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The Governors of West End Primary School
Our school Governors are a group of people who meet on a regular basis to make decisions about the running of the school. Our Governing body is made up of Local Authority Representatives, Parents, Local Councillors, Staff and the Headteacher. Below is a list of the current members of the Governing body. If you wish to find out more about the roles and responsibilities of the Governors please contact the school.
Governing Body Vacancy
West End Primary School has vacancies for the role of Governor. These vacancies are for people who wish to get involved with the management and oversight of the school. Through a review of the governing body we have identified that we would benefit from members of the local community who have experience in human resources and financial management. Experience in other areas such as education, health and safety would complement our governing body further.
The role of governor requires attendance to at least 3 meetings per year and regular attendance at committee meetings as required. To play an active part in the management of the school a governor is also expected to attend school to undertake other tasks as required.
A school governor is required to ensure the school is fulfilling its statutory duties and achieving the best outcomes for the children who attend. More details about the role of a governor can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/governance-handbook
The School Governance (Constitution and Federations) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 has made it mandatory for all Governors to be subject to an Enhanced DBS check. This will be completed upon appointment
If you are interested in applying for this role please download and complete the application form and send to the Chair of Governors, Jane Downham. C/O West End Primary School
Governor List
Currently being updated
Register of Governor Attendance
Occasionally our document viewer doesn't display correctly in certain browsers. If this is the case please click on the links below to download a PDF copy.


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Vivek Jaiswal·
· November 19, 2020 ··2 min read
Samsung Galaxy M12 Leaks Teases Quad Rear Camera Setup
Last Updated on November 19, 2020 by Amrit Chatterjee
Samsung users are going to have more satisfaction with its newer models in the upcoming year. As some leaked information from Samsung then says that Samsung Galaxy M12 Leaked Renders Tip Quad Rear Cameras in it. A vast majority of users are already waiting to hear some responses from official sources of Samsung. However, this is more of a leak than an official announcement.
Users expecting are on a different level for the model. To know all the details about the leaked updates from Samsung, read the article till the end.
Samsung Galaxy M12 Leaked: Quad Rear Cameras Setup
Samsung Galaxy M12 is the time-dependent model coming soon into the markets. Yes, a rumor has spread for the upcoming latest handset from Samsung'sSamsung's series. Some leaked images of Samsung'sSamsung's upcoming showcase model have made a great impact on users as well. It shows that Samsung's latest speculated model resembles the exact specifications of the recently launched Samsung Galaxy A42 5G.
Well, it's not easy to do; slight changes are already shown from the images revealed. Some sources say that Samsung Galaxy M12 has to sport a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. However, Samsung Galaxy A42 5G offering an in-display fingerprint sensor isn't common for that. Not a pretty hard range is selected for the upcoming Samsung model.
Samsung Galaxy M12 could be priced more pointing than the Galaxy A series models. A feature update regarding the upcoming rumored hints at multiple cameras at the back and a textured rear panel for the screen. Such a great combination of an upgraded model is likely to be the same for it.
M12: Expected Specifications
Samsung Galaxy M12 is uploading for a successor model to the Galaxy M11. Galaxy M11 was previously launched this year in India. So far, the leaked by OnLeaks and Voice says that the Galaxy M12 will be coming up with an Infinity-V display. The display screen is likely to have more than expected. Launch models are said to measure 6.5-inches diagonally.
The bezels are fairly acceptable narrow designs, except the chin, which is considered away thicker than on the Galaxy M12. On the right side of the device, Samsung M12 will feature the power and volume buttons, which are most common to other models as well.
The power button will be twinning up for the fingerprint scanner, which is uncommon with the Galaxy A42 5G's on-screen fingerprint sensor. At the bottom of the model, there is a USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a single speaker grille.
Also Read: POCO M3 To Launch On 24 November, Expected To Feature 6000 mAh Battery, Full HD+ Display
The rumored model may feature a dual-tone finish and a squarish quad-camera setup at the backside. The camera sensor informed is currently not available. The LED flashlight is just below the camera module of the model. It will measure up to 63.9 x 75.9 x 8.9mm.
Stay tuned to us for more detailed updates regarding the upcoming season updates from Samsung Galaxy M12 Leaked Renders Tip Quad Rear Cameras.
Vivek Jaiswal
Hi, I'm Vivek, and I love writing and exploring texts on different topics, especially on TV shows and Tech, as that's where I'm specialized in. If you want, you can reach out to our team at contact@mediascrolls.com
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The 4 major sports leagues here in America. Are they trending up or down?
The NFL is undeniably in the lead when it comes to popularity here in the states. Despite television ratings falling off slightly in the 2016-2017 season, overall the league's power and presence is the stuff advertisers love to fight over. However many are predicting that ratings will continue to fall and the off field news at times, are just as damaging to the sport as are parents across America who are pulling their kids from playing football due to concerns about concussions. Quarterbacks are the faces of the league and as Tom Brady approaches retirement, you start to look around and notice that most of the other certified big name QB's aren't that far from retirement themselves. In May the NFLPA started warning players to save their money for a possible 2021 lockout, while currently players like Richard Sherman are preaching that players should be making more money and are willing to strike to get it. I love football, a lot of us do, but honestly the NFL is trending down!
The NBA went through some rough times starting in the early 2000's. The moment that signifies those times for me is "The Malice At The Palace", November 19th, 2004. That's when the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers ended up rumbling with each other and somehow with fans too. Scoring was down, Michael Jordan had on a Wizards uniform and the league we fell in love with because of Bird, Magic and Jordan was fading fast. Fast forward to today and under the leadership of commissioner Adam Silver, the league for the first time in a long time feels like it deserves attention 24/7, 365. The NBA Finals were the most watched since Jordan's last championship in 1998 and this years draft class for many reasons has fans of the league energized. NBA players are recognizable around the world and the game of basketball is arguably the most popular sport worldwide behind soccer. Some will argue that the league is top heavy and that may be true, but overall the NBA is trending up!
Major League Baseball has seen a surge in great young talent. Mike Trout (25), Bryce Harper (24), Mookie Betts (24) and Aaron Judge (25) are just a few of many excellent players. Unfortunately it's not translating into new and younger fans of the game. In 2016 the MLB All Star game had a record low 8.7 million viewers. This season it jumped to 9.3 million which is great, but when you find out that overall the average age of people who watch MLB is 55 years old, you can't help but cringe. Like any business in order to keep it growing and moving you have to pull in a younger demographic and it's clear that baseball isn't. Some say the game is too slow, not diverse enough, etc. At the end of the day MLB has a problem and if things don't change soon, the league could be in major trouble. MLB is trending down!
What sport has grown by 9% in participation in the U.S. and it's professional league has made a nice impression through digital media? That's right, it's hockey and the NHL.
From video games (NHL 17 is the truth) to new and diverse faces on the ice, the NHL is beginning to move in the right direction. In 2008 the league held it first "Winter Classic" on New Year's Day in Buffalo and over 70,000 people showed up to support. Even bigger was the impact that game had on the casual fan. It caused people like myself to check it out and to look forward to it every year. If you're willing to give the game a chance you will see that it's a fast paced and beautiful game to watch. The 2017 Stanley Cup Finals were the most watched Finals without an original 6 team playing in it (4.7 million average) and that's nothing to sniff at. Is there room to improve? Absolutely, but again they're headed in the right direction. Patience has been their ally and if they can remain in that space the league should see better days ahead. The NHL is trending up!
Bonus: MLS is not to be overlooked. It's been around for 22 years. Has 22 teams (19 in America and 3 in Canada) and in 2016 the league set an attendance record. Soccer is the biggest game in the world and the kids love it. MLS is trending up!


BK & Company Hair Design is a hair and nail salon with a talented creative team of hair stylists and nail technicians. As a team, we share a value of providing the highest level of beauty styling and products while maintaining a professional, yet comfortable atmosphere for our clients. We take pride in listening to what you want. Come to BK & Company Hair Design for all your beauty needs!
At BK & Company Hair Design, we stand by our work because it is the result of experience, sincere effort, skillful execution and high intention. Our commitment to you is that you will leave the salon feeling completely satisfied with your look. We always want you to feel comfortable to speak freely about your needs. If we do not meet or exceed your expectations, we want to know.
Even with the best intentions and executions, occasionally a new look, color or style may not be what you expected. It does not happen often at BK & Company because we take care to communicate expectations with all our clients first, however, if you have not received your desired results, please let us correct the style to your expectations. Every client should be a happy client.
Check out our Cut, Color & Style Gallery!
Enjoy a refreshment while your hair & nails are styled!


Located in historic downtown Laramie, Mizu Sushi is the area's latest culinary delight. Mizu features traditional Japanese and Vietnamese cuisine with a modern interpretation. Focused on the freshest, finest and authentic ingredients, we offer melt in your mouth sashimi, exquisite nigiri and maki rolls as well as teriyaki and tempura specialties.
Our guests may also indulge in "off the menu" sushi creations by our talented chefs. Our Vietnamese menu offers a variety of bold and flavorful soups, rice and noodle dishes that are prepared to perfection.
Inspired by its namesake which means water in Japanese, our guests are greeted with the iconic Katsushika Hokusai great wave print that adorns the back wall.
Mizu was designed with the inspiration of a relaxed gathering place. The restaurant's elegant and contemporary sleek decor foster a vibrant atmosphere to celebrate a special occasion or just a night out with family and friends. We invite you to come join our dedicated and attentive team to a fantastic dining experience.


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abc sydney, archibald prize, exhibition, farmers, fine food, gourmet, high quality, illusion, magician, painting, peter smeeth, portrait, portrait artists australia, qr code, radio presenter, rocks, royal agricultural society, royal art society, salon des refusés, simon marnie, smart phone, visual artist, youtube video
My portrait of Simon Marnie titled The Fine Food Judge has been selected in the the Alternative exhibition to the Archibald Prize – The Salon des Refusés at the S H Ervin Gallery, The Rocks.
Simon is a Radio Presenter who hosts "Weekends" on ABC Sydney 702. He is also a Gourmet, a Fine Food Judge for the Royal Agricultural Society and is a popular speaker/MC.
He is a great supporter of high quality, eco friendly locally grown produce and the farmers and providores who are responsible for it.
In his earlier life Simon was a magician which is much like being a visual artist in that they both use illusion to gain their effect.
The painting contains a QR code on the label hanging from the duck and the viewer can scan this with a QR Reader App on a smart phone and be directed to a YouTube video showing Simon seeing his portrait for the first time.
Adelaide Perry Drawing Prize 2013
2013 Inglis Equine Art Prize


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Category Archives: North Dakota Industrial Commission
Bakken Crude, Crude By Rail, Derailment, Explosion, Fire, North Dakota Industrial Commission, Oil conditioning, State regulation, Train speed, Volatility
Oil in North Dakota derailment was "Conditioned" but not "Stabilized"
May 8, 2015 Roger Straw
Repost rom ABC News
[Editor: Note that the oil was CONDITIONED according to North Dakota regulations, but it was not STABILIZED which is a stricter standard currently used elsewhere. (See The difference between oil "conditioning" and oil "stabilization".) The vapor pressure of oil on this train was measured at 10.8 psi. Compare this with DeSmogBlog: "…regular crude oil has a Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) of 5-7 psi and Bakken crude has an RVP between 8-16 psi. To put that in perspective, gasoline typically has a RVP of 9 psi." Note also: "The North Dakota train was traveling 24 miles an hour…much slower than the 50 mph limit imposed by federal regulators." – RS]
Oil in North Dakota Derailment Was Treated to Cut Volatility
By Matthew Brown and Blake Nicholson, Associated Press, May 7, 2015, 7:09 PM ET
BISMARCK, N.D. — A shipment of oil involved in an explosive train derailment in North Dakota had been treated to reduce its volatility — a move that state officials suggested could have reduced the severity of the accident but won't prevent others from occurring.
Hess Corporation spokesman John Roper said the oil complied with a state order requiring propane, butane and other volatile gases to be stripped out of crude before it's transported. That conditioning process lowers the vapor pressure of the oil, reducing the chances of an explosive ignition during a crash.
Despite the treatment of the crude in Wednesday's accident, six cars carrying a combined 180,000 gallons of oil caught fire in the derailment 2 miles from the town of small Heimdal in central North Dakota. The town was evacuated but no one was hurt.
Investigators on Thursday recovered wheel fragments from the scene. Those will be sent to a government laboratory for analysis, said National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Keith Holloway. A defective tank car wheel is suspected to have played a role in another oil train accident, in Galena, Illinois, on March 10.
The North Dakota train was traveling 24 miles an hour, Holloway said, much slower than the 50 mph limit imposed by federal regulators.
The state volatility standard went into effect last month. It came in response to a string of fiery oil train accidents, including a 2013 derailment in Lac-Megantic, Quebec that killed 47 people and a derailment and fire near Casselton, North Dakota last year.
Members of Congress have called for a stricter, national volatility standard for crude moved by rail.
Roper said the Hess shipment was "fully in compliant with North Dakota's crude conditioning order." It was tested immediately prior to loading onto a BNSF Railway train in Tioga and had a vapor pressure of 10.8 pounds per square inch — compared to the 13.7 pounds per square inch maximum under the state standard.
Reducing the explosiveness of crude moved by rail was not supposed to be a cure-all. Federal regulators last week announced a new rule that calls for stronger tank cars better able to withstand a derailment and more advanced braking systems to help keep fuel-carrying cars on the tracks.
"Our oil conditioning order in no way will prevent an accident," said Alison Ritter with the North Dakota Industrial Commission, which set the vapor pressure standard. "Oil is still going to burn. That's why the oil was produced. But it's not as explosive."
The first witness on the scene Wednesday, 68-year-old Heimdal resident Curt Benson, said he heard and felt an explosion in his house and then witnessed three or four more explosions when he got to the scene. He said it was nowhere near the magnitude of the Casselton explosions, which he saw on television footage.
"I would say that ours was somewhat minor compared to theirs," Benson said.
Casselton Fire Chief Tim McLean said the disaster outside of that city appeared much worse than the Heimdal incident, but there were other factors to consider than just the volatility of the oil. The Casselton derailment involved more than twice the amount of crude and different kinds of tanker cars, he said. Another freight train, carrying soybeans, also was involved in Casselton and provided more fuel for the fire.
Democrats in Congress contend more needs to be done to reduce the danger of oil shipments by rail that pass through more than 400 counties including major metropolitan areas such as Seattle, Chicago and Philadelphia. Most of that oil comes from the Bakken region of North Dakota, Montana and Canada.
"Why do we let trains with this volatility pass through every day? Why are we letting these guys get away with that?" U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Washington state Democrat, said in an interview last week after federal regulators unveiled the braking and tank car rule.
BNSF vice president Mike Trevino did not immediately know how much of the oil in Heimdal burned, how much spilled and how much was left in the cars after the fire was extinguished.
The railway was working to remove the derailed cars and repair the track Thursday. It planned to re-open the line Friday afternoon, Trevino said.
The line runs next to an intermittent waterway known as the Big Slough, which drains into the James River about 15 miles downstream. Oil got into the slough, but it was contained and was being recovered, state Emergency Services spokeswoman Cecily Fong said early Thursday.
The tank cars that burst into flames were a model slated to be phased out or retrofitted by 2020 under a federal rule announced last week. It's the fifth fiery accident since February involving that type of tank car, and industry critics called for them to be taken off the tracks immediately to prevent further fires.
For residents of Heimdal and surrounding Wells County, which oil trains cross daily, the disaster was the realization of something they always feared might happen, County Commission Chairman Mark Schmitz said.
"It's definitely been in the back of everybody's minds," he said.
Brown reported from Billings, Montana.
Bakken crudeCasselton NDCrude by RailDerailmentexplosionFireGalena ILHeimdal NDLac-Megantic QuebecNational Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)North Dakota Industrial CommissionOil conditioningState regulationTrain speedVolatility
Bakken Crude, Crude By Rail, Derailment, Explosion, Funding for emergency response, North Dakota Industrial Commission, Oil conditioning, Oil stabilization
The difference between oil "conditioning" and oil "stabilization"
Repost from The Daily Yonder, Speak Your Piece
[Editor: Ok, I knew North Dakota regulators were working on regulations to get rid of volatile gases in the crude they ship by train, but I didn't pay attention: I missed understanding the difference between oil "conditioning" and oil "stabilization." If Ron Schalow is right, North Dakota officials are far from fixing the problem of volatile crude oil "bomb trains." This is an important distinction – read on…. – RS]
North Dakota's Other Oil Boom
North Dakota regulators could lessen the danger of crude-oil explosions that have killed bystanders and damaged property. Instead, the state's Industrial Commission is likely to allow oil producers to continue shipping dangerous crude across North America when a commonly used fix is possible.
By Ron Schalow, 11/24/2014
A train carrying crude oil killed 47 people when it derained and exploded in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, in July 2013. | Photo by Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press
The safety of millions of Americans who live, work or play within a mile of tracks where Bakken oil trains run are in the hands of three mortal men.
Unfortunately, these men make up the North Dakota Industrial Commission.
"It's a little like the Wild West up in the Bakken, where everybody gets to do what they want to do," says Myron Goforth, president of Dew Point Control LLC, in Sugarland, Texas. "In the Eagle Ford (Texas shale play), you've got to play by the rules, which forces the oil companies to treat it (crude) differently."
Not in North Dakota, where oil regulators are finally feeling pressure to require the Bakken oil producers to render the trains non-explosive. The push comes six years after the first massive Bakken oil train explosion outside of Luther, Oklahoma, and seven months since the last, in downtown Lynchburg, Virginia, where a quirk of physics turned the exploding tanker cars towards the river, sparing many people and buildings.
Making the trains safer has been possible all along. It seems that politicians in some states don't want their citizens or towns incinerated, nor do they wish to watch property values drop in the meantime.
Will the North Dakota Industrial Commission act?
Spoiler alert: No.
The Bakken crude needs to be "stabilized," to remove all explosive "natural gas liquids" such as ethane, propane and butane. That requires billions of dollars in additional equipment and infrastructure, and the oil companies don't want to pay for it.
Stabilization is a standard practice in many other parts of the United States. And it's a required part of preparing crude for shipment via pipelines. The explosion risk North Dakota's lack of regulation imposes on railroad communities all over North America is completely unnecessary. And requiring stabilization would a further boost to the state's economy. But that's not enough for the commission.
Instead, the commission is going to sell a different process called "conditioning," which the oil companies have been doing all along. And conditioning doesn't do the job, unless you think that job should include towering fireballs, mushroom clouds, charred buildings and graves.
Railway Age explains the difference well:
This conditioning lowers the ignition temperature of crude oil—but not by much. It leaves in solution most of the culprit gases, including butane and propane. Even the industry itself says conditioning would not make Bakken crude meaningfully safer for transportation, though it would make the state's crude more consistent from one well to another.
The only solution for safety is stabilization, which evaporates and re-liquefies nearly all of the petroleum gases for separate delivery to refiners. Stabilization is voluntarily and uniformly practiced in the Eagle Ford formation in Texas.
And, right on cue, on November 13 North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms presented the North Dakota Industrial Commission with proposed new standards (there never were any old standards) to "condition" the Bakken crude, supposedly for the purpose of making the Bakken oil trains non-explosive. Or somewhat less explosive, kinda not explosive, or to get the height of the fireballs down into double digits… I don't know.
A crude-oil train derailed and exploded in Lynchburg, Virginia, in the spring of 2014. Photo by Elyssa Ezmirly
But, if the goal is to render the Bakken oil trains NON-explosive, the proposal to "condition" the crude isn't going to cut it.
I repeat, the producers have always "conditioned" the crude, but, evidently, now they're going to be "forced" by the North Dakota Industrial Commission to turn the knob a few notches to the right, and everything will be peachy.
If it was that simple, perhaps they should have done that before dozens of people got killed – maybe sometime shortly after the first Bakken oil train derailed and blew sky high in 2008.
Commission Chair and North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple has so much faith in "conditioning" that his own emergency exercise of a Bakken oil train derailment and explosion estimated 60 casualties in Bismarck or Fargo, both medium-sized cities in North Dakota. One can only guess the number of deaths, if a Bakken train were to jump the rails in Minneapolis or Chicago.
Furthermore, taxpayers are footing the bill for billions to outfit, equip and train firefighters and emergency personnel to deal with a Bakken oil derailment and explosion. Quebec is on the hook for the $2.7 billion disaster in Lac-Megantic, a village of 6,000. That explosion required responses from "more than 1,000 firefighters from 80 different municipalities in Quebec and from six counties in the state of Maine," according to a report by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.
How much will it cost your community if tragedy strikes? Will North Dakota pay?
But, there is a bright side. When the next, or the next, or the next Bakken oil train disaster kills more people and decimates a section of Albany or Sacramento or Missoula or Perham, North Dakota can quit worrying about how to spend all of the money piling up in the Bank of North Dakota from oil production revenues. It will be gone to the survivors and a long list of stakeholders.
The loss will be due to willful negligence, disinterest or incompetence on the part of three men.
Ron Schalow lives in Fargo, North Dakota, and is part of the Coalition for Bakken Crude Oil Stabilization.
Bakken crudeCrude by RailDerailmentDew Point Control LLCEagle Ford Shale of South TexasexplosionFunding for emergency responseLac-MéganticLuther OKLynchburg VANorth Dakota Department of Mineral ResourcesNorth Dakota Gov. Jack DalrympleNorth Dakota Industrial CommissionOil conditioningOil stabilizationTransportation Safety Board of Canada


Alphabet Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt and former Google Senior V.P. of Products Jonathan Rosenberg on companies pulling ads from Google and YouTube over extremist content, controlling extremism and fake news online and how the company's business model boosts innovation.
Companies such as Verizon and AT&T have decided to pull ads from YouTube over extremist content in the video platform owned by Google. Alphabet Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt and former Google Senior V.P. of Products Jonathan Rosenberg discuss how they are addressing the issue.
"What we do is, we match ads and the content, but because we source the ads from everywhere, every once in a while somebody gets underneath the algorithm and they put in something that doesn't match. We've had to tighten our policies and actually increase our manual review time and so I think we're going to be okay," Schmidt told the FOX Business Network's Maria Bartiromo.
Rosenberg explained that as Google has grown as a company its focus has shifted so it can better address these kinds of issues.
"What we're focused on now is organizing around the CEOs who can have the kind of technical insights to build products that solve these kind of problems," said Rosenberg.
Schmidt explained that YouTube's enormous growth has made it a big responsibility and challenge to manage.
According to Schmidt, it is possible for computers to solve the issue of dealing with extremist videos as well as fake news.
But Schmidt viewed it as a bigger issue with social media.


Braised Beef Chilli con Carne – A food and lifestyle blog. Anything from recipes, books & mental health.
Now Christmas is over, I (and the rest of the nation), am dying to eat something 'normal'. First world problem right? Christmas day was wonderful, but again, I had so much champagne that it got to a point where I couldn't face drinking anymore – that's when you know your life is actually pretty good! But today, I had some braising beef that needed using and instead of making a stew, I decided to make a chilli with it. Today was grey, cold and snowy so I wanted to make something tasty and warming – like a lot of my dishes lately! Chilli con Carne isn't something I eat or make regularly but it turned out to be delicious and the beef was so succulent and tender, it is something I will definitely be making again.
It didn't take long to prep and once it was all in the pot, I just had to leave it to cook on a low heat for 3 hours. I made mine quite spicy as I like a bit of heat, but obviously you can adjust yours accordingly. This recipe serves 4-6 people.
Cooking time: 3 hours and 30 minutes.
2 medium white onions diced.
2 fresh chilli's sliced (I left the seeds in mine, but if you don't like it that spicy, make sure you de-seed them!).
1 tbsp hot chilli powder.
1 tbsp smoked paprika – you can use normal paprika, but the smokiness really elevates the chilli.
1 tin of kidney beans.
Heat some oil in a large frying pan. Coat the beef in seasoned plain flour and brown the meat off. Remove from the pan and set to one side.
Add some more oil to the same pan and put on a low heat. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper and chilli. Sweat them off for 15 minutes until they are soft.
Add the meat back to the pan and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, paprika and chilli powder to the beef and cover for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small frying pan, heat up a teaspoon of oil and have on a high heat. Crisp up the smoked lardons then add them to the chilli.
Drain the kidney beans and add them to the chilli. Cook on a very low heat for 2 and a half hours.
Serve with rice, tortilla chips and sour cream.
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Thanks for putting this up. Definitely trying this one.
I love chilli done with braising steak instead of mince……try adding some dark chocolate too….really adds something extra!
I will have to give that a go!


The PC maker is set to announce a plan to offer its ThinkPad T60p with SUSE Linux pre-installed.
Lenovo Group is planning a full embrace for Linux.
The PC maker, at the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo beginning Aug. 14 , will announce a plan to pre-load Novells SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 on one of its ThinkPad notebooks, sources familiar with the two companys plans said.
Lenovo, whose ThinkPads have long been a favorite of Linux users, will become the first PC manufacturer in recent history to allow individual customers to buy one of its notebooks, a ThinkPad T60p mobile workstation model, with the operating system pre-installed, the sources said.
Lenovo has projected itself as a strong supporter of the operating system in the past—it has certified most of its ThinkPad and ThinkCentre PC models to run Novell/SUSE, Red Hat and TurboLinux distributions—but to date it has only pre-installed the operating system on a custom basis for large customers.
Lenovo officials declined to comment for this story. However, in June 2006 they indicated a desire to more fully invest in the operating system.
"Were about to reinforce that [Linux] strategy and go beyond what IBM [Personal Computer Division] or Lenovo, until now, was doing in terms of its commitments to the Linux community … and to our business partners who want to use Linux," said Marc Godin, vice president of marketing for notebook at Lenovo in Raleigh, N.C., during a June 2006 interview with eWEEK.
That pledge came following a claim by one Lenovo executive who said the company would drop support for Linux. However, Godin said during that interview that the executive misspoke.
Instead, Lenovo, which purchased IBMs Personal Computer Division in May 2005, appears to be tightening its relationship with Linux in part to help differentiate its products.
The company is working to increase its growth outside of China and particularly in areas such as emerging markets and the small and midsize business space.
But it must also guard its position with large customers in geographies such as North America and Europe.
Now third in PC market share behind Dell and Hewlett-Packard, it has become decidedly more aggressive of late with new products.
The company, for example, plans to introduce a new ThinkCentre desktop based on Advanced Micro Devices processors in the United States during the second week of August.
The machine, which is now being rolled out around the world, will target large businesses.
/zimages/3/28571.gifTo read more about Lenovos business plan, click here.
"Lenovo cant sit on its hands," said Richard Shim, an analyst at IDC in San Mateo, Calif. "Its got to be more aggressive in terms of innovation, particularly in the portable market—thats its bread and butter."
Shim, who has not been briefed on Lenovos Linux plan, said it could solve two sore spots for the PC maker.
"One is the lagging demand in the notebook commercial market, where theyre increasingly running into the Dells and HPs of the world as well as to a lesser extent Fujitsu. There, theyre able to provide another option," Shim said.
"The other sore spot is in the area of innovation and how they extend beyond the enterprise tools they offer through ThinkVantage."
Lenovo preloads ThinkVantage, a suite of tools for PC management, backup, recovery and like jobs, on its PCs.
It uses the software, which it says cuts management costs, to differentiate its PCs to customers.
However, new products ranging from Intels forthcoming vPro platform for business PCs—which offers to enhance the management of the PCs of any manufacturer that uses it—as well as competitors tools, things such as Dells DellConnect customer support software, can make it more difficult for ThinkVantage to rise above the noise the market, Shim said.
/zimages/3/28571.gifTo read more about Lenovo, ThinkVantage and vPro, click here.
Lenovo extending Linux support could be one such means of setting itself apart.
Lenovo pledged in June 2006 to take measures such as beefing up its Linux technical support with direct assistance in the form of things like Web-based technical support to customers who run particular versions of Linux on ThinkPads and ThinkCentre desktops.
Although Lenovo might see pre-loading Linux as a positive for itself, the prospect has always been a tricky one, according to PC makers.
At one time, IBM offered a variety of different Linux distributions pre-installed on its PCs—some of them included Red Hat, Caldera, TurboLinux and SUSE—while Dell offered Red Hat Linux preinstalled on its desktops, notebooks and servers.
HP also experimented with offering desktop Linux with offerings such as its Compaq nx5000, which came with SUSE Linux 9.1 in what the company positioned as a test, in 2004.
But Dell and IBM largely discontinued their practices of pre-installing Linux on PCs for individual customers, switching instead to pre-installing the OS for large customers via their custom software image services.
Although, Dell and HP both offer PCs that come with FreeDOS, which essentially means theyre allowing customers to install their own operating systems.
Thus, for those who couldnt or wouldnt use the companies custom software image programs—which create and install a special software package on customers machines for an extra charge—the quickest path to Linux was generally installing the operating system themselves.
Lenovos ThinkPad T60p comes with an Intel Core Duo processor, a 14-inch or 15-inch display and ATI Technologies mobile graphics processors. It starts at about $1,800.
Editors Note: Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols provided additional reporting for this story.


"Event at Ilanna Ball Coulbourn's Home!! (Minus the checks) 😘😘😘"
"Raffle tickets! 🎟🎟🎟 Kindness cash! 🤑❤ "
"Break a leg, Holly! www.purehaven.com/bethnewberry"
"Donations from my Brunch! 💃🏼🍾❤"
"Break a leg! -PuroClean of Rhode Island"
"What a fabulous cause...Good Luck Holly!"
"Good luck Holly! What a great cause. ❤💃"
"Good luck from the team at AIM"
"A LOVELY DANCER AND PERSON, YOU ARE....."
"Go Holly!! You will be amazing! Can't wait to see you dance :) "
"I am so proud of you Holly!! Jevonya Allen Twisted Networking "
"This is awesome!! Good luck, Holly!"
"Have fun Holly, Good for you!"
"I wish I was a fly on the wall while you prance yourself into The winners circle."
"You're amazing, Holly!! Good luck!"
"I love that you are doing this Holly! "
"Good luck Holly! You'll do great!"
As many of you know, I will be competing this year in the 2019 "Dancing with the Stars of Mentoring"! My dance partner/instructor and I are currently in the process of finalizing and perfecting our dance performance. While I was focusing on my dance moves, I may have put the purpose of this event on the backburner.
Mentor RI is all about relationships, and their mission is to ensure youth have access to the motivational and supportive relationships they need to grow into confident, successful adults.
What many of you may NOT know, is that I was in fact a mentee as a child! I had so much energy and required a certain amount of attention that was difficult to obtain. Because of the mentoring program, I was able to gain lifelong relationships and I believe it has helped shape me into who I am today.
This program is very near and dear to my heart which is why I chose to personally raise 5K in donations. 100% of these donations will make it possible for today's youth to have mentors. These mentors graciously give an hour of their time weekly to help with homework, play sports, or even just sit down and listen.
If anyone may know any businesses who would generously donate or if anyone is looking to make a much appreciated donation themselves, please contact me and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
You may not be able to help me on the dance floor, when I perform in front of a crowd of more than 500 people, but you can help me take home the night's most coveted award.
The People's Choice award is given to the dancer with the most votes. And with $1=1 Vote, you are encouraged to vote early and often.
Make sure to purchase a ticket to the event so that you can cheer on my " performance "
I'm about to put my best foot forward for mentoring. Believe it or not I've signed on to be a star at Dancing with the Stars of Mentoring 2019. Proceeds from the event go to help MENTOR Rhode Island expand opportunities for youth to connect with mentors.
Check out my People's Choice Award fundraising page and please consider making a donation to help me reach my goal of [Your Fundraiser's Goal Will Automatically Go Here].
Thank you so much for your generous donation to my Dancing with the Stars of Mentoring 2019 People's Choice Award campaign. Because of you, I have a chance to take home the night's most coveted award and we'll be able to help expand access to mentors for youth in RI.
I'll keep you posted on our progress. In the meantime, I recommend that you check out MENTOR Rhode Island. They're doing great work.
You're amazing--making a difference. Thanks to all who donated to my DWTS of Mentoring 2019 People's Choice Award fundraiser so far!


Young love—it takes many unique and fascinating forms that flourish as children begin to mature into adults.
In Enoshima, Yuki is a high school student who's never been good at making real friends thanks to his abnormally poor communication skills. Haru is the self-styled alien who decides to teach Yuki to fish.


• Recognize the purpose and functions of various network devices such as Routers, Switches, Bridges and Hubs.
• Identify the appropriate IPv6 addressing scheme to satisfy addressing requirements in a LAN/WAN environment.
• Identify the appropriate IPv4 addressing scheme using VLSM and summarization to satisfy addressing requirements in a LAN/WAN environment.


10061 Calle De Palencia, Navarre, FL 32566 (MLS# 820249) - Real Estate Professionals of Destin, Inc. | Real Estate Professionals of NW FLA, Inc.
4 Bedroom 2.5 Bath home that boasts almost 2600 sqft. Large kitchen, family room, dining room, office/den area, and ample closet space throughout. Come tour the backyard oasis with a covered deck and screened in pool, perfect for cookouts and get together's. This home is located just across the Santa Rosa county line, off of 98 in the beautiful and quiet neighborhood of Castelar. Also, less than 7 mile drive to Hurlburt Air Force Base.


Noted AJMLS faculty member, Lisa Tripp was recently appointed as a representative for the Joint Commission's Professional & Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC).
The PTACs are an integral part of the Joint Commission's advisory structure. By representing the views of a diverse group of professional associations and other interests and by providing expert advice, Professor Tripp and other representatives will assist The Joint Commission in the development and refinement of standards and elements of performance. In addition, each PTAC provides observations regarding environmental trends, educational needs, and other important issues facing each of the fields in which The Joint Commission offers accreditation services.
The value of the PTACs stems from the diversity of perspectives and the discussion and debate that occurs at the PTAC meetings. In the final analysis, PTAC representatives are expected to be proponents of their respective bodies of knowledge to The Joint Commission, and proponents of The Joint Commission to their constituents.
Congratulations Professor Tripp on your outstanding accomplishment!


text:
Category / obesity
May 2, 2018 May 2, 2018 by crmayes
Public health communication & the blurry line from anti-obesity to pro-ana
bioethics, bodies, ethics, ethics of the self, food, obesity, public health
Public health communication is not easy. Various industries, special interest groups and lobbyists are only too willing to skew messages about health. As such, public health researchers and advocates tend to be sensitive to the different ways a health message can be appropriated.
However, public health advocates, particularly in the area of nutrition, are inconsistent in their concern that people will misuse health-related messages. If a piece of research suggests that something traditionally thought to be "sinful" – alcohol, chocolate, or fat – is not as bad as first thought, then anxious caveats will urge restraint. Yet, if a piece of research over-sells the benefits of something traditionally thought to be "saintly" – exercise or dieting – then there is silence.
Two examples illustrate the first response.
Example 1 – Health benefits of alcohol
Every so often a mainstream media source will pick up on some research that suggests that alcohol – usually red wine – can have some health benefits. Without fail a public health spokesperson or researcher will be very quick to either discredit the research or explain to the public that the research does not provide a license for unrestrained consumption.
For instance, public health nutritionist, Marion Nestle, laments in her book Food Politics that clear guidance is complicated by 'the inconvenient finding that moderate drinking provides health benefits – alcohol protects against coronary heart disease.' Whether this research still holds is beside the point, Nestle's lament that alcohol could have health-benefits reflects a distrust of the public's ability to negotiate complex or uncertain nutrition messages.
Researchers like Nestle in the US and Mike Daube in Australia are at pains to ensure the public does not misuse or misinterpret claims about the health-benefits of alcohol.
Example 2 – Relationship between weight and health is not as clear as first thought
In 2013, the Journal of the American Medical Association published an epidemiological study from Katherine Flegal and colleagues that found people who are obese grade 1 (BMI of 30-<35) had no increased risk of dying prematurely and overweight (BMI of 25-30) people may actually have greater life expectancy.
Stacy Carter and Helen Walls documented the fall-out of this res earch among public health researchers.
Walter Willett of Harvard School of Public Health was indignant. He described the research on NPR as 'really a pile of rubbish' and that 'no one should waste their time reading it'. A UK National Obesity Forum representative told the BBC, 'It's a horrific message to put out at this particular time. We shouldn't take it for granted that we can cancel the gym, that we can eat ourselves to death with black forest gateaux'.
Like the responses to research suggesting the health-benefits of alcohol, these responses to Flegal et al's research highlight a deep anxiety that the public will misuse public health messages in a manner that undermines their health.
Anti-obesity or Pro-ana? So long as we're skinny…right?
Despite knee-jerk concern that alcohol or weight-related research will be misused by publics, there is very little (if any) concern that anti-obesity campaigns will lead people to eat too little, exercise too much or that such messages will reinforce and legitimise disordered eating practices such as anorexia or bulimia.
Almost every time I lecture on critical obesity discourses someone will question why there is such a overwhelming focus on obesity and little focus on anorexia or bulimia. Someone will also point out that a lot of the anti-obesity messages can be construed to reinforce idealised expectations about body image.
Compare the use of computer-generated imagery in these two public service announcements (PSAs).
Measure Up – anti obesity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dL4lN6GKi4&w=560&h=315
2. The Mirror – anorexia
The parameters for the non-pathologised and non-medicalised body is very narrow, especially for young women. In addition to people questioning the differing responses to obesity and anorexia or bulimia, I have had two students tell me that they used weight-focused public health messages to mask damaging practices such as under-eating and over-exercising.
Last year, Dr Richard Newton from the Butterfly Foundation noted that an increase of children and young people with disordered eating and dieting behaviours coincides with 'a society that is putting an increasing emphasis on avoiding obesity, controlling weight and shape through dieting'.
Psychiatrist Dr Peter O'Keefe also said that anti-obesity messages contribute to the ideal that 'if you're thin you're good, if you're not, you're bad'.
These are serious concerns with real consequences for the lives of young people. Yet the zeal for preventing obesity and perceived urgency of the problem, gives public health advocates little time or reason to pause and consider the ways anti-obesity messages can be interpreted.
Sadly, if a piece of research suggests that it's ok to eat a piece of cake, warnings and caveats are screamed from the rooftops. But if the research says exercise more, eat less, and lose weight, then there is only nodding agreement. After all, why give an inch when we are at war with our bodies – mine and yours.
March 17, 2015 March 17, 2015 by crmayes
Make good choices, kid: biopolitics of children's bodies and school lunch reform in Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution (2015)
food, Foucault, lifestyle, neoliberalism, obesity, reblogged
Perhaps my favourite description of Jamie Oliver is "mockney gobshite". This analysis, however, seems a little more sophisticated and looks at the biopower of moralizing discoursed around food, schools and young bodies in the US.
Foucault News
Gibson, K.E., Dempsey, S.E.
Make good choices, kid: biopolitics of children's bodies and school lunch reform in Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution
(2015) Children's Geographies, 13 (1), pp. 44-58.
In recent debates surrounding childhood nutrition and US school lunch reforms, the child's body serves as a contested battleground in a destructive politics of blame over obesity and diabetes. Scalar discourses of the body play a significant role in constructing food-related problems and their solutions. We illustrate our claims through a critical analysis of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution; a celebrated national television program centered on chef Oliver's attempts to address childhood nutrition through school lunch reform. Informed by Foucault's biopolitics, our analysis highlights how moralizing scalar discourses of the body frames nutrition as an individual problem of personal choice. Food politics, when played out at the scale of young bodies, masks class divisions, marginalities, and governmental policies that…
February 8, 2015 February 8, 2015 by crmayes
Bioethics, obesity and the harm principle
bioethics, ethics, ethics of the self, food, health, lifestyle, obesity, politics
bariatric surgery, bioethics, choice, coercion, dan callahan, discrimination, ethic, ethics, fat studies, food, free choice, freedom, harm, harm principle, obesity, peter singer, politics, public health, publication, stigma
Fat people should pay more to fly, because they weigh more and hence use more fuel.
Fat people can't make good food choices so they should be coerced and stigmatized into making the right choice.
These and other spurious ideas are permitted to float around opinion pages of leading newspapers and journals because a) we think we have a fat people problem; b) shocking, blunt and simplistic solutions to complex problems are key ingredients to "click-bait"; and c) if we can reduce complex problems to economic calculations then we can pretend moralistic interventions into peoples lives are "neutral" because, hey it's the raw numbers talking.
Anyway, in the below paper published this week I argue against Peter Singer and Dan Callahan's attempts to justify direct interventions into the lives of fat people based on a simplistic use of the harm principle and a deep ignorance of empirical and public health research on obesity. Or as H.L. Mencken quipped, "For every human problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong."
If you can't get beyond the paywall send me an email or message.
The Harm of Bioethics: A Critique of Singer and Callahan on Obesity
Debate concerning the social impact of obesity has been ongoing since at least the 1980s. Bioethicists, however, have been relatively silent. If obesity is addressed it tends to be in the context of resource allocation or clinical procedures such as bariatric surgery. However, prominent bioethicists Peter Singer and Dan Callahan have recently entered the obesity debate to argue that obesity is not simply a clinical or personal issue but an ethical issue with social and political consequences.
This article critically examines two problematic aspects of Singer and Callahan's respective approaches. First, there is an uncritical assumption that individuals are autonomous agents responsible for health-related effects associated with food choices. In their view, individuals are obese because they choose certain foods or refrain from physical activity. However, this view alone does not justify intervention. Both Singer and Callahan recognize that individuals are free to make foolish choices so long as they do not harm others. It is at this point that the second problematic aspect arises. To interfere legitimately in the liberty of individuals, they invoke the harm principle. I contend, however, that in making this move both Singer and Callahan rely on superficial readings of public health research to amplify the harm caused by obese individuals and ignore pertinent epidemiological research on the social determinants of obesity. I argue that the mobilization of the harm principle and corresponding focus on individual behaviours without careful consideration of the empirical research is itself a form of harm that needs to be taken seriously.
Keywords: obesity; Peter Singer; Dan Callahan; harm principle; public health
Mayes, C. (2015), The Harm of Bioethics: A Critique of Singer and Callahan on Obesity. Bioethics, 29: 217–221. doi: 10.1111/bioe.12089
August 4, 2013 by crmayes
Neoliberal Public Health and the Rhetoric of War
Foucault, governmentality, health, neoliberalism, Obama, obesity, politics
biopolitics, Clausewitz, Hobbes, pre-obese, pre-terrorist, Tarnac 9, terrorism, violence, war, war on obesity, war on terror
If we look beneath…the State and State apparatuses, beneath the laws and so on, will we hear and discover a sort of primitive and permanent war? (Foucault 2000, : 46-47)
At dawn, on 11 November 2008, Julien Coupat was seized by French police and 'preventively arrested'. French Interior Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie regarded Coupat and his associates as 'pre-terrorists' part of an 'anarcho-autonomist cell' (Anonymous 2008; Nardi 2009). Prior to the raid and arrests of November 2008 Coupat and his eight friends were not 'pre-terrorists' but nine individuals seeking to establish an alternate form of life to the consumer-driven existence found in the affluent suburbs of Paris from which they came. Moving to the village of Tarnac the nine grew their own food and "reorganized the local grocery store as a cooperative, and taken up a number of civic activities from the running of a film club to the delivery of food to the elderly" {Toscano, 2009 #191}. According to the villagers they were charming 'self-sufficient students' (Anonymous 2008). However, when a nearby section of railway was sabotaged through a small explosion the farmhouse transformed into a cell, the individuals into 'pre-terrorists' and the friends became known as the Tarnac 9 an anti-capitalist anarchist group with global reach.
Community garden in the Bronx. Anarchist flag amidst the nations. Photo: C. Mayes
The seizure of Coupat as a 'pre-terrorist' serves as an example of the political rationality influencing governmental strategies seeking to forecast and control not only threatening events, but pre-empt the very possibility of the events occurrence. The governmental drive to pre-empt, mobilizes the biopolitical seizure of life by taking control of individual bodies and regulating the life of the population. The imperative to target subjects that threaten the security of society produces a need to identify subjects prior to the actualisation of the subject as a threat. For Coupat, his irregular form of life attracted the gaze of the Central Directorate of Interior Intelligence (DCRI), provoking preventive intervention in order to secure the population from a possible terrorist threat. Thus the urgency to prevent a terrorist event provided the conditions in which the production and seizure of 'pre-terrorist' subjects is possible.
The identification of pre-terrorists in order to lead a preemptive battle in the war on terror is mirrored by features in the public health's war on obesity that seeks to identify and target pre-obese bodies in a war on obesity. Although some may object to the suggestion of parallels between the 'war on terror' and the 'war on obesity', particularly the comparison between counter-terrorism and public health, however, it is important to note that these comparisons are not my novel creation or the cynical and hyperbolic imaginings of social theorists (Biltekoff 2007). Politicians, public health advocates, health policy makers and the media have drawn metaphorical and literal parallels between the threat to global and national security posed by terrorism and that posed by obesity. Perhaps the most widely publicised comparison was made by the former Surgeon General Richard Carmona, who described obesity in the US as 'the terror within' and that '[u]nless we do something about it, the magnitude of the dilemma will dwarf 9-11 or any other terrorist attempt' (Carmona 2003). Public health advocates and the media in Australia have also drawn links between the threat of obesity and the threat of terrorism (Bartlett 2008; Gard 2007). These comparisons could be explained as merely misguided attempts to draw on the rhetorical force of the post-9/11 terrorism discourse in order to heighten the urgency for action on obesity. However, I contend that the appeal to war is not merely rhetorical, but indicative of the ambiguous relationship between neoliberal politics, public health and war in the West.
"Obesity is Suicide" by Brandon Knowlden from Struck Creative. http://brandonknowlden.com
The militarisation of public health discourse and policy serves as an example of Foucault's inversion of Clausewitz's principle that "Politics is the continuation of war by other means" (Foucault 2004, p.48). The appeal to war enables the neoliberal state to justify intervention in the life of the population and individuals as matter of security. Rather than considering the 'war on obesity' as merely mirroring the rhetoric of the 'war on terror', I contend that they share a political rationality that aims to secure the life of the population by pre-empting future threats through acting on subjects prior to their manifestation as an actual threat.
The suggestion that the 'war on obesity' and public health campaigns are manifestations of neoliberal political rationality could be seen to jar with critiques that such initiatives are examples of the Nanny or Welfare State. However, while the neoliberal state may withdraw from nationalized financial system, it does not abandon its monopoly on war and violence (Foucault 2004, p.48; Harvey 2009, p.82).
Of course the war waged against terrorism is of a different order to that waged against obesity. While the former requires an explicit appeal to the state's monopoly on violence, the latter is a 'peaceful' continuation of war through a politics that is "perpetually to use a sort of silent war to reinscribe that relationship of force, and to reinscribe it in institutions, economic inequalities, language and even the bodies of individuals" (Foucault 2004, p.16). The continuation of war through politics "sanctions and reproduces the disequilibrium of forces manifested in war" and instils this disequilibrium in the political institutions and the bodies of individuals.
In launching a 'war on obesity', the intervention in the life of the individual and population is framed by the Hobbesian mythos that the state provides security and protection. Considering obesity as threat to be secured and in employing the terms of war, the neoliberal state can justify intervention into the lives of the people. Against the background of the neoliberal monopoly of war the future is secured through the production and governance of subjects in the present. It is here that the wars on obesity, drugs, gangs, poverty and terrors begin to resemble each other.
Anonymous. 2008. "Cabbage-patch revolutionaries? The French 'grocer terrorists'." The Independent, December 18, 2008.
Bartlett, Lawrence. 2008. "Obesity more dangerous than terrorism: experts." The Age, February 25, 2008.
Biltekoff, Charlotte 2007. "The Terror Within: Obesity in Post 9/11 U.S. Life." American Studies no. 48 (3).
Carmona, Richard H. 2003. Remarks to the American Medical Association's National Advocacy Conference. edited by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Foucault, Michel. 2000. "Society Must Be Defended." In Ethics: Subjectivity and Truth, edited by Paul Rabinow. London: Penguin.
———. 2004. Society Must Be Defended: Lectures at the Collège de France 1975-76
. Translated by David Macey. Edited by Arnold I. Davidson. London: Penguin.
Gard, Michael. 2007. "Is the War on Obesity Also a War on Children?" Childrenz Issues: Journal of the Children's Issues Centre no. 11 (2):20-24.
Harvey, David. 2009. A Brief History of Neoliberalism. New York: Oxford University Press.
Nardi, Sarah. 2009. The Coming Insurrection. Adbusters, 14/07/2009.
June 22, 2013 June 22, 2013 by crmayes
The Trial of Homo Abacus: Security through Calculation
governmentality, obesity, politics
control, homo abacus, incantations, Job, L'Aquila, prayer, risk, security
From out of the whirlwind:
Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements – surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
(Job 38: 4-7)
Fate, providence, karma and the "sins of our fathers" are some of the paradigms used to explain disasters – from the micro to the macro. Each paradigm has a certain economy of security – prayer, sacrifice, confession – that wards off (or halts the cycle) of disaster. In this predictive age of the present, however, there is a continual fine-tuning of statistical analyses, scientific measurements, and mathematical models that purport to replace superstitious incantations with scientific exactitude. Prayers are still offered, by some, but like software licensing agreements that are hastily clicked on, earlier economies of security have become a mere formalities. Haollowed practices. Remnants of a simpler past.
Moving away from fatalistic or providential understandings of disaster and toward calculating control has placed human agency at the centre of prediction and prevention. It is not a god that can save or destroy us, but homo abacus. The fallout from recent events such as the Fukushima nuclear plant crisis, Deepwater Horizon oil spill or the L'Aquila earthquake demonstrate this shift.
The scientific community, government inquiries and investigative journalists increasingly place human agency in the centre as the cause and control of disaster.[1] Was the Fukushima plant designed and maintained to withstand a tsunami? Did BP, Transocean and Halliburton cut costs in construction and maintenance in order to increase profits? Why didn't the scientists of the Major Risks Committee predict the effect of the L'Aquila earthquake? The inability for these scientists to adequately answer this final question resulted in jail sentences "for underestimating an earthquake that killed 309 people in the town of L'Aquila in 2009".[2] Although natural events undeniably play a role in these scenarios, contemporary security strategies and discourse position human agency as the crucial point on which attempts to govern unknown futures stand or fall.
The purported obesity epidemic is another example. Although in this instance everyone is expected to adopt the practices of homo abacus – the calculating and measuring human. There are obvious differences between the obesity epidemic and the L'Aquila earthquake or Deepwater Horizon disaster. My point is not that they represent equivalent threats to society, but that a similar rationality is in operation that seeks to govern unpredictable and incalculable events that are entwined with human agency. Just as the L'Aquila earthquake cannot be dismissed as tragic natural disaster beyond human control, the obesity epidemic cannot be dismissed as relatively benign social and biological phenomenon that is plateauing.[3] Rather both have provoked countless experts that are producing knowledge, developing techniques and deploying strategies to govern future unknown threats to population health, safety and economic security.
Further, like the scientists of L'Aquila who stood trial and were sentenced for failing to predict the earthquake, each of us are on trial while simultaneously serving as jurors in the trials of others. Although some more so than others. Counting calories in. Counting calories out. Measuring waist circumference. Assessing daily percentage intake. Weighing bodies. Pinching flesh. Dividing body mass by the square of height. These are some of homo abacus's (in)calculable duties that secure the self and others. These are the new incantations of control that make us believe we can prevent the whirlwind and answer any questions it may pose.
[1] Risa Maeda, "Japan Fukushima probe urges new disaster prevention steps, mindset," Reuters, July 23, 2012; Steven Mufson, "BP, Transocean, Halliburton blamed by presidential Gulf oil spill commission," Washington Post, January 6, 2011.
[2] Sunanda Creagh, "Researchers alarmed by jail sentence for Italian scientists," The Conversation, October 23 2012.
[3] Michael Gard, The End of the Obesity Epidemic (New York: Routledge, 2011)., 168
June 7, 2013 by crmayes
From Mental Illness to Personal Responsibility: A Technological Transformation of Bulimic Purging
ethics, health, obesity, politics
body image, bulimia, DSM-IV, panopticon, responsibility, stomach pump
The continuing crusade against overweight and obese individuals has taken yet another bizarre and grotesque turn with the unveiling of "AspireAssist", a personal "stomach pump [that] sucks food out of the user's belly before the body can fully digest it".
AspireAssist
Such a development is not all that surprising. The so called obesity epidemic has transformed ethical and social norms to position those with bodies, habits or attitudes that represent obesity as fair game – the hunting metaphor is apposite.
The state of emergency that is the obesity epidemic has seen public health advocates earnestly recommend that obese children be placed in foster care, bioethicists argue that obese adults should be stigmatised and discriminated against, and hospital CEOs suggesting it is acceptable to refuse to hire overweight or obese people.
In this milieu of panic and desire for strategies that "really work", AspireAssist has developed a personal stomach pump. The video on the ABC News website is more detailed, but the clip below is clear enough.
According to AspireAssist it "works by removing a portion of the food from the stomach before it is absorbed". By using AspireAssist 20mins after eating, the pump removes 30% of the stomachs contents to reduce the amount of calories, nutrients, fats etc absorbed by the body and thereby making the individual slimmer. My interest in AspireAssist is not the extraordinary and ethically questionable attempt to normalize bodies to conform to artificial measurements such as the BMI. But the way this technology transforms a practice that most medical professionals characterise as a mental disorder.
This act of removing the contents of the stomach to achieve the goal "normal" weight and body image is not dissimilar to bulimia nervosa, a condition that since the 1980s has been regarded as a mental illness. The DSM-IV describes individuals with bulimia nervosa as engaging "in inappropriate behavior to avoid weight gain (e.g., self-induced vomiting), and are overly concerned with body shape and weight. However, unlike individuals with anorexia nervosa, binge-eating/purging type, individuals with bulimia nervosa maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal level."
For an individual to excuse themselves from the table to go and vomit in the toilet 20mins after sharing a meal with friends would be, according to the DSM-IV, inappropriate. Such behavior ordinarily invokes social concern and justifies medical intervention. However, the technology of the stomach-pump transforms medically defined deviance (purging) into medically approved compliance. Performing a near identical function to purging, the use of the personal stomach-pump does not incite medical intervention as it is the medical intervention and it does not invoke social concern as it is a response to the social concern of obesity.
AspireAssist's stomach pump probably won't become a common tool. The panopticon was not widely implemented either. But like the panopticon, the personal stomach-pump represents a rationality of a specific (bio)political moment in which the bodies of individuals are considered to pose such a threat to the population (and themselves) that spectacular interventions are justified that transform the logics of pathologies into the logics therapies.
Lifestyle Intervention and the Aesthetics of Obesity and Smoking
aesthetics, governmentality, health, lifestyle, obesity, politics
beauty, big food, big tobacco, ethics of the self, smoking
The sustained concern over obesity as a threat to population and economic security has led to a proliferation of medical and non-medical experts intervening in the daily lives and practices of individuals. These interventions commonly fall under the rubric of lifestyle. Seen as both the cause and solution, the modern lifestyle is the target of modification strategies and techniques.
Of course, interventions into lifestyle are not entirely new or exclusive to obesity. Smoking, homosexuality, extreme sports or drug-use have all been described as lifestyles with associated health risks that justify outside intervention. Yet, I contend that obesity is unique in its characterization as a political, economic, aesthetic and public health problem that emanates from individual choices and practices.
The uniqueness of obesity is partly evidenced in comparison to smoking. While smokers have attracted a significant share of vitriol and harassment, much of the blame for smoking and the associated health impacts is reserved for "Big Tobacco". If repentant, smokers can be characterized as the victims of industry deception and chemical addiction. Although there is anger directed toward "Big Food", obesity is primarily framed as the result of individual choice and lack of control.
Furthermore, there is an aesthetic difference that distinguishes obesity from smoking. While there are active efforts to counter the "coolness"of smoking, the iconic images of Humphrey Bogart or Audrey Hepburn with cigarettes in hand continue to influence Western aesthetics. And the more recent fictional characters, Don Draper and Joan Halloway stubbornly resist the cliché that "kissing a smoker is like kissing an ashtray". In contrast, the aesthetics and celebrity of obesity are comical, grotesque or both. Cartoon characters like Homer Simpson or Peter Griffin who eat anything within reach, from a week old sandwich to the legs of a paralytic friend, serve to confirm the message that obesity is grotesque in form and the result of lack of control.
This aesthetic also carries with it a judgement on the ability of an individual to self-govern and also to govern others. Kim Beazley, the former leader of the opposition in Australia was once told by Prime Minister Bob Hawke that the Australian people wouldn't elect a fat prime minister. A contemporary example in the US is Chris Christie. Since at least the 2012 Republican primaries Christie's weight has been a continual talking-point. These discussions are set to increase as speculation grows over his intentions to run for President in 2016.
Contemporary concerns about obesity and its relation to aesthetics, self-governance and the governance of others resembles regulations over sexual conduct in Ancient Greece. In examining the problematization of sexual practice in Ancient Greece, Michel Foucault outlines the link between a husband's sexual conduct, household management and governance of the city. According to Foucault, the Greek husband's authority and control over his home (of which his wife was a part) reflected his ability to have authority and control over himself and the life of the city. While the husband was free to engage in sexual practice outside of the conjugal relation, "having sexual relations only with his wife was the most elegant way of exercising his control" (HSII, 151). Further, when Aristotle condemns extra-marital sexual relations as dishonourable it is not that the activity deviates from a moral law or order, rather such action demonstrates the husband's inability to conduct himself in relation to the ethical substance of pleasure with the appropriate degree of self-control and mastery.
The example of Nicoles the ruler of Cyprus illustrates this point. According to Isocrates, Nicocles explains his conjugal fidelity in saying, "I am the king, and because as somebody who commands others, who rules others, I have to show that I am able to rule myself." Therefore if Nicocles wishes to rule others and the city with glory and authority then he must rule himself first. Foucault argues that for the Greeks the mode of subjection was politico-aesthetic in which "political power, glory, immortality and beauty are all linked together at a certain moment." Thus the Greek free man is at liberty to engage in sexual activity with someone other than his wife, however if he has accepted the politico-aesthetic mode of subjection, if he wishes his existence to be characterized by self-mastery and beauty, then he will recognize the particular rules of conduct that are constitutive of that subjectivity.
In a somewhat similar fashion, the American (or Australian, or any citizen of a Western liberal democracy) is free to indulge in whatever culinary and dietary activity he or she wishes, however, in return the society will discount beauty and the capacity for self-governance and the governance of others and thereby justify interventions into their daily choices, activities and practices.
The End of Obesity: There is something happening here, but you (we) don't know what it is…
ABC, Australia, fat, Michael Gard, obesity, optics, politics, public health
The rhetoric and hyperbole surrounding the 'obesity epidemic' serves the interests of politicians gaining headlines, journalists selling papers and the fitness industry acquiring customers, however in a recent book and interview Michael Gard argues that such statements are not supported by scientific and epidemiological literature. Rather than consensus and clear evidence of continued rise in obesity rates, and the more fundamental question of the relation between body mass and health, the literature demonstrates a plateauing of obesity and disagreement over the significance of body weight.
For a short and insightful discussion of these issues I recommend Michael Gard's interview with Michael Duffy on ABC's Counterpoint. Discussing the epidemiological, public health and political context of the 'obesity epidemic' Gard addresses key questions around health impacts, schools and children, class and life expectancy.
A point I found particularly interesting was Michael Duffy's comment in relation to class – "You hardly see an obese person in parliament or representing a company on television."
This comment reveals an important aspect of optics and class. There are a number of overweight and obese people in Australian parliament (and the business community) yet we don't see them because they don't fit our idea of what an obese person looks like. We don't see their body as obese, not because they are physically hidden by the party, but they are hidden by our ideas of class and social status. Occasionally the obese body does emerge, as with Bob Hawke's reported comments to Kim Beazley that he could never be Prime Minister unless he lost weight, but on the whole we don't see their obesity as it is masked by their position, status, suit – their class.
However, it is also important to note that some in the 'Fat Studies' community argue that fewer fat people are promoted due to social prejudice against larger bodies. Like short stature, race and sexuality, they argue that social norms serve to exclude fat bodies from positions of leadership and power in business and political communities.
October 3, 2011 March 3, 2015 by crmayes
Taking Food to Bed
food porn, guilt, humour, Lee Monaghan, men's health, obesity, Paul Campos, sociology
Hungry Jack's Angry Angus – it's not a kebab, but just as cheap and regrettable.
"Discussing his love of take-away food, Victor talked about regularly taking a doner kebab home at night while sober and extending it to the morning after (he did not use alcohol as an excuse-account for his actions). Victor said he would reheat leftover kebab meat in the microwave for breakfast because he enjoyed it so much. If Campos (2004) talks about 'food porn' then doner could be described as a cheap, casual lover who is so good partly because she has a reputation for being so bad."
Lee F. Monaghan Men and the war on obesity: a sociological study, Taylor & Francis, 2008: 55.
June 20, 2011 March 3, 2015 by crmayes
Picasso's Normal Bodies
auction, bodies, irony, normalization, obesity, Picasso, University of Sydney
Recently Picasso's Jeune fille endormie was donated to the University of Sydney "on the strict understanding that it would be sold and all the proceeds directed to scientific research." (see)
The painting will be auctioned tomorrow (21st June) in London with the proceeds going toward the new Centre for Obesity, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease.
The irony of this event is depressing in the extreme. Placing the utilitarian approach to art and the myopia over the sciences to one side. The fact that a Picasso is being auctioned to fund a centre targeting obesity is absurd.
Obesity is a category created to define the body that exceeds normality. Obesity science is on a quest to find a way to normalize bodies the exceed regulatory measures such as BMI.*
Picasso however is notorious for his depictions of the body as anything but normal. For example see Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avigno
(From the Art History Archive, here)
Across the different periods of Picasso's work he depicts the body as anarchic, excessive and unbridled. To auction one of his works to advance a science – however well intended – that seeks to confine, constrain and regulate the body is a disgrace and embarrassment.
* I am not focusing on a critique of obesity science here. Merely stating that it seeks to normalize bodies. For a critique see Michael Gard's work. He is interview here.


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The first round of the 2018 Mae Young Classic continued on the WWE Network tonight. Deonna Purrazzo, Zeuxis, Kacy Catanzaro and Mercedes Martinez won their matches to advance to the second round.
Purrazzo defeated Priscilla Kelly and will now face the winner of Karen Q vs. Xia Li in the second round. Zeuxis defeated Aerial Monroe to advance to the second round, where she will face Io Shirai. Catanzaro defeated Reina Gonzalez and will now face Rhea Ripley in the next round. Martinez defeated Ashley Rayne and will now face Meiko Satomura in the second round.
Superstars shown in the crowd on tonight's episode were Samoa Joe, Natalya, WWE Cruiserweight Champion Cedric Alexander (with his daughter to watch wife Monroe), Sarah Logan, Liv Morgan and The Undisputed Era.
#WWEMYC is the place to be.


Ask Emma Foxy to add social media links.
i will be your fantasy!!
The display of Emma Foxy's top fans is limited to customers who have spent $100 or more on Flirt 4 Free.
* Emma Foxy's number one fan is based on points from Flirt Rewards.
Damn! Emma is absolutely gorgeous. 5 out of 5 stars!
Gorgeous woman who has a great attitude to go with it.A must see. Well worth it for the great show.


Let us introduce ourselves. We are the Jacksonville campus of Port City Community Church and our biggest goal is to reach people (like you!) and help them walk with God. We can't wait to get to know you!
PC3 Jacksonville is the newest of the Port City Community Church campuses, planted in February 2015. In the summer of 2017, we merged with Jacksonville Bible Church and since we joined forces God is continuing to bless our community as it grows! We recently moved into our new church building in downtown Jacksonville located at 501 Anne St!
During our services we worship together through singing with our live band and watch a live-streamed message from our Senior Pastor, Mike Ashcraft, from our Wilmington Campus.
Try to get here about 15 minutes before the service starts. Not feeling rushed is always a good start, especially if you need to check your kids into our children's ministries. There is so much good stuff to experience on Sundays and we don't want you to miss a thing!
We at PC3 love a good cup of coffee, so we serve a delicious free cup at all of our locations. Stop by our coffee station before coming into service.
If you have any questions, find one of our Host Team member anytime for more information or advice. This is especially helpful if you have children and need help checking them into their respective services.
Our services last about 70 minutes, but we promise it's going to fly by!
We want to care for your kids in the same way we would our own. That's why we've created environments for your children (from birth to 5th grade) that are both safe and engaging as they learn more about God and the Bible. Our hope is that as they grow, what they learn on Sunday can be a springboard for more conversations about God and faith with you during the week.
Students are the future of the church and the world, and we have an opportunity to reach them and help them grow in a way that works best for them. We strive to make our student environments dynamic, personal and fun – a place they'll actually want to go.
It's normal to have questions when it comes to a church's beliefs and perspectives. In fact, we think it's a great thing. Our beliefs on everything from God to salvation to destiny are central to who we are as a church, so we put them all in one place just for you.
The Port City Community Church app brings PC3 sermons from Mike Ashcraft and others straight to your hands, as well as daily devotions, campus locations and service times, and other information. You can browse current and past sermon series and watch/listen on demand.


According to St John Ambulance, less that 13% of businesses are "First Aid Ready". And if you're not in that 13% you could be risking more than you think.
The OH&S and related First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice mean that you could be legally obligated to lift your game and educate your team.
Unfortunately accidents do happen - inside the workplace and beyond. And while you can't prevent the unexpected, you and your team can be prepared for it.
Peace of mind comes in the form of an engaging and entertaining three hour first aid course delivered by trained and experienced paramedics.
Don't let our name fool you - in this unique course, you'll learn first aid skills to treat patients of all ages.
Like our public course, this engaging and practical course covers the 10 most common emergency situations. At the end of 3 hours, you'll know precisely how to deal with the emergency situation before the paramedics and first responders arrive. You'll also receive a take home poster to remind you of the correct techniques.
Informative and with enough humour to stop me sitting there crying!
It was a brilliant presentation - concise, informative and with enough humour to stop me sitting there crying! I have done first aid courses in the past, so this was a great top up, and a reminder that if something terrible happens, whatever the outcome, at least I will never have to live with the thought that I did nothing to help.
When you book your event, you'll have greater flexibility to book your event at a time and location that suits everyone so you don't need to worry about team members missing out on this valuable information.
There's nothing quite like having a qualified paramedic at your disposal to ask any lingering questions you might have.
We welcome questions throughout the workshop. Remember, there's no such thing as a silly question!
If you would like to find out more about arranging a private Kids First Aid workshop for your business or organisation, we invite you to contact us using the form on the top right-hand side of this page.
As paramedics, we know the vital importance of the first few minutes during an emergency. What happens in these minutes can make all the difference when it comes to your team and customers' wellbeing. Know the correct techniques and you can significantly help the patient.
We look forward to hosting your own private workshop soon. Please don't delay your enquiry. Although we hope you never have to use first aid in a critical situation, it's better to be safe than sorry.
Find out how you can host your own Kids First Aid workshop for your team.
I found the whole session valuable to my individual needs. In particular the part on CPR. It has given me confidence and information on a area that I had no idea about.
Very practical and easy to follow. Good level of detail. Very down to earth presenter (and Ben was quite reassuring).
The information I take away with me is invaluable. The presenter communicated clearly and made it easier to understand what you needed to do if faced with any of the situations discussed at the session.
Informative and useful ... very useful topic and this knowledge is highly recommended.
I think the length of the course was perfect, it wasn't information overload.
Absolutely well worth every second!
I found the entire session valuable - granted the content was too horrible to contemplate but absolutely well worth every second!
Thanks so much. The feedback we received on the session was fantastic. Brendon did a wonderful job.


Lawyers handling hail damage claims will tell you to immediately check for damage after a hail storm and immediately report any damage to your insurance company. The reasons for doing this are illustrated in an opinion from the U.S. District Court, Dallas Division. The style of the case is, Hamilton Properties v. American Insurance Company.
(1) breach of contract; (2) violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act; (3) violations of the Texas Insurance Code; (4) breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing; (5) breach of fiduciary duty; (6) misrepresentation; and (7) common law fraud by misrepresentation. Defendant The American Insurance Company ("AIC") has moved for summary judgment with respect to all of these claims. This Court granted the motion.
Plaintiff's owned Property in Dallas that had ceased functioning as a hotel.
This Property became insured by AIC on Feb. 16, 2009, and the coverage ceased on Sept. 24, 2009.
On July 8, 2009 there was a hailstorm (the "July Hailstorm") in Dallas, Texas. According to Tom Coughlin, who was living at the Property and serving as its caretaker at the time, ping-pong- sized hailstones rained down. Within a month of the July Hailstorm, Coughlin started to notice a pattern of falling ceiling tiles and water dripping on the 12th floor of the Property. "Probably after a week or two had gone by but before a couple months" after the storm Coughlin notified a manager for Hamilton Properties, Ashley Farha, of the problems he observed. However, it was not until later that Larry Hamilton, corporate representative of Hamilton Properties, became aware of the water and ceiling issues.
The parties disagree when Plaintiffs notified AIC of the wind and hail damage from the July Hailstorm. Plaintiffs insist they provided notice on February 14, 2011, when Larry Hamilton emailed Plaintiffs' insurance agent about the loss. AIC insists this did not count as notice because the agent was no longer Plaintiffs' broker of record and could not accept or report the claim on their behalf. Thus, AIC argues Plaintiffs did not give notice until their claim was filed in October 2011–roughly eight months after Larry Hamilton's email.
On February 16, 2012, Defendants notified Hamilton Properties via letter that AIC investigated the claim and decided to disclaim coverage. The Denial Letter stated that an engineer previously inspected the Property on July 27, 2009–nineteen days after the July Hailstorm–and noted no obvious hail or water damage at the time. In addition, AIC's roof consultant advised that the roof was about twelve to fifteen years old, that he saw no evidence of hail damage to its surface, and that the worst interior damage was over an area previously patched. The Denial Letter also noted that AIC reviewed historical weather data for the area and confirmed that inch-sized hail was reported on the date of the July Hailstorm. Further, there were three prior hail events between April 2007 and February 2008 that produced hail between 0.88 and 1.75 inches. There also three hail events after the July Hailstorm during May 2011 that produced hail between 0.75 and 1.5 inches. Ultimately, because Plaintiffs did not notice the damage until 2011, AIC could not determine if the damage occurred during the coverage period, which ended on September 24, 2009. Consequently, AIC disclaimed the coverage and made no payment for the claim.
After reviewing the evidence in the light most favorable to Plaintiffs, the Court concludes that AIC has satisfied its burden of showing the lack of evidence to support Plaintiffs' claim that the damage to the Property was solely caused by the July Hailstorm. For example, the affidavits of Douglas Caudill and Paul Cook show that the July Hailstorm was significant, caused damage to the roofs of neighboring buildings, and was stronger than a prior hailstorm in the area. However, the affidavits are silent with respect to the condition of Plaintiffs' hotel either before or after the storm. Thus, these exhibits do little more than support a point that is not in dispute–that the July Hailstorm could have damaged the Property. Whether the storm actually did–and to what extent–remains unclear.
Similarly, the testimony of Plaintiffs' eye-witness Tom Coughlin and the testimony, affidavit, and expert report of Plaintiffs' expert Tom Shingler do not demonstrate that Plaintiffs' damage was "solely attributable to the hail storm." Indeed, when taken in the light most favorable to Plaintiffs, the evidence from both men shows only that the July Hailstorm contributed to the destruction of the roof and interior of the Property. However, it does not establish Plaintiffs' claim that the July Hailstorm was the lone cause of the harm. Nor does the evidence raise a genuine question of material fact on this point.
For example, Mr. Coughlin testified that before the storm he never noticed leaking on the 12th floor. Pls.' Sometime thereafter–"after the beginning of July 2009"–he observed water dripping from the ceiling. Indeed, "if it was raining outside, Mr. Coughlin would for all intents and purposes, see leakage. Sometimes a day or two after it rained, it would still be continuing to leak." Over time, the water damage became so bad that ceiling tiles started to fall. Certainly Mr. Coughlin's observations indicate that the 12th floor deteriorated after the July Hailstorm. However, they fail to demonstrate what Plaintiffs allege–that the change was entirely the result of the event. Mr. Coughlin never clarified when before (or after) the storm he visited the 12th floor or what its condition was during his initial visit. In addition, Plaintiffs' expert Tom Shingler testified that it could take anywhere from days to months after holes form in the roof and walls for water to be noticeable inside the Property. Mr. Shingler also acknowledged that two previous hailstorms, one of which pre-dated the Policy's coverage period, could have caused the hail damage that allowed water to penetrate the 12th floor. Further, he conceded that a pre-existing crack in a patch on the roof, which he attributed to shrinkage and suggested a "lack of quality in the maintenance," could have been a source of the water intrusion.
Though the Court's previous conclusion disposes of Plaintiffs' claim, the Court nevertheless considers AIC's argument with respect to notice. AIC asserts that prompt notice was a condition precedent to the Policy and that Plaintiffs failed to satisfy the condition by waiting until October 2011 to file their claim. As a result, AIC argues it was relieved of any of its own duties under the contract.
The above is some of the case. This is one of those cases that an attorney handling hail claims needs to read closely.