, and you need to be able to project on to different screens."
The Promise Of Convergence
The promise of convergence is immense, and science-fiction movies like The Minority Report have given us a glimpse of what it might look like. The great question is how realistic are user-interfaces like the one Tom Cruise uses in Minority Report?
I argue that it is not realistic in the same way and that reality is and will continue to be even better and more realistic than science fiction. If there is any question in your mind, compare the devices on the original Star Trek with a modern iPhone. Reality it turns out is more innovative than fiction. So let's separate the fact from the fiction by looking at the real world options.
Option 1: Set Top Box
Many set-top boxes like a Tivo, DVR, Google TV and Apple TV, have tried and failed to deliver on the promise of convergence. The world has gotten 80% of the way across the river with convergence, but nobody has ever figured out the last 20%. Using an infrared remote control to type text, which uses a 5-way rocker-switch to type has to be one of the most archaic, inaccurate and frustrating experiences.
You know what I am talking about! Remember misspelling something, then having to toggle up to the delete key to erase characters, then you over shoot the mark!?! Trying to type or search on a set top box with a hand-held remote control is like trying to nail jello to the wall. Tivo came up with an even better remote with a built-in sliding keyboard, but who wants to type an email with a tiny/awkward keyboard.
Even Google and Logitech failed by partnering on the Logitech Revue set-top-box (as seen above) that ran Google TV. As a matter of fact, Logitech lost more than $100 Million and the CEO had to step-down because Logitech had more returns that actual sales. It doesn't take much to realize how bizarro unergonomic the Logitech Revue Google TV is with the trackpad located in the upper right hand corner.
Option 2: Mac Mini or HTPC
Computer On A TV
Mac Mini Media Centers and PC Home Theaters (HTPCs) are beginning to become very popular. Essentially, a Home Theater PC or Mac Mini Media Center is a very small computer that bypasses a set-top boxes and hooks up a very small dedicated media computer to a large flat screen LCD TV.
Home media centers typically benefit from having a full-size wireless keyboard and mouse. The idea is you can sit on a couch or in your favorite chair, by yourself, or with friends and family, and not only watch TV, but surf the web and do most of the things you do on a laptop computer. This includes enjoying video content on YouTube, Hulu, Netflix or iTunes.
You have probably noticed over the past several years, you are watching more and more TV programming on ABC.com, NBC.com, and CBS.com as well as Fox.com and even on HBO.com. If you are reading this article, you probably are watching more and more YouTube videos and snippets. In an increasingly "on-demand-world" this trend will not only continue, but at some point probably replace cable TV as we know it.
The tremendous challenge today, is with a wireless keyboard and mouse, you are 80% of the way to achieving convergence nirvana. The bottleneck is the keyboard and mouse are extremely difficult to use from a coffee table, and even more difficult to use on your lap or on a couch, recliner of big-comfy chair.
Even if you have a wireless Apple keyboard and Magic Trackpad, it's still very difficult to use on your coffee table or lap. If you try to use it on a coffee table it places you in a very uncomfortable position where you have to lean forward every time you want to use it. On your lap, the trackpad often ends up falling off your lap or between the cushions, or even worse, on the floor.
If two or more people are are sitting in a family room, living room or den, and they want to take turns controlling the Mac Mini Media Center or HTPC, forget about it. You can't comfortably pass a keyboard and mouse or trackpad to somebody.
Option 3: Stay On The Desktop
The BulletTrain eXpress is extremely popular as a desktop keyboard and mouse replacement. Many eXpress users are used to using a MacBook or PC Laptop with a trackpad, and when they move to the desktop they get really frustrated with a conventional keyboard and mouse.
With the advent of OS X Lion, MacBook users are becoming accustomed to the extreme efficiency of using gestures, which makes moving back and forth between a MacBook and a standard desktop frustrating. Many people who even use an Apple wireless keyboard and Magic Trackpad report that it feels awkward. They say moving their hand back and forth between a mouse or trackpad is uncomfortable and stressful.
Putting the Cart Behind The Horse &
Putting the Trackpad Behind the Keyboard
BulletTrain provides the PERFECT solution to ALL the challenges described above. The BulletTrain Express not only completely overcomes all three challenges, but on the desktop, it also delivers a better than perfect experience.
This is because the surface area on Apples Magic Trackpad is 88% larger than on any other MacBook, and compared to PC Trackpads, the Magic Trackpad is up to 350% larger. This translates into much more effortless and friction-free gestures, swipes and scrolling.
The BulletTrain eXpress is as at-home on your lap as it is on your desktop. The typically disjointed experience of using a computer on a desktop or laptop has now been truly unified in one simple, easy to use, friction-free ergonomic platform.
Switching between a MacBook keyboard and any other keyboard and mouse or trackpad on the desktop, is like going from driving a Mercedes, to a driving a horse and buggy. Going from an Apple MacBook to a BulletTrain eXpress is like going from a 10 years old Mercedes to a top-of-the-line, fully-loaded, electric 2014 Mercedes. In doing so, you achieve better than perfect laptop/desktop convergence.
Convergence Delivered
What about the set top boxes and Mac Mini Media Centers or HTPCs? As mentioned, trying to juggle a keyboard and mouse on a coffee table or on a couch or chair is a nightmare. Enter, the BulletTrain eXpress.
The BulletTrain eXpress essentially turns your Mac Mini Media Center or HTPC into a wireless giant-screen laptop. All of a sudden, you can do EVERYTHING well on your large screen LCD TV that you can do well on your laptop or desktop computer .
You can not only watch standard TV, DVR or On-demand content, but you can surf the web in your favorite browser, identically to the way you do on your desktop or laptop, or you can use your favorite Twitter client or Facebook or IM.
If you are in your family room or living room or den, family and friends can easily pass the BulletTrain eXpress Keyboard Platform back and forth to each other with just one hand. This takes sharing and collaborating to a whole new level. Even a couple, can hang out in bed, in a bedroom with an HTPC and pass the BulletTrain eXpress back and forth to each other, just like a remote control.
You can also enjoy all video content, including Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Video, iTunes, You Tube and Vimeo. You can also enjoy your photo collection directly from iPhoto, Aperture or Adobe Lightroom. You can use Final Cut Pro or iMovie to edit video directly on your large Flat screen TV.
You can even use Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, or any CAD software. You can look-up or add a contact to your address book. If a Friend calls on the phone you can look at your calendar and add a date.
You can even book a trip to Tahiti if you want. Let's say you are watching The Godfather II, and a character uses a word you are not familiar with, you can look it up in the dictionary app or on Wikipedia. You can look-up information about your favorite new character in a great TV show that just came out. You can play video games including Angry Birds...You get the idea!!!
The BulletTrain eXpress not only gives you unlimited options, but it truly sets you free to explore your world, wherever and whenever you want. The worlds first truly convergent on-demand experience just arrived. Welcome On-Board the BulletTrain eXpress. And remember, always stay on the fast-track!!!
The Future Of BulletTrain
At BulletTrain our mission is simple. We believe there are still many uncompleted and half-baked parts of the computing puzzle, and thus, a tremendous amount of room for improvement. In the day, months, and years to come, we plan to role out many, many more highly innovative tools and products that will allow mankind to completely unlock all the potential that exists in the ever increasing world of convergence.
Steve Jobs' Integrated TV
I originally published the above story on October 3, 2011. Steve Jobs died two days later on October 5, 2011. A few weeks later, it came out that Steve Jobs biographer, Walter Isaacson, quote Steve Jobs in his new book as saying:
"I'd like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use. It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud. It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it."
I am obviously fascinated to see and explore Steve Jobs' vision for the Integrated TV. My best guess is that Apple will update the $99 Apple TV with the A5 chip found in the 4S iPhone, and iPad 2. This would allow you to speak to your Apple TV through your iPhone or iPod Touch using Siri voice commands. Apple may also introduce and actual TV set like a 50, 60 or 70 inch TV, with Apple TV functionality built into it, which would be cool.
It also crosses my mind Steve Jobs may have been referring to iOS 5's Airplay Mirroring on the iPhone or iPad?
In my opinion, no matter how great the above mentioned Steve Jobs potential solutions may or may not be, it will not be nearly as good as having a Mac Mini hooked up to a 60LCD TV, with a BulletTrain eXpress Keyboard Platform to control it.
I say this because this solution gives the user a completely integrated TV experience that is identical to that of a MacBook. With my idea of the ultimate interactive TV it provides the user with ZERO additional learning curve, by offering a complete consistent experience.
Time as they say will tell, and it will be very interesting to see what happens.
BTW, in this next video, you get to see and hear Steve Jobs opinion on convergence from 1998. The video quality is not great, but the audio is:


text: Scouse Home To Home Computer Repair IT services you can trust Welcome to Scouse Home To Home Computer Repair. A computer service that comes to your home. No need to leave your home or deal with the complexity of cabling hardware re-connection. Scouse Home to Home Computer Repair offers prompt and courteous residential computer repair. We understand that your data that you have created on your systems is important to you as well as the repair. That being said we our dedicated to safeguarding all your personal data during the maintenance and repair of your computer system. Customer satisfaction is extremely important to us. We pride ourselves on extending our relationship with our customers. Follow-up is always provided along with any friendly assistance to new questions. As an A+ certified technician we provide our customers with first rate and neighborly computer service at an affordable price. Completely mobile you can stay in your home and wait for us to come to you at a time that is convenient. If it's slow performance or network issues call us we can help with a range of services offered. Note: We do not service Apple/Mac products. Alleviating the need for you to pack up your computer or use time to bring your system in for repairs. Contact Us


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Topical Homecare Treatments
At The Cooden Medical Group we believe that a good skincare regime is vital to the maintenance of healthy, young looking skin. This is even more so, before, during and after any treatment to help prepare your skin, heal and prolong the results. As everyone's skin is unique, it is essential that you choose your products carefully and use the right combination in order to obtain the best results.
With so many products on the market these days it can get confusing, especially when they all promise so much. Here at the Cooden Medical Group our experienced team will happily to guide you on the home care regime that is right for your skin.
As well as specific retinoid treatments we stock Obagi®, a prescription only, clinically tested and proven effective skin care range which has the ability to revitalise, heal, enhance and protect all types of skin.
Obagi Professional-C™
Obagi® provides a line of Vitamin C products which are formulated with L-ascorbic acid to help defend against the visible signs of skin ageing and may offer many useful benefits including minimising the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, calming inflammation, brightening the skin and retaining moisture. We recommend:
- Professional C Serum 5%
- Professional C Serum 10%
- Professional C Serum 15%
- Professional C Serum 20%
Obagi-C® Rx System
The Rx System range addresses early signs of skin ageing and damage with a unique regimen that combines the benefits of both prescription-strength hydroquinone and Vitamin C for smoother, radiant, and more even-looking skin. Offering the benefits of both prescription-strength 4% hydroquinone and Vitamin C these products address the visible signs of skin damage and help maintain younger-looking skin, diminishing fine lines and wrinkles, unevenness of skin tone, and pigmentation. We recommend:
- C Exfoliating Day Lotion
- C Cleansing Gel
- C Balancing Toner
- C Sunshield Matte SPF30
- C Clarifying Serum with Vit C 10%
- C Therapy Night Cream
- C Early Intervention System Pack
Obagi Nu-Derm® System
Although skin ageing is a natural, daily sun exposure can speed up that process and can also be harmful. Sun-damaged skin will appear dull, with older, damaged cells accumulating due to slower skin cell turnover. Obagi's Nu-Derm® System will help transform the skin's appearance by reducing darks spots, redness, sallowness and revealing younger, healthier-looking skin. We recommend:
- Full System Dry/Oily
- Skin Transformation Trail Kit
- Foaming Gel/Gentle Cleanser No.1
- Toner No.2
- Clear No.3
- Exfoderm No.4
- Blender No.5
- Hydrate Facial Moisturiser
- Hydrate Lux
- Sunfader No.6 SPF15
- Sunshield SPF50
CLENZIderm M.D.™ System
This three-step acne treatment is specifically formulated for normal to oily skin to help treat acne where it starts. The formulation contains clinically proven benzoyl peroxide to help control adult acne for a clearer, healthier-looking complexion. We recommend:
- Complete Therapeutic System
- Therapeutic Lotion
- Pore Therapy
- Gentle Foaming cleanser
- Therapeutic Moisturiser
- Cream Cleanser
Obagi® 360™ System
This system is designed specifically for younger patients to help protect and preserve youthful looking skin. It features everything you need to fight the first signs of ageing, maintaining and rejuvenating your skins texture, smoothing your skin's surface and diminishing hyperpigmentation. Retinol will boost cell turnover to prevent acne, reduce fine lines and wrinkles and UV filters will protect skin from environmental damage. We recommend:
- Full System
- Retinol 1%
ELASTIderm® Eye Products
This range contains products for the eyes and lashes. Eye treatments are especially designed to refresh the eye area and offer firmer, more resilient-looking eyes. Last treatments offer conditioning and accelerated growth. All ELASTIderm Eye Products formulated with clinically proven ingredients that are delivered deep into the skin via advanced Penetrating Therapeutics technology so that you can enjoy results in as little as two weeks. We recommend:
- Eye Treatment Cream
- Eye Treatment Gel
- Elastiderm Delletage Packs
- Elastilash Eyelash Solution
- MyLash Eye Drops
- Elastiderm Eye Complex Serum
You can use Topical Home Care Treatment for the following issues:
- Fine lines
- Freckles
- Uneven skin tone
- Mild hyperpigmentation
- Minimal age spots
- Dry, oily, or sensitive skin
- Acne
- Ageing
- Inflammation
- Hyperpigmentation
- Rosacea
- Sun damage
Obagi Skin Health Systems are some of the most effective I have ever used and that is why I use these products on both myself and my mother. If you are looking for real results, Obagi is a great investment that never fails to deliverDr K Dickinson


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Foreign students who study at Lublin's best public and non-public higher education institutions play an increasing role in the city. In order to improve the standard and quality of studies, they can take part in sport competitions, representing their schools.
The purpose of academic sport rivalry is to improve the sport standard of student competitors through sport challenges; create an alternative, safe and healthy form of spending free time for students, the group highly exposed to the risk of various additions; promote sport and physical activity in the academic community and promote the City of Lublin among academic youth.
The organiser of the academic sport rivalry system is the Academic Sport Association Lublin Voivodship Community Club. Based on the subsidy granted by the Municipality of Lublin for the implementation of the public task "Organisation of Academic Sport Rivalry", Academic Championships of the Lublin Voivodship are organised, in which students from all Lublin's higher education institutions take part, both public and non-public. The Lublin Universiade – Championships of 1st Year Students – is an edition of competitions for first-year students of Lublin's higher education institutions, who start to settle into the academic community. The Finals and Semi-Finals of Academic Championships of Poland are held and at the next stage, the winning teams compete at the central level.
Also the largest higher education institution in Lublin – the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University – has extensive sports facilities and the AZS UMCS Lublin University Club has a tradition of almost 70 years. It groups together more than 500 competitors and 50 coaches in 39 university sections and 7 league teams. Our athletes represent the University throughout Poland, participating in Academic Championship of Poland competitions.
The AZS UMCS Lublin University Club is home to both amateur and competitive sports at the highest level. There are seven teams in the club, taking part in central competitions at different levels. In the top competition class, the University is represented by athletes who performed very well at the Athletic Championships of Poland, winning medals. The AZS UMCS Optima Lublin women table tennis players have also joined the national elite. In the Basket League promotion challenge, first league women basketball players were among the favourites. Futsal teams and women's and men's handball teams are also competing successfully at the first league level. In the third basketball league, the Interbud AZS UMCS Lublin players are unbeatable.
For more information please visit the website: www.azs.umcs.pl
Academic competitions are held at a very high performance level, which is testified by results scored by students in national rankings in both individual sports and in team games.
More information on academic sports rivalry: akademicki - http://www.azs.lublin.pl/
Facebook - City of Lublin
If this website malfunctions or you see incorrect data, please let us know by using the form below.


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Happy Random Acts of Kindness Day!
It doesn't take much to make positive an impact on someone's day. You just never know what is going on in a person's life, what they are struggling with, or how much the little things really mean to them. Who knows, one act of kindness to someone when they need it most could change the course of their life even!
Here are 101 ideas of some things you can do to bring joy into someone's life, today and every day:
1. Leave money on a vending machine for someone
2. Bake cookies for the elderly
3. Serve at a homeless shelter
4. Do a 5k for a good cause
5. Help at a veterinarian office
6. Pick up litter on the beach, trail or road
7. Help a parent out with a stroller or carrying things
8. Give a stranger a compliment
9. Make dinner for a family in need
10. Drop off cookies at a friends house
11. Buy flowers to hand out on the street
12. Leave letters of encouragement on people's cars
13. Buy a movie ticket for the person behind you
14. Pay for someone's meal at a restaurant
15. Send flowers or chocolates to a friend out of the blue
16. Donate Christmas gifts to an orphanage
17. Participate in a fundraiser
18. Donate to a charity
19. Hold open the doors for people
20. Thank a teacher with a gift
21. Donate your old clothes to the Salvation Army
22. Help a senior with their groceries
23. Shovel a neighbour's driveway when it snows
24. Walk a neighbour's dog
25. Babysit for free
26. Plant a tree
27. Do a favour without asking for anything in return
28. Ask the person who's serving you how their day is going
29. Be a good listener
30. Give blood
31. Learn to say hello in a different language to different people
32. Prepare a meal for your family
33. Pay for a stranger's library fees
34. Send a cards to someone you haven't spoken to in a while
35. Let someone go past you in the grocery queue
36. Give warm drinks to people on a cold day
37. Send a letter to a good friend instead of a text
38. Bring in treats for your co-workers
39. Help a child or older person cross the street
40. Water a neighbour's lawn/flowers
41. Snap a photo of a couple for them
42. Give someone a gift card that you don't intend to use
43. Wash someone's car
44. Read to kids at the library for story time
45. Plan a surprise birthday party for someone
46. Perform a concert at a retirement home
47. Help do chores at a farm/harvest ranch
48. Donate to a children's hospital
49. Leave your waiter a generous tip
50. Start mentoring a younger child
51. Spend time with your grandparents
52. Make a family member breakfast in bed
53. Hold the elevator for someone
54. Pay for someone's dry cleaning
55. Pack someone a lunch for the day
56. Write a kind or encouraging message on a napkin
57. Clean up someone else's mess
58. Offer to take a shopper's cart to the line outside
59. Help someone who has a flat tire
60. Let someone else pick what to watch on TV
61. Send care packages to someone in need
62. Rake the leaves for your neighbours
63. Mow the lawn for your neighbours
64. Take the day not to complain
65. Write a list of things that you adore about a friend
66. Pay for someone's morning coffee
67. Participate in charity event
68. Spread some encouragement on social media
69. Share your favourite quote and post them somewhere public
70. Give up your seat on the bus to another person
71. Pay for someone's bus/cab fare
72. Offer someone your pen
73. Lend a friend a favourite book/movie
74. Recommend someone your favourite book/movie
75. Give a homeless person your doggie bag (or better yet, buy them a sandwich)
76. Make hot chocolate for your family on a cold day
77. Take the time to appreciate the sunrise and sunset
78. Write someone an encouraging poem
79. Drop off stuffed animals or colouring books to a children's hospital
80. Celebrate your own best friend appreciation day
81. Put a coin in an expired meter
82. Take a minute to direct someone who's lost
83. Offer to give a friend a ride home
84. Offer your help to someone
85. Recycle things that you see on the road
86. Help shelter animals find homes - or volunteer to take the dogs for a walk
87. Make someone a homemade blanket or scarf
88. Feed the birds in the park
89. Leave some change on a wishing fountain
90. Help out the cleaner in your building
91. Donate your hair after a haircut
92. Give your umbrella to a stranger
93. Volunteer to work some overtime at your job
94. Ride your bike or walk to work
95. Offer compliments to strangers and friends and family
96. Buy your waiter/waitress dessert
97. Wash a neighbour's dog for free
98. Buy groceries for the person behind you
99. Reconnect with old friends
100. Hide money in random places for strangers to find
101. Be kind to yourself!


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Traverse City, MI -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/09/2014 -- Just in time for pool season a new report has been issued that reviews the best portable pools basketball hoops on the market for summer this year. The report is a comprehensive review of the many different types of portable pool basketball hoops and details the differences between various products. The article starts with the premise that a portable pool basketball hoop is a preferred item for any pool and can make the summer more fun and entertaining for children and adults. The expert who wrote the article has experience in evaluating and recommending this type of product and has thoroughly researched the pool basketball hoops in order to give consumers the information they need to make the right purchasing decision.
The article details seven brands of portable pool basketball hoops. These include the Frontgate Pro Shot Swimming Pool Basketball Hoop, the Pool Shark Portable Basketball Set, the Dunn Rite Junior Hoop Swimming Pool Basketball Hoop, the Lifetime Pool Side Basketball System with Backboard, the Dunn Rite Pool Sport Portable Pool Basketball Hoop, the Lifetime Pool Side Height Adjustable Portable Basketball System and the Pool Master Arena Pro Composite Adjustable Basketball Game.
The author takes each of these products and gives readers a brief overview of the basic features of the hoop set, how it is put together and where it can be placed. Although brief, each product analysis includes the type of material the hoop set is made of and important dimensions like the size of the backboard and how many gallons of water it takes to fill up the base. This latter detail is very important because the size of the base and the amount of water that can be stored in the base relate directly to the stability of the system
J. McPhee
Traverse City, MI


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Cappies Awards 06'
Cappies Gala 2006 - Springfield High School's production of The Odd Couple in which Casey performed as Gwendolyn Pigeon, swept the Cappies awards in 2006. Casey accepted the Cappie on behalf of the entire cast for Best Play. Her boyfriend, Matt Thornton, received the Cappie for Best Actor in a play. Casey was also nominated for a Cappie for Best Actress. Casey's first involvement in high school theater was in the Laramie Project in 2004. Thereafter, she performed in all subsequent productions until her graduation. She was also lead critic from SHS for the the greater Philadelphia Regional Cappies (a high school theater review and writing program), was "Best Actress" for SHS in 2006, and was the secretary for Springfield Theater Workshop. Read about the Cappies Gala, 2010 (and view the photos), in which Casey was honored at the Cappies following her death.. See photos from The Odd Couple under "High School Theater".Read More


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So when I embarked on this blog, I was hoping to write about everything I am passionate about and finance is included in that list. Recently a friend texted me asking "You said you maxed out your 401K, what does that mean?"
If you work for a traditional employer like I do, more than likely you have an employer sponsored 401K plan and hopefully your employer is matching a certain percentage of your income. I am a huge proponent of 401K plans. I don't really understand when people make excuses about not being able to participate especially when there is an employer match, that's like someone throwing money at you and you saying "No, I'm good." If you have a 401K plan and are not at least participating enough to receive the full match, you may need to reevaluate your budget. I know every situation is different but I participated when I was living with the tightest budget I have ever had to live with. I went a full year without buying myself anything other than the necessities. I lived on a TIGHT budget and still managed to save $10,000 in my 401K that year. So in my mind where there is a will there is a way.
Back to my friend's question, maxing out your 401K means contributing $18,000 a year or $1,500 a month. It's a substantial amount of money and that's why I wrote about it. I am damn proud of that number. The maximum number changes regularly and it is set by the IRS (www.irs.gov). The added benefit to saving for your own retirement through a 401K plan is that the dollars are coming out before taxes. So when you are taxed the government is actually taxing a lower amount than you truly made and you are lowering your adjusted gross income (AGI) for tax time.
If you are fortunate enough to have excess income after maxing out your 401K, I would recommend an IRA which you can read more about here: https://www.irs.gov/Retirement-Plans/Individual-Retirement-Arrangements-(IRAs)-1. Which is also a great way to reduce your AGI and tax liability.
The main reason I am continuing to work while my babies are small is retirement. I have a goal to retire at 55 and am doing everything in my power to make that happen only 20 more years of work left!


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At Sandy Cedars we plant different food sources to attract the Ringneck Pheasant. Corn, sorghum, and tall grass will be the primary hunting habitats.
You'll arrive at Sandy Cedars Lodge the afternoon before the hunt; just in time to get settled in at our comfortable lodge, enjoy snacks and beverages and prepare the next day.
On the first day of the hunt, enjoy breakfast in the dining room and then at approximately 11:00 a.m. you'll get last minute details and prepare to depart to the hunting areas. Many are within walking distance. You will hunt unpicked corn strips, sorghum, shelter belts and C.R.P.
At Sundown, or when limits are filled, it is back to the lodge to relax, tell stories of the great shots made, and the ones that got away…until tomorrow!
We also have spectacular waterfowl hunts, September dove hunting and archery whitetail trophy hunts available. Late season whitetail doe hunts are priced to fit anyone's budget.
Archer whitetail deer hunts are available October 1 through December 31. The C.R.P., cornfields, and shelter belts offer deer hunters some of the best archery hunting available anywhere. Many trophy whitetails are taken annually. For license information contact Sandy Cedar Lodge or the South Dakota Game Fish & Parks.
For non-hunters, we offer a peaceful getaway for all seasons. Whether its a family reunion, a holiday gathering, or just a night or two get-away, contact us. We'll help you set up a vacation that you will remember.
Our hunting packages start at $450 per day.
Please contact us and we will be happy to arrange a package that accommodates your schedule. We ask that there be a minimum of 4 hunters and a maximum of 14 for our package pricing. Call early to make your reservation. To guarantee your dates we require 50% down at time of booking with remaining balance due August 1. Bookings are transferable but not refundable.
All hunts include home cooked meals, beverages, first class lodging and fully guided hunts and bird processing.


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Individuals, groups recognized by mayoral awards
Awards were recently presented by the Foothills Merry Go Round Festival.
Community Math Academy, Inc. received the 2014 Mayoral Superlative Achievement award for successfully nurturing the math skills of Cleveland County students.
Since its formation in 2007 by visionaries who wanted to help children realize their potential, the data-driven Community Math Academy, a non-profit organization, has successfully enhanced the math skills of teacher-recommended elementary students in the Cleveland County Schools system. Currently, the Math Academy's summer program provides three hours of intensive math instruction and three hours of academic enrichment activities, such as art and science camps, for rising third through sixth grade students in two locations in Shelby. Expansion plans include a permanent site in Kings Mountain and an increase in enrollment.
"We ultimately want to serve all the children, run a full academy, and have enough sites for all areas of the county," said Executive Director Tropzie McCluney.
The hundreds of students served over the years show a remarkable improvement in the classroom in the fall with their increased skills and their positive attitude.
"We put them back in the classroom and watch them fly," McCluney said.
Cleveland County Schools Educational Foundation received the 2014 Mayoral Meritorious award for scholarships that honor academic achievement.
Since 1986, the Cleveland County Educational Foundation has solicited contributions for projects that promote learning for the Cleveland County Schools system. The Foundation also recognizes and rewards student and staff achievement. Specific projects and staff awards are made possible by funding from sponsors. Student achievement is rewarded through scholarships, valued at thousands of dollars, given to graduating seniors. Every year, the A. Mickey Church Scholarship of $500 is awarded to outstanding Burns, Cleveland Early College, Crest, Kings Mountain, and Shelby high school students at the Academic Honors Banquet held in the spring. Students who receive this scholarship, made possible by proceeds from an annual golf tournament, must have a 4.0 or higher GPA. The Foundation also serves as custodian for numerous other scholarships sponsored by individuals, families, and organizations.
Frank Love, Jr. received the 2014 Mayoral Lifetime Achievement award for musical accomplishments and influence.
Although Frank Love, Jr., was not born in Shelby or Cleveland County, the beloved community leader's longtime residency and musical accomplishments are two of the reasons why he is considered a "native son." In fact, as a youngster in Shelby, the talented trumpeter and future band director learned the trumpet from Johnny Best, a Shelby legend who played with swing time legends such as Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, and Artie Shaw. Frank organized his first band, the Melodeers, when he was a student at Shelby High School, then led The Citadel Orchestra, and later played in the Army Air Forces swing bands which entertained the troops in England during World War II. However, it is the Frank Love Orchestra, "an authentic big band," that the business retiree formed in 1990 that has brought local and national recognition to big band music and to Cleveland County. From towns throughout the Carolinas, the orchestra musicians and soloists from all walks of life perform all over the nation, often for special community events such as the Art of Sound Music Festival in Shelby where Frank was presented the Cleveland County Arts Council's Heritage Bridge Award in 2007. Frank is the consummate professional musician and inspiring mentor whose influence on generations of musicians—past, current, and future—is significant. Significant, too, is the joy of community patrons as they listen to incredibly beautiful music at the concerts that Frank has organized and presented for the last 25 years.
The 2013 Shelby High Golden Lions football team received the 2014 Mayoral Superlative Achievement award.
The 2013 season for the Shelby High Golden Lions football team was one of triumph as they trounced Southwest Onslow, 29-7, to win the NCHSAA state football championship. As a result of their hard work and practice, they continue a strong football legacy and join five previous teams as winners of the state championship.
According to Coach Lance Ware, "It all came down to great defense."
Ware also credited the leadership of the seniors and their knowledge of how to win. RJ George, junior quarterback, was named Most Valuable Player of the game and Demerrio Houston was named Outstanding Defensive Player of the game. The memorable championship season will not only live on in Shelby High School football history but also in the hearts and memories of the award-winning players, their loyal supporters, and a truly impressed and appreciative community.