Three teenagers were killed, and four other people are seriously injured, after a collision between two vehicles in Wales on Friday evening. The incident happened between the localities of Denbigh and Trefnant. The fatalities have …
Ireland’s winless run continues tonight as they were defeated 1-0 by a young Welsh side in Dublin. In a game were a win was very much needed, Martin O’Neill’s men once again come short and …
The RAF have confirmed that an engineer has sadly died following a crash in North Wales on Tuesday. In a statement released on Tuesday evening, a spokesperson for the the British Air Force said that …
Ireland have kept their grand slam hopes alive by beating Wales 37-27 in the Aviva Stadium this afternoon. In a game that seen Ireland as favourites before kick off, the boys in green were pushed …
England have maintained their 100% advantage in this year’s Six Nations Championship after they put on a dogged display to see off a lacklustre Wales in Twickenham this evening. In a game that was littered …
We are constantly learning new songs to keep us busy. Here is a selection of the ones we are currently having fun with.
We’ve played 500+ gigs since 2002. Here is a small selection of some of the places and people we’ve rocked.
The band is made up of four experienced professional musicians based in and around London. Between them they’ve played winter seasons in the Alps, livened up countless weddings and other events here in the UK and been on tours of Europe and the USA. They’ve been playing together as The Loops since 2006, honing their unique blend of dynamic instrumentation and pitch-perfect harmonies to cover everything from all-out rock ‘n’ pop to breezy vintage classics.
Nowadays most of our shows are a mixture of corporate clients and weddings, though no show is too large or too small. Where there is a crowd to entertain, we’re there!
The Loops have a large musical repertoire ranging from the Sixties through to the present day. The songs, the majority of which are considered standards, have been carefully selected to appeal to as broad a range of audiences as possible. We are also happy to learn a particular song at our client’s request, for the first dance at a wedding reception for example.
Unfortunately, most of our bookings are for private and corporate clients. However, we do occasionally play to the general public. Please contact us for more information.
Our fee will vary depending on the location, the nature/size of your event, set up time and day of the week. However, our rates are extremely competitive and we work with our clients to provide the best package we can within your budget. For example, in addition to the band’s live performance, this fee will include the provision of any pre-mixed additional music you would like to have played prior to/in between the band’s performance. This could save you the cost and space of hiring a separate DJ. The band’s PA may also be used for any speeches that may be required.
No, although additional travel or accommodation costs may be incurred if the event is more than 50 miles from the centre of London.
The venue needs to supply an adequate safety earth mains supply with 3 or more separate normal 13 amp sockets. Power for the band should be local to the stage and not more than 10 metres distance. Please also note that dishwashers and bar equipment can cause a drop if on the same supply as the band. This can cause disruption to your evening and certain band equipment such as processors will not operate. If the above cannot be supplied (if your event is in a marquee, for example), an external generator will be required.
We would normally request a hot meal be arranged for us as our working ‘day’ can often be 10 hours long. This need not be the same meal as you are having – most venues can provide hot food or sandwiches for the band at little cost, but generally this needs to be ordered in advance.
We wear smart stage clothes which suit the occasion and venue, and we are able to follow any dress code etiquette; for example Black Tie or themed events.
A deposit is payable to secure the booking of the band. Payment of any outstanding fees will be due to the band, in cash, on the day of the event itself.
If you want to discuss any of the above points, or have any additional questions, please get in touch
The hardest part of losing weight isn’t taking off the pounds, it’s keeping them off. When asked, those most likely to keep unwanted pounds and inches at bay mention a number of factors associated with their long-term success:
They don’t skip breakfast. People in the habit of skipping breakfast often have a slower metabolism than individuals who consume this important meal. While asleep, you are fasting, the longest period of time your body goes without nutrients during any 24-hour period. If forced to go for too long without food, then the body begins to break down tissue for energy, converting protein, including muscle, to the sugar it needs for fuel. Exercising first thing in the morning before eating is especially hard on the body, further depriving it of energy when it needs it the most.
They don’t fall for fad diets or quick-fix claims. Fad diets are those that teach certain foods are “bad” and responsible for weight gain, rather than teaching all foods can be enjoyed with appropriate portion control, attention to nutrition and calorie intake. The bigger picture shows Americans are simply eating too much food (from all sources), and we are not physically active enough to burn off those extra calories. As a result of fad dieting claims, grocery store shelves are lined with a host of “low-carb” and “low-fat” candies, shakes, bars, cookies, ice cream, cakes, chips and other snacks. The result is we are not eating less, we are eating more, consuming more calories than ever in the form of processed foods, and sabotaging our health in the process, all in the name of losing weight.
Tip: Just because a product is labeled as low fat, low carb or “light” does not mean it is low calorie. Low-calorie foods are labeled as such. Your best bet is to check for serving size and calories per serving before deciding whether it fits into your weight loss plan.
They understand calories in and calories out. To lose weight and keep it off, calculate the number of calories you should be eating and compare this with your current caloric intake. The number of calories needed is based on how much weight you wish to lose, and various factors, including current exercise habits and body composition (ratio of muscle to fat). Calories are burned with activity, with digestion, and when you are at rest. You can reduce calories by eating less, exercising more or a combination of both. If you are not currently exercising, then opt for burning calories with regular resistance (weight training) exercise sessions along with moderate amounts of cardiovascular exercise. If you already participate in regular exercise sessions, then either up the intensity or reduce calories through modifying eating habits if weight isn’t coming off.
They establish a routine, engaging in some form of regular physical activity, either daily or nearly every day for at least 30 minutes. Generally speaking, it takes approximately three weeks for regular exercise to become a habit, so don’t give up too quickly if things aren’t going as well as planned.
They keep a daily food and exercise journal. Those who chart their progress are more likely to succeed long term. Keeping a journal helps keep you on track because it gives you structure, and allows you to look at your strengths and weaknesses and adjust goals when necessary.
They set smaller realistic goals and set new ones as challenges are met. For example, if you are trying to lose weight, vow to lose five pounds instead of 20. As you reach each new milestone, you will find yourself more motivated, with much less stress and anxiety about future achievements.
They remain proactive and assertive. This means not feeling guilty for taking time to exercise, not allowing other things get in the way of goals, making no excuses. Instead, stay focused on the positive, understand that occasionally there may be setbacks, but vow not to dwell on them. Remember that thinness is not a measure of good health, so focus on health rather than the scale.
A little bitter with a little sweet, in the form of a nano-complex dietary supplement taken before meals, can result in a substantial reduction of fat and sugar absorption in the body, Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Harvard University researchers have found.
The researchers previously showed that naringenin, the molecule responsible for the bitter taste in grapefruits, could potentially be used in the treatment of diabetes, arteriosclerosis and hyper-metabolism.
However, the absorption of naringenin in its natural form is very low. To overcome this obstacle, the Hebrew University-Harvard research team, led by Dr. Yaakov Nahmias of the Benin School of Engineering and Computer Science at the Hebrew University and his graduate student, Maria Shulman, has now created, through further research, a nano-complex of naringenin within a ring of sugar called cyclodextrin. This complex increased the absorption of naringenin by 11 times.
What the researchers found is that a single dose of this complex, taken just before a high fat and high sugar meal given to rats, was able to reduce the generation of VLDL (bad cholesterol) by 42%, and increase insulin sensitivity by 64%.
This is the first demonstration that a dietary supplement can change the way our body can react beneficially to a meal. The discovery is detailed in an article that has been published in the scientific journal, PLoS One.
“The complex is special in that it is taken just before a meal, as a preventative measure. In comparison, existing medications are given only after the chronic development of abnormal lipid levels in the blood,” said Dr. Nahmias.
The scientists say that considering the sugary taste of cyclodextrin, naringenin, the cause of the bitter taste in grapefruit, is “no longer such a bitter pill to swallow.”
Patents for the development have been applied for by Harvard University and Yissum, the technology transfer company of the Hebrew University, and clinical tests are now under way in the United States.
Loma Linda, California – A new research study from Loma Linda University (LLU) demonstrates that naturally occurring antioxidants in pecans may help contribute to heart health and disease prevention; the results were published in the January 2011 issue of The Journal of Nutrition.
Research from Loma Linda University published earlier in the Journal of Nutrition showed that a pecan-enriched diet lowered levels of LDL cholesterol by 16.5 percent-more than twice the American Heart Association’s Step I diet, which was used as the control diet in that study. Similarly, the pecan-enriched diet lowered total cholesterol levels by 11.3 percent (also twice as much as the Step I diet).
One of the biggest problems that physically active men experience on a daily basis is maintaining high enough energy levels to be able to excel at work, exercise and socializing. If you find that, after work, your thoughts tend to run more toward getting home as quickly as possible to pass out on the couch for the night rather than hitting the gym for a high-intensity workout, you’re in need of a diet makeover and some fatigue-fighting foods.
What you eat during the day will have a significant impact on your energy levels, so it’s vital to eat the right foods at the right times.
You need some fatigue-fighting food to start your day off and to make sure you have enough energy to carry you through the morning, and you really can’t go wrong with some steel-cut oats and egg whites. The steel-cut oats slowly digest in the body, so they will break down over time rather than all at once. In addition to this, the egg whites will provide protein to the meal, which further reduces the release of glucose into the blood from the oatmeal.
As midmorning rolls around, it’s important to feed your body again to carry your energy levels through the morning and into lunch. To prevent that midmorning slump, top off your tank with some fatigue-fighting foods like whole grain crackers smeared with almond butter.
If you find you always come back from lunch wishing you could take a siesta, that’s a sure sign you’re overdoing carbohydrates.
Instead, go with protein that contains omega-3 fatty acids, such as grilled salmon. Serve this over spinach, which provides a hit of iron, and you have an energy-packed plate in front of you. Since you still should take in a small amount of carbohydrates to set you up for the workout period, toss an apple in for dessert.
The fiber in the fruit will cause a slower release of sugars in the blood so the chance of fatigue from eating this is lower.
About half an hour before you’re finished work and plan to leave for the gym, it’s time to get another dose of protein with some carbohydrates. Depending on your overall diet strategy, you may want to toss in about half a cup of raw oats into the shake for a slower-digesting form of carbohydrates.
For your evening meal, you don’t want to entirely cut down on carbohydrates unless you didn’t train that day, as you still need them to increase the muscle storage of energy. The trick is choosing carbohydrates that are more complex in nature so they don’t spike and crash your blood sugar levels, leaving you feeling very fatigued throughout the later evening.
Brown rice is a good option paired with a lean protein source like steak. The steak will add iron to the meal, which is essential for keeping a healthy level of red blood cells in the body. Serve this with a red pepper for a boost in vitamin C, which improves the absorption rate of iron for a meal that’s going to fight fatigue head-on.
As the magical line from The Princess Bride goes, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means”.
Or what we’d like them to mean so that it would make it easier for our position in a discussion to appear to be better than theirs.
Of course this all becomes a bit uncomfortable if I’m the only one guilty of these things, but carry on we shall.
Maybe we’re checking our email, or engaged in a heated debate regarding the superiority of name-brand Pop Tarts over their off-brand counterparts, or even deciding whether or not to pursue our lifelong dream of becoming a professional kazoo orchestra conductor; but whatever it is that we’re doing, we’re doing it while another human is there talking to us. We don’t have a clue what that person is talking about because we’re ignoring them.
We nod in agreement while that person is talking, and it’s a very well-timed nod of course. We maintain periods of eye contact for as long as the other person does, but as soon as they break eye contact, it’s back to our previous distractions. It could even take the form of us rehearsing in our minds how we’re going to respond to the very thought that’s not yet been entirely expressed by the other person. A strategically placed utterance of “hmm…” never hurts. Are we really listening to people?
This one’s tricky because we can convince ourselves that we’re doing our part as leaders if we’re simply sitting there paying attention and not interrupting while someone is talking. The truth is that we can potentially be controlling and manipulative with or without saying a word. People are influenced by other people’s gestures, facial expressions, body language, breathing patterns, audible noises, and so on in addition to their words. We can make people feel inadequate, or like they need to soften their message, or even like they must wholly acquiesce to our every wish if we’re not careful; because the folks with whom we’re speaking are either consciously or subconsciously interpreting all of that stuff.
The scary truth is that some of us are probably controlling without even realizing it. The scarier truth is that some of us are probably controlling intentionally.
An easy way to get a handle on understanding projecting and the resulting frustration it can cause would be to remind yourself of almost any recent presidential debate. Projecting – be it consciously or subconsciously – is a way of life for many politicians, especially in a debate scenario.
Politician A will be prattling on about this or that when suddenly Politician B will enter into the dialogue, finishing Politician A’s thought the way he/she (Politician B) thinks it goes or wants it to go; following which Politician B is so kind as to offer a preemptive response to the argument that he/she partially projected. Many straw men were born this way. (Darn you, Lady Gaga.)
So what’s the point? Listening isn’t as simple and easy as we think it is, and we may not be listening as often or as well as we think we are. Some refer to listening as an art, and if we think of it that way, doing it extremely well is going to take enormous amounts of practice, experience, humility, feedback, and self-awareness. Looking in the mirror is the first and most difficult step.
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Another great post. The best leaders are the best listeners. The more you connect, the better you lead. And the better you listen, the better you connect. In today’s hyper-tech world we are incredibly distracted. Your employees know if you are engaging with them or thinking about something else. A good leaders puts those distractions aside.
People are instinctively turned off by that and it really gets in the way of building genuine relationships.