text:
Abu Dhabi steps up regulation of road freight sector
By Jerusha Sequeira
New rules require companies to submit details of transport managers and fleets to the Department of Transport
PHOTO: The DoT expects tighter regulation of the freight sector to increase investment in the field. Credit: Shutterstock
Abu Dhabi's Department of Transport (DoT) has stepped up regulation of the freight transportation and logistics sector in an attempt to boost safety, local media reported.
New regulations introduced by the body require freight operators to submit details of their transport managers and fleet when requesting a no-objection certification (NOC) from the DoT. The NOC is required for any company intending to renew their trade license in Abu Dhabi.
Firms can visit the www.freight2030.ae website and fill in the required information before going to the Department of Economic Development to renew their licence.
The new rules will affect over 3,000 firms and include minimum safety standards, The National reported. This will improve road safety and professional standards of the freight and logistics sector, said Ahmed Al Hammadi, acting director of freight transport at the DoT.
Inspections carried out by the department on 500 vehicles in 2013 found that 60% of trucks on Abu Dhabi roads failed to meet safety and maintenance standards.
As part of efforts to boost road safety, the DoT is also looking to combat driver fatigue by regulating how many hours drivers work.
The freight masterplan, launched by the department last year, contains regulations limiting drivers from working overtime, said Osama Tomeh, consultant at the Freight Planning division of the DoT.
While the maximum driving time for truck drivers in the UAE is 10 hours, almost half of 517 drivers surveyed by the DoT reported working more. "This significantly increases the risk of fatigue-related accidents," Tomeh said, quoted in Gulf News.
Apart from safety concerns, a major factor behind the implementation of new policies in the freight and logistics sector is to encourage investment in the field.
"When our freight transport sector is reliable and trustworthy, investors can be sure that their commodities will be safely taken from point A to point B without the risk of road accidents. If there was such a danger, then they might have to invest elsewhere or get insurance, which is costly," Hammadi said.
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India's most favourite stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma recently visited US and Canada with his 'Comedy Nights With Kapil' team. He was apparently unwell a few days ago and was hence missing from two episodes of the super-hit TV show. Interestingly, an image of Kapil has been in circulation on social media. The picture in question shows Kapil sporting a turban like a groom with a sehra around tied to it.


text:
Latin American Independence PowerPoint Presentation
Latin American Independence
Latin American Independence. Background. The ideas of liberty, equality, and democratic rule found their way to European colonies . Latin America The time seemed right for the people who lived there to gain control of the land. Colonial Society Divided.
Dexter Haines
social ladder
spanish colonial armies
creole officer
padre jose maria morelos
creole generals
Latin American Independence - . toussaint l'ouverture toussaint l'ouverture was a former slave who was self educated
Latin American Independence - . test 2/9. late 1700's -american revolution & french revolution early 1800's
Latin American Independence - . honors world history joanie garratt. peninsulares creoles mestizos mulattos
Latin American Independence - . 1808-1825. 4 outside events that prompted it:. enlightenment ideas of liberalism spread
Latin American Independence - . nationalism – desire for national independence, pride in your country/nation. latin
Latin American Independence - . unit 4 notes. 7-3.3 (p.107-110) peninsulares creoles mestizos mulattos
Latin American independence - Enduring understandings the collision of social unrest and new political ideas can lead to
Latin American Independence - . colonial society divided. six classes of people existed in latin america society:
Latin American Independence - . independence the 19 th century was a time of independence for much of latin america
Latin American Independence - Why did the creoles lead the fight?. latin american independence. to remember when writing
Latin American Independence - . colonial economy. portuguese and spanish colonies; brazil, mexico, most of south america
Latin American independence - Review and vocabulary. latin american independence. conquistadors hernando cortes in mexico
Latin American Independence - . in this lesson, students will be able to explain the accomplishments of the following
Latin American Independence - . revolutions, wars, and independence. background. indigenous peoples and civilizations
Latin American Independence - . sunday, january 5, 2020. latin america. social classes. peninsulares smallest
Latin American Independence Movements - . effects and obstacles for new nations. interactive powerpoint directions.
Latin American Independence Movements - . readings: smith, et al., 777-784, 829-832. latin american unique qualities	.
Latin American Independence Movements - . readings: spodek, pp. 547-548 (reread), 550-557. latin american unique
Latin American Independence Movements - Late 1700s, enlightenment and revolutionary ideas spread into latin america.
Latin American Independence Movements - . 1800-1840. origins of the independence movements. creoles government jobs
Latin American Independence Movements - . a divided colonial society :. peninsulares : people who were born in spain,
Background • The ideas of liberty, equality, and democratic rule found their way to European colonies. • Latin America • The time seemed right for the people who lived there to gain control of the land.
Colonial Society Divided • In Latin American colonial society, class dictated people's place in society and jobs. • At the top of Spanish-American society were the "Peninsulares" (people who had been born in Spain, which is the on the Iberian Peninsula).
They formed a tiny percentage of the population. • They were the only ones to hold high office in Spanish Colonial government.
Creoles • Then you have the "Creoles" (Spaniards born in Latin America). • They were below the peninsulares. • They could not hold high-level political office, but they could rise as officers in Spanish colonial armies. • Together these two groups controlled land, wealth, and power in the Spanish colonies.
The Bottom • Below the peninsulares and the creoles were the mestizos (person of mixed European and Indian ancestry). • Below them were the mulattos (persons of mixed European and African ancestry, and enslaved Africans). • The Indians were at the bottom of the social ladder.
Revolutions in the Americas • By the late 1700s, colonist in Latin America were electrified by the news of the American and French Revolutions. • The success of the American Revolution encouraged them to try to gain freedom from their European masters.
Haiti • The French colony called Saint Domingue was the first Latin American territory to free itself from European rule. • Nearly 500,000 enslaved Africans worked on French plantations, and they outnumbered their masters.
Masters would use brutal methods to terrorize them and keep them powerless. • In 1791, they rose up against their French masters.
Toussaint L'Ouverture • Toussaint L'Ouverture emerged as their leader. • He was a former slave with no knowledge of military and diplomatic matters. • He took control of the entire island and freed all of the enslaved Africans.
In 1802, French troops landed in Saint Domingue to remove Toussaint from power. • He agreed to stop if they would end slavery, but the French seized him and sent him to the French Alps where he died in 1803. • Despite this, in 1804 Haiti declared itself as an independent colony .
Creoles Lead Independence • Even though they could not hold high public office, they were the least oppressed of those born in Latin America. • They were the best educated and many times traveled to Europe to be educated.
There they adopted their Enlightenment ideas. • When they returned to Latin America, they brought the ideas of Revolution with them.
South America for Independence • In South America wars of independence rested on two creole generals. • Simon Bolivar: wealthy Venezuelan creole • Jose de San Martin: Argentinian.
Bolivar • He declared Venezuela's independence from Spain in 1811. • His volunteer army of revolutionaries suffered numerous defeats. • He had been exiled twice. • Hope came in 1819: he lead 2,000 troops through the Andes into modern day Columbia.
He took the Spanish army by complete surprise and won a decisive victory. • He won Venezuela's independence, and in 1821 then marched south into Ecuador. • There he would met Jose de San Martin, and together they would decide the future of the Latin America revolutionary movement.
San Martin Leads Southern Liberation • He declared Argentina's independence in 1816. • Spanish forces in Chile and Peru still posed a threat. • He lead a march through the Andes to Chile, where he joined forces lead by Bernardo O'Higgins (son of a former viceroy of Peru).
They finally managed to free Chile. • In 1821, San Martin planned to drive Spanish forces out of Lima, Peru. • He needed a much larger force.
San Martin left his army under the command of Bolivar. • With the two forces joined together they defeated the Spanish at the Battle of Ayacucho (Peru) on Dec. 9, 1824.
This was the last major battle of the war for independence. • The future countries of Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and Ecuador were united into a country called Gran Colombia
Mexico Ends Spanish Rule • In most Latin American countries, the creoles led the revolutions. • Not in Mexico, the Indians and mestizos had the leadings roles.
In 1812, Padre Miguel Hidalgo (a priest in the small village of Dolores) took the first step toward independence. • He was poor but well-educated. • He believed in Enlightenment ideas. • He issued a call for rebellion against the Spanish.
The next day, Hidalgo's Indians and mestizo followers began a march toward Mexico City. • Made up of 80,000 men. • The uprising of the lower class alarmed the Spanish army and creoles.
They feared the loss of their property, control of the land, and their lives. • The army defeated Hidalgo in 1811. • The rebels then turned to Padre Jose Maria Morelos. • He led the revolution for four years.
In 1815 a creole officer defeated him. • Events in Mexico took another turn in 1820 when a revolution Spain put a liberal group in power.
Creoles feared the loss of their privileges in the Spanish-controlled colony. • So, they united in support of Mexico's independence from Spain.
Brazil's Royal Liberator • Brazil's road to independence was unique. • It occurred without violence upheavals or widespread bloodshed. • Even a member of the Portuguese royal family played a key role in freeing Brazil from Portugal.
As Napoleon closed in on Portugal, the royal family picked up and went to Brazil for 14 years. • After the defeat of Napoleon, the family stayed another 6 years before returning to Portugal. • The king planned to make Brazil a colony again, but many Brazilians refused this.
In 1822 the creoles demanded Brazil's independence from Portugal. • 8,000 Brazilians signed a petition asking Dom Pedro (the king's son) to rule.
The king agreed and declared Brazil independent. • Brazil had won its independence in a bloodless revolution.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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A Cup will give the winning team a real sense of achievement.
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Today we did not switch projects for a couple of reasons. One, it became so much more interesting when the Google Cardboard viewers arrived, and two, we found the whimsy in the project.
The big revelation today was how much more engaging virtual reality /360° photography is when you are actually using a viewer that makes it feel immersive. We sent for some Google Cardboard viewers, and adding the phone/viewer interface made the project really fun to work on. We were able to troubleshoot functionality and really get a sense of an immersive space. Looking at the images in a panorama is cool, but using the viewer really made it pop.
The challenge for the day was in using still images in the 360° space that were not intended for it. Uploaded as is means that they distort in the way you might expect – stretched, with all four edges pulled/pushed into parabolas. Our solution was to step WAY back in time to the stereopticon. On my first afternoon in Manchester this year I went up to an antique mall a few blocks away. I saw that they had stereopticon cards but no viewer, so the idea was top of mind. We played with spacing and size, and we are now able to use still images as part of the project.
Today we hope to finish navigation of the three "adventure" branches. So yesterday's take aways: remember who will use what you are making and how, don't forget the past, remember to laugh.


You are here: Home » Everything Else » Other » Should we continue to pass blogging awards on?
Should we continue to pass blogging awards on?
I have been fortunate enough to have received lots of lovely blogging awards recently, but after writing the summary below I had the dilemma of who to pass them on to. I have noticed that an increasing number of people are no longer blogging about the awards they have received, and so wonder if people don't appreciate receiving them. I'd hate to annoy someone by giving them something which is intended to please them, and honour the hard work they put into their blog.
I love recieving awards. It is a lovely feeling to have been singled out by another blogger, but I sometimes wonder if displaying the awards you have received is a bit like showing off, the equivalent of showing your blog stats to the world.
Suey recently asked a similar question – she had seen someone describe awards as being the blog equivalent of chain mail. I often feel that the number of people nominated for each award is too high. The chain letter effect begins to take place when 10+ people are awarded each time. The specialness of the award is reduced if everyone gets one eventually.
So my question is: Should we continue to pass these blogging awards on? Do you think that most people who you give an award to already know that you appreciate their blog, as you visit and comment on their blog regularly, or are blogging awards that extra special treat which they deserve from time to time?
Do you feel jealous when other people get lots of awards? Do you think it is impolite to wave them around in front of people who may not have as many?
I'd love to know what you think on this subject, as the more I think about it, the more confused I get!
For me, I think it's good to let people know you appreciate their blog. And maybe the number may be too high, but there are hundreds of great blogs out there.
I got stuck and had to dwell on this post, however, because I have also been thinking along these lines.
In the beginning I was so happy to receive awards, but after some time I could also see it created some problems. First of all, some of my blogging friends never post about them. Some because they don´t have time, others (I think) because they are not really comfortable about awarding some blog friends and not others.
And, as you say "I often feel that the number of people nominated for each award is too high." I agree that it can easily turn into a chain letter thing so what you do, basically, is to search for bloggers who have not received THAT award the last few days.
In the beginning I did exactly as I was told, now I sometimes change the rules – award a particular group of bloggers, award my friend feed room, award blogs I have come across recently – or leave out the number so people can feel free to award one or hundred blogs.
I have seen many other creative solutions (along the lines of your award cavalcade), and I think we could do ourselves a favour by avoiding strict rules attached to awards. I should like to have a stock of awards ready for special people, special bloggers etc – and maybe I should just begin to use them that way???
I've received one award in the year and a quarter I've blogged about books. The award had something to do with bringing another culture and ethical values to your blog. I had no idea what that meant, and when it came time to pass it along, I picked the last fifteen people to comment on my blog to give it to. Seems like a bit of a wash, don't you think?
I'll be honest, though. I do get a bit jealous when others continually receive "awards." Some bloggers have never received one, and I know I ask myself "what's wrong with my blog?" when I see others receive one award after another.
Liyana – I agree – there are hundreds of great blogs out there. Being able to recognise the best, without offending the rest is an almost impossible challenge.
Dorte – I'm pleased you received the book – I hope you enjoy it!
I have never followed the award rules. In the beginning this was because I didn't follow 15 blogs, but more recently I have found it really hard to decide who I should give it to. I think your idea about creating your own awards from time to time is great. That way they don't feel like chain mails, and are more special, as they have been thought of just by you.
Christina – I have only recently discovered your blog, but I really enjoy reading it. I can see no reason why you haven't received any awards, as in my opinion it is definitely worthy of them.
The only thing I can think of is that people have considered giving you awards, but then checked to see if you've blogged about any – seeing that you haven't, have avoided giving you them as they felt that you didn't like blogging about them/thought of them as annoying – this means you get a vicious circle where you don't get any. Does this make sense?
I thought it might be the case where some people feel left out at not getting them all the time. The question is how to balance accepting them graciously, without rubbing it in the noses of those that don't get them.
Good for you Jackie for bringing this up. I have a few comments. First, I do what I want with the awards. Sometimes I only pass them on to one or two people, but rarely do I pass them to a dozen. I'm not the least bit offended if someone doesn't post on them; I just want them to know I love 'em.
I display my awards on my blog, but never did I ever imagine it would be perceived as showing off! Now I am second guessing myself. I put them up as a way of honoring those that gave it to me. I definitely don't want to be perceived as a show off…going to have to think about this!
As a new blogger, I would get almost (pathetically) depressed when I would see all these bloggers get awards, and wondered what I had to do to deserve them too. That is why I will always pass the awards on (at least the first time around) because I know how it feels to be left out. I don't consider myself to be awarded when a blogger says they pass it along to all their readers. I'm interested in hearing what other say on this topic.
Sandy – You're right – I never feel awarded when someone says they are passing an award to all their readers, it is being singled out which makes the award special.
I also think that a lot of people, myself included in the past, don't pay much attention to what the award is before giving it out. There are special ones for commenting, or humor etc, and I often wonder why some people who are great commentors don't get the commenting award, or people who are really serious on their blogs get a humor one.
I have a couple of rewards but I don't blog or put them up. I don't like to break my design. I think its a bit spammy. I know someone appreciates my blog simply by popping by and saying "Hey that was a good post", or even twittering it. I don't think we need to create loads of buttons where feelings are hurt when you don't pass on or blog or put them on your site. It makes me feel awkward and bad for maybe hurting feelings of the person that passed it to me. I do always leave a comment thanking them for the award but that's as far as I go.
I don't really know how I feel about awards either. I made an award page for my blog, but it's sort of buried, but I try to acknowledge all awards there because I do appreciate them. I occasionally pass awards along, but I always feel weird singling people out to give awards to.
When I was a new blogger getting awards made me very excited — it's nice to be recognized by other bloggers that you respect. But, I think it's better to show recognition to other bloggers by pointing to their great posts or recognizing great comments. That seems like a way to show people you appreciate their blog without feeling weird about passing on an award or not.
Pam – I agree that a great comment, and especially a twitter (or a highlight in a link round up) is often better than an award. I'm beginning to think that awards are hurting more people than they are pleasing.
I have to admit that I do like to receive awards when they are thoughtfully given or passed on – gives me a little thrill for the day! But on the other hand, I think everyone has started their blog for their own personal reasons so I think they should pass on awards/not pass on awards if they feel that fits with their blogging philosophy. I'm easy just to go with the flow on this one I think!
I am always flattered to receive a blogging award, but I am also always at a loss as to who to pass it on to. Usually I cop out. I read so many blogs – and I love them all. I never want to hurt anyone's feelings and sometimes I think these awards make people feel bad if they don't get nominated. It is always a huge dilemma for me.
Karen – That's a great philosphy! Ultimately everyone should do whatever they think is for the best.
Wendy – I didn't realise how many people struggled with who to nominate. This post has been a big eye opener for me.
Thanks, Jackie. Your theory makes complete sense to me. It's a vicious cycle.
As for how to accept them graciously, I think your previous post did a good job of that. You thanked the person who gave it to you and linked back to their blog, which could possibly increase traffic for them. Like Wendy, I think passing them along is hardest. I choose the last 15 people to comment on my blog, but I have close to 55 blogs in my Google Reader. How do I pick one without leaving another feeling bad?
I haven't read all the responses, but just wanted to say: I stopped blogging about awards I received a year or so ago because I had to pass it on. I wouldn't mind passing it on to 1-2 blogs – but 5-7!! It was quite stressful for me. I felt torn, because I was very honored to receive the awards, but frustrated that it came with a hitch – although I see the wisdom & kindness in passing it on since I also love discovering new blogs.
Anyway, honestly – I don't like receiving awards anymore and haven't since I stopped blogging about them.
I haven't read all the comments yet — because it took me all day to figure out my own thoughts and I don't want to be influenced.
I hate giving them out because I always feel that I'm playing favorites, and I'm not comfortable doing that. I decided not to blog about the last batch because I did so twice in the last two weeks.
But I think I'm going back to my old ways. What I've tried to do in the past is turn the award around back to the person who gave it to me by telling my readers about that person's blog and why I like it. And then encouraging my readers to go visit. That way I'm hoping to widen the circle of the community rather than narrow it. And I'm hoping that the people who bestow awards on me will be rewarded by getting more readers and maybe making a new friend.
Am I ever successful? I don't know. Am I hurting people by *not* passing awards along? I don't know. I try to deal with awards in a way that makes me feel comfortable.
Once in a while — like the Zombie Chickens — an award comes along that is just to good not to pass on to my fellow bloggers.
Now I'll go read the other comments.
I made an award slideshow that runs in my blog's footer. I'm pleased I got my awards, and the slide show acknowledges them but takes up less space!
I think we should continue passing along blog awards. I do not always blog about the awards I receive right away, but that does not mean I don't appreciate them. Sometimes the work involved in maintaining daily (or near-daily) posts, commenting, Twittering, etc., takes up all the time I have to spend online, and I can't do everything that everybody else wants or expects me to do. But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate it when someone gives me a nice compliment.
I've gotten some, but when I got ready to pass them on, the people I would have passed to were already recipients, so I declined. I've been so busy reading/reviewing lately that I just haven't posted the ones I've gotten. That's my fault! I think they're great, but it's saturating sometimes.
I'm very grateful for every award the I receive, but it's become such a common occurrence that taking time to pass on all of these awards to other bloggers would seriously take away from my normal blogging. I also don't want anyone to feel left out; if I'm visiting and commenting on your site, it's because I think it's a good site. I have over 200 excellent blogs in my reader, how could I possibly choose only 5-10 people from that?
WOW — such a good post and wonderful comments.
I think I am in the majority here. When I first started blogging I must confess that I felt "jealous" of everyone receiving an award. I set a goal for myself to hopefully receive an award after a year of blogging. Well….I didn't have to wait the year and I was absolutely ecstatic!! I think the blogging community is one of the few places where people freely acknowledge a job well done with something other than a pat on the back. It is refreshing and uplifting.
Having said that – I definitely struggle with whom to pass along the award. My fear is that I will pass along to someone who has already received the award and it is more of a nuisance to them than a token of appreciation. Lately, I have tried to pass along to blogs that are new to me.
I wanted to acknowledge my appreciation of the award (rather than showing it off) by putting them on my sidebar. I quickly decided that made my blog look cluttered – and I was afraid that a cluttered blog might turn away potential readers. I have since created a separate page for awards, and I have a link to that page on my header, if anyone is interested in viewing.
Should we do away with awards? I don't think so. It is one of the many things that sets apart this community as a caring, appreciative and edifying body. Perhaps there should be fewer stipulations and the receiver be allowed to pay forward in any way they see fit.
I've only started blogging a few months ago and I've received a couple of blog awards. When I got these awards I was so happy, I really couldn't believe someone wanted to give me one. And I still am happy when I get them.
But, I've also noticed that some of the blog awards are doing a round robin. I received a couple of the same ones twice now and was wondering how I should handle it. Now, I've been agonizing over who to pass on the award to again.
When I'm thinking of who to nominate for the award, I will admit, I consider the theme of their blog. Some themes don't fit with some of the awards, so I hesitate, even though I would like to pass the award along to that blog. And I agree that the nomination number is too high for the blog awards, I think one to a max of three would be good.
I like some of the ideas in comments, a blog award page or running a slide show. I've also seen where people post the awards on their side bar and mention everyone who has awarded them the award under the award itself.
Thank you for this post. I feel better knowing other bloggers were having the same thoughts about blogging awards.
My comments are like those of the others. It was wonderful when I was a new blogger. That first month or two I was hoping for ten readers on my google analytics page. And then I got an award! YEAY! I was real!
I have since realized how much more I'd rather focus on content. I think new bloggers need to just keep blogging and not worry about the details — like how many people are reading. As long as you have good posts, the readers will come. I second Kim's comment: mentioning a specific post is a much more meaningful tribute than sending on a chain letter (which is what it seems to me).
a) I love getting awards.
b) But I don't love being "required" to pass it on to 5-15 people.
c) That doing so makes me stressed out and even makes the award seem less special.
d) That I've stopped blogging about awards I'm given and, when I do pass eventually them on, I'll change the rules so they're not so difficult to fulfill.
That said, I do sincerely love every award I've been given (though I love the ones that put a little more thought into it, er, a BIT more than the others, truth be told) and I always make sure to thank the person who gave it to me, and link to them under the award, etc.
I dunno. I hope these meme-y awards die out soon; I think a lot of bloggers would be less stressed!
Wow, I've come to this discussion late! It's hard to keep up around here!
But it's interesting to see what everyone's thinking regarding awards. It seems like most of us are of the same opinion… it's fun to get them, but it's hard to pass them on. It will be interesting to see if anything changes after this discussion. Maybe everyone will be even more confused about what they should do?
Thank you for all your thoughtful comments. I think one thing we can all agree on is that there is no need to follow the 'rules' for awards. Feel free to pass them on to as many, or as few, people as you like. Try to make sure that you pick people out who deserve the specific award, ie. give the best commentor award to the people who write the best comments on your blog, not the person whose blog you like best.
I'm still not sure how I'll handle awards in the future, but I'll put a lot more thought into it, and try to ensure that I make everyone feel good about blogging.
Thanks again for your comments – you all deserve an award!!!!! LOL!!
Jenners – Thank you for visiting my blog for the first time, and leaving such a thoughtful answer. As a reward I'm off to visit your blog!!!
I came over her from Kittling Books, because she posted a link to this post. I love it when people alert me to interesting things. The blog awards always strike me as a little bit like the popular girls exchanging whatever's fashionable that week.
Jeanne – Thank you for commenting on my blog for the first time! That is a really interesting analogy. I hadn't thought of it like that before.
Since I mentioned this post in my Weekly Link Round-Up, I suppose it's only fair that I chime in with my own opinion.
When I received my first award, I almost fell out of my chair from shock. And I was thrilled. And I felt as though my blog were somehow more "real" than it had been just a minute before. And it gave me the incentive to do more and to try new things.
I still appreciate awards when they come my way, but I've long since made my own rules when passing them along. (I've never been the type of person who likes being told what to do!) Many times I just thank the giver and link to their blog–especially if the award seems to have "saturated the market". I have a link to an Awards page in my header. Few people look at it, and I don't blame them. When I'm visiting blogs, I don't look for awards, I look for interesting content.
I've forgotten who mentioned it first, but rather than awards, I'd prefer being mentioned in a Weekly Link Round-Up. One section of mine is for interesting book blog posts that I've found during the week, and I always like to see people clicking on those links and visiting other blogs. Sharing content and "link love" I think has more lasting value than awards.
Cathy – Thank you for linking to me in your weekly post round-up, as you say this is nicer than an award, as it recognises good posts, and draws more traffic towards your site. I really should have more "link love" on my blog.
I get a bit bogged down and can't keep up with everything. I sincerely appreciate every blogger who thinks my blog is worth reading, but I can't always post about the awards. And yes I feel guilty about it.


Chicken gently fried until rich and succulent, then combined with a creamy but sharp almond sauce and sweet, juicy grapes. This quick delicious dish makes a good weeknight dinner. Pair with a green salad and new potatoes, light pasta or rice.
Grind the almonds to a fine paste, then slowly add the vinegar and 250ml of water, until the paste has a smooth consistency. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the garlic cloves for 3-4 minutes on either side. Remove.
Season the chicken and fry in the pan, keeping it on the move until it begins to colour (about 5 minutes). Add the grapes, garlic and bay leaves and cook for another minute or so.
Add the sherry, turn down to a simmer and cook for a further 5 minutes. Stir in the ground almond puree and slowly add the rest of the water until you have a nice creamy consistency.


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Iceland; Jokla and Breidalsa rivers.
Shooting head lines to clear.
Helmsdale Co Annual " Buy one get one Free " on all flies.
Helmsdale Co Monkey fly deal - for 1 week only.
Malselv, norway. 2 rods left on hosted week in july.
Foxy is catching up !!
Helmsdale Tackle Co needs more staff!!
Guideline Rods - 40% off!
2012 Spring fishing available on Helmsdale river.
Fly "PRICE CRASH" from Helmsdale Company.
The Helmsdale Company BOGOF is back! for one week only.
A few Christmas gifts for the boys!


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Blockbuster Console Games revealed by Nicalis at E3 2017!
LOS ANGELES, Calif., June 12th, 2017—Independent publisher/developer Nicalis, Inc. is revealing four upcoming console games during the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). The announcements are sure to please fans of recent Nicalis neo-classics like The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ and Cave Story+.
The company's 2017 line-up includes Tiny Barbarian DX (Nintendo Switch), Ittle Dew 2+ (Nintendo Switch), Blade Strangers (Switch and PlayStation 4) and The End Is Nigh (Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4).
• Inspired by heroic fantasy fiction, Tiny Barbarian DX is the action-packed adventure of one Barbarian's quest for vengeance. Developer StarQuail Games has combined engaging 2D platform action and combo-based hack-and-slash combat with retro-style pixel art and a pulse-pounding chiptune soundtrack for Nintendo Switch. The game offers two-player cooperative action, unlockable game modes and multiple homages to classic 8- and 16-bit games in each of its four lengthy episodes.
• Sassy adventurer Ittle and her reluctant flying friend Tippsie return in Ittle Dew 2+, an upgraded and expanded Nintendo Switch version of the action/adventure puzzle game from developer Ludosity. Stranded on a mysterious island and armed with a few weapons as well as a magical map, our heroine explores the three-dimensional landscape in search of valuable loot and the eight scattered pieces of a raft that could be her ticket home.
• From veteran Japanese developer Studio Saizensen comes Blade Strangers, a hardcore old-school fighting game with online multiplayer battles for the Switch and PS4. Its refined four-button control scheme makes it easy for beginners to jump right in, but tournament-caliber players will relish the intricate combos, counters and specials. The fighter roster includes characters from previous Studio Saizensen games (like Code of Princess and Sayonara Umihara Kawase), Nicalis games (like Cave Story+) and other surprise entrants.
• The brand-new game from The Binding of Isaac creator Edmund McMillen and Tyler Glaiel, The End Is Nigh is a sprawling adventure/platformer. Players control Ash, a little black glob trying to make a friend out of the body parts he finds scattered throughout a post-apocalyptic world. As Ash leaps his way through a never-ending onslaught of decaying, mutant creatures, he can collect assorted tumors and hidden video-game cartridges that unlock fully playable mini-games.
All four games are planned for release in 2017, with Tiny Barbarian DX, Ittle Dew 2+ and The End Is Nigh scheduled for Q3 and Blade Strangers appearing in Q4.
Posted in News | Tags: Blade Strangers, Ittle Dew 2+, Nicalis, Nintendo, Switch, The End Is Nigh, Tiny Barbarian DX


Vegan and Vegetarian Eats at Bistro 72!
Vegans and vegetarians, rejoice! At Bistro 72, there are plenty of delicious vegetarian and vegan options available. Read below to see all the tantalizing, veg-friendly meals Bistro 72 has to offer.
For a limited-time only, try the Ramen Noodle Soup on our LI Winterfest prix fixe dinner menu. The chewy, yet tender noodles float gently in a vegetable broth with miso-scented lemongrass, mushrooms, sourced locally the East End Mushroom Company, and baby spinach. The soup will be available at dinnertime for the duration of Winterfest, until March 18th. If it gets enough love from customers, it will return on our spring menu.
Another must-try is our Vegetable Ravioli. Available during dinnertime, the Vegetable Ravioli has been a mainstay and continues to be popular with Bistro 72's regulars. It's stuffed with asparagus and mushrooms. The chef sources the ravioli from Lisa Marie's Pasta in Centerport. To top it all off, the chef adds a drizzle of yellow tomato marinara sauce. Creamy, filling, and ultimately very tasty, this vegan dish will turn even the most dedicated carnivore into a veggie-lover and keep the veggie-lovers asking for more.
At lunch, go for the Local Vegetable Wrap. You'll have your choice of a tomato basil or spinach and flour wrap stuffed with roasted local vegetables, organic greens, hummus, kale pesto, and marinated gigante white beans. It also comes with a side of our famous Bistro 72 Salad. This salad is made with organic greens, strawberries, red onion, candied walnuts and drizzled in a champagne vinaigrette.
Call us at (631) 369 – 3325 to make a reservation and dig into these delicious vegan and vegetarian options.
Also, don't miss the Long Island Winterfest kick off event this Friday, February 24, 2017 from 7:00 to 10:00 PM, featuring music by the East End Trio and Gail Storm, special tastings from other local restaurants, vineyards and breweries, and dozens of raffle prizes. Tickets are $50 in advance and $65 at the door. Reserve your ticket here via TicketFly. Use the coupon code WINTER50 to receive 50% off.
Though Long Island's East End is known for its abundance of wineries, it's also home to a number of great craft breweries. Long Ireland Beer Company, which started operating in 2011, makes great beer brewed and bottled completely in Riverhead.
Greg Martin, a Long Island native and avid beer-lover, decided to start a brewery after a bone cancer diagnosis. He'd been playing ice hockey when he started experiencing a pain in his leg. He took the season off and had the pain checked out. He learned it was caused by bone cancer and he had to walk using crutches for nearly a year and a half. At 31, married with kids, and with a steady job, Greg took stock of his life and decided to follow his passion for beer.
He received a home brew kit from his mom one Christmas and began to practice making different, ales, stouts and lagers. Eventually, he moved on to experimenting with different grains, hops, and yeasts. He mentioned his home brewing experiments to his friend and coworker, Dan Burke. Intrigued, Dan asked to join him the next time he brewed. Between brewing experiments, Greg researched beer brewers in the area and befriended a brewer at New England Brewing Company. While maintaining his full-time job, he visited the brewery every other weekend to learn and perfect his craft.
After a few years, tons of practice, collaboration, and partnership, Long Ireland was born. Greg came up with the name while "shower[ing] away a horrific hangover." Both founders are of Irish descent and they brew the beer in Long Island, hence the name Long Ireland.
An easy way to get a taste of Long Ireland Brewery and other breweries in the area is to sign up for the Long Island Winterfest Brewery Tour Experience on Saturday, March 4th. You'll get a special, behind-the-scenes tour of Long Ireland Brewery's facilities and a tasting of their fantastic beers. You'll also get taste beers from Crooked Ladder Brewing Company and Greenport Brewery. The tour finishes off with dinner at Digger's Ales N' Eats, an Irish pub and restaurant, serving fresh, handcrafted ales and eats. This tour package includes an overnight stay for 2 and transportation all for $309 plus tax per couple. Call (631) 369-2200 ext. 0 to make your reservation or visit us online here.
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Valentine's Day wouldn't be complete without decadent desserts to share with the one you love. Any of our desserts are an excellent finale to an exquisite dinner. That's why for Valentine's Day we decided to include three of our favorites as part of the Valentine's Day Prix Fixe menu.
Fall in love with this dark chocolate cake infused cake with a warm chocolate center, whipped cream and raspberries.
This traditional Apple Cobbler combines granny smith apples, hard cider caramel, a butter crunch top and cinnamon ice cream. It pairs well with our Espresso Martini (shown on the left) or a cappuccino (show on the right).
Have a wonderful Valentine's Day and we look forward to serving you at our tables.
We are in the thick of the winter season and approaching the Super Bowl and although the start of each day is best started with a cup of coffee, it's great to cap off the day with one of our local and not so local craft beers on tap. We offer a variety of favorites so take your pick.
The Winter Ale is a hearty, robust amber ale. They use pale, Vienna, crystal and chocolate malts to create a balanced character of malt and hops with just the right amount of spice to warm you up during the colder months. This brew is a seasonal favorite and only available from late fall – winter. Don't miss out on the chance to try this tasty brew!
1911 Hard Cider comes from the Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards in Lafayette, New York. The award-winning cider makers stay true to their "Tree to Bottle" motto. Once the fresh-pressed cider arrives in the Cider House, the master cider maker samples and analyzes it before the fermentation process begins. They use a balanced blend of high-quality juice from select apple varieties. They have several varieties to choose from but we are serving the Original Hard Cider on tap.
From one of the most award-winning breweries in America, we have the Burton IPA. This English Pale Ale is modeled after a style of ale that comes from the famous English brewing city of Burton-on-Trent. The brewery adds minerals to the Southampton water to make it identical to the water in Burton-on-Trent, notably a fair amount of calcium. The high mineral content has the effect of adding a dryness of flavor to the brew as well as a fullness of body. It has a light/medium malt flavor and a refreshing fruitiness (notes of "peach" and "apricot"), the hop character is also restrained compared to other traditional English styles such as IPA.
Brewed with a German ale yeast, lightly toasted malts and enhanced with a blend of winter spices, this brewery's Winter Ale is a seasonal brew also only available, you guessed it, during the winter months. We have it. Stop in and find out for yourself why this is a crowd favorite.
Located right here in Riverhead, identical twins Dan and Peter Chekijian, opened the brewery in 2014. Their Legato Stout is blended with six different malts with hints of layered dark chocolate, mocha and cocoa bean leaving notes of coffee in the finish. Enjoy one and have another and you might be seeing double.
The Chocolate Porter is a crowd pleaser and is Long Ireland Beer Company's first Chocolate beer that is now a seasonal favorite. The brewery uses malted barley and cocoa nibs to give the beer its distinct taste. Try it before it's gone!
Established in 1994 in Empire Brewing Company has been producing award-winning ales and lagers in downtown Syracuse. We have their Black Magic Stout on tap which is a traditional Irish stout, carbonated with nitrogen and pours like a Guinness. Dry roasted flavors are prominent, with hints of chocolate and coffee in the finish.
The Caramel Porter is a robust, flavorful porter reminiscent of a bygone era. True to the brewing tradition, they've used dark caramel malt as well as Fuggles & East Kent Goldings hops for a smooth, yet slightly bitter, roasted flavor. Look for hints of caramel used in this delicious brew.
Yes, the East End is known for it's wine but rest assured there's never a shortage of beer at Bistro 72. Any of these beer selections pair well with any of our appetizers or entrée on the menu. Call 631.369.3325 for reservations.


PETALING JAYA: The much talked about heavy hitter from Moto Guzzi - the MGX-21 or also known as the Flying Fortress - is now available at the Gasket Alley priced at RM172,000.
Brought in by Didi Resources, the authorised importer and distributor of Moto Guzzi in Malaysia, the MGX-21 features blacked-out bat wing fairing wrappped around the handlebar and is topped by sporty plexiglass double fly-screen for aerodynamics.
The spacious main seat has an ergonomic design that ensures maximum comfort for riders of different height and size.
Its 1,380cc engine delivers 96.6hp at 6,500rpm and 121Nm of torque at 3,000rpm which is good enough for any open road riding.
The 90° transverse V-twin engine is mated to a six-speed transmission. The MGX-21 also offers a suite of rider's aid and features such as three riding modes, traction control, cruise control, infotainment system and MG Multimedia Platform which comes with a Bluetooth module that can host up to five devices and smart phone integration.
Meanwhile, the brakes are from Brembo - the front is 320mm double stainless steel floating disc while the rear is a 282mm stainless steel disc with two-pistons floating caliper.
The front suspension uses 45mm hydraulic telescopic forks and the rear is fitted with double shock absorbers with adjustable spring preload.
The MGX-21 is priced at RM172,000 and can be viewed at The Gasket Alley.
For details visit www.motoguzzi.com/my_EN or Facebook motoguzziMY.


The San People and the Origins of Religion.
Actually, the Jews started as polytheists and slowly switched to the monotheist cult of Yahweh after they stole the idea from the Egyptian Aten worshippers.
Sorry but if there is a "one true creator God", it isn't the "god" of The Bible. He's a cheap man made imitation not worthy of the title.
I thought it was Yahoo.
It's pretty easy for me to believe that Moses was a historical figure, as were Jesus and Buddha and Julius Caesar, etc... I'm sure there are many people who would do magic tricks and attempt to lead a people... Quite sure they were kicked out of Egypt with the expulsion of the rest of the Hyksos.
Yes - Yahoo is the pronounciation, but the vowel used was ū and may have been expressed with the letter waw when the matres lectionis became common. That was when the latter waw (w in Biblical Hebrew, v in modern Hebrew) was used to represent a long vowel such as ū - so one can see the relationship when the consonantal letters of Yahweh are made up of YHWH.
To try to summarize the section on Yahweh and the history of the name would be difficult - I encourage you to read the chapter yourself if you're interested. It can be a bit rough if one doesn't bring at least a little proficiency of Semitic languages with you, but it can be done. The chapter is Yahweh and 'El, and the section is The Name Yahweh. Despite it's age (1973) - the work is a foundational work of scholarship and written by a consummate professional in his field. Most people are aware of him from his work on the Dead Sea Scrolls - if they are aware of him at all - but he was a phenomonal linguist and expert on the Ancient Near East.
It's possible that Moses was a historical figure - his name was Egyptian - but there is no extra-biblical evidence independently attesting to it. This doesn't prove he doesn't exist - after all, as they say: absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence. The birth narrative of Moses is a little too legendary to be taken seriously (it's a common motif, found previously in the birth of Sargon), but again - this might be a later legend added to the life an actual person.
1- One would expect to see more Egyptian influences than are found - for instance, in theophoric names.
2- The stories of his adoption by a princess (thus explaining his suggested literacy, relgious knowledge of rituals and his leadership qualities) are not certain ; it's surprising that an adopted son of a princess must flee Egypt because of accusations of murder. How harshly were nobles punished for murder of a slave (the victim was a slave, remember?) - I'm not an expert on Egyptian law in this matter.
3- The narrative stories, itineraries, genealogies, and other accounts of Genesis would be difficult to account for, if Moses was merely an Egyptian adopting Egyptian ideas.
The Hyksos explanation is a common one, and was initially based on the writings of Manetho - an Egyptian historian writing in the third century B.C. - who described an invasion of Egypt by foreigners from the east. He notes that it was a brutal invasion, they made their base of operations a city called Avaris, and ruled Egypt with an iron hand for at least five hundred years. The Hyksos were Semites, as is plain from their names, and recent archaelogical evidence has confirmed this from pottery, architecture and tombs. Specifically, they were Canaanites. The Israelites were also Canaanites - as is evident from their language, Hebrew, which is a Canaanite language - and the Hyksos theory attempts to explain the migrations of the Patriarchs, their entry into Egypt and later 'exodus' as the "Invasion of the Hyksos". Manetho was writing as a patriotic Egyptian, however, and archaelogical evidence now shows that the "invasion" was actually a "gradual process of immigration from Canaan to Egypt, rather than a lightning military campaign" (The Bible Unearthed, Finklestein; Silberman, p. 55).
1- The probable date for the Exodus was roughly 1440 B.C. - "more than a hundred years after the date of the expulsion of the Hyksos" (ibid).
Anyways - there's an interesting account from Trogus (a Roman historian) that attributes the expulsion of the Israelites to a severe outbreak of leprosy among the Israelite slaves. The later laws concerning leprosy (technically, the Hebrew word can denote several skin diseases) might be attributed to this expulsion. In the end, Trogus is a bit biased, and not trustworthy - but it's an interesting theory, nonetheless.
The whole situation (the historicity of the Exodus) is a complicated one - and much ink has been spilled over it. In the end, I wonder if it will ever yield actual, concrete results. Biblical scholarship was obsessed in the last half of the past century with 'proving' the Bible using archeaology, with with Willam F. Albright as the 'godfather' of such endeavors. Scholarship has moved away from this ulterior motive, and is finally again attempting to assess the evidence for what it shows us, rather than for what we wish it to prove. It's been an interesting ride, for sure!


Categories: Advanced Educational Classes, Complimentary Classes.
FOCUS CLASSES (COMPLIMENTARY – REQUIRES A $25.00 DEPOSIT TO RESERVE SEAT) Focus courses vary each month to meet the current needs and topics of our industry. These FREE offerings are an incredible way to expand your knowledge and growth in the Skin Care Industry. Set yourself apart from the rest and engage in the opportunity for success, inspiration and passion. Level I kits will be available at a discounted price, day of course only. All classes are held in Fullerton, CA starting at 9:30 a.m. to about 1:00 p.m. (end time varies based upon course and size of class).
6. Mysteries of Stem Cells & How We Age: The Anti-Aging Battle. What are stem cells, peptides and amino acids? Why are they vital for the preservation of youthful skin and health? This course will survey and discuss the basic foundations and ingredients required to build and maintain healthy and youthful skin. As the professional you will gain the knowledge to effectively help your clients regain and maintain a youthful appearance by increasing elasticity, firmness and healthy cellular growth.


THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS CONTAIN A MANDATORY ARBITRATION CLASS AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER THATREQUIRES YOU TO RESOLVE DISPUTES WITH PARTY B ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS THROUGH FINAL AND BINDING ARBITRATION. PLEASE READ SUCH TERMS AND CONDITIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE accessing OR using the Services.
In this Agreement, "Party A" or "You" refers to the individual who purchases the course(s) offered by Party B (the "Course(s)"). "Party B" refers to "Beijing Qian Yu Technology Co., Ltd".
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The arbitration will be administered by the Beijing Arbitration Commission ("BAC") in accordance with the BAC's Consumer Arbitration Rules and the Supplementary Procedures for Consumer Related Disputes (the "BAC Rules") then in effect. A party who desires to initiate arbitration must provide the other party with a written Demand for Arbitration. Unless the parties otherwise agree, the arbitration will be conducted in Beijing, China.
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Your responsibility to pay any BAC filing, administrative and arbitrator fees will be solely as set forth in the BAC Rules.
You acknowledge and agree that, by agreeing to the Terms, you are waiving the right to a trial by jury or to participate as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class action or representative proceeding. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, any arbitration will be conducted only on an individual basis and not in a class, collective, consolidated, or representative proceeding.
If any portion of this mandatory arbitration clause is found to be unenforceable or unlawful for any reason, (1) the unenforceable or unlawful provision shall be severed from this clause; (2) severance of the unenforceable or unlawful provision shall have no impact whatsoever on the remainder of the mandatory arbitration clause or the parties' ability to compel arbitration of any remaining claims on an individual basis pursuant to the mandatory arbitration clause; and (3) to the extent that any claims must therefore proceed on a class, collective, consolidated, or representative basis, such claims must be litigated in a civil court of competent jurisdiction and not in arbitration, and the parties agree that litigation of those claims shall be stayed pending the outcome of any individual claims in arbitration.
Termination. After the Courses in Party A's account are completed, or the Services with respect to Party A are terminated earlier pursuant to Section 5.2, 6.3 6.4 or 12.2, this Agreement shall be terminated automatically and Party A's account shall expire immediately. The termination of this Agreement will not affect the validity of the provisions pertaining to confidentiality, intellectual property and non-solicitation set forth in Section 6, Section 7 and Section 8 herein, respectively.
Modifications. Party B is entitled to amend this Agreement and the Policies and other content on Party B's website from time to time. If an amendment materially changes the terms and conditions in this Agreement or the Policies, Party B will notify Party A through Party B's website or other prominent manners of communication provided herein. The amended Agreement or Polices will come into force once posted on Party B's website and will supersede the previous Agreement or Policies. Party A shall log into his/her account to review the amended Agreement. In case of disagreement of the amended agreement, Party A shall notify Party B in writing (including email) and immediately stop using the Services pursuant to the Agreement. Party A will be deemed to have accepted the amended Agreement, if Party A fails to object to such amendment in writing within two (2) business days or any Student in Party A's account continues to take any Course thereafter.
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On the sea we use expedition-equipped double and single kayaks. Double kayaks are of fiberglass or rotomold construction with comfortable seating, watertight gear hatches and are outfitted with custom designed 28 square foot sail rigs. The stable two-person kayaks are ideal for those new to sea kayaking and for families travelling with kids (and you can always paddle with one of your guides on longer travel days).
Single kayaks are rotomolded plastic construction and include stable, wide-beam designs, which are particularly well-suited for tropical water paddling where kayaks are used extensively for snorkeling. We also have a selection of narrow-beamed, woman-specific, as well as kid friendly kayaks and Jackson whitewater kayaks.
Stand Up Paddleboards SUP's to suit first time to intermediate skill levels are also part of the paddlesports experience at both the Lighthouse and Glovers basecamps.
On both Glover's Reef and Lighthouse Reef basecamp, each couple sleeps in spacious wall-tents with wooden floors and real, wood-framed beds. and you have access to our flyfishing gear (bring your own flies) cold drinks and a complete library that accompanies our fleet of comfortable hammocks!
On rivers we use inflatable two-person kayaks that are lightweight, comfortable and easy- to-handle in flatwater and whitewater.On moving trips we provide good quality pop-tents, portable field kitchens, satellite phones, and all other group equipment.
If you have any questions regarding the equipment we use on any given trip please contact us by phone or email and we will be happy to answer your questions.


text:
An airport panic attack is debilitating: a true story
by lakshmi krishnakumar
Gaslighting and bipolar disorder have more in common than you think
by jes edgson
Ehlers-Danlos and sex: an awkward conversation about masturbating
I am an oxymoron: sex with little inhibition
by jessica white
For many people traveling with panic disorder is exhausting. Many people experience anxiety at airports, but the experience of having a panic attack at airport security or a panic attack on a flight is a totally different experience.
The taxi veered through the evening Delhi traffic-dusty roads, blaring horns, and road jams. The driver, a young guy, was surprised, but remained silent about the passenger's request to roll the windows down and turn off the air-conditioning- he had never heard this request before in all his time as a driver in the summers of Delhi.
The passenger, a 27-year-old research scholar traveling with panic disorder, was frantically pushing buttons on her phone, texting a far-away friend, contemplating canceling the plan and just going back to her dorm room. She was on her way to a job interview in another city, but that seemed irrelevant then; only curling up in her bed seemed real and necessary.
The frantic texting soon advanced to wiping off sweat from her forehead, tears flowing down her face, and a strong nauseous sensation in her throat. The friend kept convincing her to stay in the cab, reach the airport, and get through security. More out of a strong sense of immobility than an active exercise of will, the woman reached the airport, paid the driver, and got out.
Airport security makes me anxious: having a panic attack at airport security
Through the entire check-in process at the airport, she seemed to be walking as though controlled by another person's agency. If you were to ask her later, she wouldn't know or recollect how she got the boarding pass. Anxiety at airports can do that to you.
After she collected her boarding pass she went to the bathrooms, noted gratefully that it was empty, except for a cleaning lady, and sat down in a corner and cried. The anxiety of airports – and the thought of yet another panic attack at airport security – had triggered a panic attack. The tears now streamed in a steady, silent stream, and she wasn't sure whether she was wiping away the tears or the sweat. She was palpitating but kept telling herself to take deep breaths. She knew she could have a panic attack at the airport; after all, she had been traveling with panic disorder for years.
"Going through airport security makes me anxious"
After a few minutes passed like this, the cleaning lady asked her why she was crying. She said she had just experienced a panic attack at the airport because was scared of flying and of airport security. Between sobs she explained how airports and flying made her nervous and that she often has panic attack traveling as a result of her with panic disorder. She believed what she was saying. She didn't think there could be no other explanation for what she was feeling. The panic attack was real; just as real as the anxiety and panic disorder she experienced when traveling.
She got up, rinsed her face, put on some jewelry, lipstick and thanked the cleaning lady and got out. As she made her way through the security check with a confident gait in her step, she herself couldn't think back to a mere five minutes ago, when she was crying in an airport bathroom. Sadly it was normal for her to have a panic attack at airport security.
That woman having a panic attack at the airport was me
This panic attack at the airport happened in mid-June, 2018. Half an hour after my panic attack, I was sitting in the food court of the airport, getting a quick supper, and texting the same friend who had convinced me to stay in the cab. Amidst the texts of his reassurances and photos of my food was a message that I had sent him – 'I hate my mental state. I hate having anxiety at airports.'
Although I am used to having a panic attack at airports it didn't make it any easier.
Unfortunately for me, and for many other people, having anxiety at airports, including suffering from panic attacks, is an all too frequent travel companion.
I have always tried to manage my anxiety at airports, including being prepared for having a panic attack at airport security, in two ways, neither way makes much of a difference:
my bags packed a day in advance and me extremely happy, talkative, and with music on my earphones; or
backpack stuffed in a hurry, tickets crumpled, and on the verge of canceling all my plans and shrinking into the familiar hole that is my room.
I do not know what calm travel is. However, I do know what anxiety at airports is like and what it feels like to have a panic attack at the airport.
When my mother or my roommate packs her stuff and leaves in a graceful exit, I am amazed. How can they do that? Aren't their heads in a flurry over the transit? Not over the fear or excitement of going to a new place, but merely the travel itself? Airport security and all that goes with it. That is something I always wondered about people who travel for a living: they apparently don't feel the need to throw up at the thought of the cab or bus ride, or placing one's arms up in the air when they are searched by airport security staff, which is usually the trigger for my panic attack at airport security.
Thinking about having a panic attack at the airport puts me in a panic!
Ever since I was a child, I was motion-sick- every bus ride or flight was a flurry of anti-motion sickness tablets and plastic bags crammed into every available corner of my bag, just in case I want to throw up. My mother always attributed my intense motion sickness to an empty stomach, which was highly probable.
But more than that, as I grew up, I've come to realize that the sickness may not entirely due to a lack of food, but due to the panic building within me about the upcoming travel. Airports and flying increased my anxiety tenfold. That would explain the sweaty forehead, the palpitations, and nausea.
If I had to question why I feel this airport panic, I wouldn't know the answer. Maybe it's the closed place, the tensions of airport security, the invasive unwelcome pat-downs, the proximity to others, or just the transposition from one place to another in a thin metal tube. But what I have also realized is the absolute hilarity of my panic attacks at the airport.
After I have successfully imbibed what my friend tells me, wash my face and become a well-dressed version of myself for the journey from the airport food court to the gate, I am able to look back at myself and laugh; a mess one minute, and the picture of absolute confidence the next.
I can sit in a car on the way to a friend's party and start feeling sick even before I get there; I have a panic attack when I arrive, throwing up before I even eat or drink anything, but a wash of the face later, I am laughing at my own panic, my own fear of meeting new people now forgotten. These extreme mood variations, these panic attacks are something my therapist describes as a characteristic of borderline personality disorder. I find this part hilarious as well but not because of their diagnosis.
The fact that I can find the humor does not mean I reduce its seriousness or even pretend that I do not suffer from the emptiness, the unpredictability and the havoc that borderline personality disorder wrecks on an individual. Or the panic attacks at the airport that make travel hell. I do not also pretend that it has been a similarly hilarious ride for those involved in my life and in my condition: it certainly isn't for my parents or my closest friends.
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But what does give me the chance to laugh a bit at myself is the knowledge that somehow I have been okay so far. That somehow I have managed to survive airports and traveling and life. True, my career is at crossroads, I am incapable of long-term relationships, and I am still prone to living in denial, accompanied by flights of panic.
However, thanks to a network of friends and family, I have made it out always, so far. The very proof of my existence now is to look at stuff through the funny side of it; when a friend jokingly retorts 'go die,' I tell them, 'hey, I might just listen to you.' Awkward silence at first, then back-thumping.
Similarly, my mother laughs about the last time that we had a row about the cleanliness of my room, a row that would have quickly escalated to serious emotional or mild physical hurt to either of us. Again, I cannot stress how much it is possible to laugh about all this merely because there isn't tangible evidence of its damage.
Contemplation over the reasons for having my airport panic attacks and my sudden mood changes have been helpful for me to understand aspects of myself I hadn't really thought about before. While this is no way reduces the intensity of my future panic attacks or sudden mood changes, there is always the minor glimmer of hope things will work out fine and that I am still on the path of finding something that works for me.
The acts of washing my face, putting on my jewelry and putting on my lipstick mark a departure in time – a series of actions that separate the messy and anxiety-ridden panic attack at the airport from a woman who is ready to take on the world – one airport security scan at a time. I do not debate its absurdity, but it works for me. And if it makes me laugh till the next airport panic attack, should I deny its hilarity either?
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Lakshmi Krishnakumar
Lakshmi Krishnakumar is currently at the cusp of leaving behind known and uncomfortable territories of her life and venturing into new ones. Her borderline personality makes her an absolute roller coaster to be with, mostly to herself. She enjoys reading, cats, and reading to her cats.
"I do not know what calm travel is. A panic attack at the airport is my norm" | ©Poprotskiy Alexey / Adobe Stock
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God broke into my life in 1981, when a sermon spoke directly into my heart – "declutter your commitments and make way for God to do something new in your life". I started to declutter and a couple of months later a friend gave me a Campus Crusade magazine saying, "Here, I think you need to read this because every time I see it in my home the thought 'give this to Joyce' comes into my head". So, I read it and one article caught my interest. It was about a Bible study that one of the Campus Crusade staff members, Thera Barber, had started in London. It sounded just like the kind of study I would love to attend. There was an address at the end of the article, so I wrote to Thera asking where my nearest class was.
The reply was not altogether good news. There was no class in my area. In fact, the London class was the only one in the UK, but she gave me a warm invitation to come and stay with her and visit the class so that I could experience the study. I had three wonderful days visiting the London class, talking to the ladies who attended (in 1981 it was a ladies-only study) and learning a lot more about things from Thera. I came home feeling very blessed but thinking too that, that was that. There was no class in my area and it was very unlikely that there ever would be because leaders had to go to America for a 5-day training programme at their own expense.
Four days after arriving home, I came in from shopping to find an ordinary white envelope on my doormat. On the front were the words, in capital letters – FOR AMERICA. Inside this envelope there was £200 in £10 notes. £200 in 1981 was a considerable amount of money and to this day I have no idea where it came from. After I had got over the shock, I decided I needed to write to Lee Campbell, the founder of Community Bible Study (CBS) in America, telling her what had happened, and informing her that I had no training, a minimum of education and that Bolsover was a working-class mining town. Her reply was reasonably encouraging. She said that it sounded as if God was doing something, and not to worry about training as that would be given, but a team of three people needed to attend training, so to keep on praying. Again, I thought nothing would come of it, but over the next three weeks two different people approached me saying they felt God wanted them to offer their services. On the surface it looked as if we were all set to go BUT we only had the gift of £200 which wasn't enough to pay for one fare, let alone three, and none of us had the resources to finance ourselves. However, in faith we applied for training and were accepted for the April 1982 training in McClean, just outside Washington DC.
As 1981 became 1982, I attended a Watchnight service. The text for that service was Joshua 1:1-9 "I say to you and these people, get ready… Be strong and courageous because you will lead these people… Do not let the Book of the law depart from your mouth, meditate on it and be careful to do everything written in it… you will be successful, have I not commanded you. Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified or discouraged, for I the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go". As these words were being read it was as if everyone else in the church had disappeared and God was speaking directly to me. So sure was I that God had spoken, we started to prepare.
The first thing we needed to do was book tickets. The cheapest fares then were Apex tickets and needed to be purchased three months before departure. We were daring and went to the travel agent and asked if we could book the air tickets but pay in installments for them. The travel agent not only said "yes" but gave us some money to add to the £200 we already had! This action seemed to open the bank of heaven, because during the next week we received a further £900 (£1100 in total), enough to purchase the three air tickets, plus three train tickets to get us to Heathrow and have just a little contingency money left. These monetary gifts came from all kinds of places and people, much of it anonymous. What a mighty bountiful God we have!
We flew off to Washington where we were very graciously received, although we felt somewhat overawed by everything. As we went through the training programme, we started to believe that CBS could never work in Bolsover and that God must have made a mistake (how arrogant can you get?). I was nominated to tell Lee Campbell we had wasted everyone's time. The last thing that happened at that time at the end of a training programme was to have a meal together, then a commissioning service. I was unable to speak to Lee before the service. A guest speaker came for the commissioning service and his text for that service was Joshua 1:1-9! We couldn't believe it, we knew it was a message from God, so with tears streaming down our faces we were commissioned to return to the UK to start the very first totally international class. Yes, there were classes in other countries – Canada, Peru and London, but they were all led by ex-patriate North Americans and the bulk of their members were also ex-patriate Americans. We, very ordinary, very average Brits, were going to start a class of totally British folk, in a forgotten little mining town. What a great sense of humour our God has!
We returned to Bolsover and began the process of setting up a class. This was not without many problems and a great deal of opposition, mainly from the clergy. Being an interdenominational Bible study raised a lot of suspicion. However, we did have a class by September 1982. In the years that followed we still encountered many difficulties and problems and many times I felt like packing it all in, but God constantly kept reminding me of Joshua 1:1-9 so I kept on keeping on.
Eventually this very ordinary woman became National Director. Now we were autonomous and did our own training, the number of new classes grew every year, and CBS UK evolved and grew too. In 2005 I felt God say – "alright you can retire from being National Director of CBS in 2007". As 2007 drew near however, I began to have cold feet about it all – did God really say I could go in 2007 or was it my imagination? Then our amazing God gave me a final blessing. He gave me another Scripture, a rather obscure verse so I had no doubt it was from Him and not me clutching at straws. Ecclesiastes 9:7-8 "Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God is pleased with what you do. Always be clothed in white and always anoint your head with oil". I feel like one of the most blessed and privileged of women in the world. Thanks be to God.