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How Two Twenty-something Guys Kept Me On Course
I've been talking about Minimalism a lot on the blog lately, and while I have realized that I am not–and could never be–a Minimalist in the sense that most people in the documentary espouse (I'm a stuff-everywhere, lived-in, piles-of-pillows, and clothes-as-mementos-type person), I can make more intentional purchases. Rather than eschewing my love of clothing in favour of a deprivatory capsule wardrobe, I have been prompted to look more closely at my shopping habits and how they impact my life–and the world. I've alluded to it time and again, but I'm the shopping equivalent of a grazer–a lot of snacks all the time, but never the big, delicious meal that I really want. (Not sure why I went with a food analogy but this winter has got me comfort-eating my way out of all my favourite jeans, so…) I love sales and the suspense of not knowing what gems I'll uncover. And while there have definitely been some gems, there are most often just a number of items that do nothing for me outside of the immediate adrenaline kick I get from saving a few bucks at the cash wrap. Thank goodness for the enlightened twenty-something guys in line in front of me at Winners yesterday:
"Dude, only buy it if you really love it. Otherwise it's just not worth it," the one (very wise) friend said to the other. "Right," I thought, sheepishly off-loading the myriad pairs of underwear, the dishtowels, and the picture frame I had in my cart onto the nearest shelf. But there was one thing I didn't put back –something I really love and the very thing I had saved for and had come to the store that day in hope of finding: a pair of flatform, pearl-embellished, blush oxfords that I first spotted at the company's spring media preview a few weeks before. Knowing that they'd soon be in store, but (judging by the reaction to my Instagram post featuring the objects of my affection), their availability would be fleeting, I effectively muzzled all extraneous spending so I could buy them, guilt-free, whenever they decided to show up at my local Winners. And let me tell you, it feels good to buy with intention as opposed to buying impulsively. There were a million things I could have spent my money on during the several recon missions leading up to the purchase (because, let's be honest, it's almost never the case that I–or anyone else–leaves Winners empty-handed. Even if you get skunked in the clothing department, there are always those yogurt-covered raisins hanging on the shelf next to the checkout line. You know the ones.)
Anyway, my wallet and my closet will thank me (as time progresses), if I can continue to be mindful and intentional while shopping. [Closes browser window open to remnants of Zara sale].
Finally some shots of me in my new sweater, which is emblematic of the elevated basics I am trying to populate my wardrobe with–and my quest to buy with intention.


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Hanz de Fuko Hair Care and Modify Pomade Set
Modify Pomade: Perfect water soluble pomade for the slick back look. Comes without the disadvantages of traditional petroleum-based pomades. Creates texture and tremendous shine for all hair lengths!
Natural Shampoo: All natural hair-cleanse for amazingly healthy hair. Contains 16+ pure natural plan extracts and 10+ amino acids. Doesn't dry hair out like most shampoos do. PH Balance: 5.25
Natural Conditioner: Thickens hair by expanding the hair bulb, prevents hair loss. Contains 16+ pure natural plant extracts and 10+ amino acids
- Cash On Delivery Yes
This item is sold by Hall of Goods and fulfilled by our delivery providers.
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- For the list of non-returnable items, please see the list here!
- Should you have any questions regarding this product, please feel free to get in touch with our friendly Customer Experience Team here.
- This item is sold and fulfilled directly by merchant
- *Shipping Fee of $4.90 is applicable on all marketplace orders under $50 for each Merchant.
- *Items sold and fulfilled by other merchants do not contribute to the FREE SHIPPING basket threshold.
- In order to qualify for FREE SHIPPING for items sold by ZALORA, you must have all items sold and fulfilled by ZALORA to be above $50 in your basket.
- Estimated delivery time is 2 - 5 working days
- 7-Eleven and POPStation options are not available for this item. For more information, please contact Customer Service at +65 3157 5555 between 9am - 6pm daily, or email here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Here's the latest article from the Horses site at BellaOnline.com.
Ethoxyquin Is This Product In Your Horse's Feed?
Are these preservatives in your horse's feed?
Please visit horses.bellaonline.com for even more great content about Horses.
To participate in free, fun online discussions, this site has a community forum all about Horses located here -
I hope to hear from you sometime soon, either in the forum or in response to this email message. I thrive on your feedback!
Have fun passing this message along to family and friends, because we all love free knowledge!
Kim Wende, Horses Editor
One of hundreds of sites at BellaOnline.com


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Access news, member benefits and ADA policy
Meet, Play, Learn atADA's annual meeting.
Access cutting-edge continuing education courses
Find evidence to support your clinical decisions
Access member-only practice content
Investing in better oral health for all. Together.
Take advantage of endorsed, discounted business products
Purchase ADA products
Access oral-health information for the public and ADA Find-A-Dentist
Learn about ADA CERP recognition, look up CERP recognized CE providers and find CE courses.
Explore CODA's role and find accredited schools and programs
Learn about the examinations used in licensing dentists and dental hygienists
Learn about recognized dental specialties and certifying boards
Current Issue
By Jennifer Garvin
Washington — The ADA, along with 44 organizations, is asking Congress to support H.R. 1662, legislation that would make facilities of the Veterans Health Administration completely smoke-free.
In a May 11 letter to Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, chair, Subcommittee on Health Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the coalition urged support for the bill, which includes banning most forms of tobacco, including electronic cigarettes, cigars and pipes, in buildings under the jurisdiction of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
"As a nation, we must do more to improve and protect the health of our veterans. Providing a smoke-free VHA system for our veterans is an important step in the right direction," the coalition said. "Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States and exposure to secondhand smoke has a significant impact on Americans' health."
Because the U.S. surgeon general has determined "there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke," sick and disabled veterans should not be subjected to secondhand smoke in order to receive medical care, the coalition said.
People with heart disease are at higher risk for health complications if they are exposed to secondhand smoke, according to the Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health. A 2015 health survey of 5.7 million veterans determined that nearly 1.5 million (25.5 percent) had hypertension; and 439,000 (7.7 percent) had coronary artery disease. That same survey also found that 300,000 veterans (5.2 percent) suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that people with lung disease are also at an increasing risk for health complications from secondhand smoke.
The coalition also said it was pleased the bill included cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes and other combustible tobacco products in its definition of smoke and recommended that it include smokeless tobacco products as well. They also urged legislators to shorten the lengthy five-year implementation date regarding the smoke-free outdoors policy at VHA facilities.
Popular Articles


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Words can't begin to express the joy that fills my heart when I watch you play. There's a closeness you have that I pray you will keep forever! Once I worried about adding another baby to our family, and I find myself in that place of contentment and happiness again. How could life ever become better, sweeter, than it is now?
This morning I snuck downstairs to start making breakfast while you snoozed happily away. I don't worry as much about leaving now that you have each other to keep company. I cooked, cleaned the kitchen, mopped, and then you, my sweet big girl, appeared. "I was sleeping," you said, laughing, "and then Josie woke me up!" Together we went to get our smiling happy baby ready for our day.
Tonight we sat together looking at photos as I prepared Josie's paperwork for her American documents. We exclaimed together over photos of our first baby learning to "read." We watched videos of you crawling, eating spaghetti, laughing… And, in a matter of minutes, we watched you grow all over again! Time passed before our eyes, and while you were busy, your daddy and I talked. We talked about life before you–how young and skinny we were. We talked about the stories behind the photos. We talked about today: "Mama, I love you," you said. "I love you too, honey," I replied. "That's music to my ears!" you fired back with a sweet smile. We talked about you playing with your friends and trying out your Spanish for a while. We talked about you being "too busy to play caballito with Josie."
Ahhh… My heart is so full! My cup runneth over!
Sweet babies, I look forward to what tomorrow might bring: your sweet giggles, the cuddles and kisses, and the memories being made. I know that tomorrow there will also be a point where my frustration will rise as my patience slowly fades. I hope that isn't the moment that you or I remember. Even as I write this, I remember a moment last week. While grumpy, I managed to keep an even voice as I corrected you. "Okay, mama," you said, "I can do that. Thank you for talking nice to me."
You, my girls, are growing before my eyes, and I want to remember every touch of your hand–holding onto mine as you nurse, grabbing my face as you kiss me goodbye…again…and again… I want to remember the twinkle in your eye when you ask for pancakes. I want to remember the grunt you let out as you demand attention, and the fullness of your smile when you receive it–pushing up onto your hands, ready to crawl. I want to remember the way you talk to yourself as you play. And those moments of you together, when you ask me for the millionth time what your sister said with each coo she emits.
You, my dear, sweet girls, are the sun in our day. Shine on us. Let us revolve around you a bit and collect your warmth. You help our family grow. You give us light and life. Shine on, sweet girls.
Until tomorrow, sleep tight in my arms.


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Find Your Perfect Home.
Michiana Real Estate
Michiana is located in Michigan. Michiana, Michigan has a population of 219. Michiana is less family-centric than the surrounding county with 7% households with children. The county percentage for households with children is 26%.
The median household income in Michiana, Michigan is $58,913. The median household income for the surrounding county is $41,139 compared to the national median of $50,013. The median age of people living in Michiana is 61 years.
Michiana Weather
The average high temperature in July is 82.7 degrees, with an average low temperature in January of 15.8 degrees. The annual precipitation is 40.83.
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#SCCSD December Staff Members of the Month
Congratulations to all nominees – we appreciate your hard work and dedication! Alyssa Louison, 1st Grade Teacher @ Unity Elementary "Alyssa has such positive relationships and interactions with her students and fellow staff members. She goes the extra mile to give her best each day. Alyssa is always willing to help other educators and educate them … READ MORE


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STOCK ISLAND, Fla. – Three pit bull puppies were stolen from a home Thursday on 12th Avenue in Stock Island, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.
The puppies were still with their mother at the time they were taken.
The owner said he was sleeping when the theft occurred. Detectives believe someone pried open a door to gain access to his home.
The puppies are described as "one black with a white under belly. The second puppy was brown with a white cross on his back. The third puppy was white with two brown spots covering his eyes."
Anyone with information should call the Sheriff's Office at 305-292-7060.


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hmm i'm not sure when this picture was released though….
hmm i'm not sure when this picture was released though….
i received this picture yesterday..but i was too tired to post it =X hahaha so here it is!!
credits to wonderholic
'Wonder Girls' SoHee, It's Hard Going to School~
By YTN STAR
Candid pictures taken of the Wonder Girls' SoHee at school are becoming the subject of conversation.
SoHee, who is currently attending high school, was actually a student before ever coming to hold the position of being a singer.
A variety of photographs—which offer a glimpse into what school-life must be like for SoHee—have been made public on the Internet and are drawing attention.
SoHee, who boasts the most popularity among the Wonder Girls members, has had her picture taken without her knowing it, often when she is looking away.
The sight of SoHee wearing her school uniform—perhaps the photographing can't be helped because she is so cute?
Popularity is nice, but SoHee's school-life seems like it can't be that easy.
[Source: YTN Star]
[Translation: ppopki@wgspectacle]
*Read for more
Read the rest of this entry »
In the morning of 21st Jan, a member of the national weightlifting team wore a shirt with Sohee's autograph for training.
Source: Newsis
Credits: mandoosohee.wordpress.com
Credits to daum + mandoosohee.wordpress.com
credits to WonderFul Daum Cafe + mandoosohee.wordpress.com
if you're wondering how the cover of the Numéro magazine that sohee is in looks like…here it is…


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I'm already completely in the wedding season. For me it started with my first bride in May and since than I had a wedding nearly every weekend. When I started doing makeup, I thought, brides will be the thing I will never do, because I thought of every bride as a really annoying and nerve-racking person, thinking she can get everything and look like a princesses with infinite hair and the most beautiful skin of all.
But guess what, that's not what I experienced at all.
Brides are actually well aware of what they have and what they can get, at least in my section of services. I must say, I've had the most lovely brides the past two years and have been so happy about all the looks that came out and they have been as well.
And now, I really love to style brides for their special day. And the most wonderful moment of them all is, when they put on their dress, look in the mirror and feel like a princess and the happiness of these people is priceless.
That's why I created this tutorial for you guys, to thank all the lovely ladies making my job worth doing and standing up in the morning on a Saturday so easy.
You can easily wear this look also as a wedding guest and bridesmaid, just don't steal the bride her moment 😉


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Michel Roux joins the judges at the 2018 British Cheese Awards at the Royal Bath and West Show on Wednesday 30th May. To find out more about this prestigious event visit the website of The British Cheese Awards
Michel Roux talks to ITV's Ben McGrail about his experience of judging on the day. Click here to view the his interview.


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i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Irakli Kakabadze, Mr. Zurab Rtveliashvili, Mr. Lasha Chkhartishvili, Mr. Jaba Jishkariani and Mr. Davit Dalakishvili;
ii. Ensure that Mr. Irakli Kakabadze has access to appropriate medical treatment;
iii. Order their immediate and unconditional release and ensure that they be granted a fair and impartial trial so that the charges against them be dropped, as they aim at sanctioning their freedom of expression and are as such arbitrary;
iv. Put an end to acts of harassment against all human rights defenders in Georgia;
v. Comply with the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, in particular article 1, which states that "everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels", article 5c, which provides the right "to communicate with non-governmental or intergovernmental organisations", and article 12.2, which declares that "the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually or in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration";
vi. More generally, ensure in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights instruments ratified by Georgia.


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Sandra Adams, CFP® has worked in the financial planning industry for over 20 years and obtained her Certified Financial Planner™ designation in 2003. She loves to help individuals and families create customized and actionable financial plans that can be implemented easily by breaking them into simple steps. Sandy has a particular passion for working with older adults, so she went back to school to obtain her master's certificate in Gerontology from Eastern Michigan University in order to specialize in elder care planning. This allows her to work with entire generations of families: older adults, their children and grandchildren. Sandy is also trained to work with individuals going through any kind of stressful life and/or money transitions, including death of a spouse, divorce, loss or change of job, change of career, sale of a business, generational wealth transfers, etc.
Outside of work, Sandy loves sporting events and staying physically active, traveling, spending time with her family, and continuous learning. She is excited to share her knowledge and experience. This term Sandy will be teaching two new classes, Serving as a Financial Fiduciary and Long Life Planning.
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Professional Development
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Have a great class idea or want to teach for CEPD? Let us know at email@example.com
Schoolcraft College
18600 Haggerty Road
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Frankie Pangilinan had a genius way of talking about her advocacies. On a recent Instagram post, the 18-year-old posted a shot of her lounging around in a bikini. She then mentions in her caption how posting similar swimsuit photos in the past has noticeably always garnered her a little more attention—a fact that admittedly makes Frankie uncomfortable. "There are so many more important things we should all be discussing," she writes.
And she does exactly just that, as she diverts the rest of the post to more pressing issues that deserve the same amount of audience that bikini photos usually draw in, maybe even more. Talk about actually using your influence to make a statement!
Read up on her important message, below:
"Whenever I post a swimsuit pic, it seems to get a little extra attention. I definitely don't feel comfortable with that when there are so many more important things we should all be discussing, so I decided to mention some here:
"Avoid plastic bottles and straws, recycle if you can't... Our farmers deserve better, try and buy from your local farms instead of going through a middle man. Vaccinate your kids. Register to vote. Donate to @wwfphilippines. Support local brands like @eighthmermaid (who very kindly gave me this bikini) because colonial mentality is bad enough and it shouldn't get to ruin our economy. Don't buy skin whitening products. Don't body shame. Stay hydrated. Be kind. That's just a few things I believe we should all try to keep in mind.
"Much love always, Kakie."


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Health for seniors
As you grow old, health tops the list of your primary concerns. It is important that even after becoming a 50+ adult, you look cheerful and happy just the way you looked 15 or 20 years earlier. And to make that happen you need to take care of your health and your body. Perhaps it is this concern towards health that has increased the maximum age limit of most Americans. Maintaining a balanced diet, getting regular checkups and keeping the body keeps you healthy even if you grow old.
A number of healthcare facilities and services are available which take care of health needs and help you lead a wonderful life even at old age. In addition to hospitals, nursing homes and other health treatment centers, there are also plenty of health care services and policies that help you lead a stress free live to have a healthy body and a healthy mind.
Some of the senior health care services include in depth medical care and diagnosis, medical counseling, dementia evaluation, active health management therapies, psychosocial consultation, social work counseling and lots more. In addition, there are also plenty of senior health care centers which offer specialized health care services in the confines of your home. This helps you to get all the expert medical services even while you are at home.
There are also a number of health care policies for retirees and older adults through which you can enjoy financial benefits for health care even at old age. Health care policies in US are offered by various government and non government entities. There are government run hospitals and health care centers which offer various treatment and health care facilities free of cost or at minimal rates. Apart from these, there are also other health care policies and benefits which you can avail of to get the best benefits even at old age.
Get the best benefits of health care and enjoy a stress free and active life even if you a senior.


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With high professional standards, trustworthiness, quality of service, understanding of all your wishes and absolute dedication to meeting all your needs, we provide transportation based on point to point and city to city in any part of Kenya, offering you service that is tailored to fit your travel needs and schedule.
In such occasion our drivers pay the biggest assistance to the passenger to lead him to his destination in Kenya with great comfort. Our professional office staff is available twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year. We are also in close contact with each of our chauffeurs so we can respond immediately to any of your needs or travel changes.


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Pictured in Khaki/ Navy.
Click here to return to lifestyle photo.
Port & Company®Sandwich Bill Cap. CP85
A tremendous value, this cap complements your logo with its contrast sandwich bill.
OSFA: In Stock
Price starts at: $4.58
For detailed PRICING, please select "Add to
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Refocus and prosper
Recovery or no recovery, such is the severity of the current recession that it's unlikely that any design business will survive in the long term if it doesn't restructure with an eye to the future. Amanda Merron looks at the options
The UK and Western Europe were hard hit in 2009 by recession, with clients abruptly cutting marketing spend and setting their marketing suppliers the 'challenge' of delivering the same service for as much as 50 per cent less cost. Creative businesses have had to cut costs and reinvent their delivery process in order to rise to this challenge. Profits have suffered and businesses which have maintained revenue levels have done so by growing in a shrinking market and seizing market share. Will 2010 be better? Well, it might, but not necessarily, because green shoots have turned into tall conifers.
WPP chief executive Sir Martin Sorrell's 'L-shaped' prediction for the current recession has been updated, with the recovery from this downturn now predicted as 'LUV-shaped'. The LUV shape is made up of an L-shaped recovery for Western Europe, a U-shaped one for North America and a V-shaped one for Brazil, Russia, India, China and the 'next 11' emerging economies (Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, Turkey and Vietnam).
Notwithstanding this downbeat prediction for the UK economy, GDP is likely to be positive in 2010, but marketing spend usually lags behind, and so any significant recovery for the marketing sector is unlikely to be felt before 2011. But 2010 will see a continued change to the make-up of the marketing sector. Recessions provide a real test for businesses and tremendous pressure on management to define very clearly what the business offer is and to shape this to meet the demands of the marketplace. This is even more important when suppliers are chasing fewer business opportunities and clients are looking very carefully at the value they get for every pound they spend.
Historically, recessions have provided an opening for new ideas that precisely address the customer's need to flourish – in fact, many household names, such as Burger King, Hyatt Hotels, FedEx, CNN and Microsoft all started out of recession.
There'll be more start-ups. It is tempting to suggest that the current recession will see more start-ups driven by those who have been made redundant and choose to start their own business rather than tackle a difficult job market. No doubt this is partly true, but those businesses that go the distance are those started by executives who see a divergence between what the market needs and what their current business is delivering. With little prospect of turning a substantial business around in the short term, they opt to leave and start one which can exactly reflect their vision.
Market reports continue to reflect a switch in client spend to digital marketing, away from more traditional media. Feedback from businesses across all marketing disciplines suggests that clients require that any creative solution now needs to work across more executions.
Marketing businesses need to think 'wide', but also need to be focused. The marketing sector has rapidly become even more over-supplied than usual, which demands more focus and 'stand out' to survive. Businesses which don't have a point of difference will struggle and may fail. At the same time, we will see more convergence as creative businesses battle to lead strategic thinking across all media. Content will become an increasingly interesting area. Gamers will happily accept advertising content embedded in their games even though Sky Plus users skip through them. The specialisms which will thrive are direct marketing, digital and mobile. Public relations and public affairs, too, can expect a prosperous future as the sector's traditional skills – building relationships and influencing opinion-formers – are brought to bear on the new online world.
Consolidation will continue to be a feature. Clients are likely to consolidate, with more mergers and takeovers. In turn, they will continue to consolidate suppliers and reduce the number of relationships they have to manage and increase their purchasing power. Growing existing client relationships rather than chasing new ones may be a winning strategy. At the same time we'll see consolidation among creative businesses seeking to gain critical mass and rationalise central overheads. We will also see some businesses which don't act or react and won't be here at the end of 2010, as their balance sheets won't be strong enough to survive the recession.
We will also see businesses improving profitability in 2010, having worked hard in 2009 to restructure their operations to meet the challenges of the recession. It is these businesses, which have improved efficiency, worked on their offer and how to deliver it, which will benefit first from any upturn.
Amanda Merron is a partner at accountant Kingston Smith W1
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I made a big goof on the cover of my 'California Beach Trip" book - the image on the cover ran off the top of the page! Talk about stupid!
The blurberati were nice enough to pull it off amazon, and let me fix it.
But now in the previews i see, the text below the image isn't centered, even though in the edit preview, i did everything i could to center it. Is there a ghost in the machine? Hmmm - what do you think?
Oh well, next time/next book i won't use the text boxes, that oughta solve that one.
If you want to see all the pages before you buy:
I've got 2 more books waiting in the wings, getting final touches, to be published early next year:
And if you're in the mood for some Xmas?
Princeton Harbor, just south of SF CA.
Outside a motel in Baker, CA.
Somewhere in the middle of nowhere, high country, So. Cal.
Along Rte 247, Lucerne Valley, Ca.
Have a great holiday season, whoever and where ever you are!!


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Dishwasher does not start wash cycle
- Dishwasher does not start wash cycle
Applies to:
- integrated dishwasher
- freestanding dishwasher
1. Make sure the door are fully closed
Open and close the door again. If there is a click, this indicates that the door was closed properly.
2. Make sure if delay start function in disabled
Consult the user manual for detailed instructions on disabling this mode.
3. Check if previous cycle is not in progress
If a cycle is still in progress it needs to be canceled before programming the next cycle. To cancel the cycle, please read the section regarding cancelling cycles in the user manual for the dishwasher. On some models, the panel will show how you reset a cycle. You can download user manual here.
4. Check if "Ultra quiet" or "Night" options are selected:
These options involve long pauses in the wash cycle, lasting up to 20 minutes. The cycle may still be running.
5. Check if there are alert LEDs, acoustic alerts, or error messages:
The error message can be a flashing LED, a sequence of beeps or a code shown on the display. Consult the user manual for detailed information on how to resolve the issue. You can download user manual here.
6. Check for possible power issues:
- Make certain that the appliance is plugged in and switched on.
- Plug another device into the same socket to determine whether there is power.
- If the socket does not work, contact a local electrician to resolve the issue.
7. Check if there are tripped relays or blown fuse
- Reset the circuit-breaker / RCD device or replace the fuse
- You can reset the circuit-breaker by pushing the switch to the "ON" position
8. Contact an Authorized Service Centre
If the above suggestions do not resolve the issue, we recommend requesting a visit by a service engineer.


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Ideal travel cooler for anyone on-the-go
The Koolatron P25 portable 12 v cooler is a great solution for the traveller, festival goer or tailgater. The 26 quart capacity will keep your food and refreshments cold for hours. This thermoelectric portable cooler plugs directly into any vehicle 12 volt power socket to deliver reliable and efficient cooling without the hassle or cost of ice. Portable iceless cooling technology
Once plugged in, your Koolatron P25 portable iceless cooler will cool to 36 F (18C) below the surrounding temperature. For example, if the surrounding temperature in your vehicle is 80F, your Koolatron cooler can keep contents at a temperature of 40F. The thermoelectric module is no larger than a matchbook and uses less power than your vehicle's tail light. Special features for easy cleaning and storage
The Koolatron P25 26 quart portable travel cooler features a locking flip-up handle for your grab-and-go convenience. The removable lid also makes this thermoelectric cooler easy to clean and store. Plus, the lid features a built-in cord storage compartment so you are never searching for the cord when you are ready to hit the road. For best results, pack your Koolatron cooler with pre-chilled food and drinks. It can take several hours to cool down items that are warm or hot. Koolatron coolers are ready for your next outdoor adventure
Koolatron coolers are proudly designed and made in North America. Our product have been used by the US Military, medical labs and countless long distance truckers and can stand up to heavy use and many miles on the road. We stand by our coolers and offer peace of mind with a one year manufacturer's warranty.


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Mary Katherine was petrified and she wasn't going anywhere. "Mary Katherine, your team needs you, come on sweetheart, I know you can do this." She shook her head no. She was wringing her hands and beads of sweat had bubbled … Continue reading
December 30, 2012
by ChefJohn
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Hypersurfaces of constant proper time
Suppose a given spacetime has a region filled with worldlines (a timelike congruence), and a foliation defined by hypersurfaces of constant proper time along these worldlines. As a boundary condition, all times can be set to zero on a given initial hypersurface. The question is, will the proper time hypersurfaces remain spacelike? I investigate this for two straightforward examples: static observers in Schwarzschild spacetime, and the rotating disc in Minkowski spacetime.
George Ellis mentions the possibility of the hypersurfaces becoming timelike, in a 2014 paper on his "evolving block universe" interpretation. The context is cosmology, and the worldlines are (in principle) some coarse-grained flow of matter:
The flow lines are not necessarily orthogonal to the surfaces of constant time. This does not matter: no physical phenomena are directly determined by simultaneity in the usual sense. More than that, the surfaces determined in this way are not even necessarily space-like in an inhomogeneous spacetime. In that case, the implied initial value problem will locally be time-like, and the way it works will need to be rethought.
Perhaps the possibility of proper time hypersurfaces becoming timelike has not been investigated in detail. Presumably Ellis' superb earlier publication Relativistic Cosmology (2012), coauthored with Maartens and MacCallum, would not discuss it either.
Recall a congruence is proper time synchronisable if and only if it is geodesic and vorticity-free, by Frobenius' theorem. If so, the gradient of a proper time coordinate say, is given by the dual vector to the 4-velocity:
where the minus sign compensates for the metric signature choice -+++. Now consider the congruence of static observers in Schwarzschild spacetime. These have 4-velocity parallel to the Killing vector field which is timelike at infinity, hence are defined for all . The dual-velocity is
in terms of the Schwarzschild -coordinate. This is clearly not integrable, as expected because the static observers are accelerating. But it still suggests the proper time coordinate . Then the gradient covector is
In general this is not orthogonal to the worldlines, and one interpretation is a non-standard simultaneity convention, as discussed in my forthcoming paper "Time, black holes, and infinity". However it is still proper time, because . Using the inverse metric,
so is timelike for , and since is a normal to the hypersurfaces they are spacelike in the same region. The figure below shows three examples on a Penrose diagram. The hypersurfaces are spacelike for sufficiently large , but become null at which is the dotted red line in the diagram below.
This makes sense intuitively. Near the horizon, the static observers are heavily gravitationally time-dilated, so for a proper time of e.g. occurs well into the "future". This is seen from the curves bending upwards in the diagram for , and bending downwards for , near the horizon. The claim of being in the "future" has some dependence on one's choice of simultaneity convention, however once the red line is crossed it is an unambiguous statement because the events are timelike separated. Incidentally at , but this is just an initial condition, and in general one could define for any function , which is also proper time along the worldlines.
Now consider a rigidly rotating disc in 2+1-dimensional Minkowski spacetime. Using polar coordinates , the "4"-velocity of each particle on the disc is
where parametrises rotation speed. The previous procedure of deriving a time coordinate wasn't fully general. Here we expect a proper time coordinate to depend on and but not . The proper time runs more slowly (compared to ) towards the edge of the disc, note the disc is bounded by for timelike motion. Also it is well known there is a "time-lag" when trying to define simultaneity around a circle . However one can use non-standard simultaneity (i.e. constant "time" hypersurfaces not orthogonal to the worldlines) to avoid this problem: see Relativity in Rotating Frames (2004), particularly the chapter by Rizzi & Serafini.
Based on above, define
This deliberately avoids any angular dependence. The gradient is
One can check , so this is a proper time coordinate. From the above expression one can quantify an implied non-standard simultaneity convention, but I will avoid this here. The hypersurfaces turn null at .
The spacetime diagram below represents hypersurfaces of constant proper time , and is independent of rotation rate due to scaling of the coordinates. The dotted red line is where the hypersurfaces are null; to the left of it they are spacelike.
As the hypersurfaces quickly turn null. For small , they turn null at . Thus for small rotation / acceleration, the desynchronisation is slow but cumulative.
The disc particles are accelerated, so for variety let's choose an example with vorticity but no acceleration. Take Schwarzschild spacetime, with circular orbits on the coordinate equator . These are valid anywhere outside the photon sphere at , not merely the ISCO at . The 4-velocity is:
in Schwarzschild cordinates, which suggests a new coordinate . This is null at
which occurs instantly in the limit , and slowly for .
In conclusion, proper time hypersurfaces can become timelike:
- quickly, for high acceleration of the worldlines
- quickly, for high vorticity of the worldlines
- slowly, for mild but sustained acceleration or vorticity, a cumulative effect
This investigation was sparked by a lunchtime conversation with Pierre Mourier and Prof. David Wiltshire today, at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. My forthcoming paper "Time, black holes, and infinity" research paper will discuss simultaneity in Schwarzschild spacetime.
Update (next day): Mourier clarifies that proper time hypersurfaces have been studied, but often in the zero-vorticity case. Hence they remain orthogonal to the worldlines (in a cosmological context it is taken for granted that the worldlines are geodesics). So the issue of turning timelike does not come up. See perhaps §6.6.1 of Relativistic Cosmology as cited above, or look up "synchronous coordinates". Mourier has also looked at rotation in Minkowski spacetime, different from the rigid rotation example above, and found similar effects. Wiltshire comments he and collaborators have looked at rotation effects in Lemaître-Tolman-Bondi models and van Stockum dust.
Duality of a basis is not duality of individual vectors
Suppose we have a coordinate system . This defines a coordinate basis , where for each the basis vector has components
in these coordinates. We also have the coordinate dual basis where each dual vector or "1-form" has components
Now while these bases are dual in the sense of bases:
(by definition of dual basis), the individual vectors are not dual to the individual 1-forms in the sense of individual vectors. That is, for any given , we have and are not dual in general.
Instead, recall indices are raised and lowered using the metric components (in a coordinate basis, that is). Possibly the result could be seen by inspection, but for clarity let's write for some chosen . This vector has components , hence the corresponding 1-form has components . By the meaning of components this says the 1-form is . This is not , in general! In "musical isomorphism" notation, the result is:
To show the result another way, recall the metric defines the dual to our vector to be . To examine this 1-form, feed it a vector (specifically, basis vectors ) and see how it acts on it:
which says , as before.
In closing, another reason we cannot have in general is that the coordinate basis vector is not defined in terms of alone, but also all the other coordinates chosen. More on that next.
(Schutz (2009, §3.3, §3.5) makes a superb background to this discussion, and while the cited sections are for special relativity, in this case you can simply replace the Minkowski metric with an arbitrary curved metric .)
Mimicking a black hole in flat spacetime
For a Schwarzschild-Droste black hole, the curvature of 3-dimensional space is often depicted as a funnel shape (Flamm 1916 ). As I emphasise in forthcoming papers, this assumes the static slicing of spacetime, whereas other slicings yield different embedding diagrams. This leads to the question, could we slice flat spacetime in such a way that we get a similar funnel, or mimic other properties of a black hole? While this cannot of course change the fact the 4-dimensional spacetime is flat, the point is there is much flexibility in defining the 3-space, because it depends only on the chosen slicing or observers.
Let's start with Minkowski spacetime in spherical coordinates:
This defines an inertial frame. Now suppose spacetime is filled with test particles moving radially, relative to the coordinate origin. Take coordinate speed , by analogy with the Schwarzschild and even Newtonian cases (choose one sign and stick with it). The 4-velocity is then:
which follows from normalisation . Next we define a new time coordinate. A natural first attempt is to try the proper time of the particles. This may be obtained via local Lorentz boosts, or equivalently by a neat trick of lowering the index on the 4-velocity vector then taking its negative:
(I explain this approach in a forthcoming paper, but it is inspired by Martel & Poisson 2001 and ultimately based on Frobenius' theorem: see the variant for 1-forms described in de Felice & Clarke §2.12.) Expressing the dual velocity this way, as an explicit sum of the coordinate dual basis vectors and , is suggestive of a total differential which we would hope is the proper time . Unfortunately the expression is not a total differential, as seen by examining the coefficient of . But from inspection we can use an integrating factor: divide through by , simplify, and define the resulting expression as the differential of a new time coordinate :
(Incidentally, this easily integrates to plus a constant of integration.) While is not the proper time, its level sets coincide with the 3-space of the observers as shown next, which is sufficient for our embedding diagram. Since is by definition orthogonal to its local 3-space, the dual vector is also normal to this 3-space. But is parallel to , hence they are normal to the same 3-space, but any gradient is normal to the level sets , which proves the claim.
This is analogous to static observers in Schwarzschild spacetime. While the Schwarzschild -coordinate is not their proper time, setting still determines the same 3-space as these observers. Also we cannot replace the -coordinate with proper time while still retaining the coordinates , , and . The derivative for our fake black hole is also reminiscent of static observers in Schwarzschild spacetime.
Rearrange the earlier expression for and substitute into the line element to obtain:
plus the 2-sphere metric . These coordinates have no issue at , and while there is a coordinate singularity at the metric was degenerate there even in our initial spherical coordinates. The Riemann tensor is zero, as it must be since this is still flat spacetime. Since the coordinate is timelike everywhere. The 4-velocity in the new coordinates is . Integrating gives the travel time which is well behaved unlike Schwarzschild which diverges. The radial proper distance for our test particle observers is , which gets very small for compared to the inertial frame which measures radial distance everywhere.
A typical isometric embedding diagram for a spherically symmetric spacetime takes a slice of constant "time", here , through the equator . This is matched isometrically with a surface in a 3-dimensional flat space. The flat space is taken to be Euclidean or Minkowski space, with the metric in cylindrical coordinates (the sign is unrelated to our previous sign choice). Our case requires the minus sign for Minkowski space since . It follows , which may be plotted in a scale-invariant way as against .
The particles must be accelerating, as their motion is not caused by gravity. In the new coordinates ingoing particles have 4-acceleration , outgoing particles have a different expression, but both have magnitude . Again these expressions are reminiscent of static observers in Schwarzschild spacetime. Each particle has a "Rindler" horizon at distance as measured in the instantaneous comoving frame, so in the original inertial frame this is contracted by the Lorentz factor and occurs at position (simultaneous in the instantaneous comoving frame).
The kinematic decomposition of the particle worldlines yields zero vorticity, which is fortunate because by Frobenius' theorem this is the condition for the local 3-spaces to all patch together consistently. The expansion tensor, expressed in the frame of the particles (different frames for ingoing and outgoing), is in the radial direction, and in the tangential directions. The shear is twice this amount in the radial direction, and half this amount in the tangential directions.
In the new coordinates the lapse is and the shift . The extrinsic curvature (of the 3D spatial slices inside 4D Minkowski spacetime, not the 2D embedded slice) is times . This has trace or .
Finally, Flamm's paraboloid is an iconic image, and I defend visualisations and metaphors in general as helpful and intuitive. But one should understand the limitations, in contrast to Painlevé 1921 for example who found a slicing of Schwarzschild spacetime into Euclidean 3-spaces , but drew some overly zealous conclusions from this (thanks to Andrew Hamilton for discussion on this point). Admittedly the static slicing in Schwarzschild spacetime is a natural choice, while my "fake black hole" slicing is contrived. But still, the reproduction of a funnel-shaped embedding in flat spacetime shows the need for caution in interpreting Flamm's paraboloid as gravity.
How to convert between frame and coordinate bases
This article describes how to transform components of vectors or other tensors between a coordinate basis and an arbitrary frame / tetrad. This process is more general than the transformation between two coordinate bases as found in any introductory general relativity course. Some frames are "non-holonomic" meaning they do not arise from any set of coordinate basis vectors, also there may be situations in which a coordinate representation is inconvenient or not known. I also outline how to implement the transformations in a computer algebra system (CAS).
Effectively we only work in a single tangent space on the manifold, so it turns out to be just a linear algebra problem. My description is based on Carroll (§J) and de Felice & Clarke (§4.2) who assume the frame is orthonormal, however I simply assume it is a basis: that it spans the tangent space and is linearly independent. So suppose we have coordinates , and a frame with components in the coordinate system, that is:
in terms of coordinate basis vectors. I use Latin indices to specify vectors in the tetrad frame, and add a hat for orthonormal frames. I use Greek indices for coordinate components, for example for the vector . (In place of our , de Felice & Clarke write , and Carroll swaps the index order to .) In a CAS we can implement the frame as a array / matrix called "" say, reading the indices of from left to right but ignoring their up-or-down placement. This ordering conveniently gives an array of "vectors":
However there is a tradeoff that vectors are placed in rows instead of the more standard column vector representation, because matrix indices refer to the row first and column second. We also define quantities implemented as a matrix "", which give the coordinate basis vectors in terms of the new frame:
It follows from linear independence that , hence as matrices: . The transpose is required because of the index summation order, since the convention for matrix multiplication is . This point could easily be missed when references call it "inverse" with more general index summation in mind. Note summing over the Latin indices also returns the identity: .
Now suppose a vector is specified by its coordinate basis components , which we implement as a 4-element array . Since , substituting the previous expression for and using linear independence gives the components in the new frame (note the Latin index) as: . Programmatically this is the matrix multiplication , at least for my CAS does not distinguish between a row and column vector but automatically matches the dimensions. Now suppose we have different vectors, stored in an matrix say (typically ). These are processed in a batch operation by converting to column vectors, applying the transformation, then transposing back, so the components are: , in the new frame.
Now consider the dual bases. In the coordinate dual basis, the vector dual to has components . These components can be implemented as an array where is the matrix and the row / column vector distinction is ignored as before. Again we can lower multiple vectors in one step via .
The dual to the new frame satisfies by definition, hence
which may be validated by substitution, and these components are just again. Similarly
which are the components again. Carroll's description for an orthonormal frame is true for any frame:
The vielbeins [] thus serve double duty as the components of the coordinate basis vectors in terms of the orthonormal basis vectors, and as components of the orthonormal basis one-forms in terms of the coordinate basis one-forms; while the inverse vielbeins serve as the components of the orthonormal basis vectors in terms of the coordinate basis, and as components of the coordinate basis one-forms in terms of the orthonormal basis.
Likewise Schutz' (§3.3) description of Lorentz transformations holds more generally:
…components of one-forms transform in exactly the same manner as basis vectors and in the opposite manner to components of vectors.
[…Whereas basis one-forms transform] the same as for components of a vector, and opposite that for components of a one-form.
We may also define (de Felice & Clarke, eqn. 4.2.5):
which I interpret as a definition. This evaluates to (or ), hence . Define also
which evaluates to (or , where is the matrix ), hence . Thus Greek indices are raised and lowered in the familiar way — using the metric components in the coordinate basis). On the other hand the metric components in the new frame are
which can be implemented as . In the particular case of an orthonormal frame , so in this case Latin indices are raised and lowered with the Minkowski metric. The metric in the dual frame is
so define . These are matrix inverses: . We can show Latin indices are raised or lowered using this frame metric, so for example .
With all these definitions of components as metric inner products between quantities, we may wonder if the original frame components can also be expressed this way. Indeed they can: and , where the vectors and dual vectors are acted on one another. The metric is implicit in the summation, because as a (1,1)-tensor it is just the identity. But the (1,1)-tensor made from the "frame" components is also just the identity (see Carroll), so it and the metric tensor are equal. Input and into this tensor and it indeed returns . We can do similarly with the dual frame.
For higher rank tensors, their components are expressed in the new frame as e.g. (de Felice & Clarke, Hartle §20.3, §21.2)
My CAS multiplies higher rank "matrices" by contracting the last index of with the first index of . Hence we can only change two indices of by this method, short of reordering the indices halfway through. There is another inbuilt method "TensorContract" which I will relate sometime later. Of course you could just program in the sum manually, but I am seeking an elegant solution for aesthetic satisfaction, also because inbuilt operations are probably more optimised. Finally you can continue to mix Greek and Latin (coordinate and frame) indices, see Carroll and I will add an example later.
Fully covariant force in general relativity
It is often said Newton was fortunate to define force on a particle as the change in momentum , not from the change in velocity , because the former generalises better. Here the momentum is , and clearly the expressions for force coincide if the mass is constant.
In relativity, the force (4-force) on a particle is usually defined as the change in 4-momentum over proper time as follows:
However this expression is only valid in a local inertial frame (LIF), as Hartle (2003 , §20.4) clearly qualifies. Recall, the 4-momentum is where is the 4-velocity of the particle. We can split the force into two orthogonal vectors:
where (LIF) is the 4-acceleration. The term is called a "pure force", because they "create motion in three-dimensional space and correspond to the Newtonian forces", as Tsamparlis (2010 §11.2) describes, meaning motion in the instantaneous 3-space orthogonal to . The term containing is called a "thermal force", at least by Tsamparlis. Examples which are at least partly thermal include a particle heated by an external source, or a rocket losing mass. Another example, considered by Einstein apparently, is an object which absorbs two photons with equal energies and opposite directions in the object's frame, which results in a thermal force but no pure force. On relativistic force, see also Gourgoulhon (2013 §9.5). (Note if the mass does change over time, this is nothing to do with the old-fashioned "relativistic mass" dependent on the Lorentz factor, rather we use the modern meaning of mass as "rest mass".)
Now textbooks and webpages on relativistic mechanics typically assume special relativity, in particular inertial frames within Minkowski spacetime. So how should we generalise to arbitrary coordinates and curved spacetime? According to Hartle (§20.4), the derivative (LIF) generalises to the covariant derivative . Hence, the fully covariant expression for 4-force is:
In words, this is the change of 4-momentum in the direction of the 4-velocity. But in the particle's frame, its 4-velocity is precisely the "time" direction. So, we could say force is the change of momentum with time in the particle's frame. So while the mathematics is more general, the concept has clear lineage from special relativity and even Newton!
Now we can repeat the above splitting:
since is the usual fully covariant expression, and of a scalar is . This expression for force is the same as the specific LIF case above.
Time slicings of black holes poster
Below is a copy of my poster "Time slicings of black holes". It contrasts two different perspectives on Schwarzschild spacetime: by falling and static observers. More technically, I give a family of spacelike foliations which are orthogonal to the worldlines of observers freely-falling radially, and examine the resulting 3-spaces and simultaneity. These properties are contrasted with the static slicing described by the Schwarzschild coordinate t=const. My work is a reaction against the over-emphasis on the static slicing, which has led to many persistent misconceptions, whereas I emphasise space and time are relative. (Of course the 4-dimensional spacetime is independent of the slicing.)
The original version was presented at the general relativity conference GR21 in New York City, 2016, and subsequently other conferences. Below is the 2017 updated version, first presented at the quantum gravity conference "Probing the spacetime fabric" in Trieste, Italy, 2017. [Brief brag moment: luminaries who have viewed and discussed it with me include Jiří Podolský at GR21, and Piotr Chruściel at the "Between Geometry and Relativity" program in Vienna, Austria, 2017.]
A PNG image version is shown below, you can also access a PDF version or even the original.
Research – Colin MacLaurin
My research area is general relativity. These papers are drafts not yet ready for arXiv, but exhibit my work prior to Europe conferences. — Colin MacLaurin
- 2017, "Distance in Schwarzschild spacetime" (edit: removed until ready for arXiv). Observers with "energy per mass" measure a radial distance . I overview four different tools to measure spatial distance — spatial projector, tetrads, adapted coordinates, and radar — which are locally equivalent. Though spatial distance is foundational, it remains underdeveloped. I clarify subtleties, and counteract the Newton-esque over-reliance on the static distance .
- 2017, "Cosmic cable" (draft). A cosmic-length cable could be used to mine energy from the expansion of the universe. Beyond sci-fi, this is instructive for relativity pedagogy. The dynamics include motion-dependent distance, and time-dilation which reduces the force, effects which are missed in most existing treatments.
- 2015, "Expanding space, redshifts and rigidity: Conceptual issues in cosmology". My Master's thesis in general relativity.
2015 Master's thesis
Here is my Master of Science thesis, titled "Expanding space, redshifts, and rigidity: Conceptual issues in cosmology". It was submitted in mid-2015 and supervised by Prof. Tamara Davis at the University of Queensland. I am planning to edit it and write a new foreword, but maybe it is too rugged for arXiv. Still, several papers inspired by it are in production.
I am expanding the material in §7 into a paper on "Measuring distances in Schwarzschild spacetime". I am also expanding the kinematics of a moving rigid cable (§9, §11) to include force, tension, and power, and apply it to a cosmology spacetime. Existing treatments of both topics typically have "Newtonian" misconceptions but my work properly includes the relativity of distance and simultaneity for instance.
The thesis has a detailed introduction to distance measurement including the spatial projector and "proper metric" (aka "pullback" onto a material manifold) (§3), along with a defense of ruler distance (§6). There is also a detailed introduction to Rindler's accelerated coordinates (§2.7, §3 etc), followed by a generalising procedure (§8). Also present is an overview of Newtonian cosmology and the Milne model (§4). A major theme is that cosmic redshifts can be variously taken as Doppler, gravitational, cosmic, or a combination of these, but most interpretations aren't "natural".


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September was a busy month for me and my personal life began to get in the way of blogging resulting in it being pushed to the side. But it is the first of October, the start of a new month and I intend to start as I mean to go on. I'm going to get back into my blogging routine of posting at least twice a week and to start off I thought I'd show you what I'm going to be lusting after this month!
WAH London Nail Polish in Im Real - £9The queens of nail art over at WAH have finally released a line of nail art products to Boots and it was worth waiting for. The line consists of nail art pens, stick on nails and a gorgeous range of nail polish which includes the perfect nude nail polish: Im Real.
Topshop Striped Pyjamas - £28
I am in love with these striped pyjamas despite the fact they resemble those worn by the little boy in the tear jerker that is The Boy In Striped Pyjamas. In fact I already own a pink and white striped Victoria's Secret Pyjama shirt but you can honestly never have too many pyjamas and these are too cute to resist!
River Island Black Floral Skort - £28
Florals are not just for Spring and in the past few years dark Winter florals have become increasingly more popular on the highstreet as shown in this beautiful black floral skort from River Island. I'm not much for bright pretty florals but this skort has the right mix of neutrals and colour and the modern tailored skort makes it feel more grown up; perfect.
Catfish And The Bottlemen The Balcony - £9.41
While music is a huge part of my life I don't often talk about it a lot on my blog but I had to feature this album on my wishlist. Earlier this month Catfish And The Bottlemen, a small Welsh indie/rock band, dropped their debut album and I have been listening to it on Spotify ever since. If you haven't heard of them I'd really recommend that you check them out!
Missguided Camel Coat - £59.99
I have explained multiple times before about my love for camel coats but I've stupidly never bought one. This autumn/winter will be different, I will buy a camel coat and I think this Missguided beauty may be the one.
What's on your wishlist this month?


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Our Blessed Mother Mary, Mother of Divine Providence. This title celebrates the role that the Lord entrusted to Mary, whose "loving providence is always wise and unfailing." Established by Pope Benedict XIV in 1744, and granted to the Congregation of Clerks Regular of Saint Paul (also known as the Barnabites), devotion to Mary as Mother of Divine Providence celebrates the wisdom of the loving mother of Christ.
Pope Benedict XIV declared this feast in honor of our mother, who cares for each of her children "entrusted to her by Christ Jesus while He hung upon the cross." He further proclaimed her the "handmaid of God's love who interceded with her Son at Cana of Galilee for the bridegroom and bride." Lastly, Pope Benedict XIV stated what all Catholics believe, that Mary, "now enthroned as Queen at her Son's right hand, provides for all the needs of the Church." We trust in the divine Providence of Our Lord, who chose Mary to bring forth the Savior of the World.
"Mother, I place in your hands the authority to act in my name. From my infinite treasure, you are to provide good things to all those who implore your aid."
Virgin Mary, Immaculate Mother of Divine Providence, protect our life and sanctify us with the gift of grace. Obtain for us from the Father of mercy and the God of consolation pardon for our sins, reconciliation with our brothers and sisters, and comfort in the midst of afflictions. Renew our hearts that they may be come worthy dwelling places of your Divine Son, Jesus. Help us in our struggles against mediocrity, self-seeking, and pride so we can generously serve our neighbor. We entrust ourselves to you, 0 Mary, in our pilgrimage in this world. We invoke you as our guide and our defense against dangers. In the present tribulations, give us secure refuge. 0 sweet Mother of Divine Providence, turn your eyes to ward us, you who are our hope on earth. Grant that we may have you as our Mother in the glory of heaven. Amen.
Day 324 of 365
Prayer Intentions: Humility, Obedience, Patience, Trust in the Lord's Plan.
Requested Intentions: For healing of friend; successful resolution of legal matter (A); For unity between estranged friends (E); For a son, falsely arrested (C); Successful employment (J); Successful employment (L); For a healthy child (L); Recovery from stomach illness of a friend (A); Employment and financial security (E); Conversion of sons (L); Freedom from financial stress, employment (C); Spiritual growth and family peace (A); Freedom to immigrate (D); End to debt (N); Restoration of a marriage (J); Complete recovery of son (P); Recovery of parish priest, health of mother, conversion of son (J); Successful employment, end to depression (J); Successful immigration and employment (S); Conversion of an unloving daughter (M); Recovery of husband, health of mother, economic freedom (R); Freedom from depression, restoration of family relationships (N); Restoration of a relationship (J); Healing of friends from cancer (J); Complete healing of a friend with pancreatic cancer (J); Healing of a father following stroke (S).
Why pray the Rosary every day for a year?
Each time the Blessed Virgin has appeared-- whether it be to Saint Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes; to Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco at Fatima; or to Mariette Beco at Banneux-- she has asserted the importance, saving grace, and power of praying the Holy Rosary on a daily basis. Based upon her words, the Rosary is penance and conversion for sinners, a pathway to peace, an end to war, and a powerful act of faith in Jesus Christ. Pope Paul VI presented the Rosary as a powerful means to reach Christ "not merely with Mary but indeed, insofar as this is possible to us, in the same way as Mary, who is certainly the one who thought about Him more than anyone else has ever done."
To show us how this is done, perhaps no one has been more eloquent than the great Cardinal Newman, who wrote: "The great power of the Rosary consists in the fact that it translates the Creed into Prayer. Of course, the Creed is already in a certain sense a prayer and a great act of homage towards God, but the Rosary brings us to meditate again on the great truth of His life and death, and brings this truth close to our hearts. Even Christians, although they know God, usually fear rather than love Him. The strength of the Rosary lies in the particular manner in which it considers these mysteries, since all our thinking about Christ is intertwined with the thought of His Mother, in the relations between Mother and Son; the Holy Family is presented to us, the home in which God lived His infinite love."
As Mary said at Fatima, "Jesus wants to use you to make Me known and loved. He wishes to establish the devotion to My Immaculate Heart throughout the world. I promise salvation to whoever embraces it; these souls will be dear to God, like flowers put by Me to adorn his throne."
November 20: Mary, Mother of Divine ProvidencePosted by Jacob
| Labels: Marian Devotion
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- Home
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- Health and Social Care
Health and Social Care
Subject Overview:
Health and Social Care is an exciting subject which is about increasing student knowledge, understanding and expertise on a range of health, social care and early year issues. The UK has a job shortage in this area of expertise and this subject helps to prepare students for higher level education and future employment. Students will have a comprehensive understanding of a range of key areas within this area of study, some of which include; the complex needs of service users, an understanding of key legislation, the function of organisations and the importance of providing quality care.
Key Stage 4 Qualification Courses and Programmes of Study:
In Key Stage 4 throughout years 11 and 12 students can choose to study GCSE Health and Social Care. The GCSE Health and Social Care course gives students opportunities to learn about human development and investigate how factors, such as smoking, pollution, income or chronic illness, affect health and well-being. Students learn about how relationships and major life changes, such as birth of a sibling, starting college, university or work, affect health and well-being. They also investigate the sources of support for individuals coping with life changes.
Students develop their understanding of the world of work in the health, social care and early years' sectors by investigating how the needs of different service user groups are met. They also learn about a range of job roles in these sectors and discover how practitioners apply the values of care. Guest speakers are regularly invited into school to share their knowledge and experience.
Key Stage 5 Qualification Courses and Programmes of Study:
In Key Stage 5 students can study GCE A Level Health & Social Care in Single or Double Award qualifications. Health and Social Care is a stimulating, relevant and interesting subject. The health, social care and early years' sectors are major employers in Northern Ireland. By choosing this subject, students may be given the opportunity to study a wide range of subjects including communication, social policy, health promotion, physiology, family issues and research methods. These is ideally suited to those who may be interested in health and well-being or pursuing a career in the caring profession. This subject develops knowledge, understanding and skills relevant to degrees in nursing, allied health professions, social sciences, social policy, social work and early years. All students will have opportunities to develop valuable skills such as research, analysis, communication, working with others, independent learning, creative thinking and problem solving.
Congratulations to Sophie Johnston and Nicole Conway who have been selected as 'Subject ambassadors' to represent the Health & Social Care department. These two students are passionate about Heath & Social Care as a subject, and are very enthusiastic to share their knowledge understanding with others, within the school community. The two girls will play a pivotal role in creating a 'caring culture' by promoting positive relationships with students who study his subject at GCSE and GCE level.
Congratulations to Jordan-Leigh Corry, Megan Ferguson, Adele Oliver, Rachel Sykes and Molly Earle who have been chosen to become 'peer mentors'. Their role is to support Year 13 Health & Social Care students with their studies. These girls are experienced students' who can provide leadership to our year 13 students. We hope they can offer support, attention, kindness and serve as role models.
Subject Specific Revision Websites
Breda Academy, Newtownbreda Road, Belfast,
County Antrim, Northern Ireland, BT8 6PY
Phone: 02890 645 374


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This zucchini power bread is a hearty zucchini bread that's naturally sweetened and full of nutritious power foods!
There's just something so calming about making zucchini bread during a summer rain storm.The pitter patter of the rain on the house. The farm fresh vegetables. The sweet aroma that fills the air. I just love baking during the summer when it's not too hot and the weather doesn't allow you to play outside.
Growing up my grandparents owned a house that sat right on the beach on Lake Michigan. It was one of my favorite places to visit and such a special place for our family to get-together. My grandfather and I shared a love for juicy, sweet blueberries. I remember piling in the car and heading to the local blueberry patch to pick cartons of fresh blueberries. Once we got them home and washed I would watch in awe as my grandmother would make a farm fresh blueberry pie from scratch as the storms would roll in off the lake. Such sweet memories.
I may not have pie-making mastered yet but I'm enjoying the art of baking clean, fresh bread. Especially with veggies that are plentiful during this season. Zucchini's are so versatile and help make the bread extremely moist and refreshing.
I got inspiration for this dish from the Whole Foods Healthy Zucchini Bread but swapped out many ingredients for power foods to make the bread clean yet fueling!Print
Zucchini Power Bread
This zucchini power bread is a hearty zucchini bread that's naturally sweetened and full of nutritious power foods!
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- 1 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup natural sugar
- 1/8 cup honey
- 2 tbsp. plain full fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp. organic vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup grated zucchini
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- Organic Non-Stick Cooking Spray
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the egg, melted coconut oil, sugar, honey, plain yogurt and vanilla extract.
- Pour the liquids into the dry ingredient bowl.
- Mix together very well (mixture will be thick).
- Pour in the zucchini, walnuts and hemp seeds.
- Fold together to mix in thoroughly.
- Spray a bread pan with organic non-stick cooking spray.
- Fold dough mixture evenly into bread pan.
- Drizzle a line down the middle of the top of the dough with the hemp seeds.
- Drizzle the honey over the top.
- Bake for about 35 minutes.
- Let cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Calories: 2537
- Sugar: 144
- Sodium: 752
- Fat: 132
- Saturated Fat: 70
- Unsaturated Fat: 53
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 309
- Protein: 44
- Cholesterol: 190
I love me some hemp seeds!!! I must try this GF!
[…] Zucchini Power Bread–> I just can't get enough lately. So perfect! […]Leave a Comment


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Curating the playlist: how to work with your wedding DJ
Posted by Daniel Lawrence on July, 2017
Music is an important part of the wedding ceremony and celebrations, especially during the reception. For most people, it is a decision between leaving everything to the DJ or having a curated playlist that they prepared themselves. There is a middle ground, though. If you want appropriate music that is both uniquely your style and will appeal to the audience, and yet still want to enjoy the professionality of a DJ, you can actively participate in choosing the kind of music they will play at the wedding. Here are a few tips when it comes to the choice of the music that should be followed when making these choices;
The Audience
This is one thing most people take for granted. Unless the wedding party is huge and includes friends of friends or fringe acquaintances, everyone has some idea of whom they are inviting to the wedding. Do not be the couple that ignores the guests and their preferences in favor of their own taste. The wedding will only be enjoyable if as many people as possible are dancing. It is not only a big day for the newlyweds but also for the guests.
The Common Songs
There are a few wedding songs that have been so overplayed that they have lost their appeal. The best wedding DJ in Charleston, SC will likely have a few of these on their no play list. However, perceptions are different, and the reason for this collaboration is so that songs that have become bland do not populate the playlist on the big day. Agree on the special songs as well as the common ones that everyone loves. Most of the time, the DJ will likely have additions they would prefer in the playlist. These should not pass without any scrutiny.
Not just music
Remember, there is more to the success of the wedding musically than just the playlist. Take this opportunity to check out the DJ equipment and plan for where and how they will set up on a material day. Do they come with their own music system, or will one have to make additions?


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8.2 Consulting Carrying Out Technical Due Diligence at Meerwind
8.2 Consulting AG was chosen by DIF to perform a preliminary technical due diligence of the German Offshore Wind Farm Meerwind S|O. Special focus was given to the analysis of the O&M strategy, the O&M budget estimation, the estimation of electrical losses and a general red-flag analysis.
8.2 Consulting AG gladly supported DIF in this investment process with its in-depth technical expertise.
About DIF:
DIF is a leading independent fund management company with ca. € 3.2 billion of funds raised. Through five investment funds, DIF invests in high-quality infrastructure assets that generate long-term, stable cash-flows, including Public Private Partnership projects (PPP/PFI/P3), renewable energy projects and other core infrastructure projects in Europe, North America and Australia.
About 8.2 Consulting AG:
8.2 Consulting AG, founded in 2006, is specialized in technical consultancy for onshore and offshore wind assets, grid integration and CHP. The services of 8.2 Consulting AG include technical inspections, construction supervision, quality assurance, QHSE-consultancy, negotiation support, ESCROW-Management, Design Review to premium consulting including technical due diligence and strategic support.


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Professional Community for Car Dealers, Marketing, Advertising and Sales Leaders
Lithia Motors acquires Sterling Motorcars luxury brand dealerships, including BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Lamborghini and McLaren in the Washington DC market; marks 5th multi-dealership sale for Kerrigan Advisors in 2020
Incline Village, NV.…Continue
Added by Crystal Hartwell on November 18, 2020 at 6:00am — No Comments
Lithia Motors acquires nine Keyes Automotive Group dealerships in one of the industry's largest transactions; 7th 'Top 150' Dealership Group sale for Kerrigan Advisors
Irvine, CA – Kerrigan Advisors, a…Continue
Added by Crystal Hartwell on November 10, 2020 at 6:00am — No Comments
Car buyers can instantly apply for financing directly from a dealer's online store, finalizing transactions, including F&I, from the safety and comfort of their homes...
Irvine, Calif., May 27, 2020 –…Continue
Added by Crystal Hartwell on May 27, 2020 at 7:30am — No Comments
Los Angeles-Based Downtown LA Auto Group is the Fourth Top 100 Dealership Group sold by Kerrigan Advisors in the last 20…Continue
Added by Crystal Hartwell on August 9, 2017 at 10:30am — No Comments
People buy everything online these days. Or do they?
In reality, there are some items people simply prefer to touch, see, feel, taste, smell,…
Added by David Metter on October 24, 2016 at 11:00am — No Comments
Us Brits are innately polite and fair-minded individuals, meaning that the art of negotiation is often lost on us. This is particularly true when purchasing a single item, as we are predisposed to avoid negotiation unless we are looking to complete a bulk purchase.
This also applies to big-ticket purchases such as cars, even those that are bought as used models. The truth is…Continue
Added by Leona Zoey on April 13, 2016 at 5:25am — No Comments
Added by James A. Ziegler on February 16, 2016 at 4:30pm — 4 Comments
Initially the answer was NO it really didn't have any noticeable effect. BUT recently I've had a lot of dealers starting to tell me that the customers are beginning to defect because of the repeated bad news and new recalls almost daily. Personally, I think Mary Barra is doing a…Continue
Added by James A. Ziegler on June 19, 2014 at 7:35am — No Comments
ALBANY, N.Y. – July 29th, 2013 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems (http://www.automate.com) announced today it is participating in General Motors' (GM) new Dealership Technology Assistance Program (DTAP). Auto/Mate's dealership management system (DMS) and Customer/Mate (CRM) are both certified by GM as part of the program.
"The DTAP certification ensures that dealers using our DMS will have the functionality necessary to support seamless OEM data and…Continue
Added by Mike Esposito on July 29, 2013 at 9:05am — No Comments
July 11th Webinar: How Carter Motors Group Used "Why Buy" Messaging to Become #1
Added by Ralph Paglia on July 8, 2013 at 12:00am — 4 Comments
Added by Ken Beam on January 27, 2012 at 6:51pm — No Comments
Groundbreaking program increases the number of vehicles on Phoenix lots eligible for certification; provides used car buyers with peace of mind and purchase protection
Venice, CA -- January 18, 2012
– Mota Motors, a leading provider of online vehicle certification and selling platforms, today announced that SureSaleTM Certified, a comprehensive certified pre-owned (CPO)…
Added by Crystal Hartwell on January 18, 2012 at 7:30am — No Comments
There is a huge 'certification' gap in our industry that represents a potential loss of billions of dollars by used car dealers.
Consider: over 35 million used cars were sold last year, but fewer than 2 million of them were certified by OEM-sponsored programs. This is a stunning fact given that consumers are willing to pay, on average, a 12-27% premium on a certified vehicle.
Let's add the numbers up: the average cost of a used…
Added by Jeffrey Schwartz on December 12, 2011 at 8:09am — No Comments
Digital Automotive Veteran Joins Expanding Team at Online Automotive Innovator
Venice, CA -- November 28, 2011
– Mota Motors, a leading provider of online vehicle certification and selling platforms, today announced that digital automotive marketing veteran Ken Potter has been appointed as the company's Chief Revenue Officer. Potter joins an expanding team of automotive and digital leaders at Mota as the…
Added by Crystal Hartwell on November 28, 2011 at 5:38am — 1 Comment
VENICE, Calif., Nov. 21, 2011 -- Mota Motors, a leading provider of online and selling platforms, today announced that automotive digital marketing pioneer Jeffrey Schwartz has been appointed President and Chief…
Added by Crystal Hartwell on November 21, 2011 at 8:00am — No Comments
Grand Theft Auto – How Citizens Fought for the American Dream
May 14 and 15, 2009 – two days in which Chrysler and General Motors, with the help of the government, literally stole the life's work from nearly 2,000 business owners.
Two years later, the history from the dealers' perspective of those days are hitting the bookstores. And they are must reads for anyone associated with the automotive retail…Continue
Added by Cliff Banks on October 18, 2011 at 7:30am — No Comments
This week, two American luxury brands, Lincoln and Cadillac, began rolling out facility redesign initiatives, at significant expense for their dealers.
The question is, do facility redesigns help dealers sell more vehicles?
Ford Motor Co. began talking to its Lincoln dealers last year about the investment they would have to make in their stores if they wanted to continue selling Lincolns. A meeting last week in Detroit with approximately 120 Lincoln dealers…Continue
Added by Cliff Banks on June 17, 2011 at 3:38am — No Comments
May Sales Drop – A Blip or a Trend?
Just when we were beginning to feel good about the auto industry following eight months of sales growing by percentages in the double digits, sales plunged in May, down 4% from May of last year.
The question is whether the drop will be a trend the rest of the year or a "minor" disruption for a couple of months. The major challenge is lack of inventory resulting from the earthquake in Japan earlier this year. The lack of inventory has led to…Continue
Added by Cliff Banks on June 7, 2011 at 5:34am — 1 Comment
General Motors SFE Facilitator "Train the Trainer" presentation about Social Media Marketing for GM Dealers in 2011 prepared and facilitated by Ralph Paglia for GM:…Continue
Added by Ralph Paglia on December 30, 2010 at 8:30am — No Comments
Added by George Magda on August 10, 2010 at 4:30pm — 2 Comments
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I'm a wedding photographer in Livorno. The marriage of Silvia and Matteo was celebrated in the modern church of Santa Lucia in Antignano (Livorno). It was a sunny and warm day, typical of the month of July.
After the ceremony we moved to one of the most beautiful areas of Tuscany, Bolgheri. We decided to take advantage of the wonderful Viale dei Cipressi in Bolgheri to shoot some pictures. Then we moved to Relais il Biserno where the reception took place.
Relais il Biserno is one of the locations which struck me the most in the 2017 season
A unique site surrounded by the green of Tuscany just a few kilometers from the sea, with a unique view.
The cottage is surrounded by vineyards and ancient olive trees.
My enthusiasm for this location is also due to Momenti Conviviali catering, which has been able to adorn every little space available to newlyweds and guests in a unique and original way, as well as obviously being gods at cooking!
After cutting the cake I took a photo which was awarded in the ANFM contest. Dances were opened to the rhythm of alternative/indie music with the entire Piotta discography.
I shall tell you I got so excited that both my colleague and I were dancing with the guests until 5 in the morning!
A wedding photographer in Livorno simply cannot afford to renounce to a team of suppliers like those I met at this event, a special thanks goes to:
Catering: Momenti Conviviali || Location: Relais il Biserno


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ROSELLE PARK — A pitbull loose on Locust Street attacked two teenagers and a police officer that came to their rescue, sending all three to the hospital, police reported.
Patrolman Alexander Lanza got the call for help and responded from just two blocks away at 8:48 p.m. He said that when he arrived the dog was "viciously biting" a teenage boy from Elizabeth in the middle of Locust Street, near the 7-11 store at West Webster Avenue.
The boy's friends, Roselle Park police said, were "desperately trying to fend off the attacking pitbull" by hitting it with a bicycle. The patrolman sprayed the dog with pepper spray and then grabbed it, allowing the teen to escape.
Patrolman Gregory Polakoski pulled up to assist, said police, and as he was getting an animal snare from the trunk of the car, the dog turned on Lanza, biting the officer in the thigh and refusing to let go.
Lanza un-holstered his gun, police reported, but didn't fire it because children were nearby. Polakoski hit the pitbull several times with his baton and then grabbed the dog's neck while Lanza got away. The dog wasn't wearing a collar, said police, and continued to lunge at Polakoski.
While injured, Lanza got the snare and secured the dog, but was bitten on the ankle while taking it to his police car, officers reported.
The pitbull was taken to the Woodbridge Health Department, Division of Animal Control for quarantine.
Polakoski found that two 17-year-olds has been bitten by the dog, the one from Elizabeth and another from Roselle. The teens were taken by ambulance to Overlook Hospital-Union campus for treatment of puncture wounds to their arms and legs, said police, while Lanza was treated at the hospital for wounds to his thigh and ankle.
Detectives are trying to find who owns the dog.


text: BBC 'Appalled' by Latest Findings in Jimmy Savile Sex Abuse Scandal 4:27 AM PST 1/11/2013 by Stuart Kemp FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME A week ahead of the opening ceremonies for the 2012 London Olympics, the BBC has signed a deal to ensure it will remain the exclusive U.K. Olympic broadcaster through 2020 at least. The agreement signed with the International Olympic Committee includes U.K. rights across all media platforms, including online and mobile. The U.K. public broadcaster pledges to ensure such abuses can never happen again at its studios and other operations. LONDON -- The BBC said Friday it was "appalled" about the extent of the alleged sexual abuse carried out by former Top of The Pops host and BBC stalwart Jimmy Savile, including on its premises. The U.K. public broadcaster also reiterated its pledge to put systems and structures in place to ensure such a scandal can never happen again inside the BBC, including at its TV and radio studios. Friday's report had cited 33 abuse cases in studios. The BBC issued a statement in the immediate aftermath of the publication of the official probe by London's Metropolitan Police, better known as Scotland Yard, into allegations of widespread sexual abuse by Savile. The BBC described the 30-page report, entitled "Giving Victims a Voice," which recorded 214 crimes and about 450 overall complaints of abuse by the former presenter, as containing "shocking revelations." The BBC statement read: "As we have made clear, the BBC is appalled that some of the offenses were committed on its premises. We would like to restate our sincere apology to the victims of these crimes." The broadcaster also reminded the media, public and victims alike that it "will continue to work with the police to help them investigate these matters." Referencing its activities in preventing such crimes within the BBC, the statement concluded: "We have also set up the Dame Janet Smith Review to help us understand how these crimes could have been committed and how we can avoid them happening ever again." Smith and her team are looking into the culture at the broadcaster between 1965 and 2006 when the abuse cases at the BBC took place. According to the police, the total number of Savile victims could be about 450, with most of them alleging sexual abuse. So far, 214 crimes have been recorded, including 34 of rape, police said. The report cited 33 cases of abuse in TV or radio studios, which are all believed to be BBC premises. The investigators say the account paints a "compelling picture of widespread sexual abuse by a predatory sex offender." Savile died in October 2011 at age 84, a year before the abuse allegations emerged. FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Stuart Kemp email@example.com @thr


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Standard Language Ideologies & Schools
I got back from Phoenix at 2 am last night; IRA went well. Today, I'm giving a presentation to a class at First Nations University on standard language ideologies and schools. I'm testing out some of my arguments from my book so I'm glad I get the chance to give this presentation before I mail the manuscript to my publishers on March 2.
8 days and counting!


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Founded in Unna in 1910, the ATLAS® Schuhfabrik has a long tradition. Back then, it was still called "Unnaer Schuhfabrik" (Unna shoe factory). Only 16 employees worked on 3 floors at the time. Stitching and cutting out of the precious leather parts took place on the first floor, which was also the lasting department. The steel toecaps were also fitted here. The ground floor contained the actual store as well as the dispatching area, the metal working and sales department.
Back in the day, 80 pairs of shoes presented a good turnout of production. Today, ATLAS® has a daily production of over 7,000 pairs of safety shoes.
On their 50th anniversary Atlas counted 63 employees and represents a daily production of 400 pairs of shoes. After remaining in Unna for a further 14 years of production, the ATLAS® Schuhfabrik decided to move their production to a new production site in Dortmund-Wickede in 1974.


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One of the reasons we love running is that the races take place in full view of everyone, no judges need assign points for artistic merit, and no committee needs to meet behind closed doors to decide who won. Until the 2012 Olympic Trials women's 100.
Exhibit A: Chief photo-finish judge Roger Jennings first ruled that Jeneba Tarmoh had finished third and Allyson Felix .001 seconds behind in fourth. But he asked a few other officials to take a look. Behind closed doors. And the decision came down from on high that the race had produced a tie for third place, as reported by Tim Layden in Sports Illustrated.
Exhibit B: The USATF 2012 Competition Rule Book contains clear instructions on what to do in the case of a tie. Under Rule 167, page 89, when two athletes tie in a running event, "lots shall be drawn to determine who shall be placed in the next round." It's not abundantly clear that the Olympic Games are the next round after a third-place tie in the U.S. Olympic Track Trials, but neither is the opposite clear. Where exactly do you go after the Trials? Oh, that's right, you advance to the Olympics.
Exhibit C: Instead of invoking Rule 167, USATF, along with the USOC, met behind closed doors, and came up with a wonderful (dripping sarcasm here) new set of regulations about how the Tarmoh-Felix tie should be resolved.
Exhibit D: Late Sunday afternoon USATF president Stephanie Hightower and CEO Max Siegel held a public press conference, at last, and smilingly assured us that all involved in the event were happy with the runoff solution. Oh, frabjous day. Coolooh! Callay! Mudville is at last filled with joy. Or something like that. Siegel was particularly pleased with the idea of a national TV audience for the Monday afternoon runoff. He said that he considered promoting the sport in the media his job # 1.
Exhibit E: Later Sunday evening, and early today, Monday, the day of the supposed 5 p.m. runoff, the smiles began to evaporate. Tarmoh sounded not happy but disgruntled, and even began claiming that she had finished third nine days ago. Reasonable people agree with her position: that she won the race the first time around, and all the ensuing chaos should not have happened. Reasonable people also disagree with this perspective.
Exhibit F: At mid-morning today, Tarmoh's agent told USATF and the world that it's over. No runoff.
So what do we take from all this? It's hard to say. It seems obvious that USATF and USOC let their lawyers lead the way (behind closed doors, of course), fearful to head off lawsuits. They may or may not have succeeded on that front; it's too soon to tell. But lawyers put on lousy track meets.
Personally, I think USATF should have reached a clear decision the day after the 100, and maybe the athletes would have faced each other in a runoff on Monday a week ago. They would have had 48 hours off after their first final, and almost 72 hours until their next races. Why coaches and agents were involved, I don't know. Track meets aren't a democratic institution; you don't vote for the Olympic team; you're supposed to make the athletes run for the win.
Last, nearly everyone's favorite sprinter, Allyson Felix, comes out of the brouhaha smelling not quite so fresh and lovable. The 100 isn't even her second-best event; she's best at the 200, then the 400, and finally the 100. Exactly how much is her Nike bonus for making the Olympic team in two events? It must be substantial; maybe she'll give a chunk to her training partner, Tarmoh. I hope so.
And I hope everyone runs strongly in London. It would be nice to see gold medals all around, including one for Tarmoh as a member of the 4 x 100 relay team.
Opinion: Track Better in Open, Not Behind Doors
One of the reasons we love running is that the races take place in full view of everyone, no judges need assign points for artistic merit, and no committee needs to meet behind closed doors to decide who won. Until the 2012 Olympic Trials women's 100.