Coffee drinking: the rationale for treating it as a potential effect modifier of carcinogenic exposures. Source Abstract Clinical and epidemiological studies on cancer etiology seldom treat coffee drinking as a potential effect modifier. Yet caffeine exerts significant effects upon a large variety of physiologic, cellular and molecular systems. Caffeine, 'the world's most popular drug', is also a fundamental research tool, widely used in clinical studies on drug metabolism, and in experimental studies on cell cycle checkpoints, DNA repair, and apoptosis, among many other. Caffeine can profoundly alter cell cycle checkpoint function and several mechanisms of DNA repair, as well as carcinogen metabolism. The impact of caffeine on cell cycle checkpoint function occurs in spite of it being nonmutagenic in traditional mutagenesis assays. A complex body of biologic evidence suggests that caffeine-containing beverages can both enhance and antagonise potentially carcinogenic exposures. However, most pathways leading to the ultimate effects in human beings remain unknown. It is unclear whether any of the hundreds of compounds contained in coffee and tea exert a direct and significant carcinogenic effect per se in any human tissue at usual conditions of use. Reasons exist to consider that coffee may sometimes be an indirect, positive confounder. The study of interactions between caffeine-containing beverages and environmental agents in well defined groups of healthy and diseased people could yield new insights into checkpoint signal transduction and other mechanisms of carcinogenesis. Information on the use of caffeine-containing beverages should more often be integrated in studies on the role of gene-environment interactions in the pathogenesis of cancer. Related information Calculated set of PubMed citations closely related to the selected article(s) retrieved using a word weight algorithm. Related articles are displayed in ranked order from most to least relevant, with the "linked from" citation displayed first.


Brand Loyalty and Love in MENA Ernst & Young recently polled more than 4,000 adults from 9 countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA -- Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE) and found that consumers in the region are more brand loyal than their global counterparts. Brands in the food and beverage category enjoyed the highest levels of consumer loyalty, followed by commodities, clothing and medical supplies. Cars, household insurance and consumer loans scored on the lower end of the scale. With a burgeoning economy and a young urban population, brands in the MENA region are experiencing shifts in the way people think about brands. As more international companies move into the region to capitalize on its growing spending power, the imperative to distinguish one's brand is reliant on more than competitive price. Consumers are looking for more than value and will pay more for priceless value. They are looking for retail experiences that wow, customer service that is second-to-none, and technology that connects them seamlessly from online and in-store. Loyalty may be the key desire for many brands in the MENA market, but striving for love will protect them from the risk of commodization. Here is a selection of brands that people who live in the Middle East and North Africa love on www.lovemarks.com :


Sir Humphrey Appleby is waiting to see Jim Hacker and is joined by his old friend Sir Desmond Glazebrook, the Chairman of Bartlett's Bank, who also wishes to speak with the Minister. He wants his approval for six floors to be added to the bank's international headquarters, making 44 storeys in total. However, Hacker has just made a speech attacking skyscraper office blocks, recommending a maximum height of eight storeys each. Sir Humphrey reassures Sir Desmond that there are ways and means of gaining the Minister's permission, but he will have to be patient. The banker lets slip that there is a place for Sir Humphrey on the bank's Board when he retires, but the Permanent Secretary is quick to quieten him. They are joined by Sir Desmond's architect as they continue to wait. Meanwhile, Hacker is in his office discussing his newspaper coverage with his press officer, Bill Pritchard. While the broadsheets have reported his speech concerning high buildings, there is nothing in the tabloids and Hacker asks Bill's advice. Apparently, animals and small children are ideal subjects for ministerial photo opportunities, and the Minister's visit to a city farm that afternoon should provide some good publicity. As Bill leaves, Bernard reminds the Minister that Sir Humphrey is waiting to see him and shows him in. Sir Humphrey puts the case for Sir Desmond's building proposal, but Hacker is adamant to take a stand on the matter and asks to see Sir Desmond, who enters with his architect. The pair put the case for the extra six storeys to no avail, and Sir Humphrey is on hand to back up his Minister with several cogent arguments against the proposal, including the fact that the bank owns another piece of land just 400 yards (370 m) away. Hacker invites Sir Desmond to make a formal application for planning permission, but is certain of the likely outcome. Sir Desmond leaves and Hacker needs to make an urgent exit himself, but just before he does so, Sir Humphrey thrusts a document upon the Minister that requires his signature immediately. He explains that it is an administrative order that allows government to temporarily utilise unused local authority land until it is developed. After Hacker has signed it and left, Bernard questions Sir Humphrey on its urgency. His Permanent Secretary points out that it was not urgent, but "important". It was therefore necessary to ask the Minister to sign it when he was in a hurry. Hacker arrives at the city farm — but then has to do so again for the benefit of the BBC TV cameramen, who missed it the first time. He is introduced to Mrs Phillips, the farm's warden, who shows him around. The Minister is invited to give a speech, and as he embarks upon it, he suddenly realises that he is reading out the one he gave the previous day regarding high-rise buildings. He eventually locates the right one, in which he pledges his support to the city farm movement. Afterwards, Mrs Phillips informs Hacker that the farm's lease is due to run out and she seeks his assurance that it will be renewed. He can't guarantee it, but offers to do what he can. Then Sue Lawley arrives to conduct an interview for Nationwide . However, Mrs Phillips tells her that the Minister is definitely going to ensure the farm's continuation. When Lawley asks Hacker to confirm this, he is unable to do so unequivocally. The next day, Sir Humphrey meets for lunch with Sir Frank Gordon, Permanent Secretary to the Treasury . Sir Frank has been looking for land on which to construct a car park for Inland Revenue inspectors and Sir Humphrey informs him that a suitable location is about to become vacant. The document that Hacker signed gives him permission to use the site — which is currently occupied by the city farm that the Minister visited. Then Sir Humphrey seeks out Sir Desmond Glazebrook. The civil servant is confident that he can get his friend's planning application approved. Back in Hacker's office, Bill Pritchard shows Hacker the extensive press coverage of the city farm visit, and the Minister is very impressed. However, he then hears from Mrs Phillips that the farm is indeed being forced to close so that a car park can be built on the land. Bernard explains to Hacker that the Minister authorised it himself by signing Sir Humphrey's order the previous day. With Mrs Phillips waiting impatiently in the outer office, Hacker demands to see his Permanent Secretary. Sir Humphrey states that it was a Treasury decision, and therefore outside of his department's jurisdiction. Furthermore, the order is irrevocable. Mrs Phillips storms in and insists that Hacker keep his word. The Minister promises that he will do all he can, but is unconvincing. She promises him in return that her husband, who is a deputy editor by profession, will ensure that he is "roasted alive" by the press. She walks out, to be replaced moments later by Sir Desmond Glazebrook, who has had an idea. He now proposes that if Hacker will let him have an additional nine storeys on his tower block, instead of the original six, he will allow the bank's nearby land to be used by the city farm, which he suggests could be renamed "The James Hacker Cuddly Animal Sanctuary".


Over You Lyrics Miranda Lambert Weather man said it's gonna snow, By now I should be used to the cold. Mid-February shouldn't be so scary. It was only December, I still remember the presents,the tree, you and me. But you went away, How dare you? I miss you. They say I'll be okay, But I'm not going to ever get over you. Living alone, here in this place, I think of you and I'm not afraid. Your favorite records make me feel better, Cause you sing along with every song. [ From: http://www.metrolyrics.com/over-you-lyri\\... ] I know you didn't mean to give them to me. But you went away, How dare you? I miss you. They say I'll be okay, But I'm not going to ever get over you. It really sinks in, you know, When I see it in stone 'Cause you went away How dare you? I miss you. They say I'll be okay, But I'm not going to ever get over you. Tell Us What These Lyrics Mean To You... The lycris over you by Mirdian Lambert remind me of that I don't want to get rid of my baby puppy Debbie Long - May 8, 2012 at 8:01 pm This is just stating how much my husband after 10 yeara. Jim Emett - May 10, 2012 at 11:12 am Lost my wife two years ago. Shelia Bennington - June 5, 2012 at 12:08 pm I lost my sister in 2/15/09 but it seems like yesterday. I think of her everyday. I hurt so bad because I never got to say goodbye and tell her how much I loved her. I miss you Jenny and you are always in my thoughts. See you again soon. Love Shelia


Have you noticed that The New York Times editorial page is becoming increasingly strident, increasingly emotional and increasingly irrational? Here is Paul Krugman in last Monday's column: Mr. Romney and Mr. Ryan...want to expose many Americans to financial insecurity, and let some of them die, so that a handful of already wealthy people can have a higher after-tax income. No, that's not a misprint. The Republicans actually want to let some people die so that they can reward their rich friends. It's not an isolated comment either. Under the heading "Death by Ideology," Krugman actually lists all of the ways in which a President Romney would proceed to kill people. For example: Mr. Romney wants...to repeal ObamaCare and slash funding for Medicaid -- actions that would take insurance away from some 45 million nonelderly Americans, causing thousands of people to suffer premature death. And their longer-term plans to convert Medicare into Vouchercare would deprive many seniors of adequate coverage, too, leading to still more unnecessary mortality. [M]any, and probably most, older Americans -- would be left with inadequate insurance, insurance that exposed them to severe financial hardship if they got sick, sometimes left them unable to afford crucial care, and yes, sometimes led to their early death. So what, you may ask, is the basis for all this vitriol? Krugman is writing about health care -- a subject about which he has proved time and again he knows virtually nothing. On this occasion he lets loose with this bold assertion: The overwhelming evidence, however, is that [health] insurance is indeed a lifesaver, and lack of insurance a killer...there's no real question that lack of insurance is responsible for thousands, and probably tens of thousands, of excess deaths of Americans each year. Krugman claims to have reviewed the economics literature. If he has, then he is an embarrassment to the economics profession, despite his Nobel Prize. Then again, if he claims to have done so but really hasn't, I suppose that's equally embarrassing. (And remember, while all this is going on he is invariably calling everyone who disagrees with him a liar.) Let me briefly set the record straight. Some studies actually have claimed that tens of thousands of people have died prematurely because they lacked health insurance. But these studies were not done by economists and were never accepted in any credible, peer-reviewed social science journal. They are basically junk science and they have been thoroughly discredited on several occasions, most notably by Richard Kronick , an economist who served in the Obama administration and actually helped design HillaryCare. Kronick writes that "there is little evidence to suggest that extending insurance coverage to all adults would have a large effect on the number of deaths in the United States." I'll get to the children below. In general, the economics literature has found no evidence that lack of health insurance has any substantial effect on mortality. Prof. June O'Neill, former director of the Congressional Budget Office, thoroughly investigated this issue and found that among Americans above 250% of poverty, lack of health insurance does not affect mortality. Below 250% of poverty, people without health insurance have an 11% higher probability of dying. But the probability drops to under 3% when you take into account demographic differences in the two populations. In fact, it is likely that the differential probability would disappear altogether with a complete inclusion of all the demographic differences between the two groups. (See her PowerPoint slides .) The most recent evidence on children comes from a paper posted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. It looks at the effects of Medicaid on mortality and finds: Medicaid insurance leads to a substantial decline in mortality in older black children. It has no effect on white children. It has no effect on children -- black or white -- in states with the most Medicaid expansion. The last finding is the most important. Krugman claims that by expanding Medicaid, ObamaCare will save thousands of lives and that by repealing ObamaCare, Romney would cause thousands of people to die. The evidence says otherwise. Paul Krugman deserves the Nobel Prize for his clear thinking and advocacy of free trade.  But on health care issues, he is a rank amateur. Mr. Romney and Mr. Ryan...want to expose many Americans to financial insecurity, and let some of them die, so that a handful of already wealthy people can have a higher after-tax income. This assertion seems rather melodramatic. Why does an advanced "free society" have to become a cradle- to-grave welfare state? There isn't enough money in the country to insure every person's financial security . For all long as there have been people on this Earth, they have had to collaborate and fight for security. A "handful of already wealthy people" cannot do anything about that. They certainly cannot alleviate the suffering of millions of people. However, they do make for a handy scapegoat when one political party is willing to undercut the future of the American economy for a few more years in power. Paul Krugman's communications and demeanor seem to reveal an angry man. Wonder what makes a man who expresses such confidence in his own capacity and virtue to be so angry. Fear? Insecurity? Sad for him, unhelpful for the rest of us. John, You do us a service by continuing to cover the excesses of Krugman. Apart from a psychological study, there is little reason to pay his political views any attention. Yet, since it is important to know what the opposition believes, even if it is as foolish and wrongheaded as Krugman has allowed his views to become. Thus, a sincere thanks for continuing what must be an unpleasant task. Dr. Goodman, the data from the "Oregon Medicaid Experiment" also supports the point you make here. Other than increased health care utilization and expenditures, the only effect of Medicaid coverage that objective data in the study shows is a decrease in medical collections from credit report data. The authors specifically say, regarding Medicaid beneficiaries in the study, "Currently our only objective health measure is mortality, on which we were unable to detect an effect." and "...it does not appear to reduce their risk of bankruptcy (at least in the first year)...". Is it safe to assume that you expect the data from Oregon to continue to show no effect on mortality in the coming years, or has self-selection in the enrollment process created a sample with such poor health status that there will be some effect on mortality? Apologies if that is a false dichotomy or a leading question I hate to break it to Mr. Krugman, but the death rate will be 100% no matter who is president. I know Obama promised that the seas would lower once he became president, but even he never promised immortality. Maybe he's saving that for his second term. The problems with the conflicting results in studies of premature mortality of the uninsured are partly due to measuring a fairly uncommon event (death under age 65) in a very large group (the uninsured). Nevertheless, numerous studies have demonstrated that premature death due to lack of insurance is a very real phenomenon. The study in children suffers from the fact that, fortunately, death in children is quite rare, and those that do occur often are from conditions in which medical interventions are ineffective, so insurance status would not have made an easily measurable difference. Innumerable other studies have demonstrated the great value of Medicaid and CHIP in children beyond that of preventing death. Richard Kronick is a highly credible and well respected researcher. His study failed to demonstrate that insurance prevents deaths, but he controlled for illnesses that individuals were aware of, yet did not control for those that the uninsured are less likely to be aware of, such as diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and hypertension. Thus his adjustment for baseline health status, ignoring these common conditions, could easily have resulted in the negative findings. Those of us who have been in practice for decades have many anecdotal accounts of uninsured individuals delaying their health care, resulting in lethal outcomes. Although anecdotes do not meet the test of scientific validity, we still mourn those lives lost by individuals who told us that they didn't come in earlier because they were broke and uninsured. We should make every effort we can to remove financial barriers to health care. Neither Romney nor Paul Ryan have proposed anything that can be called "cuts" in Medicaid. They have proposed reforms that would potentially greatly improve access to health care by the poor covered by the program, with the program costing far less as scored by CBO because of the improved incentives and efficiency, just exactly as the 1996 reforms of AFDC caused costs of that program to decline by 50% from where they would have been under prior trends, while incomes of the poor formerly on the program were documented to increase by 25%, and poverty among them declined precipitously. It would be an abuse of the English language to say that those 1996 AFDC reforms "slashed" or even cut AFDC/TANF. Similarly, it is an abuse to say that the same reforms of Medicaid would "slash" or "cut" the program. Medicaid with the reforms proposed by Romney/Ryan would be better for the poor than Medicaid today, especially as it will be under Obamacare. Similarly, Medicare under the reforms proposed by Romney/Ryan would be better for seniors than Medicare under Obamacare. Krugman abuses his positions to push juvenile quality Marxism. Krugman got his Nobel Prize for economic geography. It is his job to see patterns among socioeconomic and spatiotemporal lines. As for his work on healthcare.. people tend to find what they're looking for. If it makes you feel better, Obama got one of those Nobel thingies too. Don M., I don't think you need a government takeover of health care or the expenditure of trillions of dollars to screen for diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and hypertension. Thus even if what you say has some merit Kronick's study remains just as valuable. All true, but still disappointing that Romney dismisses the very real problem of the uninsured/underinsured with the blithe statement that they can go to the ER for emergency care. Is he really that clueless? While I agree that Krugman is WAY out of his area of expertise on the issue of health insurance, the suggestion that lack of access would have no impact on mortality is absurd on its face. Divine intervention would be required to make that so. Of course if you REALLY believe this, Mr. Goodman, you could always show us by dropping your own and your family's health insurance. What? Not quite THAT sure, are you? I enjoyed the exchange between Krugman and Mary Matalin a couple of weeks ago. I would have loved to know what was going through Carville's head as he sat between them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfjNNBfRm\\...


Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (Reuters/Brendan McDermid) Crude oil prices jumped and US stocks sagged following Israel's attack on Gaza and amid renewed violence in the oil-rich Middle Eastern region. In London, Brent crude spiked $1.58 to $109.84 per barrel. And in New York, the benchmark WTI light crude gained 87 cents to $86.26 a barrel. According to CMC Markets analyst, Michael Hewson, it's a direct response to the violence in the Middle East. "Crude oil prices have jumped back once again after news of fire fights breaking out in the Middle East as Israel launched an airstrike on Gaza killing a Hamas commander, in retaliation for rocket attacks on Israel earlier this week," Hewson told reporters. A top Hamas commander was among the ten people killed in more than 20 Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, as Israel launched an operation targeting militant groups. Ahmed Jabari, the operational commander of Hamas's armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, was killed alongside his bodyguard, Mohammed al-Hams, in an initial Israeli strike on a car in Gaza City. Gaza's Health Minister Dr. Mufeed Mkhallalati said forty-five people have been  injured, 10 of them are in critical condition.  An 11-month-old baby and a 6-year-old girl were among the dead. The attacks follow a flare-up in violence between Israel and Gaza-based groups, which saw rockets fired from the Palestinian territory into the Jewish state, and Israeli air strikes and shelling that killed seven people.


Miley Cyrus Behind-The-Scenes in 'Two & a Half Men' [PHOTOS & VIDEO] Miley Cyrus Behind-The-Scenes in 'Two & a Half Men' [PHOTOS & VIDEO] Miley Cyrus isn't really planning a wedding anytime soon with fianc, Liam Hemsworth. Instead, the cropped-blonde cutie is working out her career with her latest stint with Ashton Kutcher in "Two and a Half Men." Take a look at the behind-the-scenes stills and read on to find out how Miley felt making out with a guy who isn't her fianc. Showing off her country twang and fast-blabbing skills, Miley Cyrus stars as Missi in a few episodes for "Two and a Half Men" starting on October 18. Cyrus plays Jake's love interest, played by Angus Jones. Jon Cyrer explains Miley's role in the following statement. "[Missi] is just coming to L.A.to see what it's like to live out there and she stays with us for a few days and of course throws everything into disarray. [Miley] is beautiful and remarkable. You will enjoy her on the show!" While playing the provocative and talkative Missi on the show would appear as easy for Miley, in an interview with "Tonight Show", Miley admitted to feeling a bit awkward during the make-out scenes. "It was kind of weird because [while] I was doing it , here were the prop guys and they were like, 'Do you have your ring on?' And I was like, 'This feels weird' [to] take off my ring and make out with Angus,'" explains Miley, adding, "This is creepy'... But it was fun." Check out the stills by clicking the slideshow and check out the preview video below.


The Junction -- an accident in the offing The car exits the magic roundabout*, 50m to the left of the junction. It's moving quickly, pressed into action by the volume of traffic that orbits the roundabout like an asteroid belt. The car accelerates, plugging the short gap between high velocity objects. Looking ahead, the driver spots traffic approaching on the other side of the road. That's painful, he muses, assessing the brief window of opportunity to take a hasty right turn onto Sanquhar Steet. The foot goes down, the car swings right, scything the corner of the junction. Shock spreads across the drivers face. The car swerves hard to the left, just missing the cyclist patiently waiting to turn right and standing precisely where he should be  - at the 'T'. In broad daylight, the cyclist is prominent and obvious. Obvious? The speed obsessed driver was oblivious. Thanks to the magic of straight lines, the left and right hand sides of the road are separated quite neatly at the junction. This happened to me about 3 weeks ago. The car careered around the turn and skidded to avoid me. I didn't even have time to react, standing bemusedly, watching the car thump into the curb whilst the driver jumped at the impact. He apologised. I nodded acceptance. Then my legs almost buckled beneath me as I realised that I'd narrowly avoided being tossed in the air like a beaten bullfighter. Now incidents like this can, and do happen. That I can accept. Fair enough. Put it down to misfortune. About a week later, another car did exactly the same at precisely the same spot. Still bad luck? Then last night another car did the same thing again, this time the mortified driver in the car behind shook his head and waved a sad acknowledgement to me -- 'Now THAT , was a close call'. Once, maybe. Twice, co-incidence. Three times? A pattern. And drivers wonder why cyclists creep forward at junctions, ignore lights or hop on the pavement. Maybe, just maybe, because there's so little protection on the roads. Now here's an idea. In the work place there's a health and safety book that records incidents for the purposes of pattern recognition and future accident prevention. Perhaps there should be a regional register that allows any road user (pedestrian, cyclist, motorist) to formally record concerns. With modern technology and mobile comms, it really shouldn't be too tricky. Do you have any thoughts on this? Does a database exist already? Feel free to comment below. Incidentally, the sound thing is an experiment. Sound is much more personal than video. *The roundabout at the head of East Tyndall St is dubbed 'The magic roundabout' due to some controversial and expensive artwork. Endearing? Naff? Endearingly naff? You decide (below).


Story Tools More than 10,000 people have signed a petition to stop tomorrow's New Zealand International Rodeo at Claudelands Event Centre. But the rodeo looks set to go ahead amid calls from Save Animals From Exploitation (SAFE) and a Hamilton animal activist that rodeo is a dated blood sport and should be banned. Rodeo organiser Darryl Tombleson says there have never been any injuries to animals, or people, in his rodeo in the five years it's been operating. "We have vets on site and structures in place to ensure there aren't any injuries. I appreciate their opinion but we are pedantic about ensuring the animals' safety," said Mr Tombleson. "I've never understood the mentality of people jumping up and down without knowing the facts." SAFE campaign manager Mandy Carter said rodeo had "nothing to do with New Zealand". "It's not a tradition here - it's something that's been imported from the US. The animals are genuinely scared. The animals are put under an enormous amount of stress. It's totally unacceptable. "We encourage pet owners to lock cats and dogs inside and to put horses away in stables around Guy Fawkes but the animals [in the rodeo] are metres from pyrotechnics and loud music. It's twisted logic." Mr Tombleson said pyrotechnics would not be used in this year's rodeo. "The short answer is we are not using pyrotechnics, we are using some visuals." He said the 'visuals' consisted of "flame cannons suspended in the air". A press release about the show stated the rodeo would feature pyrotechnics. Animal activist Alvina Edwards started an online petition which has drawn signatures from throughout the world. "Rodeo is banned in many countries. It is banned in Auckland," said Ms Edwards. Auckland Council passed a resolution banning rodeos from council-owned land following public backlash at plans for Auckland to host a tri-nations rodeo in June, 2008. Mayor Julie Hardaker has been condemned for allowing the rodeo to be hosted at a council-owned facility and some want her to stand down as chairwoman of Waikato SPCA. Hamilton City Council events facilities' director of business development and marketing Murray Jeffrey said "council is not hosting the event; it is hiring the facility to the event promoters and organisers. The event complies with council's event venues booking policy and last year drew a sold-out crowd of 4200 at Claudelands." The show will feature top Kiwi showjumper Katie McVean in a stunt riding display, alongside other riders from New Zealand, Australia, the US and Canada.


10 ways to be the best pet owner ever Princess collars , doggie day care and even designer pet beds are popular among pet owners, and it's easy to understand the temptation to indulge your pets. How can you not spoil the kitten that falls asleep on the small of your back, or the puppy that trots behind you carrying a prized oversize stick? But pampering your pet should only be a bonus; keeping them safe, happy and healthy is what really makes you the best pet owner. "We invite these animals into our homes, we make them part of our family," says Steve Carroll, CEO of the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies (chfs.ca.) "And when we make that commitment, we need to live up to it." Here are 10 ways to make sure you are. 1. Pick the right pup "One of the most important things you want to consider before you buy a pet is whether your lifestyle will accommodate it," says Carroll. Your experience owning pets, the time you have at home, your level of physical activity, whether there are other pets in the house and the amount of room you have should all factor into your decision. The Humane Society has a comprehensive program to match owners and pets, and many breeders also discuss compatibility. 2. Keep him healthy Your pet can't tell you if he's sick, points out Carroll, so it's important to schedule regular checkups with the vet. You might also want to consider pet health insurance, an increasingly popular option that can help you avoid unexpected bills if your pet is injured or sick. It's also important to spay or neuter your pet: it prevents unwanted animals and makes your pet less likely to be aggressive or roam, and lowers its chances of catching a disease. 3. ID your pet All pets need some form of permanent ID, either a tattoo or a microchip. Microchip programs don't yet link to a universal database, so ask questions before you buy. In addition to a permanent option, every pet needs a collar with its name, your name, and a phone number. This often allows for pets to be returned directly, preventing a trip to the Humane Society that nobody wants. 4. Go to obedience school Take your dog to obedience school . Training (which should be mostly with positive reinforcement) will help people feel safer around your pet, can reduce the amount of damage your pet may do to your home, and will make your dog happier. "The animal feels more well adjusted and safe, because they know what the expectations are (for him)," explains Carroll.


And On That Farm He Had A Duck Yesterday I ventured into deepest darkest Wales in order to collect the ducks that John (of Going Gently fame) has donated to my miniature smallholding. Here they are huddled together in hysterical panic in the corner of the converted wendyhouse which is their new home. Apparently this state of hysteria is not unusual in runner ducks. In fact it may well be their default setting. It's a pretty big contrast to my placid fat hens, a couple of which are so languid that they let the kids stroke them rather than bother to get out of the way. The ducks are currently undergoing a period of confinement in order to get them used to their sleeping quarters, so haven't been let loose on the garden as yet. Evan did take an exploratory foray into their hut this afternoon to see if he could make friends with any of them. However the calcophany of panicked quacking he provoked soon saw him shoot for the exit. "Why are they quacking so loud dad?!" he asked. "Because, as John warned me when I asked for them, they are mad as a box of frogs". It was really great meeting John. He was a virgin to the blogger-meet-up experience, and so I feel honored to pop his cherry. Judging by his blog entry I think the whole thing freaked him out a little bit. Meeting people you've followed online is a funny old thing. We all use the internet to project an airbrushed image of ourselves, and so meeting a blogger in person feels a bit like meeting their slightly less charismatic twin sibling. A bit like in Buffy the Vampire Slayer when Xander's twin brother popped up on occasion -- yeah, he looks sort of the same, but he had a funny shaped head. Not that I felt that way with John I hasten to add. His head was perfectly normal shaped. But I'm sure he must have felt it with me (the current wild state of my beard alone is enough to send people running for the woods). But it wasn't just John I met. John's tales of his various pets and livestock play such a big part in what makes his blog a fantastic read. So meeting Constance the bulldog, Boris the turkey, and Jesus the cockerel felt like meeting minor celebrities. I got the same little thrill from the encounter as I would attending a dinner party with the Chuckle Brothers and Michael Fish. Exciting stuff. 1. The ducks look very nice but I'm sure they would appreciate a little more effort on your behalf to decorate their new home. Maybe some colour similar to their natural habitat on the shed wall would calm them down a little. 2. I thought you were a lot shorter than you actually are when I met you. I never expected a 'Hagrid'. ;-)


Posterior Babies - Mothers can trust their instincts By Rosie Denmark AIMS Journal, Summer 2000, Volume 12 No. 2 I first heard about the posterior presentation of babies early in my pregnancy from Margie Polden's article 'Getting into position' [1]. The description of the shape of the abdomen in a posterior pregnancy came back to me as the months went by, as I noticed that my bump, quite small and compact and prominent to the right, and with palpable hand and feet kicks at the front, did not appear to be developing the forward round shape of the other pregnant women I knew. Indeed, people were always remarking on how small and neat my bump looked, usually with admiration for retaining a slim figure. I would almost say that I had an instinct that something was wrong-above and beyond the usual and fairly constant pregnancy worries. Around week 26 onwards I had thought that I could feel that my baby was in a breech position-normal at this stage of pregnancy-as I could feel her kicks very low down in my abdomen. This was so uncomfortable that I slept for a few nights with my hips raised on a large cushion. I felt her turning during one night; and the next day my bladder no longer felt as if I had a foot pushed through it. A few weeks later, I became more and more suspicious that my baby was presenting in a posterior position. At 32 weeks, I tried to confirm this suspicion with my midwife. However, she neither seemed confident to diagnose her position ('So does the baby feel as if she's posterior?' 'Well, her head's down, so that's good' 'Yes, but is she posterior?' 'Well lots of babies face outwards at this stage') nor happy to discuss exercises to change her position if she was posterior. Her opinion was that babies stay in the position most comfortable to them, and there's nothing you can do to change that. She told me that she would tell me my baby's position at 38/39 weeks. I do not know whether this midwife was unsure of the position of my baby, or whether she simply would not tell me. Despite the fact that the presentation of the baby is a key factor defining the progress of labour, with posterior labours well-recognised as longer, more painful, and often necessitating more medical intervention [2], is it the case that many midwives only routinely diagnose the cephalic/breech presentations? Indeed, a recent title of an article in a mainstream pregnancy magazine stated 'Why the position of your baby matters-breech or cephalic'. Is it really the case that these are the only presentations routinely recognised? And is it coincidence that breech presentations are the ones that doctors (sometimes) "fix" - but not (generally) something that mothers and midwives can do anything about? As this was my first baby and I was booked for a home birth, I was alert for any problems which might indicate a need to transfer into hospital-a scenario repeatedly raised by my midwife. As I knew that posterior labours had a high rate of medical intervention, I decided to find out more. I was also deeply worried at the idea of diagnosing my baby's position at the very end of pregnancy, when it would be too late anyway. Having spent 10 years successfully using natural family planning, and being therefore quite used to knowing and respecting what was happening in my body, this deliberate ignorance seemed mindless to me. At this point I tried the exercises outlined in the literature for turning posterior babies1, but succeeded only in making myself very uncomfortable and bringing a lot of fear and negativity that I wouldn't be able to change my baby's position and therefore would have to have a hospital birth. I vacillated between wondering if I was making a 'fuss over nothing' (which the approach of my midwife seemed to imply); and panic that I was rapidly heading towards a hospitalised, managed labour. I found it far too hard to keep up all these exercises without support and was in a vacuum of self doubt, with my body telling me one thing-that something was wrong-and the midwife another. So how did my body tell me something was wrong? I did not feel 'settled', and I felt as if my baby was uncomfortable. I used to feel an 'edginess'-physically, as her head began to engage, as if two bones were grinding together. I would wake up feeling uncomfortable with the strangest urges-one night wanting to sleep kneeling on the floor with one leg cocked up like a dog! I had a dream of lying sideways on the top of stairs and falling forwards, with the forward rolling sensation being very peaceful and comfortable. I felt as if my body was 'urging me on'-but to what, I didn't know. I noticed that when I was relaxed the baby would do deep churning movements as if she was turning right round. In summary, I had a strong urge to do something physical, but I was not sure what! In my first two weeks of doing the exercises alone, I simply increased my feeling of pain and agitation. The forward leaning exercises (described below) caused the baby to move more, and the deep uncomfortable churning movements increased, often waking me up for long periods at nights. Along with my own lack of confidence in what I was trying to do, I simply found it too hard alone. Around this time, I received my copy of Jean Sutton's book Optimal Foetal Positioning [2]. The morning I read it, I cannot describe the fear and panic it instilled in me. Far from my home birth, it raised a likely spectre of a managed labour, even a caesarean. It frightened me sufficiently to change midwives: it was clear to me that I needed to have my baby's position properly diagnosed and have some help if possible in trying to change it; and so I eventually changed my booking to independent midwives. Following their first visit, my suspicions were confirmed that my baby was in fact posterior, and I was very relieved to get a proper diagnosis. My midwives were very understanding of my fears, but managed to convey a calm and confident attitude that it was perfectly possible for posterior babies to change. They gave me exercises to do, and I wrote out a list that I left in each room of the house of postures to aim for and avoid. Three times a day, I would spend 20-30 minutes per day on hands and knees, or lying on my front. In the mornings this tended to be reading on my front propped up by cushions in bed, and at night on hands and knees in a warm bath. I did a lot of house painting on my hands and knees. This was, admittedly, difficult to maintain as it made my heartburn very much worse, and I would sometimes feel quite sick afterwards. I was very strict about never using backwards leaning postures, always sleeping on my side, never sitting back on the sofa (the hardest!), only sitting on a special back chair that allows you to lean forward with your knees lower than your hips, or sitting forward leaning on a bean bag. I also had a large 'birth ball' (available through the Active Birth Centre catalogue), which I would sit forward and rock my pelvis on. I am convinced that it is the birth ball that made the real difference for me: after 5 or 10 minutes of rocking on this, I would feel the baby start churning movements, and if I then went into the kneeling forward positions I could almost feel her fall forwards. The feeling of agitation that had previously been my instinct that something was wrong now became more definite: the baby was trying to move and I could help her to do so. It is worth making central to our understanding that babies themselves seem to want to move into the right position. Research has begun to recognise that it is babies who instigate the birth process2, and it therefore seems highly likely that they are active in trying to find the right position in which to do so. I was still occasionally woken up at night feeling uncomfortable; now I went and rocked on my birth ball, and did the exercise my midwife gave me of walking up the stairs sideways, two at a time. I had a difficult weekend of pre-labour pains when the agitation peaked, and I awoke constantly with a feeling of bones grinding in my pelvis. It was at this point, discouraged and worn out by pain, that I eventually resolved to really work at it, thinking clearly that my baby had to turn at some point: it would be much less painful to do this before labour than during, possibly with the help of forceps or venthouse. This was a passage through which I had no choice, so weary as I was, I might as well get on with it. In the last weeks of my pregnancy, my midwife suggested that I go to the swimming pool every day, floating forwards in the water for 20 minutes or so. I'm sure the local swimmers thought I was mad; but the combination of relaxed muscle tone caused by being in a warm pool and the forward leaning posture seemed to do the trick as, at my last antenatal visit, direct anterior was diagnosed and I went into labour shortly afterwards. The main reason I think the exercises worked on the second attempt is that skilled support enabled me to 'walk into' the discomfort (which I had anyway been experiencing but which the exercises made worse) and go beyond it. It became clear to me that this agitation was in fact the experience of the baby trying to move; fairly painful in itself, and therefore more painful as it is successful. On my second attempt at trying to turn her, my baby's head had already begun to engage. As I continued with my exercises she disengaged, re-engaging as direct anterior. My 'forwards kneeling, never leaning back' regime was really hard work, and I was much encouraged by the support and positive attitude of my midwives. Having experienced both pre-labour pains whilst my baby was turning, and an anterior labour, it is clear to me that contractions with a posterior baby are of a very different nature to usual first stage contractions, and are recognised as being particularly painful [3]: the pain is more agitating and exhausting and somehow more 'difficult to handle'. I do not think I could have coped with a posterior labour at home. Your baby's position is fundamentally about the relationship between your body and yourself, and your baby and you. Your body gives you clues as to the positioning of your baby, some of which you can begin to learn to interpret yourself, although you may need an experienced and skilled midwife to help. It is the sensations that you feel that guide you through your progress in the exercises. And getting your baby into an optimal position for labour is one of the most important aspects of your relationship with your baby as you approach birth together. At a time when medicalisation of labour can act all too often to reinforce our natural fear and apprehension as we approach labour, when a lack of confidence in our abilities to give birth is paramount, perhaps we should start by trying to get the basics right, starting with the position of our babies. And as with the rest of motherhood, it often takes a lot of hard work to get the fundamentals right. AIMS makes information and articles freely available on its website as a public service. We also provide advice and support to individual parents and professionals at no charge. We receive no government or charitable funding, and rely solely on donations, membership subscriptions and the efforts of our volunteers. Please help AIMS to help others by joining AIMS or making a donation.


Code of Conduct for Members and ICAC Note: This briefing paper outlines the background provisions of the Code of Conduct. It cannot comprehensively cover every aspect of the Code's application, and Members seeking advice about particular matters should contact the Parliamentary Ethics Adviser or seek private legal advice. The New South Wales Legislative Assembly adopted a Code of Conduct for its members for the first time on 5 May 1998. (The same code applies to members of the New South Wales Legislative Council.) The resolution adopting the code of conduct for the current Parliament was passed by the Legislative Assembly on 8 May 2007 with an amendment being made to the Code in June 2007. The Code of Conduct that has been agreed to by both Houses is as follows: Preamble to the Code of Conduct The Members of the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council have reached agreement on a Code of Conduct which is to apply to all Members of Parliament. Members of Parliament recognise that they are in a unique position of being responsible to the electorate. The electorate has the right to dismiss them from office at regular elections. Members of Parliament acknowledge their responsibility to maintain the public trust placed in them by performing their duties with honesty and integrity, respecting the law and the institution of Parliament, and using their influence to advance the common good of the people of New South Wales. Members of Parliament acknowledge that their principal responsibility in serving as Member is to the people of New South Wales. THE CODE Disclosure of conflict of interest Members of Parliament must take all reasonable steps to declare any conflict of interest between their private financial interests and decisions in which they participate in the execution of their office. This may be done through declaring their interests on the Register of Disclosures of the relevant House or through declaring their interest when speaking on the matter in the House or a Committee, or in any other public and appropriate manner. A conflict of interest does not exist where the member is only affected as a member of the public or a member of a broad class. Bribery A Member must not knowingly or improperly promote any matter, vote on any bill or resolution or ask any question in the Parliament or its Committees in return for any remuneration, fee, payment, reward or benefit in kind, of a private nature, which the Member has received, is receiving or expects to receive. A Member must not knowingly or improperly promote any matter, vote on any bill or resolution or ask any question in the Parliament or its Committees in return for any remuneration, fee, payment, reward or benefit in kind, of a private nature, which any of the following persons has received, is receiving or expects to receive: A member of the Member's family; A business associate of the Member; or Any other person or entity from whom the Member expects to receive a financial benefit. A breach of the prohibition on bribery constitutes a substantial breach of this Code of Conduct. Gifts Members must declare all gifts and benefits received in connection with their official duties, in accordance with the requirements for the disclosure of pecuniary interests. Members must not accept gifts that may pose a conflict of interest or which might give the appearance of an attempt to improperly influence the Member in the exercise of his or her duties. Members may accept political contributions in accordance with part 6 of the Election Funding Act 1981. Use of public resources Members must apply the public resources to which they are granted access according to any guidelines or rules about the use of those resources. Use of confidential information Members must not knowingly and improperly use official information which is not in the public domain, or information obtained in confidence in the course of their parliamentary duties, for the private benefit of themselves or others. Duties as a Member of Parliament It is recognised that some members are non-aligned and others belong to political parties. Organised parties are a fundamental part of the democratic process and participation in their activities is within the legitimate activities of Members of Parliament. Secondary employment or engagements Members must take all reasonable steps to disclose at the start of a parliamentary debate: the identity of any person by whom they are employed or engaged or by whom they were employed or engaged in the last two years (but not if it was before the Member was sworn in as a Member); the identity of any client of any such person or any former client who benefited from a Member's services within the previous two years (but not if it was before the Member was sworn in as a Member); and the nature of the interest held by the person, client or former client in the parliamentary debate. This obligation only applies if the Member is aware, or ought to be aware, that the person, client or former client may have an interest in the parliamentary debate which goes beyond the general interest of the public. This disclosure obligation does not apply if a Member simply votes on a matter; it will only apply when he or she participates in a debate. If the Member has already disclosed the information in the Member's entry in the pecuniary interest register, he or she is not required to make a further disclosure during the parliamentary debate. This resolution has continuing effect unless and until amended or rescinded by resolution of the House. This code forms part of the web of definitional terms of corrupt conduct in sections 8 and 9 of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988. Section 8 of the Act is an inclusive provision which specifies the kind of acts that might constitute corrupt conduct. This section defines corrupt conduct as the dishonest or partial exercise of official functions, or breach of public trust or the misuse of information or material which was acquired in the exercise of official functions. Section 9 is an exclusionary provision, establishing the boundaries of corrupt conduct. An act mentioned in section 8 will not constitute corrupt conduct unless it would amount to either: a criminal offence; a disciplinary offence; or reasonable grounds for dismissing, dispensing with the services of or otherwise terminating the services of a public official. In the case of conduct of a Minister of the Crown or a member of a House of Parliament -- a substantial breach of an applicable code of conduct. As noted, subsection (d) above was introduced through the 1994 amendments to the ICAC legislation so that an act by a Minister or member could also amount to corrupt conduct if it amounts to a substantial breach of an applicable code of conduct. An applicable code of conduct is defined in the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 as, firstly, in the case of a Minister, a ministerial code of conduct prescribed or adopted for the purposes of section 9 by the regulations, and, secondly, in the case of a member of Parliament (including a Minister of the Crown), a code of conduct adopted for the purposes of the section by resolution of the House concerned. Under the provisions of the Act, the Legislative Assembly is required to appoint a committee to carry out functions in relation to the Code of Conduct, including reviewing the code at least once every four years. (Section 72E of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 . The designated committee for purposes of the Act is the Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Parliamentary Privilege and Ethics see VP 04/12/2003, pp. 536-7). The code was last reviewed in 2006 by the Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Parliamentary Privilege and Ethics. (See the report of the Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Parliamentary Privilege and Ethics, Review of the Proposed Amendments to the Code of Conduct and Draft Constitution (Disclosure by Members) Regulation 2006 , September 2006). Background In 1988, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) was established with jurisdiction over all "public officials". Public official was defined to include officers in the Parliament, government departments, statutory authorities and local councils, as well as parliamentarians and local councillors, judges and magistrates. Those working in the private sector and general community who are not public officials may be covered if their conduct adversely affects or could adversely affect the honest or impartial exercise of a public official's official functions. The principal functions of the ICAC are to: investigate, expose and prevent corruption involving or affecting public authorities or public officials; and educate public authorities, public officials and members of the public about corruption and its detrimental effects on public administration and on the community. (See information on "What is the ICAC?" http://www.icac.nsw.gov.au/go/the-icac ) The ICAC does not punish offences nor does it have any prosecutorial role. Its role is to protect the public interest and to prevent breaches of public trust by exposing and minimising corruption. The legislation establishing the Commission has incorporated many amendments since its assent as a result of court challenges and anomalies that have been recognised in the legislation. Of note is the New South Wales Court of Appeal decision in Greiner and Moore v Independent Commission Against Corruption. Greiner v ICAC (1992) 28 NSWLR 125. This court case concerned an ICAC inquiry into the appointment of a former member of the Liberal Party and Minister of that Government, Dr Metherell, to a senior public service position as an alleged inducement to resign his parliamentary seat. The former Premier (Mr Greiner) and former Minister (Mr Moore) appealed the decision in the Supreme Court of New South Wales and a judgment was brought down that the ICAC's finding was made without, or in excess of jurisdiction, was a nullity, and was wrong in law. In 1994 the Parliament passed an amendment to the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 in response to continued debate following this decision. The ensuring amendment to correct this anomaly expanded the jurisdiction of the Commission in relation to Ministers of the Crown and members of Parliament. This expanded jurisdiction enables the ICAC to investigate an allegation that a Minister or member of Parliament has breached a code of conduct applicable to that Minister or member, if the alleged breach was substantially of a corrupt nature.( Section 122 of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 precludes any action contrary to Article 9 of the Bill of Rights and thus parliamentary privilege.) The link between the Code of Conduct and the Members' Handbook Under the Code of Conduct "Members must apply the public resources to which they are granted access according to any guidelines or rules about the use of those resources." The preface to the Legislative Assembly Members' Handbook explains that the handbook "has legal status as a set of guidelines for the appropriate use of facilities, services and entitlements provided to members of the Legislative Assembly." The handbook sets out guidelines for the conduct of members in regard to such matters as travel entitlements. It explains the relationship between the guidelines, the Code and the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 in the following terms: Failure to use public resources in accordance with the guidelines detailed in the Members' Handbook amounts to a breach of the Members' Code of Conduct which may, in turn, amount to corrupt conduct under the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 , even if the conduct is not otherwise illegal.


You grew up in the 90s if . . . This decade had so much going for it, at least those of us who grew up in the 90s think so. So join us and let's travel down nostalgia road reminiscing about the good ole days we like to call the 1990s. If you remember all these fond memories then you too are 90's kid. Without further ado, you grew up in the 90s if . . . You remember when it was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons You got super excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer class at school You remember reading "Goosebumps" You know the profound meaning of "Wax on, wax off" 'Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?' was both a game and a TV game show


More than a Vignette: The Simple Secrets of Dodging and Burning On the wonderful journey through the world of photography many of us have points where we stop to smell the roses for a bit. Maybe we change from shooting landscapes to portraits or delve into the miraculous details of the macro world. Either way, after a shoot we are inevitably left with some post-processing finesse to add to our images. If you are like me, you can never learn too many techniques to give your images some spark or flair hoping that the final result captures the viewer's attention, making them stop for that split second to admire the magnificence of your capture. So lets add a gourmet recipe to your photography cookbook and give you a simple, elegant way to add that extra special spice to your photos. As you peruse the photo collections of your peers you will find that many photographers use vignettes that darken the corners or edges of their images while leaving the central area of the photo lighter. Why do they use this technique? It is likely that most of you already know that as you look at a photo, the eye is naturally drawn to lighter areas of the photo and away form darker areas. In the days of the darkroom, negatives were dodged (lightened) and burned (darkened) for this same purpose. Thus, the vignette is one of the simplest ways to guide the viewer's eye toward your central subject. Let's delve into this idea with a little more depth. If we are using vignettes to focus the eye of our viewer and we can all agree that the viewer is the one responsible for deeming whether our artistic endeavor is view worthy, then this business of lightening and darkening in an image is pretty powerful stuff. So why not use this lightening and darkening in a pre-meditated way to take the eye on a narrated, guided tour of our image? Think about that statement for a second. It's like having parallel park assist on a new vehicle. We can control where we want the viewer's eye to park. Let's start with seeing the simple and subtle use of this technique in an image I took while on a trip with a good friend to Portland, Oregon. This is Punchbowl Falls, one of the many gorgeous waterfalls in the Portland area. When you look at this photo, the lightness of the water automatically draws you into the majestic waterfall roaring down into the creek where the rippling torrents slowly meander out towards the bottom of the frame. As you look further, you see the lush, green vegetation surrounding the scene in an explosion of growth, however, then the eye goes right back to that waterfall. The only thing you don't see is me, standing barefoot, and ankle deep in the middle of the creek, balancing on a few rocks praying that I can get the shot before the hypothermia sets in. Now, let me show you an overlay of how I used this lightening and darkening technique in a subtle yet calculated way to get you to drawn into the scene and experience the full gravity of it. Bingo! I have selectively lightened the areas outlined in red and darkened the areas outlined in blue and all of those leading lines guide your eye right back to the middle of the photo. The key is that it is not totally obvious that this is happening when you look at the original. It is a subtle yet wonderfully effective method to help further enhance the visual impact of your photo. Now let's get to the meat and potatoes of how this is done. There are several ways to lighten and darken areas of an image and really any technique you prefer can work, but I like to do this in Photoshop just cause that is where I am comfortable working. Once my image is open I hold down the Alt/Option key (PC/Mac) and click on the new layer icon to bring up a new layer dialogue box. In the Dial ogue box I change the blend mode to soft light and check the box to fill the layer with 50% Gray. What this does is give me a layer on which everything that I paint that is darker than 50% gray gets darker and anything I paint lighter than 50% gray gets lighter. I then get a soft edge brush set to an opacity of anywhere between 4-8%. I like to keep opacity low so I can just lightly layer in the effect with each brush stroke with a lot of control as to how much I am adding. Next, I paint anywhere I want darker in black and anywhere I want lighter in white. Remember the key is to keep in mind how you want the image to be visualized by the viewer and plan your brush strokes accordingly. I do many separate brush strokes in each area until I start seeing the effect set-in. Now, I know some die hard Photoshop enthusiasts are saying why not do separate layers for the dark and light areas so each is independent of the other? That certainly could be done, but I try to keep my number of layers to a minimum so I don't bog down my system and I find that if I have gone too dark somewhere then I just paint over it again with white to lighten it and vice versa. If you over do it a bit, you can always decrease the opacity of the layer itself. Now for that little extra something just to make it all transition smoothly. I like to go to Filter->Blur->Gaussian blur and add about anywhere from a 10-30 pixel radius of Gaussian blur to the effect to get a smoother and more subtle look. This is my secret sauce so to speak and I find it does wonders especially when applying this effect to portraits. Portraits? Did he just say portraits? You bet! I apply this same effect to highlight cheekbones, brow lines, accentuate hair highlights, etc... Usually with portraits I find that my end step Gaussian blur pixel radius is a lot higher than for landscapes and often keep it set at 30. Here are a couple more images where I have successfully used this technique in different ways. So now you are equipped with yet another pearl in your post-processing repertoire. I just hope you remember that it is not just a technique, but it is a guided visual tour through your photo. Use it to enhance drama, create mood, or simply just to de-emphasize some of those more distracting elements in your photo. Now, get out there and give it a try. Your viewers have bought their tickets and are waiting for you to guide their way! Alex Smith is a photographer and blogger out of Denver, Colorado. His blog Shutterhogs.com is dedicated towards making better photography easier for everyone. More of his work can be viewed at alexsmith88.500px.com . Guest Contributor This post was written by a guest contributor to DPS. Please see their details in the post above. Become a Contributor : Check out Write for DPS page for details about how YOU can share your photography tips with the DPS community. I went back and forth on whether or not to post the before and after shots for the additional photos. Ultimately, I thought about two things: 1) I wanted the reader to think about how the technique was used differently for each photo. 2) I had a hard time with posting a photo of an attractive young woman with red and blue lines drawn over her face. Lol! Yep. Thats how I do mine too. In HDR, I do two layers of D+B. One as a copy background, using the dodge and burn too, playing with the opacity till I am happy. Then another using a 50% gray fill layer, ( as mentioned above ), and playing around with the opacity after application. I find with both d+b layers, the photos colour and "ping" factor is even better. I will try the blur, next time I do a hdr, see how it looks! Great post! A really important tool to understand! I read your 8 tips on sports photography and liked it so I followed the link. My name is George and I live in Queens N.Y. I would like to do what you do, like for instance shoot the Jets playing in Met Life Stadium! Of course you don't know me but if you could give me some tips on how to get started that would be great. I don't have school experience but I'm good and creative. Hi Alex. This article has come at just the right time for me as I am focusing very much on what this article handles, I have been trying ti out and it has some very nice results, although I think to get it just right I will have to practice a lot. So thanks and I like this method very much and will be working to get it right. Dewan, Thanks for the nice comment. I am thrilled that you have found it helpful. Like most photoshop effects I have found that subtlety is key and that lightly brushing in the effect with very low opacity brush works better than doing too much with each stroke. Usually, I will get it to where I like how it looks then back down the opacity of the entire layer just a touch to make sure I have not overdone it. What's Your Preference? Daily Digest Each day we send out a quick email to thousands of DPS readers to notify them of updates. This email is just short excerpt of the first few lines of our latest post with a link if you want to read it all. You can unsubscribe from this this service at any time. This service is provided by a third party (Feedburner) and you can subscribe to it by leaving your email address in the following field and confirming your subscription when you get an email asking you to do so. Enter your email address for Daily Updates: Weekly Summary For those wanting a weekly summary of what happens on this site this free email newsletter is probably your best option. It includes a summary of the tips posted to the site each week. This newsletter is subscribed to by over 25000 readers (many who also subscribe to the other options above) - come join the community! 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Consultant in the Temps chair : Sandi Mahlli What was your first placement in recruitment? Customer Service Officer for the Financial Times How did you get into temporary recruitment? I went to register with the agency I ended up working for -- they felt I had some great skills to become a recruitment consultant and it all started from there in 2004!  I was completely new to recruitment and didnt know what I would enjoy in terms of a temp or perm desk so ran a dual desk which I loved as it gave me experience in both areas. What do you enjoy the most about it? I enjoy that no 2 days are the same and it can be very fast paced sometimes.  You might get a call from a Client that needs someone asap which I love as I like that challenge to try and find that right person as quick as I can. What are the main challenges of working in this division? I find that when temporary workers are available for work, they would ideally like something to start asap but I can find on some occasions that if a Client is interested in the candidate and takes too long in the process and the temp workers gets offered something elsewhere we unfortunately lose that person and its back to square one of the process! What are the three most important qualities in a  good temporaries controller ? Being organised, knowing your temps, using my own judgement on finding the right person for the booking. What's the difference between a good temp and an exceptional candidate ? A good temp is someone who calls to check in, lets me know of their availability and does not need to be chased for the timesheet when its due!!  An exceptional candidate is someone who can work at any time, is reliable, keeps in constant contact on a regular basis, refers friends for work, good timekeeper and does the booking to the best of their ability. How has the recruitment industry changed since you started ? When I started in recruitment it was so different when I put temporary workers in to bookings.  The Client did not want CV's for when they booked a temp and left the decision to me to get the right person, now Clients most of the time want a big selection of CV's and to interview for short bookings. What is the biggest lesson you have learnt in life? Live life to the max  : ) What advice would you give to someone who wanted to work in your industry? If you are new to recruitment and really want to experience what it is about, see if any recruitment agencies would allow for you to shadow someone to see if it is something that you would enjoy.  It is a role that has candidate contact, client contact, business development and account management so you would need to love all these areas to do the job well. What would you be doing if you weren't in recruitment? Running an amazing cafe in East London -- a place I love! This entry was posted on Monday, October 22nd, 2012 at 2:57 pm and is filed under Uncategorized . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.


Just One Of Those Days Lyrics Sizzla Oh, ooh, I'm missing you, girl I'm missing you Dry cry, even tears Even my heart cries, but who cares Whose fault? No one but myself Things do happen words can't explain Beyond the human reasoning, joy mixed with pain People would spend time just for us to separate They don't want to see us reach nowhere Oh girl, and you know I care Why does it have to be this way? Can't tell you go, can't tell you to stay Just one of those days, just one of those days Am I too humble or ignorant? Things begun to fade, nothing seems important Oh, my girl has left me and gone Just don't want to see her in another arm The essence of her beauty and her charm The perfume still linger, oh damn Remember girl, where we coming from, oh I'm the one to whom you belong, whoa yeah Girl, you keep me strong You and you alone, no other one Why does it have to be this way? Can't tell you to go, can't tell you to stay Just one of those days, just one of those days It's looking to see her at my gate Listening to hear the phone rings by the fire place Now, somewhere out there is my girl Now, where can I find her in this world? Still not gonna break down nor be sad Even though I'm stressed out, fed up and feeling mad I just can't do without her, oh Jah Still a man got to try Why does it have to be this way? Can't tell her to go, can't tell her to stay Just one of those days, just one of those days Is this happening for real? Only if you know the vibes what I feel Still trying to do my best and I still won't lose my interest My girl, I love you so, really hate to see you go Why does it have to be this way? Can't tell you go, can't tell you stay Just one of those days, just one of those days Dry cry, even tears Even my heart cries but who cares Whose fault? No one but myself Things do happen words can't explain Beyond the human reasoning, joy mixed with pain People would spend time just for us to separate Oh, they don't want for us to reach nowhere Oh girl, you know I care Oh, why does it have to be this way? Can't tell her go, can't tell her to stay, oh Just one of those days, just one of those days


5 Common Mistakes that Even Great Writers Make Writers make hundreds of mistakes, but most writers end up making the same mistakes over and over again -- often without even noticing. These repeated stumbles leave your writing dull and lifeless, and they eventually cause your readers to think your work always sounds the same. So here are 6 ways you can avoid common writing mistakes -- and what to do to really make your work shine: What's Your "Tell"? Just as every poker player has a "tell," writers have sets of words or phrases they tend to overuse, often without knowing it. These are the crutches we fall back on when inspiration or concentration levels are low, and they dull the shine of your writing. Here are some suspects you can look for in your own work: smell/sound/taste, watch/notice/observe, very/nice/great... Those are just suggestions, and you probably have your own personal "tell" set of words, so try to figure out what they are. Do a "find" search in your document for words you know you use frequently, and highlight these words as you uncover them in the text. How colourful did your page become? Can you make your sentences stronger by rewriting these words for new, more interesting ones? Replace your "tell" with something new no one yet suspects, and you'll soon move your writing up to the big money tables. Cut the Boring Teacher Tone You've probably had one of those clichd high-school teachers who talked in a boring monotone. You may not remember that teacher, of course, because you were asleep through most of class. Watch out -- it's easy to become the writing equivalent. If you've ever looked at a piece of your writing and thought, "This is SO dull," chances are that it's because of a monotonous sentence structure.  Sentences of a similar length may be subconsciously perceived by readers as a dull tone. Try to vary sentence length through your piece. Make some short and sharp; others long and engaging. Long sentences (by their very nature) tend to drag the story out.  They can be the equivalent of pauses in a narrative, stopping the action to convey information that the reader might need to know at that moment. Both structures have their uses, but always using one in particular can be boring to your readers. A good trick is to plot your sentence lengths on a graph and identify sets of sentences with similar lengths. Determine which sentence structure works best in each situation and try to rework them for variance. Your readers will thank you -- and stay awake. Rejoice in Your Verbs Verbs drive our writing. They excite and engage the reader. And they should be strong and active. But many writers end up accidentally hiding their verbs. It's a process called nominalisation , and it turns verbs into nouns. That weakens words and takes away their impact. It also confuses meaning, in some cases. For example, look at this sentence: "I need a change." Change is actually a verb, but in this case, it's been turned into a noun. It has become a "thing". Consider how that sentence sounds when the noun "change" is turned back into a verb: "I need to change." If you want to find hidden verbs in your writing, look for all the nouns you can find. Then ask yourself, "Can I pick this up and carry it? Can I touch it, feel it or see it? Can I buy it off the store shelf?" If the answer is no, then you've found a nominalization. You should be proud of your verbs -- they're your tools.  And with the right tool for the task, your writing will improve. Ditch the Clichs Clichs are boring! They've been around the block and run their course (whoops!). They're what you write when you don't have the energy or inspiration to think of something original. It's all right to use clichs in your first draft, as thinking of a better metaphor may take time and interrupt your flow, but always try to cut clichs out when editing your work. Your readers don't want to see clichs. They want to see fresh, new metaphors that get them thinking in different and exciting ways. So when you find a clich in your writing, try to brainstorm. For example, if you're trying to replace, "She was happy as a lark," think of what else is happy, or think of situations in which you are happy and magnify them. Maybe you have a penchant for chocolate, which might lead to a metaphor involving Charlie and the Chocolate Factory : "She was as happy as if she'd found Willy Wonka's Golden Ticket." The Road to Hell is Paved with Adverbs Adverbs are evil. Often, they're redundant. ("Creeping stealthily," or, "whispering quietly", for example.) At other times, they just serve as a prop-up for weak verbs, like "go", "have" or "to be". In his book 'On Writing' , Stephen King wrote that adverbs are, "like dandelions. If you have one on your lawn, it looks pretty and unique. If you fail to root it out, however, you find five the next day . . . fifty the day after that . . . and then, my brothers and sisters, your lawn is totally, completely, and profligately covered with dandelions. By then you see them for the weeds they really are, but by then it's -- GASP!! -- too late." Post by Chris Banks Chris Banks is a writer for Pro Writing Aid the free website that can help you improve your writing. Pro Writing Aid is more than just a grammar checker; it's your personal online writing coach and editor. Get Your Free Updates If you liked this post, there's a lot more coming! Enter your email below and we'll send you content that rocks your world! We respect your email privacy. We'll never rent, sell, or otherwise share information we collect, because that'd be a violation of everything we believe in. All excellent advice, as relevant to writing for all purposes. The idea of writing tells always makes me think of writing narratives -- whenever I'm redrafting my creative writing it always baffles me how many times people smile, nod and snarl. First, Chris, your software looks really useful. I know a lot of people balk at paying to edit their work (even though they absolutely should). A tool like this is great because as you note in the information, this tool will clean up a lot of the stuff that is black and white (spelling, repeats etc) and then you can use a human editor for the developmental aspects. As far as your question about repeated mistakes, I wrote a blog post earlier this year about an overuse I started to catch in my writing. That is the use of the word "thing". Not sure when it crept in, but I was finding it quite a bit and now try to pay close attention to that one. Definitely one your software would catch I'm sure Cheryl, you're absolutely correct. Our software is designed to act as a complement to a professional editor to make sure that you get value for money from the editor by addressing all of the quick wins first. No computer could ever substitute for a professional editor but it can be a valuable tool for finding and addressing some of the flaws in your writing before spending money on an editor. I'm going to keep you/your site in mind and I've also connected on FB/Twitter. Hope to launch a new site for non-fiction writers in the near future and I can see potential benefits in working together.


When you select the 'Remember me' option, your login information will be stored on your computer in the form of a cookie. When you visit Forkliftaction.com again, the stored login information will be retrieved automatically and you will not have to submit your login parameters (email address and password) each time you want to visit our members-only pages. A cookie is a small piece of data that is sent to your browser from a web server and stored on your computer's hard drive. A cookie can't read data off your hard disk or read cookie files created by other sites. Cookies do not damage your system. You might struggle to get another two manufactors. Man down VNA are a thing of the past. These are low volume production now and built to old designs. The world will not miss them when the last is phased out. There are quite a few reach trucks manufactured today that lift to 12M that require a stacking aisle greater than 3M.  Many of these are being replaced with articulated man down machines that lift to 12M and that operate in aisles of approx 2.1M. These are working with better performance results than reach trucks because of their reduced aisle size, greater lifting capacity, high performance lift and lower speeds and the ability to work indoors and out. Hi Goodie, Based on all the discussions, do agree that it is not a good idea to have a man-down truck for 13 meters. Usually, a person vision and judgement is good up to 6 meters. And if you want order picking, then a man-up will be the best. Operator goes up to 13 meters, pick up the goods and then he can go to another location to pick other items. PAPA is right Jungheinrich had not sell a single ETX515. Forkliftaction.com accepts no responsibility for forum content and requires forum participants to adhere to the rules. Click here for more information. FORUM GLOSSARY Click for description. FORUM A place for members to share ideas or ask questions. Every Forum is focused on a subject. Choose an area that is of interest. DISCUSSION A series of messages in chronological order; a conversation about a Forum subject. Start a new discussion with a question, a comment or an idea, and let fellow members respond. MESSAGES Each text contribution within a discussion, as posted by a member. All messages contain details about the author and the time of posting. Any member can contribute to any discussion in every forum. NICKNAME This is your unique Forum identity. You may choose your first name or any other nickname. It must be a unique name: "first in, first served". SIGNATURE A short message created in your Forum profile, which you may opt to attach to any of your messages. This could be a slogan, anecdote or greeting.


Living in the back of beyond....... Hi, I'm Steve and I live in the highlands of scotland, not far from Loch Ness. My nearest big city or town is Inverness (35 miles), followed by Aberdeen (140). CIMA in their wisdom have decided to abandon Inverness as an examination centre, leaving me with a huge logistical problem. I have just taken my one remining paper (P3) and had to make the long trek, starting at 3am, in order to be at my desk on time. Not the best preparation for an exam and although I could have stayed somewhere local, the accommodation in Aberdeen is very expensive. Does anyone alse have a similar problem? I dont understand why CIMA can't have a centre in Inverness, is there a chronic shortage of invigilators up here? I'm hoping that after July I don't have this problem anymore but just in case.... PLEASE CIMA reinstate the Inverness centre, some of us live in remote areas and we need all the help we can get.


About The Axis of Awesome are The World's Most Awesomest Comedy Band. In the incredible time that they have been together, they have done literally so much stuff. They have blown audiences away across Australia and around the world with their mixture of original comedy songs and pop parodies. Their Four Chord Song is one of the highest rated comedy video of all time on YouTube, and has received over 20 million hits. They have made TV appearances in Australia, the UK and Sweden and their albums "Scissors, Paper, ROCK!" and "Infinity Rock Explosion" and DVD "The Axis of Awesome Live" are hits with audiences worldwide. They recently picked up the Time Out Award for Best Australian Act at the Sydney Comedy Festival, and they are also recipients of the prestigious Moosehead Award for their first ever Melbourne International Comedy Festival show, "The Axis of Awesome Comeback Spectacular". Their most recent show "Songs in the Key of Awesome" had it's Australian premiere at The Sydney Opera house. The Axis of Awesome are currently touring the United States. They leave men laughing and women gasping (and also laughing), and before long you'll be laughing and/or gasping, depending on your gender. The Axis of Awesome are: Jordan Raskopoulos: Lead vocals. Star of stage and screen, Jordan is best known for his work on "The Ronnie Johns Half Hour" on Channel 10. His memorable characters and humorous lines were both memorable and humorous. Currently a National Theatresports Champion, Jordan was nominated for Best Newcomer at the 2007 Melbourne International Comedy Festival for his one-man show, "The Adventures of the Man With the Dominant Claw". Jordan enjoys Snickers bars and the music of David Bowie. Benny Davis: Keyboard, vocals. A classically trained musician, Benny brings some class to the Axis. And a portable keyboard. As an original member of the sketch comedy troupe "The Delusionists", Benny was a stand out in their 2007 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Show. A regular cast member of almost every improvised comedy show in Sydney, Benny is a virtuoso on the keyboard. Benny enjoys Super Mario Galaxy on Nintendo Wii and the music of Billy Joel. Lee Naimo: Guitar, way way back up vocals. One of Sydney's best improvisers, Lee has made stuff up while touring Australia and internationally. Along with Jordan, Lee is a current National Theatresports Champion, and he is co-creator of the hit live show, "Scrabble Unscripted", which was a sold-out success at both the Melbourne and Sydney Cracker Comedy Festivals in 2006 and 2007. Lee enjoys sunshine and the music of Hannah Montanna.


Description When a Web application provides the capability of deleting information, the server can provide a means to recover information that was deleted in error by a user. One approach is to delay deleting the data by merely marking it for deletion or moving it to a holding area (such as a trash can) and waiting some period of time before actually deleting it. During this time period, the user can request that the data be restored or can retrieve it from the holding area. Another approach is to record all delete transactions in such a way that data can be restored if requested by the user, such as in the edit history stored by wikis and source control applications.The retrievable information that is stored should be that which would be needed to correct the transaction. Examples A Web application allows users to set up folders and store data within them. Each folder and data item is accompanied by a checkbox to mark it for action, and two buttons, one to move and one to delete. If the user selects the delete button by mistake, large amounts of data could be lost. The application presents the data as deleted to the user right away, but schedules it for actual deletion in one week. During the week, the user may go into a "deleted items" folder and request any folder or data item awaiting actual deletion to be restored. Tests Procedure Identify functionality that allows deleting content Delete content and attempt to recover it. Check if deleted information can be recovered. Expected Results #3 is true. If this is a sufficient technique for a success criterion, failing this test procedure does not necessarily mean that the success criterion has not been satisfied in some other way, only that this technique has not been successfully implemented and can not be used to claim conformance.


Shop around for everything - cheapest isnt always best, but value is... larger amount for the same price etc... Pay cash for goods rather than bank it - avoid bank charges ! Only spend what you can afford, if I have had a quiet week, I buy no stock - with being creative, I can still make the shop look full ! - overdrafts are great - but for a dire emergency! Dont buy the same product twice ! - sounds silly? not really - when you renew your car insurance (after shopping around of course) if it includes the same level of breakdown cover than your AA membership would - why pay separately for the AA membership? - see what I mean, it usually works out cheaper included. With 'special orders' - always get a deposit - no deposit, no order (I have been stitched up too many times !) and make sure the amount of the deposit covers the wholesale cost of the item - then if the customer does not return, it does not reduce your cashflow ! It's often surprising just how lots of small things add up. Quite a few times, I've taken out a "drill down" report for a client, for a heading such as office supplies and they've been amazed that hundreds of pounds have been spent for virtually nothing - i.e. no big single payments - just lots of fivers here and there. This is so true. Unfortunately we tend to justify the small ticket items but don't realise how much they really do add up! Shop around for everything - cheapest isnt always best, but value is... larger amount for the same price etc... Pay cash for goods rather than bank it - avoid bank charges ! Only spend what you can afford, if I have had a quiet week, I buy no stock - with being creative, I can still make the shop look full ! - overdrafts are great - but for a dire emergency! Dont buy the same product twice ! - sounds silly? not really - when you renew your car insurance (after shopping around of course) if it includes the same level of breakdown cover than your AA membership would - why pay separately for the AA membership? - see what I mean, it usually works out cheaper included. With 'special orders' - always get a deposit - no deposit, no order (I have been stitched up too many times !) and make sure the amount of the deposit covers the wholesale cost of the item - then if the customer does not return, it does not reduce your cashflow ! You clear here some most valuable points like Only spend what you can afford, Dont buy the same product twice and also i want to suggest here not to rush for the cheapest always because sometimes it is more worse and causes big quality and finance loss. The Following User Says Thank You to a4creations For This Useful Post:


Every hospital and care home in England will have a doctor tasked with ensuring dementia patients are well looked after, under new Government plans The scheme is expected to be announced on top of plans for memory clinics "in every town" and extra training for doctors to spot the spot the illness in its early stages. But the national dementia strategy is not anticipated to include commitments of extra funding of research into the illness, which charities warn is vital to learn how to prevent the condition. Ministers are also expected to announce that a review into the use of so-called "chemical cosh" anti-psychotic drugs, estimated to kill more than 20,000 care home patients a year, will not be published until the spring. Alzheimer's charities described the strategy, first announced by ministers last summer, as a "huge let down". They said that they were also concerned about slow progress on a Government plan to hold a scientific symposium on dementia, designed to stimulate research. Related Articles More than 700,000 people in Britain suffer from dementia, with about 400,000 diagnosed with Alzheimer's, the most common form. Speaking at the weekend, Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, said that he wanted the strategy to reduce the "stigma" around the illness that meant it took three years for most patients to be diagnosed. But Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said that it was "astonishing" that the plan had ignored so many issues vital to tackling the disease. "This strategy is only the first step to tackling our dementia crisis, and it is a huge let down that so much has been left out," she said. "It is astonishing that dementia research is not a fundamental component of this strategy, and disappointing that the review of anti-psychotic drugs has been delayed yet again. "It is not clear if sufficient funds will be made available to fulfil what is included in the strategy. "The government spends about as much on dementia research each year as it costs to build a single mile of motorway. Dementia costs our economy 17 billion a year -- more than cancer, heart disease and stroke combined -- yet receives eight times less government support for research than cancer. This economic burden will triple within thirty years." She added: "If we do not commit to investing a lot more in research, the care costs could cripple our health service within a generation."