Whilst in England for the Christmas holidays, Hayley – my brother Adam's fiancée – discretely suggested the idea of me popping over to surprise my mum for Mothers' Day in March. I thought this was a brilliant idea, and would be a great opportunity for me to get some revenge for the surprise leaving party they had organized for me in September last year.
The idea would be for me to get a flight over and make my way to my parents' house without my mum knowing, and then to nonchalantly walk into the living room as if my being there was a normal, everyday occurrence. I knew this would be a big surprise for my mum, and was very excited at the prospect of making Mothers' Day something special this year – it would certainly beat the normal gift of flowers or Daim bars.
The problem I had was that I didn't have a job, and therefore had no money coming in to pay for the flights. To complicate things further, Christelle and I were about to start renting an apartment of our own in Switzerland, and would therefore be spending pretty much all of our savings on furniture and all the other things one has to pay when moving to a new place. Luckily, my brothers and sisters (including sisters-in-law) came to the rescue and paid for the flight for me. This was, after all, a group present to my mum, and it was rather fitting that all her children pitched in to ensure the surprise could go ahead as planned.
So, with the flight booked – I was to arrive on the Saturday morning, an early Mothers' Day present – all that was left now was to decide exactly how we should give mum her surprise. Many emails were exchanged offering different ideas for the surprise, ranging from putting me in a large box like an oversized gift, to me ringing the doorbell whilst wearing some sort of disguise (Jeremy Beadle-style). Eventually we settled on a plan that we were all happy with, and began the countdown until Mothers' Day.
When the big day finally came, I headed to Geneva airport with a childish glint in my eye, looking forward to the prospect of giving my mum one of the biggest shocks of her life (in a nice, non-heart attack-inducing kind of way). I had planned to get to the gate early to ensure I was there well in advance of the boarding, but things didn't quite work out according to plan. After shuffling through an enormous queue at security, I checked the flight departures board and saw that the easyJet flight to London Luton would be leaving from Gate B43.
"Lovely jubbly", I thought, as I had flown from that gate countless times before and knew exactly where to go. I left the baggage checking area and passed through passport control, then arrived at the gate, where I became profoundly confused – the flight to London Luton was nowhere to be seen. The screen above the gate said the next flight to leave would be headed to Madrid, which, although tempting, wasn't really what I was looking for.
I hurried back down the stairs and checked the nearest departure board, only to find that my flight was now apparently leaving from gate D10 – which is at the complete opposite end of the airport, a good 15-20 minute walk away. I quickly left the gate, passed back through the passport control point, and followed the signs on the wall for gate D10, walking as fast as I could – I had no intention of missing this flight.
All of a sudden, I found myself standing in the baggage collection area. I had no idea how I had arrived there, as I was supposed to be on my way to the gate. I retraced my steps back to the sign pointing the way to my gate, only to end up next to the suitcases again. By this time I was becoming increasingly concerned at the prospect of missing my flight, and therefore destroying the surprise that we had so carefully planned. Hot, bothered and slightly frantic, I started to walk around the entire baggage collection area, looking for the magic doorway that would take me where I needed to go.
Just as I was about to reach my wits' end, an airport employee sauntered over and asked me where I was trying to go – I didn't know if he had been watching me for a while and laughing to himself at my struggle, but quite frankly I didn't care, I just needed help. I told him that I needed to find gate D10 but could not see how to get there. He ushered me to a little hand baggage scanning machine off to one side, where there were no other people and no signs of life.
Confused, I popped my bag on the conveyor and Airport Savior Man scanned it through, then told me to take the nearby elevator up to the 3rd floor and keep walking straight until I found my gate. I was puzzled as I had never had to do this to get to gate D10 before, but by this time I was desperate enough to try anything – boarding was due to start in 30 minutes.
Luckily for me, Savior Man was right. I exited the elevator as instructed and found the sign shining the way to gate D10. After a very brisk walk (I was almost running – Nelly would be proud of my walking speed!), I arrived at the gate, just as they called for the passengers who had purchased Speedy Boarding to come forward. Trying to look calm, I casually strolled over to the desk, presented my boarding card and passport to the somewhat homely looking easyJet lady, and proceeded to take my seat on the plane.
An overwhelming sense of relief took over from the fear of missing the flight, and I was able to relax into my seat ready for the flight. The familiar buzz of excitement began to surface once again, and I couldn't help smiling to myself as I imagined the look on my mum's face as her surprise is revealed to her. Whether the other easyJet passengers thought I was some kind of nutcase for grinning like a Cheshire cat to no one but myself, I will never know.
The plane made it safely to England, and my sister Steph picked me up outside the airport. After a brief stop at ASDA in Stevenage to pick up a Mothers' Day card and some flowers, we went back to my parents' house in Datchworth. As part of our master plan, Hayley had taken my mum shopping in the morning to keep her out of the way while I was smuggled into the house.
So, I had time for a cup of coffee and a chat with my dad, brothers and Kelly, before we received word from Hayley that they were on their way back from the town, meaning it was time for me to hide.
Our clever plan was for me to hide in Adam and Hayley's room while my mum came back into the house. We guessed she would then spend a few minutes putting her shopping away before settling down in the living room, where someone was supposed to offer to make a round of teas and coffees.
All the mugs would then be dished out to my family in the living room, except for my mum's cup of tea – I would then bring this in to her as if it was nothing out of the ordinary, and wait for the shock to set in.
When my mum and Hayley finally arrived home, I had been squashed down the side of Adam and Hayley's bed for at least 10 minutes. It was not comfortable at all, but I didn't care as I was too excited about the impending moment of surprise. I could hear my mum's voice as she busied herself putting things away, and the excitement inside me began to grow – I found it very hard to stop myself from laughing, knowing any sound could potentially give the game away.
I then heard Adam offer to make a round of drinks, and Hayley tried to get my mum to sit down in the living room, something that is easier said than done. I listened intently to the sounds coming from the other room, as repeated gentle suggestions to my mum were uttered, encouraging her to sit down while they sorted out the drinks.
Mum then asked everyone what they want for lunch, and I had a sudden vision of being squeezed into my little hiding place for another hour, while my family helped themselves to sandwiches and crisps. I hadn't eaten anything that morning and so was starving at this point, meaning the prospect of listening to others happily munching away was not a very appealing one.
Fortunately for me and my stomach, I heard Adam tell my mum that he will take care of the lunch, and that she should sit down for a minute while they do the drinks. Another minute or so passed, and then came my reprieve from uncomfortable hiding – Hayley came into the room and handed me my mum's cup of tea; it was time for the surprise.
My heart began to thump with excitement as I stood in the hallway and waited for Hayley to take her seat. Then I walked into the living room.
My mum was sitting on the floor concentrating on trying to set up the new phone she had bought for herself. She isn't particularly interested in gadgets and electronic gizmos, so configuring a new mobile phone requires her to focus on what she was doing. That helped me to walk into the room completely unnoticed. I stood right next to my mum (who was still oblivious to my presence), lowered the cup of tea in front of her and said, "Cup of tea for you mum", expecting her to jump up in surprise on hearing my voice.
What I got instead was a "Thank you dear", as she took the cup of tea from me. A couple of confused seconds passed, as my mum's brain tried to work out why the person she thought was Adam bringing her a coffee had Paul's voice and Paul's arm. Then she looked up at me and the realization hit her – she sprang up (after carefully placing the tea on the table) and gave me a huge hug, as tears of joy formed in her eyes.
The surprise was complete, and I don't think it could have gone any better, especially as we all collapsed into laughter over my mum not recognizing her eldest son.
It's a shame there isn't any audio of the moment when mum said "Thank you dear" as she accepted a hot beverage from her surprise visitor, without realizing who he was.
The moment of surprise now finished, we spent the rest of the weekend playing the Sonic Racing game that I had bought my dad as a belated birthday present, in between popping out for a meal at the Raj Tandoori in Knebworth and enjoying the delicious "bird-in-a-bird-in-a-bird" roast lunch cooked by Adam and James.
All in all, it was a brilliant weekend. I was sad to have to leave again on the Sunday afternoon after such a brief visit, but happy in the knowledge that the surprise we had been planning since Christmas had been such a success.
On the flight back to Switzerland I was once again a smiling nutcase, this time grinning at the memory of the moment of surprise. Mission accomplished.


text:
HIV continues to spread in most countries of the world. Understanding of the virus is growing, but many behavioural aspects of the epidemic remain incompletely documented and poorly understood. Changes in HIV infection rates over time have been hard to interpret in many contexts because programmes frequently lack complementary information on changes in behaviour. National prevention programmes are sometimes designed with only limited understanding of the size of various populations vulnerable to HIV and the nature and determinants of risk among them. The impacts of prevention programmes on behaviour often remain uncertain because behavioural data is not collected or is seriously incomplete.
These gaps in knowledge are to an extent inherent in the nature of HIV. The virus is spread mainly by behaviours - sexual and drug taking - that are generally private, sometimes illegal, and often difficult to discuss openly. These behaviours are also very dynamic, sometimes altering radically in short periods of time as social and economic changes sweep through countries. But they are the engines driving the epidemic. Unless efforts are made to understand and quantify these behaviours more thoroughly, it will not be possible to gauge who in the population is at risk of infection or to measure changes in behaviour that may increase or reduce people's risk of and vulnerability to HIV. The result then, will be poor and inefficient use of available resources, producing responses with only limited effectiveness.
In recent years, many national AIDS programmes have, together with their national and international partners, begun to collect information on behaviour that puts people at risk of HIV infection. Several countries have found this information invaluable in persuading people to support action against AIDS. It has also been useful in devising and directing effective programmes aimed at cutting risk behaviour, and in demonstrating that people are indeed behaving more safely.
As experience with collecting information about behaviour has grown, it has become apparent that countries have different needs and that behavioural data can meet those needs in different ways, using a variety of methodologies and instruments.
This document aims to describe the contribution behavioural data can make to the planning, execution, and monitoring of HIV prevention activities. It considers the available tools and recommends a minimum data collection package that varies according to the stage a country has reached in its HIV epidemic. The purpose of this document is to guide national programmes in setting up efficient behavioural assessment and monitoring programmes to assist them in programmes design, direction, and evaluation
Compiled by Family Health International and UNAIDS, this document draws on the experience of several organizations and countries in collecting behavioural data.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Charges laid in fatal collision
The Prince Edward OPP investigation into a rollover collision Oct. 1 2010 that resulted in multiple injuries and one death has been completed and charges have been laid.
The collision occurred shortly after 8 pm at Hubbs Creek Road and Loyalist Parkway, just west of Wellington. Tyler McConnell, 18, of Bloomfield was ejected when the vehicle rolled and died as a result. A 16-year-old male passenger from Hallowell, and the driver, received serious injuries.
Jordan Paul HOLMES, age 21 of Wellington, has been charged with the following criminal offences: Impaired Operation of a Vehicle Causing Death, Impaired Operation of a Vehicle Causing Bodily Harm, Operate a Motor Vehicle with Over 80mgs, Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle Causing Death and Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle Causing Bodily Harm.
Holmes will appear in Picton court Feb. 2 to answer to the charges.
The new Prince Edward OPP page is now posted! Check daily using the OPP link in the right-hand sidebar.
Tags: fatal • OPP • police • Prince Edward County


At GreenPower Developers, our mission is to spread solar power all across America's rooftops. We're here to make going solar simple, affordable and convenient. Our team has decades of industry experience in electrical and structural engineering, solar energy system design and installation, and sola project financing. We employ crews of electricians, certified solar installers, roofers, and carpenters; all of whom are accustomed to working with various racking systems, inverters and solar systems giving us an edge over other industry firms.
Our broad-reaching procurement process guarantees you the best technology at the best price. We never enter into binding partnerships with our suppliers. This allows us to remain unbiased in our product recommendations, as well as enabling us to maximize cost efficiency.
The products we use are the very best mono- and polycrystalline silicon PV modules, thin film amorphous silicon and cadmium telluride (CdTe) technologies, ballasted and penetrating racking systems and inverters. Our solar systems are designed to be virtually maintenance-free during the lifetime of the system installation. Our products and services are backed by industry leading warranties and a company dedicated to a world-class, worry-free customer experience.


text:
Q: Connection to voltdb within container fails with connection refused According to the information on docker hub (https://hub.docker.com/r/voltdb/voltdb-community/) I was able to start the three nodes after adding the nodenames to my /etc/hosts file. Commands I executed:
docker pull voltdb/voltdb-community:latest

docker network create -d bridge voltLocalCluster
docker run -d -P -e HOST_COUNT=3 -e HOSTS=node1,node2,node3 --name=node1 --network=voltLocalCluster voltdb/voltdb-community:latest
docker run -d -P -e HOST_COUNT=3 -e HOSTS=node1,node2,node3 --name=node2 --network=voltLocalCluster voltdb/voltdb-community:latest
docker run -d -P -e HOST_COUNT=3 -e HOSTS=node1,node2,node3 --name=node3 --network=voltLocalCluster voltdb/voltdb-community:latest
docker exec -it node1 bash

sqlcmd
> Output:
Unable to connect to VoltDB cluster
    localhost:21212 - Connection refused

According to log files the voltdb has started and is running normally.
Does anyone have an idea why the connection is refused?

A: You have to follow the given example and fix your HOSTS argument.
It should be HOSTS=node1,node2,node3 instead of yours, thus you let your service know about all nodes in cluster.

A: There might exists a bug in the docker-entrypoint.sh I don't see yet because I shouldn't need to connect into the container and run these commands manually, but doing this solved my issue:
docker exec -it node1 bash
voltdb init
voltdb start

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
AirAsia's Flight8501 Black Box Believed To Be Located
AirAsia Indonesia has released updates on the search for flight QZ 8501. According to officials, SAR vessels and sea divers approached the area where pings were detected. Pings from the black box were discovered about 100 feet below the surface of the Java Sea.
Good weather and clear visibility have allowed for SAR operations to continue with the focus remaining on the search and recovery of the passengers in the primary search area.
In Surabaya, the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Police Department of Republic of Indonesia (DVI POLRI) today announced that they were able to identify three more remains: 1 Indonesian known as Vera Chandra Kho (female) and 2 South Koreans, identified as Kyung Hwa Lee (female) and Seongbeom Park (male).
To date, BASARNAS has confirmed to have recovered a total of 48 remains of which 32 remains have been identified by DVI POLRI and 16 remains are still being identified.


Cool. I thought of doing something like that, but wanted to make a non-desktop-specific solution. Still, I'd like to see it if you've posted it somewhere.
Sorry, new to Linux, running Kubuntu. Tried to install xjig, but the only thing I can see is the sample picture, no menu so far. How do I accomplish this?
Will, my changes are still experimental and are not in the official package included in Kubuntu.
This may or may not work for your particular version of Kubuntu. It's a matter of whether the dependencies can be satisfied within your distribution or not.


Digital Lifestyle Outfitters (DLO) on Friday introduced the Portable Speakers for iPhone, an amplified portable speaker system designed especially for the iPhone it costs $49.95.
The speaker system includes a removable rotating stand that holds the iPhone upright or horizontally. When not in use, each speaker snaps into the base to create a portable "ball" about six inches in diameter. It's powered by two AAA batteries or an included AC adapter.
The system isn't subject to TDMA interference -- it uses the iPhone's headphone jack instead (it's also compatible with any other headphone jack-equipped device. As a result, you can use your iPhone as a "speaker phone" when it's plugged into the system.


We write articles and program robots that analyze the media and social networks. Then the most important is going to the pages of the project. Readers receive information faster and more accurately than others. Welcome to our media ship.
The online magazine "HybridTechCar» (hybridtechcar.com) – daily illustrated edition, publishes information and entertainment content.
The basis of the content of the news from the world of photographic material of art, AUTO,design, nature, technology, leisure, business, entertainment, and other things. The project was launched in August 2013 and today is one of the best resources of this type.
Log is maintained in the form of a blog – the most popular and convenient format for reading news.


In the medical profession, offices, waiting rooms, and restrooms gather dangerous germs that can cause serious illnesses for patients, staff, and others. Older patients or those with weakened immune systems are especially susceptible to catching a virus from an unhygienic medical facility.
Patients should feel comfortable and safe when visiting your office. Therefore, proper cleaning must be a priority. Your facility's cleaning routine should be simple, effective, and easy to follow. Here are a few tips to help you maintain a hygienic, clean medical office.
You may be surprised to learn that there is a difference between cleaning and disinfecting. Cleaning removes surface-level dirt and grime from floors and countertops. Disinfecting kills germs and and viruses invisible to the naked eye. For hospitals and doctors' offices, disinfecting is an essential aspect of any cleaning routine.
In the office, sterilize used instruments and set aside designated containers for biohazard waste. Furthermore, make sure that hand sanitizers and soap are readily available to staff and patients. This will help prevent the spread of flu and other viruses. Disinfectant wipes are best for cleaning up spills or any other mess.
All disinfectants should be EPA-approved and color-coded to avoid cross contamination. Towels with microfiber technology best absorb dust and germs. Finally, use a powerful HEPA multi-filtered vacuum for the cleanest possible workspace.
Restrooms are often one of the most unsanitary rooms in the office. To keep it as clean as possible, post hand washing reminders beside sinks in bathrooms. Encourage your staff to wash their hands after each visit with patients and every trip to the restroom.
Ensure that paper towels and soap are always kept in stock. Hard surfaces such as doorknobs, toilet seats, and sinks should also be regularly disinfected to protect the health of patients.
In addition to endangering the safety of staff and patients, your business may acquire a negative reputation if restrooms are unsanitary.
To avoid falling behind on cleaning, schedule regular visits by a professional cleaning service likes BES Cleaning. A professional service can develop cleaning protocols and checklists that comply with federal regulations and can be easily followed by medical staff.
Without frequent cleaning, you risk missing corners, counters, or even entire rooms. If cleaning schedules aren't coordinated, a team of different staff members might become confused about when rooms were last cleaned and your office will be less sanitary. A professional cleaning service can help avoid these issues.
At BES Cleaning, our expert staff comply with federal and industry regulations and arrive equipped with EPA-approved cleaning supplies and disinfectant. For a sparkling clean medical office, schedule an appointment with BES. Reach us online or at (843) 873-6263. Your patients and staff will thank you!


BMW CERTIFIED, PREMIUM PACKAGE, COLD WEATHER PKG, NAVIGATION GPS NAV, REAR BACK UP CAMERA, ORIGINAL MSRP $66,495.00! HEATED FRONT SEATS, 4-Zone Automatic Climate Control, Comfort Access Keyless Entry, Heated Rear Seats, Heated Steering Wheel, Retractable Headlight Washers, Satellite Radio.
CARFAX One-Owner. Clean CARFAX. Odometer is 8279 miles below market average!


Located in a off the path quiet neighborhood. This very contemporary 1 and a half level home has hand laid tile throughout and a one of a kind staircase that was custom built along with many other unique features. The kitchen has a stainless steel ceiling and back splash making clean and maintenance up a breeze! There are sliding glass doors off the dining area that lead you to a very private patio and park like yard. Luscious green grass, mature trees and full privacy fence for those nights to cozy up to a fire. The master has a sunken in tile tub great for soaking in and a ample sized walk in closet. There is another nice sized bedroom,full bath with more beautiful tile and storage and laundry room all on the main floor. Up stairs is a fun loft with bright skylights, hardwood and a 3rd bedroom with or office space. Don't forget about the detached 2 car garage which also has additional storage with a pull down staircase . This is definitely a must see for yourself property !! Call your favorite agent today to set up a showing !!
I am interested in 1408 Cottonwood Ave Sw, Minot, ND 58701.


Many of our large, lush, exotic and most treasured houseplants are tropical in origin. While they may differ a great deal in appearance, they all share a love of warmth and bright light that reminds them of "home" in the tropical rain forests.
In their tropical homeland there are usually two distinct seasons: wet and dry. The wet season corresponds to our summer months when the tropics are steamy, wet and hot.
The dry season corresponds to our winters when conditions are cooler, sunny and very dry, sometimes with no rain at all for months! To grow tropical plants indoors we need to attempt to recreate these conditions for our tropical friends to feel happy and stay healthy.
Thus in winter keep these plants in a bright, warm spot (attempt to keep temperatures above 15 C degrees), out of cold drafts and water very sparingly. A 15cm (6") pot might get one or two tablespoons of water a week!
Once the weather warms in spring increase the watering and start feeding regularly while maintaining very bright light. If you wish to take cuttings or need to prune the plant back do so once active growth has begun in the spring/summer.
If you want rapid growth rates at "jungle" speed just increase the temperature, light moisture and food. Many of these tropical rainforest plants are very active producers of oxygen and can kill bacteria and remove toxins from home and office air very quickly.
Because of this factor and their hardiness they are popular subjects of plant hire services and will probably be the plants used to supply clean air in NASA's space stations of the near future.
Among the easiest to grow are: DIEFFENBACHIA, sometimes known as the Dumb Cane because the plant's juices if chewed can temporarily paralyse the vocal chords (don't try this as the resultant burning sensation in the mouth is not a pretty picture).
The plants rise on stout canes topped with beautiful, broad, spade-like leaves often speckled or frosted with white, cream or silver creating an exotic palm-like appearance. They will withstand low light if kept warm and very dry in winter.
DRACAENA are members of the lily family that closely resemble our native cabbage trees (once classified as dracaena australis). They arise on stout woody canes topped with colourful, long, thin, spear-like leaves that are exceedingly decorative in an architectural way. These can tolerate dark, dry spots for extended periods. Under ideal conditions dracaenas like massangeana, the Chinese Happy Plant, produce exotic, deeply fragrant blooms that by Chinese tradition reward the grower with lifelong blessings of good fortune. Perhaps we should call it the Lotto Plant!
FICUS includes the weeping fig, fiddle leaf fig, the fruiting fig and hundreds more. These are hardy trees that can grow to considerable size making them invaluable wherever a large, dramatic splash of green is needed.
Ficus are hardy enough to withstand most home and office conditions easily if not over watered in winter. Grouped together these lovely plants can create a little piece of tropical paradise that will warm even a cold winters day!


text:
Bayer, Bee Action, bees, EU ban, Friends of the Earth, George Monbiot, Monsanto, neonicotinoids, neonics, science-based decisions, Syngenta
May 2014: The bees can't Bayer it
I've just spent three back-breaking days digging a hole. Well, when I say "digging a hole", I mean excavating rocks and boulders from the sand which passes for soil everywhere in my garden except the raised beds. (And when I say "back-breaking", I actually mean butt-aching, as my underutilised glutes scream in protest.)
Why would I put myself through this? Because, when I looked around my small garden, I realised something was missing. Starting in late-April, I have apple blossom for the bees. In late May, the Ceanothus flowers.
I have never in my life seen anything as attractive to bees as this shrub.
After that, the bee-pickings are a bit slim until the blackberry flowers.
I need more bee-friendly plants in my small garden and the only way to ensure the survival of these plants is to dig a hole. I don't mind the aching derriere, because, let's face it, the bees need all the help they can get.
The collapse of bee populations in the past decade has been widely reported, with speculation that loss of habitat, parasites and disease have played a role. Certainly these things can affect the health of bees, but the balance of scientific research points the finger at family of insecticides called neonicotinoids (or "neonics").
Since their commercial introduction in the 1990s, neonics have become the most widely used insecticides in the agribusiness industry. They are commonly sold in garden and DIY shops and used to coat various crop seeds (including corn, wheat, cotton, soya beans and canola),effectively turning the entire plant into an insecticide.
Early tests on the effects of neonics on bees (mostly controlled experiments in cages or greenhouses) concluded that low-dose exposure would not be sufficient to kill large number of bees. However, these studies also suggested exposure did have an impact on bee behaviour, not least their ability to learn, gather food and navigate.
Alarm bells should have been clanging deafeningly at this point, but some years would pass before this information was connected with the Colony Collapse Disorder which has wiped out hundreds of millions – if not billions – of bees in the past few years. (Environmental writer George Monbiot has described neonics as "the new DDT: a class of poisons licensed for widespread use before they had been properly tested, which are now ripping the natural world apart".)
More recent studies did sound the alarm. For example, a 2012 study by French scientists found that as a result of exposure to the neonic thiamethoxam (manufactured by Syngenta) up to a third of honeybees fail to return to the colony after release for a day of foraging. The study would seem to confirm that neonic exposure hampers to ability of bees to navigate their way back to the colony.
A UK study published the same year, examined a colony of bumblebees exposed to a field-realistic dose of imidacloprid (manufactured by Bayer) and then allowed to forage for six weeks. At the end of this period the exposed colony was 10% smaller than would be expected of an unexposed bee colony and, more alarmingly, produced 85% fewer queens. Lest the appalling significance of this latter finding escape you, ponder this: All bumblebees, except the queens, die with the onset of winter. The survival of bumblebees depends on queens establishing new colonies in the spring.
Last year, as evidence continued to link neonic exposure to colony collapse, the EU took a science-based decision (yes, Prime Minister Harper, a science-based decision) to ban the use of the three most commonly-used neonics – thiamethoxam, imidacloprid and clothianadin (also manufactured by Bayer) – for two years, during which further research can assess the health of bee colonies.
Just this month, the Bulletin of Insectology published a second Harvard School of Public Health study linking neonic exposure to over-winter collapse of honeybee colonies. Lead scientist Chensung Lu told the Guardian: "We demonstrated that neonicotinoids are highly likely to be responsible for triggering 'colony collapse disorder' in honeybee hives that were healthy prior to the arrival of winter." (Translation: in science-speak "highly likely" means "holy shit – do something!")
Not surprisingly, Canadian beekeepers have been calling for a similar ban since the mass bee die-off in Ontario and Quebec during the neonic-treated corn planting season. Despite Ontario government scientists confirming the link, the best the province can come up with is the recently announced Beekeeper Financial Assistance Program. The program offers beekeepers a one-off payment of just over $100 per hive, if they lose more than 40% of their hives this year. Needless to say, Ontario beekeepers are not impressed.
So what exactly are neonic manufacturers Bayer and Syngenta (and Monsanto, a major user of neonics to coat their GMO seeds) doing about the latest environmental disaster they've created?
As revealed in "Follow the Honey", an excellent new report commissioned by Friends of the Earth and Bee Action, they are using the tobacco and oil industry playbook to deflect attention. The all-too-familiar key elements are bull shit (spin), obfuscation (deny the science) and bribery (lobbying). Oh, yes, and when all else fails, sue any government that dares to ban your product. Which is exactly how Bayer responded to the EU ban.
I dig my hole to protect the bees. The chemical industry (with government assistance) digs a money pit in which to bury them forever.
Not for the first time I wonder why the hell we're not rioting in the streets.
From → Columns
« June 2014: Yes we CANA get out the vote
April 2014: Would you credit it? »


I had a great time at the Fremont iPhone Photography Photowalk Meetup tonight. This is a 12 stitch image of the Fremont Bridge and Adobe building north of Seattle.
It isn't often that I capture architecture in a pano form but I really liked the gardens in front of the buildings.
Online courses start again on Monday, May 14th. Sign up soon.


text:
GM's Mary Barra to replace Akerson as CEO
Shattering the glass sunroof.
By Thierry Godard
General Motors announced today the appointment of Mary Barra as its next CEO. Barra will replace GM's current CEO, Daniel Akerson, on January 15, 2014. Akerson, who was appointed CEO following the 2009 bailout, was responsible for bringing GM back from the brink of extinction. The development of some of the most exciting products in GM's history, like the Chevrolet SS, Corvette Stingray, and Cadillac CTS-V (and the new CTS Vsport), are also part of Akerson's legacy.
Mary Barra, who joins the General Motors board of directors at a relatively young 51 years old, has spent the last 33 years working for the company, most recently as Executive Vice President of Global Product Development, Purchasing, and Supply Chain.
Barra's appointment makes her the first female CEO of a major American automotive manufacturer. Her appointment puts her in the elite company of 22 other female CEOs who currently head Fortune 500 companies. GM's announcement follows the release of the US Treasury Department's statement that it had sold its last shares of GM stock for a $10 billion loss on Monday.


text:
// Copyright (c) 2017-2019 The Bitcoin Core developers
// Distributed under the MIT software license, see the accompanying
// file COPYING or http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php.

#ifndef BITCOIN_NODE_TRANSACTION_H
#define BITCOIN_NODE_TRANSACTION_H

#include <attributes.h>
#include <primitives/transaction.h>
#include <util/error.h>

struct NodeContext;

/**
 * Submit a transaction to the mempool and (optionally) relay it to all P2P peers.
 *
 * Mempool submission can be synchronous (will await mempool entry notification
 * over the CValidationInterface) or asynchronous (will submit and not wait for
 * notification), depending on the value of wait_callback. wait_callback MUST
 * NOT be set while cs_main, cs_mempool or cs_wallet are held to avoid
 * deadlock.
 *
 * @param[in]  node reference to node context
 * @param[in]  tx the transaction to broadcast
 * @param[out] &err_string reference to std::string to fill with error string if available
 * @param[in]  max_tx_fee reject txs with fees higher than this (if 0, accept any fee)
 * @param[in]  relay flag if both mempool insertion and p2p relay are requested
 * @param[in]  wait_callback, wait until callbacks have been processed to avoid stale result due to a sequentially RPC.
 * return error
 */
NODISCARD TransactionError BroadcastTransaction(NodeContext& node, CTransactionRef tx, std::string& err_string, const CAmount& max_tx_fee, bool relay, bool wait_callback);

#endif // BITCOIN_NODE_TRANSACTION_H

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Note: You can still connect to the ZTE Pocket Wifi even if there is no Cellular Data getting to the device. This is called a network connection.
Once updated, you should have connection again. This will get the ZTE Pocket Wifi back on track to receive a signal, to broadcast Wi-Fi to the device you want to use.
into the address bar and press Enter. The Pocket Wi-Fi home page opens.
2. Type your Pocket Wi-Fi Web Interface password in the Password field and click Log In to display the home page.
Note: Please read User guide to browse and use the Web Interface.


Continuing my walk along the Bay Trail, there was no shortage of water birds on display.
The Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa) was nestled down in the grass and hiding in the shadows.
The Chestnut Teals (Anas castanea) were all inactive and enjoying some quiet time.
This Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) swam up to me. I suspect it associates people with food and does not have any fear of humans.
This Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos) flew by and I had no time for composing the picture, it was a quick snap and hope for the best. A little way down the path I found it settled on a rock, however as you can see in the picture below, it did contemplate moving on as I approached. Once I had the photo I wanted I continued on and it relaxed.
As I continued my walk a Yellow-billed Spoonbill (Platalea flavipes) flew by however the photo I got of it in flight was blurred. However, I did manage a shot of it landing.
Last Friday, I was able to visit the Jawbone Conservation Park. Weatherwise, I could not have picked a better day. After a week of dull grey skies, Friday was the complete opposite – bright blue sky and warm autumn sun.
I entered from the carpark at the intersection of Maddox and Kororoit Roads and headed east along the Bay Trail.
Paisley – Challis Wetlands Stormwater Drain – iPhone image.
A pair of Black-winged Stilts (Himantopus himantopus) were feeding in one of the wetland ponds.
(Himantopus himantopus) feeding in a wetland pond.
A Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia) – Preening under the watchful eyes of the Australian White Ibis.
Further down the trail, a Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos) was busy diving for his dinner.
There are too many photos I wish to share so I will save them for future posts.
Lake Corangamite, situated on the volcanic plains of western Victoria, is Australia's largest permanent salt lake. At one stage its water was five times saltier than the ocean, however after good rains last year it is now considered to be as salty as the ocean.
From atop Red Rock, a sleeping volcano, you over look the lake to the west. From that point there are also good views of the volcanic craters.
Lake Corangamite has never been dry, however, with drought conditions over the past decade or more, the water level has receded. Good rains last winter has ensured the waterline has expanded by about 100 to 200 metres.
Lake Corangamite is one of nine Ramsar wetlands listed in the area. It is considered a vital part of the environment and to birdlife.
The other day I made my first visit for 2017 to Jawbone Flora and Fauna Reserve. I find this Reserve a good spot for birding – especially waterbirds.
On entering the Reserve, my first sighting was the juvenile Black Swans (Cygnus atratus) sleeping in the reeds. There was a strong cool breeze blowing and the reeds gave them protection.
Most of the birds were inactive, the Pied Cormorants (Phalacrocorax varius) were busy preening while others were content to look on.
If travelling to Melbourne I can highly recommend a visit to Jawbone Flora and Fauna Reserve.


text:
Arrangements made to bring stranded people due to blockade in Nagaland: Biren
He said there is no border dispute in the area and it is only an organization which is demanding removal of police post from Dzuko valley from the Manipur side.
Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Saturday informed the House that the state government will be trying to bring stranded people due to blockade of Manipur bound vehicles in Nagaland.
Biren said a team headed by a Minister has been trying to resolve the matter by camping in the border town, Mao.
The chief minister further said as people have been stranded on the highway in Assam and Nagaland waiting to come to Manipur since March 21 last due to the blockade by Southern Angami Public Organization (SAPO) of Nagaland the government has asked people to come along another highway, Jiribam to Imphal.
Biren said there are reports of frequent firing, assault of people and harassment of tourists on the Manipur side of the Dzuko valley. During a fire in the area due to lack of proper roads and facilities, help had to be taken from the centre to douse the fire.
The police outpost is 100 m from the border on the Manipur side and it is needed to protect the citizens of the area, tourists and fight natural calamities, he said. Four helicopters had to be requisitioned to douse the fire as there was no police post in the area, he said.
Fire brigade and Disaster management officials are also posted in the area as the Dzuko valley needs protection and stop illegal felling of trees, Biren said. People on both sides of the states need to resolve the matter amicably, he added . Manipur government will not compromise on security and boundary issues, the chief minister added.
Southern Angami Public Organization (SAPO) of Nagaland had imposed a total blockade of all Manipur bound vehicles in Nagaland since March 21 demanding removal of the police outpost in Manipur.
The centre and the Nagaland government were informed to stop the blockade as Manipur depends on the highway for transportation of goods and people. K Ranjit of the Congress party raising the matter in the House said many women and children and even patients were stranded on the road as they could not come to Manipur due to the blockade.
Piqued by the blockade in Nagaland which has starved Manipur of essential commodities and stopping of movement of people, E-commerce and other activities , some organizations in Assam have decided to block the highway in Assam leading to Nagaland, Ranjit said.
Due to the blockade most of the oil depots were closed down, people who had to catch train from Assam were all stranded on the highway. There is no railhead in Manipur and so people of Manipur have to go to Assam via Nagaland to board the train.
Did Goa help Goan films, asks Congress
Delhi Budget promises 20 lakh new jobs


Door Fitters Cottown Aberdeenshire: The time will inevitably come when you will want to replace one or perhaps all of your doors, and unless you're okay at do-it-yourself and possess all the required tools, you will almost certainly be searching for a local Cottown door fitter who is able to do the work for you. You might just want a new front door or back door, or possibly you've had some improvement work done on the home and you want an additional door installed, or perhaps you've decided to change all your tatty old internal doors for sparkling new ones to give your property an exciting new look. Whichever of these is the truth, you will want to find a dependable Cottown door fitter to have a look, provide you with an estimate and tackle the job for you.
So, you may be asking "where can I find a trustworthy door fitter near me?". Well, finding a decent door fitter in Cottown, Aberdeenshire might not be quite as easy as you would imagine, since virtually anyone with a few readily available tools can claim to be a door fitter without actually being confident in what they are doing. Generally you want to find a tradesman in Cottown with some carpentry qualifications to do your door installation project for you and you would prefer somebody with an established track record and whose work has been reviewed and recommended by people in the Cottown area. This could be where a visit to the Rated People trade website could be the best option for you. All you need to do is visit the site, pick the type of tradesman you need (a carpenter and joiner for internal wood doors or a window/conservatory specialist for UPVC doors), fill out the form detailing your job, and supply an approximate budget that you are allowing for the door fitting job. Before too long, you will get replies from two or three potential tradesmen, happy to do the work for you.
As soon as you've got a few quotations, you can go back to the Rated People site and check out customer reviews for the Cottown door fitters who are on your short list. You should then be in a position to make a more informed choice regarding which door fitter you opt for and be more assured that they will be able to do the job properly. If you have something against using a website like Rated People, you could always ask close friends and family to suggest a door fitter who they've used before.
Doors, much like door fitters, come in many shapes and sizes, therefore you must determine from the very beginning, exactly what it is that you want. Get your selected Cottown door fitter to double check your measurements and even source the doors for you if that is possible, that way if there are any mistakes, they are his responsibility and it is down to him to remedy them. This might prompt the question "what type of doors do I need?", and this is in fact a good question because with there being so many kinds of door to choose from, you will need to match your door to your door fitter as it were. For example, if you need some interior wooden doors fitted, a carpenter/joiner will be your man (or woman), if you need a new oak back door, again you should find yourself a carpenter/joiner, but if are looking to get a replacement UPVC door fitted, you might be better advised to seek the help of a window/conservatory or double glazing specialist.
Door Types: Here are merely a few of the sorts of doors which your local Cottown door fitter will be able to assist you with: exterior doors, patio doors, mahogany doors, wardrobe doors, hardwood doors, fire doors, walnut doors, ledge and brace doors, white interior doors, barn doors, white moulded doors (interior), composite doors, sliding doors, tri-fold doors, garage doors, moulded four panel doors, louvre doors, softwood doors, kitchen unit doors, four panel doors, glazed doors, conservatory doors, front doors, six panel doors, folding doors, french doors, under stairs doors, bi-fold doors, cottage doors, glazed front doors, internal laminate doors, UPVC doors, oak doors, pine doors.
We are happy to have helped you to pick the ideal Cottown door fitter.


text:
Otels
Brussels Tourism & Transportation Tips
Brussels National Airport (www.brusselsairport.be) is less than 20 minutes by train from the city center. "Airport City Express" trains depart from level-1 (basement) of the airport terminal building four times an hour (from 6 am to just before midnight) and stop at each of the city's three train stations: Brussels Midi, Central, and North.
An airport bus station can also be found below the Arrivals Hall (take elevators and escalators in the Diamond Area). Metered taxis outside the Arrivals Hall cost about € 30 for a trip to the city center. (Taxi for wheelchair users: Taxi Hendriks, Tel: +32 2 752 98 00)
Getting Around Brussels ... by foot, tram, bus or underground
While many sites in Brussels can be reached by walking, if you plan to take the metro, purchase one-way tickets at the metro stations and newsagents (best to have exact change for most ticket machines!). Books of unlimited 12-hour passes are also available. Tickets need to be stamped at the ticket barrier. For a map of the Brussels metro, click on www.stib.be/netplan-plan-reseau.html?l=en
Trams and buses in Brussels stop only when requested. Discounts include five- or ten-journey tickets and a two-person ticket for the weekend. Purchasing a "Tourist Passport" reduces the price for admission to a number of city attractions and includes a two-person weekend travel card. PLANITRAM is the public transport system of trams, buses and metro.
Brussels Sightseeing info
Brussels is headquarters to the European Union and NATO. There are 80 museums to discover. One hour train ride away from Brussels is Bruges (Brugge), one of the most charming and best preserved medieval cities in Europe. Also consider a visit to Antwerp (40 minutes by train), located on the River Schelde, with its 20 museums, diamond district, and the largest Gothic Church in Belgium.
Prague (Praha) Tourism & Transportation Tips
Ruzyně International Airport (airport website) is 20 km northwest of Prague's center. While the largest airport in the Czech Republic, it is not yet accessible by tram or metro, so plan to take a bus (or taxi) to connect with the metro system at Dejvická station, the end point of the metro's Green Line "A". You need buy only one ticket (since it will work for both bus and metro) and validate it only once (on the first transport you board, whether bus, tram or metro).
City buses to the City Center and metro system depart from Terminal North 1 or 2. Purchase a ticket for 26 Czech Koruna (CZK) = US$1.50 at the arrivals lobby, from orange ticket machines or from news agents. (Note that extra large suitcases may require their own half-price tickets costing 13 Czech Koruna.) Here are 4 popular bus options:
Bus route 100 brings you to Metro Yellow Line "B" at Zliĉín for a 15-minute trip to Mustek subway station (in town center).
Bus route 119 takes you to Dejvická metro station, where you can change to Metro Green Line "A" for a 20-minute trip. If you are heading for the main/central train station, transfer from this Green Line "A" to Red Line "C" at Muzeum stop ... and continue one stop until you reach the Hlavni Nadrazi stop, right underneath this main/central train station.
Bus route 179 is a longer but more interesting connector with Yellow Line B.
From midnight until 3:30 a.m., Night Bus Route 510 runs to Divoká Šárka, whence Tram # 51 will take you to Dejvická metro station, or all the way to the city center at Namesti Republiky or Wenceslas Square.
Airport Express Buses are the quickest way to get to Prague's main/central train station. They leave every 30 minutes from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. The 45-Koruna fare (US$3) includes not only travel from the airport, but also the transfer from Holešovice railway station to Prague Main/Central Station (via Czech Rail).
A taxi from the airport to central Prague will cost from 650 to 1000 CZK = US$36 to US$55.
Note: Brno International Airport lies 200 kilometers southeast of Prague. The city of Brno is in the south of Moravia, one of the Czech Republic's 3 provinces.
Prague (Praha) Train Stations
Best to reserve an international train a few weeks before traveling to Prague, especially in summer. Most international trains arrive and depart from Praha Hlavni Nadrazi (which translates literally from Czech as "Prague Main Station" but is often called "Prague Central Station" and often abbreviated as "hl.n."), in the neighborhood of Nove Město. This station offers the most complete range of facilities, including train information, currency exchange, showers, lost and found, day-use lockers, and fast food. (Note: At night you should use caution and not take strolls in the parks outside the station.)
International trains often pass through Prague's other railway stations: Praha Holesovice and Praha Smichov and Praha Masarykovo Nadrazi. Subway lines serve all these stations and are easily accessible.
Prague Tram and Underground
Prague's public transit system allows for use of the same ticket on trams, subway cars or buses. For about 20 Koruna (US$1) you can ride for 75 minutes on any of these forms of transport. A 40 Koruna ticket allows for 180 minutes of travel. Tickets are available at any coin dispenser or tobacco shop. At major subway stations, tickets for longer periods (24 hours, 3 days and 7 days) can be bought. Be sure to time-stamp your ticket when boarding bus or tram, or at the entrance to subway stations. 500-Koruna fines are possible for unstamped tickets or freeloading.
Budget tip: Consider the Prague Card for 740 Koruna (US$37), which gives you 4 days of travel, free entry to over 50 museums, other discounts, and a guidebook.
Prague Sightseeing information
Today the capital of the Czech Republic and home to 1.2 million people, Prague has been the center of the "Czech" world and Bohemian life for over 800 years. The Stare Mesto and Mala Strana districts, lying on either side of the Vltava River, together form one of Europe's best preserved old city centers. Most every street will attract your eye with its stone walkways as well as Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture.
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The 120'000 valid signatures gathered for the Swiss Responsible Business Initiative will be handed over to the Swiss government today. The constitutional amendment proposed by the initiative is based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, unanimously adopted by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011. The initiative compels Swiss-based multinational companies to undertake human rights and environmental due diligence in all their business activities abroad.
In practice, companies will have to identify, prevent, mitigate and account for how they address their adverse human rights and environmental impacts and those of the entities under their control. If a corporation does not fulfill its mandatory due diligence, it may be held to account for abuses committed by a subsidiary abroad.
The Swiss Responsible Business Initiative is supported by a broad coalition of 80 civil society organizations, which will immediately begin to prepare for the referendum's campaign.
According to a recent survey, 89% of the population wants Swiss-based companies to be compelled to respect human rights and the environment abroad. Furthermore, 92% think that corporations should ensure that companies under their control do the same. Despite the lack of political action in this regard, these numbers indicate a wide public concern for corporate responsibility.


We will keep in the topic area of recipes for smoothies to lose weight 0c and how to lose weight fast . You really have to know something about the calories in the foods that you eat. Food labels tell an important story. Now for an example.
Think about this. Both foods supply good nutrition, but one food has almost 7 times the calories. This is pretty serious. Eat limas like this every day and gain 2 to 3 pounds in a month.
If you will put some of your heart into this topic, it will give you success in return. Study this for a little while. Any way you look at recipes for smoothies to lose weight 0c and how to lose weight fast , here are some underlying principles. You are constantly burning calories in your daily activities. When you put the food into your mouth, you are putting calories into your body. With the activities of your body causing you to burn greater calories than the amount of calories eaten on that day, those additional calories will often come out of your stored body fat.
Does this sound difficult to you? It is easy. In one day, your activities will use 2000-2500 calories for all that you are doing. Daily diets for most folks will be in the range of 2000 calories to 2500 calories. This is on the average. So you can see that in this situation, there will not be any changes in the weight of this man or woman.
This is simple and straight forward. This is not hard. Lets consider that in one day you have eaten 2000 calories. The simple equation here is to use more calories through your activities, than you consume. If you keep your burning of calories at 2000, then reduce your intake below 2000. This really is not a lot of hard math. There is really nothing to this.
There is a lot of nutrition information on the labels of packaged foods. Always read them carefully. It is most convenient that the amount of calories in a single serving of the food item will be specified there on this label. From these simple principles, you can find recipes for smoothies to lose weight 0c and how to lose weight fast . This is the formula for recipes for smoothies to lose weight 0c and how to lose weight fast . So you know what to do here. Purchase the items with a lower number of calories in order to lose weight. Know this and you are well on your way. Know the calories that you eat in a day and know the calories that you burn in a day. This is not going away, so just go along with it. Allocate the time and effort to do this.
You will soon find that negative calorie foods are your best friend for recipes for smoothies to lose weight 0c and how to lose weight fast . Nothing could be simpler than this.
You think of eating as adding calories, but you are burning off calories at the same time. Eating, digesting, like any other activity, will be burning up calories. Think about a food that only has a small number of calories in it, but somehow requires a lot of calories to digest it. So as we pursue recipes for smoothies to lose weight 0c and how to lose weight fast , this will help us.
The body will in most cases reach into the fat calories to get the energy for eating and digestion. A wonderful surprise. Yes? Just think on this principle for a moment of two. When you finished eating, you weighed less.
If you have too many or not the right kind of snacks, that alone can cause you to gain fat on your body. Consider the result of only having negative calorie foods for snacks. Day or night, enjoy negative calorie foods.


Luxurious self-warming silver foil sheet mask from Beauty Pro, enriched with Vitamin C & Green Tea to boost the complexion. The foil-backed mask opens pores to deliver intense moisture penetration from within, for a hydrated, energised and glowing complexion. Suitable for all skin types.
Aqua/Water/Eau, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Polysorbate 80, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Calcium Pantothenate, Maltodextrin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pyridoxine HCl, Silica, Arginine, Carbomer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Nitrate, Glyoxal, Benzyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Raspberry Ketone, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum/Fragrance.
For external use only. Avoid contact with eyes or irritated skin, do not use on wounds, weeping, broken or damaged skin. In case of eye contact, rinse thoroughly with water. Keep out of reach of children.


Check out some local spots for happy hour and plan out your week!
Hudson Restaurant Week is back! Check out a bunch of restaurants in Hudson County, including some local favorites. A majority of participating restaurants are offering deals Monday through Friday, and some are even continuing through the weekend!
Join SILVERMAN for their Park Francis ribbon cutting! There'll be food and drinks available, so stop by.
Have some drinks at Atlas for happy hour and enjoy their weekly live music!
Join Singles in JC for their next event: a Pop-Up Mixer at Pier 13 in Hoboken! From 7PM to 9PM, stop by for some drinks and meet local singles. It's free!
Stop by the URBY parking lot from 5PM to 11PM for delicious dishes from food trucks, drinks from a beer & wine garden, live music, and more! It's $5 and family-friendly.
Join Girls Room JC for their second annual Curls n Tings event! From 2PM to 6PM, celebrate the beauty of natural hair in a Caribbean-themed networking event. There'll be panelists, raffles, music, complimentary food and drinks, and more! Get your tickets ahead of time.
Get your brunch on at Buddy Who's. Whether you're grabbing some pancakes or a burger, you can enjoy beers, cocktails, and wine.


Depression is a difficult to deal with when you have it yourself. But what is also really hard is seeing a close friend, loved one, or family member go through that pain. You might feel helpless. You might have a very strong desire to just take their pain away, even though you know that's not possible. But there are other ways you can help or support a loved one when they have depression.
Try to read up on what depression entails. Educate yourself so you know what aspects are part of it.
Show them that you care and are there if they need someone to listen. The first time asking them about how they are feeling might be awkward, but at least you're showing your good intentions. Let them know you care, but don't push. Make them feel free to approach you without forcing them to open up when they don't feel ready.
Since when have you been feeling this way?
Is there anything I could do to make you feel more comfortable?
Are you feeling pressured or stressed lately?
Sometimes a person might be tempted to think that they've caused the depression or play some major part in causing it. It can also happen that they feel hurt or disappointed by the behavior of a depressed person, as if they are being blamed. Understand that while it might sometimes seem like it's directly your "fault" at that moment, the underlying depression mechanism is definitely not personal. Nobody caused it per se, and nobody can take it away all of a sudden.
Sometimes this can help to clear up what they're experiencing.
You can support them to the best of your abilities, but depression is not something that can just be 'fixed' suddenly. Be realistic about what you can do as part of a support system but don't expect to be able to fix a person. As much as we would all like to, it's not realistically possible.
…even if they don't believe them right now. This is not to say that you should constantly tell them how amazing they are (even though they are), because that could possibly feel like you're inadvertently playing down their feelings, but just remind them of moments or things that happened in which you saw a personality strength.
It goes without saying, but it can be hard. It can be tempting to want to give advice on how they should or shouldn't tackle it, but when you are depressed, sometimes you just need people to listen first without giving any advice.
If they are opening up a bit, help them to find important information on their condition. It'll help them understand what they're going through and show them that you care as well.
A friend of mine was depressed for a long time before she sought help. I offered her some suggestions and she took them to heart but didn't reach out to those professional things, which is perfectly fine. Then one day she asked me about one of the suggestions again and got halfway through filling out an application form for an intake interview, but backed out before finishing it. Want to know what I told her? "That's okay. It's fine if it doesn't feel right yet. I'll help you fill out the form if you want to try again some time." This a) doesn't pressure them into doing something that goes against their feelings b) shows them it's not now or never, but that they can try again and c) you're there for them if they need any support.
…even if it's just very small activities. One of the dangers in depression is that you are really unenergetic. This feeling makes you not want to go out and do anything, which in turn can worsen your depression because you're not getting positive stimulation anymore. Encourage them to perhaps, come and watch a movie with you. Pick low effort things, but help them find a little bit of distraction.
These were 10 ways to support a loved one with depression. Are these helpful to you? Which ones will you be trying? Which other topics would you like to see on psych2go?
16 Analogies for Depression – How would you explain it?


Our mission and research on this developing science is endless. We might want to impart to you selections from a portion of the main columnists on the planet from best Scientists and Human Development Experts and Psychologist on Importance of Handwriting Skill in People's Life.
Dr Berninger goes so far as to propose that cursive composing may prepare discretion capacity in a way that different methods of composing don't, and a few scientists contend that it might even be a way to treating dyslexia. A 2012 survey proposes that cursive might be especially compelling for people with formative dysgraphia — engine control troubles in shaping letters — and that it might help in keeping the inversion and reversal of letters.
Cursive or not, the advantages of composing by hand stretch out past youth. For grown-ups, composing might be a quick and effective option in contrast to longhand, however that very proficiency may lessen our capacity to process new data. In addition to the fact that we learn letters better when we submit them to memory through composition, memory and learning capacity by and large may profit.
Two analysts, Pam A Mueller of Princeton and Daniel M Oppenheimer of the University of California, Los Angeles, have revealed that in both research facility settings and certifiable classrooms, understudies learn better when they take notes by hand than when they compose on a console. As opposed to before studies ascribing the distinction to the diverting impacts of PCs, the new research recommends that composition by hand enables the understudy to process an address' substance and reframe it — a procedure of reflection and control that can prompt better understanding and memory encoding.
Few out of every odd master is convinced that the long haul advantages of Handwriting are extremely noteworthy. All things considered, one such cynic, the Yale analyst Paul Bloom, says the new research is, at any rate, provocative.
"With Handwriting, the simple demonstration of putting it down powers you to center around what's critical," he said. He included, in the wake of delaying to consider, "Perhaps it causes you think better."
In another examination, Dr James is contrasting kids who physically shape letters and the individuals who just watch others doing it. Her perceptions recommend that it is just the genuine exertion that draws in the cerebrum's engine pathways and conveys the learning advantages of Handwriting.
The impact goes well past letter acknowledgment. In an investigation that pursued youngsters in evaluations two through five, Virginia Berninger, a clinician at the University of Washington, exhibited that printing, cursive composition, and composing on a console are altogether connected with unmistakable and separate cerebrum designs — and every outcome in a particular finished result. At the point when the youngsters created message by hand, they not just reliably delivered a greater number of words more rapidly than they did on a console, yet communicated more thoughts. What's more, mind imaging in the most established subjects recommended that the association among composing and thought age went significantly further. At the point when these kids were approached to think of thoughts for an arrangement, the ones with better Handwriting showed more prominent neural actuation in territories related with working memory — and expanded in general initiation in the perusing and composing systems.
It currently creates the impression that there may even be a contrast among printing and cursive composing — a refinement of specific significance as the educating of cursive vanishes in educational modules after educational programs. In dysgraphia, a condition where the capacity to compose is hindered, for the most part after cerebrum damage, the deficiency can go up against an inquisitive shape: In a few people, cursive composition remains generally healthy, while in others, printing does.In alexia, or impeded perusing capacity, a few people who can't process print can in any case read cursive, and the other way around — recommending that the two composition modes initiate separate mind arranges and connect more subjective assets than would be the situation with a solitary methodology.
Advantages of Handwriting: Children not just figure out how to peruse all the more immediately when they initially figure out how to compose by hand yet in addition stay better ready to create thoughts and hold data.
The connections among Handwriting and more extensive instructive advancement run profound.
Does Handwriting make a difference? Not in particular, as indicated by numerous instructors. The Common Core guidelines, which have been embraced in many states, call for showing decipherable composition, however just in kindergarten and first grade. From that point onward, the accentuation rapidly moves to capability on the console.
In any case, clinicians and neuroscientists say it is very soon to announce Handwriting a relic of the past. New proof proposes that the connections among Handwriting and more extensive instructive advancement run profound.
Kids not just figure out how to peruse all the more immediately when they initially figure out how to compose by hand, yet they likewise stay better ready to produce thoughts and hold data. As it were, it's what we compose that issues — as well as how.
"When we compose, a one of a kind neural circuit is naturally initiated," said Stanislas Dehaene, a therapist at the Collège de France in Paris. "There is a center acknowledgment of the motion in the composed word, a kind of acknowledgment by mental recreation in your cerebrum."
Penmanship is being dropped in state funded schools — that could be awful for youthful personalities. Google's new sans hands PC is discovering its way into working rooms. Bosom malignancy survivors discover the beginning of their new lives in a tattoo craftsman's work. "What's more, it appears that this circuit is contributing in one of a kind ways we didn't understand," he proceeded."Learning is made less complex."
A recent report driven by Karin James, a clinician at Indiana University, loaned support to that view. Youngsters who had not yet figured out how to peruse and compose were given a letter or a shape on a file card and solicited to replicate it in one from three different ways: follow the picture on a page with a specked blueprint, draw it on a clear white sheet, or sort it on a PC. They were then put in a mind scanner and demonstrated the picture once more.
The scientists found that the underlying duplication process made a difference a lot. At the point when youngsters had drawn a letter freehand, they displayed expanded action in three regions of the mind that are enacted in grown-ups when they read and compose: the left fusiform gyrus, the mediocre frontal gyrus and the back parietal cortex.
By complexity, youngsters who composed or followed the letter or shape demonstrated no such impact. The actuation was fundamentally weaker.
Dr James ascribes the distinctions to the chaos inalienable in freestyle Handwriting: Not just should we first arrangement and execute the activity in a way that isn't required when we have a traceable framework, yet we are likewise prone to create an outcome that is exceptionally factor. That fluctuation may itself be a learning apparatus. "At the point when a child delivers a chaotic letter," Dr James stated, "that may enable him to learn it."
Our mind must comprehend that every conceivable emphasis of, say, "an" is the equivalent, regardless of how we see it composed. Having the capacity to unravel the chaos of each "a" might be more useful in building up that inevitable portrayal than seeing a similar outcome over and over. "This is one of the main showings of the cerebrum being changed as a result of that training," Dr James said.
Free Session with Dr.Rafi - Improve Your Child's Memory Skills.Do you feel your child is studying very hard, yet the examination performance is below average?


Wow! If you stayed up you saw a terrific Thursday night football game between the Chiefs and the Raiders. A game that saw seven lead changes. The Raiders with 18 seconds left score a touchdown, have it over turned, score another touchdown to Crabtree, this time taken away by an offensive pass interference. Chiefs take a holding penalty with three seconds left to put the Raiders at the five yard line. Two untimed plays later, Derek Carr hits Michael Crabtree for a touchdown to tie the game. The extra point would barely be converted and the Raiders steal one at home from the Chiefs. Point Per Reception scoring has Amari Cooper with his first breakout game of the season outscoring his entire six week season so far with forty-four points. Alex Smith ended with thirty-five and Derek Carr with thirty points. If you played players in Thursday night football your probably pretty happy. Here's who you can play from Sunday and Monday games, and who you probably shouldn't in a Start/Sit segment from Perched on the Maryland Sports Blog.
Matt Ryan- I get it, this one is tough. Ryan has as many or more interceptions as touchdowns in each of his past three games and has thrown for more than one touchdown in just one game this season. EVERY quarterback to face New England has thrown for more than 300 yards against them. The Patriots are giving up 24.19 fantasy points per game to opposing QBs so far, and I expect the Patriots to have no issue putting up points on Atlanta.
Dak Prescott- Dak has been hot, scoring 22-plus fantasy points in each of his last three games. He should continue to produce against the 49ers, who have allowed 18-plus fantasy points to three of the last four quarterbacks to face them. That includes a pair of monster 23-plus point performances.
Phillip Rivers- Rivers finished with 14.2 fantasy points in a win over the Raiders. He should remain on the bench against the Broncos, who have allowed just 14.5 points to quarterbacks. Rivers has finished with fewer than 14 fantasy points in all but three of his 12 career home starts against the Denver Broncos.
Jameis Winston- Even if Winston plays for the Bucs, honestly he's not playing for you on the road against a Bills team that has given up two passing touchdowns all season long and has allowed only two quarterbacks to score double-digit fantasy points this season. Ideally your finding another quarterback to pick up off the waiver wire, or hope you already have a second QB on your roster.
Jordan Howard- Howard has had 55 carries, more than any other running back in the league. The Panthers have allowed a running back score in three of their past four games.
Mark Ingram- Ingram went off against the Lions last week in an insanely high scoring game, posting two touchdowns and 30 PPR points in his first game of the season without Peterson on the roster. The Alabama product along with his backfield mate Alvin Kamara should remain in fantasy lineups against a Packers defense that has allowed double-digit PPR points to seven different backs.
LeGarrette Blount- Blount has been a roller coaster fantasy player for owners this season, scoring nine or fewer points in two straight games after going for double digits in the previous two. I'd want to keep him on the bench against the Redskins, who have allowed just three rushing touchdowns to backs and held Blount to 46 yards on the ground back in Week 1!
Matt Forte- Forte saw 58 percent of the Jets offensive snaps a week ago, and his 16.1 PPR points was his best total of the season. Regardless, the veteran can't be trusted ahead of this week's matchup in Miami (with or without Bilal Powell). The Dolphins have let just one runner, Alvin Kamara to score more than 10.7 PPR points in their last four games.
Dez Bryant- I have Dak as a start so its only fitting that the lead pass catcher for Dallas makes the list here as well as a start against the thirty-first ranked pass defense in the league. He has 10 targets this season on balls thrown into the end zone, two more than any other player in the league and he's tied for third in red zone targets. Meanwhile, San Francisco doesn't have anyone in that thirty-first ranked secondary who can keep up with Dez. The Niners are tied for the fourth-most receptions allowed and the fifth-highest completion percentage on passes 15-plus yards downfield to wide outs this season.
Adam Thielen- Thielen has been a targets machine for the Vikings and fantasy owners alike, as he ranks seventh among wide receivers. What's more impressive is that despite not scoring a single touchdown this season, he still ranks thirteenth in PPR scoring at the position. So despite a tough matchup against the Ravens, I'd keep Thielen in your lineups.
TY Hilton- If you are a believer in the off-again, on-again pattern, this a "on" week for Hilton, as he was elite in Weeks three and five, but a dud in Weeks four and six. But that was much more due to matchup and he has now had fewer than 60 yards in four of six games this year. Against a Jags defense that generates plenty of pressure, so it makes me nervous for Hilton, as 47.8 percent of Hilton's fantasy points since 2014 have come via the deep pass. The Jaguars are one of only three teams in the NFL to not allow a touchdown pass on a ball thrown 15 or more yards this season. Hilton is outside my top 20 this week.
Sammy Watkins- Watkins, finished with 2.1 PPR points last week. He's now had fewer than three PPR points in three straight games, so this is more of a trend than an outlier for the injury plagued receiver. While the matchup against Arizona would be a lot better if corner Patrick Peterson were sidelined, Watkins remains very tough to trust.
Jimmy Graham- Graham has caught fire after a slow start, scoring 10-plus PPR points in three straight games despite scoring just one touchdown in that time. He should find the end zone this week, though, as he'll face a Giants defense that has surrendered the most yards, the most touchdown catches and the most fantasy points to tight ends.
Coby Fleener- Fleener has seen his numbers sink in recent weeks, as he's scored a combined 7.2 fantasy points in his last three games and was held without a point in last week's high scoring win over the Detroit Lions. Next is a date with the Packers, who haven't allowed a touchdown and rank as the third-toughest defense for opposing tight ends to score against.
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