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Also known as industrial-strength meditation, Rounding is a powerful advanced meditation practice that expedites the release of deeply-rooted stress in the physiology. This practice combines a specific sequence of yoga poses (asana) + pranayama (balancing breath) + meditation + deep rest.
Primary Benefits: Expedites the process of stress release, stabilizes the nervous system, balances both hemispheres of the brain
Prerequisite: 4-Day Vedic Meditation Course
Exchange: $108
Duration: 2 hours
Includes: Comprehensive instruction, hand-out notes, knowledge session, and take-home program
Exploring The Veda with Thom Knoles
The Veda is a vast body of knowledge that is the source of the arts and sciences of Ayurveda medicine, yoga, meditation, and the whole of Indian philosophy. Knowledge of the Veda is said to confer mastery of the laws of nature, because the Veda is structured as universal knowledge available within everyone's consciousness — it is the blueprint of creation.
Exploring the Veda (ETV) is a series of six recorded seminars of advanced knowledge by my teacher, preeminent master-teacher, Thom Knoles. Thom is recognized as one of the world's foremost teachers of the Veda's true meaning and application. He delves into the Veda and draws out pearls of wisdom that are nothing short of life-changing.
The Course Format: Taught over the course of a weekend in a non-residential, semi-retreat format, the ETV series is taken one at a time, in sequential order as the knowledge builds upon the previous installment's. Taking the course via the in-person, retreat format is preferable, though home study can be arranged on a case-by-case basis.
Primary Benefits: Expansion of consciousness in which the software (knowledge) upgrades the hardware (physiology), techniques to correct the mistakes of mind and heart, knowledge of how to integrate Vedic wisdom into daily life
Prerequisite: 4-Day Vedic Meditation Course + Rounding instruction
Exchange: $600 per installment (reduced rate available if you register for all 6 installments in advance)
Duration: Each installment runs over the course of a full weekend, from Friday to Sunday
Includes: Advanced knowledge as taught by Thom Knoles via recorded seminar, in-depth Q&A sessions with Kathy, comprehensive notes, techniques for deepening meditation practice, special rounding program instructions, meals and snacks
Advanced Mantra
If you have practiced consistently for at least 12 months, you are invited to obtain an Advanced Mantra. An Advanced Mantra is designed to take your awareness to that stratum, that layer of consciousness that comprises the interface between thinking and pure silent consciousness, allowing you to integrate that elusive, deeply charming state that we slip into in our deepest meditations, into every moment of your awakened state. A good example of how and Advanced Technique supports you in your evolution is a car shifting from a low gear to a higher gear to gain speed. We can get where we need to go in first gear, but it will take much longer than if we shifted to a higher gear.
An Advanced Mantra may involve learning a variation or elongation of your existing mantra, or it may involve learning an advanced method of using the mantra that you have already received. It is customized for each meditator based on their needs and state of consciousness. If you wish to take your practice deeper, it is recommended that you learn an Advanced Mantra every 12 months.
Primary Benefits: Ability to experience the deeper, more subtle states of consciousness within and outside of your practice
Prerequisites: 4-Day Vedic Meditation Course + at least 1 year of regular practice
Exchange: $450 per Advanced Mantra
- Day 1: Receive your Advanced Mantra + personalized instruction + knowledge of the effects and benefits (1.5 hours)
- Day 2: Follow-up session to check / refine your usage of the mantra (30 minutes)


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Family battles hospital for custody of daughter in controversial 'medical child abuse' case
A family from West Hartford, CT is engaged in a controversial battle to bring their daughter - who has spent the last 10 months in state custody at Boston Children's Hospital - home for Christmas, the Boston Globe reported.
In a two-part series published by the Boston Globe last week, the paper reported that the family's saga began in February, after Linda and Lou Pelletier brought their 15-year-old daughter Justina to Boston Children's Hospital. The family said Justina was suffering severe symptoms from a previously diagnosed mitochondrial disease and was barely able to walk or eat.
In the past, Justina had received treatment for her disease from Dr. Mark Korson, the chief of metabolism at Tufts Medical Center. He sent the family to Boston Children's Hospital because Justina's gastroenterologist had recently moved there.
However, after three days, doctors at Boston Children's Hospital began to suspect that Justina's problems were actually psychiatric – and that Justina's parents had been blocking her from receiving the mental health care she needed.
When the Pelletier's threatened to take Justina back to Tufts Medical Center, the physicians at Boston Children's Hospital reported their suspicions of medical child abuse to the state. Justina was taken into emergency custody by the hospital where she has remained for the past 10 months – primarily in a children's psychiatric ward.
On Friday, the Pelletier's went to juvenile court in Boston, hoping to regain custody of Justina before Christmas, according to the Boston Globe. To their disappointment, the judge ordered that Justina remain in state custody, but appointed a court investigator to reexamine the case.
Click for more from the Boston Globe.

subset: commoncrawl


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Kim's rapper and fashion designer husband Kanye West is a vocal support of the Trump administration and has been credited for securing African American support for the controversial politician.
Last year, the KKW Beauty founder met with President Trump in the Oval Office to petition for the pardon and release of 63-year-old great-grandmother Alice Marie Johnson who had been imprisoned for a low level drug offense since 1997.
Trump commuted Johnson's life sentence and granted clemency one week later, the sixth time he has done so since taking office, Harper's Bazaar notes.
Attorney and non-profit founder Van Jones told Vogue that Kardashian's appeal for Johnson's release was "the most effective, emotionally intelligent intervention I've ever seen in American politics", Yahoo News reports.
Before speaking at Thursday's event, the reality star sat between Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner who she worked with last year on the passage of the First Step Act.
The First Step Act provides a support framework for second chance hiring, increasing former inmates chances to thrive after leaving prison.
In April, Kim announced her intention to take the California state 'baby bar' in 2022, meaning she will skip the traditional and time-consuming route of going to law school.
According to The Washington Post, California, Vermont, Virginia and Washington do not require a law degree as a prerequisite for taking the bar.
The mother-of-four - who shares daughters North and Chicago and sons Saint and Psalm with Kanye West - started an apprenticeship with a criminal justice law firm in San Francisco during the summer of 2018.


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Cape Town - Ryno Benjamin scored a hat-trick to help the Free State Cheetahs beat the Pumas 52-10 in Nelspruit on Friday.
This was another dominant performance by the Cheetahs for a result which not only secures them a home semi-final but also a possible home final should they get there. They are also still unbeaten in the competition.
The misery continues for the Pumas who gave another hapless performance and are still without a win this season in what will be remembered as a disastrous season for them.
They simply couldn't cope with the Cheetahs onslaught and once the visitors went ahead with Benjamin's first try of the evening they never had a chance. The Free State wing had an outstanding game not only because of his three tries but also for his work-rate throughout the game. Benjamin constantly looked for work and more than once his speed to the breakdown resulted in turnovers for his side.
The home side were also decimated in the scrums and in one specific instance their wayward lineout throwing directly resulted in a try for the opposition.
The beneficiary of that lost lineout was Cheetahs captain Francois Venter. The Cheetahs went wide after stealing that lineout which led to a break by fullback Clayton Blommetjies. Blommetjies got a pass away to Sergeal Petersen in support who gave the inside pass to Venter powered over for a five-pointer.
Flank Paul Schoeman contributed with two tries of his own, the second one coming from a kick down field by Niel Marais. Petersen and Benjamin chased it down when Petersen made the tackle and Benjamin won the turnover penalty. The winger reacted quickly and gave a cross field kick which Schoeman collected to score.
Benjamin's second try came from a scrum penalty on the Pumas 5m line which was sent wide to Benjamin for an easy run-in. His third came midway through the second half for a well deserved hat-trick after some slick handling in the Pumas 22.
Try: Herne
Conversion: Steyl
Penalty: Brummer
Free State Cheetahs
Tries: Benjamin (3), Cassiem, Schoeman (2), Venter, Huggett
Conversions: Marais (5), Zeilinga
15 Heinrich Steyl, 14 Ruwellyn Isbell, 13 Hoffman Maritz, 12 Hennie Skorbinski, 11 JP Lewis, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Kevin Luiters, 8 Renaldo Bothma (captain), 7 Lambert Groenewald, 6 Brian Shabangu, 5 Jannie Stander, 4 Stephan Greeff, 3 Louis Albertse, 2 Frank Herne, 1 Khwezi Mona
Replacements: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 DeJay Terblanche, 18 Jeremy Jordaan, 19 Carel Greeff, 20 Emile Temperman, 21 Devon Williams, 22 Tyler Fisher
Free State Cheetahs
15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14
Sergeal Petersen, 13 Francois Venter (captain), 12 Nico Lee, 11 Ryno Benjamin,
10 Niel Marais, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Uzair Cassiem, 6
Paul Schoeman, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Justin Basson, 3 Johan Coetzee, 2
Jacques Du Toit, 1 Charles Marais
Replacements: 16 Elandre Huggett, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Armandt Koster, 19 Tienie Burger, 20 Zee Mkhabela, 21 Fred Zeilinga, 22 William Small-Smith


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Ngapali BurmaBirmingham Ngapali
Ngapali Beach Luxury Holidays, Burma, Ngapali Beach Luxury Tours
Situated in the state of Rakhine, Ngapali Beach is a 15 miles long coast lined with gold sandy beaches and palms. Ngapali is a paradise surrounded by the crystal clear and mild water of the Bay of Bengal, and is the ideal place to get away from it all.
One little-known fact is that Burma does indeed have the longest coast in Indochina, and Ngapali, so called years ago by a homeless Italians, reminiscent of Naples, is only a small but glamourous piece of this coast. Featuring a number of highly developed establishments along the cove, the resort has a justifiable claim to be Myanmar's most important seaside resort.
The majority of them have their own entrance to the beaches, together with deck chairs and butlerservice, often with restaurant and swimming pool with a view of the coves. You can run the entire length of the shore without interruption, and while there is a lot of room, the four properties are very near to each other, and more are scheduled for the oncoming years.
Ngapali is certainly not a Phuket, and although it is not as remote and undetected as it once was, it still stays near its fishingmot. While watching from the coast at sunset, the small fishermen' s vessels sail out of the cove to collect the daily pay-off.
But despite the celebrations, Ngapali is more of a place to go to sleep early than a rebellious seaside location. Holidays are during the wet seasons (from May to October) and many of the hostels are closing for renovation. Thandwe is a frequent flight from all parts of Burma, so it is simple to include it in any part of a route (although we suggest inserting it either at the beginning or end of a route), and it takes between 10 and 30 minutes by car to get to the city.


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Residential Window Tinting Kelowna
and Solar Control Window Film
Residential Window Tinting Kelowna and Solar Control Window Film
Solar control window tint are designed for any home where summer heat reduction is required without compromising the sunlight or the view.
Reduce Energy Costs
Residential window films not only provide protection from the hot summer sun, they also help retain heat during the colder months, saving money on energy costs year-round without compromising your view. These films reject up to 78% of the sun's solar energy in the summer, while providing insulation for maximum heat retention in the winter.
Protect against UV Damage
Think of Sunset Window Tinting, like 50spf sunscreen for your home. Ultraviolet rays penetrate our homes through the glass in our windows and doors. Our solar films block up to 99% of the ultraviolet rays that can fade drapes, furniture, artwork and even flooring. These rays can also negatively affect our health and the health of our loved ones.
Safe & Clean Installation
The installation of window tint requires no toxic chemicals, solutions or abrasive materials be used in your residence. All residential film installation is done with "filtered water" and a soap solution to ensure spotless application. You won't even know we've been there, other than the view you can now enjoy without the blinds pulled.
Call 250.808.7224 today to receive a complimentary consultation and quote from our window tinting experts.


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India has been witnessing a steady rise of youngsters in the Badminton tournaments. After Gopichand took over the charge as National Badminton Coach, he shaped Saina Nehwal followed by P V Sindhu apart from Parupalli Kashyap and Kidambi Srikanth. However this time, it is under the coach Vimal Kumar, who has been training Saina Nehwal for the past 1 year or so has produced another gem.
It is Lakshya who is World Number 1 in Juniors had won Bulgaria Open defeating Croatia's Zvonimir Durkinjak in the men's singles final in Sofia. Zvonimir who was seeded was defeated 18-21, 21-12, 21-17 in a 57-minute match. Earlier, had beaten Sri Lanka's Dinuka Karunaratna 21-19, 21-14 in the semi-finals.
It is to be noted that Lakshya had even reached the Finals in Senior National Championship in February this year and is currently been training under former All England champion Peter Gade. Peter Gade is the head coach of French National Team.
"It is a creditable achievement for Lakshya. He is still a junior but he has been able to win tournaments and that is a good sign. We had sent five players on a 10-day training trip with the French national team. He trained under the great Peter Gade and it has benefitted him," coach Vimal Kumar said. "In two months time, he will be playing Vietnam Grand Prix and then it would be junior World championship," he added.


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We the News is a physical newsstand that collects and prints immigrants' stories. It is by Lizania Cruz, with support from The Laundromat Project in collaboration with BAJI.
About Lizania Cruz: Originally from the Dominican Republic, Lizania Cruz is a designer and artist based in Bed-Stuy, New York. In 2016, the Center for Urban Pedagogy selected her to collaborate with Vocal NYC on a poster design informing people with criminal records of their rights under the Fair Chance Act. Her work has received national recognition from organizations such as AIGA and TDC. Most recently, she launched Flowers for Immigration, a photo project that tells the stories of immigrant bodega workers through their flower arrangements. The project was featured on Fusion News, Lenny Letter, and KQED Arts.
A project created by Lizania Cruz in collaboration with BAJI, with support from The Laundromat Project


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Almost every founder claims they are changing the world, but only a few actually are. As a part of its inaugural Algorithm for Change competition, which wrapped up last month, NYU — in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — awarded $1.1 million to four organizations that are genuinely leaving a positive mark on the world.
This national competition — hosted by the NYU Social Entrepreneurship Program — focuses on the application of emerging technologies to help low-income, underrepresented minority and first-generation students succeed in education. Embodying those qualities, this year's winners were crowned victorious from over 70 other applicants.
The 70 organizations that competed were categorized by their stage in the development process. BestFit, Inc. an application that helps connect students with near-peer mentors, won $100,000 in the ideation tier. TalkingPoints — a communication platform that bridges language barriers in diverse areas — won $200,000, and college financial tool Edquity won $300,000, both falling in the validation tier. Smart Sparrow, a learning design platform, won $500,000 in the commercialization tier, equivalent to the competition's first place.
Gabriel Brodbar, the program's director, emphasized that one of the fundamental goals of this competition was to find ways in which businesses can innovatively harness technology to foster change. That was a factor the judges considered when combing through the applications from social entrepreneurs across the country — spanning industries such as arts, non-profit organizations and financial services.
"Artificial intelligence, machine learning and augmented reality are not being effectively leveraged in the education-technology space," Bordbar said in an interview with WSN. "They are especially not being effectively leveraged when it comes to low-income, minority, first-generation students."
Brodbar said officials from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation approached him last year to create a competition that would alleviate some of those problems. The judge panel included distinguished members like Jill Ford, head of AI for Toyota and Margenett Roberts, former head of Yahoo!'s Office of Diversity and Inclusion in addition to many others.
One company that thoroughly impressed judges was education-technology provider Smart Sparrow. Smart Sparrow is an online platform that, through the use of machine learning, improves the online classroom experience with interactive design and personalized structure. The company began by designing online science courses with the intention of helping students with limited access to resources.
Smart Sparrow Founder, Dr. Dror Ben-Naim said the eight-year-old company plans to use the funds from the competition to fully integrate artificial intelligence into its courseware to provide engaging learning experiences that can be used everywhere from elementary schools to investment banks.
"We believe that education can be powered by technology," Ben-Naim said. "Where we're going is straight for the heart of the matter, which is that you should have an engaging learning experience. If we can achieve that, then a lot of the problems in education will fade away."
Email Ryan Jackloski at ne[email protected]


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R. Jonah was famous not only as a scholar, but as "father of the virtues" of piety, humility, and ascetism. He acquired enduring fame through his ethical books. In these books he protested forcefully against the many Spanish Jews who disregarded the mitzvot and against widespread sexual immorality. He proclaimed a "ban on concubines" and reacted sharply to the failure of society to keep the mitzvot governing the relations of man and his neighbor. Among the "ten gravest sins of the generation" which he specified, were: "disregarding the poor, slander, senseless hatred, confusion of the heart, and causing others to fear." Jonah condemned the actions of despots and tyrants, warning the large estate owners among the Jews of Spain against using force to evict small landowners from their plots. Not content with warnings, Jonah called for action and suggested that instead of strong community leaders who strike fear into the hearts of the public, "in every town volunteers should be ready to take action whenever a Jewish man or woman is in trouble" (ibid.). According to Jonah, communal activities should be incumbent on every Jew and not confined to communal leaders (ibid.). Even prayer in time of public or private sorrow and even the formulation of prayers are not matters for the pious or sages alone; it is the duty of every man to pray "every day, in accordance with his ability, on behalf of all the sick among the Holy People... and for the release of all prisoners...."
R. Jonah was doubtless familiar with the teachings of the Hasidei Ashkenaz, but his ethical doctrine differed fundamentally from theirs. It was not based upon mystical speculation but on the halakhah and the popular aggadah. His ethical works were widely read. His repeated emphasis on the practice of social justice and social ethics undoubtedly contributed to their popularity throughout the Jewish world and to the influence they exercised upon the socio-religious thinking of later generations.
A prolific writer, R. Jonah's works include a commentary on Proverbs (1910); a commentary on Avot (Berlin-Altona, 1848); novellae to tractate Bava Batra: "Aliyyot de-Rabbenu Yonah" up to page 77b (1966), and to Sanhedrin (in: Sam Hayyim, Leghorn, 1803); commentary on Alfasi to Berakhot, and printed with it, the commentary was compiled by his pupils; laws of examining knife and lungs (at the end of the Teshuvot ha-Ge'onim, 1871); Iggeret Teshuvah (Constantinople, 1548); and Sha'arei Teshuvah (Fano, 1505; Constantinople, 1511).


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Who can judge a man from manners?
Who shall know him by his dress?
Paupers may be fit for princes,
Princes fit for something less.
Crumpled shirt and dirty jacket
May beclothe the golden ore
Of the deepest thought and feeling -
Satin vest could do no more.
There are springs of crystal nectar
Even swelling out of stone;
There are purple buds and golden,
Hidden, crushed, and overgrown.
God, who counts by souls, not dresses,
Loves and prospers you and me;
While he values thrones the highest
But as pebbles on the sea.
Man appraised above his fellows,
Oft forgets his fellows, then;
Masters - rulers - lords, remember
That your meanest hands are men!
Men of labor, men of feeling,
Men by thought and men by fame,
Claiming equal rights to sunshine
In a man's ennobling name.
There are foam-embroidered oceans,
There are little wood-clad rills,
There are feeble inch-high saplings,
There are cedars on the hills.
God, who counts by souls, not stations,
Loves and prospers you and me,
For to him all vain distinctions
Are as pebbles on the sea.
Toiling hands alone are builders
Of a nation's wealth and fame;
Titled laziness is pensioned,
Fed and fattened on the same;
By the sweat of others' foreheads
Living only to rejoice,
While the poor man's outraged freedom
Vainly lifteth to its voice.
Truth and justice are eternal,
Born with loveliness and light;
Secret wrongs shall never prosper
While there is a sunny height.
God, whose heard voice is singing
Boundless love to you and me,
Sinks oppositions with its titles,
As the pebbles on the sea.
-- Anonymous
Copyright © World Spirituality · All Rights Reserved


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Knotty Alder Side Table
This chair side table is made of Knotty Alder for a home in Montana. The legs are hand turned on a lathe and are fastened to the rails with dowels. The top is mitered plank construction. The drawer is constructed of solid maple with hand cut dovetails. The finish has light distressing with 3 coats of a hand rubbed oil finish.
Dimensions: 17" W X 20" D X 26" H


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Most stocks gained but main index dips as peso improves vs. dollar
June 29, 2012 10:42 pm
By Joann Santiago
MANILA, June 29 The local bourse ended this week with most of its shares gained on continued investors' risk aversion due to the euro crisis.
But the main composite index slid down 9.74 points, or 0.19 percent, to 5,246.41 points from day-agos 5,256.15 points.
The broader all shares index rose by 3,452.84 points, an improvement over its performance earlier in the day. It went up by 1.91 points, or 0.06 percent, from Thursdays 3,450.93 points.
The sectoral indices which registered gains included the industrial, holding firms, mining and oil and property.
The financials and services ended the week on the red.
Trading was generally healthy with volume reaching 3.03 billion and value turnover of P43.9 billion.
Gainers led losers at 111 to 60, a reversal of what transpired in the first half of the day, while 34 stocks were unchanged.
Meanwhile, the peso gained 22 centavos against the US dollar after ending the day at P42.12, its strongest trade during the day, from Thursdays P42.34.
The local currency started the day weaker at P42.30 from day-agos P42.25 and even dipped to P42.45 resulting to an average of P42.27.
Volume of trade surged to US$ 1.15 billion from day-agos US$ 980.08 million. (PNA)


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Prepared by ECLAC for the official visit of Geung-hye Park, President of the Republic of Korea, to several countries in the region
From the document:
This document was prepared by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) for the official visit of Geung-hye Park, President of the Republic of Korea, to several countries in the region.
The Republic of Korea's success in economic and social development offers many lessons for Latin America and the Caribbean and the developing world as a whole. From being one of the poorest countries in the world in the early 1960s, in six short decades the Republic of Korea has succeeded in transforming itself into a high-income economy, a major manufacturing, scientific and export power and a highly cohesive society with impressive levels of educational achievement.
The main lesson that Latin America and the Caribbean can draw from this is probably that, regardless of the vagaries of the international economy, development is critically dependent on the quality and consistency of each country's public policies.
A strategic medium- and long-term vision is critical, and the State must play a key role in its formulation and implementation. The Republic of Korea's successful integration into the international economy is a striking testament to this. The Republic of Korea's experience demonstrates that proactive, coordinated public policies that are tailored to a country's resources and characteristics are an effective way to achieve dynamic, sustainable and equitable development.
The recent strategies to promote green growth and a creative economy are consistent with the long-term vision of
development that is a hallmark of the Republic of Korea. Its pioneering role in fostering green growth has placed the Republic of Korea at the forefront of global efforts to move towards more sustainable patterns of production and consumption.
Through this strategy, the Republic of Korea is seeking to specialize in know-how and technologies, which, as well
as reducing the risks of climate change, will act as new driving forces for growth in the coming decades. By focusing on the creative economy, the country is attempting to capitalize on its renowned strengths in education, science and innovation, making the third of these a mainstay of its economy and society.


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"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." ― Maya Angelou
The best fundraisers are authentic friends. They genuinely care about the wellbeing of their donors, understand their needs and what drives them and, when it's time to "make the ask", aren't trying to pitch or sell. Rather, they are giving their donors a gift -- the gift of an opportunity to find meaning, purpose, and connection.
The majority of nonprofits give their donors this opportunity at the end of each year during the infamous "Season of Giving", just in time to get in last-minute tax deductible donations and relish in the sentimental glow of the holidays.
While nearly a third of all annual giving happens in December, nonprofits need to think much further ahead than even retail stores eager to put out those sparkly tree-toppers. Mid-September to early October, at the very beginning of fall, is the ideal time for organizations to refine their year-end fundraising strategies for the Season of Giving.
How to get started
Whether you're developing your year-end fundraising strategy from scratch or refreshing your strategy from past years, there are a few critical items to check off your list before launch. Among them:
Have you thanked your donors recently?:As in, within the past few months, at least. Don't be like that distant uncle who only pops up when he needs a favor. Before you ask your friends and supporters for another gift, make sure you've thanked them -- with no other strings attached -- recently. Thanking donors doesn't have to be expensive. A thoughtful email, handwritten letter, or other acknowledgment can go a long way. One of my favorite ideas in the fundraising sphere is to hold a donor "thank-a-thon" by gathering up your board members, volunteers, and staff to spend the day thanking people -- that's it. It's fun, affordable, and will go a long way.
Take their "pulse":While you're catching up with your past donors, listen and learn. Get a sense of how they're feeling and responding to your communications. How have they felt about your organization's latest projects and impacts? If it's not clear what their thoughts are, ask them for their feedback! Donors love being included in shaping your organization's future and being asked for their knowledge and insights. Asking shows you respect their opinions and wish to connect to them for more than just a check.
Know the "competitive" giving landscape:Are there organizations with a similar mission or project to yours who overlap your potential network of supporters? Feelings of competition for those coveted year-end gifts might rear their ugly head, whether justified or not. What about teaming up with your competing nonprofit fundraiser and using your similarities and overlaps to your advantage instead of your detriment? Fundraising collaboration is a hot strategy, with some interesting and promising results. I love this example from my local community, "Share the Pie", which raises funds during the giving season for two collaborating nonprofits in our area. The campaign's name has so many layers, and who doesn't love pie?
Amplify your year-end giving results
There's always room for improvement, and growth is the goal of every fundraising campaign. Here are a few strategies to try to shake things up during this year's efforts:
Invite your volunteers to be your fundraising champions:Many nonprofits know the magic of volunteers, and especially savvy nonprofits know that your volunteers are also twice as likely to donate money to your cause than non-volunteers. But have you considered empowering your volunteers to be your fundraisers? Consider creating a campaign that you can put in the hands of your own volunteers in addition to your staff and fundraising freelancers and consultants. As people who see your operations and impact regularly, volunteers are excellently poised to share your amazing cause with their friends to solicit support -- they just need some helpful tools to do so. Provide them with a boilerplate, frequently asked questions, stats about your impact, and information about how funds raised will help your cause, then give them a personal fundraising goal. They might surprise you!
Amp up your impact game:Do you know your organization's Social Return on Investment (SROI)? SROI is a way of showing how much impact your organization is having on the community compared with what resources you're requiring to make said impact. It helps donors focus on what you're accomplishing as a cause rather than what your overhead ratio is; if a cause with what would be considered a "high overhead" uses $100,000 but has an SROI of $500,000, that's more impactful than a cause with a "low overhead" using $100,000 to create an SROI of $150,000. Knowing and highlighting your organization's SROI can be a powerful tool to show donors and the public that your impact is huge.
But don't rely solely on stats:SROI and other impact stats can be compelling, but they don't stand alone. Human beings thrive on stories to build empathy for your cause and those you serve. If you haven't done this already in past campaigns, identify a handful of people (or animals!) your cause has impacted and go deep, telling their personal, heartfelt stories as a way of demonstrating how supporting your cause changes lives. This fun infographic from Classy is a great storytelling guide.
Ask when the time is right:With all the year-end giving requests, email and mail boxes are saturated with asks. You'll want to stand out by sending out your communications at the right time. Many appeals occur right before Thanksgiving, or in the first two weeks of December. Try changing it up -- send one earlier in the year, and follow up a few times throughout the season. And be sure to experiment with different email subject lines, tracking your results with each one.
Bring them back for more:Rather than asking for a one-time gift during giving season, you might consider using the season to kick off a recurring gift campaign (maybe give it a New Year's resolution twist, encouraging people to incorporate more giving in their plans for the next year!). Recurring gifts are typically smaller month to month, but add up to a larger gift by the end of the year, and it's income your cause can count on.
Stay on top of the newest strategies and tools:Social media platforms are starting to disrupt the world of donation platforms, and I say the more the merrier. Facebook and Youtube have launched and enhanced their donation tools over the past year, with some promising results. The Facebook Birthdays tool is especially impactful; consider giving your giving seasons appeals a twist by challenging all of your volunteers and supporters with giving season birthdays to champion your cause with a birthday donation campaign on their personal page. The best part? The funds are deposited, transaction-fee-free, into your organization's bank account. If your network of supporters includes some gamers, livestreaming to raise funds for causes has also become a fun and interesting trend. Keep an eye out on the latest trends and tools and get creative!
Keep an eye on your staff during this busy period
The end of the year can be a stressful time for your team professionally and personally. Make sure to keep an eye on your team during this busy period and that there's nothing wrong with calling in the cause-calvary and bringing on some extra help. Remember that giving season should be fun! Outsourcing some of that stressful fundraising work to a team with the right expertise, can help your staff breathe a sigh of relief while enabling you all to get a great return.


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Two companies team up for transformer shipment project
Two freight companies, Philco International and Gevatrans Limited teamed up to deliver a transformer and its spare parts from France to its final destination in Agios Nikolaos Voiotias, Greece.
The two companies coordinated logistics and transport operations and were able to provide customer with full monitoring of the shipment from departure to delivery, reports AJOT.
The project comprised three crates, the highest exceeding 4.71 metres in height. The main body of the transformer was allocated into a 40' Flat Rack and spare parts into a 40' High Cube of outsize and overweight ocean freight.
The transformer shipment project was undertaken for General Electric France and Aluminium of Greece.
Source: American Journal of Transportation


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The Wall Street Journal is reporting that, more than likely, Disney will be very hands-on with some of Fox's most popular franchises, such as Avatar and X-Men. But where does that leave some Fox franchises that are not very Disney family friendly, like the Aliens, Predator and the Deadpool franchises?
From Looper:
A sweeping new report from The Wall Street Journal has shined a light onto the pending merger process, focusing in part on the uncomfortable reality of the colliding movie studios.
According to the report, the pending merger has left the people and projects-in-progress at Fox in a state of anxious limbo. Many on the 20th Century Fox side are rightly sweating it out as they prepare for what are being described as significant downsizing measures as the two studios combine their assets, eliminate redundancies, and identify what projects in-the-works are worth moving forward with under the Disney brand.
Naturally, this has left the fate of multiple projects uncertain. In other words — a whole lot of people are about to lose their jobs, and it's all because you just couldn't go without seeing the Fantastic Four in the MCU.
Two properties that appear to be more than safe under the new regime will be the Avatar and X-Men franchises, which Disney is expected to take control of. It's no surprise that Disney would keep those properties going, with Avatar remaining the worldwide top-grossing movie of all time and the X-Men series being one of the ten most successful film franchises ever. But what this will actually look like in practice is still up in the air.
Of course Disney is willing to welcome the Avatar franchise with open arms, especially since Avatar is the highest grossing movie of all time, with the film bringing in $2.778 billion worldwide. And Avatar already has a huge presence at the Walt Disney World with Pandora at Animal Kingdom. With the Fox deal moving forward, Disney and Avatar could not ask for any better synergy.
Then there is the fairly profitable X-Men franchise, which will naturally fit well within Marvel Studios. And hopefully, Marvel can work its magic, like it did with the Spider-Man franchise, for The Fantastic Four. That franchise should have made close to a billion for Fox, but it helps when you have someone working on Fantastic Four, that knows the Fantastic Four. Go get em, Marvel!
But what about famous Fox franchises, such as Alien and Predator? Both of these franchises could not say Disney more than these two. The last Alien movie, Alien Covenant, made a disappointing $74 million at the US box office. It did far better overseas, bringing in $166 million. But the declining box office may make Disney concerned about future films for the series. Next month, we will see the return of the Predator franchise, with a reboot of the series. Disney will definitely be looking at how this movie performs and ultimately decide whether a sequel will be a priority after the two companies offically merge.
And of course, Disney can not overlook the success of the Deadpool franchise. Deapool 2 may not have been as profitable as the original Deadpool movie, but the sequel did bring in $733 million world wide, and that is not bad at all. But exactly how would Deadpool fit in the MCU? Would it be the R rated Deadpool, that fans seem to love, or will Disney tweak the character and give him a PG-13 makeover, so that he will fit in with the rest of the characters of the MCU?
Only time will tell for sure, but it looks like that we will see some franchises receive a lot of love from Disney, while others may be soon sleeping with the fishes.


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The Co-operative Bank is to pull its popular two-year mortgage range, just days after First Direct suspending lending.
The Co-operative says that unprecedented demand for its two-year products has led it to suspend lening on a "temporary" basis from 3 April.
John Barker, head of mortgages at Co-operative Bank, said: "We prideourselves on our ability to create long-term customer relationships andwill not compromise our market leading levels of customer service, bysimply chasing business volume at any cost."
The news comes after First Direct closed its doors to new mortgage customers on 31 March. The HSBC-owned internet and telephone bank says it saw a five times increase in demand after other lenders pulled similar deals from the market. It adds that the move is a temporary measure until the backlog of applications has been cleared.
First Direct will still offer mortgages to existing customers who are either coming up for remortgage or have a bank account with it.
Halifax is also rumoured to be closing its doors to business from newcustomers after being bombarded with business, something the lender hasrefused to comment on.
The moves by both First Direct and The Co-Operative are symptomatic of the faltering mortgage market, where lenders are withdrawing products and putting up rates on a weekly basis. Although a lack of funding is the root cause, there is also a reluctance among banks to be seen as the "lender of last resort" attracting all the business.
Instead, lenders are opting for quality rather than quantity.
Rob Skinner, spokesman for First Direct, said: "We expect to relaunch our mortgages to new customers in a matter of weeks but we don't have an exact timetable. The increase in demand meant we could either put up our rates to discourage applications or take a pause in new business. We didn't think it was fair to our existing customers to put up rates.
"We have every intention of returning to the market."
Lehman Brothers has also confirmed that its two sub-prime lenders will also close their doors to new business.
A Lehman Brothers spokesman says Preferred Mortgages and Southern Pacific Mortgage Limited (SPML), which deal with sub-prime, buy-to-let and mortgages for the self-employed through brokers, will continue to look after existing customers but will no longer except any new business.
He added that this will remain the case until the market improves.
Lehman Brothers previously supplied sub-prime lending to Northern Rock, through the SPML brand, but terminated the agreement after the bank was nationalised earlier this year.
Figures from the Bank of England show mortgage lending to individuals was £27.1 billion in February, down from £29.5 billion in January. The majority of loans issued in February were for remortgages (111,000) rather than house purchase mortgages (73,000).
And other data from the Land Registry show house prices in England and Wales remained static during February at £185,616.
The number of house sales between September to December 2007 averaged 90,880 per month, down from 117,301 for the same period last year.


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This system features the legendary G-Series Monitor and the 776 Camera which despite its small size is powerfully built to withstand all weather conditions. The G-Series monitor replaces the existing rear view mirror for a clean look. Its screen is 4.3 inches wide and pushed to the left of the mirror to be more easily viewed by the driver.
This monitor comes with adjustable grid lines, allowing you to adjust the grid lines to be completely accurate regardless of where you mount the camera. It is controlled with illuminated touch screen buttons. The backup camera in this system is surface mounted and can fit almost any vehicle. The camera has an IP68 rating which makes it completely weatherproof and boasts excellent night vision.


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478 COTTAGE GROVE, Ashwaubenon, WI 54304
- Single Family Home
- Status: Sold
- Mailing City: Green Bay
- County: Brown
- 3 Bedrooms
- 1 Full Bathrooms
- Est. Square Footage: 1,524
- Garage Size: 1 Car
- Lot Size: 65x105
- School Dist: Ashwaubenon
- High School: Ashwaubenon
- Property Taxes: $1,567
- Property Tax Year: 2018
- PIN Number: 35000
- Hot Line: 877.593.1660
- Listing Company: Shorewest - Green Bay
- Listing Agent: Geri Collette
- Price/SqFt: $79
Property Description
478 COTTAGE GROVE, Ashwaubenon, WI 54304 - Darling Cape Cod home in Ashwaubenon. Well maintained since 1952. Sellers are original owners. Fully applianced eat in kitchen, Huge third bedroom on upper level. Partially finished basement with built in bar, refrigerator and gas fireplace/heater. Washer & Dryer included. Garage has gas heater. Newer roof, furnace and central air 2014. Close to Lambeau, Stores, highways and work. Ready to be called home.
Room Dimensions
- Living Rm: 19x12
- Kitchen: 17x8
- Master BR: 12x9
- BR 2: 11x9
- BR 3: 22x12
- Laundry Rm: 10x8
- Other Rm: 10x30
Additional features
Other Rooms
- Full, Partial Finished
Building and Construction
- Construction Type: E Cape Cod
Land Features
- Waterfront/Access: N
Property History
MLS Number New Status Previous Status Activity Date New List Price Previous List Price Sold Price DOM 50196360 Feb 6 2019 2:13PM $121,900 $124,900 104 50196360 Active Jan 7 2019 1:11PM $124,900 104
Market Conditions
Buyer understands that the information which is contained on Data pages is obtained from a number of different sources and which has not been independently verified or confirmed by the various real estate brokers and agents who have been and are involved in this transaction. If any particular measurement or data element is important or material to buyer, Buyer assumes all responsibility and liability to research, verify and confirm said data element and measurement. REALTOR *MLS* Equal Housing Opportunity


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Am I giving up too much too soon in dating? Giving too much too soon is a huge relationship mistake made by both men and women.
At first, doing too much seems natural and fun. Aren't you supposed to do lots of special things for your new love? Aren't you supposed to go over the top to show just how much you care and how special and thoughtful you are? NO! At least, not until your relationship reaches a certain point. Before that point, you risk suffocating your partner just as love is starting to blossom. It must happen naturally.
Too much commitment too soon shows desperation. If a person is ready to forsake all others without even being asked, hoping that will somehow bond him or her to the other person, it does just the opposite. Unless you have discussed it and have both decided to be in an exclusive relationship, never tell him that he is the only one in your life. You want to seem busy and in demand. I know this might seem like game-playing, but it is human nature to want something that is not available or a challenge to get. Also, don't give her too much information about yourself right away. Tell her about yourself a little bit at a time. Don't be an open book. If the partner hears about things that you have done or accomplishments you have made through the grapevine, it will certainly pique her interest and she'll want to know more. Keep a bit of mystery about yourself.
Giving gifts can really make a man uncomfortable. A man once told me, "The minute a woman starts giving me gifts, I feel pressured. She appears like a needy woman who is trying to buy love." Put off gift-giving as long as possible. Show him that you care in other ways. For example, make him a lovely dinner, give him a ride when his car is in the shop, or offer to pick up his mail when he is out of town. And if his birthday comes around early on in the relationship, make it something with little monetary value. Don't try to impress him with how much you have spent. Instead, impress him with your creativity. I know a gal who doesn't make much money, but she wanted to get her guy something special. She went on-line and found a type of amusement park that has go-carts to race and lots of fun stuff that her guy was into. An all-day pass was only twenty bucks, so she printed out the ad from the place and made a cute card with the ad in it, letting him know that she was going to take him there for the day.
You can give your all when you have both made a mutual commitment. But even then, you will be wise to keep a bit of mystery to yourself as well. You will remain interesting and alluring to your mate.


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Rainy Day Style Guide
This Way >
Wellies Vs Rain Boots
Rain Boot Care Guide
Doing What We Can To Keep You Smiling
This Way >
Rain Boot Care Guide
Responsibly Joules
Breaking out your winter closet means a necessary update to your everyday look. Wintry wardrobes provide the perfect opportunity to dress yourself in lots of different layers. Arguably, one of the best parts of layering up is the oversized scarf.
An absolute must-have for every Autumn/Winter season, the addition of an oversized scarf easily elevates classic sweaters with a pop of color. Throw it over your favorite winter jackets and coats for some much-needed extra warmth or wrap your shoulders for extra protection against chilly Spring/Summer nights. But with endless options, have you ever wondered how to properly wear large scarves? The Joules fashion experts are here to assist with some tips and tricks to wearing your stylish scarves.
Those are our top tips on trying large scarves. Don't be intimidated by tying a big scarf, just think of them as your cozy best friend in the colder months.
With so many to choose from in our beautiful scarf collection, and all with that typical Joules attention to detail you'd expect, you'll be spoiled for choice with a range of stylish options.


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In his play on the classic Sherry Cobbler, John Lermayer introduced elderflower liqueur and honey to complement the dryness of fino sherry.
2½ oz. fino sherry (Sweet Liberty uses Tio Pepe)
1 oz. grapefruit juice
½ oz. pineapple juice
½ oz. elderflower liqueur
½ oz. honey
Tools: mixing glass, barspoon, strainer
Glass: wine
Garnish: raspberries, mint, grapefruit slice
Combine all the ingredients together and stir to combine. Strain over crushed ice in a wine glass. Garnish.
John Lermayer, Sweet Liberty Drinks & Supply Co., Miami
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Editor David McDonnell's blog over at Starlog.com has an interesting story about the company's involvement (and mostly non-involvement) with publishing a licensed magazine for the Indiana Jones films and TV series. It's a tale of something that didn't come to be, but for people interested in the publishing business -- as I am -- or just movie-lovers who are interested in knowing how their favorite merchandise comes to appear in the store for them to purchase, it's a great article.
It also reminds me of my one and only visit to the Starlog offices, back in 1999. I was getting a tour of the offices from one of the mag's founders, and we got an earful from top editors and publishers about the politics of publishing a licensed magazine for one of the biggest blockbusters of that year. (I'll leave out that film company's name to avoid stepping on any toes; besides, that was a year of many blockbusters, so good luck guessing.) Starlog Group had tried to get rights to a licensed magazine for the film, but the price was so steep that it'd be nearly impossible to recoup the cost, much less make a profit. Another publisher did snap up the rights, but it paid so much that Starlog Group was slapping its forehead in dismay (if a company had a slappable forehead -- but you know what I mean) over what the other publisher would have to do to make it work.
McDonnell explains how Starlog Group President/Publisher Norman Jacobs structured his licensing deals (again, a nice tidbit for magazine geeks like me to know; probably overkill for you). At one time (I believe in the 1980s), Starlog Group was the number-one publisher of licensed magazines. Over the years, the company did everything from Star Trek (TNG, DS9, Voyager) to Baywatch to Terminator 2 to The Untouchables and on and on and on, until that business dried up for them a decade or so ago. I would have loved to see what they could have and would have done with a magazine on the new Battlestar Galactica, but now I'm just compounding geekness upon geekness.
These days, the licensed movie magazine section of your local friendly Borders has been totally colonized by Britain's Titan Magazines, which did in fact publish a Galactica magazine, and still produces them for CSI: Miami, Torchwood, Star Wars, and others. I wonder what their licensing deal is like.


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My Journey with MND Victoria
Hi my name is Ailish, and I am a social work student at Deakin University. For the past three months I have been completing my Field Placement at Motor Neurone Disease Victoria and by the time I finish I will have been working here for approximately five months.
I knew of Stephen Hawking's journey with ALS before I started my placement but I would say I knew very little about the disease. When receiving my placement agency, as any student would, I researched the disease extensively. I was taken aback by the immense struggle I imagined would be faced by people with MND, their friends, family and carers.
In my time at MND Victoria so far I have had the chance to engage with individuals whose resilience in the face of adversity is inspiring. The strength of the human spirit can know no bounds. Very quickly I developed a passion to help those whose journey in life encounters MND and advocate on behalf of their needs. I feel blessed to be a part of an organisation where every worker demonstrates an intense dedication to their work and, no matter the challenge, they show up each day to help in every way they can. Until there is a cure, there is care.
Cosmologist, space traveller, hero!
On the 14th of March this year, one of the greatest scientific minds of our time passed away. Stephen William Hawking was born on the 8th of January 1942 (exactly 300 years after the death of Galileo). At the age of 21 (in 1963), he was diagnosed with a rare, slow-progressing form of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)- also known as Motor Neuron Disease (MND) and was given two years to live. An astonishing 55 years later and Hawking has left quite a legacy.
Academic Life
In October 1962, Stephen arrived at the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP) at the University of Cambridge to do research in cosmology, there being no-one working in that area in Oxford at the time.
After gaining his PhD (1965) with his thesis titled 'Properties of Expanding Universes', he became, first, a research fellow (1965) then Fellow for Distinction in Science (1969) at Gonville & Caius College. In 1966 he won the Adams Prize for his essay 'Singularities and the Geometry of Space-time'. Professor Hawking moved to the Institute of Astronomy (1968), later moving back to DAMTP (1973), employed as a research assistant, and published his first academic book, The Large Scale Structure of Space-Time, with George Ellis. During the next few years, Stephen was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (1974) and Sherman Fairchild Distinguished Scholar at the California Institute of Technology (1974). He became a Reader in Gravitational Physics at DAMTP (1975), progressing to Professor of Gravitational Physics (1977).
He then held the position of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics (1979-2009). The chair held by Isaac Newton in 1663. From 2009, Stephen was employed as the Dennis Stanton Avery and Sally Tsui Wong-Avery Director of Research at DAMTP and founder of the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology at Cambridge.
Professor Hawking received over a dozen honorary degrees and many awards, medals and prizes including: the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1982), the Wolf Foundation prize (1988), Companion of Honour (1989), Copley Medal (2006), the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2009), and the Fundamental Physics prize (2013). He was a fellow of the Royal Society and a member of the US National Academy of Science. Professor Stephen Hawking is regarded as one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists since Einstein.
Professor Hawking has written at least 19 books. In the book My Brief History he turned his gaze inward for a revealing look at his own life and intellectual evolution. The book recounts Hawking's improbable journey, from his post-war London boyhood to his years of international acclaim and celebrity. Writing with humility and humour, Hawking opens up about the challenges that confronted him following his diagnosis of MND aged twenty-one. Tracing his development as a thinker, he explains how the prospect of an early death urged him onward through numerous intellectual breakthroughs, and talks about the genesis of his masterpiece A Brief History of Time – one of the iconic books of the twentieth century.
Motor Neurone Disease
In 1963 Stephen was diagnosed with ALS, a form of Motor Neurone Disease, shortly after his 21st birthday. In spite of being wheelchair-bound and dependent on a computerised voice system for communication, Stephen continued to combine family life (he has three children and three grandchildren) with his research into theoretical physics, in addition to an extensive programme of travel and public lectures. Thanks to the Zero-G Corporation, he experienced weightlessness in 2007 and always hoped to make it into space one day.
Over 420,000 of the world's people are living with MND and approximately 140,000 cases are diagnosed worldwide each year. That's 384 new cases every day. Closer to home, more than 2,000 people are living with MND in Australia, 58% who are under the age of 65.
Assistive Technology
Since 1997, Stephen Hawking's computer-based communication system was sponsored and provided by Intel® Corporation. A tablet computer mounted on the arm of his wheelchair was powered by his wheelchair batteries, although the tablets internal battery kept the computer running if necessary.
His main interface to the computer was through an open source program called ACAT. This provided a software keyboard on the screen. A cursor automatically scanned across this keyboard by row or by column. Characters could be selected by moving his cheek to stop the cursor. His cheek movement is detected by an infrared switch that was mounted on his spectacles. This switch was his only interface with the computer. When a sentence was built, it would be sent to a speech synthesizer.
Professor Hawking you will never be forgotten!
We are comforted by knowing you live on in many alternate futures according to the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics!


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My style icons are people who have confidence in their looks combined with a slight eccentricity, such as designers Stefano Pilati and Phoebe Philo. Fashion blogger Leandra Medine – aka Man Repeller – carries herself with great style and confidence as well. These three look true to themselves; they're not trying too hard.
An unforgettable place I've travelled to in the past year is Bhutan. This country is literally heaven on earth; it's both geographically stunning and incredibly spiritual as it's the last Buddhist kingdom. I stayed in a series of Aman Resorts and each one was individual and authentic. www.aman.com.
The last item I added to my wardrobe was a pair of suede hiking boots from my menswear line, for navigating the streets of New York in style throughout the seasons, and several handwoven scarves [second picture] embellished with tribal patterns that I picked up on a trip to Ethiopia.
In my fridge you'll always find a variety of hot sauces – including Sriracha, Cholula and my mother's very spicy, secret blend – which I use on vegetables and meat dishes; fresh fruit and veg; ginger for cooking; coconut water; and unpasteurised sake.
If I had to limit my shopping to one neighbourhood in one city, I'd choose SoHo in New York, where you can find everything in a tight radius. I love If for high-fashion labels you can no longer find easily elsewhere, and De Vera for rare objects and curiosities. Modernlink is great for Scandinavian furniture, while Double Knot is a wonderful shop full of vintage and one-of-a-kind carpets. The excellent local butcher, Japan Premium Beef, has the best cuts of meat. De Vera, 1 Crosby St (+1212-625 0838; www.deveraobjects.com). Double Knot, 13 White St (+212-966 9113; www.double-knot.com). If, 94 Grand St (+1212-334 4964; www.ifsohonewyork.com). Japan Premium Beef, 57 Great Jones St (+1212-260 2333). Modernlink, 35 Bond St (+1212-254 1300; www.modernlink.com).
The best gift I've given recently was a first birthday party for my godson. It was held at a children's play centre called Kidville in Brooklyn and included a great group of people – both young and old. Turning one is a huge accomplishment and I was happy to celebrate with him. 808 Union St, Brooklyn, NY 11215 (+1718-569 2150; www.kidville.com/parkslope).
And the best one I've received recently was a brass bangle from my guide on a trip to Ethiopia. He belonged to the Amhara and I admired his stack of bracelets that jangled to make music. He took one off and presented it to me. It was such a personal and meaningful gesture.
An object I would never part with is a black naga stone given to me by the queen mother of Bhutan, Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck. I was introduced to her on a recent visit through a mutual friend and we had a very special connection. She insists I must have been Bhutanese in a past life and gave me this very special holy stone from her garden. It now sits in my bedroom at my home in SoHo.
My favourite room in my house is my steam shower. It's a spare, simple space and the place I go to relax and reboot.
If I didn't live in New York, the city I would live in is Tokyo, where each neighbourhood has a distinctive feel; it's a city of both chaos and convenience. From Aoyama to Daikanyama to Omotesando, I love the original street style and the diversity of architecture, the great food, vintage shopping and excellent hotels such as the Park Hyatt. And I'd like to spend more time exploring Naoshima's "art island" with its incredible museums, including the Benesse House Museum [third picture] and Ando Museum, and high-tech installations. The Japanese treat everyone with respect and they all possess a certain elegance. Ando Museum, 736-2 Naoshima, Kagawa (+8187-892 3754;www.benesse-artsite.jp/en). Benesse House Museum, Gotanji, Naoshima, Kagawa (+8187-892 3223; www.benesse-artsite.jp/en).Park Hyatt Tokyo, 3-7-1-2 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-Ku (+813-5322 1234; www.tokyo.park.hyatt.com).
The people I rely on for personal grooming and wellbeing are Mark Bustos of Three Squares Studio [fourth picture] for my regular haircut – he's a great stylist and gives haircuts to the homeless every Sunday, which I think says a lot about him; and my physio Dr Nina Figueroa of Base Physical Therapy, who keeps me aligned. Base Physical Therapy, 47 West 14th St, New York, NY 10011 (+1917-533 4535; www.basept.net). Three Squares Studio, 444 West 17th St, New York, NY 10011 (+1917-847 3384; www.threesquaresstudio.com).
The books on my bedside table include Creativity, Inc. [fifth picture] by Pixar president Ed Catmull, and Start Where You Are by Pema Chödrön, which is all about developing compassion towards others. I also have The Diamond Cutter – a book that fuses Tibetan Buddhism with practical business strategy. I love self-help books and acquiring knowledge.
If I weren't doing what I do, I would be a farmer with plenty of land to harvest and lots of sunshine. In an ideal world, I'd be a seaweed farmer in Thailand so I could be near the ocean as well.


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Xmas Queens at the Academy
You might think it would be difficult to make a space like the Academy feel cosy and Christmassy, well I can tell you all it takes is about five Christmas trees, a gazillion sequins, a ton of lip gloss, six of the best drag queens in the business and the wonderful Michelle Visage.
Yes, Christmas Queens came to Manchester on Thursday night and did not disappoint. It was easily the best Drag Race show I've seen. The show started and featured other RuPaul Drag Race alumni appearing on the video screens answering all sorts of questions such as whether they are naughty or nice and they all got massive cheers from the up for it Manchester crowd. But it was the stars on the stage that everyone was really interested in.
Visage ably played the host, making it feel like it was just a regular gathering at her house, opening the show with a wonderful speech about acceptance and equality and even inviting audience members up onto the stage to lip sync for their lives which was brilliant.
The opening number got us right into the mood with a medley of Christmas favourites reworked in Drag Race style.
Season Five winner and Manchester regular, Jinkx Monsoon was a brilliant soloist, her voice is spectacular and she was born for that stage. She performed Passive Aggressive Christmas from the Christmas Queens 2 album and it was so funny.
Ivy Winters came out in a beautiful cloak for The First Noel and then an amazing triple reveal present outfit for Happy Holidays.
It was interesting to see some of the queens who don't often visit these shores like Thorgy Thor. I wasn't a massive fan of hers in season 8 but she most definitely brought something different to the proceedings by getting her violin out and blasting a couple of numbers to us, one assisted by the new kid on the block, Peppermint.
You could be forgiven for expecting Peppermint to be a little nervous with such big names but when they did the icy karaoke section she took on Madonna's Frozen in front of the Queen of Pop's biggest fan, Michelle Visage. Anyone who saw Peppermint's lip sync to Music on season 9 knows she's in safe territory.
The other Drag Race royalty in the house was season four winner, Sharon Needles. I have to say that she did look a little out of the place with her gothic look and her performance of The Murder of the Lawson Family was a bit of a low point.
For me the star of the show was Ginger Minj. She was fantastic, playing the comedy card and then switching into chanteuse, looking fabulous in a red sequinned number. She totally owned the stage and was perfect foil for Jinkx as they belted out that song from Frozen which I'm not going to name because I will be singing it for the rest of the day and so will you. She was the one to watch in the group performances too and was so at ease.
Michelle didn't just host but treated us to a rendition of Silent Night which the brilliant Manchester crowd sung at the top of their voices before we all finished on a karaoke version of Joy To the World amid snow cannons and much cheering.
I challenge anyone not to leave feeling totally in the Christmas mood with a ridiculous grin on their face. If you get the chance, go!
By Chris Park for Canal St Online
Published: 15-Dec-2017 (4684)


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United Nations Secretary General António Guterres paid a visit to the Council of Europe today and met with Secretary General Jagland.
The meeting covered a broad range of subjects including migration, conflict prevention, combatting corruption and the fight against terrorism. Messrs Jagland and Guterres discussed the situation in the Western Balkans, the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, human rights in Crimea and the Council of Europe's dialog with Turkey.
Secretary General Guterres acknowledged the important role of the European Court of Human Rights. Secretary General Jagland provided the UN Secretary General with a document of the Council of Europe's contribution to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They agreed to continue and strengthen the good cooperation between both organisations.


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Published on : Monday, February 20, 2017
February 20th is set to be the hottest in 160 years for Britain, with the advent of spring.
Temperatures are expected to reach 16°C which will be hotter than Greece, Dubai and Saudi Arabia at this time and the hottest since February 20, 1857.
It comes after many enjoyed unseasonably warm temperatures during the week, with people even seen sunbathing in Britain's parks.
A southwesterly airflow will bring a warm front down from the Caribbean, though cloud cover will stop the weather feeling too unreasonable.
The Met Office said that the cloud of hot air is making its way over the Atlantic Ocean from Florida and parts of the Caribbean, and is expected to reach the British Isles over the weekend.
Aberdeen, Wattisham and London are all tipped as likely locations for the highest temperatures, with the east of the country broadly enjoying the best of the warmth.
The rise could make the UK among the hottest locations in Europe, following bouts of snow and freezing temperatures that took hold earlier this month.
Tags: Hottest temperature, UK


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Getting Started With the Player SDK for Android
This guide will walk you through the steps for adding a Kaltura video player to your Android mobile application, using the Kaltura Player. The library is a super-collection of all Kaltura Playkit libraries, which include the Player, Kaltura Analytics, and various Providers that can access the Kaltura Backend. Using the Kaltura Player library makes it easier to take advantage of all player capabilities.
In this Kotlin tutorial, you'll learn how to import the Kaltura Player SDK, find the necessary credentials, and load the player with your Entry ID of choice. Because the player is focused on performance and giving you the simplest integration possible, it does not contain a UI. That being said, this guide will show you how to listen to events in order to manage the player state, as well as examples for adding play/pause buttons and a slider to the player.
If you prefer to see a Java sample, click here.
Before You Begin
You'll need two things:
- Your Kaltura Partner ID, which can be found in the KMC under Settings>Integration Settings
- Any video entry, which can be found in the KMC as well.
Setting Up OVP Player
Begin by creating a new project in Android Studio. For this guide we chose the Fullscreen Activity Preset, to make it simpler to view the player in full-screen.
FullScreenActivity.kt comes pre-loaded with functions for showing and hiding the Action Bar and the Controls menu, to achieve the full-screen functionality.
Compile Options
Depending on your Compile Settings, you might get an error about Invoke-customs or supported release versions. In that case should add java 1.8 to your compile options in
In your
build.gradle add the Kaltura-Player dependency:
Appication/Splash Activity
KalturaOvpPlayer should be initialized in the application class or in a splash activity before using the player.
KalturaOvpPlayer.initialize(this, OVP_PARTNER_ID, OVP_SERVER_URL)
In the
FullScreenActivity.kt, import the following:
Static variables in
Kotlin are placed in the
Companion Object, which acts as an inner singleton class that gives access to its members as direct members of the class.
In our Companion Object, we'll declare the log-tag and Partner ID:
Class Variables
For starters you'll need the ID of the entry, or video, that you want to display in the player. You can find this in the KMC under Content.
You'll need an object for the Player, and you'll also need to hold onto the Player State (for playing and pausing):
The Player
Create a new function called
loadPlaykitPlayer. This function will:
- Set configuration and behavior (auto-play set to True)
- Initialize the player
- Create a view that is determined by the size of the player using
fullscreen_contentobject that was created by the Fullscreen preset
- Load the media entry inside the player using OVP Provider Object
- Use built in Log object to document an error if loading the entry fails
- Set the global Player to the new one if nothing fails
- Call
Provider Options
The provider helps the player access the Kaltura backend. The entryId is checked against the API, and there is an option to pass a Kaltura Session, which is always recommended when creating a player. If your application doesn't already generate a Kaltura Session, read this to learn more.
Create a function called
buildOvpMediaOptions. The
apply keyword in Kotlin will run the code block and pass the receiver, or in this case,
mediaOptions as
State Listener
Create another function called
addPlayerStateListener. It sets the state of the player any time it changes and logs the state change.
Let's put all the pieces together. In the
onCreate function, you'll need to call the functions we just created:
We removed the
setOnTouchListner for the button, and ended up with something that looks like this:
If you run the app now, you should see the player, and your video should start automatically. If you turn off the screen lock, you'll see that the video becomes fullscreen and that the buttons disappear. Notice however that you have no way of pausing the video. We'll need play and pause buttons.
Play and Pause
The Fullscreen project has already created two buttons for us. In this example we removed one of the buttons and called the other one playPauseButton. We also turned it into an imageButton (instead of text) so that we can use proper images from the Exo image library that we imported earlier.
addPlayPauseButton sets the button to rely on Player state in order to know which image to show. Meaning if the video is playing, the button should show a pause icon, and when the button is clicked, the video pauses and the image turns to a play icon.
We made a few other changes to the activity XML, like turning the view into a
LinearLayout. See full XML:


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My dissertation argues that contemporary polarization of the U.S. political parties is rooted in long-standing issue connections between racial attitudes and other policy views among voters. I contend the parties more easily divided on issues like abortion and gun control in the 1990s, because the parties in the electorate had already divided on civil rights in the 1960s. This argument is significant because it challenges a prevailing scholarship that argues elites constructed the alignment of party and ideology; I contend this process was much more rooted in the mass public.
The dissertation's first section focuses on long-running trends in public opinion and has three key findings: 1) I show that left-right attitudes on civil rights overlap left-right divides on essentially every other major policy issue. Voters that are conservative on civil rights and race have long expressed more conservative attitudes on abortion, gun control, environmentalism, women's rights, gay rights, defense spending, economics, etcetera; 2) voters expressed this package of issue attitudes long before the parties took public positions on many now salient policies; 3) respondents who do not know where the parties stand on issues or who otherwise know little about politics, still package various issues together. Taken together, these findings challenge a robust literature that argues elites first package and then diffuse ideologies down to voters.
Consistent with these empirical facts, I argue that the 1960s racial realignment — referring to the period when the parties began to divide on race — created a domino effect across the party system. When the parties divided race in the 1960s, pre-existing ties between civil rights and other policy views encouraged the parties to take positions on newly salient issues, such as abortion or gun control, which reinforced this racial divide.
While this project focuses on events that occurred over 50 years ago, we continue to live in a political world created at this historical juncture. Issue overlap between racial attitudes and so many other policies helps explain the depths of polarization in a party system increasingly divided by race and ethnicity. That these divides are rooted in the mass public contextualizes why it may be politically difficult for party elites to simply switch positions or work across the aisle.
A draft of the manuscript can be be found here.


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Younger People
Trinity Toddlers
Trinity Toddlers is run by a group of volunteers from the Church and a member of staff from Sunshine Pre-School.
Every Wednesday from 10am to 11.30am during term time.
All are welcome.
Sunshine Pre-School
Sunshine@Trinity is our Ofsted registered Pre-School for children from the age of 2 years.
Open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday during term time.
Funding for eligible 2 year olds and all 3 and 4 years olds.
Holy Trinity Uniformed Organisations
The above groups all meet at Trinity.


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Early antiretroviral therapy in children perinatally infected with HIV: a unique opportunity to implement immunotherapeutic approaches to prolong viral remission
UMMS Affiliation
Program in Molecular Medicine; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Immunology/Infectious Disease
Publication Date
Document Type
Infectious Disease | Medical Immunology | Pediatrics | Virus Diseases
From the use of antiretroviral therapy to prevent mother-to-child transmission to the possibility of HIV cure hinted at by the Mississippi baby experience, paediatric HIV infection has been pivotal to our understanding of HIV pathogenesis and management. Daily medication and indefinite antiretroviral therapy is recommended for children infected with HIV. Maintenance of life-long adherence is difficult and the incidence of triple-class virological failure after initiation of antiretroviral therapy increases with time. This challenge shows the urgent need to define novel strategies to provide long-term viral suppression that will allow safe interruption of antiretroviral therapy without viral rebound and any associated complications. HIV-infected babies treated within a few days of birth have a unique combination of a very small pool of integrated viruses, a very high proportion of relatively HIV resistant naive T cells, and an unparalleled capacity to regenerate an immune repertoire. These features make this group the optimum model population to investigate the potential efficacy of immune-based therapies. If successful, these investigations could change the way we manage HIV infection.
DOI of Published Version
Lancet Infect Dis. 2015 Sep;15(9):1108-14. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(15)00052-3. Epub 2015 Jul 14. Link to article on publisher's site
Journal/Book/Conference Title
The Lancet. Infectious diseases
Related Resources
PubMed ID
Repository Citation
Klein N, Rossi P, Luzuriaga K, Pahwa S, Nastouli E, Gibb DM, Rojo P, Borkowsky W, Bernardi S, Zangari P, Calvez V, Compagnucci A, Wahren B, Foster C, Munoz-Fernandez MA. (2015). Early antiretroviral therapy in children perinatally infected with HIV: a unique opportunity to implement immunotherapeutic approaches to prolong viral remission. Pediatric Publications. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(15)00052-3. Retrieved from https://escholarship.umassmed.edu/peds_pp/57


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Encouraging small churches to network together to share the Gospel in creative ways with people of all ages, but especially with the next generation.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Treat Everyone the Same – A sermon based on James 2:1-13
Click here to review part one in this series (James 1:1-8 – Maturing Through Difficulty)
Click here to review part two in this series (James 1:9-18 - We Don't Want to Be Rich!)
Verse 1 - My brothers, hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ without showing favoritism.
• When James uses the term "brothers" he is referring to Christians.
• This passage is telling Christians how to treat other people.
• How we treat other people is an outward demonstration of how we "hold to our faith."
• If we were honest, we would have to admit that we tend to let go of our faith when it is convenient and then take it up again when we need something from God.
• The word "favoritism" is the Greek word "prosopolempsia" which means "receiving a person because of one's outward appearance."
• We often pick our friends by the clothes they wear, or the style of their hair, or how they look.
• The Lord chooses people by what He sees inside of them.
• 1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said …Do not look at his outward appearance or his stature…Man does not see what the LORD sees, for man sees what is visible, but the LORD sees the heart."
Verse 2 - For suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring, dressed in fine clothes, and a poor man dressed in dirty clothes also comes in.
• Read Bill's story . . . .
• It is so easy to look down on those who we perceive as being "lower" than us.
• But how does God want us to treat others?
Verses 3-4 - If you look with favor on the man wearing the fine clothes so that you say, Sit here in a good place, and yet you say to the poor man, Stand over there, or, Sit here on the floor by my footstool, haven't you discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
• When we treat people differently because of how they look, we are discriminating against them.
• The word "discriminate" comes from the Greek word "diakrinomai" which literally means "wavering or doubting."
• Remember, verse 1 said hold to our faith by treating people correctly.
• When we discriminate against people because of how they look, we waver in our faith and doubt God's creation.
• God made us the way we are, who are we to doubt God's wisdom?
Verse 5 - Didn't God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him?
• Remember James 1:10 taught us that the "poor" are those who have been through difficulties in life but remained faithful while the "rich" are those who think they are powerful and in control of everything around them.
• God choose the "poor" to be rich in faith.
• This means God choose those who have been through difficulties and trials to have a faith that is powerful and can change situations through their trust in the Spirit.
• The verse also says that God choose the poor to be heirs of the kingdom of heaven.
• This does not mean that people who have had difficulty in life automatically get to go to heaven.
• This verse is referring to the reality that many people come to Christ in a time of difficulty in their lives. Once they come to Christ, then they get to go to heaven.
• Difficulties in life will either be a stepping stone to God or a stumbling block to faith.
Verse 8 - If you really carry out the royal law prescribed in Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well.
• James reminds us of what Jesus said in Matthew 22:39, that we should love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves.
• If we do that, then we are doing well.
• Imagine a world, a nation, a community, a church, a family, where we loved each other as much as we loved ourselves.
Verse 9 - But if you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
• When we judge people by how they look on the outside, we sin.
• God takes sin seriously.
• So while we are busy judging others, God is preparing to judge us.
• We might want to think about this some.
Verse 10 - For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of breaking it all.
• James points out that sin is sin.
• Though we like to create categories for sins that we think are worse than others, God does not have such categories.
• God is so holy that He cannot tolerate any level of sin in His presence.
• Therefore, the sin of favoritism is just as serious as any other sin.
• This means that not only must be make sure we do not judge others by how they look on the outside, we also need to be careful about judging others for sin that we perceive to be worse than our own sin.
• This does not mean we have to ignore sin.
• It simply means that we must all acknowledge our own sin before pointing out the sins of others.
• Matthew 7:2-5 - For with the judgment you use, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but don't notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and look, there's a log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
• Christians should not discriminate against others based on outward appearance.
• Christians should realize that those who have gone through great difficulty in their lives may have much to teach us about faith, even if they look a bit beat up.
• Christians should love others as much as they love themselves.
• Christians should only point out sin in others after we have acknowledged our own sins before a Holy God, who will judge us all.
Anyone can learn to develop a sermon outline like this by reading the book, Developing Leadership Teams in the Bivocational Church, published by CrossBooks, a division of Lifeway.
Posted by Dr. Terry Dorsett at 2:10 PM
Labels: Overcoming Racism, Preaching Tips, Sermon Notes
5 comments:
This was preached on February 27, 2011. Still catching up on the sermon notes.ReplyDelete
- Terry's mom!!!!March 31, 2011 at 1:54 PM
funny, I don't remember giving favortism to your youngest brother, seems all my daughter in laws say I spoil the men in the family, including you, ha ha. Did you not think I would watch on TV so heard you. ha haReplyDelete
It is certainly a timely word.ReplyDelete
I love the idea that we are to treat everybody the same and Christ tells how that same is to look! We are to treat others (love them) like Christ has treated and loved us! Sacrificial and unconditional. Great reminder: http://statictab.com/kr27ixoReplyDelete
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Alton Memorial Hospital events
Monday, March 3
EMS Basic Life Support health care provider classes; EMS satellite, 161 N. Bellwood Drive, East Alton; 6-9:30 p.m. Contact Debbie Woelfel at 618-258-9930 or firstname.lastname@example.com for more information.
Wednesday, March 5
Community cholesterol and blood pressure screenings; AMH connector lobby; 9 a.m.-noon (no registration required); cholesterol, HDL, glucose: $10; blood pressure: free.
Thursday, March 6
Healing Touch Day; open house near the AMH Chapel; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Refreshments provided. Meet the practitioners and have a mini-session or make an appointment. All Healing Touch at AMH is free of charge.
Tuesday, March 11
Grief, Loss, Change support group; AMH Smith Wing third floor, small classroom; 6-7:30 p.m. Call 618-463-7117 for more information.
Wednesday, March 12
Skin cancer screening; AMH Cancer Care Center; 4:15-6:15 p.m. Screenings given by Dr. Noor Ahmed. Call 800-392-0936 for an appointment. Cost: free.
Wednesday, March 12
EMS Heartsaver AED and first aid class; EMS satellite, 161 N. Bellwood Drive, East Alton; 4-10 p.m. Cost for just the HS CPR AED from 4-6 p.m. is $25; cost for First Aid (6-10 p.m.) is $35; if you do both, cost is $50. Book is $15. Contact Debbie Woelfel at 618-258-9930 or firstname.lastname@example.com for more information.
Thursday, March 13
AARP Smart Driver Course; AMH cafeteria Meeting Rooms A/B; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Fee: $15 AARP member; $20 non-member (payable to AARP) the day of training. Led by Shirley Wheatley, certified AARP instructor. Call 800-392-0936 to register.
Saturday, March 15
Prepared Childbirth Saturday class; AMH cafeteria meeting rooms; 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Call 800-392-0936 to register. Cost: Free
Monday, March 17
Look Good, Feel Better; AMH cafeteria conference rooms; 1-3 p.m. American Cancer Society presents a wig and makeup tips for women with cancer. You MUST pre-register to receive a makeup kit. Call 618-433-7979 for more information or to pre-register.
Wednesday, March 19
Breastfeeding Basics; AMH Hatch meeting rooms; 6:30-8:30 p.m. The class focuses on the basic techniques needed for establishment of successful breastfeeding. Call 800-392-0936 to register.
Thursday, March 20
Diabetes support group; AMH Olin Wing ground floor, Room G-252; 1-2 p.m. Call 618-463-7526 for more information.
Tuesday, March 25
Grief, Loss, Change support group; AMH Smith Wing third floor, small classroom; 6-7:30 p.m. Call 618-463-7117 for more information.