text:
|Date posted
Hi there,
We are recruiting for individuals who are matured and opinionated for our Mystery Shopping, if you'll like to find out more, kindly read on....
What is Mystery Shopping?
Mystery Shopping is an evaluation method that is practiced since 1940's by companies or firms to find out how their products and services are received and thought by their customer. In Mystery Shopping, it involves Mystery Shopper posing as a regular customer evaluating products and services provided by the company.
With the evaluation, crucial information will be generated with objectives to improve service quality that hence, improve the sales and the revenue in a company/ firm.
Currently, we are embarking in a project that involves Retailers nationwide (Peninsula Malaysia only) and require matured and opinionated individuals who are interested to be our Mystery Shopper and conduct an evaluation for a designated retailer within their vicinity.
Each shop is different individually and has specific areas to evaluate during the time of visit. You'll be trained prior to the assignment to ensure that the Mystery Shopping is conducted according to the "Designated Retailer's" norm.
We need people between 30 to 65 years old who owned or a user of a car which is not older than 10 years. You'll be paid if you visit the retailer assigned and when you complete the questionnaire.
Therefore, if you are interested, please provide the information as listed below and e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com for our review:
Industry Working In:
Contact Number:
Email Address:
Your Current Location:
Travelling Location
(For frequent outstation traveler)
Car Brand / Model / Age of the Car (Owned):
Car Brand / Model / Age of the Car (Household):
Current Value of Your Car:
Convenient Contact Time:
This project is currently on-going; therefore, we'll appreciate if you could send in your information ASAP. If you have any friends who are interested, kindly e-mail us their particulars for assessment. Nonetheless, prospect will be assessed before the assignment and assignment is upon our client's approval.
If there are further clarifications required, please do not hesitate to contact us, Azreen at (+6)03 - 7801 0688 Ext.326 for clarification.
We look forward to your application.
Thank you and best regards,
|(+6)03 - 7801 0688
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Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Okay. On to querying. Boo! Did I scare you?
Are any of you out there afraid of querying? Possibly making up excuses to do yet another edit or revision before querying?
Because, let's face it. Querying will always involve rejections. I think I've gotten a thick skin from querying in the past but still. When you put our your nice, new, shiny manuscript out in the worlds, inevitably you WILL see those words.
Thank you for your interest in our agency. I'm afraid I'll have to pass on your novel, MY BABY, THE LOVE OF MY LIFE, THE FRUIT OF MY LOOM, METAPHORICALLY SPEAKING. The publishing world is very subjective and yada yada yada.
Any of you ever get palpitations hitting that send button while querying? Or needed a glass of wine/Xanax/transcendental meditation to do so?
Posted by Lydia Kang at 6:00 AM
36 comments:
- Jennifer Walkup said...
Jumping in with the first query or two is the worst. After that it gets easier, well at least a bit less scary to hit send anyway. Good luck and I love the query spider!
- May 5, 2010 at 6:19 AM
- India Drummond said...
It isn't the querying that gets me, it's the compulsively hitting 'send/receive' on my email that drives me bat-shit crazy.
- May 5, 2010 at 6:36 AM
- Matthew MacNish said...
Yes I definitely used to. But by now I've had so many rejections that it doesn't matter. EVERYONE gets rejected. I consider it a badge of honor. If I wasn't getting rejections that would mean I wasn't querying and that might mean I didn't have a novel that I was proud enough of to try to get it published. I'd rather get rejected than never have written it.
- May 5, 2010 at 6:38 AM
- Unknown said...
Love the query spider. hehe. You saw my post yesterday, I think, so you know how frustrated I've been. Good luck with your querying and I hope you have success early.
- May 5, 2010 at 6:42 AM
- Amparo Ortiz said...
That query spider made my day!
I'm still editing my WIP, but I can feel that query spider approaching. Quite the scary scenario. I think what frightens me the most is not sending them, but refreshing my inbox every two seconds to see if agents have responded! Here's to hoping the spider dies!
P. S. I gave you an award on my blog, Lydia! Congrats!
- May 5, 2010 at 7:37 AM
- B.E. Sanderson said...
It's been a while since I queried, but just thinking about it... :shudder: No matter the squirms I get beforehand, though, I just suck it up and shoot them out. The first couple of any group I send out always make my heart race (and not in a good way), but by the time I send out the fifth, I'm calm. Until the next group, that is.
- May 5, 2010 at 7:55 AM
- Janet Johnson said...
Yes, I keep doing the 'one more edit' thing. But really, it needs it! :) The query is written, critiqued . . . just need to take a deep breath and go for it.
And thank for stopping by my blog!
- May 5, 2010 at 8:10 AM
- Lindsay said...
OMG, this is me. I'm the keep editing girl.
My query is ready, I just need the nerves to send it.
- May 5, 2010 at 8:22 AM
- Jaydee Morgan said...
I'm not ready to query yet but I can imagine the apprehension will be there followed by the obsessive behavior to check emails every minute of the day.
- May 5, 2010 at 8:32 AM
- Jayne said...
Love the query spider! Also the novel title. :)
Oh yes. Queries are a weird sort of writers purgatory. I am gearing up for a query in the not too distant future and the thought of it is enough to bring me out in a cold sweat. Lots of chocolate needed for that hurdle, I feel!
- May 5, 2010 at 8:46 AM
- Christine Fonseca said...
I totally freak with querying...The rs don't get to me...unless they pile up. But, man, it is hard. My advice - a GREAT diversion! The process is slow, typically, just be prepared for waiting.
- May 5, 2010 at 8:56 AM
- Mayowa said...
HA! The fruit of my loom...classic.
Querying is hard at first, gets better though. I want to wall paper my writing nook with my rejections...almost there.
- May 5, 2010 at 9:20 AM
- Unknown said...
I'm definitely query phobic. With my wip, I thought it was ready to query. It had gone through the rounds with my crit group and my beta readers. Even my query had been worked on.
Turns out it wasn't enough.
I've been doing extensive revisions (e.g. adding more description) after taking two writer's workshops (boy did they help), and will send it out to new beta readers soon. But yes, I'm terrified to start querying again after my bad start.
- May 5, 2010 at 9:36 AM
- Angela said...
My experience is the opposite to most. I wasn't a bit afraid when I first started querying. I sent out an average of 3-4 queries a day. After many, many rejections--then came the fear. Last month I sent out only four queries. My fear? That I'll run out of agents to query and have to give up.
- May 5, 2010 at 11:46 AM
- Elana Johnson said...
Uh, yes. Double yes. All the time yes. It's horrible. I hated querying. I'm hoping I never ever have to do it again. Ever.
It's tough out there. But you can do it. We can do hard things. Good luck!
- May 5, 2010 at 12:04 PM
- Talli Roland said...
Querying sucks. Every time I hear a 'ping' when I'm querying I need to race over to my computer only to see a silly Prozac email or somesuch nonsense. Gr!
- May 5, 2010 at 12:10 PM
- Zoe C. Courtman said...
Ugh. Can't even THINK of the neurotic puddle of ooze I'll be come when it's time to send out the query for this current MS. Ack! Oh, hey - I tagged you over on my blog :D
- May 5, 2010 at 12:18 PM
- Alex J. Cavanaugh said...
Like anything else worth having in life, it requires persistence to obtain. Keep at it!
- May 5, 2010 at 12:51 PM
- Danielle said...
Yes, this is totally me! I know my book is close to being as good as I can make it, so I've set myself a deadline at which point I have to start querying, no excuses.
- May 5, 2010 at 2:03 PM
- Unknown said...
I haven't gotten to that stage of the game so I try not to think about it at the moment, but I'll admit I'll be scared when the time comes around! It's always nerve-wrecking to take a chance!
- May 5, 2010 at 2:11 PM
- Unknown said...
I won't be ready to query again for some time but I'm already dreading it. It's like going into a bar and proposing to absolutely everybody on the spot and hoping one of them actually heard you.
- May 5, 2010 at 3:08 PM
- Unknown said...
Oh, to hit the send button or not, that is the question. I always feel this way and my finger hovers over the send button for a long time.I think it's mainly because I'm about to send my baby out to get judged.
- May 5, 2010 at 3:18 PM
- Munk said...
I am definitely a query-phobe. I am terrified of burning bridges.
- May 5, 2010 at 4:20 PM
- Shannon O'Donnell said...
I'm okay with the querying part. It's the waiting part that absolutely terrifies me. :-)
- May 5, 2010 at 4:24 PM
- Rena Jones said...
I too, am okay with the querying part. And like Shannon, it's the waiting that's hard. Even more hard when you never hear anything.
- May 5, 2010 at 5:55 PM
- Jemi Fraser said...
Yup - I'm totally terrified of querying. Totally. *sigh*
- May 5, 2010 at 5:58 PM
- B.J. Anderson said...
Lol, all of the above. It's even worse when I see a reply in my inbox. Eek!! Love the query spider.
- May 5, 2010 at 6:20 PM
- Unknown said...
Querying is scary. But I kind of like the rush. That's prob why I love jumping out of planes too. They are very similar. ;)
- May 5, 2010 at 6:44 PM
I am still ages away from the querying stage, and already I am terrified of it! I'm not sure, when the time comes, I'll have the courage to hit "send."
- May 5, 2010 at 6:53 PM
- Gail said...
Oh my... deja vu. So hard to not make excuses! Then there;s the waiting,which does give you time to get over the query DTs. Of course it also gives you time to second guess your submission, your letter, belittle your writing skills so that when the rejection letter/email arrives, you've already planned for it! BUT, if you believe that putting out positive energy into the world brings positive energy back to you, then it would be good to affirm to yourself that you've done your best and good things will come at the right time. Hmmm.... think I'll try that!
Check out the giveaway on my blog:
- May 5, 2010 at 7:03 PM
- Vicki Rocho said...
Sick puppy that I am, I can't wait to query! It's moving on to the next stage, it's progress.
It's also kinda like taking a test. And I love taking tests! Only this is a test that you flunk time and again...but when you pass - woo hoo! Party time!
- May 5, 2010 at 8:22 PM
- Kathi Oram Peterson said...
You bet I get nervous before hitting the send key. But worse is seeing the return email and you know there's either a rejection or acceptance once you hit enter. Beads of sweat can pop out on my forehead. But it's like taking a bandage off, just pull it off quickly and sometimes it doesn't hurt at all. ;)
- May 5, 2010 at 8:53 PM
- Anna Staniszewski said...
Querying is such a roller coaster. I would get a request and get all excited, and then I'd get a rejection and have to eat some chocolate to cope. But as frustrating as it can be, I think it prepares you for the next step of the process: waiting for news from your agent on editors' responses. The ups and downs don't stop, but at least you have an agent there to cheer you on. It's all part of the crazy process, I guess!
- May 6, 2010 at 10:31 AM
- Jamie Grey said...
I still get the breathless jitters when I send something out. And the send/receive crazies! I finally had to have a little talk with myself and promise I'd only click refresh once every 5 minutes :)
I think the worst part is seeing a response come through and have that brief second of hope before you read the rejection. I'm counting on it being an acceptance someday. In the mean time, a big glass of wine always helps!
- May 6, 2010 at 7:00 PM
- angelarene said...
I love querying, only because it means I'm at the point of completion where I finally think my WIP is good enough....until the agent sends a form rejection and then I reach for the wine :)
- May 8, 2010 at 7:16 AM
- Patricia Stoltey said...
Yep -- I'm putting off queries on two manuscripts (need one more read, a little more self-editing). It's part of the game...
- May 10, 2010 at 7:31 PM

subset: commoncrawl


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Beyond Soup Dumplings: Shanghai Cafe Deluxe's Tasty Dumplings in Soup
We're soup dumpling-mad. When we go to a Shanghai-style Chinese restaurant, all too often we order soup dumplings, perhaps before we even sit down. But sometimes it pays to slow down and pay attention to the rest of the dumpling menu. On a recent visit to the excellent Shanghai Café Deluxe, our eyes lit on something called rice ball with pork in soup ($3.95). What a novel idea—dumplings in soup, rather than dumplings with soup inside them.
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Shanghai Café Deluxe
100 Mott Street, New York NY 10013 (map) 212-966-3988
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Catalogue No: WAWAD1AVAILABLE ONLY AS A DIGITAL DOWNLOAD14 tracks available for downloadFor Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Fiji,Papua New Guinea & other Oceanic territoriesclick here: For all other available territoriesclick here: streaming from our® channel, or listen now on Spotify®:
Prices listed are subject to change without prior notification. Purchases will be charged at prices in effect at the time order is placed.
1. Welcome to the Theatre 2. My Voice 3. Why Try to Change Me Now? 4. The Quintessential Love Song 5. American Trilogy '98 6. Pigalle 7. Leaving is Such a Cliché 8. Beautiful Sadness 9. I'm in the Mood for Love/Moody's Mood 10. Come to the Supermarket in Old Peking 11. Round About Midnight 12. My Flat 13. Amsterdam 14. Laughing Matters


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Plank Grilling Tips
Harry Aldrich's 10 steps for plank success
Cedar is an excellent source of smoky essence. The hotter thegrill, the better the smolder.
Soak the plank before using to keep the fish moist.
If the fillet is skinless, lightly spray vegetable cooking sprayon the plank.
After placing your choice of plank on the grill, cover grillimmediately.
Cedar planks may catch fire on the edges. Don't panic--it's nottime to put a pizza in the oven. Keep a spray bottle handy, ordouse lightly with water.
Test your fish by poking it with your index finger. Test thethickest part. Rare is soft, and medium is perfect. If it's hard,put in a pizza.
Remove the entire plank from the grill. The edges will becharred, brittle, and smoldering. Use a pair of oven mitts and aspatula to remove the plank and place on a fireproof servingplatter or a cookie sheet.
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Do not reuse disposable planks.
Do not eat the plank. It takes incredible quantities of water,wine, or beer to wash down any size portion.


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If you have been reading my blog in the last week, you will know that I have been pretty upset about a website using my content without my express permission.
I just received an email from one of the people responsible, and he is deeply sorry for what has occurred.
It really is a case of when a nice person makes a mistake.
So, just for the record:
- I have pulled the posts voluntarily
- If you did happen to get any of the details of people involved, please don't take it any further, especially those of you that have already been in touch with the administrators… leave it be.
The people involved are truly sorry, and I do wish them all the best!
Gnomer and Out!


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For those who could not attend the AAVSO 2013 Spring Meeting in person but wish to take part, we will be broadcasting the following 2 events via GoToWebinar:
Talk by AAVSO Vice President Jeno Sokoloski
"Working Together to Understand Novae"Friday, May 17 at 11:00am EDT (15:00 UT)
The AASVO's Citizen Sky Project has been producing a series of online talks as a part of a month-long celebration called Astro-April.
In the last couple of weeks we have presented 5 online talks on various astronomical subjects. (If you missed any of them, recordings are posted on the main Astro-April page.) The speakers have been engaging, the questions have been thoughtful, and we've given away $250 in "door" prizes!


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Long thought of as a pool of talent ripe for acquisition by Facebook or Google, Path, the mobile-focused social network, is making two big new hires.
With those moves, we believe Path CEO Dave Morin is sending a signal about his ambitions for long-term independence.
AllThingsD reports that Path just hired Kim Jabal, formerly of camera maker Lytro, as its CFO. That's a high-level position; most startups make do with a VP of finance.
And Business Insider has learned that Path has also hired Anne Toth, a former chief privacy officer at Yahoo and Google, as a consultant.
She's going to work on compliance issues with a settlement the company reached with the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC levied an $800,000 fine on the startup after it was found uploading users' address books without their explicit consent and allowing children under the age of 13 to sign up for accounts.
Morin has talked about his plans to make money directly from Path users via subscriptions, rather than from advertising, though it hasn't unveiled any subscription products yet. (It sells filters for enhancing photos, though in our experience of using Path, we've never seen anyone use them.)
Path, which limits users to mobile devices where they can keep up with a maximum of 150 friends, may have an opening given Facebook fatigue. Celebrities and teens, we hear anecdotally, are flocking to the service as an alternative to overexposure on social networks where everything is either public by default, like Twitter, or privacy settings are simply too confusing.
It has nearly 6 million registered users, about a quarter of whom are active at least once a week, and has raised $42 million from investors.
And the fact that Path is making high-profile hires like Jabal and Toth shows that the company is staffing up for big ambitions.


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Yesterday, I wrote about a woman Obama promised would get immediate help to ease her suffering from the ravages of Hurricane Sandy
I feel badly, very badly for this woman's problems. But, the fact is that she was used as a photo-op by the president, and once she was no longer needed? Well, under the Obama Magic Bus she went
I still feel I was right about this but Smitty of The Other McCain has a slightly different take that is worth considering
In President Obama, you have a man who fetishes the power of his utterances themselves. If he says 'immediate help', then it has been granted. If he says 'jobs', then a million flowers of work bloom, unless mowed down by those pesky Republicans, of course.
I agree that Obama has a massive ego. And yes, too many people get caught up in his words. Words which ring hollow and barren when it comes to producing anything worthwhile, but, in the end, this was just a political stunt.


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ESA at 50th Paris Air & Space Show
The 50th International Paris Air & Space Show at Le Bourget will open its doors on Monday 17 June. The Agency's pavilion, situated between the full-size models of the Ariane 1 and Ariane 5 launchers, will feature the wealth of ESA programmes across all space domains, and focus on recent and upcoming launches and their results.
This year, the emphasis is on space as a driver of competitiveness and growth. "Investing in space is investing in competitiveness and growth, through knowledge, innovation and services," notes Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA's Director General.
Competitiveness and growth
A full-size model of Alphasat, the largest and most sophisticated telecommunications satellite ever built in Europe, will sit in launch configuration in front of the pavilion. The first mission to use the Alphabus platform, it will be launched atop an Ariane 5 during the summer.
Alphasat and Alphabus are excellent examples of innovative public–private partnerships. ESA supports the development of satellite systems and technologies, opening up new markets for European industry by sharing expertise and risk in order to develop operational missions.
Technology development lies at the heart of ESA activities, helping European industry to improve its competitiveness worldwide. At Le Bourget, ESA will be showing some of the innovative and cross-cutting technologies currently flying on the latest satellites, Proba-V and ATV-4, along with others due to fly on the upcoming Alphasat, Gaia and Sentinel-1 missions.
In addition, ESA will present Ariane 5, Soyuz and Vega, the family of launchers operated from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, offering a complete range of services and capabilities from the best launch site available in the world today.
The various proposals for new versions of Ariane and Vega, under study since the end of 2012 and aimed at maintaining European competitiveness in this key strategic sector, will also be prominently featured.
Pushing back the boundaries of knowledge
An impressive display will show the results from the Planck mission, the most detailed map ever created of the Cosmic Microwave Background – the relic radiation from the Big Bang.
Planck is providing the most accurate values on the age, composition and expansion rate of the Universe, and is painting a new picture that is pushing us to the limits of understanding current cosmological theories.
This month, ESA is also celebrating 10 years of its Mars Express mission with an exciting presentation of its many discoveries and the unveiling of a new map of martian mineralogy.
The three elements of the ambitious ExoMars exploration mission, to be carried out by ESA in cooperation with Russia's space agency, will be presented on a dedicated Mars terrain.
Emphasis will be placed on the results gathered by the three Earth Explorer satellites already in orbit, addressing the most urgent questions facing Earth sciences: CryoSat is measuring the volume of Earth's land and sea ice, GOCE is studying Earth's gravity and SMOS is providing data on ocean salinity and soil moisture.
They will soon be joined by the Swarm constellation, which will carry out an unprecedented study of Earth's magnetic field.
Along with many experiments that have been conducted aboard the International Space Station, including Europe's Columbus laboratory, ESA will present a new and promising material derived from Station work. A titanium/aluminium alloy is set to reduce the mass of aircraft jet engine blades by 45%, bringing down the cost of flying and reducing the need for stopovers.
The docking of the fourth Automated Transfer Vehicle supply vessel, Albert Einstein, and the recent arrival on the International Space Station of ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano for a long-duration mission on behalf of Italy's ASI space agency, will also be covered. They reinforce the importance of Europe's role in this unique international partnership.
Space-based services
ESA has long worked in close cooperation with Eumetsat, improving weather forecasts and climate studies with the Meteosat and MetOp series, and new versions of both satellites are under study.
Data from both satellites will be displayed alongside examples of maps to assist disaster management authorities, produced under the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters. ESA is one of the founding members of the Charter, a cooperation between space agencies from all over the globe that manage Earth observation missions.
With the first of the Sentinel series of satellites due to be lofted into space in the coming months, the ESA Pavilion will once again show GMES/Copernicus.
This ambitious EU initiative for the benefit of Europe's citizens and decision-makers, provides access to accurate, timely information in order to manage the environment, understand and mitigate the effects of climate change, and ensure civil security.
There will be a special audiovisual feature to mark another first in 2013, when Europe determined a position on Earth using the first four satellites in its very own Galileo satellite navigation system.
Lastly, ESA will present the new Centres inaugurated this year as part of its Space Situational Awareness programme. This will give Europe the capability to obtain all the information it needs to protect its space and terrestrial infrastructures and to counter the risks from space debris, geomagnetic storms and asteroids.
A series of events will be hosted in the ESA pavilion during the week:


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About Us
Who We Are
To champion better vision for better lives.
Position members for success by promoting growth in the vision care industry through education, advocacy, research, consumer outreach, strategic relationship building and industry forums.
The Vision Council is a member-driven organization. Our Board of Directors includes representatives from each of the operating Divisions and Committees.
The staff at The Vision Council is committed to serving the needs of our members and the vision industry.
The Vision Council Values
Annual Reports
Our annual reports provide analysis about the programs and services of the organization.
From the 1940's to today, The Vision Council and the Better Vision Institute have served the evolving needs of optical industry.


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Friday, August 24, 2007
Wonderful Weekends..
Actually, going back to work hasn't been THAT bad. I enjoy my job very, very much. It's not stressful, I have great hours, I have the same days off the boys have; yeah, summer, Christmas, spring break, etc. I love that. It's just tough making the transition from summer fun to not summer fun. I realize I am fortunate in that I am able to go without pay for 8 weeks, I wasn't sure how that would go when I took this this lower paying job 4 (4!) years ago, but it's been worth it.
I had been commuting to downtown Minneapolis, taking me 1 1/2 hours to go 54 miles. It was getting old. So was wearing suits, heels and nylons. I don't think I've worn nylons since I worked downtown. Yes, driving or riding my bike into work, 7 miles from home, has been very nice indeed.
So while I'm back at work my running schedule is changing. I've been getting up early to run on my treadmill for 20-30 minutes, then hitting the trail with Topaz after work. Then I was feeling guilty for coming home from work and immediately heading to the trail, so there would be time for dinner and then jet off to football / baseball practice. I've found that it works well to hang out with the boys after work, cook and eat dinner, bring them to the fields with Topaz in the car, then head to the trail to run, picking up the boys later. It erases the guilt factor. A good thing. Mom guilt? Yeah.
I'm in week 4 of the Afterburn workouts. They've kicked my butt. I finished up the last one of week 4 today, now they increase a day, as well as the cardio for weeks 4-8. I'm going to hold back on Afterburn until I race Superior, then will get back at it. I've loved these workouts! 1 handed T pushups, squats, deadlifts; I love it.
Well, it's the weekend. Looks like a high, dry, sunny, beautiful weekend. I'll hit hills at Hyland, as Buck is closed due to erosion/wind damage. After this Hyland Hill workout I'll call it taper time. We're going to go to The Renaissance Festival. The boys opted for The Renaissance instead of the Minnesota State Fair this weekend. Fine with me. They have awesome turkey legs on the grill :)
Have a great weekend!
3 comments:
- Rebecca said...
Yeah, the T push ups and deadlifts are fun. I actually like that Afterburn does a lot of variations on squats & deadlifts - I noticed a difference in those areas as a result. I just saw the Nanny Diaries, so it's nice to hear about someone making choices that allow them to spend more time with their kids/family. Good for you!
- Cheryl said...
Hey Julie!
I've seen many people are really getting into this afterburn program and are really seeing great results. I have a question though - is it the type of program that I can do at home or do you need to have access to a "real" gym. I do my lifting at home with Powerblocks, a bench and a exercise ball.
I'm in the middle of training for my marathon but I'm looking to change things up come November. Thanks for your input.
- Julie B said...
Hey Rebecca, at first it was a hard decision to go from the rich corporation to the poor school, I regretted my decision the first year, I regretted the responsiblity of a deadline, the approval of my peers, the big bucks. Now I know better. It isn't all about money for me, we are making due just fine. Made some cut backs, but being home really is wonderful.
Cheryl, I enjoy afterburn very much. I like that I can make it more difficult as I progress. During the first four weeks you'll need a ball for the crunches, bench for the step ups and some squats, you could do the deadlifts with the powerblocks instead of a barbell-there are squats with a barbell-I guess that is the one you'd need the gym for.
I just finished up week 4, will begin week 5 after Superior 100.


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Owls are nocturnal and have very good eyesight expecially at night, and use their sharp claws or talons for catching their prey, like mousies. They can fly totally silently too. Owls can move their head around either way up to 270 degrees to see.....Wow, even I can't do that!
I like owls. They are my friends. And they are birdies, which makes me like them even more! I just hope they don't like to catch "Jelly Beans" with those talons!
We had an owl outside our house last summer for a long time and every night it would say "Whoo Whoo" and keep mom and daddy Len awake.
My post is shorter today than usual, because my mom is telling me that she is getting ready to leave me again and does not have time to blog! I will have to write about that in my Small World.......Tears, JB
Before you go, please sign my GUESTBOOK, and stop by my SMALL WORLD too, thanks!


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Follow RFF News on your cell phone. Text follow rff to 40404 you will receive txt messages with RFF News
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Once again another greeter who loved hanging with us, he was actually give relationship advice 2 the teams http://t.co/CFIcTWxl
The beards, the gingerbread houses, the yodeling, the snow. This is another Emmy-worthy episode of The Amazing Race!
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Which side of the Valley, and surrounding parts, plays the best high school football will be decided Friday when East meets West in the 35th San Gabriel Valley Hall of Fame All-Star Senior game at West Covina High School. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
In recent years, the answer has been crystal clear that the East holds all the cards when it comes to the prep gridiron. The East will try to extend its series win streak to seven and bolster its all-time series lead, which stands at 22-10-2 favoring the East.
For all of the great memories and large crowds that the game has produced over the years, it almost went the way of the dinosaur this year.
The National Football Foundation, which used to sponsor the game, abruptly pulled out after adopting a national policy to not put on any all-star games due to insurance concerns.
West Covina High stepped up, however, and the game will go on.
"For a few hours there, even overnight, it seemed like this thing might die," said West Covina football coach Mike Maggiore, who played in the game in 1985 and has coached in it as well.
"It's gone on for so long, it just seems right that we need an all-star game. To lose it would've been pretty bad after 34 years."
The East is coached by Pomona's Aaron Jamieson, who helped guide the Red Devils to a 10-2 record in 2013. Jamieson has the usual bevy of talent that past East coaches have enjoyed, led by the powerful running back duo of Bonita's Jake Payton and San Dimas' Joseph Mayorga.
When the East passes, it should be in good hands with La Serna quarterback Frankie Palmer at the helm. Palmer, the Whittier Daily News Player of the Year, may be playing in his final football game after a stellar prep career that saw him lead the Lancers to three consecutive CIF championship games.
The West is coached by San Marino's Mike Hobbie, who coached the Titans to a 9-3 record in 2013. Hobbie is blessed with more size on the West roster than in recent years. The West has three linemen listed at over 300 pounds.
Whether the West can trade points with the East may come down to how well quarterbacks Nathan Coto (Arroyo) and Andrew Ferraco (San Marino) perform. Both will have the luxury of having Rio Hondo Prep running back Nate Tayco to hand the ball to.


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Youth Out In Oldham (YOIO)
Add to Calendar
9th June 2020 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
The Proud Trust is now operating digitally, as we make significant changes to how we operate in this time of international concern.
All youth groups and 1-1s (face-to-face contact) are not running in their usual venues and are being delivered virtually instead.
Our LGBT Centre is closed, and our training is being postponed or moving virtual.
Youth workers will be sending out Google Hangout links for our group work and 1-1 support. Please contact us if you have any questions.
We are still here for you and all LGBT+ young people.
Please share this with young people or colleagues where relevant.


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My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic Season 9 Episode 6
Cartoon : My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
The series stars a unicorn pony named Twilight Sparkle, who is a pupil of Equestria's ruler Princess Celestia. Seeing the young pony buried in books, the princess sends her to Ponyville and gives her the task of making friends. Along with her assistant, a baby dragon named Spike, she becomes friends with the tomboyish Rainbow Dash, glamorous Rarity, hard-working Applejack, timid Fluttershy, and hyperactive Pinkie Pie. Together they explore the ins and outs of the town and solve various problems. Each episode usually ends with Twilight Sparkle reporting back to Celestia on some aspect of friendship that she has discovered in the process, either through her own experience or by watching the other ponies.
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| 13.1°C Belfast
Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has been voted the Professional Football Association's fans' player of the year for 2011-12.
It is the third award won by the Holland international for his prolific form last season, having already landed the PFA players' and writers' awards.
Van Persie scored 37 goals in 48 appearances for Arsenal and is now recognised as one of Europe's top players.
"Robin had an exceptional season and has established himself in the mould of previous top quality Dutch strikers such as Dennis Bergkamp, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Marco Van Basten," said PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor.
"He's very much in demand and Arsenal fans will be worrying whether Arsenal can get him to stay or whether he will move on to the likes of Manchester City.
"Many of his goals were the best of not just this season, but any season when you think of the quality of some of his volleys.
"He really has been a talisman for Arsenal and as captain has lifted them into qualifying for the Champions League again when all looked lost."
Burnley striker Jay Rodriguez, who signed for Southampton last week, scooped the npower Football League Championship award following his 21 goal-haul last season.
"Burnley born, Jay had some limited experience in their time in the Premier League but has really come good for the club," said Taylor.
Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Jose Semedo won the League One award while Lewis Grabban, the Rotherham United forward, was recognised in League Two.


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About The Key West Art & Historical Society
The mission of the Key West Art & Historical Society is to preserve the culture of the Florida Keys through exhibiting and displaying regional art, architecture and history for the purpose of educating the community and visiting public.
What We Do
As the stewards of four national landmarks, the Key West Art & Historical Society educates the local community and visiting public by preserving, interpreting and exhibiting the art, architecture and history of the Florida Keys. The Society is dedicated to community engagement through its diverse educational programs, exhibitions and offerings.


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People Produce and Sell In Order to Buy and Consume. Political Borders Do Not Alter this Reality.
This is the basis of a free Economy such as what we once had that built the US into the place everyone wished to be.
The Austrian School called this "Human Action" you can download the ebook for free or order a hard copy here:
The linked whiteboard presentation is brief and to the point.


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GreenHomes America SVP Michael Rogers Discusses Homeowners' Energy Efficiency Problems
If you're like most homeowners, you spend a lot of money on your home to ensure you and your family live comfortably and safely year round. However, if your home is like most homes in the U.S., it probably has some construction shortfalls that cause common comfort and energy efficient problems including hot and cold spots, drafts, moisture, poor air quality and excessive dust.
GreenHomes America offers residential home performance solutions that increase in-home comfort, health, and safety and significantly reduce energy usage and utility bills. GreenHomes applies building science principles and sophisticated diagnostic equipment to quickly pinpoint causes of common problems and prescribe cost-effective solutions that resolve them permanently.
Unlike many other residential building contractors, GreenHomes uses an innovative and integrated whole-house approach to home performance and energy efficiency. The result of GreenHomes solutions is an optimal in-home environment that typically reduces energy by 25% to 60% or more.
We recently sat down with Michael Rogers, Senior VP at GreenHomes America and spoke to him about some of the most common energy efficiency problems most homeowners have and what they can do to improve the comfort of their homes.
RWFD: GreenHomes America offers residential home owners performance solutions that increase in-home comfort, health and safety and significantly reduce energy usage and utility bills. You use an integrated, whole-house approach to home energy efficiency. Can you tell me about GreenHomes America four-step process?
MR: In the medical world, prescription without examination and diagnosis would be considered malpractice. It really should be the same with respect to a home. Too many times symptoms are treated without taking the time to figure out the real problem: Too hot? You must need a bigger air-conditioner. Energy bills too high? You must need new windows. The reality is, the biggest issues are usually things like air-leakage, insufficient or poorly installed insulation and duct-leakage with many other potential issues as well.
When considering any project, GreenHomes begins with a comprehensive assessment of your home to figure out what's really going on. We not only look at the house with a variety of diagnostic equipment—tools like blower door to measure and find air-leaks and infrared scanners that help identify insulation defects, leakage points, and moisture issues—but also analyze utility bills and learn as much as we can about what you experience in your home.
Following the assessment, we review the findings with you and map out a prioritized plan and a work scope to make the needed improvements. When you've decided which improvements make the most sense for you, we arrange for the work to be done by our own trained and certified in-house crews. This is really important. Many energy audits never deliver results because you're left hanging with a set of recommendations that most contractors don't fully understand and couldn't install properly, not to mention the fact that most of these projects are multi-faceted, and involve work done by different trades. Having the project delivered by one company ensures that the left hand is talking to the right and that the work is coordinated properly not just to maximize benefits, but also to minimize disruption for you.
Lastly, we do what we call a "test-out". This means we go back and retest the home using the same diagnostics we did up front to verify that we met our goals, and that we're leaving your home in a comfortable, safe and energy-efficient condition.
RWFD: GreenHomes America helps homeowners enjoy more comfortable, safer homes while enhancing indoor air quality and reducing home maintenance costs. After a homeowner brings GreenHomes America in to optimize their home environment, what is the typical energy savings most homeowners experience?
MR: Obviously, the exact savings depend on the nature of the home and the project completed. Typically, homeowners can expect to save 20% or more on their utility bills, and many of our customers qualify for our 25% savings guarantee. While not the average savings, we do see savings as high as 50% or more—imagine cutting your utility bills in half!


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Marvel LegendsBetween its superhero movies, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. TV show and its comic-book empire, Marvel may have the biggest Comic-Con ever in 2013.Action figures come hand in hand with comics, though. Whereas Hasbro hits kid demos with Iron Man, Spider-Man, Thor and Wolverine movie toys this year, the company is using its Marvel Legends Comic-Con set to embrace the adult fans and put the spotlight on some characters who haven't seen that much love in this case, the Thunderbolts.Hasbro aims to "create a minor event out of it at Comic-Con to remind our most ardent collectors that we can do some of the coolest stuff that's very relevant to them," says Adam Biehl, vice president, global brand strategy and marketing."We surprise the fan base with something they didn't expect, and that's always the goal with any exclusives we do."The Hasbro team was excited by the idea of doing a Thunderbolts set ($89.99) of 6-inch figures inspired by the comic-book art of Kev Walker and based on the Marvel team of superpowered antiheroes Avengers member Luke Cage and the reformed super-criminals Crossbones, Ghost, Moonstone and Judith Chambers that work for the government.Cage receives a more modern Legends figure than he's seen in the past, but senior design director Dwight Stall was most excited about giving first editions to other characters whom "the Marvel fans have never had a figure of and might possibly have never thought, oh yeah, Hasbro will get around to doing those," he says, adding that other Legends figures releasing later this year and in 2014 will be on display at the Marvel booth.One of the more interesting Thunderbolts to design was Ghost, a character who is very, very different in his anatomy from what you'd see on other, more traditional superheroes. "He's not big, he's not muscular, he doesn't have that overwhelming presence to him," says Stall, adding that they re-used a Bucky sculpt from a few years back that they never thought they'd utilize again. "We turned him into my favorite figure in the set."And if bigger is better, then Crossbones' massive cannon wins the day."Realism has its place but there's that level of super-realism in the superhero world where you could have a guy who could literally rip a mini-gun off the side of a helicopter and use it as a hand weapon," Stall says. "That's one of the benefits of having super strength."
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Charlotte - Phil Mickelson and Nick Watney each stumbled with the lead on Saturday, leaving the US duo tied atop the leaderboard after three rounds at the US PGA Wells Fargo Championship.
Mickelson took a double bogey at the par-5 15th and a bogey at 16 to hand Watney the lead, only to have Watney double bogey the par-3 17th and leave both even on eight-under 208 for 54 holes in the $6.7m event at Quail Hollow.
"I was grinding it out there even though I didn't have my A game coming down the stretch," said Mickelson, who fired a 73 while Watney settled for a 71.
"I played poorly coming down the stretch and I'm lucky to be tied for the lead."
American George McNeill was third on 209 with England's Lee Westwood and David Lynn, Sweden's Robert Karlsson, Australian John Senden and Americans Ryan Moore and Derek Ernst another stroke off the pace.
World number two Rory McIlroy fired a 73 on his 24th birthday to stand on 211 with Americans DA Points, Kevin Streelman, Brian Harman and Jason Kokrak.
"I don't think I was necessarily scraping it around," McIlroy said. "From tee to green it was actually OK, but when I got on the greens it was a problem. I just couldn't hole anything.
"When you miss a few putts on these greens, you sort of lose confidence in your stroke and then it's just sort of hard to commit fully to what you want to do. If I want to hole some putts tomorrow, I need to do a better job of that."
McIlroy's pals bought him a long-lasting portable phone battery while his girlfriend, tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, had some purchases of her own.
"Got me this new bracelet and a couple pairs of shoes, a bag, sent me a birthday cake, actually I got that in my room today, so all good," he said.
"We were supposed to go for dinner and watch the (Floyd Mayweather-Robert Guerrero) fight somewhere, but it might just be dinner and bed."
Watney knows he and Mickelson allowed a host of rivals back within reach on Sunday, when the threat of storms has prompted organizers to play in threesomes off two tees early in the morning to try and complete the round.
"There are a lot of really good players now two or three shots back," said Watney. "Obviously, you would like to have as much distance as possible, but who knows, maybe this will be a good story."
Three-time Masters champion Mickelson found the right rough at the 15th, put his second shot out of bounds, dropped for a penalty stroke and blasted short of the green then needed three strokes to get down from there.
"The second shot should not have been a problem," Mickelson said. "It was a very easy lie to hit the shot I wanted to. I probably pulled the wrong club. I hit it the second time with the driver to get it to cut. I should have done that the first time. That was a big mistake."
Mickelson struck a spectator in the head at the 16th on the way to a bogey but the left-hander finished with two pars to salvage a share of the lead.
"Following it with a bogey and pulling it to the right and I hit that lady, that just wasn't good," Mickelson said. "But I grinded it out."
He had started with a bogey at the third but answered with birdies at the par-5 fifth, par-4 eighth and par-5 10th. He answered a bogey at the 12th with a birdie two holes later before disaster struck.
Watney's late blunder ensured a shootout on the final day.
"I don't know what happened, to be honest," Watney said. "I was kind of fighting my swing all day, just trying to keep it in play. But obviously that was just a terrible result. I haven't done that for a really long time.
"I can't remember really the last time I did that in a tournament, so it was a bit unsettling. But big picture, I'm tied for the lead, and I would have taken that on Thursday morning.
"Probably wouldn't have liked the way that if you told me that was going to happen. Unfortunately, I can't change it now, so I'm looking forward to tomorrow."
Leading third-round scores on Saturday in the US PGA Tour $6.7m Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow (USA unless noted, par-72):
208 - Phil Mickelson 68-67-73, Nick Watney 67-70-71
209 - George McNeill 69-68-72
210 - John Senden (AUS) 70-73-67, Robert Karlsson (SWE) 69-72-69, David Lynn (ENG) 71-68-71, Lee Westwood (ENG) 70-68-72, Ryan Moore 67-75-68, Derek Ernst 67-71-72
211 - D.A. Points 71-69-71, Kevin Streelman 68-72-71, Brian Harman 70-70-71, Rory McIlroy (NIR) 67-71-73, Jason Kokrak 68-70-73
212 - Sergio Garcia (ESP) 72-68-72, Rod Pampling (AUS) 69-69-74, Lucas Glover 68-71-73, Bo Van Pelt 74-70-68, D.H. Lee (KOR) 72-71-69
213 - Charles Howell 72-72-69, Scott Gardiner (AUS) 70-67-76, Vaughn Taylor 70-72-71, John Merrick 74-71-68, Henrik Norlander (SWE) 74-70-69, Russell Henley 69-71-73
214 - Robert Garrigus 67-72-75, Ross Fisher (ENG) 70-71-73, Shawn Stefani 69-73-72


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I love me a good journalism scandal, even when the person involved isn't really a journalist. In this case, we're talking about "dramatist" Mike Daisey, whose one-man show, "The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs," drummed up a great deal of outrage at Apple supplier Foxconn's China labor practices.
Daisey's show was a monologue, which contained descriptions of Foxconn working conditions, retelling of conversations he had with Foxconn workers, and a lot of haranguing about how bad Apple is.
I dimly recall reading several Op/Eds about Daisey and his show, including (I believe) one or more articles he penned himself. I last wrote about the subject on January 30, a post that was mostly devoted to asking why so much attention was being given (by the New York Times and others) to what was essentially an old story. The one thing that seemed pretty clear at the time was that Daisey didn't know very much about China, nor did he understand business all that well.
Nevertheless, it seemed as though he had put in a great deal of time over here (I was surprised to learn later that it was only a six-day trip), visiting a lot of factories and talking to a very large number of workers. As I've consistently maintained over the years, all those stories you hear about China labor practices are true, the only question being how often they occur and where. With no China background and a tenuous grasp of international business, Daisey had somehow stumbled upon some rather egregious goings-on down in Shenzhen. Foxconn was apparently a great deal more evil than we thought.
One small problem: Daisey is not a journalist, but a playwright, and he engaged in artistic license to make his show more attractive. This has come back to bite a lot of folks out there who not only praised Daisey's work but also gave him a platform upon which to disseminate his message. The biggest loser here seems to be National Public Radio, which ran excerpts of Daisey's play earlier this year and have since had to run a huge retraction and one-hour debunking show. Ouch.
So exactly what happened, and how is it that we even know about this problem? We can thank Rob Schmitz, a real journalist at Marketplace who is based here in China and has reported extensively on Foxconn's labor problems. If you're going to start reading through the reports on this scandal, start with Rob's article from yesterday:
It's Daisey's story about visiting a Foxconn factory in China where Apple manufactures iPhones and other products. With the help of a Chinese translator, Daisey finds underage workers, poisoned workers, maimed workers, and dismal factory conditions for those who make iPhones and iPads.
"I'm telling you that in my first two hours at my first day at that gate I met workers who were 14 years old…13 years old…12," Daisey recounted. "Do you really think Apple doesn't know?"
Daisey told This American Life and numerous other news outlets that his account was all true.
But it wasn't.
Bazinga! Rob tracked down and talked to Daisey's Chinese interpreter, who basically said that some of the information presented in the one-man play was fabricated. I would also recommend listening to the seven-minute radio piece that Rob did for Marketplace, which by the way has a nice quote from Shanghai Scrap's Adam Minter.
OK, I could go on here for a while, but I want to cut to the chase and get back to my fog-enshrouded Beijing Saturday. The bottom line here is that Mike Daisey is not a journalist. He did some research on a popular issue, including a week-long trip to Shenzhen, and threw it all together artistically in a one-man show. As Rob Schmitz mentioned in his radio piece, the anecdotes Daisey included about Foxconn/Apple workers in China have happened, albeit not always at the time and place cited by Daisey.
So didn't Daisey pretty much get it right? Shouldn't we cut him some slack here? Well, you know me. I'm nothing if not merciful. I get lots of things wrong on this blog too, and I'd like to think that my readers will forgive my errors in light of the medium and the fact that I'm not a journalist. So sure, I'm happy to give Daisey a break.
But I can't. As a blogger, I may have absolutely no journalistic standards, but I do try to be as honest as possible. Regular readers of China Hearsay probably roll their eyes every time they read one of my frequent disclaimers about sources and incomplete information – I included one in last night's post on McDonald's. You might think that language is some sort of lawyerly "don't sue me" gambit, but it isn't. It's my attempt at transparency, and it's important. If all I know about a story is a two-paragraph blurb I read in China Daily, then it's not right for me to suggest that I have additional knowledge. (By the way, after I wrote that McDonald's post, additional information did, in fact, come out.)
If Mike Daisey had taken that route, then some, although not all, would be forgiven. Some sort of disclaimer about dramatic license along with the one-man show, and subsequent interviews, would have been appropriate. Daisey's "belated asterisk" on this sordid mess would have worked pretty well if it had been made up front:
My show is a theatrical piece whose goal is to create a human connection between our gorgeous devices and the brutal circumstances from which they emerge. It uses a combination of fact, memoir, and dramatic license to tell its story, and I believe it does so with integrity.
But of course, that didn't happen. As it turned out, Daisey made some statements to the press about the veracity of the incidents portrayed in his show. Although I'm not sure I would characterize his show as containing "lies," his statements that everything was true, well, that was false. He also lied to NPR and made it more difficult for them to reach out to his Chinese interpreter. As usual, the cover-up (or PR campaign) was the more egregious error.
Even with such a disclaimer, though, I still have a problem with what Daisey did, and it was something that was obvious from the beginning. What Daisey has done, what many journalists do (hell, what I do all the time – mea culpa), is take a few incidents and suggest that they are indicative of a general trend or, in this case, widespread corporate practices. Perhaps Daisey did meet a couple of underage workers at Foxconn. Does this mean that Apple is employing a lot of kids, and if so, do they know about it? All those big headlines with "Child Labor" don't really make those distinctions.
Why is this important? Because a lot of this is inherently misleading, even before we get to the issue of fabrications. Daisey's show received a great deal of attention, sparking boycotts and demonstrations against Apple. Would this have happened if Daisey's show contained a disclaimer about dramatic license? I have no idea, although I have a feeling that distinction might have been lost on some journalists. This is powerful stuff that plays into existing narratives. As Adam Minter noted, this was successful because it contained a simple message and used emotion to get the point across.
If you're looking for the essential reading on this:
Transcript of Mike Daisey's show (PDF) (h/t Ars Technica)
Marketplace: An acclaimed Apple critic made up the details (contains link to radio piece)
The Guardian: Mike Daisey's betrayal of This American Life's truth – and my trust
NPR: 'This American Life' Retracts Mike Daisey's Apple Factory Story
This American Life: RETRACTING "MR. DAISEY AND THE APPLE FACTORY"
China Digital Times: This American Life Retracts Episode on Foxconn Abuses (contains additional links)
New York Times: 'This American Life' Retracts Episode on Apple's Suppliers in China


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All people feel some degree of stress in their life at one time or another, but an emotional breakdown is different.
When pressure begins to overwhelm an individual to the point where her professional or personal well-being is compromised, symptoms of a nervous breakdown may become apparent.
Such an event can take place for a variety of reasons, and common culprits include a traumatic family event, unreasonable amount of stress in the workplace or a dramatic change in a relationship.
If you are experiencing the signs of a breakdown, you may be afraid to discuss what is happening. Similarly, you may find yourself hesitant to reach out to a close friend or family member who is struggling with such an issue.
However, seeking help in either circumstance is vital. The information below will help you recognize the signs and symptoms of an emotional breakdown and how to properly intervene if necessary.
What Is an Emotional Breakdown?
While commonly used, the term "emotional breakdown" is not an official term in clinical psychology. However, in mainstream jargon, there are two distinct definitions.
First, an emotional breakdown is used to describe a psychological disorder. It is a socially acceptable way to cover up a more serious diagnosis and avoid the stigma from a critical public.
In this case, an emotional breakdown can describe anxiety or panic attacks, a trauma disorder such as post-traumatic stress disorder, or a psychotic condition such as schizophrenia that can lead to serious consequences if left untreated.
In many cases, a major psychological disorder is not diagnosed until a complete nervous breakdown occurs, as it is the event that finally brings a patient into a hospital for the first time.
Secondly, the term emotional breakdown can be used to describe a personal meltdown of an individual who just doesn't know how to cope with present circumstances.
This can include episodes of uncontrollable weeping, withdrawal from loved ones and an inability to connect with everyday life. While still quite devastating, this latter description is much more easily resolved and usually does not seriously endanger a person.
Causes and Further Nervous Breakdown Symptoms
Nervous breakdown symptoms vary greatly from person to person, but usually involve some combination of physical and emotional characteristics. A disinterest in life – be it professional or family-related – is usually the most common.
Those on the brink of such a breakdown may also experience changes in their sleep patterns, either sleeping very little or not being able to rouse themselves out of bed. Changes in appetite can occur, with binge eating or a complete lack of desire for food being the most common manifestations.
In severe cases, paranoid thoughts can begin to appear, and an individual experiencing such delusions may begin to lose trust in those she otherwise would hold close.
Outside of these symptoms, there are much more serious signs of an emotional breakdown that should never be ignored. These include thoughts of suicide or an outward expression of the desire to die. Strong outbursts of anger or violence also can occur, and these, with or without the presence of drugs or alcohol, should always be taken seriously.
While an individual may not be willing to discuss the reason for the symptoms she is experiencing, it is vital they are discovered and talked out with a close confidante and a medical professional if necessary.
Those who are in high-stress positions professionally are at an increased risk for having a nervous breakdown. An extremely messy or lengthy divorce can trigger such an event, as can an unexpected experience such as the sudden death of a child or other close loved one.
As mentioned previously, an emotional breakdown can sometimes be a precursor for a larger issue such as a serious mental disorder, which is why such an issue should never be overlooked or ignored.
Oftentimes those suffering from mental illness will not seek out help because they themselves do not understand what is happening to them.
Fear and an inability to adequately express feelings can paralyze a hurting person into "hiding out" and acting as if everything is normal, rather than seeking out appropriate treatment.
Responding To Signs of a Nervous Breakdown
Whatever the cause or reason, signs of a nervous breakdown should never be ignored. Rarely is there a circumstance where an individual experiencing such symptoms just needs time to rest or take it easy.
It is usually a serious predicament, not often something an individual is able to pull herself out of with her own strength or willpower.
If you know someone having a nervous breakdown, the first thing you can do is commit to being a good listener. Sometimes people need others to share their hurts with; this can help them overcome what they are feeling.
Being a listener means just that – you do not necessarily have to give advice or your opinion on the situation. No one is expecting you to have the qualifications of a professional mental health counselor, and you probably should not attempt to do so.
More damage may be sustained if you, with all good intentions, encourage a fragile individual to just "snap out of it." This can invalidate emotions and compel her to feel ashamed or guilty about her current situation in life.
Secondly, a person exhibiting nervous breakdown symptoms may need encouragement. Recognizing their great efforts at life – be it at the office or with her spouse and children – can help her understand her worth and value in a world where she feels none.
Having someone on the outside looking in can help to realign her perspective and bring a renewed sense of purpose to a world otherwise filled with pain.
Lastly, an intervention may be necessary. If she is threatening suicide, skip immediately to this step, as such words should never be ignored. Call 911 or get in touch with a medical professional immediately.
If your friend or loved one is willing to go to the hospital to seek treatment for an emotional breakdown, do not leave him there alone. Offer to go with him and support him.
You will need to be strong for this person, and you can be the liaison between the despair and proper treatment.
Confidentiality is key when helping someone who is having a nervous breakdown. Remember the struggle is not your news to share, and it is important you remain non-judgmental and practice self-restraint.
If you feel you cannot do this, find someone who can, and never leave a broken person unattended at the height of crisis.
Fortunately, many people are able to bounce back from an emotional breakdown after the root issue is resolved. Sometimes this involves a change of circumstance, and often it means counseling and psychotropic medication.
There are so many options and resources for those who are hurting spiritually and emotionally they just need to find them. Never be afraid to express your concern for a friend or family member, as your commitment and self-sacrifice may even save a life.
How Do You Deal with Difficult Emotions?
It's natural to experience anger, jealousy, hurt - even though your mother told you that "a frown doesn't suit your pretty face, Dear!" But have you ever felt so overwhelmed by these emotions, or that you spend too much energy getting over them? Everyone could use some healthy options for dealing with difficult emotions. Find out how well you deal with suffering in this difficult emotions quiz.


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FAQ: Cost-effectiveness
The Sabin Vaccine Institute is excited to join countries around the world to celebrate World Immunization Week 2013. Vaccination not only is a life saving intervention, according to the World Health Organization's State of the World's Vaccines and Immunization report,[1] "Immunization - even with the addition of the new, more costly vaccines - remains one of the most cost-effective health interventions."
Diane Coraggio, Sabin Senior Program Officer working with the Pan American Health Organization's ProVac Initiative, explains what this means and why it matters:
- Why is it important to determine the cost-effectiveness of a health intervention?
As health sector budgets grow slowly and the menu of health interventions expands, resources are being allocated more prudently and competing options must be considered carefully. Making evidence-based decisions about vaccine introduction now requires economic analysis in addition to analyses of epidemiologic, logistical, and financial data.[2]
- What is cost-effectiveness?
Cost-effectiveness is a method of analysis used to weigh the costs and benefits of a policy or intervention and ultimately compare among alternative uses of limited resources. This approach can help determine whether investment in one vaccine achieves greater or lesser health outcomes relative to investment in another vaccine or public health intervention.[3
- When is a health intervention considered 'cost-effective'?
Following the Commission on Macroeconomics and Health, the World Health Organization (WHO) uses per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to obtain the following threshold values for cost-effectiveness:[4]
The cost per DALY averted is:
Highly cost-effective
Less than the GDP per capita
Between one and three times the GDP per capita
Not cost-effective
More than three times the GDP per capita
- Generally speaking, what factors have the greatest impact on cost-effectiveness outcomes?
The parameters most heavily influencing the outcomes of a cost-effectiveness model for a new vaccine introduction can typically be grouped into three main categories: disease burden, program effectiveness, and vaccine costs. The most influential disease burden data includes disease incidence and case fatality. Critical data about program effectiveness includes vaccine efficacy or effectiveness, target population coverage and herd immunity.[5]
- What tools are being used to assess cost-effectiveness?
The Pan American Health Organization's ProVac Initiative[6] is currently using the TRIVAC model, developed jointly by ProVac with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, for conducting country-led economic analyses of Hib, pneumococcal conjugate and rotavirus vaccines. TRIVAC is a static cohort model, which integrates disease burden, population data, vaccine coverage, program costs, costs of illness, and health service utilization using a standardized framework to compare the three vaccines. The model has several language options and is pre-populated with country-specific default parameters from international sources, although countries are encouraged to use their own local data whenever possible. [7]
- What resources are available to learn more?
- The ProVac Initiative http://new.paho.org/provac/
- CHOosing Interventions that are Cost Effective (WHO-CHOICE) http://www.who.int/choice/en/
- Gupta M, Prinja S, Kumar R, and Kaur M. Cost-effectivness of Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) vaccine introduction in the universal immunization schedule in Haryana State, India. Health Policy and Planning 2013; 28: 51-61. http://heapol.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2012/03/07/heapol.czs025.full.pdf
- Jauregui B, Sinha A, Clark AD, Bolanos BM, Resch S, Toscano CM, Matus CR, and Andrus JK. Strengthening the technical capacity at country-level to make informed policy decisions on new vaccine introduction: Lessons learned by PAHO's ProVac Initiative. Vaccine 2010; 29; 1099-1106. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X10017196
About the ProVac International Working Group
The ProVac Initiative was established by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and has provided support for the evaluation of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), pneumococcal, rotavirus and HPV vaccines in over 14 countries. Due to its success in Latin America and the Caribbean, PAHO received requests to implement ProVac more widely in World Health Organization (WHO) member countries. In response, the Initiative has expanded to provide technical assistance around evaluating the evidence for new vaccine introduction in non-PAHO countries, leading to the formation of the ProVac International Working Group (IWG).
The ProVac IWG is a pilot effort which aims to transfer tools, methods, and lessons learned from the PAHO ProVac Initiative to other WHO regions for the promotion of evidence-based policy and decision making in low and middle income countries. The IWG will conduct selected country-level cost-effectiveness analyses (CEA) on Hib, pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccine introduction using ProVac tools and will hold three regional workshops on ProVac tools and methods for CEA in AFRO, EMRO, and EURO regions.[8], [9]
As a member of the ProVac IWG, the Sabin Vaccine Institute is developing and piloting a strategy for effectively communicating evidence to stakeholders. The outcome will be a guide for countries on how to promote informed, evidence-based decision making related to vaccine introduction.
[1] WHO, UNICEF, World Bank. State of the world's vaccines and immunization, 3rd ed. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2009. http://www.who.int/immunization/sowvi/en/
2Andrus JK, Toscano CM, Lewis M, Oliveiria L, Ropero AM, Dávila M, and Fitzsimmons JW. A Model for Enhancing Evidence-Based Capacity to Make Informed Policy Decisions on the Introduction of New Vaccines in the Americas: PAHO's ProVac Initiative. International Observer: Public Health Reports 2007; 122: 811-816. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1997250/pdf/phr122000811a.pdf
[3] WHO Department of Immunization, Vaccines, and Biologicals. Vaccine Introduction Guidelines – Adding a Vaccine to a National Immunization Programme: Vision and Implementation. 2005. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/69179/1/WHO_IVB_05.18.pdf
[4] CHOosing Interventions that are Cost Effective (WHO-CHOICE) http://www.who.int/choice/costs/CER_thresholds/en/index.html
[5]Gupta M, Prinja S, Kumar R, and Kaur M. Cost-effectivness of Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) vaccine introduction in the universal immunization schedule in Haryana State, India. Health Policy and Planning 2013; 28: 51-61. http://heapol.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2012/03/07/heapol.czs025.full.pdf
[6] The ProVac Initiative http://new.paho.org/provac/
[7] Jauregui B, Sinha A, Clark AD, Bolanos BM, Resch S, Toscano CM, Matus CR, and Andrus JK. Strengthening the technical capacity at country-level to make informed policy decisions on new vaccine introduction: Lessons learned by PAHO's ProVac Initiative. Vaccine 2010; 29; 1099-1106. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X10017196
[8] The ProVac Initiative (http://new.paho.org/provac/ ).
[9] ProVac IWG general purpose brochure. Pan American Health Organization. 2012.


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You really ought to read both President Obama's speech and Dick Cheney's speech from yesterday on national security. I always advise reading speeches because it you can cut through all the meaningless fawning bull-crap like, "oh – what great oratory skills presenter X has…," and get down to the content presented. In my view – once speech consisted of high sounding theoretics – while the other seemed practical and realistic – but that's just me. You can read them and draw your own conclusions.
Here is some audio of Mark Steyn and Hugh Hewitt discussing some of the aspects of Obama's speech:
Here is the transcript of the audio. I have emphasized certain parts.
Read the full interview – or listen to the full Podcast
HH: Watched the extensive news coverage of President Obama and Dick Cheney hurling thunderbolts at each other. And to discuss that and other matters, joined by Columnist To the World, Mark Steyn. You can read all of Mark's work at www.steynonline.com. Mark, just generally, quite an extraordinary day on the national security front with these battling giants of the national security world.
MS: Yes. I thought the President's speech was revolting and contemptible, and one that he really should not have given. In a sense, the Vice President, Dick Cheney, all he had to do, really, was say well look, whatever you feel about these policies, for eight years, they worked, whereas during the 90s, we had attacks on American targets routinely throughout the 1990s, leading up to 9/11. Now obviously, there's an element of luck in that as the IRA famously said to Mrs. Thatcher, you have to be lucky every day, we only have to be lucky once. But when you've been lucky for eight years, I think clearly you're doing something right. And there was no need for Obama to give this speech, and he should not have given it.
HH: He's clearly feeling very defensive. And Dick Cheney's speech today was so sober, so detailed, so specific in its rebuttal of the airy claims about what's going on in the world that I think it leaves a huge mark. But let's listen to the worst two passages among many from the Obama speech, cut number 12A:
BHO: All too often, our government made decisions based on fear rather than foresight. But all too often our government trimmed facts and evidence to fit ideological predispositions. Instead of strategically applying our power and our principles, too often we set those principles aside as luxuries that we could no longer afford. And during this season of fear, too many of us, Democrats and Republicans, politicians, journalists and citizens, fell silent.
HH: Mark Steyn, this is a deeply dishonest statement. It lacks the specificity that would allow people to rebut it, and it is an attempt to give himself credit for that which he does not deserve, the national security success of the last eight years, and to diminish that success.
MS: Yes, I think that's true. I mean, let me say first of all, I think it's entirely improper for him to be giving this speech. It's far more specific, if you look for example at Jimmy Carter's famous speech, again, saying that, I think in 1977, saying we were all far too hung up about communism, and we had "an inordinate fear" of it, even that speech, as ridiculous as that was, was not a specific assault on the immediate preceding government. Well, what happened on January 20th was not some coup, was not the successful conclusion of a war of liberation. It's a two party system, and Party A is out of power, and Party B is in power. But the acts taken in the last year, as far as the world were concerned, were the acts of the government of the United States. And given that they were generally successful for the citizens of the United States, I think this would have been a perfectly understandable speech to give last summer when he was campaigning for president. But it's a very weird speech, and a contemptible speech to give right now.
HH: Let's get to the second cut, this on interrogation, cut number 14:
BHO: I know some have argued that brutal methods like waterboarding were necessary to keep us safe. I could not disagree more. As commander in chief, I see the intelligence. I bear the responsibility for keeping this country safe. And I categorically reject the assertion that these are the most effective means of interrogation. What's more, they undermine the rule of law. They alienate us in the world. They serve as a recruitment tool for terrorists, and increase the will of our enemies to fight us, while decreasing the will of others to work with America. They risk the lives of our troops by making it less likely that others will surrender to them in battle, and more likely that Americans will be mistreated if they are captured.
HH: Mark Steyn, there so many falsehoods in this. Go ahead.
MS: Yes, there are, and I think first of all, one thing that is completely absurd is this idea that somehow American interrogation techniques act as a recruitment tool for al Qaeda. This is nonsense. What acts as a recruitment tool for the jihad in general is when it's seen or perceived to be successful, and the jihadists are seen as the coming men. The idea that some guy in Waziristan or Yemen is encouraged to join the jihad because of waterboarding is preposterous. There's no evidence for it whatsoever. He's just concocted that out of his own head, and I think actually betrays either the naïveté of this president, which is one thing, or what's worse, is the cynicism of him if he knows that this is nonsense and he's saying it anyway.
HH: Well, the idea that we're undermining the rule of law as he undermines the rule of law, by making an attack upon the legal conclusions and positions of a previous administration, and adopting what is in essence an ex post facto approach to people who participated in the war on terror. It's really something I never expected out of someone who purports to have been a scholar of the Constitution. Mark Steyn, the idea also that our methods will increase the degree of bad torture on our troops when they're caught, it's absurd. They cut our heads off.
MS: Yes, and I suppose he's arguing here that well look, if we ease up on the waterboard, then when our troops are captured, they won't use the rusty scimitar when they're decapitating them. This is completely preposterous, the idea that somehow what is happening at Guantanamo and other facilities, if we make nice with these fellows, they will suddenly start observing the rules of the Geneva Convention. No, if you're the kind of target they're looking for, and they capture you, they will saw your head off and release it as a snuff video on the internet. And nothing that Obama says is going to change that. Now as I said, either he's a fool who simply cannot understand that not everybody sitting around the world looks at things the way an ACLU lawyer does sitting in Hyde Park, Chicago. But if he's making that mistake, then he's actually incapable of the so-called empathy that he prizes as one of his key qualities.
HH: The backdrop to the speech today, Mark Steyn, bad timing for the President, of course, the arrest of four would-be bombers of synagogues and shooter-down of airlines and airplanes in New York. And I don't believe they converted to radical Islam in prison because of waterboarding being conducted on the jihadists.
MS: No, they didn't, and in fact if he wanted to make a serious speech, he would have addressed the issue of Islamic recruitment and conversion in American and other Western prisons, which is really the same thing happened to Richard Reid, the shoe bomber. It's actually by now a tried and tested formula for recruits. It's a far more effective formula than running around the Middle East saying oh, have you seen, you know, the Americans are waterboarding some of us. This is actually an effective recruiting tool, what they're doing in Western prisons. It's sad to see someone with such a September 10th mentality trotting out these old lines.


text:
Apple has not only updated its iTunes music jukebox software but made a number of tweaks to various iPods' firmware. Both updates are available now through Mac OS X's Software Update utility, or from Apple's website.
iTunes 6.0.5 adds support for the Nike+iPod exercise feedback gadget Apple and Nike announced in May this year. The Bluetooth-based gizmo fits in special Nike trainers and beams pedometer and other data to a dongle attached to an iPod's Dock connector to be displayed on screen.
The update also fixes a security issue in which a "maliciously-crafted AAC file could cause iTunes to terminate or potentially execute arbitrary code".
iPod Updater 2006-06-28 incorporates new firmware for the Nano, Shuffle and the fifth-generation iPod. All three devices receive a range of unspecified bug fixes, while the Nano also gets Nike+iPod support. Updated Shuffles have a volume limit applied.
You can get the iPod updater here. iTunes 6.0.5, for both Windows and Mac, is available here. ®


text:
Connecting the Curious: Masterpieces in American Short Fiction
Beginning Monday, April 2, join William Veeder, professor emeritus in the Department of English Language and Literature, for this online seminar for an exploration of the buried narrative technique within writing.
Why do we read great literature? If pleasure is the answer, how can we increase our pleasure by refining the way we read? To begin to answer this intricate question, we will look to form, focusing on one of the least recognized major techniques used by writers—the buried narrative.
In this three-week seminar, we will explore short fiction from three American authors: F. Scott Fitzgerald, Raymond Carver, and William Faulkner. Specific texts will be announced closer to the start of the course.
- Watch recorded lectures examining short stories from American literature;
- propose questions to guide the conversation; and
- connect with peers across graduation years, schools, and divisions on shared interests.
Log-on now with your CNetID to get started.
Online Seminar Information
Cost: Complimentary
Dates: April 2 - 20, 2018
Location: Online, alumniu.uchicago.edu
Login: AlumniU requires users login using CNetID.
Need to claim your ID, forgot your account information, or having trouble logging in? Explore CNetID Help or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
Need to claim your ID, forgot your account information, or having trouble logging in? Explore CNetID Help or email email@example.com.
Event Contact
Kaleena "Rheeya" Narwani
Community Manager, AlumniU


text:
Calendar | Community
| Family & Friends in the Armed Forces
| Good Neighbors
| Milestones
Community Action |
Humane Society | YMCA |
Diaspora | Reunions
Lincoln Park District
Lincoln Park District on the Web
Park district notes
From Roy
Logan, program coordinator
Send a link to a friend
13, 2012]
The Lincoln Park District's 18th annual
Pride of the Prairie Folk Art and Craft Show is just around the
corner. This juried show features some of the area's finest artisans
and craftsmen. The exhibitors are chosen for the quality and design
of their work. The event features primitives, folk art, watercolors,
quilts, iron sculpture, fiber art, country collectibles, jewelry,
baskets, rag rugs, handmade soap, floral arrangements and much more.
This is an excellent source for personal and unique gifts for the
upcoming holiday season. Come down on Saturday, Nov. 24, 8 a.m.-3
Don't be a
chicken, take the "Turkey Challenge." Instructors Jacki and Danita
invite you to join them for a pre-Thanksgiving workout. Save
Wednesday, Nov. 21, at 5:30 p.m. on your calendars. This class is
free to all Fit Zone members and $4 for nonmembers. The class will
consist of 30 minutes of interval training, 30 minutes of kickboxing
and 30 minutes of hard core abs. Jacki and Danita promise to make
this fun, as well as an effective workout. Remember, don't be a
chicken, challenge yourself. Also, all fitness classes are
canceled for Thursday, Nov. 22, and Friday, Nov. 23. Classes will
resume as normal on Saturday and Sunday. You are also invited to try
the new Hula Cardio Dance class on Sunday afternoons
at 3.
[to top of second column]
Treats with Santa will be on Saturday, Dec.
1, from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Lincoln Park District. Meet the
real Santa who already knows if you've been bad or good. The
park district has done this for a number of years with CITV5 and
looks forward to offering this tradition of Santa that just doesn't
exist in a mall-type event. There will be a coloring contest,
Christmas games, and milk and treats, too. This will be aired on
CITV5 and on their website as well.
[Text from file received from Roy Logan,
Lincoln Park District]
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text:
Plastic and Vinyl Keychains
Sort By:
Affordable, stylish and classic, vinyl & plastic keychains are a great way to reach a any target audience. Companies looking to distribute functional and highly valued products in order to cultivate lasting relationships should consider items that help broadcast messages such as "welcome to a new house," "enjoy your new car" or simply "we look forward to working with you in the future." More than any other advertising medium, personal gifts tend resonate with recipients, who are then able to recall the distributors easier and are much more likely to patronize their business. Car manufacturers, real estate agents, and handymen alike can include a small and lightweight keychain to stay in the forefront of consumer's minds and keep patrons coming back time and again. No matter how companies choose to use these items, they can achieve major results for nearly every industry.