text:
Services on Demand
Related links
- Cited by Google
- Similars in Google
SAMJ: South African Medical Journal
On-line version ISSN 2078-5135
Print version ISSN 0256-9574
SAMJ, S. Afr. med. j. vol.98 n.1 Pretoria Jan. 2008
Editor's Choice
Dr James Barry revealed
Dr James Barry is one of the most famous figures in the early history of South African medicine. Apart from his considerable medical contributions, the dramatic revelation upon his death that he was a female has generated considerable interest and controversy. Through extensive original research Michael du Preez has been able to clearly document, for the first time, the early years of the young girl who was to become the legendary Dr Barry.1
James Barry emerged, seemingly from complete obscurity, as a medical student at Edinburgh late in 1809, graduating MD in 1812. Du Preez describes his early life and career concluding with his appointment as Hospital Assistant. In December 1815, at Plymouth, Barry was promoted to the rank of Assistant Staff Surgeon and in August the following year posted to the Cape of Good Hope. The remainder of the more than four decades of his exceptional service is a matter of army record.
Du Preez was able to trace the early family history of Margaret Ann Bulkley, who became Dr James Barry, back to John Barry (d. 1781), the patriarch of the Barry family. Through family misfortune Margaret and her mother Mary Ann found themselves destitute. The start of what became a remarkable conspiracy commenced when Mrs Bulkley appealed to her artist brother, James Barry, in London for assistance. James Barry had many influential friends who assisted in Margaret's early education. These included Dr Edward Fryer, an academically inclined physician, and General Francisco Miranda, a Venezuelan revolutionary. Du Preez has been able to verify the reasons for and the execution of the audacious plot to enable Margaret to study medicine at Edinburgh University (only men were allowed to study medicine at that time) by a treasure trove of letters and other documents.
Tuberculous pericarditis
In a groundbreaking research model for Africa, Mayosi and colleagues2 enrolled patients with presumed tuberculous pericarditis from 15 referral hospitals in Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa. In his accompanying editorial, Helmuth Reuter3 notes that the strength of the study is that it reflects what clinicians experience in the field and what they perceive to be tuberculosis-related deaths. This experience may differ substantially from statistics captured by national tuberculosis control programmes.
Mayosi and colleagues found that a presumptive diagnosis of tuberculous pericarditis is associated with a high mortality in sub-Saharan Africa.
The management of HIV coinfection is important. Management of pericardial effusion includes pericardiocentesis. Recommended antituberculosis treatment for pericardial TB is the same as for pulmonary TB.
Femur fractures in infants
South Africa's quadruple disease burden has been highlighted by reports from the Medical Research Council. These are diseases related to poverty (infectious diseases, etc); HIV/ AIDS, which ties up with the former but is big enough to stand on its own; lifestyle diseases, e.g. obesity, coronary disease; and trauma.
A reminder of our violent society is provided by a short series of femur fractures in infants by Van As and Garach.4 There is general agreement in the literature that the majority of fractures in infants are due to child abuse. Consequently a higher degree of suspicion of abuse should exist when femur fractures are seen in children who are not yet walking. While the head is the most common target for abuse, with over half the external wounds found on the surface of the head, fractures are the second most common presentation in non-accidental injuries.
Preventable childhood diseases: Risk of an outbreak
As a medical officer on the mines at Welkom I experienced a major smallpox epidemic, and while relieving in Zambia I found that smallpox was endemic in that region. Smallpox has since been wiped from the globe by successful vaccination programmes. The WHO aims to similarly eradicate polio by 2009. The latter is an example of agreement on international priorities and the collaboration of many differing partners: countries; NGOs, notably Rotary International; and donors such as the Gates Foundation.
A major public health benefit has been vaccination. Its important benefits have been so dramatic that we have tended to become complacent. The study by Corrigall, Coetzee and Cameron5 is therefore an important wakeup call. The required level of immunity in populations to prevent epidemics of infectious diseases has been estimated at about 95% and 85% for measles and polio, respectively. They found that the coverage in the Western Cape is too low to consider not running periodic mass campaigns for measles and polio and will need to be improved before rubella vaccine is introduced as part of the Expanded Programme on Immunization schedule.
JP de V van Niekerk
1. Du Preez HM. Dr James Barry: The early years revealed. S Afr Med J 2008; 98: 52-58. [ Links ]
2. Mayosi S, Wiysonge CS, Ntsekhe M, et al. Mortality in patients treated for tuberculous pericarditis in sub-Saharan Africa. S Afr Med J 2008; 98: 36-40. [ Links ]
3. Reuter H. Tuberculous pericarditis and HIV infection in Africa. S Afr Med J 2008; 98: 29-30. [ Links ]
4. Van As AB, Garach SR. Femur fractures in infants. S Afr Med J 2008; 98: 23-24. [ Links ]
5. Corrigal J, Coetzee D, Cameron N. Is the Western Cape at risk of an outbreak of preventable childhood disease? Lessons learned from an evaluation of routine immunisation coverage. S Afr Med J 2008; 98: 41-45. [ Links ]


text:
Acura Brake Inspection
An Acura brake inspection is a very important part of your Acura's routine service. Are your Acura brakes causing your vehicle to pull to one side? When you press on the brake pedal does your steering wheel shake? Is your brake pedal mushy? Do your brakes squeak when you back up? Then you need to call on Peak Auto for a brake inspection or diagnosis. Peak Auto is conveniently located next to the Cary Auto Mall at 833 US 64 w in Apex NC.
Brakes that cause your vehicle to pull to one side is usually caused by a brake caliper that is frozen or stuck. We typically see this on cars from up north due to the salted roads in the winter. Brakes the cause the steering wheel to shake is usually caused by warped or damaged brake rotors. You brakes should not squeak or squeal. Call on Peak Auto to have a brake inspection performed on your Acura vehicle today.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Diseases of Honey Bees
American foulbrood
* Caused by: Bacillus larvae * Spore-forming bacterium * Highly contagious * Brood Disease American Foulbrood (AFB) is an infectious brood disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus larvae. It is the most widespread and destructive of the brood diseases, afflicting queen, drone, and worker larvae alike. Adult bees, however, are not affected by AFB. Bacillus larvae occurs in two forms: vegetative (rod-shaped bacterial cells) and spores. Only the spore stage is infectious to honey bees. The spores germinate into the vegetative stage soon after they enter the larval gut and continue to multiply until larval death. American foulbrood spores are highly-resistant to desiccation, heat, and chemical disinfectants. These spores can remain virulent for more than forty years in combs and honey.


text:
For most people moving into a house is the culmination of the arduous real estate purchasing experience. However, it has been proven time and again that talk show queen Oprah Winfrey is not most people.
The media mogul owns a stunning eight room co-op unit in Chicago, which she bought in 2006 for $5.6 million, but never moved into despite convincing the co-op board of the building that she would make it her primary residence. The sixth floor unit has presumably sat vacant until recently when Oprah decided to list the apartment for rent for $15,000 per month.
Oprah's elegant crib is located in a Beau-Arts-style building designed by architect Benjamin Marshall. There are eight total rooms in the spread, including three bedrooms, three full baths, two half baths, as well as 10 foot ceilings, two fireplaces, a solarium, a wine room, and a formal dining room.
Potential renters can even look forward to Oprah as their neighbor, as well as their landlord. When in Chicago, she decamps to a 15,000-square-foot duplex condo just blocks away from this palatial apartment.
Copyright LXTVN - LXTV


text:
Read: AVI, IVF, DIV, DIVX, WMV, ASF, ASX, MPG, MPEG, MPE, M4V, MP4, MVV, M2V, M1V, MOD, QT, MOV, DV, DAT, 3GP, 3G2, 3GPP, 3GP2, MS-DVR, DVR-MS, GVI, OGM, OGG, OGV, MKV, FLV, F4V, F4P, TS, TP, TRP, M2TS, M2T, MTS, AMV, MTV, CDG, NSV, FLI, FLC, RM, RAM, RMVB, RV, IVR, WAV, MP3, MPEG3, CDA, MP2, M4A, WMA, OGG, AAC, MPC, MPP, MP+, AIF, AIFF, AIFC, AU, SND, AMR, AWB, APE, ALAC, FLAC, AC3, BMP, GIF, JPG, JPEG, JPE, JFIF, PNG, TIF, TIFF, PCX, RAS, PSD, TGA, WMF, EMF, WTV.
Open videos with almost any file extension such as AVI, MPEG, WMV, MP4, DVR-MS, MKV, FLV, OGG, etc. with AVS Free Media Player. See a list of supported video formats.
Add audio tracks of any format such as WAV, MP3, ALAC, FLAC, M4A, OGG, AAC, AMR, etc. Create personal playlists to any taste and style with AVS Free Media Player. See a list of supported audio formats.
Select images in PNG, JPEG, TIFF, GIF, etc. and view them as a slideshow. See a list of supported image formats.
AVS Free Media Player supports of 3.1, 5.1 and 7.1 speaker configurations. Switch on the Surround Effect and get the feeling as if you are in a movie theater.
AVS Free Media Player interface is available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Polish and Russian.


text: Drawing his inspiration from the iconic De Stijl Red and Blue Chair designed by Gerrit Rietveld almost one hundred years ago (in 1917), a young award-winning Czech designer Jan Plecháč has created this bold, wire chair for Gispen's 'Playing With Tradition' brand NgispeN. Launched last week at the Temporary Museum For New Design in Superstudio Piu, 'ICON 03' can be used both indoors and outdoors thanks to its durable steel structure. (more…)


text:
Are Facts and Statistics Documented?
When using facts, you should hold Web sites to the same standards of documentation as books and journal articles. In other words, insist that the Web site can back up what it says with sources.
Factcheck.org demonstrates the good practice of providing sources. The example below shows Fact of the Day, with a link to the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. It also shows how each article provides sources. If you're not familiar with the sources cited, take the time to evaluate them, too.


text:
Release Date: June 30, 2014
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo has launched the Department of Materials Design and Innovation (MDI), a forward-leaning, interdisciplinary initiative that will address regional and national demand for new materials that accelerate research and education in advanced manufacturing and biotechnology.
A collaborative effort between the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the College of Arts and Sciences, the new department will build on UB's existing research expertise to discover, develop and bring to market new materials that are critical to the economic security of the region, nation and world.
MDI will strongly emphasize the use of advanced computational tools, in conjunction with bench science, to hasten the time it takes to discover and commercialize new materials, as well as reduce the cost to develop them. MDI will also train future generations of materials scientists and engineers to be more efficient in developing new materials solutions to real world problems.
These goals match those of the White House's Materials Genome Initiative, which says that it can take 10 to 20 years to utilize new materials in commercial products. The White House wants to reduce the cycle to 2 or 3 years. They also align with various state programs that aim to boost economic development in Western New York and beyond.
MDI evolved from the UB 2020 strategic plan to position UB as a leading public university by investing in and focusing its research strengths on solving important societal problems related to the themes of humanity, justice, environment, innovation and health.
"At the heart of UB 2020 is our desire to provide unique educational and engagement opportunities and pursue impactful scholarship that responds to the problems and needs of our local and global communities. We recognize that responding to these issues involves collaborative research and education across disciplinary lines, which can lead to the emergence of new disciplines like MDI," said UB Provost Charles F. Zukoski.
"By bringing together the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and College of Arts and Sciences to deliver innovative research and train future materials scientists, responding to national and regional priorities, and offering new opportunities for partnerships, the Department of Materials Design and Innovation exemplifies the kind of interdisciplinary collaboration UB aspires to undertake in UB 2020."
MDI received a significant boost from Erich Bloch, who donated $1.5 million to UB to establish the Erich Bloch Endowed Chair for the newly formed department. Bloch earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from UB in 1952. He went on to become a high-ranking executive at IBM and director of the National Science Foundation from 1984 to 1990. Bloch and two others received the National Medal of Technology (now the National Medal of Technology and Innovation) in 1985.
UB is conducting an international search for a world-class scholar and researcher to fill the chair and lead the department.
MDI will build upon UB's existing faculty expertise in computer science, physics, chemistry, mechanical engineering, environmental engineering, electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, and chemical and biological engineering. Plans call to establish masters and PhD degree programs initially, with an undergraduate program to be added later, as well as hiring 12 tenure-track faculty members.
"New and improved materials, with increased functionality, lower costs, lighter weights and lowered environmental impacts, play a critical role in advanced manufacturing and biotechnology," said Liesl Folks, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. "We now stand on the cusp of being able to greatly accelerate the development of these new materials using advanced computational tools, and UB's new department of MDI will play a leadership role in this field, and in training the next generation of materials scientists and engineers."
"MDI will bring together a unique combination of skills, from data science and from material synthesis and characterization, to develop 'designer materials' – the deliberate creation of materials with specific properties," said E. Bruce Pitman, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "The impact of this kind of capability on the nation's technologies and manufacturing will be enormous. At the same time, the department will provide students with unique training in an atmosphere that transcends department and discipline, to be at the forefront of the latest developments in science and engineering."
MDI researchers will focus on:
They will work closely with several initiatives at UB, including: the New York State Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics, the Center for Computational Research and the Computational and Data-enabled Science and Engineering program, and the Advanced Manufacturing Institute announced in February by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.
MDI's research portfolio will support: the SUNY Materials and Advanced Manufacturing Network of Excellence; and the goals of the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council, which was created by the governor to stimulate economic development and the creation of jobs.
The UB department will receive financial support from UB's E Fund initiative, a competitive program created by the UB provost to spur collaborative initiatives, expand the university's impact and enhance students' educational experiences. It also will rely on the SUNY Empire Innovation Fund, corporate partnerships and private philanthropy.
UB will form an external advisory board, which will include academic and corporate members, to provide the department with an outlook of future opportunities and challenges from both university and corporate perspectives.
Cory Nealon
Director of News Content
Engineering, Computer Science
Tel: 716-645-4614
Twitter: @UBengineering


text:
Why our customers choose us
- FAST same day / next day response to breakdowns.
- Our own fully qualified & highly experienced Engineers.
- Our work is fully guaranteed: A quality job at a fair price.
- A well established business (est.1982) with a proven track record.
- Licensed by APHC, Gas Safe Register, OFTEC & Benchmark.
- Our professional advice and fixed price quotations are free.
Where we travel
Our area of operation is currently within an approximate 40 mile radius of Peterborough.
Did you know?
Energy saving controls save fuel and money:
Installing a room thermostat saves £70 a year, a cylinder thermostat saves £30 and fitting a jacket to a hot water cylinder saves £40 a year.
Source: Energy savings trust.
Save money by using your controls more effectively:
Turn down your room thermostat by just one degree and save around £55 and 230kg carbon dioxide a year.
Source: Energy savings trust.
Free energy from the Sun:
Solar Thermal Panels can provide as much as 60% of a households annual hot water needs.
Source: Energy savings trust.
Boiler warranty:
Most manufacturers require their boilers are serviced every year. Failure to have an annual service is likely to invalidate any warranty in the event of a claim. To book your service, call us today.


text:
July 31, 1932 - May 2, 2014
Goshen, NY
Peter C. Bach, age 81, of Goshen, died Friday, May 2, 2014 at Orange Regional Medical Center, Middletown, NY.
Peter was born July 31, 1932 in Goshen, NY, the son of Frederick William and Rebecca Anna (Brede) Bach.
He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean war. He retired from the Teamsters Local 445.
Peter is survived by his children: Tina M. Bast and husband, Martin of Goshen, Beth Klein and husband, Jacob of Goshen, Patricia Howe and companion, Richard Masi of Goshen, Michael Bach and wife, Perri of Leona Valley, CA, Kelly Walsh, and Lisa Putkowski and husband, Mark of Warwick, NY; brother, John Bach of Goshen; sister-in-law, Nora Johnson of Goshen; 13 grandchildren: John Bast, Rebekah Davis, Lauren Bast, Emily Beard, Sarah and Jacob Klein, Elijah Howe, Trent, Bryce and Ethan Bach, Emma Walsh, Leah and Andrew Putkowski; one great grandson, Keegan Davis; and several cousins, nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased on April 28, 2014 by his wife of 60 years, Alice Bach, his parents, three brothers, two sisters and son-in-law, Jack Walsh.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 6th at the Donovan Funeral Home, Inc., 82 South Church Street, Goshen, NY. A Mass of Christian Burial together with his wife, Alice will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 7th at St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church, 71 Murray Ave., Goshen, NY. Burial will follow in Orange County Veteran's Memorial Cemetery, Goshen, NY.
Memorial contributions may be made to Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675.
Arrangements under the care of the Donovan Funeral Home, Inc., Goshen; to leave the family a personal condolence please visit www.donovanfunerals.com


text:
A recently introduced cyberbullying bill could land us all in jail—that is, if you have ever used an electronic medium to troll someone. HR 1966, the Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act, is named after the high-profile "MySpace suicide" victim Megan Meier. It's meant to prevent people from using the Internet to "coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to a person." However, as with many bills of this nature, the murky language and vague standards leave much open to interpretation, which has caused critics to call it the Censorship Act instead.
HR 1966 was introduced in April by US Representative Linda Sanchez (D-CA) and it's supported by 14 other members of Congress. According to the text, individuals who bully others via any electronic means could face fines, two years in prison, or both. This, of course, could include those nasty text messages you sent to your ex on Saturday night, the questionable e-mail you sent to your brother, or those forum posts you made in which you called for someone who liked the new Star Trek movie to jump off a building.
The bill largely flew under the radar until fairly recently (thanks to NetworkWorld for the heads-up) but criticism has been building. The language in the bill is so vague, it could be interpreted to apply to practically any situation, including blog posts critical of public officials.�
UCLA Law Professor Eugene Volokh went into detail on his blog, suggesting�that numerous everyday situations could render regular citizens felons if their behavior is considered "severe" enough. "I try to coerce a politician into voting a particular way, by repeatedly blogging (using a hostile tone) about what a hypocrite/campaign promise breaker/fool/etc. he would be if he voted the other way. I am transmitting in interstate commerce a communication with the intent to coerce using electronic means (a blog) 'to support severe, repeated, and hostile behavior'— unless, of course, my statements aren't seen as 'severe,' a term that is entirely undefined and unclear," Volokh wrote.
Still, Sanchez insists that the bill isn't meant to dampen free speech online. "Congress has no interest in censoring speech and it will not do so if it passes this bill," Sanchez wrote on the Huffington Post. "Put simply, this legislation would be used as a tool for a judge and jury to determine whether there is significant evidence to prove that a person 'cyberbullied' another. That is: did they have the required intent, did they use electronic means of communication, and was the communication severe, hostile, and repeated. So—bloggers, emailers, texters, spiteful exes, and those who have blogged against this bill have no fear—your words are still protected under the same American values."
Although Sanchez seems to think there's no possibility for abuse with this bill, we all know what the road to hell is paved with. Despite her reassurance that it won't be used to censor Internet communications, there's no way to predict how judges would interpret such a law. One thing we do know is that cyberbullying cases have picked up�since Missouri passed its own law following Megan Meier's death—if HR 1966 makes it past the House Committee on the Judiciary and into the books, we could see a serious uptick in those types of cases.


text:
fabric pages:
(includes cotton, rayon,
and man-made fibers)
Corset stays
Books, odds and esoteric stuff
non-store stuff
About Class Act Fabrics
contact me at:
Linda Learn
Class Act Fabrics
PO Box 307
(570) 836-2318
email me at
Linda (at) classactfabrics (dot) com
Class Act Fabrics is going on sabbatical. I'm not going to be working the shop because I'm going back to school and need to really work hard at studying!
Act Fabrics
Fabricmonger to Crowns of the West Kingdom, SCA
August 25, 2014.. starting graduate school at Marywood University for a masters in Art Therapy. I'm thinking about writing a 'diary' here on my website but knowing how I procrastinate that may just be wishful thinking ;)
****Dec. 5, 2011...I'm still working outside the store. Phone calls are NOT the best way to reach me... emails work better.
****As of April 2009, I'm working at a local agency outside my store. Evenings before 10 PM eastern time are best if you are calling, but I generally prefer email. I can see exactly what you are saying ;) I'm sorry I haven't gotten pictures up of the latest fabrics...hopefully I can catch up soon****
I'm afraid the fabric prices are going up because of the rising costs....shipping is a bummer. Manufacturing costs are increasing...American manufacturing costs are skyrocketing. Shipping from abroad is exorbitant.
All this is a very good reason to buy quality classic fabric and sew classic styles that will always be 'in'. Gone are the beautiful big fabric stores that only had a tiny craft table in the back. Gone are the lazy afternoons fondling fabric and getting high on fabric formaldehyde ;-) ....but you can still get a swatch to fondle before you buy. Cheaper than a road trip, although I'll still be happy to put the coffee on and clear a spot at the table for your visit.
****Sep 2007....Talking about moving....I'd like to move to where my kids are...near Erie PA. However, at this time (late 2007) the bottom seems to have dropped out of the real estate market. So I'll remain here until someone realizes what a bargain this place is and begs me to sell it to them ;-) Perhaps this spring I'll put up a page on this wonderful location and neat little house. The only reason I want to move is that I'm feeling my mortality at age 60...the grandkids are growing up and I'm not close enough to enjoy them.
HOWEVER..... The best laid plans of
mice and men (often go astray). I've had to reconsider moving
anywhere. The market fell out of everything just as I made my plans. Perhaps in
the future I'll get to the western side of PA. For right now, January
2008, I'm here in my snug little bungalow with the front rooms filled with my
fabric store ;) Give me a call and come visit....I'll put the coffee pot on.
Welcome . We have for your sewing pleasure: silk, linen, wool, velvets and other neat stuff.
When I opened my fabric store in 1989, I was simply a single mother and "fabriholic" who had to make a living. Then I was bitten by the dread costume bug...species, historic...and nothing has been simple since.
Our fabric is current couture fabric. Most is classic and is also appropriate for historic costuming , reenactors and SCA garb as well as current high fashion. However, sometimes a fabulous "modern" fabric is irresistible and that comes to live here too. Some fabrics....fine silks and taffetas, extrafine worsted wool, fine cottons...are excellent doll costuming fabrics for doll collectors, doll artists and doll owners. I work at finding fabrics that fit antique and reproduction dolls. They are excellent for modern dolls, too.
We have coated steel boning for corset stays and living history
costumes. The boning sizes are in half inch increments. And I have a great white cotton
boning casing for both 6mm (1/4") and 1/2" bones.
We have "natural" fiber fabrics: pure linen, silk, wool. And we have some fashion fabric made with "pure manmade fibers" and from blends of natural and manmade fibers.
I try to find period appropriate weaves, brocade and colors and have a list of historic textiles I'm always trying to locate in the modern world. This can be daunting. If you have a request for an "historic textile" I would be happy to add it to my 'search for' list.
Because I didn't know what quantities I need for an online business, I did as my mentor told me: "Start with what you have, Linda. Just start!" Most of my yardage is limited and when its gone, its gone. I sell half yards with no problem. My only problem is the limited space I have.
What I'd like to do now is to have a couple pages with what I'm researching about historical textiles. I really wanted to start a newsletter but after 2 tries I think I'll just try to add more 'info pages'.
I would appreciate your comments and feedback about my site and its contents. Please include your email address for a reply.
My store is located in Northeast Pennsylvania, approximately 25 miles northwest of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, just south outside of Tunkhannock. Store hours are erratic with hours by appointment to make sure I'm here. Call (570) 836-2318 and leave a message (evenings, eastern time, you sometimes can catch me here), or email me at Linda(at)classactfabrics(dot)com to set up a time or to talk to me. Email is best.
Linda F Learn, Class Act Fabrics (AKA Dragon's
PO Box 307
Tunkhannock, PA 18657-0307
If a page with merchandise hasn't got a date at the bottom from within a year, try to 'refresh' the page. If it still doesn't have a date within a year, please let me know! I do take off fabric as I sell it but getting the pictures of fabric on the pages just isn't going well. I messed up my arms and now have to get help draping and re-bolting the fabric.
page updated 8/17/2011


text:
You are currently browsing the category archive for the 'Gingerols' category.
The medicinal uses of ginger is almost endless. If you can stomach the spiciness, it does wonders in treating many disorders.
Anticoagulant: Add ginger in most of your cooking or add a teaspoonful of fresh ginger juice in your beverages to enjoy the anticoagulant properties of ginger. It helps make blood platelets less sticky which in turn reduces your risk of atherosclerosis.
Aphrodisiac effect: A natural aphrodisiac, this might be the better substitute to viagra! Drink hot ginger tea (by mixing ginger juice, hot water and honey) after a not-too-heavy meal and see it work!
Cold: Cut up a small piece of ginger and boil it with a small cup of pure drinking water. Add some green tea leaves if you wish. Strain and drink when hot. Effective if you also have fever resulting from the cold. You may also drink this concoction if you feel a cold coming.
Cough: Drink ginger juice with honey three to four times a day for a bad throat. It is soothing and helps clear up phlegm.
Digestive disorder: Mix a teaspoonful of fresh ginger juice with one teaspoonful each of fresh lime juice and fresh mint juice with some honey to taste in a glass of water. Drink to relieve heartburn, indigestion, nausea and vomiting. Especially helpful after a big meaty meal.
Fatigue: Slice a piece of ginger into disks and boil it with a big glass of water. Add a piece of cinnamon bark, bring to boil and then cover it for about half an hour till it turns to golden color. Drink it to relieve fatigue when recovering from fever. It also relieves muscle pain and soreness.
Flatulence/wind: Pound a piece of fresh ginger and boil with a cup of water and add a little honey to taste. Drink it twice a day to let off the wind trapped in the intestinal tract.
Impotency: Believe it or not! Mix a teaspoonful of fresh ginger juice to a half-boiled egg and a teaspoonful of honey. Take this concoction on an empty stomach, every night for a month. It is supposed to cure impotency, premature ejaculation and increase sperm count. (Not proven but worth trying!)
Inflammations: The anti-inflammatory (gingerols) and anti-oxidant properties in ginger help relieve various inflammatory disorders like gout, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. It provides substantial relief in pain caused by inflammation and help decrease swelling and morning stiffness.
Menstruation disorders: Pound a piece of fresh ginger and boil with a cup of water and add a little honey to taste. Drink it hot two or three times a day for a month. The pain-relieving and anti-cramping compounds in ginger effectively help relieve painful menstruation cramps (dysmenorrhoea). In the absence of menstruation in women in the reproductive age (amenorrhoea), this concoction can also help induce menstruation.
Morning sickness: A teaspoonful of fresh ginger juice with some honey will also help alleviate morning sickness, sea or motion sickness, dizziness and even nausea caused by chemotherapy or anesthesia.
Pain killer: Ginger juice makes an excellent pain killer, even when applied externally. In headache, apply ginger juice to the forehead. With toothache, apply it to the external area either on the cheek or jaw area.
Gastrointestinal Relief
A clue to ginger's success in eliminating gastrointestinal distress is offered by recent double-blind studies, which have demonstrated that ginger is very effective in preventing the symptoms of motion sickness, especially seasickness. In fact, in one study, ginger was shown to be far superior to Dramamine, a commonly used over-the-counter and prescription drug for motion sickness. Ginger reduces all symptoms associated with motion sickness including dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and cold sweating.
Safe and Effective Relief of Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy
Ginger's anti-vomiting action has been shown to be very useful in reducing the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, even the most severe form, hyperemesis gravidum, a condition which usually requires hospitalization. In a double-blind trial, ginger root brought about a significant reduction in both the severity of nausea and number of attacks of vomiting in 19 of 27 women in early pregnancy (less than 20 weeks). Unlike antivomiting drugs, which can cause severe birth defects, ginger is extremely safe, and only a small dose is required.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Ginger contains very potent anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols. These substances are believed to explain why so many people with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis experience reductions in their pain levels and improvements in their mobility when they consume ginger regularly. In two clinical studies involving patients who responded to conventional drugs and those who didn't, physicians found that 75% of arthritis patients and 100% of patients with muscular discomfort experienced relief of pain and/or swelling.
Arthritis-related problems with your aging knees? Regularly spicing up your meals with fresh ginger may help, suggests a study published in a recent issue of Osteoarthritis Cartilage. In this twelve month study, 29 patients with painful arthritis in the knee (6 men and 23 women ranging in age from 42-85 years) participated in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study. Patients switched from placebo to ginger or visa versa after 3 months. After six months, the double-blind code was broken and twenty of the patients who wished to continue were followed for an additional six months.
By the end of the first six month period, those given ginger were experiencing significantly less pain on movement and handicap than those given placebo. Pain on movement decreased from a score of 76.14 at baseline to 41.00, while handicap decreased from 73.47 to 46.08. In contrast, those who were switched from ginger to placebo experienced an increase in pain of movement (up to 82.10) and handicap (up to 80.80) from baseline. In the final phase of the study when all patients were getting ginger, pain remained low in those already taking ginger in phase 2, and decreased again in the group that had been on placebo.
Not only did participants' subjective experiences of pain lessen, but swelling in their knees, an objective measurement of lessened inflammation, dropped significantly in those treated with ginger. The mean target knee circumference in those taking ginger dropped from 43.25cm when the study began to 39.36cm by the 12th week. When this group was switched to placebo in the second phase of the study, their knee circumferences increased, while those who had been on placebo but were now switched to ginger experienced a decrease in knee circumference. In the final phase, when both groups were given ginger, mean knee circumference continued to drop, reaching lows of 38.78 and 36.38 in the two groups.
How does ginger work its anti-inflammatory magic? Two other recent studies provide possible reasons.
A study published in the November 2003 issue of Life Sciences suggests that at least one reason for ginger's beneficial effects is the free radical protection afforded by one of its active phenolic constituents, 6-gingerol. In this in vitro (test tube) study, 6-gingerol was shown to significantly inhibit the production of nitric oxide, a highly reactive nitrogen molecule that quickly forms a very damaging free radical called peroxynitrite. Another study appearing in the November 2003 issue of Radiation Research found that in mice, five days treatment with ginger (10 mg per kilogram of body weight) prior to exposure to radiation not only prevented an increase in free radical damage to lipids (fats found in numerous bodily components from cell membranes to cholesterol), but also greatly lessened depletion of the animals' stores of glutathione, one of the body's most important internally produced antioxidants.
Protection against Colorectal Cancer
Gingerols, the main active components in ginger and the ones responsible for its distinctive flavor, may also inhibit the growth of human colorectal cancer cells, suggests research presented at the Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, a major meeting of cancer experts that took place in Phoenix, AZ, October 26-30, 2003.
In this study, researchers from the University of Minnesota's Hormel Institute fed mice specially bred to lack an immune system a half milligram of -gingerol three times a week before and after injecting human colorectal cancer cells into their flanks. Control mice received no -gingerol.
Tumors first appeared 15 days after the mice were injected, but only 4 tumors were found in the group of -gingerol-treated mice compared to 13 in the control mice, plus the tumors in the -gingerol group were smaller on average. Even by day 38, one mouse in the -gingerol group still had no measurable tumors. By day 49, all the control mice had been euthanized since their tumors had grown to one cubic centimeter (0.06 cubic inch), while tumors in 12 of the -gingerol treated mice still averaged 0.5 cubic centimeter-half the maximum tumor size allowed before euthanization.
Research associate professor Ann Bode noted, "These results strongly suggest that ginger compounds may be effective chemopreventive and/or chemotherapeutic agents for colorectal carcinomas."
In this first round of experiments, mice were fed ginger before and after tumor cells were injected. In the next round, researchers will feed the mice ginger only after their tumors have grown to a certain size. This will enable them to look at the question of whether a patient could eat ginger to slow the metastasis of a nonoperable tumor. Are they optimistic? The actions of the University of Minnesota strongly suggest they are. The University has already applied for a patent on the use of -gingerol as an anti-cancer agent and has licensed the technology to Pediatric Pharmaceuticals (Iselin, N.J.).
Ginger Induces Cell Death in Ovarian Cancer Cells
Lab experiments presented at the 97th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer, by Dr Rebecca Lui and her colleagues from the University of Michigan, showed that gingerols, the active phytonutrients in ginger, kill ovarian cancer cells by inducing apoptosis (programmed cell death) and autophagocytosis (self-digestion).
Ginger extracts have been shown to have both antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects on cells. To investigate the latter, Dr Liu examined the effect of a whole ginger extract containing 5% gingerol on a number of different ovarian cancer cell lines.
Exposure to the ginger extract caused cell death in all the ovarian cancer lines studied.
A pro-inflammatory state is thought to be an important contributing factor in the development of ovarian cancer. In the presence of ginger, a number of key indicators of inflammation (vascular endothelial growth factor, interleukin-8 and prostaglandin E2) were also decreased in the ovarian cancer cells.
Conventional chemotherapeutic agents also suppress these inflammatory markers, but may cause cancer cells to become resistant to the action of the drugs. Liu and her colleagues believe that ginger may be of special benefit for ovarian cancer patients because cancer cells exposed to ginger do not become resistant to its cancer-destroying effects. In the case of ovarian cancer, an ounce of prevention-in the delicious form of liberal use of ginger-is an especially good idea. Ovarian cancer is often deadly since symptoms typically do not appear until late in the disease process, so by the time ovarian cancer is diagnosed, it has spread beyond the ovaries. More than 50% of women who develop ovarian cancer are diagnosed in the advanced stages of the disease.
Immune Boosting Action
Ginger can not only be warming on a cold day, but can help promote healthy sweating, which is often helpful during colds and flus. A good sweat may do a lot more than simply assist detoxification. German researchers have recently found that sweat contains a potent germ-fighting agent that may help fight off infections. Investigators have isolated the gene responsible for the compound and the protein it produces, which they have named dermicidin. Dermicidin is manufactured in the body's sweat glands, secreted into the sweat, and transported to the skin's surface where it provides protection against invading microorganisms, including bacteria such as E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus (a common cause of skin infections), and fungi, including Candida albicans.
Ginger is so concentrated with active substances, you don't have to use very much to receive its beneficial effects. For nausea, ginger tea made by steeping one or two 1/2-inch slices (one 1/2-inch slice equals 2/3 of an ounce) of fresh ginger in a cup of hot water will likely be all you need to settle your stomach. For arthritis, some people have found relief consuming as little as a 1/4-inch slice of fresh ginger cooked in food, although in the studies noted above, patients who consumed more ginger reported quicker and better relief.
See also:


text:
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A divided Penn State board voted Wednesday to endorse a potential legal settlement that would keep its $60 million fine over the Jerry Sandusky scandal within Pennsylvania, signaling their support for a deal to end a dispute between state officials and the NCAA over the sanctions. Thetrustees voted 19-8 for the resolution
over a possible deal to end a Commonwealth Court lawsuit over the use of the money. Penn State was added as a defendant in that case earlier this year. The resolution states that keeping the money in Pennsylvania "would be a win for the commonwealth, a win for the university and a win for the children of Pennsylvania." Much of the debate focused on a statement that the university "remains committed to full compliance with the consent decree," which included the fine, a multi-year ban on postseason play and a temporary loss of football scholarships. Most of the board's nine alumni members voted to strip that from the resolution, but they were defeated and then also lost the vote on the overall resolution. The lawsuit in question is one of three pending legal disputes concerning the consent decree reached in the wake of the child sex-abuse scandal involving the former assistant football coach. A federal lawsuit by the NCAA against Gov. Tom Corbett and others that challenges the legality of a 2013 state law requiring the $60 million remain in Pennsylvania is on hold for a month while the parties negotiate. The Paterno family and others have also filed a lawsuit in county court that attacks the legality of the sanctions, among other things. Board chairman Keith Masser told the trustees on Wednesday that there is no agreement on the terms of a possible settlement, but the parties have asked for the board's position. Rick Dandrea, who chairs the board's legal committee, said the majority favored continuing compliance with the consent decree, which the university accepted two years ago, shortly after Sandusky was convicted of 45 counts of child sexual abuse. Some of the crimes for which he was convicted occurred on university property. "I think it would be a huge mistake for the university to retreat from that commitment," Dandrea said. But Bob Jubelirer, a former state Senate leader and an alumni-elected board member, said the matter needed more time to be fully considered. Fighting the consent decree at this time could produce a legal battle with no end in sight, as opposed to the sanctions that will run a few more years and could be reduced before then, said trustee Keith Eckel. "It would be a major mistake to turn back now," Eckel said. The lawsuit at issue was brought by state Sen. Jake Corman, a Republican who represents the State College area, and state Treasurer Rob McCord, who lost the Democratic nomination for governor earlier this year. Commonwealth Court added Penn State as a defendant and said it needed more information about the legality of the consent decree. A status conference in the case is scheduled for Thursday. The NCAA last year loosened the consent agreement's temporary loss of football scholarships. The penalties also included the loss of 112 wins by the football team from Paterno's later years. The hall of fame coach died of complications from cancer in January 2012, less than three months after Sandusky was arrested. Sandusky is serving a 30- to 60-year state prison sentence. Penn State has five years to pay the $60 million. It has so far set aside $24 million, the first two payments.


text:
Torrington pop-up gallery provides opportunity for emerging artists
Torrington >> Emerging artists will debut in Torrington's new pop-up gallery this Friday.
Located on the second floor of the ARTSPACE gallery at 5 Water St., this pop-up gallery is the first of its kind in town. This new addition to the growing art scene is supported by the Torrington Downtown Partners, LLC and Arts and Culture Torrington.
The show, titled "What We Call Balance," will feature the work of seven artists from New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. ARTSPACE Executive Director, Judith McElhone, said she hopes this is the first of many pop-up galleries in Torrington.
"I think the gallery is beneficial for the city, ARTSPACE and the artists," said McElhone.
Gallery supporters hope that pop-ups will bring energy to ARTSPACE, which tends to focus on high quality professional artists. These temporary art spaces will bring artists to Torrington who wouldn't be here otherwise.
Karri Chapman, a former emerging artist who exhibited at ARTSPACE and has since joined the team, came up with the idea. The show is being curated by Chapman and Margaret Vaughan, both recent graduates of Hartford Art School at the University of Hartford.
"She brings energy and talent," McElhone said of Chapman.
The exhibit space is being loaned for temporary use by Torrington Downtown Partners, LLC, but it was up to the artists to get it ready for opening day. The rooms were cleaned, painted and converted into gallery space by the artists themselves.
"They are an articulate and very talented group," said McElhone.
Pop-up hours will coincide with ARTSPACE hours so that visitors can take advantage of everything the space has to offer. An opening reception will take place January 11th from 6 to 8 p.m. The show is open to the public. Future pop-ups will be housed in this space as long as it is available.
ARTSPACE began as an initiative of Arts and Culture Torrington, but due to their success they have recently become a separate entity. They are now a non-profit group housed on 33 Main St., which McElhone is very excited about. Currently, they are booking shows into 2014.


text:
Residents must register to receive FEMA funds
Residents must register with FEMA by phone or online to have access to federal funds.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy annoucned Tuesday that federal assistance will be available to cities and towns, businesses, individuals and non-profits in Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex and New London counties.
"This declaration will bring much-needed financial assistance to residents who were impacted by Hurricane Sandy," Malloy said. "But it is critical to note that you must register with FEMA to begin the process of accessing possible federal assistance. We will continue to work to get the rest of the counties in the state declared."
To register by phone, residents may call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). The TTY line for people with speech or hearing disabilities is 1-800-462-7585. The line is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.
To register online, applications may be completed at disasterassistance.gov .
If residents have disaster assistance questions, they may call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362.
In the coming days, state officials and FEMA will be conducting damage assessments to determine if additional counties may be eligible for assistance. Residents and businesses in the non-declared counties (Litchfield, Hartford, Tolland and Windham) should dial 2-1-1 or visit 211ct.org to report their damage.


text:
"The implicit conception of this sort of art opposes to the erosion of being the inexhaustible reality of nothingness. Logically valueless, such a conception is nonetheless true affectively (to speak of nothingness in any other terms than affective one is a waste of time). It postulates a research without points of reference, an experiment pursued within an unfailing vacuity, a vacuity experienced through sensation, as well as a dialectic paradoxically frozen, motionless, a dynamism of monotony and emptiness. Is this not going around in circles? Ecstasy of non-meaning: the supreme impasse." - Cioran
Dystonia EK


text:
Product Description
This sturdy white, glossy XB-70 Valkyrie Air Supremacy ceramic mug is an essential to your cupboard. It features creative artwork of the XB-70 Valkyrie on the highest quality Coffee Mug. Our XB-70 Valkyrie Air Supremacy Coffee Mug is the ultimate HOT gift for the XB-70 Valkyrie fan on birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, retirement, or for no reason at all. This brawny version of ceramic mugs shows it`s true colors with quality assurance to withstand heat in the microwave and put it through the dishwasher as many times as you like. Available in white, in 11 oz and 15 oz sizes.


text:
I am so excited to be co-hosting Family Recipes: Memories of Family, Food and Fun, for the month of March! It has been hosted by Laura, of The Spiced Life, and Shelby, of The Life and Loves of Grumphy's Honeybunch, for several months now, and I was thrilled when they asked if I wanted to join them! I love hearing stories and traditions of food in the lives of families. So make a recipe and share the memories that are connected with it. The deadline date changes monthly, but normally it will end around the last Saturday of the month.
1. Make a dish that's a family recipe-from mom, dad, aunts, in-laws, or your own family, that you have enjoyed for along time.
2. Post it on your blog between now and midnight, March 31, 2009 (USA EST). All submissions must be in English.
3.Provide a link in your post to this page and this blog.
4. Email me at email@example.com by12:00 AM, Midnight, March 30, 2009 (USA EST) with:
. the recipe name
. the URL of the post
. the URL of your blog
. your location
5. Please place a copy of the logo on your post, if possible.
6. Multiple submissions are welcome, but please only 1 submission for for each type of dish (main dish, appetizer, dessert, etc.).
7. New posts only, please.
8. You are welcome to send the photo you want published in the round-up. If you don't submit a photo however,we will choose one from your post.
With all the cooking going on this month for the different holidays, there should be some delicious family recipes being made. If you haven't checked out the recipes for January's Family Recipes, check out Shelby's blog at The Life and Loves of Grumphy's Honeybunch, for some tasty looking submissions!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Family Recipes: Memories of Family, Food and Fun
6 comments:
You obviously have never had my mother's cooking... no recipes I want to pass onReplyDelete
Dave, it doesn't have to be from your mother- post one that your family has made for awhile.I bet you and your wife have some tasty family recipes!ReplyDelete
Oh looking for the time to do this. My mother (at eighty-something - we're not sure) remains a wonderful cook!ReplyDelete
:-) Glad your hosting!ReplyDelete
I think this is such a great event. I always enjoy seeing what everyone comes up with.ReplyDelete
How fun! I haven't seen this before. I'll be sure to make and post something!ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
BOYS BASKETBALL: Torrington defeats Ansonia 73-57
TORRINGTON >> Torrington High School's boys basketball team used height, experience and hustle to dominate a young Ansonia team 73-57 Tuesday evening at Torrington High School.
"We're inexperienced," said Ansonia coach Todd Manuel. "We had six players returning from last year, but only two had any significant varsity minutes."
The Chargers, 3-8, came in with a similar record to 4-6 Torrington, but height and recent experience piled on in favor of the Red Raiders.
"I think (Torrington's) Copper Division is quite a bit better than (Ansonia's) Brass Division this year," said Manuel. "Their experience is a lot tougher than ours."
Still, size was the biggest factor Tuesday.
The Chargers have no one on their roster taller than 6-feet-2. The Raiders work down from 6-9 Dave Canny.
The difference made for a simple game plan: get the ball in to Canny whenever possible, then hustle on rebounds, fast breaks and defense.
Canny tied his career best with 33 points, including three tries at his first home dunk this season. Anthony Davis (12 points), Austin Kelson (11 points) and John McCarthy (9 points) led the hustle and help on the boards.
Torrington coach Eric Gamari liked almost all of it.
"We got a little lax on defense late in the game," he said.
By then, the Raiders flirted with a steady 20-point lead. One intense time out sewed up the loose defensive ends.
Most of the night was pure fun for the Raiders and their fans.
Canny had Torrington's first four baskets for an 8-2 lead. McCarthy followed with a three-point play on a fast break.
Down 11-2, Ansonia senior guard Vinny Constantino (14 points) showed the Chargers' spark, leading them on a 5-2 run, 13-9.
Torrington scored the quarter's last four points, 17-9, handily winning the quarter.
In some ways, the game was already a coach's dream for Torrington. The Chargers have plenty of speed, mounting a full court press for much of the game.
The Raiders had the reins as long they stayed focused and intense.
In a miserble three minutes for Ansonia, Torrington opened the second quarter on a 7-0 run -- McCarthy, Victor Diaz, Davis and Kelson dividing up the loot. The score was 24-9 before Charger Rayshawn Pender (team-high 18 points) brought Ansonia into double figures with a layup, 5:29 left in the half.
With 2:20 left in the second quarter, Canny tried his first dunk, sailing high but caroming the jam off the rim.
"They kept telling me I had to go for it," Canny laughed.
"He missed two dunks, but I'm happy to see that aggressiveness," said Coach Gamari.
Torrington finished the half on a five-point run by McCarthy and Davis, 37-23.
Canny had 17 for the half. He had 10 more in the second half by early in the final period. Two minutes into the fourth quarter, he tried another dunk. This time it rammed clear through, leaving Canny hanging on the rim in glee.
"It's crazy the feeling you get from the crowd," said Canny. "It's just pure momentum."
He made one more stab at the feeling with 3:55 in the game, Torrington leading 63-44. This one jammed off the rim like the first one, but a Charger fouled him on the way up.
Canny sank both foul shots, helping the Raiders go 25-for-35 from the foul line.
This game, Torrington had all the momentum it needed.


text:
The overall rating is a weighted average of the three other rated categories listed below. It is a general indication of the health of a dividend.
This indicator measures a stock's current dividend yield, and compares it to similar stocks and historical yields.
The rating for dividend history is determined by looking back at the frequency and amount of historical dividend payments.
This indicator measures a stock's history of dividend increases; consistent increases over time will produce a favorable rating.
Cairn Energy PLC (CRNCF)
Brilint Min Cp A (BRLGF)
Aareal Bank AG (AAALF)
Aarhuskarlshan AB (ARHUF)


text:
About this download
This program will update VAIO Care to version 22.214.171.12450 and will resolve the following symptom:
- A .Net crash encountered by users
Available Downloads:
VAIO Care 6.4.2 Update version 188.8.131.5250
File name: EP0000600377.exe
File size: 59.89 MB (62797760 bytes)
File Info
File Name
- VAIO Care Update version 188.8.131.5250
File Version
- 184.108.40.20650
File Size
Release Date
- 2012-02-07
System Requirements
- Windows 7 32bit
- Windows 7 64bit
1. Download the file to a temporary or download directory (Please note this directory for reference later).
2. Go to the directory where the file was downloaded and double-click EP0000600377.exe.
3. Follow the instructions displayed in the installation wizard.
4. After installation is completed, please restart the computer
To check if installation is successful:
1. Go to C:\ProgramFiles\Sony\VAIO Care\
2. Version.txt should indicate 220.127.116.1150


text:
We Are the World
This story appears in the May 2000 issue of HomeOfficeMag.com. Subscribe »
Once upon a time, the global marketplace was an arena reserved for the big players-companies that could afford access to the information and communications necessary to do business around the world. Today, the power of the Internet and communication technologies has made the global market just as accessible to the homebased entrepreneur.
"The Internet is an unbelievable tool," says Abby Shapiro, co-founder and CEO of International Strategies Inc. According to Shapiro, small businesses can access a wealth of country reports, market information and international business directories online, often at no cost. "With a few good sites and a directory of folks to contact outside the United States, you can do a lot just sitting in your living room," says Shapiro, whose Boston-based firm offers a wide range of reports and materials for import/export businesses. "Using e-mail and faxes, you don't even have to pick up the phone."
For many homebased businesses, a Web site is the first portal to the world. Steve Veltkamp, president of Biz$hop, a homebased publishing company in Port Angeles, Washington, that produces business guides and newsletters, points out that you don't even have to translate your site into another language. "English is the language of commerce, and the dollar is the currency of commerce," says Veltkamp, who began assisting other companies in developing foreign markets through Biz$hop in 1986. What matters, he says, is making your site "friendly" to international visitors.
Shapiro believes your Web site can also be an important source of leads if you're thinking of developing an import or export business. "Analyze where [orders] are coming from. If you have two dozen bids out of Canada, that tells you you have leads in that area."
Still another option for the homebased entrepreneur who wants to explore international markets is to act as an export intermediary, connecting U.S. suppliers and international buyers. According to Dennis Hessler, whose homebased Pensacola, Florida, company, Spyglass Point Productions , offers import/export and international business advice, all you need is sweat equity-and an understanding of the edge you bring to the marketplace.
One Click Away
International commerce often begins on a company's home page. Forrester Research reported in 1998 that nearly 50 percent of all Internet orders placed from outside the United States are ignored. "[Many] U.S. businesses have no clue how to send the product [internationally]," says Shapiro. "[It's important to know] what it will cost to get the product from Point A to Point B."
Shapiro recommends developing a checklist of what you can and can't do. For example, are you willing to handle multiple currencies? Can you calculate different shipping rates, taxes and tariffs? How will you handle background and credit checks? What about returns and service? "You need to understand your capabilities and limitations," advises Shapiro.
To encourage international orders, Veltkamp offers these tips to make your site globally friendly:
- Design flexible online response forms so overseas customers can insert address information that doesn't fit "standard" U.S. fields (such as Zip code, state abbreviation or telephone number fields). Make sure forms won't be "bounced back" as incomplete if an overseas visitor fails to fill in a section.
- Don't use country flags to indicate translated pages. Veltkamp points out that flags represent geographic regions, not language groups. A visitor from Quebec won't feel welcomed by a French flag nor will a Spanish-speaker from Mexico feel that that a Spanish flag represents his or her language.
- Make it easy for international customers to determine how much it will cost to purchase a product from your company. Consider adding a currency converter to your site so visitors can determine price equivalents. (A free currency converter is available at Universal Currency Converter).
- Don't create the impression that you assume the United States is the center of the commercial world. Avoid terms like "foreign" when referring to international customers. "The biggest complaint I hear from people outside the U.S. is that the Internet is too U.S.-centric," says Veltkamp.
Finally, make sure your page loads quickly. Many overseas customers pay for their connection by the minute and won't appreciate time-consuming graphics, Java scripts, animations or videos. Don't rely on glitz to sell your product; let your product sell itself.
Exporting From Your Living Room
Working at home is no obstacle to entering the international market, since the vast majority of your customers will never see your office. Instead of paneled walls and an oak desk, what you really need to reach the world is a good computer system-plus perseverance and common sense.
Veltkamp recommends you "first specialize in the type of product you want to sell. Then specialize in a country or small region of the world." The second decision, he suggests, can be based on your personal interests. "If you're interested in Central America, specialize there," he says. "That can help you get to know the people in the area and learn how the [the local businesses] deal, negotiate, set prices, do business, etc."
Shapiro recommends beginning by exploring markets with languages and customs similar to your own background. "Don't start with China [if you're unfamiliar with Chinese language and culture]; start with Canada or the United Kingdom. Then when you query for information, you know what they're saying."
Dennis Hessler agrees. "Canada represents an ideal opportunity to conduct research on a foreign country," he notes in his Import-Export Entrepreneur newsletter. "[And] just about anything that sells in the U.S. will be a potential product for the Canadian market."
Steps in the Right Direction
Regardless of where you begin, Shapiro notes that certain steps are essential to success:
- Do your market research. "Find sources that can give you reliable current information [on your target country]," suggests Shapiro. "How stable is the government? What are the currency controls? Will there be a labor problem? How will you ship your product? Will it need continued service and who will provide it?" Shapiro notes that a host of online sources (including her own Export Hotline at http://www.exporthotline.com) offer in-depth country reports that can help an exporter learn about international markets, trade barriers and related topics.
- Look for contacts within your target country. Agencies that can help include the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration "country desks," the U.S. Embassy or an AmCham (American Chambers of Commerce Abroad) within your target country. Your target country's embassy in the United States can also help.
- Network with other exporters. "Talk to people who are doing it, even if they're not in your industry," says Shapiro. "Get their experiences; listen to what they say and what they went through."
- Attend export workshops at colleges or financial institutions. "Make sure you fit the profile of the intended audience," Shapiro warns, noting that seminars hosted for large companies may not meet the needs of a smaller exporter.
- Find a distributor or agent. Ask your overseas contacts for references, Shapiro says. "Don't use the recommendation of someone's uncle or cousin. You need independent, objective referrals," she says. "Always ask for references and a credit check." Shapiro notes that there are lots of people who can help you through the hassles of international commerce, including brokers, distributors, freight-forwarders and customs agents. Many of these are now listed in online international business directories.
Veltkamp adds an additional recommendation: "There's a lot to be said for actually traveling [to your target country]." Part of the fun of international commerce, he says, "is the acceptance of other cultures, the enjoyment of dealing with different folks. A sense of adventure is useful in making that international jump; exporting surprises you at every turn."
Making Connections: Becoming an International Intermediary
If you're not ready to take the plunge into exporting your own products, Dennis Hessler has an alternative: Become an import/export intermediary.
The task of an intermediary, according to Hessler, is to help small and midsized businesses hook up with buyers and cope with issues like currency transfers and translations.
Hessler recommends finding a supplier first, then looking for a buyer. "If you already have a supplier, you'll have the information [a buyer needs]," says Hessler. "You can quote prices and know you can deliver 'x' container loads of widgets at 'x' price. You may be able to direct the buyer to the supplier's Web site to find out more about the product. You can even e-mail pictures of the products incredibly quickly and cheaply."
The key to success is discovering your "edge," which might be your knowledge of the market, the product or the target country. "If you're a shoe salesperson, use your contacts in the shoe industry to make your first sale," says Hessler. "If you have contacts in India, use them to find out what types of products sell in India, then find suppliers of those products in the U.S. Your edge gives you credibility, a clear connection the supplier can understand."
Hessler points out the importance of building relationships with suppliers and buyers. "Don't look at a trade as a one-time deal. Avoid 'fax-jockeying'-just faxing paper back and forth with no real dealings with the individual. It's better to build relationships with both sides, so everyone knows you-so you can count on them and they can count on you. Then your contacts can help you expand markets and product lines so you don't have to start over every time you put a new deal together.
"You don't have to sell 747s to make a lot of money as an intermediary," says Hessler, who notes that it usually takes about six months for that all-important first deal to come together. "Don't go crazy looking at the hundreds of buy/sell offers on the Internet and think you're going to get rich quick; build it up slowly. Patience is the challenge."
- World Trade Centers Online: Links to more than 300 World Trade Centers in 100 countries
- American Express Small Business Exchange: Free country reports and articles on exporting.
Moira Allen is the "Global" columnist for Entrepreneur magazine and editor of Global Writers' Ink, a newsletter for international writers. Her Web site for writers can be found at www.writing-world.com.


text:
Utah State University Extension Professor Kevin Heaton is passionate about three things, people, livestock and agriculture. Heaton has the opportunity to work around all three at USU.
"I had a career goal to be in the agriculture business, and USU gives me the opportunity to make a difference in peoples' lives. You get to be out on the ground dealing with real issues," said Heaton.
Heaton gave his Inaugural Lecture Series presentation Feb. 25, the tenth lecture of this academic year's installment. His lecture, "Sustainability in the Face of Geographic and Economic Isolation," described the importance of sustainability in agricultural and natural resources in Kane and Garfield counties.
"It is an important topic for our area because we have one of the highest poverty rates in the state of Utah. Sustainability is an important driving factor to our economy," said Heaton.
Heaton teaches in the Cooperative Extension Education, and is responsible for bringing applied research to the citizens in Kane and Garfield County.
"I teach a lot of workshops and bring in outside professionals to help bring science and research to those counties," he said. "I held the first beef cattle pregnancy diagnosis workshop for producers in the state of Utah."
Heaton graduated from USU with his bachelor's in agriculture business. He continued his education and earned his master's in meat science from USU.
Since joining USU, Heaton has worked on a variety of projects, including the introduction of stock water monitoring systems to Southern Utah.
"This program allows ranchers to check to see if their livestock have water remotely via satellite without driving two to three hours per day to check. It saves some producers around $500 a month," said Heaton.
Heaton collaborates with extension specialists across the Western United States who have the same goals and passion. Through this network he looks for new problems to address.
"Five years ago the remote stock water wasn't on my radar screen, so finding out what's the issue is always important," said Heaton.
Currently, Heaton is working with the grazing issue on the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.
"It's been a collaborative effort with environmentalists and ranchers to reach the best solution for both parties," said Heaton.
Having grown up in Southern Utah, Heaton enjoys working and living in the same area as his childhood with his wife and six kids
Related link:
Contact: Kevin Heaton, 435-644-4918, email@example.com
Writer: Jaron Dunford, 920-246-2863, firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Good Morning everyone! How have you been? Well, we've had some interesting things going on, and it's been a while since I've blogged, so here goes!
May 1st marked my 50th birthday! Don't feel my age @ all, and turning 50 didn't bother me a bit, because right now my life is on hold with this AVM! Nothing matters but that, so I don't even know how I would normally feel turning 50! Mark hosted a wonderful dinner party for me with delicious steak filets, roasted veggies with pineapple on the grill and wine of course! Mark also made his trademark cake - an Italian Cream from scratch - yummy! Wasn't much up for photos, but did get a couple of good ones of Hanz and Bella with the roses that Mom and Vicente got for me!
We just got back from CO and what I believe is my 40 something treatment/embolization. You know, this has been discouraging for me lately - getting tired of the whole thing! The last time I had an embolization was like Feb. 21 and right afterward, had several pretty bad bleeds from inside my mouth! One of those happened during my lunch hour @ work in a public restaurant! Yikes! Luckily Mark had been with me and Celia came to help as well! The day before leaving on this trip, a friend/co-worker was treating me to lunch and my mouth started to bleed! Luckily, it was minor and didn't last but a couple minutes. Scary though! That was on a Monday. We left for CO the next day, and that night (about 3:00 a.m.) I had a bleed from inside my mouth! It was really coming out - I hollared for Mark to wake up in case I fainted or something, but it was alright after a bit. UGH! I don't even know how I slept after that happened!
This trip I had decided to try and see if I could get a humidifier from the Aprea Company here that supplies my trache needs. Turns out there is an Aprea in CO, so I was able to get all set up with a humidifier I need to wear on my trache during sleep! That makes everything easier when I'm in surgery! Without the moisture on my trache, I would wake up after the procedure feeling very dry and wanting to hack/cough!
So we arrive @ Swedish @ 7:30 a.m. - get all ready for the procedure and the anesthesiologist came by to introduce himself! Don't ask me his name right now, but he is in one of the photos, holding a trache box. Here is a photo of one of Dr. Yakes P.A.s - Mandy! She's really sweet and was going over some meds/paperwork with me! See Saba in the bed behind me?
The next photo as mentioned earlier, shows the anesthesiologist. I've always had so much trouble getting a trache replacement from anyone down here, that we had gotten to where we would request 2 when I arrived in CO for an embolization. One to change out and another to take home! The Tech from Aprea promises she can get one ordered for me, so we're going to try it from her end in CO, since we haven't been able to get one ordered for me down here with Aprea! Actually, glad Mark had his eagle eye catch the fact that the first boxes brought out were the wrong size trache! Totally too long/big and not @ all what I needed! Whew! So glad Mark caught that!
Anyway, all went well enough - you can see in the photo where my arm is wrapped up in a hot towel, getting ready for that IV! The nurse got it in first time and it wasn't too terribly painful, so that all turned out well! I was on the phone talking to my dear friend Felice as the nurse was inserting that IV, so she was glad I was distracted and on the phone - made her job easier!
The anesthesiologist came by prepared with a needle full of my happy juice, so I barely remember even being wheeled out of there! Most of the time I'm wide awake until I am moved over on to the bed in the surgical area - but this time all I remember is hearing that I was getting that injection in my IV and then waking up! The nurse kept telling me that she couldn't find Mark in the waiting area - no kidding! He never sits there and waits, and she finally said she would try him on his cell phone! I knew I had to lay flat due to the groin injection for the angiogram, so I could have been more comfortable. To boot, I had this long tube left on my trache, and without the little plastic cap @ the end of the trache, I can't cough, clear my throat or anything! I needed Mark there to tell someone, because @ the time I couldn't do much about my situation! I started praying to get me through the waiting period and next thing I knew, I was being told I was going to be taken to a room and that Mark would meet me there! Whew! Finally! Got settled in bed and slept a while. Poor Mark, bored watching a movie in the room with me. Woke me up so I could order my dinner - had lots of soft food. Scrambled eggs, malt 0 meal, yogurt and juices! Dr. Yakes used 14 cc's of alcohol this time, and I don't look too too bad as far as swelling! Made sure the nurses knew to give me decadron (steroid) for the swelling to get that under control soon!
Mark stayed with me until 10pm or so, then headed back to the hotel to get some rest! I sat up a while and read, dozed off and on.
Next morning Mark arrived with my usual treat of a white chocolate mocha from Starbucks - took a shower to get the blood out of my hair and got dressed and out of there! Caught our flight out of Denver on time, but as usual, had problems getting home after that! For whatever reason, the flight that had us arrivng in Corpus Christi by 9:30 p.m. was delayed a couple of hours, so we didn't land until right before midnight! My dear friend Sylvia and her husband Randy had generously offered to take care of our furry kids, Hanz and Bella and we needed to go get them still! Last trip before this one, had us stuck in Dallas an extra night - which meant one more night that Sylvia had to keep my kids and us missing them so much too! Mark gets after me for commenting out loud on missing the kids while we're in CO - but we had run an errand @ Wal-mart and I had lost Mark in the store. Called his cell and do you know where he was? In the pet supply area! He had to admit, he was missing the kids too! We were all so happy to see each other when we arrived @ Sylvia's - she was nice enough to stay up so we could get Hanz and Bella home! It is amazing how much those kiddos mean to us - they complete our household!
Ok! Enough for now ... I've got lots of Thank You notes to write for goodies received from family/friends lately! Thank you to all who are with me on this journey - your love and prayer helps to get us through. I've gotten a little discouraged as of late, and my friend Sylvia told me, "no, don't do that, you're my hero and you need to stay positive"! That's where all of you come in - your prayer gives me strength to endure and carry on! I'll be in touch! Happy Mothers Day to all the Moms!
Cyndi SchumanP.S. right now my only discomfort is black scabbing on my lip and chin area. Glad Dr. Yakes worked along my mouth area - maybe that will be the end of any more mouth bleeds! Unfortunately, it makes it hard to brush my teeth on the left side from swelling and dead skin I lose! Yuck!


text:
This is the third in a series of blog postings on succession planning for an advisory firm, with a focus on how to find, hire and retain good employees for your advisory firm.
In my 25 years as an employer, I've learned a thing or two about how to run a small financial advisory firm. Some lessons I've learned along the way haven't come easy, but they've been invaluable to helping me and my team evolve into a more successful firm. Though there's no foreseeing every pitfall that can derail your hiring plans, here are a few common mistakes you can avoid making:
Mistake No. 1: Hiring Too Quickly
No matter how diligent you may be in your hiring practices, chances are there has been that one time where you rushed to hire someone. Did you need to fill a critical spot during tax season? Did you need to snag that top advisor before some other firm snatched him/her up? Maybe you bypassed checking all of the references or you overlooked a few "minor" red flags during the interview process. You'll find that just as quickly as you drop someone into a key role in your practice, you may discover that they just don't fit. It can be a costly lesson to learn too late.
The Solution: Take a Deep Breath
No matter how badly you need that new position filled, take one step back and consider the cost of not taking the time to find someone right for the job. Have the candidate visit 3-5 times, meeting with different people in your firm as well as different locations. Have lunch and watch the way they interact and behave, and also put them in situations that they will be in if hired – and observe. Does this person share your outlook on client service? Do their long-term goals line up with yours? Check their references. Study their employment history. Don't be distracted by shiny accolades or accomplishments. Most importantly, listen to your "little voice" – if something seems amiss it probably is! If you've already hired someone who isn't meeting expectations, assess the damage; it may be time to roll up your sleeves and see if clear expectations and guidance can help steer them your way. Lastly, know when to call it – if someone simply isn't right for your firm, don't waste time trying to make it work.
Mistake No. 2: Not Guiding the Troops
In a small firm, nobody has the luxury of wearing one hat. That doesn't mean we as employers get a pass on the proper mentoring of our employees. Have you set clear expectations for everyone in the office? If you asked each person what their job description was, 1) could they do it? and 2) how close is that description to their goals? A common mistake is that advisors assume that because they have a mission statement, their staff understands what role they play in delivering on that mission to clients. Overlooking this key component can lead to disappointment, frustration and employee turnover, which in turn costs you time, money and security for the future.
The Solution: Set Expectations for All
No matter what their role is in your firm, each employee needs guidance to grow and to help you build the business. Set expectations and standards for each role in your firm. Have clear job descriptions; in fact, the employees can draft their own for you to see if you are aligned on your expectations. During the hiring process, take to heart what a candidate's goals are, and once hired, apply them. Meet regularly with your team to make sure you both stay on the same page. Remember to think of your staff as your clients—take the time to get to know them and their needs.
Mistake No. 3: Holding On to Toxic Employees
You know the ones I'm talking about. They have negative attitudes, they don't pull their weight, or worse, many times they do have excellent skills, others avoid them at all costs, and they just don't fit into your firm. Negativity in any environment, but especially in a small one, is as contagious as an airborne virus, affecting office morale, productivity, not to mention your stress level. Why do we hold on to these employees? Maybe their skill set is impressive on paper, or maybe you're just avoiding unnecessary confrontation, hoping that it will "work itself out." That's a nearsighted outlook that you will pay for in the end, avoiding short-term pain in exchange for long-term pain. What we don't consider is the cost: it can be like a blood clot in the body! You will discover inefficiencies and high costs from holding on to these employees.
The Solution: Be Frank and Direct
Run, don't walk, to the exit. Have a sit-down with this employee immediately and be frank about the issues and your desire to either correct the problem or part ways. Set very clear expectations on what is required from them. The sooner you do, the sooner your business, and your other employees, will thank you for it.
Learning from your mistakes is worth its weight in gold, but learning from others' mistakes is priceless. Keeping in mind these three common mistakes can help you avoid costly detours on your path to building your dream firm!


text:
Export 7 results:
Filters: Author is Evstratova, Alesya [Clear All Filters]
Action potential counting at giant mossy fiber terminals gates information transfer in the hippocampus. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2018;115(28):7434-7439.
Mental Illnesses-Associated Fxr1 and Its Negative Regulator Gsk3β Are Modulators of Anxiety and Glutamatergic Neurotransmission. Front Mol Neurosci. 2018;11:119.
Short-Term Facilitation at a Detonator Synapse Requires the Distinct Contribution of Multiple Types of Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels. J Neurosci. 2017;37(19):4913-4927.
Information processing and synaptic plasticity at hippocampal mossy fiber terminals. Front Cell Neurosci. 2014;8:28.
Interplay between synchronization of multivesicular release and recruitment of additional release sites support short-term facilitation at hippocampal mossy fiber to CA3 pyramidal cells synapses. J Neurosci. 2014;34(33):11032-47.
Synaptically evoked Ca2+ release from intracellular stores is not influenced by vesicular zinc in CA3 hippocampal pyramidal neurones. J Physiol (Lond). 2011;589(Pt 23):5677-89.


text:
Bringing a new baby into your family is one of life's most amazing and wonderful moments!
The newborn days are so precious, yet so fleeting. As photographers, we can appreciate how quickly these days go by and how important it is to capture all of the sweet details of our new babies, while they are still little.
While some may opt to hire a professional to photograph their baby, some of us are excited at the prospect of capturing our baby's first days ourselves. My 10th child, Gabriel, was born on June 24th of this year, and I was determined to get some amazing photos of him myself.
I would love to share with you some tips and ideas to help you create beautiful images of your own baby and to make this experience an enjoyable and stress-free one for the both of you.
1. Pace yourself.
One of the benefits of photographing your own newborn is that time is on your side. Unlike shooting a newborn session for a client and having a 3-4 hour window in which to work and create a varied gallery, you have days – weeks even – at your disposal.
Remember that you just had a baby! You need to take time for yourself to rest and recover from the childbirth experience, so please do not rush and try to do everything in one day. I have learned the hard way that this will end in exhaustion and frustration.
When I had Gabriel, I would shoot for a short period of time using just one or two setups every other day or so. Not only did this keep everything low stress, but it allowed me to capture the subtle changes as Gabriel changed over his first few weeks of life.
Contrary to what you may have heard about the first two weeks being the best time to photograph a newborn, it is very possible to photograph older babies in the 'newborn style' as well. I was still capturing Gabriel's newborn photos when he was over a month old.
Remember, time is on your side! Take it easy and don't over-do it. If you pace yourself, you can capture an amazing variety of images of your sweet new baby.
2. Lighting is everything.
One of the most common mistakes I see in newborn photography from pros and amateurs alike is improper lighting. If I had a dollar for every up-lit baby I saw floating around online, I'd be a very rich woman.
Whether you're photographing for a client or for yourself, one of the things that can make or break a photo is your lighting. Think about the most natural source of lighting we have – the sun.
It is in the sky above us. Therefore, seeing a person who is lit from below is very unnatural looking. It is so unnatural looking that it is often seen in horror movies or to depict something frightening. We definitely do not want our baby to look like they belong in a horror flick!
You do not need any fancy studio equipment to get this right. Almost all of the photos I took of Gabriel were done either in my garage or in front of one of my living room windows utilizing natural light.
A good rule of thumb for nice soft shadows and highlights is to have your baby angled such that the light flows from the top of baby's head on down their body at approximately a 45 degree angle. Look for a soft shadow underneath baby's nose to verify that you have this right.
Feel free to experiment – for more dramatic lighting and shadowing as in the photo of my husband's hands holding Gabriel in the photo above, go for a more drastic angle. Have fun playing with different angles and perspectives, but do not, I repeat, do NOT up-light your baby!
Related: 11 pictures to take of your baby in the first month
3. Keep baby happy and you'll be happy, too.
There are a few simple things you can do that will ensure a happy baby and a productive photo session. The first is to keep your shooting area warm – really warm. I have successfully used my quartz infrared space heater that we use to heat our bedroom in the wintertime, but any small space heater will do.
The alternative is to crank up the thermostat in your house while you are shooting. Luckily, Gabriel was born during the summer in Arizona, so I didn't need to do anything other than head to my garage. It was like an oven!
In addition to having a warm shooting area, white noise does wonders for keeping baby asleep. I downloaded an app to my iPhone called 'Sound Sleeper' which has a number of soothing sounds that you can play for baby while you are shooting. I would just tuck my phone underneath the blanket I was shooting on and it would keep Gabriel happy and snoozing!
The third trick probably goes without saying but make sure baby has a nice, full belly and is not hungry during your shoot.
In addition to these three things, I have found that most babies (including my own) are much more cooperative and 'lazy' in the morning hours than in the afternoon and evening hours. Try to do your shooting between breakfast and lunch, and I think you will agree that this is the best time for most babies.
4. Keep that baby safe.
This goes without saying, but please make sure your baby's safety is the number 1 priority while you are taking his or her photos. If you are trying a more difficult pose or working with props, have someone there to help you and to spot baby.
My newborn photography style is simple and organic with more natural posing, so this was not an issue for me. If you need help from someone, make sure that you ask for it. My husband has been an excellent spotter in the rare times that I've needed one. Remember that many of the more difficult looking poses and setups are actually composite images, and not created from a single image.
5. Capture the tiny details.
Don't forget to document all of those sweet little details that make your baby unique! That little upturned nose, her rosebud lips, his crinkly little chin, those tiny toes and fingers – these are all things that you will not want to forget as your baby grows.
If you have a macro lens, now would be the time to pull it out of your bag, dust it off, and put it to good use. If you are having trouble getting the images you want from your macro lens, here are a few tips.
Close down a bit – when you are working as close-up as you will need to be to do a macro shot, shooting wide open will give you a very small depth of field. Unless that is what you are going for, try closing down to f/5.6 or even further.
In addition to closing down, take that lens out of auto focus and try using manual focus. I had much better results with my macro using manual focus! Do not worry too much about your ISO. If you need to crank it up to avoid underexposing your images, do not be afraid of doing so.
Experiment and have fun! When I was shooting Gabriel's newborn photos, I kept my macro lens sitting on the table next to me so I could easily swap out lenses and snag some macro shots during each of our 'mini shoots.' I found this to be much easier than trying to get them all at once. If you have an extra camera body, you could leave your macro attached to it to easily grab those macro images as you go.
Some things to consider shooting with your macro lens: noses, lips, eyelashes, ears, toes, fingers, belly buttons, hair, and fuzzy shoulders. Those details will change so fast as your baby grows and this is a wonderful way to preserve those memories.
6. Expirement with angles and perspectives.
Instead of rushing to change your setup or reposition your baby, try getting up and walking around your baby to see what unique angles you can photograph. Try walking behind your baby and shoot some pictures from the shadowed side – you may end up with an image that you love! Exhaust all of your different angles and perspectives before moving on to a new pose or setup. This is an easy way to get variety out of a single pose.
Gabriel didn't move an inch between these two shots, but look how different they are! The first was taken from the front as a nice close-up of his sweet little face and hands. In the second image, I walked around behind him, loved how the lighting looked, and took another picture from that angle. It ended up being one of my favorites!
Related: Less is More: Mastering the Minimalist Style of Newborn Photography
must haves
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens
You are going to want to capture all of those sweet little details: tiny eyelashes, rosebud lips, and dimpled hands. A macro lens will let you get nice and close so that you can see all the small things that make newborns so special.
This handy little tool will allow you to add light where you need it. Get softer light with the white side, warmer light with the gold side, cooler light with the silver side, or keep light from reflecting with the black side. When you are all done, it folds up into a little lightweight package making storing it and traveling with it easy as pie!
Create beautiful, clean backdrops anywhere and hold them in place with these little clamps. Whether you are using a roll of paper, a muslin backdrop, or a simple blanket, these clamps will keep it from moving, wrinkling, and falling away by holding it to your backdrop stand.
7. Get outside.
I am an on-location photographer and most of my work is done in the great outdoors. Who says you can't take a new baby outside, too?
Weather permitting, take your baby out of the studio and into nature – you can get some amazingly beautiful and unique newborn photos this way. I get bored easily and was definitely over blankets and beanbags, so my husband and I took a little drive and did a few images of Gabriel outside. They are definitely some of my favorites!
Being outside in nature opens up a whole new realm of possibilities and creative freedom that you may not have shooting indoors. Bring along some simple props to place baby in and have fun! I have found that many babies tend to sleep more easily outside on a warm day than they would indoors in a studio setting.
8. Include your older children.
Some of the sweetest and most endearing photos you can take of your new baby will be the ones you get with his or her older siblings. I set out a task for myself to get an image of Gabriel with each of his nine older brothers and sisters. I still have two to go, but I am getting there!
Older children may be able to hold their new brother or sister, while simple laying down poses are perfect for younger children. This will make your older children feel special and involved as well, which is always a bonus when there is a new baby in the house getting a lot of attention!
9. Get in the picture.
I know firsthand how difficult it can be having photos taken of yourself, but please, hand your camera to someone else – your husband, an older child, or a friend – and get a few pictures of yourself with your new baby. No one cares that you still need to lose your pregnancy weight, or that you are tired, and don't feel that you are looking your best – just do it.
Trust me. This will be a priceless treasure for your new baby as he or she grows up.
As photographers, I think it's safe to say that most of us are more comfortable being on the back side of the camera, but it is so important for our children that we get in front if it once in a while, too. 🙂 My 14-year-old daughter, Calista, took this image for me and I absolutely love it!
10. Print those pictures out.
Please, for the love of all that is newborn photography, do not leave all of your beautiful newborn photos sitting on your hard drive. Print those babies out!
I feel a bit hypocritical telling you this, as I myself have been absolutely horrible about printing my own images, but just do it. Do not wait to design the perfect wall display, or to choose the perfect picture. If you see a good canvas sale going on, just order something. You will love it – I promise!
What am I doing with all of Gabriel's newborn images? I am making an epic baby album for him, of course. I cannot wait to order it and have it in my hands! There is NO substitute for the actual finished product for you and your family to enjoy.
Pictures on a computer screen are nice, but a huge 30×40 canvas hanging in the entryway of your home is even nicer. Trust me on this. 😉
Related: 6 ways to photograph a newborn after the first 10 days
Photographing your own newborn can be challenging but also so very rewarding.
The pictures taken from your perspective, the mother who loves her baby like no other, are going to have a little something extra special about them. Just take it slow, and be sure to get a lot of rest. You just had a new baby. Enjoy your baby!
These days go by so fast – before you know it, they'll be heading off to school, learning to drive, getting married, and giving you grandbabies. I'm not even kidding! It seems like just yesterday I was bringing Clint home from the hospital, and now we are working on a driver's license. It goes by in the blink of an eye!


text:
Changing the shipping country can change your currency, shipping costs and available products in your cart.
We're just getting started with the Effektor Technology. Look out for more products to be announced in the near future.
Be the first to know about upcoming X-BIONIC® lines and announcements. Sign up for promotions and updates.