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Life Customer Care Associate- Remote
Primary Location: Greensboro, NC, US
Company: Lincoln Financial
Alternate Locations: Greensboro, NC (North Carolina); Atlanta, GA (Georgia); Austin, TX (Texas); Baltimore, MD (Maryland); Baton Rouge, LA (Louisiana); Birmingham, AL (Alabama); Boise, ID (Idaho); Boston, MA (Massachusetts); Buffalo, NY (New York); Canonsburg, PA (Pennsylvania); Charlotte, NC (North Carolina); Chicago, IL (Illinois); Cincinnati, OH (Ohio); Cleveland, OH (Ohio); Columbia, SC (South Carolina); Columbus, OH (Ohio); Concord, NH (New Hampshire); Dallas, TX (Texas); Deerfield Beach, FL (Florida); Detroit, MI (Michigan); Dover, NH (New Hampshire); Durham, NC (North Carolina); Edina, MN (Minnesota); Edison, NJ (New Jersey); Ellicott City, MD (Maryland); Fayetteville, SC (South Carolina); Florence, SC (South Carolina); Fort Lauderdale, FL (Florida); Fort Wayne, IN (Indiana); Fort Worth, TX (Texas); Gainsville, FL (Florida); Glen Allen, VA (Virginia); Hartford, CT (Connecticut); Houston, TX (Texas); Huntsville, AL (Alabama); Indianapolis, IN (Indiana); Jacksonville, FL (Florida); Johnson City, TN (Tennessee); Kansas City, KS (Kansas); Lexington, KY (Kentucky); Louisville, KY (Kentucky); Lutherville, MD (Maryland); Madison, WI (Wisconsin); Memphis, TN (Tennessee); Miami, FL (Florida); Milwaukee, WI (Wisconsin); Minneapolis, MN (Minnesota); Nashville, TN (Tennessee); New York, NY (New York); Norwood, OH (Ohio); Omaha, NE (Nebraska); Orlando, FL (Florida); Palm Desert, CA (California); Paramus, NJ (New Jersey); Parsippany, NJ (New Jersey); Philadelphia, PA (Pennsylvania); Phoenix, AZ (Arizona); Pittsburgh, PA (Pennsylvania); Plano, TX (Texas); Plymouth Meeting, PA (Pennsylvania); Portland, ME (Maine); Portland, OR (Oregon); Radnor, PA (Pennsylvania); Raleigh, NC (North Carolina); Richmond, VA (Virginia); Rochester, NY (New York); Rockville, MD (Maryland); Rolling Meadows, IL (Illinois); Rye Brook, NY (New York); Salt Lake City, UT (Utah); San Antonio, TX (Texas); Schaumburg, IL (Illinois); Scottsdale, AZ (Arizona); Seattle, WA (Washington); Southfield, MI (Michigan); St. Louis, MO (Missouri); Syosset, NY (New York); Tampa, FL (Florida); Toledo, OH (Ohio); Tupelo, MS (Mississippi); US All Regions; Vienna, VA (Virginia); Virginia Beach, VA (Virginia); Washington, DC (District of Columbia); White Plains, NY (New York); Windsor, CT (Connecticut); Woodmere, OH (Ohio); Work from Home
Work Arrangement: Work from Home
Relocation assistance:: is not available for this opportunity.
Pay Range: $14.90 - $22.36
Bonus Potential:
Requisition #: 66521
The Role at a Glance
We are excited to bring on a Life Customer Care Associate to join our contact center team supporting Life and Annuity Operations in our Greensboro, NC; Fort Wayne, IN; Atlanta, GA; Charlotte; NC; Omaha, NE; Phoenix, AZ; Dover, NH offices.
The Life and Annuity Operations team will provide you with four weeks of paid training where you will gain knowledge and skills in a diverse amount of life insurance products. You will also receive ongoing training, coaching, and development to perform in this fast-paced environment.
As a Life Customer Care Associate, you will serve as the first point of contact for our life insurance customers (i.e. policy holders, beneficiaries, financial professionals, etc.). You will be responsible for answering inbound calls where you'll be addressing customer service inquiries and concerns. You will build rapport with and educate our customers about their life insurance policies while using technology and multiple resources. Our goal is to deliver a positive and memorable customer experience while helping our customers feel more confident about their financial future. If this sounds like a role for you, please read on!
Communicate with roughly 40-50 customers throughout the day, answering questions and providing accurate information regarding their life insurance policy through the utilization of multiple applications and platforms.
Work in a fast-paced, structured, team-oriented environment with a diverse group of employees focused on meeting the needs of the company and our customers through problem resolution.
Perform research to respond to customer inquiries and document customer interactions in the appropriate systems.
Identifies, recommends, and champions process improvements and organizational initiatives to positively influence the team and quality.
Maintain customer confidentiality while complying with privacy regulations and meeting or exceeding internal quality and service standards. Works overtime as needed, potentially on short notice, during peak volume times to maintain those service standards.
Must-have experience (Required):
0-1+ years of general experience (need not be directly related to the position)
Nice-to have Experience (Preferred):
Associates Degree
1+ years of customer service experience.
Ability to communicate effectively (verbal/written) while engaging the customer and navigating multiple systems.
A strong customer focus and passion for helping, servicing, and educating others.
Strong analytical skills and an attention to detail in order to adhere to policies, procedures, and guidelines.
Organizational skills with the ability to prioritize workload and multitask.
Ability to work with others and demonstrate strong interpersonal skills with internal and external customers.
What it's like to work here
At Lincoln Financial Group, we love what we do. We make meaningful contributions each and every day to empower our customers to take charge of their lives. Working alongside dedicated and talented colleagues, we build fulfilling careers and stronger communities through a company that values our unique perspectives, insights and contributions and invests in programs that empower each of us to take charge of our own future.
What's in it for YOU:
A clearly defined career framework to help you successfully manage your career
Leadership development and virtual training opportunities
Competitive 401K and employee benefits
Free financial counseling, health coaching and employee assistance program
A leadership team that prioritizes your health and well-being, offering a remote work environment
Effective productivity/technology tools and training
What's it like to work here?
PTO/parental leave
A leadership team that prioritizes your health and well-being; offering a remote work environment and flexible work hybrid situations
Work Arrangement
Work from Home : Employees will work fully from home. Their job will not require the employee to come into the office, unless for special circumstances.
Lincoln will evaluate the following when setting the successful candidate's wage rate:
• Prior work or industry experience.
• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position.
• Unique skills
Lincoln Financial Group, a Fortune 200 company with over 10,000 employees, provides advice and solutions that help empower Americans to take charge of their financial lives with confidence. Our core business areas — Life Insurance, Annuities, Retirement Plan Services and Group Protection — focus on supporting, preserving and enhancing over 17 million customer's lifestyles and retirement outcomes.
Headquartered in Radnor, Pennsylvania, Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for Lincoln National Corporation (NYSE: LNC) and its affiliates. The company had $324 billion in end-of-period account values as of June 30, 2021.
Ranked one of the Best Large Employers in America and Best Employers for Women by Forbes magazine as well as one of Newsweek's Most Responsible Companies, Lincoln Financial Group makes a serious investment in our employees' futures through a broad range of wealth accumulation and protection plans, health and wellness programs, and career development resources designed to help each individual reach their personal and professional goals.
Lincoln is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.
Lincoln Financial Group is a committed corporate citizen included on major sustainability indices including the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America and FTSE4Good. Dedicated to diversity and inclusion, we earned perfect 100 percent scores on the Corporate Equality Index and the Disability Equality Index. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Sign up for email alerts at http://newsroom.lfg.com
This position may be subject to Lincoln's Political Contribution Policy. An offer of employment may be contingent upon disclosing to Lincoln the details of certain political contributions. Lincoln may decline to extend an offer or terminate employment for this role if it determines political contributions made could have an adverse impact on Lincoln's current or future business interests, misrepresentations were made, or for failure to fully disclose applicable political contributions and or fundraising activities.
Any unsolicited resumes/candidate profiles submitted through our web site or to personal e-mail accounts of employees of Lincoln Financial Group are considered property of Lincoln Financial Group and are not subject to payment of agency fees.
Lincoln Financial Group ("LFG") is an Equal Opportunity employer and, as such, is committed in policy and practice to recruit, hire, compensate, train and promote, in all job classifications, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, Veteran status, or genetic information. Applicants are evaluated on the basis of job qualifications. If you are a person with a disability that impedes your ability to express your interest for a position through our online application process, or require TTY/TDD assistance, contact us by calling 260-455-2558.
This Employer Participates in E-Verify. See the E-Verify notices.
Este Empleador Participa en E-Verify. Ver el E-Verify avisos.
Nearest Major Market: Greensboro
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Universal Studios Singapore is Southeast Asia's Only Hollywood Movie Theme Park that features 24 rides, shows and attractions in seven themed zones.
The theme park boasts a collection of many world firsts: the world's first Far Far Away Castle from the world of Shrek, the world's first Madagascar theme park ride, the world's first TRANSFORMERS attraction and many more.
Bring the silver screen to life as you ride on roller coasters, settle in for a stage show, and dine at themed restaurants.
TRANSFORMERS The Ride: The Ultimate 3D Battle
Join OPTIMUS PRIME and the AUTOBOTS as you become a freedom fighter in the ultimate 3D battle against the forces of evil.
Elmo's TV Time
Watch the lovable red monster as he directs his own TV channel! Join Jim Magination and the Sesame Street friends as Elmo creates comedy shows, action hits and a reality talent competition. Don't miss the finale starring himself!
Lights, Camera, Action!™ Hosted by Steven Spielberg
Be blown away by incredible special effects as an empty soundstage becomes the setting for a Category 5 major hurricane about to hit New York City. As you stand in a boathouse by the harbor, watch how a clam suddenly turns stormy. Brace yourself as hurricane-force
winds sweep in from the sea and drive a cargo ship and debris towards the boathouse you're in. Calm soon returns and the damaged boathouse restores itself, all thanks to movie magic.
Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure
It's lunch time at Jurassic Park® and you're on the menu. Featuring a white water raft system with state-of-the art animatronics and a thrilling white water drop, thrill-seekers on circular rafts will be tossed on waterways within the Jurassic Park compound, where prehistoric creatures roam free.
Meet your favourite characters, and get up close and personal to snap a photo or two!
Madagascar Boogie!
Come see the cast from DreamWorks Animation's movie, Madagascar!
10.00am - 8.00pm Singapore
One-day admission ticket RM -

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Howard University men's basketball team tackles maternal health
Howard University men's basketball joins the fight to protect the health of Black mothers as the nation faces a crisis that puts Black women at heightened risk for pregnancy-related complications and death.
The team will host a special event prior to Martin Luther King Jr. Day with the Mamatotu Village organization that focuses on combating racism and health disparities for Black mothers. The event will be held Sunday in Washington, D.C., where the team will help pack pregnancy care kits.
Howard's coaches say the players decided to focus on the issue after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year — a controversial decision expected to leave millions of black and brown women without access to abortion care.
In many states, black and Hispanic women undergo abortions at higher rates than white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which compiles data from state health agencies.
Black women are also three times more likely than white women to die from pregnancy complications, according to the CDC, and they experience racism from health care providers at higher rates.
"Women's health issues are not just women's health issues," Howard's basketball coach Kenny Blakeney told CNN. "Everyone is affected by this, not only women but men as well."
Blakeney says he recruits players who he feels can help continue the university's legacy of social justice activism.
"When we recruit our student-athletes at Howard, we're not just recruiting them to represent us on the basketball court," Blakeney said.
Blakeney says he gives the team a choice about which social justice activity they want to participate in each year. After Roe v. Wade was overturned, he said his players felt they had to do something for the health of the black mother.
Team captain and keeper Jelani Williams says the players thought it was important for them to use their platform to highlight an important issue but it was not being talked about enough.
"We have black mothers, aunts, cousins, friends, and we just felt like it would be…a good issue to highlight," Williams said.
Newcomer Shane Odom says he was immediately supportive of the project.
"I kind of relate to him," Odom said. "I have a single black mother. She had it very young, so I feel as connected to her, it would be a good cause of support."
Mamatotu organizers say they are grateful for the basketball team's efforts and agree that black maternal health problems affect men, too.
Black maternal health is not "a burden that black women have to bear alone," said Executive Director Azza Nadhari. She adds that black males have a responsibility, too. "Black men are fathers and they are brothers," Nedari said.
Nedari appreciates any help for her organization.
"It's always refreshing when black men join our side to raise the bar on current issues," Nedari said. "It can't be Black women who carry the bag and take all responsibility for making improvements to something that is a systemic and societal problem that is rooted in racism."
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Posted on April 7, 2012 by retlkpr
Died Apr 26, 1917 at Victoria, British Columbia, Nicholas Bertucci, Resident of here for 55 years, aged 79. native of Lavagna, Italy, he left there in early 1860s and came here by way of Cape Horn. Prior to coming to Victoria, he worked on an American survey ship, and after arriving here worked for 5 years as asst lighthousekeeper at Race Rocks. Later he owned and operated the Ferry Boat House, situated at that time where the E&N Railroad bridge now stands, selling it 1889. He leaves a widow, 7 sons: B G; L; and J, now on active service; N; A, Al; and F all of Victoria. Also 5 daughters: Mrs J Sault, Mrs H Galinger; Miss J, all of Victoria, and Mrs F Arnott, Los Angeles; Mrs H F Silk, now in England. VX/News/Ph/Jun 23, 5 – A/Cpl Joseph Francis Bertucci, Victoria, Wounded in Action 2nd time. Left Victoria with 2 brothers, Louis and Jack, both at front. Was employed in Times business office. U 073 E 53 [Colonist, 1917-04-27*]
D H McNeill, Fiddle Reef Lighthouse, Oak Bay, is very pleased over action of Oak Bay council in approving the name change of Shoal Bay to McNeill's Bay. He is grand son of Captain William Henry McNeill… [Colonist, 1918-02-28, p. 7]
With his wife [Catherine] violently insane from the awful loneliness of West Coast, and 2 of his 4 children in a precarious state through lack of food, Lightkeeper [James Henry] Sadler, of Entrance I [later re-named Kains] lighthouse, was found at his post after he had exhausted himself in his efforts to keep his wife from committing suicide.
When Captain Oversen, of SS St Lawrence, arrived at Port Alice he found distress signals flying at the Entrance I lighthouse, and it is reported that they were flying for 5 days. In spite of the circumstances Keeper Sadler had kept the light burning.
St Lawrence took Mrs Sadler and 2 of the children to Port Alice, where they will be cared for. Mr Sadler is still tending the light, but he is said to be in an uncertain state of health. Gordon Halkett, Superintendent of Lights, will leave on Maquinna for the lighthouse to investigate the matter.
Lighthouse tender Leebro called there at end of Jul, when all was well, and supplies were sent up at that time by Maquinna and transferred from Port Alice. The Canadian Pacific Railway boat passes the lighthouse every 10 days and should easily have picked up any distress signals that were flying.
Two of Sadler's 4 children were born on Entrance I since the father became keeper there.[Colonist, 1918-09-11]
Estevan lighthousekeeper reported that the light was kept revolving all night, but he said that it might stop at any time, not being dependable. The lighthouse was rocked by an earthquake Fri morning, the tower being cracked, some of the lens in the glass being broken and the mercury in the bath being spilt. The bath is used to float the heavy lens and make it revolve easily. The lightkeeper managed to pick up enough of the spilt material to float the lens. A supply of mercury has been procured in Victoria by Marine Department and will be shipped up on Princess Maquinna. Lighthouse tender Leebro is now at Estevan landing semi-annual supplies and she will meet Maquinna and transfer the mercury to the lighthouse.
Wireless reports from Estevan Point stn yesterday tell of a recurrence of the earthquake. The operator states that he felt 10 distinct shocks and that considerable of the concrete work of the lighthouse was split. The shocks were fully as severe as on the previous night. Dec 15, 6 – another quake reported… [Colonist, 1918-12-08, p. 27]
Lighthouse History – 43 – Amphitrite (1914-01-06 to 1915-03-26)
This entry was posted in Construction, History, Information, Keepers, Lighthouses, Newspapers and tagged 1858, 1926, BC, British Columbia, Canada, history, lighthouse, litehouse by retlkpr. Bookmark the permalink.
3 thoughts on "Lighthouse History – 45 (1917-04-27 to 1918-12-08)"
carrie pedersen on July 30, 2014 at 03:44 said:
thankyou for the comment I did know most of that.
carrie pedersen on April 25, 2012 at 06:47 said:
could you please send me more info on nicholas bertucci,,he was my great grandfather and i find these stories most intresting.thank you carrie
pr ph# 403-627-3353
retlkpr on April 26, 2012 at 17:11 said:
I do not have much on Nicholas Bertucci. I found his name in the old newspapers from Victoria, BC, but there was not much else.
He was a lighthouse keeper on Race Rocks somewhere in the 1860s for five years.
I also have that he was born 1838 Lavagna, Italy – died Apr. 26, 1917 Victoria, BC)
So he may be buried in a Victoria graveyard.
Sorry, that's all I have,
retlkpr
× two = 6


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Trini / 'Bago to d Bone
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An Ambulance for 2020
Saturday, 2 January, 2021 Filed in:
THERE CAN'T be a person on the planet who's not glad 2020 is over; and, if there is, you wouldn't want to meet him or her. Apart from Liverpool winning the Premiership (which this Chelsea fan cheered) and there being just barely enough decent American voters to dump Trump, 2020 brought us absolutely firetrucking nothing, not even Old Year's Night parties (in most places).
The best we could hope to squeeze out of a truly horribilis annus – the inversion is almost onomatopoeic – is that we were lucky enough not to bury anyone ourselves, due to covid-19.
Spare a thought, on this most "get ah-wadge!" of mornings for the poor British, who will be figuratively stuck in 2020 for the next 20 years. Yesterday was the last day of the Brexit transition, making today the first day of 21st Century Britain's Sordid Isolation; the only thing worth celebrating for Brits today is that things aren't yet as dreadful as they're likely to get.
Of course, Brexit may turn out to be a good thing in the long run, but, as rock star economist John Maynard Keynes wrote, in 1923, "The long run is a misleading guide to current affairs. In the long run we are all dead."
And, of course, the first to die will be the old firetrucks who voted, by a whopping four per cent (a statistical dead heat), to leave the biggest trading bloc in the world, the single market that made plural Britain so singularly rich. It's as hard to imagine the UK thriving on the trade deals it makes with Grenada and Pakistan.
For four years Boris Johnson has repeated, verbally, the lies he wrote immediately after Vote Leave won the 2016 referendum: "British people will still be able to go and work in the EU; to live; to travel; to study; to buy homes and settle down… with access to the single market".
He also swore blind that no UK prime minister could ever agree to the border in the Irish Sea he just agreed to; the "oven-ready Brexit deal" that won him an 80-seat Parliamentary majority was clearly really half-baked, like his own IQ, and not fully firetrucking cooked, like his country's future.
The Vote Leave campaign was the slickest propaganda spiel since Hitler sold Lebensraum to the people who would become anti-Semites; but Brexiteers haven't benefitted as much as WWII Germans from indulging their coarser impulses. Through low tricks and high production values, the Brits – honestly, mainly the English, specifically the English Defence League – were persuaded to throw away the equivalent of VIP Platinum European Union membership. When the British rejoin, they will have to give up the pound, accept the euro and join the Schengen passport-free area. The unrestricted immigration that so terrified Brexit voters will then be impossible to stop.
The only hope Britain has of getting out of the cellar position in the world league tables of horrible prospects for 2021 depends entirely on the ignorance and stupidity of Americans.
So Britain is in with a fairly good chance.
By this time next week, the very worst place to live in the world could be the sorely mis-nicknamed "Land of the Free", where "liberal" is the new n-word.
It's so unlikely to actually happen – one hopes – that it perhaps shouldn't be raised at all.
But, if 2020 taught us anything, it was that the unthinkable would become, not just the acceptable, but the official version.
Next Wednesday, January 6, Republican stooges of Donald Trump will rise in the Senate to protest the electoral college count in favour of President Joe Biden, just as Democrats did, four years ago, to protest Fat Nixon's.
Four years ago, then Vice-President Joe Biden, as Senate chair, told the Democrats to shut up and sit down because the election was over and they'd lost.
Do not be surprised if Mike Tuppence-for-his-Brain upholds the objections next Wednesday.
And don't be surprised if the armed militias Trump has been encouraging to get "wild" in Washington do go wild at the drop of that hat.
It's shocking to think that the US may harbour an Abu Bakr, ready to carry out, next week, an armed revolution without having read past lesson one in the primer.
But look at Nashville last week.
There are a lot of mad men in the USA, with mad guns.
And one of the maddest is egging on the other crackpots.
It's not so much a case, then, of goodbye as firetruck off, 2020.
But don't say good riddance to 2020 just yet.
Because we may have one more week of it.
And we may need an ambulance or two ourselves.
BC Pires has to explain that this column was headlined "An ambulance for 2020" because his editor at Newsday refused his first choice headline of "Firetruck 2020"
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Cambridge PhD student cleared of assaulting his fiancée after court hears "personal vendetta" claims
Matthew Grant Baron, 26 of Christ's College, Cambridge, faced charges of assault and criminal damage during a trial at Huntingdon Law Courts
Tara Cox
A Cambridge PhD student has been cleared of assaulting his fiancée following a revelation that she had an affair – after magistrates believed his claims that the woman had a vendetta to "ruin him" personally and professionally.
Matthew Grant Baron, 26 of Christ's College, Cambridge, faced charges of assault and criminal damage during a trial at Huntingdon Law Courts on Thursday (September 14).
He was cleared of assault after magistrates sided with his "credible and consistent" version of events – but was found guilty of criminal damage after admitting hitting his fiancée's car radio in a moment of anger during the argument.
RECAP: Cambridge University PhD student cries as he is cleared of assaulting girlfriend
Following the one-day trial, magistrates handed Baron a conditional discharge of 12 months. He was also ordered to pay £620 in court costs, which included £300 in compensation.
The trial centred round an argument after Baron's girlfriend at the time revealed she had had an affair while spending six weeks in the Galapagos Islands.
Cambridge University PhD student Matthew Grant Baron, 26, outside Huntingdon magistrates court. Picture: Warren Gunn
Baron was alleged to have smashed up her car radio, using her own iPhone, before breaking the phone into pieces.
He also stood accused of punching his fiancée to the lip and arm and threatening her, as well as spitting at her face and mouth.
Corinne Saunders-Silk, prosecuting, said the incident took place at Fen Drayton Lakes - an RSPB nature reserve - on February 12 this year.
She told the court how Baron and his girlfriend became engaged in May last year but in December, she had gone to the Galapagos Islands for part of her studies at the University of Cambridge.
Fen Drayton Lakes (RSPB photo)
On the day in question she told Baron she had been unfaithful, which sparked an argument and caused Baron to call off the wedding and end the relationship.
Giving evidence, she claimed she was left with a split lip, a swollen nose, a sore back and bruises to her arms and groin after the "attack" by Baron – in which she said she feared for her life.
Police probe abuse hurled at football attack victim's wife outside court
She claimed she was forced to climb up a tree to get away from Baron and, at one stage, even contemplated swimming across the lake to escape him.
However, she denied claims by Emma Hayfield, defending, that she fabricated the story to "ruin" Baron after he said he would be calling off the wedding.
Taking to the witness stand, Baron denied causing any injuries to his fiancée but accepted lashing out in a moment of shock and damaging her car radio.
Matthew Grant Baron
He claimed his fiancée was a "fantasist" and made up the entire scenario to "ruin" him both professionally and personally - adding: "It would save her telling her family that the wedding was off because she was having an affair."
Baron fought back tears as he told magistrates how the accusations had affected his life and his future career.
"People look at me like I'm sub-human"
He said: "My position at Cambridge is almost untenable. People look at me like I'm sub-human.
"Nine times out of 10 when a girl says a guy beat her up, it happened, but in this case that is just not what happened.
Christ's College, Cambridge
"She's actively tried to make it not capable for me complete my PhD. She has ran with this, and tried to turn everyone else against me. My friends and my family are the only thing that's got me through.
"This prolonged assault was entirely fictitious."
Prolific offender convicted more than 30 times is behind bars after crime spree
During the trial, various character references in support of Baron were also handed to magistrates, and his college tutor Dr Helena Brown even took to the witness stand.
"Matthew Baron is an exemplary member of the college"
Dr Brown told how Baron was an "exemplary member of the college", who was reliable, trustworthy, and extremely well liked.
She added: "He is an outstanding academic scholar. He is also a popular and an inspiring teacher to our undergraduate students in Cambridge.
"During Matthew's time as captain of the college football club, he has made significant efforts to raise awareness of gender awareness and equal opportunities for female students."
You can keep up to date with all the latest news in and around Cambridge by downloading our free app. It is available for the iPhone and iPad from Apple's App Store, or the Android version can be downloaded from Google Play.


Develop, organize, grow, and manage a comprehensive customized training program. Develop positive relationships with local businesses and manufacturers in order to assist students in finding internships and/or employment opportunities, help the College expand mutually beneficial partnerships, and improve communication with business leaders. Assist students and community members in the area of career services.
Create and organize customized training projects. Recruit, assign and evaluate instructional staff to teach courses for customized training needs. Maintain appropriate records of all business transactions.
Aggressively develop and promote a list of customized training project needs through regular face-to-face interaction and electronic and phone follow-up communication with businesses and manufacturers. Maintain a log of visits.
Help recruit adjunct faculty for career-technical programs from local manufacturers and businesses.
In order to promote and grow internship opportunities, strengthen communication with and between employers, students, and staff.
Develop and deliver a bi-annual newsletter for manufactures and businesses.
Lead and organize the efforts for all Manufacturing Day events. Work with internal constituents and local manufacturers to ensure successful events.
Lead and organize the efforts for Work in the Real World. Work with all internal and external constituents so ensure a successful event.
Coordinate and participate in workforce council and subcommittees meetings.
Facilitate discussions with BEST to ensure the appropriate use of their services.
Organize, promote, and coordinate general and specific job fairs for students and community members.
Help interested students, especially those in career-technical fields, with resume preparation, interviewing skills, networking opportunities, and identifying job openings.
Regularly present to students in career-technical classrooms, especially capstone courses, to inform students of the services provided in your area.
Develop and maintain a physical job opportunity board for students and community members.
Schedule on-campus recruitment visits by employers.
Maintain professional business contacts through workforce council, chambers of commerce, and other related organizations to establish links for graduates.
Become a Chamber of Commerce Ambassador in order to develop relationships with local businesses.
Assume full responsibility for Work Keys and coordinate efforts with other College personnel.
Must be able to provide verbal/visual presentations to students, staff, community groups, and potential students.
Must have the capability to travel as needed.
Bachelor's degree with two years of experience in business or education, word processing, organizational skills, and strong collaborative communication skills required. An understanding of adult learning, marketing, sales, and an understanding of employee training and business operations strongly preferred.


To personalize your casserole, use a straight edge or Exacto knife to create a stencil by cutting the Halloween message of your choice out of a piece of card stock. Place the stencil over the casserole and cover with a generous sprinkling of chili powder, paprika or smoked paprika. Once letters are covered, gently remove the paper by lifting straight up.
3 Bean Chicken Chili with Cheesy Cornbread Topping is the perfect casserole for Halloween or any other chilly night! A cinch to make, it's delicious, nutritious and can be made ahead of time.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until cooked through and crumbled, about 5 minutes. Pour off any extra liquid.
Transfer the meat mixture to a temp-tations® 4-quart baker. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, chili powder and salt and mix to combine. Bake for 15 minutes.
While casserole is baking, combine muffin mix and cheese in a large temp-tations® bowl. In a separate small temp-tations® bowl, beat eggs and milk and then add to corn muffin mixture until just combined. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes.
Remove casserole from oven, and spread the corn muffin mixture evenly over the top. Return to oven and bake about 20 minutes, until cooked through and golden.
Serve with sour cream and chopped chives, if desired.


Everyone knows the benefits of gaining more muscle and losing fat.
What many people don't realize, however, is that the most time-efficient way to make this happen is by lifting weights.
So most people spend a whole lot of time on cardio – and little to no time with weights.
Perhaps it is because some of you are a little confused about how to achieve your fitness goals.
And when you are confused, you usually end up doing nothing.
That's called "paralysis by analysis." Well, let me help put an end to some of the confusion you might have.
A major part of the success that I've had, and that over 600 of my one-on-one clients have achieved, is due to the simplicity of the program I'm about to share with you. When you believe in a simple system and add a couple tools, you have something you can both start and finish.
And therein lies the magic in this program: Starting it, and finishing it. It's that simple. Many people I've talked to have attempted to lift weights to get in peak physical condition. They stick with it for a few weeks but don't see much improvement and sadly give up after just a few weeks. Obviously consistency is important. You need to develop a workout plan that is time efficient (2-3 one-hour workouts per week), safe, and produces results. The key is to keep it simple and to have a plan. If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.
Going to the gym and just doing what everyone else is doing is most likely not going to result in what you hope to achieve. You need a plan.
Many people are wasting precious time in the gym because they aren't exercising correctly. If you just copy what someone else does, there is a good chance you might follow someone who doesn't know what they are doing either. Many people who embark on a workout plan believe that once they hit a certain weight on the scale or a specific waistline measurement, they will be able to stop working out and keep their new body. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. You will need to continue working out to maintain your new level of fitness and your new and improved body.
The good news is that once you get in shape, it's not as time consuming, and it is not as much work to maintain your new level of fitness.
The plan below is very simple. I have also included workout sheets for you to use. By using the strength-training logs you can be more efficient with your workouts. The average time required to complete this workout is about 60 minutes, from start (warm-up) to finish (cool down and stretch).
GO SLOW – If you go into any gym, you will undoubtedly see a majority of exercisers lifting too heavy of a weight, too fast. A common mindset for beginners or uninformed weight lifters is that "the more weight I lift and the more times I lift it, the bigger and stronger I will become."
What happens with this style of fast, heavy lifting is that the tension created from lifting the weight can wind up in the wrong area of your body and increase your risk of injury. For optimal results, every repetition should take about 8 seconds. We call it a 3-1-3-1 rep tempo. It is also very important to have a two second pause at the bottom of the exercise where your joint is motionless. This will prevent you from using momentum to help you with the movement. It also helps to train the white muscle fiber, which is typically not exercised much.
If you were doing a standing barbell bicep curl for example, you would take 3 seconds to lift the bar up to your chin, pause 1 second (isometrically squeezing your biceps) and then take 3 seconds to lower the bar back down to the starting position, pause 2 seconds to let the muscles totally lengthen and stretch out before starting the second repetition.
Alternatively, on some days you could "explode" up in less than one second when you lift the bar, which will further activate the white muscle fiber, especially if you have paused at the bottom. You might even notice that you are sweating when you perform the workout this way.
One major key to getting a higher quality rep is the "mind muscle connection".
Simply try to focus on the intended muscle with your mind. Act like you are trying to squeeze water out of a sponge in the targeted muscle. This is only possible if you lighten the weight and utilize the slower rep as discussed above. It takes some practice but makes a big difference in the quality and the safety of your workout.
If you want to gain muscle, and lose fat, aim for lifting the amount of weight that allows you to barely finish 12 reps on your first set, and 10 reps on your second set. If you have no experience working out with weights, or if it has been a long time since you lifted, aim for 15 reps (with a lighter weight) on your first set for the first couple of weeks.
The goal is to get the last 2 or 3 reps that you never thought you could get. The last two or three reps are the only reps that will force your muscles to grow. If you get more or less than the goal then adjust the weight accordingly. If you finish fewer reps, reduce weight and vice versa. It is important to understand that nearly all of the benefit will occur AFTER you start to go to muscle failure and the muscle starts to "burn." So if you can comfortably lift more than 15 reps your weight is likely too light.
Add some weight to each progressive set if you are close to the rep goal. Keep the workouts fast paced with only 60-90 seconds between sets. Doing so will add a cardiovascular aspect to your weight-training sessions. It's like killing two birds with one stone.
All that is needed is two or three sets per exercise. When you use the "make a light weight feel heavy by moving it slow" technique that helps you put your mind into your muscle, and less is more. I know it sounds too good to be true, but 2 or 3 sets is all that is necessary. This fewer sets per exercise strategy also allows you to get your workouts in 50-60 minutes, which psychologically leads to more intense workouts.
Increased intensity means greater results. A shorter and more intense workout will also coach your body to release more anabolic hormones, which is a good thing. A shorter workout also allows you to have the mentality that you can do this forever. It becomes a lifestyle mindset.
IV. Which Exercises and in What Order?
The exercises that are the best use of your time and yield optimal results are called compound movements. Examples would be squats, bench press, and rows. These are movements where more than one joint is working and a majority of muscle groups are getting focused on. I have attached "cheat sheet" exercise logs that I created for my Fat loss Lifestyle System. All you need to do is plug in exercises from our video library. Simply view the exercises that you want to use so you can perform them safely, effectively, and intensely. And remember that in order to gain muscle and lose fat, you need to make sure the intensity is pretty high at the end of each set.
The concept that I have developed through 28 years of training and logging over 20,000 workouts as a full time professional trainer here in Chicago has proven to produce results in the most time-efficient manner.
It didn't take me long to realize that if my program was not time efficient, no one would do it long term. And realizing that doing something long term was the only way to accomplish lasting change, I had to create a streamlined version of what bodybuilders and athletes were doing.
There is an exercise log for beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. When you use and follow the exercise videos in the library along with the exercise logs, you will be taking advantage of my most effective and efficient strategies. By printing the exercise logs and filling them out before your workout you will become much more focused and time efficient with your exact plan of action. Train hard, eat well, stay positive and expect success!


Luncheon with Gretchen Bakke, author of The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans And Our Energy Future, will share her insights on the diverse people and ideas coming together to build the next generation electrical infrastructure.
Cost for lunch and presentation: $15 when you add to your cart at registration or add to existing registrant record.
Books for sale onsite or pre-order for $18.
America's electrical grid, an engineering triumph of the twentieth century, is turning out to be a poor fit for the present. It's not just that the grid has grown old and is now in dire need of basic repair. Today, as we invest great hope in new energy sources--solar, wind, and other alternatives--the grid is what stands most firmly in the way of a brighter energy future. If we hope to realize this future, we need to re-imagine the grid according to twenty-first-century values. It's a project which forces visionaries to work with bureaucrats, legislators with storm-flattened communities, moneymen with hippies, and the left with the right. And though it might not yet be obvious, this revolution is already well under way.
The Grid tells--entertainingly, perceptively--the story of what has been called "the largest machine in the world": its fascinating history, its problematic present, and its potential role in a brighter, cleaner future.


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Home About Services F.A.Q. Portal Contact
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Serenity Pooled Special Needs Trust is a trust that serves disabled people. The Trust manages assets for disabled people in a manner which preserves a trust member's eligibility for State benefits programs such as SSI, Medicaid, and Tenncare. Placing assets into the Trust is an alternative to the typical "spend-down" methods used to qualify for benefit programs. The Trust receives moneys from members and then uses those moneys for the benefit of the member, providing payments for quality of life improvements such as private rooms at residential facilities, medical equipment, entertainment expenses, sitting and care-giving services, and other professional services.
Serenity is a specialty trust company for disabled people based in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded by attorneys Adam R. Hill and Karl D. Warden, both of whom saw the need for such a pooled specialty trust in their law practices, Serenity is one of the region's first pooled special needs trusts. While most special needs trusts are basic documents, a pooled special needs trust is a complex instrument which qualifies for IRS 501(c)3 status and acts as a charitable organization. As a pooled trust, members can support other members via a "pay-it-forward" system unique to pooled trusts, and allows a communal support model previously unseen in the trust landscape.
Serenity Pooled Special Needs Trust
102 Woodmont Boulevard,
615-345-0339 therese@serenitytrust.net


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Anime REVIEW: Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z Hen
Mazinger Z is a piece of anime history. First airing in 1972, it was a pioneer in super robot and mecha series – the first ever to use mechas being piloted by humans. The series saw hero Koji Kabuto pilot the Mazinger Z robot battle the evil Dr Hell and his mechanical beast army. 2009 saw a reimagining of this landmark anime - Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z Hen (or "True Mazinger Impact! Z Chapter"), that also incorporated many other of creator Go Nagai's works – such as the manga spinoff Z Mazinger, Violent Jack and Mao Dante, among others.
In the near future, a mineral known as "Japanium" is discovered under Mt. Fuji. This ore is discovered to produce a powerful energy source known as "Photon Energy". Dr. Juzo Kabuto and his associates have begun researching Photon Energy, planning to use it as a solution to the energy crisis plaguing the earth, when the nefarious Dr. Hell and his associate, Baron Ashura attack his lab. Along with this, the mysterious "Kurogane House" also has begun to become entwined with the affairs of these two parties. During all of this, Juzo's grandchildren, Kouji and Shiro, encounter one of Baron Ashura's robots on its way to attack Dr. Kabuto's mansion, where he has begun work on his greatest invention. Dr. Kabuto, seeing the danger at hand, sends out the Pilder to Kouji, allowing him to combine with the giant robot, Mazinger Z, to fight against Dr. Hell's forces.
Much as was the case with Macross Frontier, the anime is entirely possible to enjoy on its own merits without having seen the original Mazinger or any other of the shows referenced - unlike Frontier this is not a continuation of the franchise, but a reboot per se. I hadn't seen anything Mazinger or Go Nagai related prior to this and my enjoyment of the series certainly wasn't hindered. However the series certainly keeps the charm of super robot animes of old – particularly in the realms of character design, for both the humans and robots. The robots themselves, while you may initially perceive them as cartoony, really help keep the retro feel of Mazinger and set it apart from the (in this man's opinion) hoard of similar looking mecha designs of today.
What IS different about Shin Mazinger though is the tone. Gone is the campiness of the 70s, replaced with a plot dedicated to not only glorious robot battling action, but also a storyline that draws heavily on continuity and character development. Of particular note is Dr Hell's subordinate Baron Ashura, a half man, half woman combination resurrected from the remains of an ancient race. His (her? Its?) progression really helps drive the series, right up to its final episode – which has one of the biggest and best cliffhanger endings I have ever seen. Some episodes (particularly episodes 13 to 15) are REALLY dark.
My only word of warning is this – make sure the first episode doesn't put you off. Shin Mazinger really throws its audience in at the deep end, beginning with the final battle between the Mazinger Corps and Dr Hell's armies. It's a completely confusing affair, and possibly the only thing newcomers to Mazinger will get out of it is probably "ooh shiny robots and epic fight sequences!" However the second episode starts neatly with an origin story and it's all uphill from there.
With original robot designs, a cast of both interesting and humorous characters, epic fight sequences, Greek gods, ancient civilisations, a robot THAT CAN TURN INTO A FIST, over the top shouting of attack names, an ending that guarantees to leave you wanting more and opening themes by JAM Project (responsible for 90% of the world's most epic anime music) this really is a series that will not disappoint any mecha fan. Gurren Lagann may have set the bar for epic manly robot anime, but if anything is a worthy contender, its Mazinger Z.
ROCKET PUNCH!!!
Posted by: Alex at Monday, May 10, 2010
Tags: anime, baron ashura, dr hell, koji kabuto, mazinger z, photon energy, review, rocket punch, Shin Mazinger Shougeki Z Hen
I believe that Getter Robo surpasses both in manliness.
Haven't seen Getter Robo so I can't really comment. Will check it out though.
Getter Robo is by the creator of Mazinger (Go Nagai) and Ken Ishikawa.
Actually, the latest ovas and the mangas are perhaps the manliest mecha series ever.
What not a lot of people know is that Gurren Lagann is for the most part a tribute to Getter Robo. The director, Imaishi is a fan of it, and a lot of stuff were taken from Getter Robo, especially the mangas. For example, the robots getting bigger and bigger, spiral energy = getter rays (both evolution)
Toybox REVIEW: Kotobukiya Gurren Lagann TengenKado...
Anime REVIEW: Mazinkaiser
My top 5 epic anime intros
Anime REVIEW: Gundam Wing


Its been a while since I've written one of my traditional rambling and mostly pointless (but hopefully entertaining) blog posts so given I was kinda in the mood to ramble and be pointless I thought I may as well do it publicly.
Its been a while mostly because when I started work at Bosch everything was so dull and work like that I had no inspiration for my usual rants, raves and oddities so after starting and abandoning a couple of posts I sort of gave up. Today however I am highly caffeinated and I have had all sorts of exciting things happening in my life and I've been working on a very difficult assignment worth hardly any marks which always makes for good ranting fodder so I find myself already closing the second paragraph of a post.
Now, as I've completely failed to say anything meaningful (or anything at all for that matter) about my life for the past errm well year actually I'll give a quick recap. Over the past year and a half I started IBL at Bosch, hated it, broke up with my boyfriend, got a new boyfriend, finished IBL at Bosch, started back at uni all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed having kicked my caffeine habit, got snowed under with work and got caffeinated up again and now you find me at the end of semester completing my final assignments and about to move house.
Now that Ive got that out of the way I can get on with my topics mentioned above.
I'm moving which is all very exciting because it means I get to buy a wardrobe from ikea AND I get to figure out where to put furniture. Most importantly of course it also means that I'm moving in with Michael (boyfriend) in an official kinda way as opposed to the me camping out at his house way which has been happening for the past several months now. Unfortunately I'm also moving right in the middle of the last week of semester so I'm going to have to work doubly hard now to make sure I don't get screwed over by assignments due in week 12. This is of course why I'm highly caffeinated.
The particular assignment which has required assistance in the form of stimulants tonight to complete is a Robotic Control assignment which is far more complicated and far less fun than it sounds. Its also only worth 12% which is rather offensive given I've done somewhere around 10hrs work on it so far most of which was totally useless because it was wrong and ended up in the trash can. Its now mostly complete save several bits where I think I've done something dodgy to algebra and need to confer with other students who are slightly less creative with algebra than I am to make sure I'm doing the right thing. I've been having particular difficulty with z-transforms mostly because you have to do pages and pages of algebra to sort of mush one expression into the right kinda form to read off a table and then you find that its not on the table which generally means you fucked up and you have a tantrum (at least I do) and give up and rant for a bit.


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Are New Jersey's shoplifting laws more severe than other states?
On behalf of The Law Offices of Anthony N. Palumbo | Jul 24, 2015 | Criminal Defense
Shoplifting laws in New Jersey factor the value of the allegedly stolen item into the punishment. Items of little value might only amount to a misdemeanor charge. More valuable items, however, may result in more serious charges. For example, if the stolen item is valued over $75,000, the charge might be classified as a second degree defense, punishable by up to ten years in prison and penalties of up to $150,000.
When allegations of a conspiracy are added to a criminal charge, however, the potential punishment facing a defendant can be exponentially more severe. In a notable example, an individual arrested for shoplifting confessed to a scheme targeting over-the-counter drugs from retail stores in New Jersey, such as Wal-Mart and CVS.
The individual described teams of shoplifters, called "boosters," which would steal the products and later resell them back to other retail stores and/or customers. The investigation by federal prosecutors ultimately uncovered evidence of tens of millions of dollars of stolen drugs, including products such as Zantac, Mucinex and Claritin.
One of the co-conspirators in the scheme was recently sentenced after entering a guilty plea for the charge of conspiring to transport stolen goods interstated. The sentence includes an order to repay around $1.3 million to the victimized stores. The sentence reflects a unique aspect of New Jersey's shoplifting laws: storeowners have a legal right to recover their financial damages, even including court fees.
If you have been accused of stealing and are facing a theft crime, it is imperative you consult with an experienced defense attorney. An attorney understands the criminal sentencing structure and can work for the best possible outcome. In the case of a first-time offender, the possibility of negotiating with prosecutors may be even better.
Source: nj.com, "Fort Dix shoplifting arrest reveals multimillion-dollar theft ring," Thomas Zambito, July 21, 2015


Over 50 different companies are sending delegates to next week's Games Retail 2020, MCV's brand new event dedicated to the future of selling games.
The full list of represented companies in the room on Tuesday, September 16th's day long conference can be found below.
Games Retail 2020 delves into a variety of topics around the evolution of selling games.Topics to be discussed are virtual reality,second screen retailing, digital, games merchandise and selling via social media – plus we'll be showcasing all new market data about the retail market.
Or contact Sara.Mather@intentmedia.co.uk or call her on 020 7354 6001 / 01992 535 646 to find out more.
GAMES RETAIL 2020: WHO'S IN THE ROOM?


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The Crow Girl: A novel
By Erik Axl Sund
Read by Gabrielle Glaister
Erik Axl Sund Penguin Random House, Random House Audio
28.91 Hours • 06/14/2016 • Unabridged
or 2 Credits
The International Sensation It begins in a Stockholm city park where the abused body of a young boy is discovered. Detective Superintendent Jeanette Kihlberg heads the investigation, battling an apathetic prosecutor and a bureaucratic police force unwilling to devote resources to solving the murder of an immigrant child. But with the discovery of the mutilated corpses of two more children, it becomes clear that a serial killer is at large. Superintendent Kihlberg turns to therapist Sofia Zetterlund for her expertise in the psychopathology of those who kill, and the lives of the two women become quickly intertwined—professionally and personally. As they draw closer to each other and to the truth about the killings, what surfaces is the undeniable fact that these murders are only the most obvious evidence of an insidious evil woven deep into Swedish society.
The International Sensation
It begins in a Stockholm city park where the abused body of a young boy is discovered. Detective Superintendent Jeanette Kihlberg heads the investigation, battling an apathetic prosecutor and a bureaucratic police force unwilling to devote resources to solving the murder of an immigrant child. But with the discovery of the mutilated corpses of two more children, it becomes clear that a serial killer is at large.
Superintendent Kihlberg turns to therapist Sofia Zetterlund for her expertise in the psychopathology of those who kill, and the lives of the two women become quickly intertwined—professionally and personally. As they draw closer to each other and to the truth about the killings, what surfaces is the undeniable fact that these murders are only the most obvious evidence of an insidious evil woven deep into Swedish society.
The Crow Girl is a raw, dark psychological thriller that's as long and tenebrous as a Scandinavian midwinter's night. . . . A complex, absorbing, disturbing tale. —Ted Fox, Otago Daily Times
Skillfully escalating suspense keeps you hooked through its 760-pages. This novel proves that what frightens us most are not acts of violence, but quiet horrors of the human psyche. —Press Association
Creepy is elevated to an art form in this tale of dysfunctional characters . . . but skillfully escalating suspense keeps you hooked all the way through. . . . Translated into beautifully economic prose by Neil Smith. —Gill Oliver, The Press and Journal
Full of chills and spills . . . a smart, rewarding psychological thriller, with an emphasis of both of those genre terms. —Kirkus Reviews
[An] epic psychological thriller . . . [an] ultradark atmospheric suspense and a jolting examination of a cycle of abuse and revenge that spans generations. Like the novels of Karin Fossum, Stieg Larsson, and Camilla Lackberg, this award-winning U.S. debut builds a powerful indictment of society's willingness to turn a blind eye toward powerful, privileged abusers preying on the weak. —Christine Tran, Booklist (starred review)
Goodbye, Hannibal Lecter. That old cannibal is as psychologically interesting as a pet canary in comparison to Victoria Bergman. —Arbetarbladet (Sweden)
[An] insanely creepy psycho-thriller that places the thin veneer of normality under the microscope. —Elle (Denmark)
[The Crow Girl] makes you breathless and confused as you chase across the pages, eager to find out more. It is a story that takes place in what Jung calls the collective unconscious . . . [An] insidiously shimmering masterpiece. —DAST Magazine (Sweden)
A conclusion in which one elegantly gathers all the strings and unsolved issues . . . The truth is ruthless and so evil that I couldn't have guessed it even in my wildest imagination . . . Erik Axl Sund have written a [novel] that readers of crime fiction cannot do without. —Krimifan (Denmark)
A profoundly frightening novel, a dark fairy tale that stands out in the Scandinavian crime fiction tradition. . . . This novel is a psychological noir that analyzes the human soul and digs deeply into human vices, repressed, subconscious perversions, and the inherent violence of the human nature. —Sololibri.net (Italy)
[The Crow Girl] is among the best I have read in Swedish in the genre. Perhaps even the best. . . . I wouldn't be surprised if future writers will refer to this work in the same way in which so many Swedish and foreign writers always refer to Sjöwall & Wahlöö as their major source of inspiration. —Gefle Dagblad (Sweden)
[A] gruesome, compelling and deeply unsettling debut thriller. —Geoffrey Wansell, The Daily Mail
One-ups Stieg Larsson's Dragon Tattoo trilogy with its darkly violent indictment of the horrors supposedly 'civilized' humans are capable of perpetrating. —Kerry Lengel and Randy Cordova, The Arizona Republic
Horrors abound in the pseudonymous Sund's scathing first that rips asunder the appearance of Sweden's contemporary welfare state to reveal just about every conceivable human crime. . . . [A] challenging multifaceted descent into the abyss of evil and madness. —Publisher's Weekly
Very likely to be the most disturbing book you'll read all year . . . there's a fantastic twist in store, very well executed, and a successful conclusion for the complex web of evil Sund weaves over the course of the novel. . . . Pitch perfect. —Alison Flood, The Guardian
[A] breakout novel . . . peddling high-concept stories [with a] compelling voice. —Lucy Feldman, The Wall Street Journal
Erik Axl Sund—aka Jerker Eriksson and Håkan Axlander Sundquist—may look like aging rockers but they share a steely command of the writerly art. . . . [A] complex and very dark narrative . . . The narrative slowly and surely exerts an inexorable grip . . . [an] unerring building of tension. And, as with the best of Scandinavian crime fiction, from Henning Mankell to Stieg Larsson, there is still room for an acute element of social commentary. . . . The personalities of the women at the heart of the book, all driven in distinctive ways, are carefully and successfully wrought. . . . You will find [The Crow Girl] to be among the most wide-ranging and forceful Scandinavian crime novels you have encountered. —Barry Forshaw, Financial Times
Swedish crime novels in the post-Dragon Tattoo era have offered a full slate of [the] grotesque . . . but there's been nothing with the cracked intensity or wild ambition of the pseudonymous Erik Axl Sund's 800-page event The Crow Girl. . . . This book's engine never stops humming. —Lloyd Sachs, Chicago Tribune
A breakneck journey through a plot of labyrinthine complexity. . . . Sund boldly places dissociative identity disorder at the heart of this extremely disturbing novel. —Joan Smith, The Sunday Times (London)
Brutal, upsetting and brilliantly written, it is the best crime novel of the year so far . . . The joint authors . . . rage against misogyny and sexism. They decry child abuse and human trafficking. And, perhaps most importantly, they tell a brilliant story. . . . This novel is dark—jet-black dark . . . the authors' biggest triumph, however, is to make 750 pages whizz past . . . terse, direct and compelling. —The Metro (London)
The next big thing . . . thoughtful . . . The Crow Girl is a pulse-pounding thriller. . . . With its heady mix of graphic violence, noirish thrills and social commentary, the book has all the hallmarks of Nordic noir and is a must-read for Scandinavian crime fiction enthusiasts. . . . An ambitious book . . . combining the thriller credentials of Jo Nesbø with the deep psychological turmoil of Karin Alvtegen. . . . A landmark achievement for its authors. It will definitely turn heads worldwide as a darkly delightful must-read. —Jeremy Megraw, Crime Fiction Lover
It's so determinedly and dementedly dark that it makes Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy seem like Midsomer Murders. . . . There is so much action in its 768 pages . . . ridiculously entertaining . . . such a compulsive page-turner. —Matt Thorne, Sunday Express "Bold, addictive, and timely.
Dark, powerful, disturbing and creepy. —Marcel Berlins, The Times (London)
The Swedish crime thriller tipped to make a killing . . . follows in the footsteps of Stieg Larsson and Henning Mankell. —Mark Lawson, The Guardian
What is it about Sweden that produces such deliciously, darkly off-kilter thrillers, featuring idiosyncratic, complex characters such as Lisbeth Salander and now Detective Superintendent Jeanette Kihlberg? As Kihlberg investigates a killer who targets immigrant children, she must deal with xenophobia, extreme right-wing politics, and other hot-button issues that only deepen our morbid fascination. —O, The Oprah Magazine
Author Bio: Erik Axl Sund
Erik Axl Sund is the pen name of Swedish author duo Jerker Eriksson and Håkan Axlander Sundquist. Håkan is a sound engineer, musician, and artist. Jerker has been the producer of Håkan's electro-punk band iloveyoubaby! and as a librarian in a prison. They are now full-time writers and run an art gallery.
Publisher: Random House Audio


Hot Wheels fans will love riding around on this 16″ BMX boys bike featuring a sturdy steel frame with a colorful design and authentic Hot Wheels graphics. This bike includes front hand and rear coaster brakes making it easy to stop. It also includes a handlebar/crossbar pad, adjustable/removable training wheels, adjustable padded saddle seat, and Rev Grip which make this a stylish ride for your Hot Wheels racer.


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Surge of water projects show little coordination
By Mark Jaffe | The Denver Post
A $3 billion scrum of water projects is being developed along the Front Range — but their cumulative impacts, and whether there is water enough for all, remains to be sorted out.
Still, from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs, the projects are moving forward, powered, attorneys and water managers say, by Colorado water law's first-come-first-served principle.
"In water law, it is still the Wild West," said Sarah Klahn, a water attorney and University of Denver law professor. "You can be a dreamer, and if you make it come true, it's yours."
The concentration of projects worries federal officials who are left to sort out the multiple impacts.
"It is the combined projects' effect on water quality that concerns us," said Larry Svoboda, environmental assessment director in the Environmental Protection Agency's Denver office.
"There is also the risk of over-allocation. We really think this needs to be looked at carefully."
Among the plans moving forward are:
• Projects by the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District and the cities of Fort Collins and Greeley on the same reach of the Cache La Poudre River.
• Denver Water and Northern Colorado Water both are developing projects on the Colorado River and tributaries in Grand County.
• Aurora Water and East Cherry Creek Valley Water and Sanitary District both have projects with 30-mile- long water pipelines running to the Brighton area. In some cases the lines are just a few hundred yards apart.
"It would be nice if we could coordinate, but each of us has our own projects and responsibility for serving our own communities," said Greg Baker, an Aurora Water spokesman.
Cooperation vs. water rights
And even with all these projects, by 2030 the region may be short by 29 billion gallons, according to state projections.
In this atmosphere everyone is guarding their own interests, said Dave Little, Denver Water's planning director.
"Everyone can agree on the need, but as soon as you try to identify a project, the parochial interests kick in," Little said.
Still, as opportunities for water projects dwindle and costs rise, communities are cooperating more, said Eric Wilkinson, Northern Colorado Water's general manager.
For example, Denver Water, Aurora Water and South Metro Water Supply Authority are exploring the possibility of a joint project, said South Metro executive director Rod Kuharich.
Cooperation, however, is still trumped by water rights — rights based on seniority under the legal doctrine of "prior appropriation."
"A lot of what is done is driven by water rights," Wilkinson said.
Rights and projects are decided on a case-by-case basis in the state water courts and seniority rules.
Unlike some other states, in Colorado the legislature and the administrative agencies have no role. It is all settled in water court, Klahn said.
"We don't have a water plan; prior appropriation is our plan and it's every man for himself," said Melissa Kassen, a director of Trout Unlimited's Western Water project.
Since 2005, through the Intrabasin Compact Committee and nine basin roundtables, the state has tried to do more water planning and forge voluntary agreements.
"It is an experiment," said Harris Sherman, director of the state Department of Natural Resources.
More analyses needed
Still, Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District is developing the 40,000 acre-foot Northern Integrated Supply Project, in the same area of the Poudre where Fort Collins and Greeley plan to expand two reservoirs by 80,000 acre-feet.
An acre-foot is equal to 325,851 gallons — a year's supply for two to three families.
The EPA called the the environmental evaluation of Northern Colorado Water's project "insufficient" in assessing water quality and the cumulative impacts with the Fort Collins-Greeley Halligan-Seaman reservoir expansion.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is developing both projects, has agreed to do a supplemental environmental impact statement for the Northern Colorado Water project. The Halligan-Seaman analysis is not yet out.
"The projects will still be studied individually, but we will use the same data to evaluate both," said Monique Farmer, a Corps spokeswoman.
In Grand County, Northern Colorado Water is developing the Windy Gap Firming Project with the federal Bureau of Reclamation.
The bureau's environmental study of the project, which would move 30,000 acre-feet of water over the Continental Divide, drew more than 1,000 comment letters, said agency spokeswoman Kara Lamb.
The EPA chided the reclamation bureau study for a "lacking of meaningful analysis" in terms of the cumulative impact of Windy Gap and a Denver Water project upstream that would move 18,000 acre-feet to the Front Range.
The environmental analysis of Denver Water's Moffat Tunnel expansion is slated to be released this summer by the Army Corps of Engineers.
The Windy Gap comment letters are being reviewed for information that needs to be added to the study or to see if a supplemental study should be done.
No priorities set
In the case of the Colorado Springs Utilities' Southern Delivery System project — a $1.1 billion pipeline from Pueblo Reservoir — the comment letters, including a critical one from EPA, led to a supplemental bureau evaluation and changes to the project.
"This was an example of working for a better end result," said EPA's Svoboda. "They really made significant improvements."
Critics argue that this is still a piecemeal approach as the federal agencies do not set priorities on projects or assess overall water needs.
"As we get closer to appropriating the water that's left in Colorado, we really ought to be able to set priorities," Trout Unlimited's Kassen said.
Until there is change, prior appropriation rules.
"The state has been reluctant to support one project over another," said the Department of Natural Resources' Sherman. "As we enter water scarcity, that may change."
Mark Jaffe: 303-954-1912 or mjaffe@denverpost.com
Mark Jaffe
Mark Jaffe has been a reporter for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Bloomberg News and The Denver Post. He was also previously a Paris correspondent for Businessweek.
Missouri teen injured in 80-foot slide down steep, snow-covered terrain in RMNP
A teenager from Missouri slid 80 feet down steep, snow-covered terrain in Rocky Mountain National Park Tuesday afternoon, landing in rocks and suffering serious injuries, including hypothermia.
President Trump slams congresswomen at rally; crowd roars, "Send her back!"
"I think in some cases they hate our country," Trump said to the crowd in North Carolina, a swing state he won in 2016 and wants to win again next year.
Man who murdered Chinese student in Utah now in Golden to face murder charge here
A murder suspect has been returned to Colorado from Utah, he is being held at the Jefferson County Jail.


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Wells Fargo Center (Portland, Oregon)
Building Less
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Wells Fargo Center is an office building located in Portland, Oregon, United States. The tower rises 546 feet (166.4 m) with 40 floors of office space and three levels of parking below the surface. When the structure was completed in 1972, the center became the tallest building in the State of Oregon.
The building and a connected five-story building were designed by Charles Luckman and Associates. Originally named the First National Bank Tower, the building opened on April 17, 1972,The Oregonian, April 18, 1972; Section 3 (Business), p. 7. The name was changed to the First Interstate Tower in 1981, after First National Bank of Oregon was acquired by First Interstate Bancorp. The current name was adopted after Wells Fargo purchased First Interstate in 1996. Upon opening in 1972, the Wells Fargo Center dwarfed all other existing high-rise developments in downtown Portland. Public outcry over the tower's scale and the potential of new development to block views of Mount Hood led to height restrictions on all new development.
The public areas...


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Feds Want a Policy That Advocates Say Would Let Hospitals Off the Hook for Covid-Era Lapses
By Pete Garth On Jul 7, 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is responding to the chaos of the covid-19 pandemic by proposing to hide from the public a rating that lets consumers compare hospitals' safety records and to waive approximately $350 million in financial penalties for roughly 750 hospitals with the worst patient-safety track records.
CMS' chief medical officer, Dr. Lee Fleisher, said those safety metrics were not designed to properly account for how a pandemic, with its patient surges and workforce shortages, might affect hospital systems.
"Safety, transparency, and quality of care of patients is not enhanced by the use of skewed or inaccurate data, and, in fact, could result in negative consequences for patients," he said. "CMS wants the public to have complete trust in the data and will make data on quality available when we have a high confidence in its credibility and accuracy."
But patient safety advocates argue CMS is letting hospitals off the hook for their pandemic performances, and many decried the loss of transparency that suppression of such data would cause.
CMS wants to keep "patients, payers, and insurers in the dark on what happened during the pandemic," said Patricia Kelmar, director of health care campaigns for the nonprofit U.S. Public Interest Research Group. She added that without penalties, hospitals won't be forced to change ahead of the next crisis that strains health systems.
"There was no comma in the law that says, 'Unless there's a pandemic, you don't have to pay these penalties,'" Kelmar said.
The proposed rule comes after CMS officials publicly acknowledged in the New England Journal of Medicine that progress on lowering hospital-acquired infections — such as urinary tract and staph infections, as well as bloodstream infections associated with central lines — has faltered significantly during the pandemic. Also, a May federal report that used data from 2018 found that even before the pandemic, 1 in 4 Medicare patients were harmed in the hospital, with nearly half of such events being preventable.
The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit patient advocacy group, estimates that more than 24,000 people a year die because of the patient safety issues measured by CMS' ratings.
The metrics that CMS wants to suppress appear on Medicare's Care Compare website, formerly known as Hospital Compare. The site allows consumers to view a broad range of quality metrics for hospitals, including mortality and readmission rates. Those scores would continue to appear under the CMS proposal, but the site would not report data from what's known as the PSI 90, or "Patient Safety and Adverse Events Composite," including how often patients had serious complications from potentially preventable medical harm, such as falls and sepsis. CMS will publicly release other safety data, although the pandemic has complicated that, too.
The penalties CMS wants to waive are issued annually through the Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program, which was created by the Affordable Care Act. But because the PSI 90 won't be available and CMS officials are wary of counting some other metrics skewed by the pandemic, they said penalizing hospitals, as they have done in the past, would not be reasonable.
The poorest-performing hospitals would be spared the 1% Medicare payment reductions that CMS would otherwise have applied throughout the upcoming federal fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. CMS plans to resume the penalties in the following fiscal year, which begins in October 2023.
CMS' proposal to pause such penalties is reasonable, said Andrew Ryan, a professor of health care management at the University of Michigan's School of Public Health, who has written extensively on the hospital quality program. He pointed out that the metrics that underlie these financial penalties are easily skewed by variations in patient mix — such as those triggered by covid surges or lockdowns.
But Lisa McGiffert, co-founder of and board president for the Patient Safety Action Network, said she's tired of hearing hospitals talk about the administrative strain that reporting the data would create and of CMS saying that adjusting how it compares hospitals would be difficult.
"It's a real burden if you die or lose your mom," McGiffert said.
A 2021 KHN investigative series detailed the gaps in CMS' oversight in tracking and holding hospitals accountable for patients who were diagnosed with covid after entering the hospital.
As the pandemic continues, the agency has not added hospital-acquired covid infections to its patient safety quality metrics, Fleisher said. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spokesperson Martha Sharan said a joint effort of the CDC, CMS, and the National Quality Forum, a nonprofit that aims to improve patient care value, that would establish such metrics "could be a consideration after the emergency phase of the pandemic."
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services currently maintains public, aggregated state-by-state reporting of covid-19 hospital-onset data, but, as KHN previously reported, such data does not hold individual hospitals accountable. Patient safety experts say the HHS report is likely an undercount because it tracks only hospital-onset covid cases that appeared after 14 days.
Separately, CMS has yet to further regulate the private accrediting agencies that oversee the majority of U.S. hospitals, following an HHS inspector general report from June 2021 that found "CMS could not ensure that accredited hospitals would continue to provide quality care and operate safely during the COVID-19 emergency" and could not guarantee safety going forward. The report cited holes in CMS' authority to make accrediting agencies execute a special, covid-spurred infection control survey for hospitals to ensure patient safety.
Seema Verma, who served as CMS administrator under President Donald Trump, said hospital-acquired infections are a long-standing issue that covid exacerbated — and one that most Americans are unaware of when they choose where to receive care.
She called for more transparency so patients can decide which hospitals are safe for them. She also called for changes in the accreditation system, which she said is fundamentally flawed because of conflicts of interests between the accrediting organizations' consulting arms and the hospitals they inspect.
"The American public should have faith that the people that are doing the surveys don't have a financial interest with the institution they are surveying," Verma said.
Accrediting agencies have defended their practices during the pandemic, saying they worked with CMS as they could during the emergency.
In the U.S., about 90% of hospitals elect to pay private accrediting agencies, instead of government inspectors, to certify they are safe. But academics have shown that such agencies have not been associated with lower patient mortality, and CMS even has data showing how accrediting agencies fall short compared with government inspectors. A potential CMS rule dealing with conflict-of-interest concerns was slated to be posted in April but has yet to be made public.
Fleisher declined to say when to expect any such rule proposal but did say CMS agreed with last summer's inspector general report on the failings in CMS authority. Fleisher said his agency would like to require accrediting organizations to perform special surveys of hospitals at CMS' discretion.
"There will be an opportunity to comment on this issue," he said. He added that the agency's top priority is to ensure "patients have access to safe, equitable, quality health care."
Patient advocates said the agency needs to do better — and the public needs to push it to do so.
"The people who were harmed during the pandemic deserve to be accounted for," said McGiffert. "Frankly, I've been a little shocked at how accepting the American public is that hospitals cannot manage to do the things they must do to keep patients safe during a pandemic."
Lauren Weber:
@LaurenWeberHP
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Home›New Delhi›Thyrocare Laboratories Ltd›Quad Marker With Graph
Quad Marker With Graph
Test is valid between 14-22 weeks of gestation (Ideal 15-20 weeks) Please keep the hard copy of your latest pregnancy ultrasound report(Level 2) and Maternal Screen details(LMP,DOB,Body Weight,Diabetic status,& IVF) ready at the time of your test.Previous history of Trisomy 21 pregnancy.
What is Quad Marker With Graph?
Quad marker with graph test is also known as the Quadruple test. This test measures the levels of four important substances in the placenta namely alpha fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin, estriol, and inhibin A. This test is advised to women who are 15 to 20 weeks pregnant. It analyses the probability of the unborn baby to have certain genetic disorders like Down's, Edward's syndrome, neural tube defects, and sometimes multiple pregnancies.
Why is Quad Marker With Graph done?
To diagnose Down syndrome
To diagnose neural tube defects
To diagnose the failure of closure of the abdomen in the fetus.
To diagnose multiple pregnancies
To diagnose miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy
What does Quad Marker With Graph Measure?
This test measures four markers which include AFP, HCG, estriol, and inhibin A in the blood. As there are four markers involved, it is known as the Quad Marker test.
AFP is a protein which is produced by the fetus. If the levels of AFP are high, it indicates neural tube defects in the fetus or any case of incomplete closure of the fetus abdomen.
HCG hormone is produced by cells of the placenta. If the levels of HCG are low, it indicates a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. Whereas, if the levels of HCG are high this indicates multiple pregnancies.
Estriol is a form of the hormone estrogen which is present in both fetus and placenta. If the levels of estriol are low, it indicates the risk of the baby getting delivered with Down syndrome, especially when the levels of AFP are low and HCG are high.
Inhibin A is a hormone which is produced by the placenta. It is a dimer which means it has two parts. It is also sometimes referred to as DIA or dimeric inhibin A. In the 14 to 17 weeks of gestation (pregnancy), the levels of inhibin A in maternal blood slightly decrease and then rise again. Increased levels of Inhibin A indicates fetus with Down syndrome. Inhibin A enhances the sensitivity as well as the specificity in order to correctly identify cases of Down syndrome.
If the levels of all these four markers are abnormal, there can be the presence of neural tube defects like spina bifida (spinal cord fails to develop properly), anencephaly (absence of brain, skull, and scalp), and multiple pregnancies (twins or triplets).
Females who are 35 years or more, have a family history of birth defects, or have diabetes or are using insulin have a higher risk of getting abnormal values of these markers. Exposure to high levels of radiation or having the viral infection during pregnancy can also be considered as possible risk factors associated with these high levels. This test is also helpful to indicate any complications in the fetus after birth.
Interpreting Quad Marker With Graph results
Inhibin A
27.20 ng/mL
40370 mIU/mL
0.37 ng/mL
208.75 pg/mL
8295 mIU/mL
100.02 ng/mL
Detection rate
≥ 2.5 MoM (Multiples of median)
2-4 %
75 -80 %
Edwards Syndrome (Trisomy 18)
Reference range may vary from lab to lab*
The base of screening tests is a statistical analysis of patient's data which includes the demographic (statistical study of populations) and biochemical (laboratory) data.
Confirmation is mandatory by amniocentesis.
The results are illustrated in the form of a graph in the test report.
Positive quadruple marker test usually indicates that the unborn child has a high risk of neural tube defects and chromosomal disorders like Down's syndrome, Patau syndrome, etc. More specific tests like amniocentesis are then advised to make a definitive diagnosis
High levels of inhibin A usually indicate Down's syndrome whereas low levels might be associated with Edward's syndrome or trisomy 18. Sometimes, variable levels of inhibin A may also be present, and they are usually associated with trisomy 13 or Patau syndrome
Answers to Patient Concerns & Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Quad Marker With Graph
Frequently Asked Questions about Quad Marker With Graph
Q. Can the defects in fetus be caused because of the age of pregnant women?
Yes, a pregnant woman who is 35 years or older has a greater risk of developing defects in the fetus. Apart from that, other factors such as exposure of the woman to high levels of radiation, diabetes or if the woman is taking insulin can affect the development of the fetus. Viral infection at the time of pregnancy can also be a risk factor in the development of the fetus.
Q. What other tests are required for diagnosis of abnormalities in fetus?
In case the results are abnormal, the doctor may advise amniocentesis in which a thin, hollow needle is used to withdraw amniotic fluid (the fluid that surrounds the fetus) from the uterus. This test is useful to detect any genetic or fetal conditions present in the fetus. If the levels of AFP are high, the doctor will advise ultrasound for a detailed examination of neural tube defects.
Q. Is there any preparation required before the test?
Inform the doctor about the medications you may be taking. No other specific preparations are usually required before this test.
Q. What is Trisomy 18?
It is also known as Edwards Syndrome which is caused by the development of an extra chromosome 18. Because of this, the normal pattern of development in the baby gets disturbed even before its birth. The effects caused by Trisomy 18 are very complicated as compared to Down syndrome. The effects are so severe that it can cause stillbirth (death at the time of birth) of the child.
Q. What is Down's syndrome?
It is a genetic disorder in which extra genetic material from chromosome 21 gets transferred to the fetus. This transfer affects the development of the fetus leading to abnormal development both physically and mentally. The affected baby will have a small head and short neck, obliquely positioned eyes looking in an upward direction, large tongue coming out of the mouth, flat face, wide hands with short fingers, and lack of muscle tone.
Q. How is the blood sample taken?
The healthcare provider takes a blood sample from the arm. The site from where the blood is to be withdrawn is cleaned with a swab of rubbing alcohol. This is then followed by inserting a small needle which has a tube attached to it for collecting blood. Once the sufficient blood for analysis is withdrawn, the needle is removed. The site is then covered with a gauze pad.
Q. Is there any risk associated with the withdrawal of blood sample procedure?
As such there is no risk but in few cases, bruising, bleeding, and infection at the puncture site can be seen. In very few cases, there can be swelling of the vein after the blood is withdrawn.
Q. Is Quad marker with graph test only advised for women of age 35 years or more?
No, this test is not specific for women of age 35 years or more. Every pregnant woman is advised to take this test, as it is very important for detecting any abnormality in the fetus before birth. This test is done between 14 and 22 weeks of pregnancy. However, the best time for this test is between 15 and 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Available at Other Labs


Crafted from used food sacks, these baskets made by Burundian refugees in Tanzania, embody a people's hope and optimism.
When Burundians fled civil war in their country nine years ago, they had to leave everything behind. Everything, that is, except their skills.
These traditional Burundian baskets are woven by refugee women in the camps run by the Tanganyika Christian Refugee Service (TCRS), the country program of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Department for World Service, based in western Tanzania.
In various shapes and sizes, the baskets are made from the used plastic sacks in which the refugees' food rations are delivered. This work not only makes a small contribution to a cleaner environment; it also helps to supplement their income, and gives them hope for the future.
The TCRS cares for 140,000 Burundian refugees, overseeing their basic food, shelter, and sanitation needs. In addition, the program supports secondary education, and peace and reconciliation activities throughout the camps and in the host community. The baskets will be used during worship at the LWF Tenth Assembly in Winnipeg.


We couldn't be more excited to share with you Chris Crisman's latest reel — the videos he has created are a showcase of a new layer of his storytelling; stories that are rich and soulful in their celebration of the human spirit and that reflect his belief in how drive and passion can transcend any perceived limitations.
For Chris this process was another example of the ways in which he seeks to challenge himself and his team to create the kind of work that will help people see things not as they are but as they can be. And that in order to do this one needs to always be looking for new methods of transforming reality — of looking for what is possible when you craft spaces and places where anything can happen — and the more thought-provoking, the better.
And if you enjoy his reel, be sure to follow him on instagram, doing so is a reward in rich storytelling.
This entry was posted in Chris Crisman, Director, Portfolio, Video and tagged Chris Crisman, Motion. Bookmark the permalink.


Add texture to everyday looks with this edgy style! You'll be sure to look a cut above the rest when wearing this beaut, which features unique cut leather, side zip closure and a stacked block heel. Team with fitted denim and cosy knits this winter and let these boots elevate your entire look!


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Stargate Global
The Royalsjames2018-12-19T18:33:42+02:00
The Royals is an American prime time television soap opera that premiered on E! on March 15, 2015. Created by Mark Schwahn and starring Elizabeth Hurley, it is the network's first scripted series. The show began as a loose adaptation of the Michelle Ray novel Falling for Hamlet. E! renewed The Royals for a second season two months before its debut, and picked up a third season on January 5, 2016. E! renewed the series for a fourth season on February 16, 2017; the fourth season premiered on March 11, 2018. On August 16, 2018, it was announced that E! had canceled the series after four seasons. Additionally, it was reported that Lionsgate Television was shopping the series to other networks with discussions already underway for a pick-up by sister network Pop.
Hurley stars as Queen Helena, a fictional contemporary queen consort of England, along with William Moseley and Alexandra Park as her twin children, Prince Liam and Princess Eleanor; Jake Maskall as Helena's brother-in-law and nemesis, the new King Cyrus; Tom Austen as Eleanor's bodyguard and blackmailer, Jasper Frost; and Oliver Milburn as Ted Pryce, the Royal Family's head of security. Season 1 also starred Vincent Regan as Helena's husband, King Simon, and Merritt Patterson as Liam's love interest, Ophelia Pryce.
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What To Watch: 5 Family Movies That Adults And Kids Can Enjoy
By Dorynna Untivero
Cover Mary Poppins Returns | Photo: IMDB
Here are a few tried-and-true blockbusters that are enjoyable for kids, adults, and everyone in between!
Tired of rewatching the kids' favourite TV shows? Take control of next weekend's family movie time with these fun picks that are surely enjoyable for viewers of all ages. Don't be left out of the fun and give these A+ flicks a try.
1. Mary Poppins Returns
Above Mary Poppins Returns | Photo: IMDB
With Emily Blunt in the titular role, audiences (of all ages) will surely enjoy her quirky and charismatic portrayal of the iconic character. Lin Manuel-Miranda adds his own flair to the film as well, playing the jolly lamplighter, Jack. Chockfull of musical numbers and whimsical moments, Mary Poppins Returns is a great movie to watch even with young kids.
See Also: 12 Best Movie Musicals To Watch—A Star is Born, Grease, Chicago, And More
2. Inside Out
Above Inside Out | Photo: Disney Movies
Anyone else cry during the Bing-bong scene? Relive this incredibly touching movie with the rest of the family and discover the inner-workings of one's emotional life. Although this animated film was primarily marketed for young adults, there's no shortage of life lessons to be found here, no matter your age.
3. Soul
Above Soul | Photo: Disney Movies
Looking for a reason to watch Soul? How about two Oscars under its belt? Taking home the coveted Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Score, this movie is a must-watch for its beautiful writing and overall execution. Raising questions about selfhood, being, and one's purpose on earth—there's plenty to enjoy and ponder upon. For a more in-depth review of this film, read here.
See Also: How Pixar's New Movie, Soul, Raised Timely Questions About One's Purpose
Above Coco | Photo: Disney Movies
Another animated feature that's a feast for the eyes, Coco is definitely not one to miss. With something for every member of the family, this heart-wrenching film explores existence after death. A few musical numbers are thrown in, there's a betrayal or two, and even a nerve-wracking action sequence—Coco will keep you on your toes and your kids' eyes glued on the screen (at least for once).
5. Enchanted
Above Enchanted | Photo: Disney Movies
Oh, Giselle! There are so many reasons to love and rewatch this now-iconic film, but the chemistry between Patrick Dempsey and Amy Adams definitely takes the cake. With ridiculous villains, over-the-top song numbers, the busy streets of New York, and a dotting father falling head-over-heels for a cartoon princess come to life... some adults might just end up enjoying this even more than their little ones!
Above Zootopia | Photo: Disney Movies
This animated feature film is surprisingly thought-provoking. Touching on themes about society, fairness, and even justice, Zootopia will surely keep you at the edge of your seat (despite its uber-cute characters). It's a great movie to see with young kids as a fun teachable moment beckons in the horizon as the end credits roll.
Above Mulan | Photo: Disney Movies
Yes, not the live feature version. Follow this film's eponymous lead as she high-kicks her way around challenges and unsightly villains; all the while, discover lessons about duty, family, and selfhood. Not to mention, you'll have the soundtrack on repeat soon after you finish the film. Don't miss out on Lea Salonga's iconic performance of Reflection.
More From Tatler: Yes, Lea Salonga Is A BTS Fan—And More Facts We Learned About Her Recently
Family Movies Movie Recommendations


"Serenity," opened with actress Gina Torres among the lead roles, is adapted from Joss Whedon's 2002 TV show "Firefly," which also starred Torres as the second in command on a space ship (Serenity) as it tries to survive a galactic war some 500 years in the future.
The show was cancelled by Fox after one season, despite a deluge of rabid fans demanding the show be given another chance. When its 14 completed episodes came out on DVD, stores couldn't keep the discs in stock. Universal Pictures stepped in with the no-brainer to adapt the popular series into a film, and suddenly the cast and crew of "Firefly" found themselves back under the guidance of writer-director Joss Whedon, and with a renewed sense of confidence.
One of the challenges of resurrecting a dead television series for filmgoers who may have never heard of "Firefly" is unraveling the back story for new fans without boring the old ones. Torres says that the characters' histories are cleverly revealed in the first 15 minutes, thanks to the writing wizardry of Whedon – the scribe behind TV's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." The long-running Sarah Michelle Gellar series also enjoyed die-hard fans that helped sustain the show during its early years. The undeniable common denominator is the writer, whom Torres and the rest of the cast credit for the film's pre-existing following.
"'Firefly' had a short run and they found us anyway," says Torres of the fans. "When the DVD sets hit the stands, they were gone inside of 48 hours. That, to me, just spoke to the fans and their commitment to us, and trying to make us successful, which is unbelievable.
Torres' next big screen project is "Five Fingers," a film due next year that pairs her with husband, Laurence Fishburne in the story of a Dutchman (Ryan Phillippe) who is abducted by a terrorist (Fishburne) while in Morocco to set up a food charity.
Both Torres and Fishburne have worked together just once before, although barely, on "The Matrix Revolutions." On the opposite side of the budget scale, the extremely indie "Five Fingers" offered the couple their first chance to work closely together on screen.
"It was everything that we hoped it would be," Torres said of the experience. "We're two very strong people and have strong convictions about work and character and approach. The fact that we were able to come together and create something was wonderful. The fact it was a low-budget movie and we didn't have a whole lot of time, and we were all working towards the same end just made that whole experience better.