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Peine forte et dure
Peine forte et dure
Peine forte et dure (Law French for "hard and forceful punishment") was a method of torture formerly used in the common law legal system, in which a defendant who refused to plead ("stood mute") would be subjected to having heavier and heavier stones placed upon his or her chest until a plea was entered, or they died.[1]
The common law courts considered themselves to lack jurisdiction over a defendant until he had voluntarily submitted to it by entering a plea seeking judgment from the court.
Such systems only work amongst people who are tending daily to the Weightier matters not only for themselves but equally for their neighbor.
Because people rejected that natural and righteous responsibility they turned to the kings courts more and more where they would be tried in equity or under the law of the sea as observed by the English jurist Henry de Bracton.
The process was an inhumane practice of placing planks on an individual and then merely placing stones on them until they could not breath. Men and women often died unjustly and without trial under this practice by being pressed to death with anywhere from 400 to 700 pounds of stones. see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peine_forte_et_dure
Society had already abandoned moral judgment. What was the origin of such a barbaric practice and what stimulated the idea?
The truth is that it evolved over time as the character of the people turned their back on the truth, first regarding themselves and then about their relationship with others and society. When the ideals of justice are unmoored from principles of righteousness, new societal rituals are invented that devour the righteous heart and decay virtue.
In ancient Israel there was something called stoning. Today we are led to believe this had to do with throwing rocks at people because that is what became the practice amongst some people as the principle was unmoored from its original righteous meaning.
In the Bible we see Matthew 18:15 "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established."
This is actually the beginning of the principle of stoning. In ancient Israel, as well as the early church, ministers attended to the daily ministration of the people by free will offerings or charity. These ministers were living stones of a living altar.
If more and more of the living stones of your social altars of Welfare, protection and justice turned their back on the needs of those who refuse to answer to justice, the more the individual would be isolated from society and no one would come to their aid or assistance. This threat of being ostracized by moral society and losing the benefits of society's protection weighed heavily upon those who would not deal justly with each other.
Today's societies and courts establish jurisdiction by pre-application when people apply for benefits of protection, care and social insurance. Without the discretion of moral right in the distribution of charity we may weaken members of society and centralize the purse stings and power of society.
Today you can abandon and betray family and neighbor because the systems of welfare commonly chosen for Daily_ministration will still provide for the individual. These amoral systems are operated by Benefactors who Exercise authority through a system that used to be called Public religion. In ancient Israel they used Freewill offerings to fund their systems of Welfare like the early Church used charity. It is in this difference that we find the cause of the Christian conflict.
It is right when a brother or sister shall trespass against us that we raise the witnesses of righteousness so that they answer openly the charge. When we as ministers or stones of God altars see trespass against God and His ways we also should raise the level of our rebuke[1] and witness until the individual seeks repentance.
Altars | Stones | Clay and Stone | Stones upon |
White stones | Lively Stones of a Living Altar |
Church legally defined | Breeches | Red Heifer |
Corban | Tithing In Conscience | Self-Sacrifice |
Public religion | Stoning | Sophistry |
Worship | Welfare | Welfare types | Daily ministration
Christian conflict | Benefactors | Feasts |
Good Samaritan | Thy first love | Born again | New creature
Celebrate | Temples |
Modern Christians | The Blessed Strategy
Power To Change | Peine forte et dure |
Tithing | Offering | Korban
Korab | Minchah
Necek | Nedabah
Shelem | Tenuwphah
Charity | Freewill offerings | Corban
Religion | Pure Religion | Golden rule |
Altars | Tens | Network | Pentecost
Perspective | One purse | Temptations |
Tithe | Tithing | Tithing In Conscience | Tithingman |
Tribute | Taxation | Treasury | Corban |
Charitable Practices | Covetous Practices |
Fervent Charity | Gleaners | FEMA | Lady Godiva |
Community |
Intentional Community |
Sense of Community |
Community Types |
Community Ethics | Community Law | Society and community | Communities Ancient |
Communitarian | Collectivism | Socialism | Communism | Primitive Communism |
Communion | Eucharist | Social Virtues | Daily ministration | Tens | FEMA |
Feasts | Feasts and festivals | Pentecost | Celebrate | Burning Bush Festival |
Law | Rights | Economy | Education | Welfare_types | Perfect law of liberty |
Benefactors | gods | Covet | First to do List | Fundamental orders | Network |
Join The Living Network of The Companies of Ten
The Living Network | Join Local group | About | Purpose | Guidelines | Network Removal
Contact Minister | Fractal Network | Audacity of Hope | Network Links
== Footnotes ==
- ↑ Proverbs 9:8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
- Proverbs 27:5 Open rebuke is better than secret love.
- Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
To read more go to "His Holy Church" (HHC) http://www.hisholychurch.org/


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Heading home . . . for a night
Ending an incredible week in Panama, compliments of Pam and Michael. They truly have landed in a corner of paradise. At this point (in the noisy Tocumen Airport in Panama City), I figure a few photos tell the story better than I can. Most of these were taken at their beautiful home in the mountains…Read More
A jungle hike
Not much to say about my long silence. Christmas on a Florida beach followed by a very busy hunting lodge schedule. February has mostly been spent readjusting (with limited success) to Houston. It is a warm, gray winter there and the lack of sunshine had a profound effect on me after my days of endless…Read More
White sand and changeable weather
When we planned this trip in July we had no idea we would be dodging one of the most intense hurricanes to ever make landfall in the Continental US by no more than a few dozen miles. But we were lucky. Grayton Beach and nearby Seaside were unscathed even though we can see the high…Read More
Halloween in NOLA
Our arrival in New Orleans was perfectly planned: A Saturday evening when the city was in full Halloween mode. My sister, friend and I quickly shook off the effects of a long day of travel and hit the town. Dinner at Muriel's was memorable as always. We followed a wedding party through the quarter and…Read More
Waiting for the monsoons
Virtually all of the hiking trails in New Mexico are closed due to extreme fire risk. This explains the elbow-to-elbow crowds my houseguests and I encountered at Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks between Albuquerque and Santa Fe on Tuesday. This slot canyon is maintained by the BLM and there is little vegetation to ignite, so it is one…Read More

subset: commoncrawl


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Cardinal Tagle wants end to parochial church
Parishes should serve people and communities equally, he tells Philippine Conference on New Evangelization
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila addresses thousands of Filipinos who attended the annual three-day Philippine Conference on New Evangelization on July 30. (Photo by Angie de Silva)
Catholic parishes should continue to serve people and communities equally without being "parochial."
This was the call made by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila at the end of the three-day Philippine Conference on New Evangelization on July 30.
The Manila prelate said the church should continue to support and serve people by making room for others and "entering the wounds of others."
"How I wish our parishes would enter the doors of the wounds of people so that no parish would become parochial," he said.
"The word parochial means narrow," said Cardinal Tagle before some 6,000 participants at the annual gathering in Manila.
Now in its fourth year, the conference discussed issues of social justice, the environment, youth, social media, family, among others.
Cardinal Tagle said that in a world "enveloped by fear" the annual gathering is an invitation to Catholics to make room for those "who want to take the first step towards journeying."
"By making room for others we become agents of God's hand, guiding those who have lost direction so that they could find their way," said the cardinal.
He said "touching the wounds of others" is the "way of communion" that will help people recover a sense of common humanity.
"I hope that every parish really becomes a communion where we open doors, where we surpass our fears, and we see a brother or a sister whose wounds are my wounds too," said Cardinal Tagle.
In his homily at Mass for the closing of the conference, Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella stressed the church's mission and the role of people in evangelization.
"We recognized that we are all involved in a true movement, a movement that unites us to Christ," said the president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization.
The annual meeting is an initiative of the Archdiocese of Manila to find and introduce new methods to evangelize cultures and societies "fruitfully."
Father Jason Laguerta, conference director, said the event is a continuing effort of exploring new expressions and narratives in sharing the Gospel "in a language that touches and transforms hearts and souls."
"New evangelization is fundamentally about the encounter with Jesus and without this there can be no other communion," said the priest, adding that, "communion without mission is unhealthy."
on 25/1/19
on 22/7/19


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In the calendar of the druids, the beginning of each year was indifferent from what the public thought it would. The druids divided a year into four parts: Season of Awakening, Season of Vigor, Season of Fertility, and Season of Silence. Meanwhile, each year, the Season of Awakening would be the beginning of a new year.
That was the earliest form of 'season' on the Mycroft Continent. The concept of four seasons, spring, summer, autumn and winter were all derived from the druids' calendar. However, their calculation method was not fixed. They had been adapting to local conditions throughout the whole time. For example, in the north, the Season of Silence was also known as the days of the winter, would largely delay on. Under that unforeseen circumstance, the beginning of the next year, also known as the Season of Awakening, would be delayed to April or even May before it could begin. However, at the same time, the Imperial City at the similar timeline would already be entering the Season of Vigor real soon.
The Northern Empire was not a traditional kingdom with merely a single race. Its people include dwarves, elves, hobbits, halflings, vampires, cavemen, and other diverse ethnic groups. Its festivals were also of various origins. The traditional customs of the druids had also occupied a place among them. And when they flourished, it would mean that the power of nature in one entire year had reached its peak at that period of time. For that, many banquets and celebrations would be thrown around the kingdom. Meanwhile, the banquet to celebrate the successful annihilation of the orcs was being held during that period of time as well.
"One city gate has hundreds of guards guarding it"
Imperial City was still shining brightly in the middle of the night. The faint lights could still be seen clearly across a distance of several kilometers. All the way from the seemingly endless staircase leading straight to the white wall, Joshua was looking at the city gate that was decorated with some ancient designs that looked resplendent, with interest. He was looking at that direction as if he could see through the rocks and see all of the Flames of Life right behind the wall. Well, he was relaxingly counting the number of the guards that were on duty at the city wall and the city gate. He even tried to determine their professions by observing their movements and habits. "There are some alchemy tools, various artilleries and also multiple sentry posts all over the city wall. They really have the city wall and the city gate heavily guarded."
Well, that was exactly how it should be. As the capital city of a kingdom, it would be perfectly normal for one to have the place heavily guarded. In the meantime when the warrior and the two Divine Armaments were standing still observing from afar, the guards on duty by the city gate had discovered them. Because the sun had set long ago and the night had just arrived, the guards were beginning to behave even more vigilant than before. They took the initiative to approach the suspicious shadows of the three. They were ready to investigate who exactly were the three of them and where did they come from.
Well, one must say that the eyesight of these Imperial City guards was truly remarkable. Their eyesight must be so much better than the other guards of the same grade in other cities. The moment when the little captain of the guards saw the face of Joshua, he instantly felt a shiver across every part of his body. He immediately recognized that the person before him had the strength that he could not measure at all. After greeting Joshua out of fear and respect, the guards had found the answer they were looking for. So they quickly said, "Count, please enter." After saying that, they gave way to the warrior and the two Divine Armaments that were following behind him.
Logically speaking, they should also check on the family insignia or other identification items that could verify the warrior's background. However, one of the guards recognized Joshua's face. Furthermore, the rest of the guards were too terrified to even speak with the warrior because of his Aura of Fear, so they just let the warrior and the two Divine Armaments into the city and acted as if nothing happened before.
The city gate of the holy city was looking spectacular as always even at night. Thirty-six marble pillars supported a long paved path, while the floating sculptures on the pillars depicted the scene when the city was built back in the years. Being protected by magic, the city had never lost its color and remained as vibrant as ever over the past hundreds of years. It was still looking white and flawless. It was a marvelous sight to behold.
After passing through the city gate, they arrived at the outer rim of Imperial City. Although Joshua was a man of the distant south in his previous life, he had traveled to Imperial City of the Empire Kingdom in the North several times. After all, his friends came from all around the world. Well, sometimes he would want to form a party in order to clear a dungeon. And sometimes, he was required to switch stations as he was teleporting all over the continent. Hence, the warrior knew that the Holy City of Triplet Mountain was divided into three sections. One was known to be the section for civilians, merchants and all sorts of public facilitiesfor example, the Grand Library and the Great Arena was located at the area beyond the city area. Other than that, the city hall and homes of the noblemen were all located within the city area. Last but not to be forgotten, there laid the Morlaix Palace where the Emperor of the Empire lived.
Just like what he saw from outside the city, Imperial City was filled with moving crowd even during the night. The lights were waning as the city was descending deeper into the night. After staying peacefully on the outskirts of the street with his two weapons for a while observing the daily life of the people in the Imperial City, Joshua headed for the inner area of the city right after. That would be the area where the few of the Radcliffe family's heirlooms were located at.
All the way through the main roads of Imperial City, the crowd was getting bigger and bigger. Even though the banquet had yet to begin, the joyful atmosphere had already begun spreading out throughout the city. The streets and lanes in the city were filled with all kinds of flags and decorations. The taverns and the hotels had wooden signs saying 'Special Promotion' on their front doors. Only up until that point could Joshua feel the importance of eradicating the orcs to the people of the Empire who had suffered the ordeal of being raided by the savage orcs over the years.
The shops, the plaza, and the fountain above all that. Everyone in everywhere part of the city was wearing a joyful smile on their faces. Under the lights of the night, Joshua naturally smiled and he felt happy in this bustling street. After all, because of the weather and other reasons, the northland never had such a large crowd on the streets at all times. That made a warrior felt a little unfamiliar with the place.
Meanwhile, just when he was about to change his mind getting into the inner area of the city after taking a stroll around the outskirts of the city, Joshua suddenly felt a familiar presence approaching him.
Stopping in his tracks, Joshua furrowed his brows and sensed the presence again seriously. Then his eyebrows relaxed again. "So it's them. They've noticed me so soon?"
Upon stopping as well by at the warrior's side, Ying and Ling were wearing gray cashmere cloak. They wore the cloaks not because the weather was too cold. They did it because the magic energy in the Imperial City was way too dense. The psionic bodies of the Divine Armaments would naturally react to the magic energy in their surroundings the moment they came in contact with it.They would radiate with a fluorescent glow. Hence, the two of them decided to cover themselves up to prevent any unwanted attention from the people in their surroundings.
Ying and Ling were not bothered as they saw that their master suddenly stopped and stood still in the middle of the road. After all, the main purpose of this trip was to purely relax. Even the banquet was a minor purpose of the trip. So whatever their master wanted to do, he could just do it.
Meanwhile, a brief moment later, a carriage pulled over slowly from the other side of the street.
That was an entirely black carriage made of dark-cloud wood. Well, its appearance was certainly not eye-catching at all. However, its value was far much more than the values of any ordinary luxurious carriages out there. Dark-cloud wood contained tremendously powerful magic resistance attribute. It grew on the peak of the mountains where the water element was dense. It was not possible for any sort of artificial cultivation of the wood in a short period of time. The value could not be measured by money anymore.
In general, this material was used to make valuable royal magic glue which was used to apply on various alchemy instruments that require high precision, and on fine gold shields. By doing so, the glue layer could ensure that the magic in the atmosphere would not interfere with the functions of those equipment and it could also provide a layer of magic resistance coating to the shields. Meanwhile, this carriage was fully coated with the anti-magic glue. It could no longer be described as luxurious anymore. Even Joshua who did not have much knowledge about that regard was astounded by the wealth the nobleman who made it.
The carriage slowly moved, and by the end of it, it stopped before the warrior. Before the coachman of the carriage could stop the carriage entirely, the door of the carriage was already pushed opened. Joshua lifted his head and saw two familiar faces.
Brandon Kaos and Nostradamus.
"My friend, Joshua van Radcliffe."
The blond man who already had two daughters simply walked out of the carriage. His mouth curled up and opened up both of his arms. Then he laughed out loud and said to the warrior, "I've sensed the presence of the Azurite about a few hours ago. By then, I've known that you've come at last. However, I've searched over the teleportation circles and I've not found you. Master Nostradamus said that he could find you. Hence, I tagged along with him."
"It seems that you did find the right direction."
Joshua stepped forward and then gave his friend who had not seen him for a long time a warm hug. Then he smiled and said, "I've been walking all the way from White Pigeon City. The scenery along the journey was mesmerizing. That's not something you can experience if you take the teleportation circle over here."
The warrior and the swordsman greeted each other with a few warm words. Meanwhile, beside them, the white-haired old mage had also got down from the carriage. Upon hearing Brandon's words, the old man shrugged as he carefully looked at Joshua's clothes. With a hint of humour, he said, "I shall not say much with you, my vice principal... The Gold-tier mage back at Ural Fortress once was my apprentices. Joshua, I've heard from him saying that you've encountered another assassination attempt by those reptiles again?"
After the warrior confirmed his suspicion, the look on Nostradamus's face turned cold and calm. Then he furrowed his brows and said, "They have attempted to raid the nobles of the Empire again and again. I just can't believe that the Pentashade Dragons are capable of behaving so savagely. I wonder what the Chaos has done to their minds and souls"
"Master Nostradamus."
Before the old mage could finish his words, Brandon who was standing right beside him interrupted Nostradamus's words, "Let's discuss that sort of matter later."
As they were having their conversation, the old mage looked around the street. Even though the crowd on the street was not exactly crowded, it could still be deemed as merry. Under that circumstance, it would be too risky to speak of matters regarding Chaos in public like that.
"You are right."
In the meantime, the old mage had also noticed that he was behaving improperly. So he fake coughed and shook his head, "I've been discussing that matter with the association all the time before this. My brain might have been scrambled a little Joshua, are you ready to pay a visit to the Royal Mage Guild?"
Upon saying that, the old mage smiled. "Regardless of the creature from the Dark Abyss or the Berserk Dragon Virus, you've been a great help to all of us. There have been many who are planning to pay you a visit. So when they've presented you with gifts out of gratitude, please don't reject them, alright?"
"Well, that will not be a problem. I'm not a polite person, to begin with."
Seeing a close friend in Imperial City, Joshua was in a good mood at the moment. Furthermore, it was not something big for him to pay a visit to the Royal Mage Guild. Of course he would agree to go. "Then, let's move now, shall we?"
Brandon was also a vigorous and effective man. Without thinking much about it, he decided to go along with the plan. The three of them and the two Divine Armaments with cloaks on them just went up to the carriage swiftly. With the coachman in the front of the carriage stirring it, the black carriage then slowly moved towards the inner area of the city, the guild of the Royal Mage Guild.
On the top of the carriage, there was an exquisite crystal magic lamp. The rune that represented light was gleaming brightly, radiating white. Meanwhile, the interior of the carriage and the decoration style of the interior of the carriage was originated from the east flatlands about three hundred years ago during the era where the Mages of Seven Luminaries were in power. The exquisite drawings of the stars and the runes that represented them were scattered throughout every corner of the carriage. It made the interior of the carriage looked like a starry sky.
There were also coffee and other drinks on the carriage. Joshua and Brandon naturally picked up the wines without a proper time labeled on them and started drinking. They were warriors after all. Meanwhile, Nostradamus poured two cups of milk for Ying and Ling as the both of them were staring at the old mage with their seemingly irritated eyes. After that, he poured himself a cup of coffee and took a sip of it.
Of course, the matters that the three men discussed were naturally unrelated to the wind, the flowers, the snow, or the moon. After a certain period of time, they changed to the topic to the Dragon's Calamity that was currently happening in the distant south. Joshua had pointed out the few errors and misjudgment that Nostradamus and Brandon made towards the situation presented before them. The warrior would never have thoughts to be polite with them. The two men then sighed and praised the warrior as they accepted the warrior's words entirely. The situation on the carriage had just gotten merrier.
However, at that time, the three of them suddenly furrowed their brows at the same time. The carriage became deadly silent in an instant. A dreadful feeling had spread through hearts. However, none of them could tell where that dreadful feeling came from.
Unexpectedly, a loud explosion was heard on the east side of the city, followed by the screaming and shouting of the people on the streets. The joyful atmosphere in the city had suddenly transformed into terror.
Meanwhile, right after that, a siren blared loudly across the entire city.


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70. Bonus 2017
12.23.2017 - By The Allusionist
It's the annual bonus episode. Throughout the year, the people who appear on the show tell me a lot of interesting stuff, not all of which is relevant to the episode they initially appeared in, so I stash it away in preparation for this moment. This year, hear about the history of roller skates, zazzification, giant origami, the heat death of the universe and more.
Find information about this episode at http://theallusionist.org/bonus2017.
Come to see the live Allusionist show at SF Sketchfest, 10pm 12 January at the Brava Theater in San Francisco. Tickets are on sale now at http://tinyurl.com/allusionistsfsketchfest2017.
The Allusionist is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX, a collective of the best podcasts on the interwaves. Hear them at http://radiotopia.fm.
Thanks to Mailchimp for sponsoring this episode. http://mailchimp.com.
The show's online home is http://theallusionist.org. Stay in touch at http://twitter.com/allusionistshow and http://facebook.com/allusionistshow.


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BIG ARTS was founded by a small group of artists who wanted to share their love for the arts with the community. Today, that legacy lives on with the volunteers who give their time to serve on the Visual Arts Committee.
Alongside staff, the committee assists in bringing world-class artists to Sanibel, as well as to show off local talent. That talent will be on full display in the new dedicated gallery as part of the 2020 Dream Season. The committee is comprised of seven members and chaired by Diane Olsen, who is serving her second year in the position.
"I have a feeling one should try and participate in things they are passionate about," she said on why she chose to volunteer as the chair. "It's a great way to share your passion with the community."
Article Photos
The BIG ARTS Visual Art Committee is made up of Deborah Butler, Peter Zell, Bea Pappas, Bunny Ospa, chair Diane Olson and Kathy Taylor; not pictured is Annie Wainwright.
Olsen talked about the committee's objective in terms of exhibited art.
"We try to bring in interesting art we think the people on Sanibel will enjoy," she said. "At the same time, we're part of the community and we don't want to close our doors. We have the San-Cap Art League show and juried shows, which gives local artists an opportunity to hang in the gallery."
The committee's commitment to balancing local talent with world-class artists is reflected in the 2020 lineup. It will kick off on Jan. 25 with "A Time for Joy," by renowned artist Mally Khorasantchi.
"This is the type of artist we should start the season with," committee member Deborah Butler said. "Her work is massive, it's colorful, it's organic, and I think it fits in with the island lifestyle."
The season also features the Sanibel-Captiva Art League's 44th Annual Juried Show on March 5, a bus tour of Naples area galleries on March 18, "Joshua Horkey: Fight or Flight" on April 4, Art by the disABLEd on May 1 and a Florida Southwestern State College Student Exhibition on June 6.
Putting together a season is no small feat and it takes input and contributions from all members.
"We plan our shows two to three years out," Butler said. "We go out into the community, Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota or wherever we can. If we see an artist that we think fits our gallery, we write down their contact information, do some research and present them to the committee."
The committee compiles and reviews the potential artists, then makes its season selections. When it makes its decision on which artists to show, the commitment to quality and community is ever present.
"First of all, of course, they have to be good," she of the selection criteria. "I think we try not to limit it to any one kind of art. It can be 2-D or 3-D, representational or abstract, it might be cartoony or Keith Haring style. I think there is an audience here that's well educated and loves art, they're used to a fairly sophisticated level of artist."
All fine art exhibitions are free and open to the public.
For more information, visit www.bigarts.org or call 239-395-0900.


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hand-twisted Philadelphia-style soft pretzels
Website: www.indypretzel.com
Owner: Patrick Wojtalik
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Phone: 317-224-5133
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Meet the Maker: Pat Wojtalik
On your next trip to the Market, stop by Pat's Philly Pretzels (formerly known as A Taste of Philly), and treat yourself to a great Philadelphia-style soft pretzel. Forget about those butter-coated health bombs at the mall; these are the real deal — fresh-baked to a golden brown on the outside, yet lusciously soft on the inside, with just the right sprinkling of salt.
How did these classics end up being made right here in Indianapolis? Patrick Wojtalik and brother Chris, grew up outside Philadelphia, but settled in Indianapolis. On visits back home, they looked forward to enjoying true Philly soft pretzels. As Patrick explains, "We wanted to bring that taste back to Indianapolis, so people here could enjoy the soft, fresh-baked taste of a true Philadelphia-style pretzel."
In August 2009, Pat's Philly Pretzels opened on the corner of 42nd and College. Today they have two additional locations. Each provides customers with genuine, old-fashioned pretzels, hand-twisted and baked on site within view of customers. In addition to the classic Original Pretzel, the Row of 3 Pretzels, and hefty Pretzel Twists, you'll also find an impressive selection of pretzel-based creations at their stores, including custom pretzels in hand-made shapes. That's sure to be the hit of any event!
Of course, you can get Pat's Philly Pretzels at the Broad Ripple Farmers Market, served with a selection of 4 specialty mustards to give you the true Philly pretzel experience. Brett, who mans the booth at the Market, will be happy to tell you how to perfectly reheat your pretzels too! One bite and you may find it hard to convince yourself you haven't just been transported to Philly!
To find out more about Pat's Philly Pretzels, visit their Facebook page here.


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Time: January 11, 2018 from 1pm to 2pm
Location: Gumbo Limbo Nature Center
Event Type: nature
Organized By: Pippi
Latest Activity: Jan 10, 2018
Export to Outlook or iCal (.ics)
1/11 - Eco-Hour at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, 1801 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. Guest speakers present information about Florida's wildlife/ecosystems. All ages; children must be accompanied by an adult. 1-2 pm. Free. 544-8605; gumbolimbo.org
© 2020 Created by Mary Kate Leming. Powered by


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Exactly what were the producers on these shows smoking?
Television has always had the ability to wrong foot audiences, far more so than movies. Telling a series of stories over several years has pitfalls unique to the medium: storylines have often been rewritten at the last minute to cover actors who are pregnant, deceased or who simply chose to leave, while changes in vital executive producers, the showrunners, can often mean that season three of a show has a significantly different feel to season two.
And then there are the completely whacked out stories. Not the shocking-but-awesome scenes that come out of nowhere, like The Red Wedding in Game Of Thrones or some of wrestling's best heel turns: the stories that make Twitter explode and give writers like me ammunition for headlines for five days straight.
No, we're talking about the ones that result in dropped jaws and utter silence. The ones that make you worry for the health of the producers of the show. The ones that make you turn to your family, friends, loved ones and pets and ask. What is going on here?
We're talking about the most insane television storylines of all time and, of course, there are spoilers within, so check yourself before you wreck yourself.
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.


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President of Sales Growth Systems, an entrepreneurial salesperson that takes action, finds the path to the sale and has mastered the habit of following up for revenue.
Sales can be tough...
For the vast majority of salespeople, selling is a task that's less-than-pleasurable and even a nerve-racking process. If you're a solo entrepreneur, a start-up founder with a dozen team members, or leading a team of hundreds of sales reps - entrepreneurial salespeople are different - in a good way.
According to Mike Henry, the entrepreneurial salesperson expert and author of Sales Can Be Fun, selling doesn't have to be so hard and tactic driven. "Selling is like dancing - and most people look like aliens when they dance ... We struggle when we forget the basic steps most of us learned in college: do less work and have more fun."


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Page 9 of 9
Homework Planning
All students are required to use Calendar, the electronic diary software that comes with their laptop, to plan and record details of homework. Calendar allows students to set the time to undertake homework and record the details of the homework to be undertaken. It even allows students to set alarms to remind themselves of upcoming due dates.
Good study habits are essential for success in learning and the use of the electronic diary system will assist students in organising effective use of their study time.
To make the best use of their homework time, it is recommended that students:
- record details of all homework tasks and assignments;
- set reminders for due dates and significant events;
- record details of timetabled classes at least three days in advance;
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April 18, 2019 "Colonial Plaza Public Art Project" – Courtney Brunell, Planning Manager, City of Lakewood – (Steve – MC)
The Lakewood United group meets at 7:00 AM every Thursday at Burs Restaurant, 6151 Steilacoom Boulevard SW near Bridgeport Way SW, Lakewood, WA 98499. The upcoming Lakewood United topics are as follows:
- April 25, 2019 Center for Dialog and Resolution – Maralise Hood Quan, Executive Director (Pamela – MC)
- May 2, 2019 "Stroke Month at VA with Video Presentation" – Maria Kimmerle, RN, VA Medical Center, Seattle (MC – Karen)
- May 9, 2019 Superior Court Judge Shelly Speir "Variety of Cases Heard in Superior Court" – (Sue/Pamela/Steve – MC)
- May 16, 2019 "State of the Schools Update" – Deputy Superintendent Ron Banner, Clover Park School District (Steve – MC)
- May 23, 2019 "Lakewood Community Foundation Fund" – Anne M. Enquist, Board Member and Professor Emerita, Seattle University School of Law (Kris – MC)
Congratulations to Lakewood United's newly elected Board Member Laurel Lemke, Grave Concerns Association Chair, and Former Director of Consumer Affairs and Volunteer Services, Western State Hospital! Welcome, Laurel!
The dues for our fiscal year, which started on July 1, 2018, are $25 per year. Lakewood United operates with a volunteer board. Expenses are for a small gift for each presenter (for example, a pen/stylus set with Lakewood United motto plus a certificate of appreciation) and for administrative supplies. You can pay your dues by mail to Lakewood United, P.O. Box 99785, Lakewood, WA 98496 or directly to Sue Boguszewski if she is present at the weekly Thursday morning events.
Lakewood United is now on Facebook: www.facebook.com/LakewoodUnitedofLakewoodWashington. Our website: www.thesubtimes.com/serviceclubs/lakewood-united/.
The next Lakewood United Board Meeting is Friday, May 10, 2019 (2nd Friday) at 12:00 noon, 11:30 AM if you wish to order lunch, at Carrs Restaurant, 11006 Bridgeport Way SW, Lakewood, WA 98499. Visitors are encouraged.Print This Post


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UX DESIGNERUX Designer
Direct Hire
Salary is DOE; target is ~80-110k
San Diego, CA 92101 (downtown, parking is paid)
• Heavy UX Design experience (strategy, design, information architecture, user work flows, personas, wireframing, etc.)
• UI Design
• Solid working experience with web applications (full applications, not just sites)
• Solid interaction and visual design skills to translate wireframes and idea concepts to finished mock ups for the development team
• Well versed in color theory, typography, information architecture and related topics
• Portfolio / Sample work
Soft Skills
• Ability to work collaboratively within a team of other engineers to reinforce design intent along the path from idea to reality
• Possess both creative and analytical approaches to problem solving
• Ability to work, learn, and thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to communicate effectively in text / Slack with remote team members
• 70% UX, 30% UI Design
• Work closely with various stakeholders to identify user goals and define workflows
• Be able to clearly communicate design principles and specifications
• Staying abreast of UX/UI trends and industry standards to stay ahead of competition
• Ability to anticipate how technology constraints and capabilities impact the end user experience and how to overcome those
Our ideal candidate is well-versed in interface design with a strong background working in web applications, a motivated self-starter with a passion for translating user needs and UI concept wireframes into visually engaging and usable designs. We are searching for someone who possesses an unrelenting commitment to quality and is a strong critical thinker that is willing to offer up unique solutions in a fast-paced startup environment.
• We provide a platform for Enterprise customers to manage their social media and marketing strategy. We have an impressive customer base including UPS and Berkshire Hathaway. Our goal is to become a top 5 marketing platform in the world.
• Startup, been in business 3.5yr
• 8.5 million VC funding in latest round of funding
• Revenues increased year on year to half a million
• Grown to 56 people across the globe (HQ in SD, Sales office in Austin)
• Engineering is 8 people - the CTO and 7 engineers distributed across the US (4) and Europe (3)
• Culture of constant learning and professional growth
• Flex time, partial work from home
• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Life and Disability Insurance
• 15 days PTO + 10 holidays (13 days off total for holidays)
• Brand new MacBook Air or MS Surface
Click here to send us your resume


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Classic Economy T-shirt
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Here is your customized art proof.
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31 May 2013
Thursday was a gorgeous sunny day, even though this is the end of autumn Down Under. We walked over to the train station in Redfern, stopping at the gorgeous French patisserie along the way. (Doesn't everyone have a croissant or pain au chocolat for brekkie?)
And passed a few
ibis along the way - IBIS!!!!!! Weren't they the sacred birds of
ancient Egypt or something like that? (Okay, Wikipedia says they were
revered by the ancient Egyptians - so we'll say they were sacred
birds.) How amazing is it to see ibis wandering around a neighborhood
park, eating crumbs and looking for food in the trash can! (And who
knew ibis were scavengers? Obviously, the ibis is not a sacred bird in Australia. Or they've forgotten they were revered in Egypt. Or they've started to mimic pigeons.)
The train ticket
is a bargain - gets you on the trains and buses and ferries! Plus they
are double-decker train cars! So we sat upstairs and had a wonderful
view, until the train turned into a subway as it entered the city
proper. And then we had wonderful views of the subway tunnel.
We emerged - oh, sorry, the proper term here in Australia is that we alighted
from the carriage - at Circular Quay. This is the non-circular shaped
(as in rectangular) boat basin and ferry terminal at the end of Sydney
Harbour. With, of course, views of the harbour and Harbour Bridge and
the truly iconic Opera House. Unbelievably gorgeous, the whole thing!
This is a beautiful city, although the building that make up the main part of the city are the usual steel and glass blocks, interrupted with the occasional cylinder or something a bit more interesting. Nothing else seems as interesting as the Opera House, which actually is more interesting in person than in photos. At first it looks like a sea shell, somehow opened or unfolded. But then one sees the texture on the shells, and suddenly it looks like a series of wings, with each individual feather etched into the structure. The architect, Jørn Utzon, was a relatively unknown until he designed this amazing building - and there were all kinds of controversies during the building of the Opera House, mostly due to changes in government and the new gov't's unwillingness to pay for such innovation, and so he resigned. The building was finished (took almost 10 years) and Utzon was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of Architects Australia at the opening - but he declined to attend. Wow! (You can read more about it here: http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/about/the_architect.aspx)
The Harbour Bridge crosses the harbour and links Sydney with North Sydney. Modern as it appears, it was actually designed and built in the 1920s-30s. Which makes it an Art Deco design. (More info here: http://www.sydneyarchitecture.com/ROC/QUA02.htm)
And you can actually walk on the bridge. Not on the nice flat part where the cars drive. No. When you walk the Harbour Bridge, you actually walk the BRIDGE. As in up the arch. And over the bridge. Insane. People PAY to walk the bridge. Richard asked how much it would take to get me to walk the top of the bridge. I think $10,000 might do it. Nothing less.
We keep encountering festivals and events, and Sydney is no different. Sydney is in the midst of their new winter festival, Vivid Sydney. There are banners and posters all over the Quay area, advertising the events. Basically, Vivid Sydney is, like many mid-winter festivals, a festival of lights (well, lights, sound, and ideas). Running from 6 PM to midnight, there are art installations using light as the medium - just one example is this tree, a rubber tree, covered in apples - REAL apples - which have been cored and LED lights added to the core - the apples are then lit up from within. We've seen various installations, and will definitely spend several evenings watching the city painted in light!
Richard had a medical appointment, so I hopped on the ferry to Manly Beach - mostly because it was a beautiful day, and the ferry to Manly is the longest ride.
There were beautiful views of the city as we left the quay, and of course the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Sailboats, tour boats, ferries - the harbour was full of boats. We didn't see anything exciting like dolphins or whales, but I suspect it isn't quite whale season yet.
Most people go out to Manly Beach for surfing, and their were certainly a few surfboards on the ferry. But there were quite a number of day trippers, like me, as well as bicycles and strollers and prams.
We alighted at Manly, and most people headed either to shop or toward the surfing beach, which is on the opposite side of the peninsula from where the wharf. I headed across the harbour beach, walking toward the wildlife refuge on the spit. But I was waylaid by the sulphur crested cockatoos who were eating pine nuts under the trees in the park.
The cockatoos were just fascinating to watch, and they didn't seem to mind people walking into their flock and taking photos. (They did fly away when a small child ran in, trying to catch one.) But a few cockatoos would walk right up to me, expecting some food. I kept tossing the pine nuts toward them, and a few would pick one up and try to peel the nut out of the husk. The two cockatoos here put on quite a show, arguing and bickering until one would flare out the crest, and that seemed to settle whatever their argument was, until they'd start up again a few minutes later. (I think the one on the right kept trying to steal the pine nuts.)
By the time I tired of the cockatoos, our ferry had left and a new one arrived - so this meant I had to go catch this new ferry (and had somehow spent 30 minutes just hanging out with the cockatoos!). And while I didn't get to see much of Manly or Manly Beach or surfers, I did see a sign about the Little Penguins of Manly Harbour - the little blue penguins nest here, and this is the end of nest building season. Eggs should start hatching pretty soon, and we can come back to Manly to try to see some little blue penguins at sunset. Fortunately, the ferries run until midnight, and we'll try to do this one evening.
The trip back afforded amazing views of the Opera House - the changing angles and changing views made it look like some abstract fan folding and unfolding as we sailed around the point on which it's located.
And I know I add way too many photos to the blog, but I just can't NOT add these photos - because the angle changes what the building looks like.
Sometimes it looks like sails of boats, skimming along the harbour.
Then the view changes and the pieces of the building telescope back inward, looking like a different building.
We shift around, and the Opera House turns into a modern cathedral!
A few minutes more, the building unfolds and opens up back into shells. Or maybe an origami flower unfolding.
As we head in to the ferry dock, the building resumes its usual view, and somehow it looks like it's settling back into place, almost like a bird settling its plumage back into proper array as it curls up for the night.
And as sunset is early, because this really is winter, the Opera House appears to be falling asleep, a series of interlocking shells or wings or bonnets or even hoop skirts.
Amazing, how sailing around a single building makes it come alive!
Richard and I met up as planned, right on time, and had our afternoon tea and coffee, watching more ferries ply the waters and crazy people march up and down the arch of the bridge. I tried to get photos of the silhouetted figures on the bridge, but my camera can only zoom so far and the photos turn all grainy with the setting light. But trust me, it looked like Gandalf leading the heroes into Mordor.


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Planar Constraint (평면 구속, Pyeongmyeon gusok, 平面拘束) is a Quanx ability in Denma.
Summary Edit
This is also called Dimensional Manipulator (차원 전환, Chawon jeonhwan, 次元轉換) or Plane Confinement or Surface Confinement. And also known as Edel's Room (이델의 방, Iderui bang / イデルの部室, Ideru no bushitsu / 易塞尔之室, 易塞爾之室, Yì sài ěr zhī shì). It's Edel tend to be poetic when naming.
Where user trap a target in two-dimensional plane. If user touch it after user free it from the planar constraint, the original values of its mass, volume, and time dimension get restored. Then, it slowy comes back to its original form. The person who trapped in the plane, feels like the space around whom suddenly stretches like an infinite stretch, just as it entering the warphole. It can also store food.
In Savoy Gaal (7), if anyone is faced with this ability, Devarim's dream seems to be treated as someone dying.
In (9), the user possible to form the continuous dimensional manipulate barrier in a space and hold the bullet in 2 dimensions and turn it's direction.
In (12), the user create planar archieves, and then, user archieve the formed archieves into a new plane, and user repeat until... In Sixteen (21), so it's perfect for delivering large goods.
In Sixteen (2), the user have short life expectancy.
In (23), the users can rip the someone's any part of the body with their ability.
In (41), the user can uses their dimensional power to freeze patients' virus include Space disease until the cure is developed and this is possible as long as patients doesn't combust.
In A Catnap (15), Balack (Balak) says to Monkey face and Mole face that he'll take the other arms first and give them back once he tear them up. Gatsu says to Balack that he'll unconfines the arms from the flat surface and give them back to them. Gatsu says the Security Department should know how dreadful Balack's ability is by now.
Users Edit
Applications Edit
- Dimensional Imprisonment, Time Stopping: Savoy Gaal (8) - Ch.56
- Dimensional Storage, Infinite Supply: Savoy Gaal (8) - Ch.56
- Barrier: Savoy Gaal (9) - Ch.57
- Trajectory Manipulation: Savoy Gaal (9) - Ch.57
- Severing: Sixteen (22) - Ch.109


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5 Steps OPPD Took to Engage Its Utilities Employees
Working in a market that constantly changes makes it hard to keep employees engaged.
Take the energy market for example: last year, the utilities industry ranked 15th out of 17th in engagement with only 59.2 percent of employees engaged. That's down 7.3 percent from 2014. What can organizations do to engage utilities employees?
Join Angela Galloway, HR Senior Organizational Development Consultant at Omaha Public Power District, as she discusses the 5 steps OPPD took to engage its utilities employees in a tough, changing market.


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The "Zeolite Membranes and Nanocomposites" group is focused primarily on the development and synthesis of zeolites, amorphous oxides and inorganic/organic composite materials, as well as their deposition as thin layers on various carrier materials. Sol-gel, polymer and hydrothermal technology are essential methods of synthesis. The application methods used are dipping, coating or spraying.
A major field of application is represented by nanoporous membranes for liquid filtration, pervaporation, vapor permeation and gas separation. Ceramic (pipes, flat membranes) and polymer (tape) carriers can be used in this context. Individual membrane types can be provided as prototypes up to the industrial scale.
Another field of application is the surface refinement and modification of concrete materials, natural construction materials, metals, polymers and glasses. Sample volumes for the large-scale sealing of, for instance floors, can be made available.
Current addition to our development efforts is surface coatings with catalytic, adsorptive or antiviral effect.
Services offered
- Development of zeolites, amorphous and crystalline oxides and inorganic/organic composite materials with specific properties for filtration, adsorption, catalysis or surface modification and -functionalization
- Development and manufacture of membranes for customized separation tasks in liquid filtration, pervaporation, vapor permeation and gas separation
- Development and manufacture of nanocomposites for surface refinement and modification for various basic materials
- Production of nanocomposite prototypes for large-scale applications


text: Taste of Antwerp is a great way to try some truly iconic dishes for a fraction of the usual price of dozens of restaurants and bistros – and the food you can taste, goes from traditionally Belgian to Mediterranean or French. The Antwerpen Proeft is the biggest culinary festival in Antwerp. The great selection of participating top restaurants, the beautiful location next to the Schelde, and the creative execution (decoration, fresh herbs, wooden plates) make this festival one of the top culinary festivals in Belgium


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In light of Ultra Street Fighter IV's inclusion in digital pre-orders of the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection, I've decided to dedicate some time to examining the most slept-on online-capable Street Fighter title: Street Fighter IV: Omega Mode. Packaged as a free alternate version within the edition select of USFIV, Omega uses leftover game files, recycled taunts, and repurposed animations to completely change each character's toolset; it's essentially a completely new and unique Street Fighter title built within SFIV's engine, with an entirely different balance philosophy than Ultra.
Omega was not popular at release due to some easy infinite combos — not to mention players' interest in Ultra as a more serious, competitive game. I personally think Omega went woefully unexplored for being an extremely interesting venture, and I've started a series where I document each character's Omega changes, and then show off some basic optimal combos.
This week I'm looking at Guile and Chun-Li. Guile was given two new special moves, both with motion commands, which significantly alter his basic combo routes. One is an unsafe double kick that mostly operates as a combo ender, while the other is Remy's Cold Blue Kick from Street Fighter III. His EX Sonic Boom can be thrown three times as a reference to Nash's Sonic Break super, which later appears in SFV as Guile's V-Trigger I. Overall Guile's new specials do little to annul his original two, and between his EX Boom and his plethora of juggles from a Flash Kick, it's clear this version of Guile was a testing ground for the one that would eventually show up in SFV.
Omega Chun-Li has more in common with the Chun-Li that showed up in the pre-release versions of SFV, with a crouching fierce that only cancels into EX moves and a jump-cancelable throwback to her 3rd Strike Hoyokusen Super Art. Her fireballs now have a motion command, allowing her a much greater capacity to walk around while zoning than her Ultra version. She also has what is probably the fairest divekick that Capcom has ever created. The execution on her lightning legs has been mitigated somewhat, paving the way for the motion legs she would eventually receive in SFV. Overall she's a bit more well-rounded and easier to play, as is typical for Omega characters.
Click here for a playlist of all Street Fighter IV: Omega videos I've released thus far. I'll add future videos to this playlist as I finish them.
I plan to go through the entire roster over time, so subscribe to the ShoryukenTube YouTube channel if you don't want to miss out!
Street Fighter IV: Omega Mode — Rose & Sagat analysis videos
Street Fighter IV: Omega Mode — Sakura & Cammy analysis videos
Street Fighter IV: Omega Mode — Introduction, FAQ, & Ryu analysis video


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Songkran Festival
Thai's celebrate their New Year with the Songkran festival. Originally, this involved sprinkling a small amount of water on ones elders as a token of respect but these days you're more likely to be confronted with buckets and a collection of high powered water guns as everyone joins in up to five days of soaking fun.
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NanoLumens Weighs In: What Casinos and Sports Arenas Have in Common
NanoLumens contends that casino spaces, like sports stadiums, require LED digital signage technology to stand out from the brightness.
Organizations are seeing a boon when implementing AV over IP technology, and integrators are finding happy customers when installing AV over IP. In this webinar, you'll learn exactly why you need AV over IP.
The one-hour webinar will discuss the basics of fiber cable, as well as how its bandwidth capabilities support today's and tomorrow's AV formats, and guidelines for specifying and installing fiber products.


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Increased sessions on your online store is the first step to growing your top line.
Tried & true marketing systems that drive traffic, increase sales and gain customers.
A conversion-focused marketing strategy will help propel your brand forward and hit those ambitious sales goals.
Electric Eye will build your online business a marketing system that works.
Tried & true marketing systems that drive traffic, increase sales and gain customers.
Electric Eye are ecommerce professionals and Shopify Experts that want to help you build a conversion optimized online store.
We partner with brands like yours to save them time and build systems that work.
More Traffic
Increased sessions on your online store is the first step to growing your top line.
More Customers
Strategically convert new visitors from anonymous traffic to customer.
More Sales
Smart marketing will increase your online stores sales.
No. But you should be wary of anyone who does. There are factors that are out of everyone's control. What we can do is extrapolate from available data.
At this time we only offer managed marketing for Facebook Ads and Google Ads. Facebook owns Instagram, it's the same network.
We charge a flat fee vs 20% of your media spend.
Unfortunately, that's not a viable business model for us right now.
Honestly, it really depends. We strive for quickest results. We say 3 months is the minimum timeline it takes to collect solid data for any meaningful assessment.
Unless you're funded, you should be a $250k+ business for this type of engagement.
We recommend a solid feed software for optimal results. It's not very expensive.
Yes, in order to place your ad spends, you'll need to use a credit card.
Unfortunately, no. We link your credit card so you can directly pay for ad spends.
Short answer is yes but this is a very open ended question. Contact us and we'd be happy to help.
Before working with Electric Eye our ad strategy and practices were a complete mess. They were able to help restructure our strategy and implement best practices that have put us on track to the most profitable year in the history of our company.
The team at Electric Eye demonstrated exemplary professionalism while working with us to implement the automated email marketing program. They are also very honest and great communicators. I highly recommend working with them.


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Blogging and tweeting less for more.
By more I mean more time for my husband and son and my health (spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical). The summer semester class is twice a week and more intense than my other classes before. After I finish this post, I am getting ready to drive to the office to work to make up this week's work hours I spent at school. Happy Weekend Everyone!
Sunset yesterday evening. My family and I were driving back home after buying some dinner to eat at home. We ate dinner and watched a movie together when we got home.
Click on the "Six Word Saturday" badge above for more Six Word Saturday entries and details.


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Is Something Missing in Your Life? It Might be Gratitude.
Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for. -Zig
Do You Want Things To Be Different? You've Got to Step Away First…
I just got back from co-facilitating an amazing career retreat in Sonoma, CA. It was beautiful there – outstanding food and wine, and accommodations that left nothing to be desired.
What to do When Stress Takes Over, Part II
In Part I of my stress management series, I talked about how breathing techniques and meditation can help you regroup when you're under stress. Now, I want to show you
What to do When Stress Takes Over, Part I
I've talked about stress – the good versus the bad, as well as what to do to prevent stress from taking over your life. However, if stress already has a
Proven Strategies to Prevent Stress, Part II
If you enjoyed Part I of my Proven Strategies to Prevent Stress post, read on to find out more techniques you can apply right now to transform the way you
Proven Strategies to Prevent Stress, Part I
Everyone experiences stress at one time or another, and as I mentioned in a previous post, stress can not only be normal, but a positive motivator as well. You can't
Good Stress vs. Bad Stress: What's the Difference?
When was the last time you heard someone say "Lately I've been so stressed, but I've never been better!"? Even though you may tend to think of stress as something
Simple Communication Tips for Managers
I'm going to share some simple communication techniques for managers that can be used when building teams, resolving conflicts, and motivating people. These practical tips will help you get the


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You'll love the current Hot Deals, sorry you missed this deal. Bring the tranquility and peace of the night sky to the bedroom or nursery with the Northwest Stars Soothing Lullabies Projector and Clock for $9.99 (that's 71% off normal price of $34.95) featured on Tanga, a daily deal site, while supplies last. The Northwest Stars Soothing Lullabies Projector illuminates walls and ceilings with stars providing a gentle and inviting environment for sleep. Select from 10 lullabies with timeless melodies or the sound of birds singing or bells ringing for further relaxation. In addition to its properties of relaxation, the Northwest Stars Soothing Lullabies Projector and Clock serves as a full function alarm clock and indoor thermometer! Shipping is $4.99 on this deal. This post contains affiliate links, please visit my Disclosure Policy.
*Sold Out* $9.99 Stars Projector and Clock with Lullabies
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Are You Ready?
As a young singer, you may be asking yourself, "Am I ready for a Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition?" Even though prize money is given, the real value to these auditions is what you learn from them.
Our auditions require four operatic arias in two or more languages of varying styles that best represent you at your current stage of vocal development. An in-depth knowledge of language, style, and musicianship is essential for a successful operatic audition.
You may audition for the National Council only once per season. There is no limit as to how many seasons you may audition, depending on your previous advancement in the competition. Please review the National Council eligibility requirements for more information.
Other unique benefits of the National Council Auditions are:
- To hear from professionals in the business. There are three judges at every level of the competition chosen from a selected list of professionals in the business. We make them available to you following the competition for feedback, so that you might ask questions and hear first-hand their thoughts about your presentation that day.
- To assess your vocal development. The best way to improve at auditioning is to do more auditions. This is a chance to sing a professional audition and get a better idea of how your audition skills compare to the other singers of the day. We encourage singers to sit in and observe the auditions to get a full picture of the vocal talent that day.
- To advance professionally. The judges for the National Council are part of a larger network of industry professionals. Many of them are in a position to recommend you for work, advanced study or an apprenticeship. National Council auditions can go beyond one day of singing and open doors for the future.
Applicants may choose to enter any District audition across the country regardless of whether they are a resident of the area. District winners must compete in the Region Finals of the Region in which they were District winners. Because we allow singers to audition in the National Council District of their choice, there will be certain unavoidable instances when a panel includes a judge with a connection to one or more contestants. While we work to avoid this situation, please be assured that judges are required to recuse themselves from deliberations about singers with whom they have previously worked.
Application deadlines for the National Council Auditions are determined by local Districts and Regions. Please refer to the District and Region Audition Information section for the audition dates and deadlines for your area. District auditions usually occur October through February with the winners advancing to the Region Finals, which are generally held during the same months.
The National Semifinals and Grand Finals Concert will take place in New York City at the Metropolitan Opera House in the spring on the following dates for the 2019-2020 season:
Arrival in New York for Semifinalists - Friday, February 21, 2020
National Semifinals - Monday, February 24, 2020
National Grand Finals Concert - Sunday, March 1, 2020


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West End, let's get ready to rock: a new year group have been announced to play the kids' cast of Andrew Lloyd Webber's School Of Rock The Musical!
Class will be in session from 23 February (lucky for them, just after February half-term!) for the new school group, who'll be making up Dewey's band and playing live at every performance at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.
They'll also see School Of Rock The Musical through its celebratory 1000th West End performance, which will take place on 6 March. And to think that, at their age, we were finding Grade II piano difficult…!
The three teams of twelve kids will star Sebastian Adams-Eaton (eleven years old from Suffolk), Jasper Bew (eleven years old from London), and Amos Mayland (eleven years old from Cornwall) who will play Zack; Nayan Gupta (eleven years old from Sheffield), William Harvey (eleven years old from Stockport) and Jack Manders (nine years old from Buckinghamshire), who will play Freddy; Daniel Chang (eleven years old from London), Noah Gupta-Wright (thirteen years old from London) and Caspar Lloyd (eleven years old from Colchester) who will play Lawrence; Millie-Jayne Evans (nine years old from Plymouth), Evie Lawley (ten years old from London) and Sofia Wilkinson Hill (eight years old from Merseyside) who will play Katie; Tommy Featherstone (ten years old from London), Jakub Kopec (eleven) years old from Surrey) and Will Tarpey (twelve years old from East Sussex) who will play Billy; and Delilah Bennett-Cardy (ten years old from Hertfordshire), Amelie Green (eleven years old from London) and Nancy Hartley-Blake (eleven years old from Teesside) will play Summer.
The teams will also comprise Kaylah Black (twelve years old from London), Tallulah Byrne (twelve years old from Chelmsford) and Sara Sheen (thirteen years old from Manchester) who will play Tomika; Ikechukwudi Machie (ten years old from London), Teni Taiwo (twelve years old from Hertfordshire) and Stanley Voss (twelve years old from Buckinghamshire) who will play James; Calypso Bailey (twelve years old from Essex), Savannah Pages (eleven years old from Surrey) and Shani Roberts (ten years old from Essex) who will play Marcy; Maxwell Apple (ten years old from London), Todd Dachtler (eleven years old from London) and Vaughn Arthur Endraca (twelve years old from London) who will play Mason; Tia Belle Keilty (ten years old from Hertfordshire), Lily Jean Jackson (eleven years old from Essex) and Naniyah Owusu (nine years old from Essex) who will play Shonelle; and Charlotte Breen(ten years old from Bromley), Chloe Marler (nine years old from Essex) and Ellie Pavitt (eleven years old from Essex) who will play Sophie.
School Of Rock The Musical is now in its third West End year at the Gillian Lynne Theatre. Last October, the rip-roaring musical opened at Her Majesty's Theatre in Melbourne, from where it will go on to play stints in Brisbane, Sydney, Shanghai and Seoul.
Based on the brilliant film with Jack Black, the musical follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who poses as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. There, he teaches a class of straight-A students the only way he knows how: how to be a guitar-shredding, mind-blowing rock band!
It's currently booking until January 2020 – so there's plenty of opportunities to catch the next waves of rock gods of the future!


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Animal rights group helps cancel SoCal elephant rides
Animal rights group helps cancel SoCal elephant rides
Elephant rides are becoming endangered species at SoCal parades, zoos, fairs and festival. Contributed photo.
Several organizations have yanked elephant rides from street fairs, festivals and zoos in SoCal, thanks to the lobbying efforts of Animal Defenders International. The company that provided the pachyderms, Have Trunk will Travel, Inc., is owned by Gary and Kari Johnson in Perris.
Here's the press release by Animal Defenders International with a video:
January 25, 2013, LOS ANGELES, CA–Upland City Council and the Fairplex have confirmed they have cancelled elephant rides at the Upland Lemon Festival, which runs April 26, 27, and 28
Animal Defenders International (ADI) contacted Upland City Council and the Fairplex last year after discovering they had contracted Have Trunk Will Travel (HTWT) to provide elephant rides at the Upland Lemon Festival. ADI, joined by several local animal activists, presented festival organizers ADI's undercover footage of HTWT owners and trainers "hooking" their elephants with bullhooks, beating and shocking them during routine training sessions.
Several other SoCal municipalities and venues have severed ties with Have Trunk Will Travel amidst protests and public outcry, including the Orange County Fair, Los Angeles County Fair, Santa Ana Zoo, and the cities of Fountain Valley and Sierra Madre.
"ADI applauds Upland City Council and The Fairplex for ending the elephant rides at the Upland Lemon Festival, joining the worldwide trend of progressive fairs, cities and nations which have decided to shun entertainment that involves animal cruelty," said Jan Creamer, ADI's president. "Trainers use brutal methods, bullhooks and electric shocking devices, to control these elephants for rides, and this decision will go far to set a positive example to other events across the country which we hope will soon follow their lead. ADI will be actively encouraging festival organizers to make this a permanent policy so we never see elephants at the Upland Lemon Festival again."
**Disclaomer connected to this blog…there will be more -B


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|A financial perspective on tuberculosis treatment adherence
Rupal Kulkarni
Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2019 23(1):1-2
|Stress among workers in diamond cutting and polishing occupations
Girijesh Kumar Yadav, Sunil Kumar, Mahatam Mishra
Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2019 23(1):3-6
This study was conducted to assess the level of stress among diamond workers with respect to their job task. Three hundred and forty-two diamond workers were enrolled from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, with age ranging between 18 and 60 years, belonging to five different job tasks – ghat tarasi (N = 37), table cutting (N = 35), talia bottom (N = 123), athpel (N = 78), and mathala (N = 69). Depression anxiety stress scale (DASS) was used to assess the level of stress among diamond workers. Results showed a mild level of stress (M = 15.41, SD = 8.7) among diamond workers. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed no significant difference in stress scores across different job tasks except ghat tarasi workers. Ghat tarasi workers did not exhibit stress. Hence, the level of stress among diamond workers have not been significantly influenced by their job task apart from ghat tarasi workers.
|Perceived and manifested health problems among informal e-waste handlers: A scoping review
Sapna Mishra
Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2019 23(1):7-14
E-waste being hazardous in nature demands scientific management thereby protecting and safeguarding the health of the workers. A major chunk of e-waste ends up in informal sectors where crude methods are employed thereby risking the health of workers. The current scoping review, Based on Arksey and O'Malley's framework was done to explore the available literature to summarize the perceived and manifested health problems among informal e-waste workers. A literature search was done in three databases namely PubMed, Web of Science and ScienceDirect between 1/01/2010 and 1/01/2018. All the titles and abstracts were scrutinized to include only those studies on the basis of health symptoms/problems among workers. Health problems, thus explored, were categorized into five broad categories- physical injuries, respiratory, skin, musculoskeletal, and other general health problems. Major factors which could be related to health problems were job designation, age, non-usage of personal protective equipment, exposure to dust, and hazardous chemicals.
|How safe are industries in India? Ascertaining industrial injuries in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, India by capture-recapture method
Sajjan S Yadav
Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2019 23(1):15-20
Context: Every year, more than 4 million people die from injuries worldwide. India reported 413,457 deaths due to unintentional injuries in 2015. Manufacturing industry is a major contributor to injury morbidity and mortality. Aims: This study aims to estimate the burden of industrial injuries in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, India. Settings and Design: Dadra and Nagar Haveli is a small territory spread over 491 sq. km, having a population of 343,709 as per 2011 population census. Methods and Materials: The two-sample capture-recapture method was used for ascertainment of fatal and non-fatal injuries reported from 1st January to 31st December 2017. The first capture was data of injuries extracted from First Information Reports registered by the police. The recapture was data of injuries reported by the government health facilities. Statistical Analysis Used: Chapman estimator was used to derive total fatal and non-fatal injuries. An analysis was done using Microsoft Excel software. Results: According to police records, there were nine fatal and eight non-fatal injuries during the study period. Health facilities reported 21 fatal and 113 non-fatal injuries. Six cases of fatal and 3 cases of non-fatal injuries were found in both the data sources. The capture-recapture analysis estimated 30 fatal (95% CI: 20 to 40) and 225 non-fatal injuries (95% CI: 90 to 420). Conclusions: Both records of police and government health facilities underestimate fatal and non-fatal injuries with under-reporting more pronounced in police records.
|Risk assessment in mining-based industrial workers by immunological parameters as copper toxicity markers
Rajani Ganpatrao Tumane, Nirmalendu Nath, Aqueel Khan
Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2019 23(1):21-27
Background: Manifestation of certain health morbidity in copper dust–exposed subjects impels us to obtain a cogent view regarding the implicate relationship of immunoglobulin on health risk assessment in them. We present here immunological profile of copper pit worker and office employees residing in the vicinity. Rationale of this study is to delineate the risk factors involved for copper toxicity. Materials and Methods: Copper mine workers (n = 87) were selected from a copper mine at Malanjkhand. Blood metal concentration and immunological profile such as IgG, IgM, IgA, and IgE were analyzed from these subjects. Data analysis was carried out using proper statistical tools. Results: Chronically copper dust–exposed miners (N = 71) and office employees (N = 47) exhibited significantly higher contents of copper (P < 0.0001) when compared with normal control. Serum IgG and IgA were found to be elevated significantly (P < 0.0001) in them when compared with both office employees and normal control. Contrarily, significant decrease in serum IgM was observed in both the groups when compared with normal control (P < 0.0001). Serum IgE was found to be elevated more significantly only in miner when compared with normal control. Copper exhibited significant positive Pearson's correlation coefficient with IgE, IgG, and IgA (r = 0.39; r = 0.28; r = 0.21) but negative correlation (r = −0.39) with IgM. Odds ratio analysis validated that elevated levels of IgE in miner and decrease in levels of IgM in both groups were truly affected by increase in copper levels from normal to abnormal. Conclusion: Miners are prone to morbidity such as type 2 diabetes and respiratory discomfort (asthma and hypersensitivity) since imbalance in both IgM and IgE is known to be associated with such morbidity. Immunopathy observed in chronically exposed miners could be attributed to copper toxicity in them.
|Blood pressure and lipid profile in automechanics in relation to lead exposure
Chikaodili Nwando Obi-Ezeani, Chudi Emmanuel Dioka, Samuel Chukwuemeka Meludu, Ifeoma Joy Onuora, Saheed Opeyemi Usman, Obiageli Bridget Onyema-Iloh
Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2019 23(1):28-31
Context: Elevated blood pressure and alterations in lipid and lipoproteins play a major role in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases. Aim: This study is aimed at determining the blood pressure and lipid profile in automechanics. Settings and Design: A total of 120 male subjects between 18 and 55 years of age comprised 60 automechanics and 60 age-matched occupationally unexposed control subjects in Emene, Enugu State, Nigeria. Subjects and Methods: Four milliliters of fasting blood samples was collected from all subjects, 2 mL of blood was dispensed into K2-EDTA vacutainer tube for blood lead analysis, while the other 2 mL was dispensed into plain vacutainer tube, allowed to retract, centrifuged, and the serum used for serum lipid profile analysis. Blood pressure was measured using aneroid sphygmomanometer. Statistical Analysis: Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0 was used for data analysis. Results: Automechanics had significantly higher values of systolic and diastolic blood pressures compared with the controls. Serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), and triglyceride (TG) were also significantly higher in the automechanics compared with the controls (P < 0.05); serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level, however, did not differ significantly between the two groups (P > 0.05). Blood lead level showed a significant positive correlation (P < 0.05) with systolic and diastolic blood pressures, serum TC, LDL-C, VLDL-C, and TG, with no significant correlation with serum HDL-C (P > 0.05) in the automechanics and no correlation in the controls. Conclusion: The result of this study indicates that blood pressure is elevated and lipid profile altered in automechanics which suggests that these groups of workers are prone to increased risk of developing hypertension and cardiovascular disorders due to occupational exposure to lead.
|Knowledge and perception of farmers regarding pesticide usage in a rural farming village, Southern India
Minnikanti Venkata Satya Sai, G Devi Revati, R Ramya, Ann Mary Swaroop, Eswaran Maheswari, Mudigubba Manoj Kumar
Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2019 23(1):32-36
Background: Farmers are extensively using pesticides for pest control in agriculture. Their precarious handling practices may lead to higher exposure resulting in adverse health effects. Aim: Current study was aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practices regarding pesticide usage and its toxic effects by farmers. Settings and Design: Cross sectional, Study Setting: Rural village in south Karnataka. Materials and Methods: Sample size: 171 farmers, Data collection: face to face standardized validated questionnaire. Statistical Analysis: Chi-square test. Results: A total of 118 males and 53 females participated in this study with median age of 40 years. About 61% of the farmers knew the harmful effects of pesticides. However, 22% of them were mixing the pesticides using their bare hands and 26% were not wearing any protective clothing during spraying pesticides. Around 67% were carelessly disposing the leftover pesticides in the open fields. Skin problems and neurological system disturbances were the most common pesticide related health symptoms. Equipment washing practices (P < 0.05) and protective clothing (P < 0.03) were significant predictors of health related problems. Significant associations were found between the occurrence of headache and equipment washing practices (P < 0.03), storage of pesticide remains (P < 0.02) and protective clothing (P < 0.01). Conclusion: These findings showed that knowledge level is adequate among farmers but this did not reflect in their practice. There is a need for continuous pesticide safety education along with training to the farmers regarding use of personal protective devices, personal hygiene and sanitation practices during and after application of pesticides.
|Contact sensitization to formaldehyde in veterinary medicine – An unexplored field in occupational health
Maya G Lyapina, Vasil K Manov, Mariana P Cekova
Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2019 23(1):37-41
Background: Veterinary staff and students could be exposed to formaldehyde – a ubiquitous agent, common cause of contact allergy. Aim: To evaluate the incidence of contact sensitization to formaldehyde in exposures in veterinary medicine. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted during July–December 2017. Materials and Methods: A total of 206 individuals were included, patch tested with formaldehyde 1.0%/aq – 36 veterinary medicine students, 20 veterinarians, 47 students and 28 trainees of dental medicine, 41 dental professionals, and 35 non-occupationally exposed individuals. Results: The incidence of contact sensitization to formaldehyde among the whole studied population was 48.1%, highest being among the students of veterinary medicine (94.4%) and the veterinarians (85%). With very high significance, the sensitization incidence was higher in the groups of students of veterinary medicine and veterinarians, if compared to the control group (P < 0.001); (P = 0.004), dental professionals (P < 0.001); (P = 0.001), trainees of dental medicine (P < 0.001); (P = 0.005), and students of dental medicine three-fourth year of education (P < 0.001); (P = 0.001). Significantly, higher was the incidence of contact allergy in the control group if compared to those of dental professionals (P = 0.033) and dental students three-fourth year of education (P = 0.028). Conclusions: The exposure to formaldehyde during the education in veterinary medicine and practice could be an important risk factor for the onset of contact sensitization. Stricter preventive measures are needed to reduce veterinary student's and lecturer's exposures. Equipment of dissection tables with local exhaust ventilation system could reduce the concentration of formaldehyde in the gross anatomy laboratory.
|Knowledge, attitude, and practice of pesticides use among agricultural workers
Fatemeh Rostami, Maryam Afshari, Masomeh Rostami-Moez, Mohammad Javad Assari, Ali Reza Soltanian
Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2019 23(1):42-47
Background: Pesticides have critical effects on human health. Because of the high amount of pesticides used, individual exposure is almost inevitable. According to the above-mentioned issues, few studies have been done in this area in Iran. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice of pesticides use among farmers in Kabudrahang County, Hamadan Province, Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Kabudrahang County. Data were collected from 262 farmer's sprayer, during April to July 2016. Data were collected, using convenience sampling through interviews with the farmers who had spryer during period spraying. Data collection instrument was a questionnaire that included three sections. Content validity ratio and content validity index indicators were used to measure the validity of questionnaire used from. Data were recorded in SPSS version 21.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois) and were analyzed using frequency analysis and Pearson correlation test. Results: Burning eyes and dizziness were the greater symptoms of poisoning with pesticides. Overall, most of them did not have proper knowledge. Many farmers had proper attitudes toward the use of personal protective equipment. However, 37.4% of them reported that the use of personal protective equipment is not easy. The farmers' practice toward the use of the personal protective equipment correlated with their knowledge and attitude (P < 0.001). Conclusion: It is proposed that educational sets consisted of acquaintance with poisons and their applications, storage, and carrying the pesticides, the methods for effective of different individual protection facilities, and utilizing the behavior to reduce the exposure to poisons should be developed and be available to farmers.
|A cross-sectional study of prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress among professional cab drivers in New Delhi
Akanksha Rathi, Vikas Kumar, Amrita Singh, Panna Lal
Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2019 23(1):48-53
Background: The profession of drivers is one of the occupational groups exposed to very poor working conditions. This study aimed to establish the prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress among cab drivers. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 134 cab drivers. Their mental health status was assessed with the help of a screening tool – Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). Their demographic details, working conditions, lifestyle factors and use of habit-forming substances were also assessed with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire. Results: It was revealed that all cab drivers were male and between 20 to 64 years of age. Eighty two (62%) drivers said they are sometimes irritated at work, 29 (21.5%) said they feel irritated daily and rest 23 (17.2%) said that they were never irritated at work. When screened for depression, anxiety and stress, it was found out that 81 (60.5%) were suffering from depression, 63 (47%) from anxiety and 49 (36.5%) had variable degree of stress. Conclusion: Cab drivers are at high risk of acquiring mental health diseases, yet the mental health of this large workforce is ignored.
Δευτέρα, 15 Απριλίου 2019
Occupational and Environmental Medicine
|From boom to bust: a typology of real commodity prices in the long run
This paper considers the evidence on real commodity prices from 1900 to 2015 for 40 commodities, representing 8.72 trillion US dollars of production in 2011. In doing so, it suggests and documents a comprehensive typology of real commodity prices, comprising long-run trends, medium-run cycles, and short-run boom/bust episodes. The main findings can be summarized as follows: (1) real commodity prices have been on the rise—albeit modestly—from 1950; (2) there is a pattern—in both past and present—of commodity price cycles, entailing large and long-lived deviations from underlying trends; (3) these commodity price cycles are themselves punctuated by boom/bust episodes which are historically pervasive.
|The impact of labour policies on Canadian gold mines in World War II
This paper uses a financial and operational data set of Canadian gold mines between 1939 and 1945 to analyse the efficacy of two government labour market policies implemented in World War II. An early war policy designated the gold mining industry as vital for the war effort to boost gold output in order to purchase foreign reserves. The late war policy resulted in restrictions that prevented labour movement into and between the mines. We find that the first policy is largely ineffective in its goal. Although the market allocated labour to the lowest cost producers, the policy caused only a modest increase in gold output. To evaluate the second policy, we estimate the cost curves of the individual mines. The results indicate an inefficient allocation of labour across mines. The gold mining industry experiences operating costs 22% higher than with efficient labour allocation during this late war period. The estimated efficiency loss to the industry is nearly $58.4 million 1940 Canadian dollars.
|Welfare reform, 1834: Did the New Poor Law in England produce significant economic gains?
The English Old Poor Law, which before 1834 provided welfare to the elderly, children, the improvident, and the unfortunate, was a bête noire of the new discipline of Political Economy. Smith, Bentham, Malthus, and Ricardo all claimed it created significant social costs and increased rather than reduced poverty. The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, drafted by Political Economists, cuts payments sharply. Because local rules on eligibility and provision varied greatly before the 1834 reform, we can estimate the social costs of the extensive welfare provision of the Old Poor Law. Surprisingly there is no evidence of any of the alleged social costs that prompted the harsh treatment of the poor after 1834. Political economy, it seems, was born in sin.
|Distinct within North America: living standards in French Canada, 1688–1775
I use a novel dataset of prices and wages from the French colony of Quebec (Canada's second largest province today) to measure colonial-era living standards. Following Allen's (Explor Econ Hist 38(4):411–447, 2001; The British industrial revolution in global perspective, Cambridge University, Cambridge, 2009; Econ Hist Rev 68(1):1–22, 2015) welfare-ratios approach, I find that Quebec was poorer than the American colonies and London, but somewhat richer than Paris and Southern England. The Quebec–Paris comparison is sensitive to changes in the basket used to compare wages. Shifting from a bare bones basket to a respectable basket, Quebec loses its advantage over Paris, but remains poorer than the American colonies and London.
|Regional prices in early twentieth-century Spain: a country-product-dummy approach
This paper explores regional price variation in early twentieth-century Spain. Using consumer price information from the bulletins published by the Instituto de Reformas Sociales between 1910 and 1920, we build a dataset with a total of 40,581 quotes covering 22 items for each of the 49 provinces. We then estimate provincial price levels following a country-product-dummy (CPD) approach. Our findings suggest that spatial price variation existed across Spanish provinces. In line with the Balassa–Samuelson conjecture, consumer prices and productivity levels were somewhat related. Additionally, it is shown that prices rose in all provinces after the outbreak of World War I. Even more, it appears that this demand-shock brought about spatial asymmetries in price growth.
|Human lifetime entropy in a historical perspective (1750–2014)
This paper uses Shannon's entropy index to the base 2 to quantify the risk relative to the age at death in terms of bits (i.e. the amount of information revealed by tossing a fair coin). We first provide a simple decomposition of Shannon's lifetime entropy index that allows us to analyse the determinants of lifetime entropy (in particular its relation with Wiener's entropy of the event "death at a particular age conditional on survival to that age") and to study how the risk about the duration of life is resolved as the individual becomes older. Then, using data on 37 countries from the Human Mortality Database, we show that, over the last two centuries, (period) lifetime entropy at birth has exhibited, in all countries, an inverted-U shape pattern with a maximum in the first half of the twentieth century (at 6 bits), and reaches, in the early twenty-first century, 5.6 bits for men and 5.5 bits for women. It is also shown that the entropy age profile shifted from a non-monotonic profile (in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries) to a strictly decreasing profile (in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries).
|The impact of the 1932 General Tariff: a difference-in-difference approach
We evaluate the effect of the 1932 British General Tariff on the output, labour productivity and employment growth of British industries. We provide a new disaggregated data set that matches industry-level Census of Production data with industry-specific tariff rates to accurately isolate treatment and control groups and estimate the effect of the General Tariff using difference-in-difference regressions. We evaluate a two-group comparison, between newly and non-newly protected industries, and a three-group comparison, between non-newly protected industries and newly protected industries further divided into those given a baseline 10% tariff rate and those given additional tariffs. In the two-group comparison, we identify a tariff effect that is large and statistically significant on output and productivity. In the three-group comparison, we show that the positive output and productivity effects of the tariff arise from the additional tariff protection, over and above the 10% level. These effects are observed over the periods 1930–1935 and 1930–1948, suggesting both short-run and medium-term effects on output and productivity of UK industries protected by the 1932 General Tariff.
|The introduction of the reserve clause in Major League Baseball: evidence of its impact on select player salaries during the 1880s
This paper investigates the impact of baseball's reserve clause as it evolved from a "gentleman's agreement" to a formal contract stipulation. Using data describing the salaries of 34 Major League Baseball players during the 1880s, we test whether average salaries, remuneration to marginal product, and the premium paid to a player for changing teams were materially impacted when the reserve clause became binding in 1887. The empirical results suggest that, controlling for player attributes and the overall macroeconomy, average real salaries in the sample fell by 6–9% after the binding reserve clause. We also find that the premium for moving to a new team was reduced by 70% after the binding reserve clause was implemented, supporting Rottenberg's invariance principle.
|Monetary and fiscal interactions in the USA during the 1940s
It is generally assumed that the buildup of liquid assets in the USA during WWII played a large role in generating postwar economic activity. Contrary to this assumption, I establish that military contract spending during the war slowed down the growth of bank balance sheets at the state level during the period 1940–1955. State-level bank balance sheets are 10.8 cents smaller per $1 of total military spending by 1949 and 5.8 cents smaller by 1955. This is primarily driven by slower growth of demand deposits. The adjustment on the asset side is largely through reserves and Treasury holdings. Local lending also grows more slowly after the war, but this decrease is relatively small and temporary. This suggests that the local real economy was largely insulated from the slower growth in deposits by the wartime buildup of paper assets. Historical evidence points to the fact that slower growth of deposits is likely driven by a relative decline in demand for deposits by large corporations in war industries.
|Key forces behind the decline of fertility: lessons from childlessness in Rouen before the industrial revolution
To better understand the forces underlying fertility decisions, we look at the forerunners of fertility decline. In Rouen, France, completed fertility dropped between 1640 and 1792 from 7.4 to 4.2 children. We review possible explanations and keep only three: increases in materialism, in women's empowerment, and in returns to education. The methodology is one of analytic narrative, bringing together descriptive evidence with a theoretical model. We accordingly propose a theory showing that we can discriminate between these explanations by looking at childlessness and its social gradient. An increase in materialism or, under certain conditions, in women's empowerment, leads to an increase in childlessness, while an increase in the return to education leads to a decrease in childlessness. Looking at the Rouen data, childlessness was clearly on the rise, from 4% in 1640 to 10% at the end of the eighteenth century, which appears to discredit the explanation based on increasing returns to education, at least for this period.