In 2010, the 'European Declaration on alternatives to surgical castration of pigs' was agreed. The Declaration stipulates that from January 1, 2012, surgical castration of pigs shall only be performed with prolonged analgesia and/or anaesthesia and from 2018 surgical castration of pigs should be phased out altogether.
The Federation of Veterinarians of Europe together with the European Commission carried out an online survey via SurveyMonkey© to investigate the progress made in different European countries. This study provides descriptive information on the practice of piglet castration across 24 European countries. It gives also an overview on published literature regarding the practicability and effectiveness of the alternatives to surgical castration without anaesthesia/analgesia.
Forty usable survey responses from 24 countries were received. Besides Ireland, Portugal, Spain and United Kingdom, who have of history in producing entire males, 18 countries surgically castrate 80% or more of their male pig population. Overall, in 5% of the male pigs surgically castrated across the 24 European countries surveyed, castration is performed with anaesthesia and analgesia and 41% with analgesia (alone). Meloxicam, ketoprofen and flunixin were the most frequently used drugs for analgesia. Procaine was the most frequent local anaesthetic. The sedative azaperone was frequently mentioned even though it does not have analgesic properties. Half of the countries surveyed believed that the method of anaesthesia/analgesia applied is not practicable and effective. However, countries that have experience in using both anaesthesia and post-operative analgesics, such as Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and The Netherlands, found this method practical and effective. The estimated average percentage of immunocastrated pigs in the countries surveyed was 2.7% (median = 0.2%), where Belgium presented the highest estimated percentage of immunocastrated pigs (18%).
The deadlines of January 1, 2012, and of 2018 are far from being met. The opinions on the animal-welfare-conformity and the practicability of the alternatives to surgical castration without analgesia/anaesthesia and the alternatives to surgical castration are widely dispersed. Although countries using analgesia/anaesthesia routinely found this method practical and effective, only few countries seem to aim at meeting the deadline to phase out surgical castration completely.
Many piglets in Europe are castrated surgically without any anaesthesia or post-operative analgesia. This is allowed by European legislation up to an age of 7 days . Piglets are neurologically mature newborns such as lambs, kids, calves and human infants . Such newborns mature animals usually become conscious within the first few minutes to hours after birth . Castration is a painful and stressful procedure . Some studies report behavioural alterations for several days after the procedure indicating that piglets likely experience postoperative pain [5–7], whereas results based on physiological measures have proven to be more inconsistent as reviewed by . Although the use of anaesthetics [9, 10] would appear to be of benefit during the procedure itself, without the combined use of an analgesic, physiological responses to the procedure post-recovery would seem to indicate that the pain experienced is still great . Castration of male pigs is hence a substantial animal welfare problem. To tackle this, in 2010, on the initiative of the European Commission and the Belgian Presidency, representatives of European farmers, meat industry, retailers, scientists, veterinarians – represented by the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) and animal welfare Non-Governmental Organisations agreed upon the 'European Declaration on alternatives to surgical castration of pigs', from here on referred to as the Declaration .
The final goal of this Declaration is to phase out the surgical castration of pigs by 2018 in all European Union (EU) and all European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries. But the Declaration also requested that from 1 January 2012, surgical castration of pigs shall only be performed with prolonged analgesia and/or anaesthesia.
In September 2015, FVE together with the European Commission decided to analyse the situation with respect to the progress seen in the different countries following up the Declaration. Specific focus was given to getting an overview of the situation regarding surgical castration with prolonged analgesia and/or anaesthesia in the different countries involved.
This publication is based on an online survey, discussions with regional experts in pig castration and an investigation of (scientific) opinions on the different alternatives existing to surgical pig castration. The online survey on pig castration was designed by FVE and the European Commission, Directorate General for Health and Food Safety via SurveyMonkey©. It was distributed to all national veterinary organisations and to members of the European Association of Porcine Health Management (EAPHM) between 28 September 2015 and 30 October 2015. In total, 44 surveys from 24 countries were received and 40 of them provided usable answers. The final number of respondents per country varied from 1 to 5. Results were expressed at country level. Only consistent answers between respondents of the same country were considered. Each country was asked about the estimated percentage of i) castrated piglets; ii) castrated with analgesia and anaesthesia; iii) castrated with analgesia only; iv) castrated without analgesia or anaesthesia and v) immunocastrated piglets. The surveyed consisted of 3 open questions, 6 dichotomous and 3 multiple-choice questions (Table 1). After the survey, regional experts from 9 countries (pig veterinarians with publications or with known societal involvement in pig castration) were consulted to verify the survey answers and obtain more in-depth information on the situation in the different countries.
List the anaesthetics and analgesics used for pigs in "your" country.
What are the main obstacles to reach the goals of the Brussels Declaration in "your" country?
surgically castrated piglets (0: 0–20%; 1: 80–100%), twenty three countries classified: Belgium was not considered here for having an intermediate percentage.
castrated with analgesia and anaesthesia (0: 0–6%; 1: 24–99%), twenty four countries classified.
castrated with analgesia only (0: 0–12%; 1: 72–99%). Twenty two countries classified: the Czech Republic and France were not considered here for having intermediate percentages of pigs castrated with analgesia only.
The 'Genmod' procedure for binomial data was applied to detect possible associations between the answers given to those three questions and the variables F1 to F6 present in the survey (Table 1). A p-value of 0.05 was considered significant for all analyses.
Table 2 shows the percentage of pigs castrated using different methods, according to the survey. In 18 out of the 24 countries that participated in the survey, 80% or more of male pigs are surgically castrated. In Ireland, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and United Kingdom, 20% or less of the male pigs are castrated. Looking at the size of the total pig population, this corresponds to 61% of male pigs being surgically castrated in Europe (Fig. 1). Belgium, France, Germany and Switzerland reported an increase in the number of entire raised males in the last 3–5 years and the Netherlands a strong increase.
Norway, Switzerland, The Netherlands and Sweden reported 99, 97, 30 and 24% of surgically castrated animals with both anaesthesia and analgesia, respectively. In the other countries and according to the survey, less than 6% of the piglets were castrated using anaesthesia and analgesia.
According to the survey, seven countries castrate surgically more than 70% of the male piglets in their country using analgesia (alone). In France and Czech Republic, 50 and 31% of piglets respectively were castrated surgically using analgesia. The other countries reported the administration of analgesia in 10% or less of male pigs castrated. In the last 3–5 years, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland and Luxemburg noticed an increase in the number of piglets castrated under anaesthesia and/or analgesia.
The mean percentage of immunocastrated pigs in the countries surveyed was 2.7% (median 0.2%; range = 0–18%) with Belgium having the highest estimated percentage of immunocastrated pigs. Respondents from Belgium, Czech Republic, Norway, Romania, Spain and Sweden reported an increased number of immunocastrated pigs during the last 3–5 years.
Using analgesia/anaesthesia: how practical and effective are they?
Respondents were asked whether the method of anaesthesia/analgesia applied is practicable and effective. Overall, in 50% of the countries respondents answered "no" and in 37% they answered "yes". 9% of the countries did not have a consistent answer between the respondents and 4% did not answer.
Nine experts also commented via free text that they felt that the use of analgesia alone (often not prior, but only at the time of the surgery) is insufficient for avoiding stress and pain for the piglets. According to the survey only veterinarians are allowed to administer anaesthesia/analgesia in 67% of the countries. In the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland these medicines are used under veterinary prescription but the farmer is allowed to administer them. In some countries (e.g. Sweden), farmers first have to pass a specific training course. In Denmark and France, veterinarians can prescribe analgesia for farmers, who are allowed to administer it, but anaesthetics must be administered by a veterinarian.
Pig castration: how much is it of importance in the different countries?
In respect to how hard the government and stakeholders are working towards complying with the Declaration on pig castration, in 62% of the countries respondents replied that they felt that the government and stakeholders are working towards complying with the Declaration.
Regarding the question about whether in their country an official deadline on pig castration had been set, no countries, except of Germany and Norway, noted that a national deadline had been set. Respondents from the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom and Switzerland gave different answers. In some countries, experts noted that while the government had set no official date, some farm assurance systems had set deadlines. Several countries also noted that while no date had been set to phase out pig castration, they had a date set demanding analgesia (e.g. Finland has had an industry requirement since 2011, Denmark an industry requirement since 2009 and a legal requirement since 2011) or demanding the use of analgesia and anaesthesia (e.g. Sweden from 1 January 2016).
Regarding the economic impact of castration under the use of anaesthesia and/or analgesia and phasing out pig castration, in 38% of the countries respondents believe that the use of anaesthesia and analgesia causes considerable extra costs.
Regarding the welfare impact of castration under the use of anaesthesia and/or analgesia and phasing out pig castration, respondents from 67% of the countries surveyed were positive or very positive about the animal welfare benefits. One country thought that the welfare impact would be negative. The remaining respondents were either neutral or gave inconsistent answers.
According to the respondents and independently of their country, the main obstacles to reach the goals of the Declaration were the economic implications (mentioned 19 times were that extra costs occur to the farmer which are not be paid back by the consumer), the extra work load caused by using anaesthesia/analgesia (mentioned 11 times), the lack of practical and effective anaesthesia/analgesia protocols (mentioned 10 times), the lack of EU acceptance of entire males both by the market as by slaughterhouses (mentioned 7 times), risk of boar taint in meat (mentioned 3 times) and welfare problems associated with raising entire males (mentioned 2 times).
The use of analgesia and anaesthesia in pig castration was significantly associated with whether or not the producer is allowed to administer anaesthesia (P = 0.02). From the four countries that uses analgesia and anaesthesia in more than 20% of the pigs castrated, The Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland allow the producer to administer analgesia and anaesthesia. Norway was the only country where analgesia and anaesthesia was frequently used to castrate piglets (99% castrated with analgesia and anaesthesia) but where the producer could not administer such products. The four countries that have experience in using analgesia and anaesthesia found this method practical and effective (P = 0.005).
The use of analgesia was associated with whether or not the country is working towards complying with the EU legislation (p = 0.03). The countries where respondents agreed that "little is done to meet the goals of the Declaration" did not use analgesic to castrate the majority of the piglets.
For most countries, reliable statistical data on the amount of pigs castrated and on the methods used to castrate them is not available. The present survey by the FVE relied upon the answers of experts in pig production from different countries. Therefore, while the results presented in this document indicate the situation of each country in terms of pig castration, it should be recognised that this might not reflect the situation in the whole of Europe, nor give a complete picture.
Ireland, United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal have a history in producing entire males. In the Netherlands, now also the great majority of pigs produced are entire males (80%). The remaining 19 countries that participated to the survey castrated more than 80% of their male pig population. The ultimate goal of the Declaration , namely to phase out surgical pig castration, is therefore far from being reached by 2018.
Several countries agreed on deadlines with respect to banning surgical castration without analgesia and/or anaesthesia (Table 3). No country, however, has set a deadline to completely phase out surgical castration.
On average 5% of the male pig population surgically castrated across the 24 European countries surveyed was castrated with anaesthesia and analgesia; 41% with analgesia (alone) and 54% was castrated completely without any anaesthesia or analgesia. In 2010, it was estimated that 79% of the piglets were castrated without anaesthesia or analgesia .
Based on these results, there is still a major bottleneck in the use of the combination of anaesthesia and analgesia, the anaesthesia being the biggest constraint. Results from the PIGCAS project published in 2009  indicated as well that in most countries, anaesthesia was not used and that analgesia was used even more seldom than anaesthesia. The use of analgesics (alone) for male pig castration has hence increased in the last few years.
The number of authorised and licensed analgesics and anaesthetics for pig castration is limited and differs largely between countries as can be seen in Table 4. For surgical castration of male piglets to be used at farm level, the method must be easy to run without requiring expensive equipment while resulting in a significant reduction of pain for the piglets .
Procaine was the most cited local anaesthetic among the countries surveyed. Even though lidocaine is by far the most common local anaesthetic tested in experimental studies , this local anaesthetic was only mentioned in Italy, Norway and Sweden. Local administration of lidocaine has been shown to reduce the cortisol level measured 20 min after castration and has shown to reduce the movements and intensity of vocalisation during castration . The anaesthetic effectiveness of lidocaine under experimental conditions has been reviewed  and found not to be immediate and limited in duration. In case of the use of intratesticular injection of lidocaine with adrenaline, it takes the lidocaine 3 min to reach the testicular cordons . Lidocaine does not readily diffuse through the tunica vaginalis and in the cremaster muscle which can explain the nociceptive response to surgical castration under local anaesthesia . In our survey, meloxicam, ketoprofen and flunixin were the most frequently cited analgesics across countries. Those three drugs are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Their effectiveness in alleviating pain during male pig castration is questionable. Some studies show that pre-emptive administration of meloxicam, 30 min before the procedure, gives some post-operative analgesia after surgical castration . However, others  reported very limited effects of meloxicam in reducing pain related to pig castration. SUIVET , an organisation of pig veterinarians in Italy, proposed a protocol for pig castration using a combination of meloxicam and procaine. To give the product time to become efficient, they suggest giving the injection first to 5 litters, after which to come back to castrate the piglets. In order to limit the number of injections, they suggest to combine it with the iron injection usually provided anyway . Ketoprofen did not show any effect on pain responses during castration, but postoperative pain was reduced in these piglets in terms of scratching, tail wagging and isolating themselves on the day after castration .
General anaesthesia can be induced by use of inhalation agents or injection. The use of inhalation agents was mentioned by the Netherlands (Carbone dioxide) and Switzerland (Isoflurane). The availability of injection anaesthetics for general anaesthesia was mentioned in several countries. General anaesthesia has advantages but is difficult to practice at the farm level and present some major drawbacks [15, 21]. The use of CO2 is very controversial. Piglets castrated under CO2 anaesthesia display more interactive behaviours during the 8 day observation period, however the piglets that were castrated under anaesthesia also displayed behaviours indicative of pain and discomfort up 6 days after castration .
Although CO2 is very commonly used for pre-slaughter stunning, due to a lack of alternatives, C02 produces strong aversion (irritation and asphyxia) in pigs before they lose consciousness [23, 24]. Isoflurane inhalation was found in one large scale study to only have given sufficiently anaesthesia in 77% of the piglets .
The sedative azaperone was frequently mentioned. Sedation makes the piglets easier to handle, however it is not effective at all in relieving pain. It may be used as premedication to local and general anaesthesia such as in combined use with ketamine .
Half of the countries surveyed believe that the method of anaesthesia/analgesia applied is not practicable and effective. Extra cost, extra work load and the lack of practical and effective protocols were 3 main constraints identified by the respondents. One study  estimated that local anaesthesia prior to castration increase the labour demand by 39 to 52%. Still, countries that have some experience in using analgesia and anaesthesia (Norway, Switzerland, The Netherland and Sweden) found their method practical and effective. Furthermore, based on the survey, that a producer is allowed to administer anaesthesia and analgesia seems to facilitate the use of such products in a routine basis to castrate piglets. In the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland the farmer is allowed to administer anaesthesia and analgesia. In Norway, farmers cannot use analgesia and anaesthesia. In some other countries as Denmark and France, veterinarians can prescribe analgesia to be administered by farmers, but anaesthetics must be administered by a veterinarian. In Sweden, a farmer may inject local anaesthesia and analgesia to perform pig castration, when he has attended both a course in handling pharmaceuticals and a course in correct administration of scrotal local anaesthesia. According to FVE's Veterinary Act  and most national Veterinary Acts, administering anaesthesia and doing surgery entering a body cavity is a task that can only be performed by veterinarians. Potential complications associated with surgical castration include haemorrhage, excessive swelling or oedema, infection, poor wound healing, and failure to remove both testicles and risks involved with anaesthesia when used . Therefore, FVE, the Federation of veterinarian of Europe, is of the position that pig castration should always be performed by a veterinarian under general or local anaesthesia with additional prolonged analgesia . It should also be noted that some anaesthetics such as ketamine in many countries is upon strict regulation due to illicit use.
As a priority to make further progress, a series of mutually agreed, practical and effective analgesia and/or anaesthesia protocols should be agreed at a national or EU level. These protocols should be cost effective, produce minimum stress and pain both during and after castration and be safe for both the handler and the piglet. The method should also ensure a quick recovery to minimize the risk of the piglet being crushed by the sow.
In 2016, a European consortium on the basis of a call of the European Commission (SANCO/2014/G3/026) started a study on methods of pig castration – called 'CASTRUM'. More specifically the study will try to identify available methods for the use of anaesthesia and/or prolonged analgesia and specifically look into alternatives to surgical castration for 'heavy' pigs used in traditional products. The outcome of this study should become available in 2017.
The estimated average percentage of immunocastrated pigs in the countries surveyed was 2.7% (median = 0.2%), where Belgium presented the highest estimated percentage of immunocastrated pigs (18%). Respondents from Czech Republic, Norway, Romania, Spain and Sweden reported a slight increase in immunocastrated pigs in the last 3–5 years. Immunocastration has been permitted in the EU since 2009, but while it is used to a great extend in some countries abroad such as Australia , it seems still difficult to break through in Europe. Immunocastration is used in a higher proportion of pigs in Belgium mainly due to the impact of a major Belgian retailer (Colruyt) who since end 2010 only accepts pork from pigs castrated by vaccination. At this moment Zoetis is the only company which has a Gonadotrofine Releasing Factor vaccine on the market (Improvac R). In terms of feasibility, the vaccine requires two doses, at least 4 weeks apart, with the second dose being given ideally 3–4 weeks before slaughter. Pigs slaughtered at a higher slaughter weight may need more than two doses. A single effective shot of the "vaccine" is being investigated at the moment . Immunocastration eliminates the acute pain experienced by surgically castrated piglets; however welfare concerns still arise due to the fact that immuno-castrated pigs behave as entire males until the second vaccination. The main limitation to immunocastration is linked to market issues and human error (vaccinating outside the recommended time period, missing a dose . Most retailers do not accept pork from immunocastrated pigs being afraid for poor public acceptance. However, in the case of Belgium, the acceptance of immunocastration led to a better welfare-friendly image of the retailer and large scale surveys conducted in European countries, showed that over 60% of surveyed consumers informed about the issue preferred immunocastration to surgical castration with anaesthesia .
From an animal-ethical point of view, not all alternatives to pig castration are equal [34, 35]. Immunocastration may give the greatest benefit to the animals, while raising entire males can still lead to pigs suffering from aggressive behaviour amongst each other and giving pain relief are seen as less animal-friendly alternative .
Entire males' production is another main alternative to surgical castration. From an animal welfare perspective, raising entire males has benefits but also disadvantages . In Ireland, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom less than 20% of the pigs were surgically castrated. Most countries do not rear entire male pig due to the incidence of boar taint. There is so far no international accepted and validated on-line method available for the measurements of boar taint in carcasses that throughout fulfils the requirement for a highly streamlined industry at the slaughterhouses . Ireland and the United Kingdom address the incidence of boar taint by slaughtering at low weight and before sexual maturity. According to de Roest , the raising of entire males can be an interesting option for many countries, except for countries and production systems with a high age at slaughtering. The costs and benefits of this alternative will depend on the percentage of males with boar taint at slaughtering. Raising entire males should not generate more than 2.5% of boar taint among slaughter pigs, in order to maintain the considerable economic benefits of better feed efficiency of entire males with respect to castrate .
The deadline of 1 January 2012, which marks the day after which all castrated piglets reared in the EU and EFTA countries have to be treated with prolonged analgesia and/or anaesthesia, is far from being met in the majority of the 24 countries we surveyed. Analgesia alone is now used in several countries, probably partly due to the Declaration, but the effectiveness of this method to alleviate the pain during male piglet castration is questionable. There is still a major bottleneck in the use of the combination of anaesthesia and analgesia among the majority of the countries surveyed, the anaesthesia appearing to be the biggest constraint at the farm level.
The percentage of male pig population immunocastrated is still very low. Still, it appears as a promising alternative to surgical castration in countries such as Belgium. In Ireland, United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal, the production of entire males has been for long used as the main type of pig meat and a further increase is foreseen in other countries. In our survey Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland reported an increase in the number of pigs raised as entire males. Depending of the country, immunocastration and entire male production are foreseen as valuable alternatives to surgical castration.
As a priority to make further progress, a series of practical and effective analgesia and/or anaesthesia protocols should be mutually agreed at a national or EU level.
It is the apprehension of the authors that given the current economic climate, it is unlikely that pig producers will be able to follow the Declaration on pig castration unless it becomes mandatory in one way or another.
Our thanks goes to the European Commission, Directorate General for Health and Food Safety, for the assistance with the survey design and all members of the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) and the European Association of Porcine Health Management (EAPHM) for spreading the survey. Our special thanks to all porcine health experts who completed the survey and provided expert opinion.
The anonymised dataset supporting the conclusions of this article is freely available to any scientist wishing to use them for non-commercial purposes upon request to the corresponding author.
NDB study design, data collection, and draft of manuscript. DT data analysis, statistical analysis, and support drafting manuscript. CB draft of manuscript, data collection. TB draft of manuscript, data collection. All authors reviewed, edited and approved the final manuscript.
The ethics approval was waived. Survey participants were made aware that their responses would be used for research that would be published.
European Commission. European Declaration on alternatives to surgical castration of pigs. https://ec.europa.eu/food/sites/food/files/animals/docs/aw_prac_farm_pigs_castalt_declaration_en.pdf. Accessed 26 July 2016.
SUIVET. Castration protocols. www.suivet.it. Accessed on 26 Oct 2016.
Federation of Veterinarians of Europe FVE. European Veterinary Act. 2013. www.fve.org, Accessed on 26 Oct 2016.
American Veterinary Medical Association, AVMA. Literature Review on the Welfare Implications of Swine Castration. 2014. https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/LiteratureReviews/Documents/swine_castration_bgnd.pdf. Accessed on 26 Oct 2016.
Federation of Veterinarians of Europe FVE. FVE position paper on pig castration. 2009. www.fve.org. Accessed on 26 Oct 2016.
European Food Safety Agency EFSA. Welfare aspects of the castration of piglets. Scientific Report of the Scientific Panel for Animal Health and Welfare on a request from the Commission related to welfare aspects of the castration of piglets European Food Safety Authority 2004 AHAW/04-087. (http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/91). Accessed 26 Oct 2016.


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Difficult early life experiences may put you at increased risk for retraumatization experiences while working with clients who report their own trauma histories. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study (Felitti et al., 1998) examined the prevalence of childhood abuse and household dysfunction in a large adult sample and found a linear relationship between the number of events experienced as a child and heightened risk of a range of physical illnesses in adulthood. With their brief ten item measure, theACE Score Calculator, you may calculate your own ACE score by adding up the number of items you endorsed. For more information on the findings of the study see the article by Felitti et al. (1998).
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Your Design for Your Team That No One Else Can Have.


If you equateA?TupperwareA?with tired leftovers, allow us to change all that. Spending Sunday night batch prepping a weeka??s worth of food is no longer just a ritual for bodybuilders and health food fanatics.A?Meal prepA?is having a moment. And the #tupplife movement (yup, thata??s a thing) is looking more appetizing than ever. Dona??t believe us? Wea??ve got 21 pics straight from Instagram, showing just how epic the planningA?can get. Scroll through for all kinds of #mealprepporn inspiration a?? from a foodiea??s take onA?crockpotA?chicken (hello, tacos forA?days)A?to plastic container formations of Guinness Book of World Records proportions.
Allow this meal prep maven to help you rethinkA?your nutrition game. On tap for this week: PB and berryA?overnight oatsA?for breakfast,A?salmonA?and veggies for lunch, then meatloaf, rice and broccoli for dinner (and dona??t forget the fresh fruits and veggies for snacks). Thata??sA?1,650A?calories a day, this a??Dutchie getting fita?? estimates.A?
You heard it here first: Pre-prepped food can be oh-so-pretty. Take a cue from this vegan foodie, whose typical a??uni luncha?? includes bamboo-infused rice salad, fresh-cut strawberries and mangoes, plus an antioxidant-rich batch of berry tea. Favorite new lunch buddy, confirmed.
According to this clean eating boss, a??#TuppLife is all about being prepared!a?? Cod plus mediterranean quinoa means healthy eats for the week, especially with this bloggera??s jam-packed travel schedule ahead.A?Time to recalibrate ourA?squad goals a?? by breaking out theseA?black reusable containersA?and the kitchen scale.
Chocolate coconutA?proteinA?barsa??You have our undivided attention. Skip the pitstop atA?GNC. Making your ownA?homemade protein barsA?over the weekend will be the best thing you do for yourself this week.
A rainbow of baggedA?veggiesA?is a pot of gold for the time-pressed chef! Instead of whipping out the cutting board every night,A?minimizeA?time in the kitchen byA?getting all your produce washed, chopped, sliced and ready to go. a??With this technique, I only have to choose aA?proteinA?and I have a meal ready in no time,a??A?says the bloggerA?behindA?A Squirrel in the Kitchen.
Mason jar salads, FTW. This Japanese food photoga??sA?masterpieces will inspire you toA?create a feast for the eyes a?? and the belly. First stop, farmera??s market.
Beware of protein fatigue by alternating your favorites throughout the week. Ground beef taco meat followed up by fragrant grilled chicken will stave off taste bud boredom. When youa??ve committed toA?counting macros, ita??s the little things.
Real talk: SundayA?meal prepA?is a??the only way Ia??ve been able to avoid cereal for dinner most nights,a?? says Julie Fagan, fitness instructor andA?PB FingersA?blogger. Hard-boiled eggs,A?homemade almond butter, sweet potato hash a?? all great make-ahead ideasA?(though we dona??t recommend eating them together!).
Healthier swaps in her kitchen means choosing spaghetti squashA?instead of empty carbs. a??One cup of this nutrient-rich vegetable contains only 31 calories as opposed to 220 calories in one cup of regular spaghetti,a?? she says. Not sure what to do with a weeka??s worth? Try thisA?Spaghetti Squash Recipe with Chickpea Tomato Sauce.
Maybe youa??ve hopped on theA?paleo bandwagon, or youa??re giving theA?Whole 30 dietA?a whirl. But that doesna??t mean your breakfast needs to be boring. This one combinesA?baby spinach, bell peppers, a hard-boiled egg and mini turkey meatballs inA?durable glass containers.A?Caveman approved.
Herea??sA?proof from one fitness-loving foodie that varietyA?canA?in fact fit yourA?macros. Beets, olives, berries and greens? BRB wea??re re-writing our grocery list.
ScrambledA?eggsA?or egg whites, plus your favorite proteins and veggiesA?a??A?baked to perfection in 20 minutes or less. What more could a meal prepper ask for? We strongly recommend kickingA?off your week with one of theseA?10 Healthy Egg Muffin Recipes.
#MealPrepPorn at its best. (Seriously, youa??ll want to follow this feed!) When motivation wanes,A?feast your eyes on mouthwateringA?a??grams like these. Wea??re thinking Taco Tuesday, every day of the week.
Need one more taco option? How about thisA?Crock-PotA?chicken recipe from meal prep master Lee Hersh. While youa??re at ita??here areA?9 more slow-cooker recipesA?youa??ll want to bookmark for a rainy day.
Freezer-safe plastic containersA?filled with fresh-cut fruit means youa??re smoothie-ready, any day of the week. Add a couple scoops ofA?protein powder, a splash of almond milk andA?blend. Your morning just got berry delicious.
And the win for straight-upA?commitment goes toa??thisA?personal trainer, who preps 20 meals in one go. IfA?therea??s a world record for most prepped-outA?Tupperware, wea??re thinking this is it.
Mason jars,A?snack containersA?and Ziploc baggies. No transportation method goes untouched in this high-functioning meal prep kitchen. Wea??ll take four of everything, thanks.
Meat and potatoes will get old a?? fast. Thata??s why thisA?self-described a??lazy cooka?? comes up with creative new takes on lunchtime classics. Turkey sammy rut? Try these turkey bacon enoki rolls.
Food Prep Princess, allow us to take a whirlA?throughA?your picture-perfect mealA?prep world. The fitness and nutrition coacha??sA?motto: a??Let your food work for youa??Ita??s not hard, just takes practice!a??A?Preparation plus dedication equalsA?happily ever after.
Sweet potato bites, homemade guaca??this CrossFit-loving RD knows the way to our hearts. Follow her feed for a behind-the-scenes look at the gorgeous (and healthy!) recipes she posts to her blog,A?The Lean Green Bean.
OK, so maybe by now youa??re tired of plastics. Dona??t let that be your excuse, though. Take your prepA?game up a notch with one of theseA?stainless steel containers from LunchBots. After all, sticking withA?food prep helps when your lunch box makes you smile.


25-04-2019: Book an Appointment to view Parc Esta Show Flat and get Direct Developer Price + Discounts.
30-08-2018: Download and view the Parc Esta E-Brochure.
25-08-2018: The Parc Esta Gallery have been updated. Check them out!
21-08-2018: Full Parc Esta Floor Plan is now available to be downloaded.
12-07-2018: Updated Site Plan for Parc Esta released.
09-07-2018: Parc Esta Location Map have been updated.
05-06-2018: You can now see the entire development with the newly released Parc Esta Video.
28-05-2018: Full Project Details for Parc Esta have been updated!
25-05-2018: Read more on the developers behind the development of Parc Esta.
22-04-2018: Welcome to Parc Esta official website.


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HomeGEG CommentaryGermany: 8,000 Protested Against Mass Immigration After German Citizen Was Stabbed to Death by Migrants. The Next Day, 50,000 People Attended a Free Concert Supporting Mass Immigration.
Germany: 8,000 Protested Against Mass Immigration After German Citizen Was Stabbed to Death by Migrants. The Next Day, 50,000 People Attended a Free Concert Supporting Mass Immigration.
September 5, 2018 AFP GEG Commentary 2
Thousands of Germans have been protesting against mass immigration in Chemnitz, Germany, in the week following the killing of a German citizen by migrants. The rallies have been met with counter-protests, and police have arrested 300. On Saturday, 8,000 people answered a joint call by far-right party AfD (Alternative for Germany) and PEGIDA to join a demonstration to mourn the death of Germans by migrants. This group vastly outnumbered an estimated 3,000 counter-protesters, including Green party and Social Democratic Party MPs, who had converged to take a stand against 'racism', which is their name for any opposition to immigration. The following day, 50,000 people attended a free concert supporting mass immigration.
Germany has accepted over one-million migrants, predominantly from the Middle East, since 2015. Crime has increased by 90%. [Although we are half-way around the world and cannot directly observe these movements, they appear strikingly similar to movements in the US in which both sides of the conflict are led by collectivists whose only real difference is that each side wants to control the government. They both believe essentially the same thing. In Germany, we suspect that the majority of anti-immigration protesters are NOT of the extreme right. as the news stories say, but people who have no organization to represent them. They are in the unenviable spot of being manipulated into supporting either the extreme leftists or the extreme rightists. Either way, their country and their culture will be destroyed. Furthermore, all of this is according to the globalist plan.] -GEG
Eighteen people were injured in rival demonstrations capping off a week marked by xenophobic protests in the eastern city of Chemnitz, prompting Germany's foreign minister to urge Germans to "get off our sofas" and speak up against racism.
Chemnitz has been in the spotlight after violent far-right protests erupted over the fatal stabbing of a 35-year-old man, allegedly by a Syrian and an Iraqi last Sunday.
On Saturday, 8,000 people answered a joint call by far-right party AfD and Islamophobic PEGIDA street movement to descend once again on the streets of the former communist city which was in the erstwhile East Germany.
The mobilization vastly outnumbered a contingent of 3,000 counter protesters, including Green party and Social Democratic Party MPs, who had also converged to take a stand against racism.
Additional Sources of Information:
InfoWars: Chemnitz Protester: I Can't Take My Daughter or Wife into the City Anymore because of Harassment by Migrants
The Local: Tens of Thousands Pack Anti-Racism Concert in Chemnitz
Illegal Alien Smuggled 'Daughter' into...
France: A Dozen Teenagers Brutally Killed a Migran...
Honduran Caravan Leader Sentenced to 15 Years for ...
Illegal Alien Arrested for Murder of Missing Colle...
Strange Disappearance of WikiLeaks Consultant in Norway
Democrat Senators Conduct Disruption Campaign at Confirmation Hearing for Supreme Court Nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh
Sweden: Shootings Are So Common, the Media Doesn't Bother to Report Them
April 19, 2018 Politico 0
Sweden: Grenade attacks have become a daily part of life, shooting is common, 43% of rapes are against children, and Muslim terror attacks are rising. There are 62 "no-go" zones that are dominated by gangs where the police fear to go, ambulances cannot respond to emergencies, and fire engines are attacked. Hand grenades sell for about $30, and are used by gangs to warn police to get out. Elections will be held September and the liberals may be forced out by conservatives.
Maryland: MS-13 Gang Members Who Murdered a 14-Year Old Girl Were Protected By Sanctuary Policies
May 27, 2019 KKTV 0
Maryland: A 14-year old girl who participated in the kidnapping and robbery of man in April, was herself murdered with a machete by her cohorts, according to police. St. George's County had two of them in custody in a separate murder case last year, but authorities released the suspects back into the public.
Muslim Man Accused of Training Abused Children at A New Mexico Shelter to Commit School Shootings
August 9, 2018 Gateway Pundit 1
Muslim, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, was arrested on the accusation that he was training eleven children to commit school shootings. Wahhaj is the father of a boy who went missing in Georgia after he told the boy's mother that he wanted to perform an exorcism on the child. The remains of a boy were found on the compound.
50,000 Insane Germans on the loose in Germany.
My wife was accosted in a supermarket (in the U.S.) by a "refugee" and he groped my wife! They should stop ALL immigration and ALL refugee resettlements! Americans had better grow some nerve and stand up to the globalists before the crap in the UK and Germany is reproduced here! It's already started!


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Q: Trying to TestFlight, but ITC bundle IDs screwed up somehow I'm trying to upload my app to TF it with some friends.
In iTunes Connect I went to My Apps, hit + and entered my new app. I put in my bundle ID - the complete "reverse URL". That takes you to a more detailed App Information page, where my Bundle ID was different - instead of the "reverse URL", it has the application name twice...
App-Name - App-Name

Is this normal? When I try to upload it complains that the bundle id doesn't exist:
iTunes Store operation failed.
No suitable application records were found. Verify your bundle identifier 'com.apath.App-Name' is correct.
When I tried to make a new app with that identifier it said it already had that ID.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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ERA Key's Worcester Office Donates $5,000 to Five Local Charities
Posted by Dave Kowal on Thursday, January 19, 2023 at 3:40:42 PM By Dave Kowal / January 19, 2023 Comment
The Worcester office of ERA Key has donated $5,000 to five area charities.
The donations, made through the ERA Key Realty Services Charitable Trust Foundation, included $1,000 each for Veterans, Inc. of Worcester, The Salvation Army, the Worcester Animal Rescue League, Abby's House in Worcester, and the Worcester County Food Bank.
"It is important for us to serve our community, as well our clients," said Worcester Manager Allen Greenman. "Our office is dedicated to giving back and helping those in need."
Participating ERA agents, pictured here, include Neil Macnamara, Allen Greenman, Dorry Stone, Timothy McCann and Sheila Brady.
ERA Key Adds Johnson as Realtor in Whitinsville Office
Posted by Dave Kowal on Wednesday, January 18, 2023 at 1:56:20 PM By Dave Kowal / January 18, 2023 Comment
Jill M. Johnson of Blackstone has joined ERA Key as a Realtor in the Whitinsville office.
She has more than five years of experience as an administrative assistant and transaction coordinator at ERA Key. Before joining ERA Key, she was a Third Party Collector for Human Resource Management Company in Milford and a Cash Management Specialist for Salisbury Associates Medical Practice Management Corporation in Worcester.
She earned an associate's degree in business and a medical certificate from Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester.
"For the past five years, I've worked as an administrative assistant for Brian and Susan Dicks and they taught me a great deal about real estate," Johnson said. "I'm continuing my administrative duties, but I've joined their team as a real estate agent. I'm looking forward to applying what I've learned – and to continue learning – as part of their team."
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Just because you're out to sea doesn't mean your thrifty nature isn't. Luckily, shrewd cruisers like you are finding that there is plenty to do and enjoy once your cruise ship has left the port - and plenty of things to acquire for FREE. Join us as we deconstruct a cruise vacation and learn how to get more for absolutely nothing.
1. Free tickets to shows. No matter what line you're cruising, there will be plenty to entertain you - for free. On Carnival Cruise Lines, there are complimentary comedy shows to get you in a mirthful mood. The Norwegian Epic has incredible (and free) Blue Man Group performances throughout the length of the cruise, while the Norwegian Getaway has "Legally Blonde: the Musical" for you to enjoy (for serious). At the start of your trip, decide what you'd like to see and when you'd like to see it, then either use the onboard kiosks to register yourself or group, or visit the customer service desk.
2. Breakfast in bed. Enjoy breakfast in bed. Every day, if you'd like. And the best part? It's completely free. Nearly all cruise ships offer a menu of food you can enjoy in the morning brought straight to your door. While such a menu is often smaller than you'd find in the dining room, the convenience of this service makes it oh-so-worth it. Look in your welcome packet or ask at your pursuer's desk for a menu and ordering form that you'll hang from your room's exterior handle.
3. Visit the onboard sauna. In the mood for a steam? You could be surprised at the cost for this service (hint: in many cases, it's completely free). Oftentimes, the shipboard sauna is priced separately from a spa day membership and certainly independent (and much less expensive) than other spa treatments. Do some investigating on your cruise line and if the stars align, be ready to enjoy a trip to the sauna, as many times as you like, completely for free.
4. Stop in at the purser's desk. Skip the onboard shop - if you're in need to dental floss, shampoo, toothbrushes, or even playing cards, you're in luck. Take a quick trip down the hallway to the pursuer's desk, where a friendly inquiry can save you cash. If you need a few painkillers but don't want to dish out the cash for the full (and sometimes premium) cost of a bottle, it's worth stopping here first.
Have any freebie-finding cruise advice? Let us know below, or check out our last-minute cruise specials.


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'My Confucius Institute Story' Essay Contest
'My Confucius Institute Story' Essay Contest
The fourth annual 'My Confucius Institute Story' Essay Contest, is a proud CIUS Center tradition that honors ten outstanding students from Confucius Institutes across the country for their steadfast enthusiasm and curiosity for Chinese language and cultural education. Contest winners are recognized as outstanding members of the national Confucius Institute Network and will be honored with the CIUS Center People-to-People Award at the 2019 National Honors Gala in Washington, DC. Winners are also welcomed into the CIUS Center People-to-People Award Alumni Network, a diverse group of past honorees who are provided with opportunities to continue fostering their interest in Chinese language and cultural education through trips and other cultural exchange opportunities.
Submit Your CI Story
Essays are accepted on a rolling basis, from February 28, 2019 - May 17, 2019. To submit your CI Story, click the green button above or visit www.ciuscenter.org/submit. All essays must be submitted through the My CI Story Google Form before 11:59 pm on May 17a. Winners will be notified and announced by June 14, 2019. If you have any questions about the contest or the submission process, send an email to cius@ciuscenter.org.
"I think that's really the value of the Confucius Institute--to bring people of different cultures from around the world together with a common purpose to understand one another better. "
~Dennis Delehanty, 2016 People-to-People Award honoree
Read 2018 Winning Essays
"People from China that are teaching me Chinese are so much more than teachers - they are friends that I will always remember on my adventures, as I grow and learn more in my life."
~Trinity Lewis, 2018 People-to-People Award honoree
Is this storytelling contest only for college students?
No, Confucius Institute representatives of ALL ages are encouraged to submit an essay. The ages of past winners range from 12 to 75+ years old.
What is the contest prize?
Winners of the 'My Confucius Institute Story' Essay Contest will be awarded the People-to-People Award and honored at our National Honors Gala in Washington, DC, in the fall. The CIUS Center will fund transportation and lodging expenses for each honoree and one guest for the weekend of the gala.
In addition to receiving the People-to-People Award and an invitation to the National Honors Gala, winners of the contest will be welcomed into a community of People-to-People alumni, winners of the essay contest from years past. This community of alumni is a major part of the CIUS Center network and is often invited to take part in professional development opportunities and trips abroad with the Center. The People-to-People alumni group also exists to offer a channel of kinship and support from fellow Chinese language and culture enthusiasts.
What if my Chinese isn't very good?
Chinese language ability is not a consideration for the contest. Your essay should be written in English. A winning essay will tell a compelling story of your experience studying Chinese language and culture, understanding China, building friendships, and developing global awareness cultural competencies through Confucius Institute programming.
What if I am unable to attend the National Honors Gala in Washington, DC?
All People-to-People award honorees are expected to attend the National Honors Gala in Washington, DC, except in the case of unforeseen circumstances.
Who will read my essay?
A reading committee of former People-to-People Award honorees and CIUS Center staff will carefully read and score each essay using a scoring rubric. Winners will be selected from the top scoring essays. The winning essays will be shared within the Confucius Institute network and among the general public as promotional materials demonstrating the impact of global education and cross-cultural exchange.
Will I be notified if I am not selected as a finalist?
Only contest finalists will be notified and the names of winners will be listed on our website.
What are the essay guidelines?
Essays should share your personal story of exploring China, Chinese culture, and the impact of cross-cultural engagement through the Confucius Institute. Essays will be evaluated on creativity, reflection, and compelling storytelling. Format guidelines include:
1-2 pages single spaced
Times New Roman size 12 font
Excellent grammar and formatting
Written in English
Include a separate cover page with name and essay title - do not include your name on the essay itself.
Use the images below to share the news of the 'My Confucius Institute Story' Essay Contest with your followers on social media. Don't forget to use the hashtag #MyCIStory!
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US scientists enjoy big bandwidth boost
By Celeste Biever
The world's biggest fibre optic network entirely dedicated to scientific research is now in place in the US. The National Lambda Rail will allow scientists to exchange more data at faster speeds than via the internet.
"It's a landmark because it's the first time that we in the research community really own and control the underpinning infra-structure vital to advancing science," says Tom West, the CEO of NLR, based in Cypress, California, US. He will outline the benefits of NLR at the Supercomputing Conference 2004 on 6 November in Pittsburgh, US.
The days of "figuring out how to jam a lot of data into a small pipe" are numbered, explains Scott Colburn, a network engineer at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, US, which is part of the NLR consortium – a collection of research institutions and private companies.
"It was kind of like the first computers," he says, "except back then we were trying to work with very little memory. Now we have so much memory we don't give a hoot and in future we won't give a hoot about bandwidth."
Transfer rates
NLR is entirely owned by the US research community and offers users 10 gigabits per second each. In contrast, Internet2 is a slice of internet infrastructure currently designated to the US academic community and provides a total transfer rate of 10 gigabits per second to be shared between all its users.
Both networks use a technique called Wave Division Multiplexing (WDM) to send different wavelengths or "lambdas" of light through an optical fibre simultaneously, with no interference. Light is routed to its destination using prisms which extract particular wavelengths.
Whereas Internet2 dedicates just one lambda to the whole US research community, NLR dedicates 40. Its creators are now distributing cards embedded with lasers of different frequencies to the first four users of NLR, allowing them each to hook into their dedicated channel.
"NLR is another landmark in the progression towards ubiquitous high-speed computing, which is essential for our research," says Julian Bunn, a particle physicist at the California Institute of Technology, US.
Large Hadron Collider
He plans to use NLR – which is connected to existing high speed scientific networks across Europe – to link up with colleagues at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland. When the collider goes live in 2007, the network will transfer terabytes of data directly to his lab in California for analysis.
The NLR will also allow US doctors to stream high resolution video of surgical procedures in real time to remote surgeons, allowing them to monitor crucial operations.
And climatologists – who must pool measurements from sources all over the world in real time to make weather predictions – will also benefit.
But NLR is also exciting for researchers who want to experiment with the network itself. Colburn likens it to the pioneer spirit surrounding the earliest version of the internet – ARPAnet – which was purely a research endeavour.
Destabilising networks
"NLR will provide us with the infra-structure to do things that could potentially bring the network down," he explains. "Commercial internet providers can't allow us to do experiments willy-nilly because the net is mission critical."
These "destabilising" experiments could include trying out new protocols, probing how data should best be routed from one place to another and testing whether decision-making software works better when it is installed on the fringes of the network or at the core.
Researchers have been able to test some of this using a virtual software network called PlanetLab, which sits on top of the internet in a similar way to which the internet sits on top of the telephone network. But this research is subject to internet bandwidth constraints.
"NLR will force us to address issues that arise at high speed," explains Larry Peterson at Princeton University and a member of PlanetLab's Steering Committee.
Buy In Print


As the Arapahoe County Treasurer, Sue Sandstrom and her Office are responsible for collecting, investing and disbursing County funds. The Treasurer collects property taxes and distributes the revenue to the County and other local governments and public entities, including school districts.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, information may be available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact the Treasurer's Office at 303-795-4550 for further assistance.
Applications for the Senior / Military Deferral are accepted Jan. 1 through April 1. For more information, contact the Treasurer's Office at 303-795-4550 or view the Rebates, Exemptions and Deferrals brochure.


A collection free original WordPress themes for your blog with live demos and direct download links. Also has various WordPress tutorials and tips.
Are you eating any of these 'healthy' foods that are making you gain weight?


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The Final Ghostbusters: Afterlife Trailer Ain't Afraid of No Spoilers
Because it's absolutely loaded with them—watch at your own risk.
Rob Bricken
PublishedNovember 8, 2021
Screenshot: Sony Pictures
io9's seen Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and our own movie maven Germain Lussier called it "great until it's derailed by gratuitous fan service" in his spoiler-free review. But if you'd like to know exactly what he was talking about, Sony Pictures has very helpfully released a final trailer for the film which makes it abundantly clear what the fan service is.
Spoilers of the Week: July 8th
Comic-Con 2020: io9 Shows Off Their Con Floors
Mortal Engines' Peter Jackson on Imagining a New World After an Apocalypse
Seriously, the trailer deserves a spoiler bar merely on principle.
The most obvious reveal (glimpsed in an earlier trailer) is the two Terror Dogs from the first Ghostbusters movie. Fans of the original 1984 film will recognize them as the demons who possessed Dana Barrett (played by Sigourney Weaver) and Louis Tully (Rick Moranis) and transformed them into Zuul the Gatekeeper and Vinz Clortho the Keymaster, respectively, the two heralds of the ancient Sumerian god of destruction Gozer (Slavitza Jovan). You shouldn't need the arrival of the original three surviving Ghostbusters there at the end (which Sony very annoyingly plays coy by not showing their faces, as if we somehow wouldn't know who they are) to figure out what the film's climax is going to be. But if you do, don't worry because this trailer also spoils this at the 0:43 mark by revealing a rather familiar sleeve and hairdo emerging from the depths.
I'm honestly less upset at the spoilers than I am by discovering the movie is just going to replicate the end of the original Ghostbusters rather than do anything new—yet another film made for nostalgic 40-somethings. To be fair, many people have enjoyed Afterlife's fixation on nostalgia over creativity, but I hope any kids who end up watching the movie end up being able to understand it, let alone enjoy it.
Speaking of nostalgia, Ghostbusters: Afterlife stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and Sigourney Weaver, all reprising their roles from the first two films, and if Weaver turns into a Terror Dog again and then Rick Moranis shows up as Tully to become the other one I'll plotz. The new stars include Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, and more. Afterlife premieres in theaters on November 19.
Also, not as a complaint, but as a side note: Who would read the Book of Revelation with less gravitas than Dan Aykroyd? Please discuss.
Wondering where our RSS feed went? You can pick the new up one here.
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Recently we had a client whose email campaign was found in far too many SPAM folders for his comfort. When he reached out to discover what the issue had been we realized that we have never addressed this here on our blog. So for the benefit of all Email Marketing professionals please follow along below.
Do you currently keep a publishing calendar for your eNewsletter? When people subscribe to your blog or email newsletter they want to know what to expect in terms of content and frequency.
Recently, industry leader StrongMail.com released the results of a 2012 email delivery performance survey. The purpose of the survey was to explore how the timing of email delivery directly affects performance of key engagement indicators.


Here at Super Security Locksmith we sell many old fashion skeleton keys for furniture, cabinets, etc. We even stock on the locks for these keys. If you have a lock that doesn�t have a key, we can make a key for it as well. If you have a key that we don�t stock 95% well be able to order it for you.


Medium hard boiled eggs take 8 minutes. Firm take up to 30 minutes. The secret disclosed here is getting the shell off without tearing up the egg.
Put enough water in pan to cover egg. Bring it to a rolling boil. Boil for 8 minutes or more, depending on how firm you want the yoke.
Step 2: Remove the Egg With Tongs.
I removed the egg with tongs after 8 minutes. I placed it in a jar with about a cup of cold water & shook it vigerosly, breaking up the shell. The membrane under the shell holds all the pieces together. It can then easily be peeled off.
Shake the jar, egg and water for about 30 seconds to break up the shell.
After shaking in the jar of water, the egg's shell is broken into hundreds of small pieces and held on to the thin rubbery membrane covering the hard boiled egg white. Simply peel off the membrane and the shell comes off with it. Run cold water over egg and your hands will help keep you from burning your hands.
You can achieve the same ends by rolling the egg on a counter with gentle pressure. Makes a million tiny cracks and the shell slips off easily; plus, there's no additional jar or shaking needed.
.......and thank you for the reply dicostu956.
I've done this before and it does work.
Thanks for the reply gm280.
Thanks wold630. Reply with some photos and mark as "I made it". I'm surprised it broke the plastic container.