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Over recent days, we have all been heartened by the courage of 2 year old Faye Burdett's parents as well as 7 year old Mason Timmins' parents in publishing emotional photographs, of their children as they are dying from Meningitis. We know that this has hit home as at the time of writing this, some 766,510 people have signed a petition to encourage the Government to roll out the Meningitis B vaccine to all children as opposed to just children aged between 2 and 5 months of age.
Every year there are around 2,500 cases of bacterial meningitis and it is possible that double that figure of viral meningitis occur in the UK. The 2 largest Meningitis charities in the UK have done a lot on the awareness of the signs and symptoms over recent years. These charities are MeningitisNow and the Meningitis Research Foundation. I would highly recommend that you visit them for further information if you are at all worried about someone. There is a link to their websites on out Useful Links page.
What is Meningitis
Meningitis is the inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, helping to protect them from injury and infection. These membranes are called meninges.
There are 2 main types of meningitis: viral and bacterial. Viral meningitis can be very nasty but is rarely life threatening. Bacterial meningitis is life threatening.
Meningococcal Disease is life threatening and is a term that is often used to describe two major illnesses, Meningitis and Septicaemia. There are five main groups of meningococcal bacteria: A, B, C, W and Y, the most common group in the UK is group B. It has taken 20 years to find a vaccine for this strain, and the UK is the first country to introduce the vaccine routinely.
However the Men B vaccine has become controversial due to the age range that is being offered the vaccine routinely at this current time.
Meningitis can affect anyone, of any age at any time although it is true to say that the illness has target groups, depending on the type of meningitis. For example, pneumococcal meningitis targets children under the age of 18 months, whereas Meningococcal disease has recently been targeting children in their early teens.
Signs and Symptoms
Meningitis normally affects the child by showing flu like symptoms, so what are you looking out for?
There are certain Red flag signs that you should be aware of, these are:
Should you see any of these signs then you really should be getting that child checked out medically as quickly as you can.
Other signs of meningitis are:
There are other signs that are most associated with babies, these are:
The Blotchy purple rash is caused when the bacteria has got into the blood stream and has caused meningococcal septicemia. The rash may start off like pinprick marks, and will not fade when pressed. Be aware the rash MAY NOT appear and even if it does appear, may disappear, so keep checking.
The most up-
Meningitis Story
Even though the 2 main charities have done a lot of hard work in awareness, I was surprised to learn earlier this week, that clearly the message isn't getting home. I learnt this while catching up on an interview that Matt Dawson had taken part in on ITV's This Morning. Matt Dawson is one of England's Rugby World Cup winning side of 2003. But more relevant to this blog is the fact at the same time as Faye Burdett was taken into hospital with suspected Meningitis, Matt's own 2 year old son was on his way to hospital, again with suspected meningitis, although a different strain of the illness. In the interview Matt says that he was 'a little ignorant to it…not realising how serious Meningitis could be'.
During his interview, Matt went on to describe the events of the day including the hospital events and his feeling of helplessness. Matt is strongly supporting the petition to widen the age range of children who are routinely receiving the Men B vaccine.
At the end of his interview, Matt states very clearly that although the petition for the vaccine is important for the short or medium term, the important thing is that parents are fully aware of the signs and symptoms of meningitis.
Chillingly, he went on to say that in his 'ignorance' he and his wife came close to saying its ok, their son will be ok and putting him to bed to sleep off the illness, had they done that, in Matt's words, 'he wouldn't be with us today!'
The moral of Matt's interview is that you should follow your instincts and act if you are in doubt by contacting your GP or your local A&E department.
Our Advice
The most important thing that we can advise is for everyone to get up to date with the signs and symptoms.
The quicker you act the better chance a casualty has of making a good recovery.
We would urge all parents and childcarers who are aware that they have a child in their care who is ill and getting worse fast to get medical advice as soon as possible. We are aware that meningitis is difficult for doctors to diagnose at times as the signs and symptoms are so similar to other illnesses, if you are in any doubt then please ask for a second opinion.
Where to go for help
There are lots of ways to get more information on meningitis:
August has arrived, the month of holidays, sun and fun for most. The month most people wait eagerly for, but this August for a group of 622 Great British athletes it's the pinnacle of their sporting careers. For 366 of these athletes will spend 2 weeks of the month representing Team GB in the Rio Olympics, while the other 256 athletes put the finishing preparations to their turn to represent Team GB in Rio in September at the Paralympics.
622 athletes will be fighting it out across 44 different sports to claim the title of Olympic Champion or Olympic Medallist. Most athletes have worked hard over the last 4 years since London 2012 to ensure that they can achieve their dreams at the pinnacle of world multi-
So I hear you cry, what can possibly go wrong? Why is a First Aid Training business writing a blog on the Olympics?
And well you would be right to ask, however, I want to deal with the first of the 2 questions.
What could possibly go wrong?
Sadly, the worst thing that could go wrong is injury! (I see now you understand the answer to the second question!)
During the London Olympics in 2012, 1361 injuries were reported across all 204 participating National Olympic Committees (NOC), this equates to 11% of all athletes who participated incurred an injury. The highest risk of injury was in Football, Taekwondo, BMX, Handball, Hockey, Athletics, Badminton and of course Weightlifting, with a much lower chance of injury in Equestrian, Rowing, Shooting, Canoe Slalom and Sprint, Track Cycling and Archery.
I thought in this month's blog we would look at some injuries that could happen and how, as a first aider, we can treat these.
Please remember that this blog is not in any way a replacement for a First Aid course, and I would advise that should you hold a position where First Aid could be needed, that you should attend a course.
So what injuries are a possibility?
Let's deal with each of these injuries individually.
Sprains and Strains
Firstly, let's look at the 2012 Olympics for an idea as to how many athletes suffered from this injury. A grand total of 556 athletes had a sprain or strain, making these the biggest injuries at the last multi-
What is a Sprain?
A sprain is an injury to a ligament at a joint.
What is a Strain?
A strain is an injury to a muscle.
Both are caused by a sudden wrenching or stretching movement, tearing the surrounding muscle or ligament.
Signs and Symptoms:
Loss of Power
Swelling or Bruising
Please note that often minor fractures are mistaken as a sprain/strain. If in doubt get casualty checked out by a medically trained professional who can use an x-
Rest – Rest the injury, stop doing the activity and protect from further harm.
Ice – Apply an ice pack (e.g. pack of peas wrapped in a tea towel) to the affected area for 10 minutes every 2 hours for a total of 24
Compress -
crushed ice for the initial 10 minutes.
Elevate -
Contusion and Laceration
Contusion and laceration injuries are the second and third most likely injuries during the coming Olympics when using evidence from the last Olympic games held in London in 2012. 285 lacerations and contusions were recorded.
I have grouped these together as they are both minor injuries affecting the bleeding. A contusion is a bruise and a laceration is a deep cut or tear wound, categorised usually with a jagged edge.
Treatment of such injuries is fairly straightforward as far as first aid goes. When dealing with a contusion injury apply an ice pack to reduce swelling, 10 minutes is a good general rule of thumb. With a lacerated injury, the key is to help stop the bleeding and reduce the risk of infection. Using a first aid bandage, lightly dampen the pad of the bandage with water to prevent any flaps of skin sticking to the wound, and then place the dampened pad on the wound and wrap the crêpe bandage firmly around the rest of the limbs.
Should blood seep through the bandage, please apply a second bandage firmly on top of the first one. You can apply on top of each other a total of 3 bandages, if blood still seeps through the 3rd one then remove the top 2 LEAVING the base bandage in place and apply another on top. You will need to arrange for transportation to medical professionals at this stage.
The fourth most common injury at the Summer Olympics was fractures. You may know this type of wound as 'broken bones' a grand total of 41 injuries occurred.
There are 4 main types of fractures:
Signs and Symptoms:
Loss of Power
Unnatural Movements
Swelling or Bruising
Irregularity (with lumps, bumps and depressions in the skin)
Crepitus (the sound of the 2 ends of bone grinding together)
Immobilise the injury and prevent the casualty from using the affected injury any further, however again take the lead from the casualty, forcibly restricting the limb a casualty wishes to move may cause further tissue damage.
Never try to straighten a broken bone that is angulated.
On our courses we will provide guidance on how to minimise the movement of the casualty by demonstrating and observing the application of an elevated and support sling. We will also offer some common sense alternatives to using a triangular bandage.
Dislocations are caused when the bone comes out of its socket, very often this is diagnosable by the look of the limb being in a strange position or pointing in abnormal directions. Other indicators include:
Intense pain
Reduced Muscle strength
Bruising or redness
Difficulty in moving
It can be very difficult to tell the difference between a dislocation, sprain, strain or a fracture, the only way to be sure is with an x-
During the last Olympics, this was the 5th most common injury causing 23 injuries. The most likely sports to get a dislocation are Football, Hockey and Water Polo, all with 4 injuries apiece.
The main treatment for a first aider, is to immobilise the affected part of the body, taking the lead from the casualty themselves, for they are more than likely going to have found a position that is comfortable for them. You MUST NEVER try to put the bone back into its socket.
If you want to and your casualty will allow you to, apply a sling to the injured arm.
On all our First Aid courses we offer advice and training on how to apply a sling.
Spinal Injury
The spine is an important part of the body. Within the 33 vertebrae there is a combination of discs between them and the spinal cord that flows down the spine. In some cases, injuries can cause lifelong disability to the casualty.
12 spinal injuries were caused during London 2012. Athletics with 6 and Weightlifting with 2 are the most likely. Table Tennis suffered from 1 spinal injury which may surprise some people.
It can be difficult to identify a spinal injury however you should suspect a spinal injury if:
The most important thing that you can do for a casualty in this situation is to restrict them from moving in anyway. However, never hold down a casualty to stop them from moving if they are adamant that they are wanting to move as physical restriction here could result in the casualty being even further injured than before the physical restraint.
The second most important thing to do for any such casualty is to reassure them, telling them that you do not think it is a good idea for them to move, and if necessary keep them warm. You will need to sit and stay with them, talking to them throughout, supporting their head and keeping it in line with their body.
Call 999/112 for emergency help. If they have stopped breathing this will take priority for you to carry out Cardio-
Concussion was the 5th biggest cause of injury at the London Olympics, with 6 casualties. Football was the biggest cause of this injury.
Concussion is the shaking of the brain. This can be caused by blows to the head, a fall from height or even a potential spinal injury.
It is worth mentioning at this point that if you suspect a head injury you must always suspect a spinal injury.
Signs and symptoms:
1. Sit the casualty down and apply a cold compress to hold against the injury, this can help to reduce swelling. Continue to assess the response levels of the casualty using the AVPU scale that we teach as standard on all courses.
2. Regularly monitor and record vital signs:
3. When the casualty has recovered ask a responsible person to look after the casualty.
4. If this has been caused from sporting activity, the casualty should not return to the activity until they have been assessed fully by a medically trained practitioner. Please note that casualties often have an inbuilt competitive streak, which will make them want to return to the field of play immediately; you will need to prevent them from doing so.
5. Advise the casualty to seek medical help.
Remember that concussion can take 24 hours to fully show itself on the casualty, therefore you should keep an eye on a casualty for a period of time, especially if you suspect that they have suffered from a head injury.
Lastly of course due to the location of the Olympics there is a further risk to the athletes that we haven't mentioned yet but has been in the news frequently in the last year. This risk of course is the Zika virus.
According to The World Health Organisation (WHO) Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted primarily by the Aedes Mosquitoes. People with Zika may suffer from:
Mild fever
Skin Rash
Muscle and joint pain
Malaise (a general feeling of discomfort, illness or unease)
Or headache.
At present the advice for treatment is to speak to a medical practitioner for assistance.
So how will Zika affect the Rio De Janeiro Olympics in the next few weeks?
Rio de Janeiro's Health Secretary, Daniel Soranz said,
'Zika should not deter travellers from coming to the Games,
as cases of the virus had dipped significantly in recent months.'
Now that Brazil is having drier and cooler weather amid the Southern Hemisphere's winter, incidences of the Zika virus have declined sharply in recent months. Therefore, the approximated 500,000 visitors to the Olympics should be fairly safe from the risk of Zika.
In summary of the question, 'What could possibly go wrong?' clearly the answer is a lot of things. However we would like to wish the spectators a safe and enjoyable occasion, and to the confirmed 10,293 Olympians (this number is likely to rise) and the Paralympians (numbers not yet confirmed), we wish them a safe, healthy and successful Olympics and Paralympics, but please do remember to warm up your bodies to try to prevent possible injury.
Remember: this is not to be used to replace a First Aid course.
Now please go and enjoy your month of August and the Olympics safe in the knowledge of some basic First Aid understanding. Should you wish to follow the Olympics, we have a dedicated page on our website. To access it please click here. Alternatively, for more information on our First Aid courses, please click here.
Over recent months there has been a lot of discussion in early years regarding the 'safety' socket covers that have been used as a safety feature in nurseries, crèches, and childminders for many years. This idea has stemmed from the NHS which has said:
'Socket inserts should not be used in health or social care premises, nor supplied for use in a home or residence. Any socket inserts currently in use should be withdrawn from use and responsibly disposed of.'
However, this has been a discussion piece as far back as 2009 with an article that was written in the Telegraph newspaper. The headline of this article described the socket covers as 'absurd and dangerous' according to engineers.
No Longer Needed
Therefore, the news is that they are no longer needed, and should be totally withdrawn from use by the 1st December 2016!
Is this the case?
We have done some research into this area on your behalf to try and make this subject clearer. We appreciate that the change is likely to make a few people particularly worried of the increased risk of accidents and injuries occurring in their settings, namely, electric shock and/or burns. We have tried in this article to allay those additional fears.
Safety of sockets
It is the requirement of the IET Wiring Regulations BS7671:2008 (2015), that plug sockets have shutters and be compliant with BS1363. The British plug socket is considered to be one of the safest in the world. BS1363 sockets were introduced in 1947. Sockets which meet this British Standard must have an interlocking shutter mechanism preventing the insertion of any foreign object into the socket and therefore contacting the live electrical ports in the socket. This is an inbuilt safety feature that you can see in the picture below. BS1363 approved plug sockets include, 13A wall socket outlets, multiway adapters and flexible extensions, and therefore are the most likely to be used in the early years' sector. BS1363 also details the distance that a plug pin must take in order to come into contact with live parts, this distance is 9.6mm. As a general rule, also, the pin holes of the socket are too small for a child to insert their fingers far enough into them in order to touch any dangerous live parts, this is an intentional design.
The problem with Socket Covers
Unlike plug sockets there are no safety regulations or British Standard rating for 'safety' plug covers. This however contradicts how the products are advertised. One such product on sale on a famous online store website is described in the product description as:
'Designed to prevent curious children pushing fingers or other objects into dangerous electrical sockets.'
This implies that this is going to prevent accidents from happening, in a way that the plug socket themselves can't do.
So, what is the problem with the Socket Covers?
One problem is there is not a single cover on the market that meets correct dimensions for plugs, and therefore does not meet any British Standard as opposed to the sockets which meet BS1363. Any cover which is made incorrectly can cause significant damage to the actual socket. Some socket covers actually increase the risk of danger and injury rather than reduce the risk.
A key fault of some of these covers allows curious young children to insert the cover into a socket upside down into the earth pin only, therefore opening the safety shutter and allowing access to live contacts. It is hard to find other such objects that can be inserted in such a way that opens the safety shutter and stays in place!
Why are Socket Covers Dangerous?
In summary, the risks of using socket covers are as follows:
Some socket covers make it possible to poke pins and paper clips into the live parts!
Broken plastic pins stuck in the earth hole -
Wrong size pins can make covers easy to remove, some even pop out by themselves!
Socket contact damage -
Socket shutter damage -
Children like to play with socket covers -
Can Children Remove Socket Covers?
Many people believe that children cannot remove 'protective' socket covers, this in reality is a myth. As discussed earlier, most pins on these covers are not the same size as a plug and therefore do not fit properly in a socket as the socket is designed. A socket cover that is tight in one socket, may be loose in another and therefore it would depend on the socket and child as to whether the child could remove it or not.
Children generally have capabilities beyond what an adult believes they can do and often will use objects around them to help lever out the socket cover.
What does Ofsted say about socket covers?
Ofsted has no official position on the use of these socket covers and they are not referred to in guidance for inspectors.
In September 2001 Ofsted said on this matter:
'We neither encourage nor discourage the responsible use of socket covers as part of a risk-
'Inspectors should not set actions or make recommendations in relation to the use of socket covers and should not refer specifically to these in their reports.'
'It is for the provider to decide, as part of the risk assessment they carry out at their premises, how best to protect children from any dangers associated with electric sockets and appliances.'
When asked about the recent Health and Safety alert an Ofsted spokesperson told Nursery World:
'I can confirm that we have no official position on this specific issue. Providers are expected to ensure their premises are safe and suitable for childcare, and to form their own assessment on this within the requirements of the early years' framework or childcare register requirements.'
In summary the use, or lack of, of socket covers will not impact on a provider's Ofsted grading as there is no official position on this specific issue from Ofsted. Whether your setting continues to use these or not will depend on the individual risk assessments that providers are required to carry out.
However, the Health and Safety alert does state that these should not be used beyond December 1st 2016, it states that electrical socket inserts should be withdrawn and disposed of safely. They also state that 13A electrical socket inserts should not be used in Health and Social care premises nor supplied for use in a home or residence.
In Summary
Sockets used in the UK meet BS1363 – covers meet no standard.
Sockets have a safety shutter as standard – removes the need for a cover.
Socket covers do not meet the correct sizing of sockets – plugs do.
Covers can damage the socket.
Children can remove socket covers.
Electric Shock First Aid
Should a child get injured by electric shock, the electricity will travel through the body to 'earth'. This in turn may affect the child's body's electrical impulses, including breathing and causing the heart to stop.
There is likely to be an entry and exit burn as well as the possibility that you can see the path of the current flow, from deep internal burns that are not visible.
An electric shock may cause the child's muscles to contract and prevent them from releasing their grip on the offending object. Should this be the case they may still be live and therefore you should approach with caution.
1. Make sure the contact with the electricity has been broken. Turn the power off at the mains ideally.
2. Once safely disconnected from the power, check the child's airway and breathing.
3. If breathing effectively, treat any burns or injuries that you find.
If not breathing effectively, start Cardio-
4. Ensure the child receives medical attention (even if they have apparently recovered).
5. Call 999/112 for emergency help if the child has been unconscious or has electrical burns.
Reference Sources:
Department of Health safety alert, EFA 2016 002 Final.pdf
Nursery World
The Telegraph – 23/03/2009
As we enter into another period of Advent, we thought we would take a look at the true meaning of Advent and some of the traditions that we observe during this time.
What does Advent mean?
Advent is a time of expectant waiting and preparation of celebration of the second coming of Jesus by many Western Christian Churches. The word Advent comes from the Latin word adventus which means coming. Advent is the lead up to the Nativity of Jesus, and begins in 2016 on Sunday the 27th November.
Advent Calendars
As the start of Advent varies from the 27th November to the 3rd December due to the Sunday that is closest to Saint Andrews Day, most Advent Calendars will commence the countdown to Christmas and therefore the Advent period on the 1st December.
Advent Calendars were first used by German Lutherans in the 19th and 20th Centuries ubiquitous with many Christian denominations.
On the market today, there are many different themes and styles of calendar, with a simple idea behind them all. The idea being, opening or unveiling something on a day-
The market also has some more adult designs available ranging from a small packet of Pork Scratchings hiding inside the windows through to a very expensive malt Whiskey calendar which includes sampling bottles of fine malts, one of which of the bottles is worth nearly £1000.00.
Other designs include wooden shapes with drawers in where the user can insert any treat they wish, right through to some interactive versions available on certain websites which provide a special offer each day.
Most children enjoy the idea of opening an Advent calendar window to not only count down to the arrival of Father Christmas but also to eat the chocolate behind!
The origins of Father Christmas
The real story and person behind Father Christmas is a rich man named Nicholas who inherited a lot of money when his parents died. There is a story of Nicholas that goes on to say that he donated money to a poor family via dropping some money down the chimney which landed in a stocking that had been left hanging to dry. This first present allowed the poor family's eldest daughter to get married by paying the dowry to the bridegroom. A dowry is a sum of money paid to the bridegroom by the bride's parents on their wedding day, this practice still occurs in some countries today. Without the kind gift from Nicholas, the daughter would have been unable to marry.
The events repeated, allowing the middle daughter to get married, again with the gift of money falling into the stocking that had been left to dry. The father of the girls wanted to find out how this money was appearing and so he set a trap to identify the nice person, by waiting beside the fire every evening until he caught Nicholas. Of course, Nicholas asked the poor man to not tell anyone, which was agreed.
Over time the story of the kind rich man got out, and whenever anyone received a gift they believed it was from Nicholas himself. Because of his kindness, Nicholas was made a saint, making him Saint Nicholas (known today as Saint Nick!). This story also shows how the idea of hanging stockings by the fireplace for Father Christmas began.
Nicholas lived during the 4th Century.
As time went on the story of Saint Nicholas became unpopular particularly after the reformation in the 16th Century.
Of course, someone had to deliver the presents to the little boys and girls at Christmas and so in the UK, particularly England, he became known as Father Christmas or 'Old Man Christmas'.
Other names for Father Christmas:
France Père Nöel
Germany Christ Kind
Early USA Kris Kringle
Dutch Settlers in USA Sinterklaas (Santa Claus)
Father Christmas began to become popular again in the mid-
Throughout history, Father Christmas and Santa Claus had been seen as different entities, but since the 1880s they have begun to be seen as one and the same thing.
When are the 12 Days of Christmas?
A popular song that is sung and used through the advent period is the 12 Days of Christmas, most people will be able to name the first 6/7 gifts that 'my true love gave to me', however beyond this point we get confused. Below we have explored the song days and gifts in some detail, and linking them to the calendar day that the presents would have been given:
Date Day Present Number of Total number
times 'given' of presents
25/12 1 A Partridge in a Pear Tree 12 12
26/12 2 2 Turtle Doves 11 22
27/12 3 3 French Hens 10 30
28/12 4 4 Calling Birds 9 36
29/12 5 5 Gold Rings 8 40
30/12 6 6 Geese a-
31/12 7 7 Swans a-
01/01 8 8 Maids a-
02/01 9 9 Ladies Dancing 4 36
03/01 10 10 Lords a-
04/01 11 11 Pipers Piping 2 22
05/01 12 12 Drummers Drumming 1 12
Presents in the song 364
The 12 Days of Christmas was first used in around 1780 and there are a few versions with subtle differences in the gifts, however our list above seems to be the most familiar, possibly with the exception of 4 Colly Birds as opposed to 4 Calling Birds.
The song leads up to the Epiphany, which is the 6th January and tradition says that Christmas decorations should be taken down on this day; Not a day before nor after. If any decorations are left up beyond this point they should then remain up all year round, otherwise it is bad luck.
Why decorate?
The tradition of using green trees indoors goes back a long way, even before it was used as a Christmas decoration. Pagan tradition shows that using an evergreen tree indoors is a symbol of life amidst dark and cold days. Today's tradition dates back to Roman times, although those in Northern Europe were sceptical to the idea. The Romans displayed their trees around the New Year celebrations.
According to Christianity Today's website, Northern Europe's scepticism stems from a prominent Christian called, Tertullian, who has been quoted as saying:
'Let them over whom the fires of hell are imminent,
affix to their posts,
laurels doomed presently to burn: to them the testimonies of
darkness and the omens of their penalties are suitable.
You are a light of the world, and a tree ever green.
If you have renounced temples, make not your own gate a temple'
This stance softened over the years as missionaries spread a legend that every tree threw off ice and snow when Jesus Christ was born to reveal luscious green leaves and branches.
Somewhere in the 1500s did evergreen trees really become associated with Christmas, it is believed because of trees being decorated in biblical and nativity plays. As the plays got rowdier and rowdier in the 16th Century, the plays were banned, leading people to move their decorated trees into their own homes – taking a Christmas tree into its pride of place, and the tradition began. Eventually, churches began to put up decorated trees too.
The tradition of lights on a tree, began as churches began to put up decorated trees, usually next to shelves of candles which illuminated the tree, soon the candles on the shelves started to adorn the tree and illuminate it from being on the tree. This has over time, and with the electrification of homes, led to the tradition of the day of using 'fairy' lights to light the trees within the home.
History shows us that the Romans used to wait until after noon on Christmas Eve before their tree went up. There doesn't seem to be a fable or tradition that says when a tree should be erected into the home, but some people put it up on December the 1st others wait 'til the second Saturday in Advent.
Some people use real trees, some use artificial trees that can be brought out of the attic each year, some use the same tree that had been decorated the year before, wrapped in cling film and stored, then unwrapped, some find the experience of decorating a tree from scratch part of the experience. The moral of the story is it doesn't seem to matter as long as the tree is enjoyed and all decorations have been removed by Epiphany, to avoid any bad luck.
Christmas as we know is a time for children, family and the giving and receiving of presents. But should we really ever forget the true meaning of Christmas? I don't think you have to be particularly religious to mark or remember the 'birth' of Jesus Christ. The story I believe has much more to it.
Firstly, and for some Christians the most important part of Christmas is that it is the day that Jesus Christ was born in a manger in Bethlehem (I bet you're now singing Away in a Manger in your head!).
Secondly, the thing that Christians will point out is that CHRISTmas begins with Christ!
Now let's think about the story of the Nativity:
It happened over 2000 years ago, when King Herod ruled Judea, now a part of Israel, an angel came from the sky to a young woman called Mary, and said 'Peace be with you! God has blessed you!' and went on to explain that Mary would give birth to the son of God and how she would call him Jesus.
At the time the Roman Emperor, Augustus, had called all his people to their homeland in order to conduct a census to ensure all taxpayers were paying their taxes. Mary and Joseph had to endure a journey of some 70 miles on foot and donkey from Nazareth to Bethlehem whilst Mary was heavily pregnant with child. When at Bethlehem they had problems finding a place to stay and when enquiring at an inn, although it was full, the innkeeper offered the stable. In that stable, a child was born to Mary and Joseph. That child would be known as Jesus, son of God. He was laid in a manger of hay and straw as Mary and Joseph rested alongside.
After his birth, some shepherds were visited by an angel who informed them that the Saviour was born in Bethlehem and they decided that they should visit him to see the Saviour.
Whilst, this was happening a joyous bright new star formed in the sky, some Wise Men in a faraway land saw the star and being wise and having studied the stars and read the old readings they knew that the son of God had been born. They got some gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh, and followed the star towards the stable in Bethlehem, (the star came to rest over the stable of the child's birthplace). En route, King Herod had summoned them to tell him where the child was as he wanted to kill the new king. The Wise Men arrived at the stable and wondered at the newborn baby, delivering their gifts before returning to their own land by a different route to avoid bumping into King Herod, and thus avoiding informing him of the child's location.
Although a brief walk through the story, there are a lot of underlying messages that lie there, including kindness, family, togetherness and looking at Mary and Joseph, it doesn't matter what you begin with but what you end up with. They made the most of a stable to welcome their child into the world.
As I have said, the story behind Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ, and whether religious or not the story can teach us so many things.
And as we enter this Advent period I would hope that we can even in a small part remember some of the messages of the story, but here at The Training Fox…….
We would like to wish
All our customers, supporters and suppliers
Merry Christmas.
Victoria Climbié
8 years
Peter Connolly
17 months
Khyra Ishaq
7 years
Hamzah Khan
4 years
Keanu Williams
2 years
Callum Wilson
11 months
Daniel Pelka
4 years
Tia Sharp
12 years
Mikaeel Kular
3 years
Liam Fee
2 years
Keegan Downer
18 months
Dedicated to the memory of these children,
and others not mentioned here;
And to those who are currently being abused by their parents as I type this.
Across the United Kingdom there are over 13,050,000 children under the age of 181, last year over 56,700 children were identified as needing protection from abuse2. It is thought that for every one of these 56,700 children another 8 children are actually suffering from abuse, according to an NSPCC estimate3, this would make the number of children approximately 453,600.
So what can be done to help these children?
The answer in truth is very simple, but in practice is more difficult. The simplest answer is observation and being aware that something is wrong. In practice this can be really hard, some children will try to hide that something is wrong.
It is important to remember that 'safeguarding children is everyone's responsibility'.
What has happened in the area of safeguarding and child protection in recent years?
A lot has happened over the years in the pursuit of keeping our most vulnerable safe, dating as far back as 1601. The laws back at that time in fairness were arbitrary at best, gladly over the following 400 years things have become more clear and centred around the child's best interests. In fact, it wasn't until 1839 that the custody of under 7 year olds was assigned to their mothers under the Custody of Infants Act, something that we have always taken for granted that children are under the custody of their parents.
Until 1889, the police and authorities had no power to arrest anyone who was mistreating a child, nor could they enter a home to prevent any mistreatment from occurring. This law went on to be known as the Children's Charter, and although changed and amended many times, you could say that this charter is still in place today. This is the Act of law that was amended in 1904, which gave the NSPCC the statutory right to intervene in child protection cases and the power to remove children from abusive or neglectful homes, a statutory right that they still have today and are the only voluntary agency with this power.
Although in the intervening years a lot of good things happened in the area of safeguarding, the next major milestone occurred in 1989, with the inception of the Children's Act 1989, which introduces the concept of parental responsibility and enshrined in law the inquiries to safeguard children's welfare. There was another major event in 1989, which was the United Kingdom signing up to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), providing 54 articles aimed at giving children rights within our society and throughout the world.
Article 6 of the convention is quite pertinent to this blogpost as it states that children have the right to be alive, something that sadly the 11 children named at the top didn't get to live for as long as they had the potential to do.
Article 19 states that children have the right to be safe from being harmed, or mistreated in body and mind. Surely these 2 simple articles are really important and if you look through any further law aimed at keeping children safe you can see that these are at the centre of Government business.
In 1999, a law was passed aimed at stopping paedophiles from working with children, as more recent history shows us, whilst this is important and is good intentioned, sometimes these people do slip through the net and are able to work with children. If we look at the Vanessa George case, better known as Little Ted's, which happened in Plymouth in 2009, the resulting Serious Case Review found that no 'professional could have predicted that George might be a risk to children'. This implies that her CRB (DBS) check was clean at the time of being completed, maybe because she hadn't done anything before this case, or even that she hadn't been caught offending before this sad case. However, what the Little Ted's case highlighted was the true extent of the problem of female paedophiles; in fact some experts believe that 20% of paedophiles are female. This is a statistic that is bound to shock people, especially those who expect that paedophiles are all male.
In the year 2000, Victoria Climbié was killed by her Great Aunt. Victoria's case is the first high profile case of the new millennium. Anybody who has been involved in Early Years, safeguarding or anywhere near newspapers, radio and television will have heard of Victoria Climbié. This truly is a sad case, which could have been prevented, the Laming Review found that there were 12 missed opportunities to save Victoria's life. Had one of these opportunities been taken, we wouldn't be talking about Victoria as she would not be known to the world. Victoria Climbié was brought to the UK, via France, by her Great Aunt having offered her parents the chance of a better life for Victoria. Victoria was actually the second child to have been offered a chance of a better life, as the original child's parents changed their mind at the 11th hour. In some reports Victoria is referred to as Anna, as this was the name that she came into the country under, dressed to look like the other child.
In just over 10 months in the United Kingdom, Victoria Climbié was treated in the most inhumane way possible. For the last few months of her life, she was living, eating and sleeping in a bath.
During her post-
In sentencing Victoria's Great-
In 2001, Lord Laming was appointed to conduct an inquiry into the events of Victoria's death; he published a report in 2003, in which he stated:
'The extent of the failure to protect Victoria was lamentable. Tragically, it required nothing more than basic good practice being put into operation. This never happened.'
The Laming Report provided the Government with 108 recommendations for improving. The Government accepted these recommendations in full.
From the Laming Inquiry, came the Children's Act of 2004. This Act introduced the concept of Local Safeguarding Boards (LSCBs) replacing the previous system, it also mandated that each Local Authority would appoint a Children's Director. The 2004 Children's Act legalised the Every Child Matters Framework, which is seen as one of the most important policy initiatives in the past decade. It has been described as a sea change in the children and families agenda. The Every Child Matters agenda featured 5 key outcomes for children, often the acronym SHEEP is used to remember these:
Every child shall be:
Positive Contribution.
Although, the Governments have changed since its inception, the Every Child Matters framework still exists today, just in different forms and is now referred to inside Whitehall as 'Helping Children achieve more'.
Also, in 2004, the Bichard Inquiry recommendations for a registration scheme for those working with children came into effect; this started life as the Independent Safeguarding Authority, which has since merged with the Criminal Records Bureau, making the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Bichard Inquiry was set up in the aftermath of the disappearances and murders of two schoolgirls in Soham, Cambridgeshire, namely Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.
In 2007, Haringey Social Services (the department involved in the Victoria Climbié case) were again in the news for their failure to protect yet another child. During the initial months of the newsreels, due to the court case taking place, this child was referred to as Baby P, now we know him to be Peter Connolly. He had suffered 50 injuries over an 8-
'Please keep me safe'5
He then went on to explore how things had changed in England since his last report. He does praise the Government for the work that they have done, however, in the tone of the words you can tell that he is dissatisfied with how things have progressed. Lord Laming says very clearly:
'With greater ambition and determination I am sure it can be done. Now is the time to prove that the well-
He acknowledges that the report was conducted in a tight timescale.
Whilst Working Together to Safeguard Children had been in existence since 2006, again partly due to the Victoria Climbié case, in 2010 and subsequently several times since, most notably a simpler concise version in 2015, it became statutory, outlining the ways that all agencies involved with children should work together to safeguard children.
Arguably the most useful review in recent years was carried out by Professor Eileen Munro, when the coalition Government came to power to review the safeguarding children processes across the UK, but not because of a specific case but to see what they could do differently to better benefit the most vulnerable in our society. She made 15 recommendations all based around the amount of 'box ticking' and central Government prescription in social work practice whilst improving the focus on the needs of the child.
As this blog shows, a lot has happened in the area of safeguarding over the last 400 years, however, the events of the last 2 weeks in the UK still show that there is a long way to go, not least the case of Liam Fee, where Fife Social Services stated in court that Liam 'fell off the radar'. Surely this is the one thing that shows that systems in Social Services still need to be improved; a child known to be at risk of significant harm should not be allowed to simply drop off the radar.
The other noteworthy story in the safeguarding area in the last two weeks, concerns Birmingham Children's Services, who in recent years have failed many children, to name a few, Khyra Ishaq, Keanu Williams and Keegan Downer. The failing department is now due to be run by a voluntary trust. The Department of Education is to appoint a trust to run these services, plans however, are at an early stage.
I would like to end as I began,
To all the children who have died
at the hands of their parents/family members,
may you all Rest in Peace and may you never be forgotten.
May we also not forget the children that are living at risk of significant harm.
1 ONS (2014) Table MYE2 in Population estimates for UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, mid-
2 compiled using the Home Nations statistics available on the NSPCC website.
3 How Safe are our Children (2013)
4 The Victoria Climbié Inquiry, Lord Laming HMSO 2003
5 The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report, Lord Laming 2009, TSO
Year Reviews


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We all wear a social mask in order to fit in with others and sometimes it tends to get the better of us. Some of us constantly feel compelled to be a certain way in order to feel like we belong ("trying to please you for too long"). We repress our true feelings in order to fit in ("controlling my feelings for too long").
Also, Matt's trying to say that people like to take advantage of you if you're too submissive ("visions of greed you wallow/they make me dream your dreams/they make me scream your screams").
The world's a stage and very few of us are well-rehearsed for it. ;)
de7ilzniteon December 13, 2006 Link
0While modern day community may be a stage, the whole of our world is certainly not. Merge with your inner aspects, and think of why all these people are so crudely adapted to this scene that you depict.
Then think again of those on the defined scale who you have forsaken; why some individuals for longer periods in their lives do not take part in charades at all - they are likely more than you imagine, because we do not earn the access to see them in that state as easily. Neither do you know their past. Chasing the astral, you will see many things others filter out.
We deserve more.Flag encephalycon September 02, 2016

subset: commoncrawl


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Parent Chaperones and Volunteers
If you would like to go on field trips during the school year or volunteer to help in your child's classroom, you will need to be on the approved chaperone list. If you were approved last year, you still need to complete and sign an application this year.
Write a note to your child's teacher or call the front desk and ask for an application to be sent home with your child.
The deadline for submitting an application will be December 15. After your application has been approved, you will need to have a quick meeting with our guidance counselor, Mrs. Sanders (firstname.lastname@example.com). Volunteer training is conducted every Monday at 9:00 a.m. and every 3rd and 4th Friday of each month at 1:00 p.m.


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Rare and Protected Species Records Across Wales 1975 to 2012
Natural Resources Wales
This dataset is primarily made up of aquatic and riparian species (marine and freshwater) including invertebrates, plants, algae and fish. The data includes ad-hoc records from surveys at local offices.
Data collection started in the 1970s onwards. This dataset does not include records of Freshwater Pearl Mussel, but otherwise includes all Rare and Protected species surveyed by the former Environment Agency Wales, now Natural Resources Wales. Formally known as AfA 225.
Geographic Description
The aim of this data collection was to monitor the distribution of rare and protected species across Wales.
Data quality
Confidence in this dataset is High. Each record has been provided either as part of a survey where the surveyor was professional, trained or validated by Biodiversity staff.
Rare and Protected Species are surveyed and collected through the former Environment Agency's Wales monitoring activities and from 1970 to 2013. Since 2013 all data collection for Wales was conducted by Natural Resources Wales. Data are extracted from National Fish Population Database (NFPD).
No citation information available.
Usage statistics
Digitised records
Looking up... the number of records that can be accessed through the NBN Atlas.Click to view records for the Rare and Protected Species Records Across Wales 1975 to 2012 resource.
Metadata last updated on 2017-11-13 14:19:16.0


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General English + Mini Group
- Ages 16 +
- 4.97 score from 88 ratings
Recommended for
Choose your experience
What is the course about?
Learning English in a group of 6 people has a lot of advantages because sometimes you need to have a bit more attention, be able to ask more questions and reaffirm any knowledge you already have.
You will still have a lot of classroom interaction and activities designed to help you learn faster, but in our Mini Group English Plus course, you will also have a more personal touch for your learning path. Increase your confidence, improve your speaking, listening, reading and writing skills, and get ready for a whole new world of opportunities!
Important Information
You will have General English in the mornings and be part of our Mini Group English course in the afternoons.
Why LAL?
- We choose the best approach for your learning process.
- We offer different options for you to choose the course that best fits your needs.
- We work hard to make your lessons entertaining and interactive.
- We enhance your learning through LAL Advantage, our online learning platform, which you can use both during the course and until three months after you leave us, at no extra cost!*
*Not Malta.


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Master's in SpanishCreate Account
Master's in Spanish
Master degree programs in Spanish are designed to impart a thorough knowledge of the Spanish language as well as Spanish-speaking cultures and literatures. Most programs cover materials from both Spain and Latin America. Students gain fluency in written and spoken Spanish as well as a solid background in relevant culture and history. The program includes a wide range of reading material, from classic poetry and novels to modern non-fiction writings.
What Is a Master's in Spanish?
A Master's in Spanish is a graduate program that usually takes about two years to complete. The curriculum centers on the study of the Spanish language, with cultural, historical and literary studies added for context. Some programs require students to have some degree of proficiency in Spanish, while others provide all necessary language instruction. At the conclusion od the program, students can expect to take a rigorous language examination to demonstrate that they have acquired the requisite degree of fluency.
In addition to taking varying levels of language instruction courses, students may also take courses such as:
- Spanish Linguistics
- The Latin-American Novel
- Spanish Literature
- Translation Techniques
- Hispanic Cultures
- Spanish Language and Media
- Advanced Spanish Composition
Some programs may also offer concentrations in various areas, such as:
- Spanish language teaching
- Spanish usage in the professions
- Translation
- Linguistics
- Culture and literature
Students who specialise in one of these areas may take additional courses in educational methods, linguistic theory and translation practice. Master's programs in Spanish frequently provide opportunities for immersive language practice through study abroad programs and internships. Students who are particularly interested in developing their Spanish skills in a specific are may be able to obtain specialised internships working for schools, publications, cultural centers or businesses.
What Are the Benefits of Getting a Master's in Spanish?
Gaining fluency in Spanish can be greatly beneficial to anyone wishing to work in an international setting or in an area with a large Spanish-speaking clientele. In-depth study of any foreign language is also an excellent way to develop stellar verbal skills for both oral and written presentation.
In addition to gaining proficiency in the Spanish language, students benefit greatly from exchange and study abroad programs. These opportunities enable students to immerse themselves in another culture. They acquire not just a professional vocabulary in Spanish but also a cultural and historic context for the practice of that profession in a particular country.
What Kind of Career Can You Expect With a Master's in Spanish?
A Master's in Spanish is an advanced credential that can help boost your career in many types of settings. Some graduates plan to teach Spanish language or culture at the primary, secondary or college level. Others may go into fields such as history or linguistics as teachers or researchers.
Professionals in many fields can also benefit from acquiring a high-level knowledge of Spanish. A graduate working for a company with branches in Spanish-speaking countries or areas can become eligible for leadership positions. Some fields where knowledge of Spanish can be a great advantage include:
- Healthcare
- Legal services
- Public relations
- Marketing and advertising
- Business development
- Entertainment
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In The Studio With Catherine Rex: Artwork Inspired by The Great Outdoors
This week, we swung by Catherine Rex's studio space in Costa Mesa to check out her female-inspired ceramics and kitchenware line that pulls from her attachment to nature. Growing up in the mountains of Malibu, hiking on her father's cattle ranch in Yosemite, and now living on the California coastline, Rex's life and art are embedded in the beauty of the outdoors. After demonstrating how to create one of her beautiful marbled plates, Rex took us out on her sailboat to discuss chemistry, the different jobs she had before becoming a full-time artist, and the importance of slowing down.
Tell us a bit about your path as an artist and how you ended up on a sailboat.
I've always been creating art. My mother's an abstract artist, and so as long as I can remember I've been playing with paint and clay. There are all these photos of me as a child, head to toe covered in paint. I grew up in a household of nude paintings and abstract sculptures. It might not have been the typical house for some people, but it seemed very typical to me. Art has been my focus forever.
Did you study art in school?
I went to school for psychology. My mother has her masters in Fine Art, and she advised against art school, she wanted me to do something more practical. I thought, maybe I'd do art on the side.
For a couple years, I ended up working as a therapist specializing with children who have autism. I was still painting on the side, and that's when I moved onto the sailboat. It was a wonderful job and it was super fulfilling, but it's not the same as working with clay every day. After working as a therapist, I moved on to a marketing job because I wanted something a little bit more creative. I was doing graphic design work from home so I had a lot more leeway to work in ceramics. Then a ceramics studio opened up 5 minutes away from the harbor, and that's where my life started moving towards where I am today, doing it full-time. It was kind of a natural path.
What do you like about working with clay?
I'm much better at art than I am at words. I just love the way the clay feels in my hands. I'm just much more tactile, and it has a lot to do with muscle memory. There are a lot of times I have an idea, or I want to create a female form in some way that I'm not exactly sure how I would draw it, but for some reason, I can just feel it. It's just always been a bit of a lack of words. It comes straight from my head and I know what it should feel like, otherwise, it just gets lost in translation.
Your work often celebrates the female figure – can you tell us a bit about the inspiration and process behind that?
In high school, I started working with the female form. We're born naked; that's how we're made and that's how we're the most beautiful. I really want to create art that people enjoy, but that also promotes empowerment and acceptance regarding the body. I love drawing women of all different shapes and sizes. I do a few things with men, but I really focus on women because I think you can only make what you experience. I really want to be able to create work that is empowering but that is also a really fun piece you can have in your home that might start a conversation. First and foremost, my pieces are supposed to make you happy; I want conversations around female bodies and female health to start from a positive place because I think that's how we can make more progress.
What kind of other work do you make?
I have a kitchen/homeware line that is inspired by colors from the California land and oceanscapes. I started creating these pieces because I wanted them for my own home. There is a coffee shop called "Neat", which, unfortunately, is closed for a bit, but they're opening back up in Costa Mesa. The owner had seen my marble pieces and asked me to come do a pop-up. It went unbelievably well and, that's when I realized I could actually start a brand. I kind of really dove straight in. I figured, "Oh look, I made money once, hopefully, this will keep occurring." I have the blessing of living on a sailboat, so our life is so much less expensive than it would be if I was living in a home or somewhere else. It's been about a year and a half since I've been doing it full time.
You've often said that you pull colors from landscapes; specifically the California coastline, Death Valley, and from the forests and greenery up north. Do you find inspiration in other cultures and through travel as well?
I'm really lucky to live on the water and to see the beach and the coast every day. I also grew up just in the mountains in Malibu where you're just surrounded by hiking trails. It's really a magical area that I wish I could move back to. I also spent a lot of my childhood in Yosemite on a cattle ranch, where my father grew up. When I was little we'd always go for hikes and my mom would point out and name all the flowers that we saw, and then my dad would teach me all the names of the trees and the herbs. So nature has always been a really important part of my life. I think that's where the inspiration for my marbled pieces came from; especially from the different rocks I've seen in mountains and all the colors you can see from the compression over time.
I like to say that a lot of my work is just everyday life slowed down a bit. I'm definitely more of a "Type A" person, and I have a bit of trouble slowing down, so that's when my practice really comes in handy.
For someone that doesn't understand how to create ceramic art – what's the most concise, basic understanding of the technical process of it?
So for me, there are three different ways I can make a piece: slip casting, hand building, and throwing. Most people are either going to throw or hand-build. If you throw, that's when you take clay and you put it on a wheel, and then you form the shape off of the wheel. When you hand-build, it's when you take clay in its solid form, and with your hands and tools, use coils, slabs, and pinch pots in order to create a shape. That's one of my favorite ways to make a piece because you can make anything in any shape or size.
And then what I do for the marbled pieces, is slipcasting. So I'll either throw or hand-build the original piece, and then I create a plaster mold of that piece. Then once that's dry, I marble liquid slip, which is liquid clay in the mold and plaster pulls the water out of the liquid clay forming the wall of clay, which you see as the finished piece. You can then you dump out the excess. Then you let it dry forever. So the first state of ceramics is greenware, that's clay before it's been fired at all; clay is essentially just dirt. Then it goes into a bisque firing where you heat it to a really high temperature and it vitrifies; it's still pretty fragile at that point. Once it comes out of bisque firing, we glaze it.
Glaze is essentially liquid glass mixed with different metals. It's a total chemistry experiment. Those metals create the colors. In glaze firing the piece reaches an even higher temperature to the point where the glaze melts, fuses to the clay body and creates a glass seal around the piece. It comes out and that's normally the final piece.
Do you have any dream collaborations in mind?
I do a bit of production for Norden, a candle company. I'm open to working with anyone, but I think a really fun collab would be to work with someone out of my field; maybe a designer, chef, or architect. I'm always playing with ideas with my friends, but I don't have one dream person in mind. Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to meet more creatives, and if a spark happens it would be amazing to work with them. Previously, I created fine art installations as well as some design, and textile work, and I'd love to play more in these fields or others. Any chance to learn something new, and collaborate with another artist or brand would be really exciting.
Last question – what was the most surprising thing about working in this field?
I think one of the really cool things about ceramics is that it involves a lot of chemistry. I remember kind of liking chemistry and science back in high school, and then I dabbled in Pre-Med in college, so I did quite a bit of chemistry, but it was never fun.
The chemistry behind ceramic is so much fun because it's a lot of trial and error and a lot of problem-solving. Sometimes one of my pieces might break and then I have to figure out what caused that reaction. A lot of times, it's because different clays are made with different metals and different dirt, and have different shrinkage rates when you're firing them. Not all clay is compatible.
A lot of the chemistry is going to happen during your glaze scenario too. I love making volcanic glazes, which is when it's essentially not made correctly, which causes a crazy chemical reaction that ends up kind of looking like a volcanic rock.
Images courtesy of Dakota Sage
Stay tuned to Milk for more artists on the rise.


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Some content or applications, including advertisements, on the Apps/Website may be served by third-parties, including advertisers, ad networks and servers, content providers and application providers. These third parties may use cookies alone or in conjunction with web beacons or other tracking technologies to collect information about you when you use the Apps/Website. The information they collect may be associated with your personal information or they may collect information, including personal information, about your online activities over time and across different websites and other online services. They may use this information to provide you with interest-based advertising or other targeted content.
We do not control these third parties' tracking technologies or how they may be used. If you have any questions about an advertisement or other targeted content, you should contact the responsible provider directly. For information about how you can opt out of receiving targeted advertising from many providers, see Choices About How We Use and Disclose Your Information.
How We Use Your Information
We may use information that we collect about you or that you provide to us, including any personal information:
We may also use your information to contact you about our own and third-parties' goods and services that may be of interest to you. For more information, see Choices About How We Use and Disclose Your Information.
We may use the information we have collected from you to enable us to display advertisements to our advertisers' target audiences. Even though we do not disclose your personal information for these purposes without your consent, if you click on or otherwise interact with an advertisement, the advertiser may assume that you meet its target criteria.
Disclosure of Your Information
We may disclose aggregated information about our users, and information that does not identify any individual, without restriction.
We may disclose personal information that we collect or you provide as described in this privacy policy:
We may also disclose your personal information:
Business Transactions
If the Company is involved in a merger, acquisition or asset sale, your personal information may be transferred as a business asset. In such cases, we will provide notice before your personal information is transferred and/or becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.
Choices About How We Use and Disclose Your Information
You can set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies, or to alert you when cookies are being sent. To learn how you can manage your Flash cookie settings, visit the Flash player settings page on Adobe's website. If you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of the Apps/Website may then be inaccessible or not function properly.
If you do not wish to have your e-mail address/contact information used by the Company to promote our own or third parties' products or services, you can request to opt-out of such service by contacting us through the following location https://minutessolutions.com/contact-us/. If we have sent you a promotional e-mail, you may send us a return e-mail asking to be omitted from future e-mail distributions. This opt out does not apply to information provided to the Company as a result of a product purchase or other transactions.
We do not control third parties' collection or use of your information to serve interest-based advertising. However these third parties may provide you with ways to choose not to have your information collected or used in this way. You can opt out of receiving targeted ads from members of the Network Advertising Initiative ("NAI") on the NAI's website.
Accessing and Correcting Your Information
You may send us an electronic communication by visiting us at https://minutessolutions.com/contact-us/ to request access to, correct or delete any personal information that you have provided to us. We may not accommodate a request to change information if we believe the change would violate any law or legal requirement or cause the information to be incorrect. Proper access and use of information provided on the Apps/Website, including User Contributions, is governed by our Terms of Use, located at https://minutessolutions.com/app-tou/.
If you delete your User Contributions from the Website, copies of your User Contributions may remain viewable in cached and archived pages, or might have been copied or stored by other Website users. Proper access and use of information provided on the Website, including User Contributions, is governed by our Terms of Use.
International Users
If you are using the Website from outside the United States or Canada, please be aware that you are sending information, including 'Personal Data', to the United States and Canada where our servers are located. That information may then be transferred within the United States and Canada or back out of the United States and Canada to other countries outside of your country of residence, depending on the type of information and how it is stored by us. These countries (including the United States and Canada) may not necessarily have data protection laws as comprehensive or protective as those in your country of resident; however, our collection, storage, and use of your Personal Data will at all times continue to be governed by this Policy.
If you are a Customer and your company is ether located in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, or your company, by using our Website, is processing the data of anyone who is in the EEA or Switzerland, then you can request our GDPR compliant Data Processing Agreement by contacting us at https://minutessolutions.com/contact-us/.
Your California Privacy Rights
California Civil Code Section 1798.83 permits California residents to request and obtain from us once a year, free of charge, a list of the third parties to whom we have disclosed personal information (as defined under that statute) of that California resident, for direct marketing purposes in the preceding calendar year and the categories of personal information that was disclosed to them. If you are a California resident and you wish to make such a request, you may contact us by visiting us at https://minutessolutions.com/contact-us/.
We may provide you the ability to post information on or through the Apps/Website. If you are a California resident who is under eighteen (18) and a registered user of the Apps/Website and you are unable to remove content or information you posted in a public area of the Apps/Website by following the instructions provided on the Apps/Website, you may request removal by visiting us at https://minutessolutions.com/contact-us/. When requesting removal please be specific about the information or content you want removed and provide the URL for each page on the Website where it is located, or the screen location of the Apps. We are not required to remove any content or information that: (a) federal or state law requires us or a third party to maintain the content or information; (b) the content or information was not posted by you, the registered user; (c) we anonymize the content or information so that you cannot be identified; (d) you don't follow our instructions for removing or requesting removal; or (e) you received compensation or other consideration for providing the content or information. REMOVAL OF YOUR POSTED CONTENT OR INFORMATION FROM THE APPS/WEBSITE DOES NOT ENSURE COMPLETE OR COMPREHENSIVE REMOVAL OF THAT CONTENT OR INFORMATION FROM OUR SYSTEMS OR THE SYSTEMS OF OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS. We are not required to delete the content or information posted by you; our obligations under California law are satisfied so long as we anonymize the content or information or render it invisible to other users and the public. Also, some content and information you post that has been copied or reposted by a third party is outside of our control and will not be removed.
Data Security
We have implemented measures designed to secure your personal information from accidental loss and from unauthorized access, use, alteration and disclosure. Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of your personal information transmitted to the Apps/Website. Any transmission of personal information is at your own risk. We are not responsible for circumvention of any privacy settings or security measures contained on the Apps/Website.
Changes to Our Privacy Policy
It is our policy to post any changes we make to our Policy on this page. The date the privacy policy was last revised is identified at the top of the page. You are responsible for ensuring we have an up-to-date active and deliverable e-mail address for you, and for periodically visiting the Apps/Website and this privacy policy to check for any changes.
Contact Information
To ask questions or comment about this privacy policy and our privacy practices, contact us at:


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In the face of climate change and social inequality, changing to a greener and fairer society might feel impossible – but rapid, radical transitions may be more possible than we think, according to the book "How did we do that? The possibility of rapid transition" by Andrew Simms and Peter Newell.
The book has been published by the STEPS Centre - co-hosted by SPRU and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) - and the New Weather Institute. It shows what we can learn about rapid change through examples from history and the present day.
From volcanoes grounding international airlines, to the New Deal in 1930s America and today's renewable energy revolution, the book collects 14 stories of rapid and radical change, often in the face of crisis and difficulty.
The authors argue that such change is needed now but also faces key obstacles. Much of human society is locked into a high-consumption culture, energy-intensive infrastructure, unequal power relations, and an economic system dominated by finance that fails the poorest and takes infinite growth for granted.
Other barriers exist in mindsets and attitudes towards change. Opponents of radical change argue that it is impossible because of powerful incumbent interests, high costs, the lack of a detailed blueprint, or the unwillingness of governments or citizens to act.
Others pin their hopes on a smart, technological fix to environmental problems.
Andrew Simms, co-author of the publication, says:
"History is full of examples of rapid transition in the face of new challenges. Society shows a brilliantly adaptive ability to change and still meet its needs, yet we're constantly told that we have no alternative to a failed economic system. In fact, the past suggests we have an opportunity to innovate and reveal our inner climate chameleons, changing our economy and habits to halt environmental collapse and thrive differently".
The examples in the book suggest that these barriers can be - and have been - overcome in the past, through grassroots movements, through leadership from governments, or a combination of the two.
Lessons drawn from the book include:
- Fairness matters: to be accepted, rapid change must be seen to be fair. This is especially true if and where there is any perceived sacrifice to be made for the greater good.
- We're actually good at change: New social norms can quickly take root in everything from working patterns, to transport use, attitudes surrounding prejudice, and patterns of consumption.
- Public leadership is needed: Initial public investment in a sector or activity can leverage larger levels of investment from other sources.
- There's no one path: Rapid transitions can result from bottom up and top down approaches, but ensuring that top down approaches are equitable and inclusive is a key challenge.
- Inaction costs: It matters always to be clear about both the costs of inaction and the benefits of action.
- Pleasant surprises do happen: Change always brings with it unplanned and unexpected consequences – but it can also bring unintended benefits.
Launched at a conference on 24 April 2017 in Brighton - with speakers including Caroline Lucas, Co-Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, and Rob Hopkins of the Transition Network - the book is now available for download. Dr Phil Johnstone was a speaker in one of the event's sessions - titled 'What are the Conditions Now?' - during which he discussed the state and transitions.
The book is part of the Transformations series - a suite of events aimed at changing the conversation about transition in the UK through a series of public discussions about how to facilitate the speed and scale of transitions to more sustainable futures. This area of work is closely linked to SPRU's research strategy – Transforming Innovation.
Further information
Download the book "How did we do that? The possibility of rapid transition" by Andrew Simms and Peter Newell.
Follow the event conversation on Twitter, via @stepscentre using hashtag #RapidTransitions
Read more about the Transformations series on the STEPS Centre website.


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Chili's Bar & Grill Map
851 Cobb Place Blvd. NW
770-419-8809 | Make Restaurant Reservations | Menu
The location of Chili's Bar & Grill is marked on the map below with a green arrow. Click on it to get directions if you don't see a pop-up. Enjoy your meal at Chili's Bar & Grill!
Get the recipes for GAYOT's Easy Summer Cocktails


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Box 3 Independence Box
Regular price
[Items seen in the photo may be changed due to availability
Box seen in photo is not provided.]
1. Customized for each child as we use name puzzles to help your child recognize, read and write his/her name.
2. English and Mandarin literacy - Sorting activity to learn names of items found in various shops
3. Math - Learn names of shapes and count food items to fulfill sandwich orders
4. Craft - practise safe scissors skills
5. Practical life - Help your child hone her scooping and pairing skills with coloured rice. Then encourage her to clean and sweep up errant rice grains!
5. Book - read 5 simple stories to your child about helping around the house, being resilient and putting the needs of others before your own!


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Usability Testing
What is Usability Testing?
When is Usability Testing appropriate?
Usability testing is not a substitute for a human-centred design process.
Who should attend?
• A representative user
• A test host.
• At least 1 business representative.
Observers should ideally be in a separate
observation room.
How many test sessions should be conducted?
This depends on the complexity of the system, the number of intended users, and budgetary constraints. Even one test session is better than
none, but 6 to 8 will tend to uncover the majority of significant issues.
How to prepare for Usability testing:
• Identify representative tasks. Ideally, these should derive from scenarios or use cases developed earlier in the design process. Have a clear definition of when a task is complete.
• Prepare a test schedule.
• Book the required room/s.
• Identify representative users and invite them to attend.
We will need the following materials:
• A consent form for video-taping (if conducted).
• A pre-evaluation questionnaire to check that your participants match the required profile, and to check whether any effects observed are dependent on demographic attributes.
• A list of tasks, together with criteria for measuring whether they have been successfully completed.
• Logging sheets to record timing, events, participant actions, concerns and comments.
• A post-evaluation questionnaire to measure user satisfaction and understanding and to glean any additional information participants
may want to provide.
• Cash or an appropriate 'thank-you' gift.
• Ensure participants are put at ease, and are fully informed of any taping or observation. Attend at least one test as a participant, to
appreciate the stress that participants undergo.
• Ensure that participants have the option to abandon any tasks which they are unable to complete.
• Do not prompt participants unless it is clearly necessary to do so.
• Record events in as much detail as possible— to the level of keystrokes and mouse clicks if necessary.
• If there are observers, ensure that they do not interrupt in any way. Brief observers formally prior to the test.
• Be sensitive to the fact that developers may be upset by what they observe or what you report.
Goals of usability testing
Usability testing is a black-box testing technique. The aim is to observe people using the product to discover errors and areas of improvement. Usability testing generally involves measuring how well test subjects respond in four areas: efficiency, accuracy, recall, and emotional response. The results of the first test can be treated as a baseline or control measurement; all subsequent tests can then be compared to the baseline to indicate improvement.
Performance: How much time, and how many steps, are required for people to complete basic tasks? (For example, find something to buy, create a new account, and order the item.)
Accuracy: How many mistakes did people make? (And were they fatal or recoverable with the right information?)
Recall: How much does the person remember afterwards or after periods of non-use?
Stickiness: How much time he/she spends
Emotional response: How does the person feel about the tasks completed? Is the person confident, stressed? Would the user recommend this system to a friend?
To assess the usability of the system under usability testing, quantitative and/or qualitative Usability goals (also called usability requirements have to be defined beforehand. If the results of the usability testing meet the Usability goals, the system can be considered as usable for the end-users whose representatives have tested it.


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Spreadsheet Details
TopicHome building cost spreadsheet.
AuthorLisa Schiffer
PostedSat, Jan 11th 2020 21:54 PM
Individuals and groups of people wishing to plan their investments require the accounting spreadsheet template. You can use a spreadsheet package to create the accounting plan template, and use it for business accounting. Also, you can use this to track personal or business payments. In addition, the template is great for people who want to record the amount of profit or losses against the investment value.
Spreadsheet templates have been in use for centuries now, and there is no gainsaying that everyone, from a newbie who knows little about computers to Gurus who know everything about documents, can use them for various tasks.


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View Best Engagement/Proposal Story Contest
Jessica and Chris - A Surprise Engagement
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|We had just gotten back from a fun day of shopping and eating at a beautiful restaurant when my boyfriend said, "That was such a great date. I don't know how I'm going to top that when I propose." "I don't think you will be able to," I replied. He opened the door and turned on the light. There were rose petals on the floor and a box of my favorite truffles. The box contained a card with the most beautiful haiku asking me to marry him. After that magical day, the love of my life became my fiancé!
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BEST for BRIDE = Best Dresses, Best Quality, Best Service and Best Prices!


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Post last updated on 27th December 2017: Did you download the firmware for your device with the correct model name ? if you didn't then click here to find all the Stock Firmware collection from this list of supported smartphone. If you have downloaded then here i will guide you on How to install Stock firmware Using SP Flash Tool on your smartphone. Guide is simple and easy. All you need is to follow the steps properly. Read this Full Guide on How to Install Stock Firmware Using SP Flash Tool.
To Know What is SP Flash Tool ? Check this link for more about SP Flash tool
In this guide you will be able to either downgrade or upgrade your smartphone. This guide will be helpful for people who are looking to fix/unbrick their smartphone or you can also return to stock ROM from custom ROM. If you dunno what is custom ROM and their differences, check this helpful guide to install Custom ROM on your Smartphone.
What is SP Flash Tool ? How to Flash Stock Firmware Using SP Flash Tool
What Do You Need ?
- Download SP Flash Tool Software : Click here
- VCOM driver: Download – Instal the VCOM Driver on your computer (still compatible with MT67xx phones)
- Download Drivers – Click Here (in case if required)
- Charge your phone to at least 70%
- Back up your device just in case if you need it later
- You need either Laptop or PC
Check Popular Post
- Official and Unofficial Lineage OS 14.1 Device List and Download Link
- List Of Devices Getting Lineage OS 15.0 (Android 8.0 Oreo)
- List of Supported devices for Lineage OS 15.1 (Android 8.1 Oreo)
- Android Oreo is Here: List Of Official Supported Device
- List of MIUI 9 Supported Devices – Official and Unofficial
- List of All AOSP Android 8.0 Oreo Supported Device
- Resurrection Remix Oreo Release Date: List of Supported device
Watch the video on How to Install Stock ROM on any Mediatek Device using SP Flash tool
Steps for How To Flash Firmware Using SP Flash Tool Software:
- First of all, do all the PREREQUISITE STEPS and Now Open the Extracted SP Flash Tool Folder
- You will see many files and you need to look for the file named flashtool.exe and open that
- Once SP Flash tool loads, you will see the screen with a mobile device picture,Now Tap on the menu download (See the screenshot below)
- Now in the download tab, you will find the option Download agent and scatter loading, Now click on the Download Agent and MTK_AllInOneDA.bin (It is inside the SP Flashtool folder -> SP_MDT)
- In the same tab, Tap on the Scatter-loading menu and load the Scatter file which is inside the Stock Rom Zip. (If you have extracted, you will find the file named MT6xxx_Android_scatter.txt) – MTxxxx here xxxx is the number of Mediatek processor
- Now load the MT6xxx_Android_scatter.txt file
- Click the Download button
- Now to start the Flashing process ,You should Remove your battery (Only if battery removable) Insert again, Hold the Volume Down and Volume Up key together and Connect your Phone to PC/Laptop using USB Cable (Keep the Volume Down and Volume Up button until your computer detects the phone.)
- Once the phone connects, Flashing will begin, Wait for few minutes or Two
- After Flashing has completed, you will see a green button will appear
- Now you can close the SP Flash Tool and also Disconnect your phone and Reboot to see that you have flashed the Latest version.
- Enjoy !!!! Please rate this post with 5 Star if you like.


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Action continues at Circuito de Jerez Ángel Nieto for day two of testing
Keep up with the second day of testing at the Andalusian circuit
Sun continues to shine down for the second day of testing around Circuito de Jerez Ángel Nieto.
With the temperature warmer than yesterday the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship riders took to the track earlier this morning. The two Ducati Panigale 4V R of Michael Rinaldi (BARNI Racing Team) and Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven) were the ones to open track activity, followed soon by the Kawasaki machine of Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK).
Reigning world champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) didn't waste any time and came out of his garage around 11 am, setting the fastest lap time of the morning in 1'40.032 just a few tenths of a second ahead of Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team), who sits in second position.
Working on improving his race performance Toprak Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) set the third fastest time followed by the Yamaha of Michael van der Mark and the Kawasaki ZX-10RR of Haslam.
GRT Yamaha WorldSBK riders Marco Melandri and Sandro Cortese sit respectively in fifth and sixth positions. The German suffered a small crash this morning, but he was able to walk away from it on his feet. Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK) had a small crash too but fortunately with no consequences for the rider.
Working on finding out the base set up for their all-new Ducati Panigale V4 R, Chaz Davies and Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) had a lot to work on yesterday and they plan to continue with the same program today. Bautista put in 12 laps this morning and currently sits in ninth position, while Davies sat out on the opening hours of the day.
Among the WorldSSP riders out testing too at Jerez, Italian rider Federico Caricasulo (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) set the first fastest lap time in 1'43.343 followed by Hikari Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) in second position and the MV Agusta of Raffaele De Rosa (MV AGUSTA Reparto Corse).
Keep up with all the action from the Jerez test with the WorldSBK VideoPass.