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Paul Simmonds
Group Chairman
Standort: Vereinigtes KönigreichTechnopolis Group
Email: paul.simmonds@technopolis-group.com
Paul has been involved in policy consulting since the late 1980s and is specialised in studies related to research and innovation. He has a strong track record in policy evaluation, both within the research and innovation sphere and more broadly.
He is the UK Managing Director, a member of the Technopolis Company Board and a major shareholder in the Technopolis Group.
Recent studies include assessing the economic returns to engineering research and training for the EPSRC, a review of the effectiveness of NERC Council, an economic impact assessment of the ISIS neutron and muon source for STFC, an economic impact assessment of the ARTES advanced telecommunications programme for the European Space Agency (ESA), a review of legislation governing national research systems across the EU member states for DG Research and a review of the drivers and barriers affecting the expansion in the provision of undergraduate degrees, for the Royal Academy of Engineering. Work for the European Commission includes ex ante, interim and final evaluations of various EU RTD programmes, including the Security and Space Research Actions and the impact of FP7 on SMEs. Other recent studies include a review of the IP activities of firms in Ireland, for the Department for Jobs Enterprise and Innovation, an international comparison of policy and practice in knowledge transfer, for Knowledge Transfer Ireland (KTI), an assessment of the commercial opportunities presented by Smart Ageing, for an inter-departmental working group chaired by Ireland's Department of the Taoiseach. He has recently completed the design of evaluation frameworks relating to low carbon innovation, for DECC, and investments in cycling infrastructure, for Department for Transport.
Paul has done a good deal of work on research in the HE sector too, including an evaluation of the Science Research Investment Fund (SRIF) as well as the lessons-learned reviews of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) pilot exercises (Bibliometrics and Impact Assessment pilots), for the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). Most recently, he carried out the REF 2014 Accountability Review and led a study to review the novel research opportunities presented by improving access to patient level clinical data, for the Wellcome Trust.
Paul also led a succession of studies exploring international research cooperation, including a review of UK universities' strategic management of international research collaboration, for Universities UK, mapping international bilateral S&T collaboration between the UK and Japan, for the British Embassy in Tokyo, and an international review of the drivers of UK international engagement in science and innovation, for the Global Science and Innovation Forum (GSIF).
Paul also led various policy studies and evaluations for England's Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) in the period prior to their abolition, as well as numerous studies for other public bodies and think tanks, such as the Design Council and NESTA. Other regional development work include a meta analysis of evaluations to identify good practice in the evaluation of innovation support measures for DG Regional Policy, an evaluation of the France-England Interreg IVa programme and a study for InterTradeIreland in Northern Ireland, exploring the opportunities to strengthen the all-island innovation ecosystem through increased cross-border cooperation.
Other notable studies include the 2015 strategic review of Ireland's membership of ESA, the mid-term review of the Energy Technologies Institute, evaluations of the UK civil space programme for the former Department of Trade and Industry, the impact of the EU Framework Programmes (FP4, FP5, FP6 & FP7) in the UK, an evaluation of the Cambridge MIT Institute (CMI) for DIUS and the Strategic Review of the Knowledge Transfer Networks for the former Technology Strategy Board.
He originally trained as a marine engineer, but changed track in the early 1980s moving into the science policy domain by way of a masters degree from SPRU at the University of Sussex. He is currently the independent Chair of the University of Sussex's Research Governance Committee.
Paul is married with three adult children and lives in Brighton. His hobbies include cycling and sailing.
Paul Simmondss Artikel
The challenge of creating key performance indicators for international development funding
20 years on: did the EU Orphan Regulation deliver on its promises?
The impact of collaboration: the value of UK medical research to EU science and health
Landscape Review of Interdisciplinary Research in the UK
Case Study Review of Interdisciplinary Research in Higher Education Institutions in England
Innovation by design – How design enables science and technology research to achieve greater impact
Paul Simmondss Studie(n)
The impact of EMBL experimental services
Exploring Partnered Research Programmes: A Guide for Funders
Socio-economic impacts of Diamond Light Source
The scientific, technological and societal conditions for the end of the COVID-19 crisis
Final Evaluation of the Compete Caribbean Program
LEP Outlook Report 2019
Evaluation of the Benefits that the UK has derived from CERN
Evaluating the economic and social impacts of cycling infrastructure: considerations for an evaluation framework
Evaluation of the Global Challenge Research Fund (GCRF) – Foundation Stage
Hartree Centre Phase 1&2 Baseline Evaluation
Support to the generation of a Research and Innovation Funding Service
Evaluation of Directive 2006/42/EC on Machinery
Comparative impact study of the European Social Survey (ESS) ERIC
The role of EU funding in UK research and innovation
The role of EU funding for UK Educational research


Is the Xbox Game Pass Enough to Sway People to Xbox One?
The solution Microsoft needs, or the one they deserve?
Home » Features » Is the Xbox Game Pass Enough to Sway People to Xbox One?
Xbox Game Pass is a monthly subscription service costing £7.99/$9.99 that gives you unlimited access to a large library of games. Any game in the library, which according to Microsoft will update each month, can be downloaded and played online or offline whenever you like, provided you're still paying your monthly membership. On paper, it sounds like an excellent idea, but is this service enough to persuade people to shift to the Xbox platform?
Microsoft is facing an uphill battle at the moment. It's become increasingly clear that they aren't going to catch up to Sony and their monstrous PS4 sales, the PS4 has generally been outselling the Xbox One by about 2:1. On top of that though, the strong sales of the Switch has pushed Microsoft into a corner. Xbox fans are likely to already have invested in an Xbox, and it seems more and more likely PlayStation fans will choose the Switch as their secondary consoles because of its portability. It's clear that Microsoft needs something to draw in new customers, and it seems Xbox Game Pass is one way they want to do that.
It's library, while not huge, has a fair few gems that make it a strong option for someone just getting into gaming on Xbox. Halo 5 is an obvious standout; it may be over a year old but the game has gotten better with age, featuring more maps, more game types and many new features for players to get to grips with, including the long awaited custom games browser. The library also includes Gears of War 1-3, Judgement, and Ultimate Edition. Borderlands, Saints Row, Viva Piñata, BioShock, and Sunset Overdrive are just a few of the other gems available as well. If you're gaming on a budget, this is one way of getting serious value out of each dollar, provided you're willing to experiment with a few games to find ones that appeal to you. To that point, the library is suitably diverse as well, with at least a couple of offerings for most genres you could think of.
In a lot of ways, it makes sense. The advent of video streaming has been slowly making the old TV distribution model obsolete, and it's surprising it's taken so long for the gaming industry to take notice. It's not hard to see how Microsoft could look at Netflix and Amazon Prime and say to themselves "surely we can do that." Sony took notice, PS Now has been doing this for a little while. However, it's priced significantly higher, doesn't allow for offline play and splits its library into games that can be accessed as part of the subscription service, and games that can only be rented for play. Xbox Game Pass doesn't have these specific caveats, but as a result, has its own set of flaws.
Firstly, its library is smaller. Xbox Game Pass is launching with only 112 games, whereas PS Now has over 450. Secondly, while there are advantages to being able to download the games for offline play, it limits the accessibility of the service. A PS Now subscriber can play as many of the games in that library whenever they want, with Xbox Game Pass you are limited by your hard drive space and will need to wait for each game to download before you can play it. When you consider those disadvantages, Xbox Game Pass becomes a much less compelling reason to buy an Xbox One.
Clearly, a bigger library than Xbox Game Pass.
But even all those points still don't get to the crux of the main issue. Xbox Game Pass, Project Scorpio, they're all band-aids trying to fix a far too serious wound. Xbox doesn't have the games. Sony has a large back catalog of strong AAA exclusives on the PS4 already, with much more lined up for this year and next. Nintendo has some of the most loved franchises in their arsenal, and a strong lineup of games releasing through the year. As it stands, Microsoft is clearly lagging. A games console and its services are only as good as they games you can play with them.
That doesn't mean that Xbox Game Pass isn't good value, or that it doesn't have the ability to become a more compelling service in the future. As more games, and perhaps, more importantly, newer titles get added to the library, it becomes a more promising investment for people. If the service adds enough games each month, this could be something that's worth considering.
At the end of the day, Microsoft should be commended for pushing the boundaries of the traditional games distribution model. Increasingly they seem to be throwing out the rule book and trying new things, and this can only be a good thing for consumers. But the issues they have in the industry aren't related to their hardware, or even their services, but the games themselves. Until they can bolster their library with a suite of must-play AAA exclusives, no amount of hardware revisions, subscription services, or cross play features will persuade people to pick up an Xbox console. Perhaps, come E3 we will see how this all plays into Microsoft's master plan. Until then, we'll just have to wait and see what they have in store for us.


A piece which demands richness and royalty! Let the years pass by and the colours of time fade, but this beauty shall outshine all the shades. This piece holds sophistication and elegance in their miniature form. The quarters of dial hold diamonds along with the case encircled with them to make it a glittery affair. With leather strap and steel dial, the mix keeps you in a comfy zone with a stylish leap that you should take.


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Bloomington Hills man facing federal drug charge
Kevin Jenkins
kevin@thespectrum.com
Federal authorities in Illinois unsealed a federal complaint this week against a St. George man accused of taking a shipment of purified methamphetamine on an airline flight from Las Vegas for sale in his former home town.
Kent Eric Morgan, 52, was arrested in January on Illinois state charges of trafficking and possessing methamphetamine after he and a relative were stopped on their arrival at the Peoria International Airport by drug officers acting on information that Morgan had flown to Utah to obtain the crystalized "ice" form of the drug and was returning with it to Illinois to sell it in the area of Peoria and Knox counties.
The state charges were dismissed Monday, the day the federal court found sufficient probable cause to hold Morgan on a charge of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and "bound (him) over to the grand jury," according to court documents.
Morgan is a resident of a Hidden Valley Drive subdivision in Bloomington Hills and has a history of "several felony and misdemeanor convictions," according to the federal complaint that mentions theft, forgery and domestic violence-related counts.
Two felony cases filed against Morgan in St. George were ultimately dismissed — one of them after Morgan pleaded guilty to forgery in a 2007 incident but then successfully complied with an abeyance agreement that allowed the charge to be dismissed three years ago, court papers indicate.
At the time of his Illinois arrest, Morgan was under probation in Washington County after he was convicted of methamphetamine possession in Colorado but allowed to return to his home.
Morgan was granted a publicly funded defense attorney after informing the court he has not received any employment income for at least the past 12 months and doesn't know what his wife's income is. He is also still paying off a student loan, he stated.
Morgan is asking the court to release him from custody until trial. The prosecution opposes the motion, and a detention hearing is scheduled Tuesday to decide the matter.
Morgan allegedly was carrying 94.7 grams — about 3 ounces — of the purified meth in a purple rubber glove at the time of his arrest at the airport.
"That's a lot of drugs to be bringing in on a plane," Dave Briggs, the director of the Peoria Multi County Narcotics Enforcement Group known as PMEG or MEG, said in January. "This would be more than usual (compared to other MEG arrests), that's for sure. We don't run into this every day."
Briggs estimated that at about $100 per gram, the drug could be sold for nearly $10,000 "if he piecemealed it out … and took the time to sell it gram by gram."
According to the affidavit filed in federal court, Briggs, one of his special agents employed with the Galesburg Police Department, and two Peoria County Sheriff's lieutenants met Morgan and his father after they came through the airport's security station and interviewed them in a seating area along the walkway.
Morgan's father said he didn't have any drugs and told the officers they could search his bag, but Morgan would not agree to let the officers search his bag, according to the report.
PMEG agent Bryan Anderson told Morgan he had been in touch with Morgan's probation officer in St. George, and that part of his probation travel agreement was "to cooperate in all aspects with law enforcement" and that he could be in violation of his probation.
According to the report, the group had been standing but Morgan's father said he needed to sit down.
Morgan told his father he couldn't sit down but his father said he was going to sit anyway, and Morgan remained with his father.
Anderson reported Morgan then reached both hands behind his back and threw something down on the chair behind him.
Morgan tried to sit on what he had thrown on the chair, but then reached underneath himself and threw the item — the purple rubber glove containing the meth — over Anderson's head, according to the report.
Briggs said Morgan's father was not arrested and investigators don't believe he was aware Morgan was allegedly trafficking the drugs.
Morgan is a former resident of Galesburg, Ill., and Briggs said he believes Morgan still has family in the area.
Follow reporter Kevin Jenkins, @SpectrumJenkins. Call him at 435-674-6253.
St. George man charged with taking meth on plane
Drug trafficking suspect pleads guilty, faces 15 years in federal prison
Drug task force teams up with DEA on alleged large meth bust
UHP K-9 takes down more traffickers

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Previously, we mentioned that the unveiling of the newest Windows 10 mobile build 10536 version means that Microsoft is ready to launch new flagships as well, and that appears to be true. Back in May, Zauba – an online website that tracks imports and exports in India – discovered a 4.7-inch device, codenamed RM-1127, which appears to be Microsoft Lumia 550.
The discovered device has two variants, one with a single SIM slot and the other one with dual SIM capability (RM-1128). According to the specs leaked in summer by a Microsoft distributor, Microsoft Lumia 550 is a 4.7-inch handset with 8 GB of native storage. The display will be 780 x 1280 or 540 x 960. The device sports the Snapdragon 210 chipset and 1GB of RAM. Lumia 550 could have a 5 MP rear and a 1.2 MP front camera. Based on these specs, we can say that it's a mid-range phone.
Microsoft Lumia 550 will support 4G LTE connectivity and will also have Windows 10 Mobile pre-installed. The price of the phone will be about 120$. It seems that the phone will be unviled by the 6th of October, when Microsoft will hold an event to announce some new Windows 10 Mobile smartphones, including the Surface Pro 4.
You may not be that excited about a mid-range phone, but it's hard to believe that Microsoft will stick only to that. The rumored high-range Microsoft Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL smartphones could be unveiled on October 6th too, but for the moment, there isn't any official news confirming that.


The Holy Spirit is one of the most misunderstood areas of Christian belief and practice. The Bible must be our source for information on spiritual matters. Thankfully, Jesus spent a great deal of time explaining the role of "The Spirit of Truth" during the last supper he had with his disciples before he was arrested. These articles discuss what can be gleaned from John 13-17 as well as the rest of the Bible on this intriguing subject. To listen to free online audio teachings on the holy spirit, click here.


Rates are for 1 person. The Single Studios consist of a Studio room unit with 1 double and 1 single bed with full linen, towels and full ensuite. Rooms have SKY TV, full internet access, phone and oom service. All units are serviced daily.
Rates are for 2 persons, extra person $20.00. The Double / Twin Bedroom units consist with 1 queen-size and 1 single bed with full linen, towels and full ensuite. Rooms have SKY TV, full internet access, phone and room service. All units are serviced daily.
Rates are for 4 persons, extra person $20.00. Maximum occupancy 5. The Family Unit consists of a 1-bedroom unit with 1 double and 1 single bed in the lounge, 2 single beds in a seperate room, with full linen towels and ensuite. Rooms have SKY TV, full internet access, phone and room service. All units are serviced daily.


Welcome to the Ultimate Guide For Automotive Service Professionals, the leading online directory for the automotive service industry.
If you have an existing listing within the Ultimate Guide For Automotive Service Professionals, please log-in by selecting the 'Edit My Listing' link and entering your username and password or call 800-816-6710.
If you are a supplier to the automotive service industry, please click "Register" and fill out the required information to confirm your basic listing within the Ultimate Guide For Automotive Service Professionals. There are many opportunities to distinguish your company within this leading industry directory. You can continue online, or call us at 800-816-6710.
The Ultimate Guide For Automotive Service Professionals is the information resource that our thousands members and other industry professionals have asked for, providing them with a one-stop resource to find the products and information they need.
Automotive service professionals are spending $62 billion a year on goods and services that your company offers. Now you have the opportunity to advertise your business specifically to the people in the automotive service industry.
You don't need a website to get started. The Ultimate Guide For Automotive Service Professionals creates a landing page specifically for your business, including company logo, description and contact information. Visitors to the guide simply click your ad to learn more about your company and start the purchasing process.
As a valued supplier in the industry, we understand that you want to give your company maximum online exposure. For those companies that want additional exposure in the Ultimate Guide For Automotive Service Professionals, premium inventory placement is available. For more information regarding options, please call 800-816-6710.


Your Powershell profile is a .ps1 (Powershell script) that's automatically run whenever you start a new Powershell command prompt. You can do all sorts of customisation but possibly the best use for it is to add functions you've created yourself so they're available at the command line. This post shows how to create it.
Gah. Importing accounts into accountancy programs can be tedious. What makes it more tedious is when banks make life even more difficult. American Express allows you to download statements in nice CSV formats though.
Except if the statement is older than 6 months, then you have to download it as an non-formatted PDF.
So; if you're going to be going away for 3+ weeks and need your Internet to stay up. What if the router needs a reboot or it goes haywire? Needless to say you can't do it remotely if the Internet is unavailable (actually, there are some cool power-sockets that can cycle the power when they get an SMS text to an installed SIM card).


Airbnb has alerted hosts in China that it will begin sharing host information with the Chinese government.
The email also includes an oversize button directing hosts to deactivate their listings if they have any concerns.
When reached for comment, Airbnb says: "We're committed to doing all we can to keep our hosts and guests informed about our work in China and we recently updated our hosts about our requirements under the law.
"The information we collect is similar to information hotels in China have collected for decades."
Airbnb did not respond to questions regarding the timing of the announcement, in particular why it was only beginning to share the data with authorities now (despite mentioned in regional media in October 2017).
Not smooth sailing in China?
Airbnb first launched in China in 2014, after a few years working behind the scenes with a small team from its Asia Pacific HQ, eventually opening a base in the capital, Beijing.
Initial popularity of the brand led many to think that the company's success elsewhere around the globe would be mirrored in what many consider to be one of the most difficult markets to crack for Western travel brands.
Despite landing investment from China-based companies and establishing a solid user base in the country, some criticized the Chinese name ("Aibiying") it gave itself, its local chief left and the competition pounced.
Ctrip-backed Tujia shows no signs of slowing down, and Airbnb finds itself in the fairly unusual position of having a serious battle on its hands.


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Posterior foraminotomy versus anterior decompression and fusion in patients with cervical degenerative disc disease with radiculopathy: Up to 5 years of outcome from the national Swedish Spine Register
Anna MacDowall, Robert F. Heary, Marek Holy, Lars Lindhagen, Claes Olerud
NJMS-Neurosurgery
Brain Health Institute
OBJECTIVE The long-term efficacy of posterior foraminotomy compared with anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) for the treatment of degenerative disc disease with radiculopathy has not been previously investigated in a population-based cohort. METHODS All patients in the national Swedish Spine Register (Swespine) from January 1, 2006, until November 15, 2017, with cervical degenerative disc disease and radiculopathy were assessed. Using propensity score matching, patients treated with posterior foraminotomy were compared with those undergoing ACDF. The primary outcome measure was the Neck Disability Index (NDI), a patient-reported outcome score ranging from 0% to 100%, with higher scores indicating greater disability. A minimal clinically important difference was defined as > 15%. Secondary outcomes were assessed with additional patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). RESULTS A total of 4368 patients (2136/2232 women/men) met the inclusion criteria. Posterior foraminotomy was performed in 647 patients, and 3721 patients underwent ACDF. After meticulous propensity score matching, 570 patients with a mean age of 54 years remained in each group. Both groups had substantial decreases in their NDI scores; however, after 5 years, the difference was not significant (2.3%, 95% CI −4.1% to 8.4%; p = 0.48) between the groups. There were no significant differences between the groups in EQ-5D or visual analog scale (VAS) for neck and arm scores. The secondary surgeries on the index level due to restenosis were more frequent in the foraminotomy group (6/100 patients vs 1/100), but on the adjacent segments there was no difference between groups (2/100). CONCLUSIONS In patients with cervical degenerative disc disease and radiculopathy, both groups demonstrated clinical improvements at the 5-year follow-up that were comparable and did not achieve a clinically important difference from one another, even though the reoperation rate favored the ACDF group. This study design obtains population-based results, which are generalizable.
Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine
https://doi.org/10.3171/2019.9.SPINE19787
Anterior decompression and fusion
Neck Disability Index
Posterior foraminotomy
Surgical outcome
10.3171/2019.9.SPINE19787
Dive into the research topics of 'Posterior foraminotomy versus anterior decompression and fusion in patients with cervical degenerative disc disease with radiculopathy: Up to 5 years of outcome from the national Swedish Spine Register'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Foraminotomy Medicine & Life Sciences 100%
Radiculopathy Medicine & Life Sciences 74%
Decompression Medicine & Life Sciences 61%
Spine Medicine & Life Sciences 47%
Patient Reported Outcome Measures Medicine & Life Sciences 16%
Propensity Score Medicine & Life Sciences 16%
Minimal Clinically Important Difference Medicine & Life Sciences 11%
MacDowall, A., Heary, R. F., Holy, M., Lindhagen, L., & Olerud, C. (2020). Posterior foraminotomy versus anterior decompression and fusion in patients with cervical degenerative disc disease with radiculopathy: Up to 5 years of outcome from the national Swedish Spine Register. Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, 32(3), 344-352. https://doi.org/10.3171/2019.9.SPINE19787
MacDowall, Anna ; Heary, Robert F. ; Holy, Marek ; Lindhagen, Lars ; Olerud, Claes. / Posterior foraminotomy versus anterior decompression and fusion in patients with cervical degenerative disc disease with radiculopathy : Up to 5 years of outcome from the national Swedish Spine Register. In: Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. 2020 ; Vol. 32, No. 3. pp. 344-352.
@article{3322b3fb4cab4e248a105628d2974ef1,
title = "Posterior foraminotomy versus anterior decompression and fusion in patients with cervical degenerative disc disease with radiculopathy: Up to 5 years of outcome from the national Swedish Spine Register",
abstract = "OBJECTIVE The long-term efficacy of posterior foraminotomy compared with anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) for the treatment of degenerative disc disease with radiculopathy has not been previously investigated in a population-based cohort. METHODS All patients in the national Swedish Spine Register (Swespine) from January 1, 2006, until November 15, 2017, with cervical degenerative disc disease and radiculopathy were assessed. Using propensity score matching, patients treated with posterior foraminotomy were compared with those undergoing ACDF. The primary outcome measure was the Neck Disability Index (NDI), a patient-reported outcome score ranging from 0% to 100%, with higher scores indicating greater disability. A minimal clinically important difference was defined as > 15%. Secondary outcomes were assessed with additional patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). RESULTS A total of 4368 patients (2136/2232 women/men) met the inclusion criteria. Posterior foraminotomy was performed in 647 patients, and 3721 patients underwent ACDF. After meticulous propensity score matching, 570 patients with a mean age of 54 years remained in each group. Both groups had substantial decreases in their NDI scores; however, after 5 years, the difference was not significant (2.3%, 95% CI −4.1% to 8.4%; p = 0.48) between the groups. There were no significant differences between the groups in EQ-5D or visual analog scale (VAS) for neck and arm scores. The secondary surgeries on the index level due to restenosis were more frequent in the foraminotomy group (6/100 patients vs 1/100), but on the adjacent segments there was no difference between groups (2/100). CONCLUSIONS In patients with cervical degenerative disc disease and radiculopathy, both groups demonstrated clinical improvements at the 5-year follow-up that were comparable and did not achieve a clinically important difference from one another, even though the reoperation rate favored the ACDF group. This study design obtains population-based results, which are generalizable.",
keywords = "Anterior decompression and fusion, Cervical radiculopathy, Degenerative, Neck Disability Index, Posterior foraminotomy, Surgical outcome",
author = "Anna MacDowall and Heary, {Robert F.} and Marek Holy and Lars Lindhagen and Claes Olerud",
note = "Funding Information: We thank Carina Blom at the Swedish Society of Spinal Surgeons and the Swedish Spine Study Group for handling the Swedish Spine Registry. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright}AANS 2020",
doi = "10.3171/2019.9.SPINE19787",
journal = "Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine",
publisher = "American Association of Neurological Surgeons",
MacDowall, A, Heary, RF, Holy, M, Lindhagen, L & Olerud, C 2020, 'Posterior foraminotomy versus anterior decompression and fusion in patients with cervical degenerative disc disease with radiculopathy: Up to 5 years of outcome from the national Swedish Spine Register', Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 344-352. https://doi.org/10.3171/2019.9.SPINE19787
Posterior foraminotomy versus anterior decompression and fusion in patients with cervical degenerative disc disease with radiculopathy : Up to 5 years of outcome from the national Swedish Spine Register. / MacDowall, Anna; Heary, Robert F.; Holy, Marek; Lindhagen, Lars; Olerud, Claes.
In: Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, Vol. 32, No. 3, 2020, p. 344-352.
T1 - Posterior foraminotomy versus anterior decompression and fusion in patients with cervical degenerative disc disease with radiculopathy
T2 - Up to 5 years of outcome from the national Swedish Spine Register
AU - MacDowall, Anna
AU - Heary, Robert F.
AU - Holy, Marek
AU - Lindhagen, Lars
AU - Olerud, Claes
N1 - Funding Information: We thank Carina Blom at the Swedish Society of Spinal Surgeons and the Swedish Spine Study Group for handling the Swedish Spine Registry. Publisher Copyright: ©AANS 2020
N2 - OBJECTIVE The long-term efficacy of posterior foraminotomy compared with anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) for the treatment of degenerative disc disease with radiculopathy has not been previously investigated in a population-based cohort. METHODS All patients in the national Swedish Spine Register (Swespine) from January 1, 2006, until November 15, 2017, with cervical degenerative disc disease and radiculopathy were assessed. Using propensity score matching, patients treated with posterior foraminotomy were compared with those undergoing ACDF. The primary outcome measure was the Neck Disability Index (NDI), a patient-reported outcome score ranging from 0% to 100%, with higher scores indicating greater disability. A minimal clinically important difference was defined as > 15%. Secondary outcomes were assessed with additional patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). RESULTS A total of 4368 patients (2136/2232 women/men) met the inclusion criteria. Posterior foraminotomy was performed in 647 patients, and 3721 patients underwent ACDF. After meticulous propensity score matching, 570 patients with a mean age of 54 years remained in each group. Both groups had substantial decreases in their NDI scores; however, after 5 years, the difference was not significant (2.3%, 95% CI −4.1% to 8.4%; p = 0.48) between the groups. There were no significant differences between the groups in EQ-5D or visual analog scale (VAS) for neck and arm scores. The secondary surgeries on the index level due to restenosis were more frequent in the foraminotomy group (6/100 patients vs 1/100), but on the adjacent segments there was no difference between groups (2/100). CONCLUSIONS In patients with cervical degenerative disc disease and radiculopathy, both groups demonstrated clinical improvements at the 5-year follow-up that were comparable and did not achieve a clinically important difference from one another, even though the reoperation rate favored the ACDF group. This study design obtains population-based results, which are generalizable.
AB - OBJECTIVE The long-term efficacy of posterior foraminotomy compared with anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) for the treatment of degenerative disc disease with radiculopathy has not been previously investigated in a population-based cohort. METHODS All patients in the national Swedish Spine Register (Swespine) from January 1, 2006, until November 15, 2017, with cervical degenerative disc disease and radiculopathy were assessed. Using propensity score matching, patients treated with posterior foraminotomy were compared with those undergoing ACDF. The primary outcome measure was the Neck Disability Index (NDI), a patient-reported outcome score ranging from 0% to 100%, with higher scores indicating greater disability. A minimal clinically important difference was defined as > 15%. Secondary outcomes were assessed with additional patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). RESULTS A total of 4368 patients (2136/2232 women/men) met the inclusion criteria. Posterior foraminotomy was performed in 647 patients, and 3721 patients underwent ACDF. After meticulous propensity score matching, 570 patients with a mean age of 54 years remained in each group. Both groups had substantial decreases in their NDI scores; however, after 5 years, the difference was not significant (2.3%, 95% CI −4.1% to 8.4%; p = 0.48) between the groups. There were no significant differences between the groups in EQ-5D or visual analog scale (VAS) for neck and arm scores. The secondary surgeries on the index level due to restenosis were more frequent in the foraminotomy group (6/100 patients vs 1/100), but on the adjacent segments there was no difference between groups (2/100). CONCLUSIONS In patients with cervical degenerative disc disease and radiculopathy, both groups demonstrated clinical improvements at the 5-year follow-up that were comparable and did not achieve a clinically important difference from one another, even though the reoperation rate favored the ACDF group. This study design obtains population-based results, which are generalizable.
KW - Anterior decompression and fusion
KW - Cervical radiculopathy
KW - Degenerative
KW - Neck Disability Index
KW - Posterior foraminotomy
KW - Surgical outcome
U2 - 10.3171/2019.9.SPINE19787
DO - 10.3171/2019.9.SPINE19787
JO - Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine
JF - Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine
MacDowall A, Heary RF, Holy M, Lindhagen L, Olerud C. Posterior foraminotomy versus anterior decompression and fusion in patients with cervical degenerative disc disease with radiculopathy: Up to 5 years of outcome from the national Swedish Spine Register. Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. 2020;32(3):344-352. https://doi.org/10.3171/2019.9.SPINE19787


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Tag Archive: light
Goddess Hecate
"Hecate" by *mari-na
"Hecate's themes are the moon, beginnings and magic. Her symbols are serpents, horses or dogs (Her sacred animals), light (especially a torch), myrrh, silver and moonstone. This Greco-Roman Goddess rules the moon and opportunities. Tonight She opens the path through which the old year departs and the new enters. People customarily worship Hecate at crossroads, where worlds meet, which may be why She became a witch's Goddess. On this, Hecate's Day, She bears a torch, lighting the way to the future.
At the eve of a New Year, take a moment and pat yourself on the back for a full of Goddess-centered thinking and action. Note your achievements, and thank Hecate for helping you find the way when your vision seemed clouded. An additional benefit here is that speaking this Goddess's name today banishes unwanted ghosts, including those figurative ghosts of past negative experiences. Let Hecate take those burdens so your new year will begin without anything holding you back.
To accept this Goddess's powers in your life throughout your celebrations today, wear white or silver items, and light a white candle in Her honor. For a token that will emphasize Hecate's magic and lunar energies whenever you need them, bless a moonstone, saying something like:
'Hecate, fill this silver stone
keep your magic with me where ever I roam.'
Carry this, keeping the Goddess close to your heart and spirit."
"Hecate" by Hrana Janto
"At night, particularly at the dark of the moon, this Goddess walked the roads of ancient Greece, accompanied by sacred dogs and bearing a blazing torch. Occasionally She stopped to gather offerings left by Her devotees where three roads crossed, for this threefold Goddess was best honored where one could look three ways at once. Sometimes, it was even said that Hecate could look three ways because She had three heads: a serpent, a horse, and a dog.
"Hecate redux" by ~ArtemisiaSynchroma
While Hecate walked outdoors, Her worshipers gathered inside to eat Hecate suppers in Her honor, gatherings at which magical knowledge was shared and the secrets of sorcery whispered and dogs, honey and black female lambs sacrificed. The bitch-Goddess, the snake-Goddess, ruled these powers and She bestowed them on those who worshiped Her honorably. When supper was over, the leftovers were placed outdoors as offerings to Hecate and Her hounds. And if the poor of Greece gathered at the doorsteps of wealthier households to snatch the offerings, what matter?
"Hecate" by Katlyn Breene
Some scholars say that Hecate was not originally Greek, Her worship having traveled south from Her original Thracian homeland. Others contend that She was a form of the earth mother Demeter, yet another of whose forms was the maiden Persephone. Legends, they claim, of Persephone's abduction and later residence in Hades give clear prominence to Hecate, who therefore must represent the old wise woman, the crone, the final stage of woman's growth-the aged Demeter Herself, just as Demeter is the mature Persephone.
In either case, the antiquity of Hecate's worship was recognized by the Greeks, who called Her a Titan, one of those pre-Olympian divinities whom Zeus and his cohort had ousted. The newcomers also bowed to Her antiquity by granting to Hecate alone a power shared with Zeus, that of granting or withholding from humanity anything She wished. Hecate's worship continued into classical times, both in the private form of Hecate suppers and in public sacrifices, celebrated by 'great ones' or Caberioi, of honey, black female lambs, and dogs, and sometimes black human slaves.
"Hecate" by *Hrefngast
As queen of the night, Hecate was sometimes said to be the moon-Goddess in Her dark form, as Artemis was the waxing moon and Selene the full moon. But She may as readily have been the earth Goddess, for She ruled the spirits of the dead, humans who had been returned to the earth. As queen of death She ruled the magical powers of regeneration; in addition, She could hold back Her spectral hordes from the living if She chose. And so Greek women evoked Hecate for protection from Her hosts whenever they left the house, and they erected Her threefold images at their doors, as if to tell wandering spirits that therein lived friends of their queen, who must not be bothered with night noises and spooky apparitions" (Monaghan, p. 146 – 148).
"Hekate's Advance" by ~Hellfurian-Guard
General: Torch, dark moon, raisin & currant cakes, crossroads, three-headed animals or statues, the number 3, masks, and candles.
Animals: Dogs, horses, sheep (especially black female lambs), owls, bats, snakes, and boars.
Plants: Willows, dark yew, blackthorn, groves of trees, saffron, raisins & currants, and gourds (especially pumpkins).
Perfumes/Scents: Queen of the Night (a light flowery fragrance), cinnamon, myrrh, mugwort, honey, lime, and lemon verbena.
Gems and Metals: Sapphire, silver, gold, moonstone, black tourmalin, black onyx, hematite, smoky quartz, and any stone that is dark or luminous.
Colors: Black, orange, yellow-orange, and red-orange. [1]
Some educational and informational videos
And I just thought this song was kind of catchy 🙂
Goddessgift.com, "Goddess Symbols and Sacred Objects of Hecate".
Monaghan, Patricia. The New Book of Goddesses and Heroines, "Hecate".
Covenofthegoddess.com, "Goddess Hekate".
D'Este, Sorita & David Rankine. Hekate Liminal Rites.
Ford, Michael W. Book of the Witch Moon: Chaos, Vampiric & Luciferian Sorcery, "Hecate". (p. 99 – 107). (For those with a taste for a "darker" flavor 😉 )
Goddessgift.com, "Hecate, Greek Goddess of the Crossroads".
Grimassi, Raven. The Witches' Craft: The Roots of Witchcraft & Magical Transformation.
Hecatescauldron.org, "Hecate's Cauldron".
Hekate Symposium 2013, "Hekate: Bright Goddess of the Mysteries by Sorita d'Este".
James-Henderson, Yvonne. Orderwhitemoon.org, "Hecate".
Kirkpatrick, Carrie. Goddess Enchantment, Magic and Spells Vol 2, "Goddess of Transformation Hecate".
Littleton, C. Scott. Gods, Goddesses and Mythology, "Hecate" (p. 617 – 620).
MacLeod NicMhacha, Sharynne. Queen of the Night: Rediscovering the Celtic Moon Goddess, "The Double Life of Hecate" (p. 59 -63).
Mydailygoddess.blogspot.com, "Hecate – Crossroads".
Reichard, Joy. Celebrate the Divine Feminine, "13. Hecate" (p. 167 – 182).
Revel, Anita. igoddess.com, "Hecate: intuitive wise woman".
Tate, Karen. Sacred Places of Goddess: 108 Destinations.
The-goddess-hecate.blogspot.com, "The Goddess Hecate".
Theoi.com, "Hecate".
Took, Thalia. Thaliatook.com, "Hekate".
Wikipedia, "Hecate".
Tags: 3, banishing, bats, beginnings, boars, candles, chthonic, crossroads, demeter, ghosts, goddess, gourds, greco-roman, greek mythology, hecate, hekate, horses, keys, light, magic, masks, moon, moonstone, myrrh, owls, persephone, psychopomp, queen of the witches, roman mythology, serpent, sheep, silver, snakes, titan, titaness, torch, triple goddess, underworld, willow, witch, witchcraft, witches, zeus
Sephira
"Lady of Peace" by ~InfiniteFiend
"Sephira's themes are miracles, victory, success and overcoming. Her symbol is light. This ancient Cabalistic Goddess embodies divine light-the active, energetic power that flows through the Universe in all directions. Thus, it is no coincidence that the ten spheres on the Tree of Life are called Sephirah, for this Goddess guides our way and path with Her radiance.
Chanukah (Hannukah) commemorates the rebellion of the Jews against the Syrians, in which a miracle took place. A small bottle of oil stayed lit for eight days, keeping the temple consecrated until more oil could be brought.
Since Sephira is the light of miracles, today's a good time to focus on seemingly impossible goals or situations that you may have set aside or left behind in discouragement. Revisit those dreams; reconsider the logistics of those circumstances. If there is a better way to approach things, Sephira will illuminate that path or options for you in your meditations.
Make sure to turn on light sources today, and open curtains to let natural light into your home. Symbolically, this welcomes Sephira's active power into your spiritual life and quest. Also consider following with Jewish tradition and giving coins to friends or family. These tokens draw financial security. Or, eat potato pancakes for providence."
Again today, my research found nothing a specific Goddess named Sephira. I found that "in kabbalistic thought, a Sephira is a channel for the Divine energy we know as the life-force. The Kabbalah describes an intermediate stage that came about as an emanation of God's infinite light and which was created during the process of Creation. This intermediate stage consists of ten channels and is experienced by human beings as finite reality. These channels are known as the Ten Sephirot.
The Sephirot interact through a series of interconnecting channels or 'Tzinorot.' These channels illustrate the way in which Divine energy imbues all of Creation. The connections show how the Sephirot can interconnect to create subgroups. All the subgroups containing a given Sephira will reflect a common theme.
The Kabbalah Diagram from the Tree of Life Teachings
The Sephirot are divided into three groupings of three. Each group of three consists of three levels: right, center, left. The first group of three concerns the powers of the mind and includes Da'at or Keter, Chochmah (Wisdom), and Binah (Intuition). The second group of three consists of the heart's emotions as they exist prior to any action. This grouping consists of Chessed (Loving kindness), Gevurah (Courage), and Tiferet (Glory). The third group of three is concerned with behavior and actions and consists of Netzach (Eternity), Hod (Majesty), Yesod (Basis). This last grouping also concerns the emotions, but only as they become manifest through behavior.
The endpoint is Malchut (Kingdom) and is sometimes seen as an extension of the third group of three and sometimes as an independent state of being that takes in the energies of the other Sephirot and is what emerges as a result of all the soul has experienced." [1]
Safed.co.il, "Divine Energy".
Afilalo, Raphael. 160 Questions on the Kabbalah.
Amaluxherbal.com, "The Kabbalah made Practical".
Corax.com, "The Tree of Life".
d'Este, Sorita. Themagicalbuffet.com, "The Goddess, Wicca & the Qabalah".
Harrison, Jeff & Karen Charboneau-Harrison. Isisbooks.com, "QABALISTIC MAGIC ARTICLE LESSON 3: History And Differences Between Orthodox Hebrew Qabalah And Western Esoteric Qabalah".
Inner.org, "The Ten Sefirot: Introduction".
Treeoflifeteachings.com, "What is the Kabbalah?"
Wikipedia, "Sephirot".
Wikipedia, "Tree of Life (Kabbalah)".
Tags: binah, cabala, cabalistic tradition, chanukah, goddess, hannukah, hanukkah, Judaism, kabbalah, light, malkuth, miracles, overcoming, qabalah, sephira, sephirah, sephirot, success, tree of life, victory
Goddess Lucina
"Lucina" by Sandra M. Stanton
"Lucina themes are banishing, kindness, charity, health and protection. Her symbols are candles (light sources). Lucina means light, and judging by Her description and attributes, it is very likely that this Swedish Goddess was the prototype for Saint Lucy. Lucina is a mother and guardian, offering fertility, protection, and well-being. In worship, Lucina is often represented by a simple, lit candle.
To chase away winter's oppression and darkness, Saint Lucy's festival is one of lights and charitable acts. Saint Lucy is the patroness who protects against winter throat infections, and commemorating her (or Lucina) today keeps one healthy.
Begin the day in Swedish tradition by lighting a candle to represent the Goddess's presence. After this a breakfast of coffee, saffron buns, and ginger cookies is traditional fare. Coffee provides energy to give of yourself, saffron is often used is healing spells, and ginger promotes success in all your endeavours today.
To manifest Lucina's energy and keep the Goddess close by today, carry luminescent stones like moonstone or cat's eye with you, then visit hospitals or elder homes in the spirit of giving of yourself. Lucina will bless those you visit, and you, with well-being, productivity and safety."
"St. Lucia" by Joanna Powell Colbert
According to Patricia Monaghan, "The little red ladybug was the emblem of this Roman Goddess, later merged with Juno and Diana, and even later converted to Christianity as St. Lucy. The early Italic Lucina was a Goddess of light and therefore – because birth is the first time we see Her – of labor and childbed as well. She was variously honored in September and in December – still the times for festivals of Lucina as the candle-bearing saint; Her holidays were enforced by the superstition that any work done on those days would be undone by the morrow" (p. 199).
"Juno" by Gustave Moreau
Thalia Took writes: "Lucina is a Roman Goddess of Light, a Moon-Goddess who is especially a Birth-Goddess, for when a baby is born it is brought into the light of the world for the first time. As such, this epithet was applied to both Juno and Diana in their capacity as Childbirth-Goddesses, and together these Goddesses were sometimes called the Lucinae. It could also be used as an epithet of Hecate as Moon-Goddess. The name is probably from the Latin lux, 'light' or 'daylight', from which we get words like lucid, luminous, and that's right, the name Lucifer, 'Bringer of Light' used of the planet Venus as the morning star. (It was also, incidentally, the name of a 4th century bishop who founded his own sect, the Luciferians. Just imagine—'Bishop Lucifer'!) As the Goddess of Childbirth, Lucina protected pregnant women and the newborn child, and She was invoked by women who were having difficulty conceiving and who wanted children.
An ancient bronze mask of Juno Lucina shows Her with Her hair in tight stylized braids; a tiny crescent moon is engraved on Her forehead, as if it is an ornament dangling from Her parted hair. A different image of Her shows Her with a child on Her lap, with two more at Her feet, and holding a flower as a reminder of how She alone conceived Her son Mars, with the help of a magical flower given to Her by Flora.
Juno Lucina had been worshipped from an early age at a grove on the Cispian Hill, one of the heights of the larger Esquiline Hill in Rome. Her worship was said to have been instituted by Titus Tatius, King of the Sabines who had ruled jointly with Romulus, the legendary founder of Rome, making it very old indeed and possibly pointing to an origin for Lucina in a Sabine Moon-Goddess. The slightly later (and still mostly legendary) King Servius Tullius of the 6th century BCE was said to have begun the custom of offering a coin (I'd guess that it was traditionally a silver one, as the shiny disk of the coin could then be symbolic of the Moon) to Juno Lucina on the birth of a child, which would indicate some sort of shrine there at the time. Her main temple was built on the same site in 375 BCE, and dedicated on March 1st. In later times a large wall was added enclosing both the temple and the grove that grew on the slope of the hill. This grove was evidentally an important part of Her worship; some authorities believe that Lucina was originally derived from lucus, grove, and this grove had an ancient and celebrated tree on which offerings of locks of hair were made by the Vestal Virgins, perhaps as acknowledgement that as avowed virgins they had chosen not to be mothers.
The Matronalia, or the Festival of Mothers, was held at this temple on the anniversary of its founding. Some said it was instituted in honor of the Sabine women who were instrumental in brokering peace between the warring Sabines and early Romans. On the day of the festival, the matrons (married women) of Rome processed to the temple, where offerings and prayers were made to Juno Lucina and Her son Mars: at home, it was the custom for the women to receive gifts from their husbands, and a feast was held in which the matron waited on the slave women.
Juno Lucina was invoked during childbirth for an easy delivery and healthy child; when worshippers called on Lucina, they let their hair loose and untied any knots in their clothing as an act of sympathetic magic, to symbolically loosen any hindrances to childbirth and allow the energy to flow. When the child was born an altar was set up to Her in the atrium of the house, and a lectisternium, (or probably more properly, asellisternium, which was for Goddesses) or banquet was given to Her.
She was equated with the Greek Eileithyia. In ancient Egypt was a city by the name of Nekheb, of whom the patron Goddess was Nekhbet, the Egyptian Childbirth-Goddess; when the Greeks took over in Ptolemaic times, they renamed the city Eileithyia after their Birth-Goddess; and when the Romans annexed Egypt, they called it Lucina.
Monaghan, Patricia. The New Book of Goddesses and Heroines, "Lucina".
Took, Thalia. Thaliatook.com, "Lucina".
Benko, Stephen. The Virgin Goddess: Studies in the Pagan and Christian Roots of Mariology.
Brockway, Laurie Sue. The Goddess Pages: A Divine Guide to Finding Love and Happiness, "Saint Lucy (Lucina)" (p. 183 – 189).
Colbert, Joanna. Gaiantarot.typepad.com, "Why We Honor St. Lucia" and "More about Saint Lucia".
Fitzgerald, Waverly. Schooloftheseasons.com, "St. Lucy's Day".
Lanzillotta, Peter E. Interfaithservicesofthelowcountry.com, "Santa Lucia: The Saint for the Season of Light".
Loar, Julie. Goddesses for Every Day: Exploring the Wisdom & Power of the Divine Feminine, "Juno Lucina".
Lundy, John Patterson. Monumental Christianity, or, the Art and Symbolism of the Primitive Church.
Murphy-Hiscock, Arin. Pagan Pregnancy: A Spiritual Journey from Maiden to Mother, "Lucina".
Theoi.com, "Eileithyia".
Wikipedia, "Lucina (goddess)".
Tags: banishing, candles, charity, childbirth, christianity, diana, eileithyia, feminine spirituality, fertility, freya, freyja, goddess, health, hecate, ilithyia, juno, juno lucina, kindness, light, light sources, lucina, lucinae, matronalia, nekhbet, protection, roman mythology, saint lucia, saint lucy, st. lucia, st. lucy's day, sweden, well-being, women's spirituality
Goddess Bamya
"Bamya's themes are victory, banishing, protection and overcoming. Her symbols are light and fire. In Zoroastrian tradition, this Goddess guides the sun god Mithra's vehicle through the sky. More important, as the Goddess of twilight, Her presence signals the beginning of today's festival, Sada.
As the sun sets in Iran today, a huge bonfire will be ignited near a water source to symbolize the power of light to overcome darkness and the power of good over evil. For us this means accepting our power and potential to overcome and obstacles that life may bring in any season.
Too often our lives seem overwhelmed with obligations, and we find ourselves feeling lost in the seething sea of humanity. Bamya's counsel today is to learn how to swim in that sea by recognizing the ability of one person to truly make a difference – be it within yourself, in the life of another, in a specific situation, or in the world.
At sunset today, light an orange candle (or another one the color of twilight) and greet Bamya with a prayer like this:
"Lady of the gentle twilight, I welcome you
As the sun sets on this day
let things from the past
that I no longer need
also fade away
Teach me to leave them behind
as easily as you leave behind the daylight
As darkness falls
grant rest to my unsettled spirit
so that I can rise tomorrow
renewed and whole
Bamya be with me.
The few sites that I found that mentioned Bamya pretty much stated the same thing: "In Zoroastrian tradition, this Goddess guides the sun god Mithra's vehicle through the sky. Also the Goddess of twilight." [1]
In the The Complete Book of Muslim and Parsi Names, it states "Bāmyā: (Av) 1. shining; radiant; repsplendent. 3. deity of dawn who guides the vehicle of Mithra; epithet of the Fravashis." [2] Also in this book, under Hvare, it states: Hvare: (Av) 1. sun. 3. deity of the sun who is considered fairest of Mazda's creations and is considered to purify the earth and all things therein. He is distinguished for powers of observation. His chariot is drawn by Bamya." [3] Neither one of these entries mention whether this deity is male or female.
"Ushas" by Lisa Hunt
From the book Spiritual Body, Celestial Earth from Mazdean Iran to Shi'ite Iran, I found this entry: Siroza…Here we might mention other figures of 'feminine Angels,' in connection with Daena and Ashi Vanuhi;…Bamya (beaming, radiant), who drives the chariot of Mithra and the third night after death appears to the sacred soul when Mithra climbs the mountain; in Manicheism, She becomes the 'Friend of Light', Ushah, who bears the very name dawn; Ushahina, the special Angel of the hours between midnight and the moment the stars become visible" (Corbin, p. 280).
Corbin, Henry. Spiritual Body, Celestial Earth from Mazdean Iran to Shi'ite Iran.
Gandhi, Maneka & Ozair Husain. The Complete Book of Muslim and Parsi Names, "Bāmyā".
Gandhi, Maneka & Ozair Husain. The Complete Book of Muslim and Parsi Names, "Hvare".
Levigilant.com, Gods List B., "Bamya".
Bharucha, Ervad Sheriarji Dadabhai. A Brief Sketch of the Zoroastrian religion & customs, (p.xxxvii).
Hurst, George Leopold. Sacred Literature, (p. 85).
Iranpoliticsclub.net, "Persian Mythology, Gods and Goddesses".
West, M.L. Indo-European Poetry and Myth, (p. 129).
Tags: ahura mazda, angels, ashi, ashi vanuhi, avesta, bamya, banishing, daena, feminine spirituality, fire, fravashis, goddess, hvare, hvare-khshaeta, light, manichaeism, mazda, mithra, mitra, overcoming, protection, sada, sadé, sadeh, siroza, sun, usha, usha bamya, victory, women's spirituality, zoroastrian, zoroastrianism
Goddess Tonatzin
"Tonatzin's themes are religious devotion and blessings. Her symbols are soil and light. An ancient mother figure who nurtures people and all that dwells in the land, Tonatzin is the life and light of the world. Today She joins our festival as the originator of this holiday, Tonatzin.
Juan Diego, a Native American convert, was surprised when this Goddess appeared to him in 1531 in an ancient site of pagan worship and requested that the temple be rebuilt [Basilica of Guadalupe]. Juan Diego believed this apparition was Mary, and therefore he did as She commanded. To this day, people come here at this time of the year for the Goddess's blessing.
While most of us cannot travel to Mexico just to implore Tonatzin, there is nothing that says we can't honor and invoke Her at hour own home. Light a candle or lamp and place before it a potted plant or bowl of soil. This configuration represents Tonatzin's presence in your home throughout that day. From here She can illuminate the shadows and generate the light of hope and joy for all whose who live here.
Carry a seed and some soil wrapped in a green cloth with you today. Name the seed after any earth quality you want to develop in your life, such as strong foundations or emotional stability. When you get home, put the seed and soil in a planter or your garden. Tonatzin's magic is there to manifest growth for the seed and your spirit!"
"Tonantsin Renance" mural by Colette Crutcher and the Instituto Pro Musica de California
"In Aztec mythology and among present-day Nahuas, Tonantzin 'Our Revered Mother' is a general title bestowed upon female deities. Informants of Sahagún, for example, called a frightening Goddess of war and childbirth, Cihuacoatl, by this title. The title is particularly believed to refer to Mother Earth.
Goddesses such as 'Mother Earth', the 'Goddess of Sustenance', 'Honored Grandmother', 'Snake', 'Bringer of Maize' and 'Mother of Corn' can all be called Tonantzin. Other indigenous names include Chicomexochitl ('Seven Flowers') and Chalchiuhcihuatl ('Woman of Precious Stone'). A Tonantzin was honored during the movable feast of Xochilhuitl.
Mexico City's 17th-century Basilica of Guadalupe –built in honor of the Virgin and perhaps Mexico's most important religious building—was constructed at the base of the hill of Tepeyac, believed to be a site used for pre-Columbian worship of Tonantzin. Coatlaxopeuh meaning 'the one who crushes the serpent' and that it may be referring to the feathered serpent Quetzalcoatl." [1]
There is an interesting story told of this encounter between Juan Diego and Tonantzin. "The story is told in the Nican Mopohua, a poem written in Nahuatl (the Aztec language)…most probably written in 1556 by the Nahuatl native speaker Antonio Valeriano.
"Tonantzin Guadalupe" by Estrella Apolonia
In the poem the Lady not only appears as an ordinary dark-skinned indigenous woman and speaks to Juan Diego in his Nahuatl mother tongue but She treats him with affection and respect, as an equal. (She speaks to him standing up; if She had been a noble, She would have received him sitting down.) She addresses him in familiar language, using many diminutives, like a mother. The indigenous Nahuatl people had seen their world destroyed, their great capital city in ruins, their culture and religion smashed. An estimated population of 25 million when the Spaniards arrived declined by the end of the century to 1 million from conquest, disease and suicide. The psychological trauma must have been devastating. But the Lady tells Juan Diego She is the Mother both of the Christian god (Dios) and the supreme Nahuatl god and She repeats some of that god's highest titles (Life-Giver, Creator of Humanity, Lord of the Near and Together, Lord of Heaven and Earth). When Juan Diego says he is of too humble status to speak to the bishop, She insists he is Her chosen messenger and he ends up carrying the good news to the bishop ('evangelising' him). The Lady represents the female aspect of the divinity (the Nahuatl supreme divinity Ometeotl being both male and female – the Divine Pair), the nurturing Earth Mother. She tells Juan Diego: 'I am your kind mother and the mother of all the nations that live on this Earth who would love me.' She accords the poor equal, or even greater, dignity than the rich and equally assumes both Christian and Nahuatl names of the great 'Life-Giver'." [2]
Post- and Pre-Hispanic Mothers-in-Lore
Livingstone, Dinah. Sofn.org.uk, "Tonantzin Guadalupe – 'Our Mother'".
Wikipedia, "Tonantzin".
Barnett, Ronald A. Mexconnect.com, "Our Lady of Guadalupe: Tonantzin or the Virgin Mary?"
Maestas, Julia. Beinglatino.us, "Guadalupe or Tonantzin: Culture, Identity and Feminine Empowerment".
Mexicolore.co.uk, "The Virgin of Guadalupe and Tonantzin".
Wikipedia, "Huei tlamahuiçoltica".
Tags: aztec, aztec mythology, basilica of guadalupe, black madonna, blessings, earth mother, goddess, juan diego, light, mesoamerica, mexico, native american mythology, nican mopohua, our lady of guadalupe, religious devotion, soil, tonatzin
Goddess Perimbo
"Perimbo themes are forgiveness, religious devotion, banishing, justice and karma. Her symbols are light and lunar emblems. This Brazilian Goddess is the creatrix of all things. From Her home in the moon, Perimbo gently guides human life in benevolent ways. Balancing this kindness, She is also a Goddess of justice, meting out karmic punishment to teach important lessons when necessary.
During mid-October, the city of Belem in Brazil celebrates Círio de Nazaré and holds a parade in which people go barefoot, carrying weights and lights to banish evil, sin, and negativity from their lives. To adapt this in a simple way and draw Perimbo's benevolence into your living space, take a flashlight, candle, or long-stemmed match clockwise around your house, saying:
'Perimbo, shine the light of fairness and devotion
throughout my home.'
Try to make sure the light reaches as many nooks and crannies as possible, symbolically banishing the shadows that hide there.
For a portable Perimbo charm to inspire equity in all your dealings, find a glow-in-the-dark image of the moon. Charge it up for several hours using sunlight or the flashlight from the previous spell, saying instead:
throughout my life.'
Carry this in your pocket to radiate the Goddess's power no matter where you may be."
I only found a few references to today's Goddess. On Lowchensaustralia.com, it states: "Perimbo (Bakairi) Moon Goddess and supreme being who created the earth and all life on it. Wife of the moon god Poré." [1]
Patricia Monaghan mentions Her in her book Encyclopedia of Goddesses and Heroines (a larger edition than the New Book of Goddesses and Heroines that I have in which Perimbo is not mentioned). You can click here to read the preview, but the first page of the entry Her name is mentioned in is not included in the preview.
Marks, Dominic. Lowchensaustralia.com, "Goddess Names from Brazil: Perimbo".
Encyclopedia of Religion Volume 13, "Yanoama and Mundurucú supreme beings" (p. 8577).
Tags: bakairi, banishing, brazil, círio de nazaré, feminine spirituality, forgiveness, goddess, justice, karma, light, lunar emblems, lunar items, lunar objects, moon, mother, native american mythology, perimbo, poré, religious devotion, women's spirituality
Goddess Xmucane
"Xmucane – Her themes are time, cycles, creativity and divination. Her symbols are calendars, blue-green items and light. This Mayan Goddess of time created time's calculation and the calendar along with Her partner Xpiyacoc. She continues watching over all calendar functions and acts as a prophetess because she can see both past and future consecutively. Her folkloric titles include Day's Grandmother and Maker of the Blue-Green Bowl (likely the sky).
Mayans believe the universe began on this date in 3114 B.C.E. They also teach that time will end on December 23, 2012. Exactly what this means in terms of human evolution is left to the imagination. In either case, today is a time for fresh beginnings. Call upon Xmucane to bless your appointment book and help you make the most productive possible use of your time. Try this mini-ritual:
Light a blue-green candle secured in a bowl and place it behind our calendar. Hold your hands palms-down over the datebook and say,
'Lady of time, see where I stand in your stream.
Grant me the perspective with which to move forward confidently,
using each day on this earth to grow and learn the ways of the Goddess.
Inspire my efforts to transform every moment of my life with positive magic.
Today, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, let my moments be filled with you.
Blow out the candle and keep it for other rites."
Xmucan (pronounced SHMO-cane) was "the Maya Goddess of childbirth. She was the consort of Xpiyacoc (god of marriage), and the mother of One Hunahpu and Seven Hunahpu (mighty warriors)." [1]
"Xmucane and Xpiacoc (alternatively Xumucane and Ixpiyacoc) are the names of the divine grandparents of Maya mythology and the daykeepers of the Popol Vuh. They are considered to be the oldest of all the gods of the Maya pantheon, and are identified by a number of names throughout the Maya sacred text, reflecting their multiple roles throughout the Mayan creation myth. They are usually mentioned together, although Xmucane seems to be alone during most of the interactions with the Maya Hero Twins, when She is referred to as simply 'grandmother'.
The pair were invoked during the creation of the world in which the Maya gods were attempting to create humanity. Xmucane and Xpiacoc ground the corn that was used in part of the failed attempt, although the beings created were described as being simply mannequins and not real people. These two are also invoked, often by other powerful deities, for their powers in divination and matchmaking.
"Bag of Corn" by Molybdenum-Blues
Xmucane Herself also plays an integral role in the development of the Maya Hero Twins. She was at first wary of them and their mother, Xquic, and ordered them out of Her house when they were yet infants, but She would come to accept them almost as Her own sons, raising and caring for them.
Twin brothers from the Mayan legend of creation by John Jude
Xmucane is considered by some to be the Goddess associated with the waxing moon, contrasting to the hypothetical role of Her daughter-in-law as the waning moon." [2]
"Triple Goddess – Crone" by TwistedSwans
Marks, Dominic. Lowchensaustralia.com, "Mayan Goddesses".
Wikipedia, "Xmucane and Xpiacoc".
Gallardo, Susana. SJSU WOMS 101, "Day 3 – Popol Vuh".
MXTODIS123. An Inner Journey: The Moon, Mythology, and You, "Xmucane".
Nathan. Vovatia.wordpress.com, "Oh, Maya Gods!".
Sabrina. Goddess A Day, "Xmucane".
Tags: blue items, blue-gree items, calendars, creativity, crone, cycles, divination, goddess, grandmother, green items, hun hunahpu, ixpiyacoc, light, mayan, mayan hero twins, mesoamerica, native american mythology, one hunahpu, popol vuh, seven hunahpu, time, xmucane, xmucane and xpiacoc, xpiacoc, xpiyacoc, xquic
Goddess Huchi
"Let the Flames Begin" by Sir Flighty Pencil
"Huchi's themes are harvest, energy, cleansing and health. Her symbols are fire, light and energy sources. This Japanese fire Goddess keeps our internal fire burning to give us the energy necessary for completing whatever projects are at hand. She also uses Her fires to cleanse the human body and protect it from disease.
Aomori Nebuta is a ritual in Japan that was designed to help farmers stay awake for longer intervals in order to complete their harvesting duties. By making an effigy of the sand figurine, they hope to appease the spirit of sleep and finish their tasks.
So, when you need to keep a fire under a project or be a little more alert for the tasks at hand, turn on a light or ignite a candle. This activates Huchi's power in your living space.
Alternativley, get a little sand from a beach or a child's sandbox and empower it saying,
'Each pinch I take keeps me awake.'
Keep this handy when you're working. Whenever you feel a little weary, release a pinch of sand to the winds or the earth to refresh your energy.
For health-related matters, I suggest dressing warmly or taking a warm bath. As you do, meditate and visualize yourself in white, purifiying flames that collect all your tensions or sickness and burn them away painlessly. Huchi lives in both the warmth and the fires of your vision."
"Huchi-Fuji" by Kris Walherr
I believe that this Goddess is related to or an aspect of the fire Goddess Fuchi (see my July 15th's entry on the Goddess Fuchi). "Fuchi (Huchi) Fuchi was venerated as patroness of the household and cooking by the ancient Ainu people, and was a Goddess of healing who 'purifies the body from disease.' Also called Huchi or Apermeru-ko-yan-mat, in Japan She is the first Goddess approached in prayer, considered the intermediary between gods and humanity. She is venerated in this form, Sengen-sama, in the temple atop Mt. Fuji." [1]
Marks, Dominic. Chinaroad Löwchen, "Japanese Goddess Names".
Mysticwicks.com, "Thread: Huchi".
Roberts, Jeremy. Japanese Mythology A to Z, "Fuchi (Huchi)".
Waldherr, Kris. Goddess Inspiration Oracle, "Huchi-Fuchi".
Tags: ainu, aomori nebuta, apermeru-ko-yan-mat, cleansing, energy, energy sources, fire, fuchi, goddess, harvest, health, hearth, huchi, huchi-fuchi, japanese, japanese mythology, light
Goddess Amari De
Art by Marisa Lopez (Sarima)
"Amari De's themes are art, humor, relationships, love, fertility, wealth, health and beauty. Her symbol is light. In Romania, Amari De is a Romani Goddess who is the great mother of all things and the personification of nature. According to lore, She bestows wealth, health, beauty, love, fertility and insight to those who seek Her. Descriptions say that She was so holy that a divine light always shone from Her face.
A Transylvanian folk festival, Tirgul de fete de pe Muntele Gaina (Maidens Fair on Hen Mountain) – was originally a marriage fair where young people came looking for partners. Over time, the custom faded and now it is simply a crafts, costume and musical exhibition with lighthearted satire and nightlong bonfires that glow with Amari De's light. In keeping with the tradition, if you're planning a wedding or engagement, today would be a wonderful date to consider fore either, as it draws Amari De's positive energy to that relationship.
This is a good time for single folks to get out and mingle, carrying an Amari De love charm along for a little extra help. Find a little piece of luminescent cloth (like a fine silk that shines) and wrap it around a pack of matches. Bless the token saying,
'Amari De, bring love my way!'
Ignite one of the matches before going into a social situation so Amari De can light your way!"
Again, not too much information on this Goddess to be found. I did find that Amari De was the chief Goddess among the Romani who is believed to be of Indian origin, and bears the Sanskrit name Amari De or De Develeski. [1]
According to various sites on the Web (I could not find an original source), Amari De, like Kali Sara, was a Black Madonna worshipped by the Romani in France. [2]
danahorochowski. 5dTERRA SERENITY GLOBAL COOP, "MOONTIME, GRANDMOTHER NOKOMIS = Divine Mother =The Feminine Energy of God, the all-encompassing love".
Durdin-Robertson, Lawrence. The Religion of the Goddess.
Everything Under the Moon, "Romany???"
Johnson, Cait. Witches of the Craft, "The Love Goddess for You".
Sabrina. Goddess A Day, "Amari De".
Wikipedia, "Mari (goddess)".
Wikipedia, "Romani People".
Tags: amari de, art, beauty, black madonna, de delevski, earth, fertility, goddess, great mother, gypsies, gypsy, health, humor, kali sara, light, love, maidens fair on hen mountain, moon goddess, mother, nature, relationships, roma, romani, romania, wealth
Goddess Tesana
"Dawn" by kristinamy
"Tesana's themes are the harvest, light, fertility, abundance, hope, beginnings, growth, opportunity and restoration. Her symbols are the dawn, the color red and fruit. In Etruscan, Tesana means 'dawn'. As the first rays of light begin to reach through the darkness, Tesana is there, offering the hope of a better tomorrow and the warmth of a new day. Through Her steadfast attendance, the earth and its people bear life and become fruitful.
Mnarja is the primary folk festival in Malta and originated as an orange and lemon harvest celebration. Then name Mnarja means 'illumination' and all the ritual fires ignited toady symbolically keep Tesana's fertility burning. So, light a candle this morning at dawn's first light to welcome Tesana and invoke Her assistance. Choose the color of the candle to reflect your goal: pink for hope, white for beginnings (a clean slate) and green for growth or restoration. If you like, also carve an emblem of your goal into the wax, leaving the taper to burn until it melts past the symbol (this releases the magic).
In a similar prolific tone, the customary food to encourage Tesana's fertility and continuing good harvests today is rabbit. If this isn't a meat you enjoy, make rarebit instead; this was a substitute for costly rabbits in the Middle Ages."
"Eos' Triumph" by eveningstars242
According to Thalia Took, "Thesan is the Etruscan Goddess of the Dawn, Divination and Childbirth, as well as a Love-Goddess. She is depicted on several Etruscan mirror backs, bearing, like many other Etruscan Goddesses, a great pair of wings from Her back, especially appropriate to a Sky-Goddess. One meaning of Her name is simply 'Dawn', and related words are thesi, 'illumination', and thesviti, 'clear or famous'. The other meaning of Her name connects Her with the ability to see the future, for thesan also means 'divination', as seen in the related Etruscan word thesanthei, 'divining' or 'brilliant'. This relates to Her function as a Dawn Goddess–for as the dawn illuminates what was previously dark, so divination throws light on the dark future and enables one to see what may happen. She is called by some a childbirth Goddess, as She is present at the beginning of the day, which finds its parallel in the beginning of a new baby's life. Similarly, the Roman Goddess of Light and Childbirth, Lucina, brings the infant into the light of the world.
The Etruscans identified their Thesan with the Greek Goddess of the Dawn Eos. In the Greek legend, Aphrodite had found Eos in bed with Her lover Ares; to punish Eos She 'cursed' Her with an insatiable taste for mortal youths, and Eos became infamous for Her many lovers. The Etruscans seemed to quite like these stories and easily transferred them to their Dawn-Goddess Thesan; the stories depicted on the mirrors are generally straight out of Greek myth.
On one relief mirror back (kind of a rarity in Etruscan mirrors since the decoration on the back is almost always engraved rather than cast), Thesan is shown in the act of abducting Kephalos, a young man of Athens who was married to the King's daughter, Procris. Thesan is winged here, and wears a chiton and diagonal himation that flow in the breeze; about Her head is a halo, to emphasize Her function as Light-Goddess. She runs off to the left carrying Kephalos in Her arms, who is shown as nude and much smaller than She is. He does not look at all distressed at the situation and He rests in Her arms with his right hand on Her shoulder. Like many depictions of Etruscan women and their lovers, She is shown as larger and therefore more important or powerful than the man: this has been taken as an indication of the high status of Etruscan women.
Eos carries off Cephalus, on an Attic red-figure lekythos, ca. 470–460 BCE
The same scene is depicted on a mirror handle in high relief openwork; Kephalos is again quite a lot smaller (and younger) than Thesan, who is not winged this time, but whose cloak billows behind Her in the breeze. She smiles down at young Kephalos as She lifts him up, and he is nude save for a short cloak and hunting boots.
The so-called "Memnon pietà": The goddess Eos lifts up the body of her son Memnon (Attic red-figure cup, ca. 490–480 BC, from Capua, Italy)
Another favorite scene of Thesan/Eos depicts a far more somber affair. When Her son Memnon (by Tithonus, another young man She abducted to be Her lover) was killed in the Trojan War, Eos grieved so terribly that She threatened never to bring forth the dawn again. She was finally persuaded to return, but in Her grief She weeps tears of dew every morning for Her beloved son. One mirror-back shows Her before Tinia (Zeus) with Thethis (Thetis), the mother of Achilles. Both Goddesses plead with Tinia to spare their sons' lives; but both were already doomed to die. The relief mirror mentioned above has been interpreted by some as showing Thesan carrying off the body of Her dead son Memnon (who the Etruscans called Memrun): the figures are not labelled as is usual in Etruscan mirrors, making the differing interpretations possible.
Another more purely Etruscan depiction of Her shows Her with Usil the Sun God and Nethuns (the Roman Neptune), God of the Sea. It would appear that this mirror is to be symbolically read as the dawn preceding the Sun at daybreak as it rises from the Sea (notwithstanding the fact that Etruria is on the west coast of Italy).
Like more than a few Etruscan Goddesses, She seems to have survived into Tuscan folklore at least until the 19th century as a spirit called Tesana. She was said to visit mortals as they dreamt, in the time when the sun is rising but before the sleeper had yet awakened. She was believed to bring words of encouragement and comfort, and Her presence in a dream gave good fortune and blessings for the day.
"Eos goddess of morningredness1" by Drezdany
She is equated with Eos and Aurora, the Roman Dawn-Goddess." [1]
Took, Thalia. The Obscure Goddess Online Directory, "Thesan".
Covenofthegoddess.com, "Goddess Eos".
Goddess-Guide.com, "Eos".
Mythagora.com, "Eos: Erigeneia, The Dawn".
The Roman-Colosseum, "Myths about the Roman Goddess Aurora".
Theoi Greek Mythology, "Eos".
Took, Thalia. The Obscure Goddess Online Directory, "Etruscan".
Took, Thalia. The Obscure Goddess Online Directory, "Aurora".
Wikipedia, "Aurora (mythology)".
Wikipedia, "Eos".
Tags: abundance, aphrodite, aurora, beginnings, dawn, eos, etruscan, fertility, fruit, growth, harvest, hope, light, lucina, opportunity, red, restoration, tesana, thesan, usil


Plaid, always an excellent choice! These fun colors play joyfully alongside one another in this beautiful plaid vinyl background. You'll find pink, yellow with a kiss of teal – all on a white background…awesome! You can always find a great floor drop in our online store, have fun shopping.


Interest rates are a funny thing. While interest is always a good thing to earn, predicting the exact rate you'll get is far from an exact science.
When I first wrote 365 Ways to Live Cheap in 2007 and early 2008, many checking accounts – even entry-level ones – offered interest. I myself had a checking account that received something around 1.5% interest at the time.
As the book went to press, interest rates were dropping and checking accounts were the first to really see interest rate drops. I discussed the issue with my editor and we made the decision to suggest looking for a 1% interest rate, as it had been easy to find such accounts for years.
Today, a 1% interest rate on a checking account is a pretty good deal. They can be found, but they're often available from local banks and are prone to change. In fact, I'd suggest that a 0.5% interest rate on a checking account, given the current state of interest rates, is something to be happy with.
Well, let's say you maintain an average balance of $2,000 in your checking account throughout the year. Just for keeping that account open, the bank gives you $10 over the course of the year. You don't have to do anything to get that ten dollars. Just keep your account open with that average balance and you're good.
Now, that seems like a relatively small amount, but the key thing is that you don't have to do anything to collect it. If you choose a bank that offers some form of interest checking, you'll simply get the money slowly throughout the year simply for having the account open.
Interest on a checking account is a perfect example of what I think of as "effortless money." It's one of those things that, once you've made an initial decision or take an initial action, it continues to either earn you money or save you money in the future.
For example, if you air seal your home once, you'll have a smaller energy bill thereafter. Set up your programmable thermostat to cause your furnace or air conditioning to shut off during your workday and at night and you'll always spend less on energy.
The same is true for interest on an account you naturally use. It's just money that you get without effort, and that's the best kind of money.
That's not to say, of course, that it's the only factor to consider when choosing a bank. It's one of many, like the ATM network (discussed yesterday) and other factors we'll discuss in the next few days.


Head to B&M stores today to find a great deal on our range of Fabulous Fur Collection, a favourite with our customers. We offer low prices on quality cushions and throws. Grab some now and make your home as cosy as possible with these gorgeous products.


By combining international and regional regulatory, technical and commercial knowledge, we offer pragmatic and specific legal advice to local and global customers to successfully meet the challenges of today's rapidly evolving international telecommunications industry.
Our telecommunications lawyers have an in-depth understanding of the commercial and technological aspects of the telecommunications industry and continually monitor market developments in Slovenian and the SEE region.
We offer our clients pragmatic and sector-specific legal advice in order to successfully meet the challenges of today's rapidly developing international telecommunications industry.
Our lawyers provide a full spectrum of telecommunications advice regarding regulation, transactions, and disputes in a variety of sectors, including wireline and broadband, wireless, satellite, and Internet and e-commerce, as well as information technology. Our clients include service providers, equipment suppliers, electric utilities, and governments.
The full capabilities of our firm are available to support our telecommunications clients. We also focus on other aspects of technology law, including intellectual property litigation, patent and technology protection, copyright and content protection, trademark and identity protection, unfair competition, and life sciences. Our lawyers also provide the traditional legal support often needed by telecom companies.
Let us know how we can help you and your business.


One of the main advantages of wpForo forum plugin is the Secondary Usergroups feature. Using the Secondary Usergroups you can set more than one Usergroup to a forum user in user management pages, such as My Profile > Account on forum front-end and in Dashboard > Users > Edit User admin page. Granting multiple Usergroups to users you can grant different accesses to different forums.
As you know, all regular users already have a Primary Usergroup "Registered". For this Usergroup set No Access for F1, F2, and F3 to only allow wpForo work based on Secondary Usergroup accesses.
Now we can grant access to a user with Level 2 to Forums F1 and F2 using the Secondary Usergroups we configured above.


text:
El palau Madama (en italià, Palazzo Madama) és un palau situat a Torí, al Piemont, la façana barroca del qual revela certs trets de les preocupacions urbanístiques de la primera meitat del segle XVIII a Europa, a saber l'embelliment dels edificis existents, la creació de perspectives a la ciutat i una voluntat d'ostentació. És una de les «Residències de la casa reial de Saboia» declarades Patrimoni de la Humanitat por la Unesco.

Història

La Casa dels Acaja
Al començament de l'I segle adC., el lloc és ocupat per una porta en els murs romans que donava pas al decumanus maximus d'Augusta Taurinorum (que en convertirà en Torí). Dues de les torres, encara que reconstituïdes, testifiquen aquest edifici inicial. Després de la caiguda de l'imperi romà occidental, la porta és utilitzada com a baluard en la defensa de la ciutat

El lloc esdevé més endavant una possessió dels Savoia-Acaja, una branca secundària de la casa de Savoia, que l'engrandeix com a castell al segle  XIV.

Un segle més tard, Ludovico de Savoia-Acaja l'estén en planta quadrada amb un pati interior, un pòrtic i una torre rodona en cadascun dels quatre angles.

Després de la desaparició del llinatge Acaja l'any 1418, el castell esdevé la residència dels convidats dels Savoia

L'any 1637, la regent del duc Carles Manuel II de Savoia, Cristina de França, el va escollir com la seva residència personal. Demana la cobertura del patí i una millora dels pisos interiors

El Palau Madama
Seixanta anys després, una altra regenta, Maria Joana Baptista de Savoia, va viure al palau, donant així definitivament el sobrenom de Madama.

Encarrega un palau barroc de pedra blanca a l'arquitecte Filippo Juvara, però els treballs es limitaran a la façana, construïda entre 1718 i 1721, enganxada sobre l'edifici medieval.

La façana protegeix una escala monumental que caracteritza la monumentalitat i la magnificència dels interiors dels palaus barrocs.

El palau més endavant té altres funcions : quarter general del proveïment de les tropes napoleòniques; al   el rei Carles-Albert de Sardenya hi posa la seu de la pinacoteca reial, i més tard, el senat del parlament de Sardenya i l'alta cort. Des de 1934, acull el museu d'antiguitats de la ciutat, el Museo Civico de Arte Antica (que conté peces del Pakistan).

Referències

Torí

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Shanghai Disney Resort opens in China
Shanghai Disney Resort, the first Disney resort in mainland China and the sixth worldwide, celebrated its historic grand opening earlier this month, the culmination of one of Disney's most ambitious projects ever.
The wonder and imagination of Disney greeted the people of China in magical new ways as the gates opened to Shanghai Disneyland, a theme park like no other with the biggest, tallest castle in any Disney park, the first pirate-themed land and Disney's most technologically advanced park to date.
Bob Iger, chairman and chief executive officer, The Walt Disney Company, celebrated the opening of the vacation destination with thousands of distinguished guests, celebrities and Chinese officials.
Shanghai Disney Resort reflects Disney's 60-year history of innovation, creativity and storytelling, in a way that is authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese.
"The grand opening of Shanghai Disney Resort is a celebration of creativity and collaboration, a triumph of imagination and innovation, and a testament to the strong partnership between Disney and China," said Iger.
"Together we have created an extraordinary destination, a magical place unique in all the world, where East meets West, the past meets the future, and anything is possible for those who believe.
Disney's chairman and CEO Bob Iger opens Shanghai Disney Resort
"It is our sincere hope that this spectacular place will inspire wonder and create joy for the people of China for generations to come."
Honoring the Disney-Chinese partnership that created this resort, Iger and Chinese officials cut a red-and-gold ribbon to dedicate Shanghai Disneyland, the resort's magnificent theme park.
Disney developed the Resort in a joint venture with Shendi Group.
In a statement, Fan Xiping, Shendi Group chairman, said: "After five years of joint efforts, partners from both China and the United States have created magic together. In the process of combining global standards and local best practices, we integrated with each other and established mutual trust and effective communication.
"The young team has learned and grown in the process, bringing into full play its role as the local guide. The team worked closely with Disney in the development and construction of Shanghai Disneyland and the resort, jointly building the tallest and largest Disney castle in the world, and providing quality services to our guests.
"The team members' dedication and commitment make it an unforgettable chapter in their lives."
Shanghai Disney Resort is filled with immersive Disney storytelling, thrilling attractions, spectacular live entertainment and memory-making experiences designed to inspire and delight Chinese guests.
The world-class vacation destination includes a magical theme park with six themed lands, two imaginatively designed hotels, a Disneytown shopping and dining district, and Wishing Star Park recreational area.
Shanghai Disney Resort offers a range of magical experiences, from thrilling adventures and original entertainment to themed food and beverages, beautifully landscaped gardens and novel places for guests to play, relax and dream.


The Ultimate Gift Combination For The Executive Sports Fan. By Combining The Officially Licensed Green Bay Packers Cufflinks With A Matching Tie Bar, We Have Eliminated The Worry About If The Gift You Give Will Be Used. Wear The Beautifully Enameled Set In Conjunction Or On Their Own. Either Way, Represent Your Team Loyalty With Subtle Elegance. Packaged So Nicely, All You Need To Add Is A Bow. Officially Licensed NFL Cufflinks And Tie Bar.
Ultimate combo consisting of cufflinks and tie bar.


Building this mid-century inspired teak console was a massive undertaking for us, but we learned a ton along the way, and we are so pleased with the result. We worked alongside our client to custom build this piece for their dining room. It is 8 feet long, and it features a drop-down bar, two drawers, and two cabinets with adjustable shelves. We will be building more of these! Please reach out if you'd like one custom designed for your home or business. Thank you!
We custom designed and built this pair of Gustavian Swedish inspired nightstands for a client. Props to Rejuvenation for the beautiful brass Burbank drawer pulls! The dimensions of these will vary, but the ones pictured here measure: 20"W x 16"D x 24"H. Let us know if you'd like us to build a pair for you!
There she is...an original in her element. We designed and built this piece for a client, based on a 6-drawer prototype of ours that she had seen in our Instagram feed. We have a second credenza in the building stages now for a client that will have a completely different finish, white doors wrapped with curly maple. This piece will vary in size, but the one pictured here measures: 60"W x 18"D x 33"H. Let us know if you'd like us to build one for you!
It is amazing the difference that paint and a new set of legs can do to change the identity of a piece of furniture. This elegant Danish sideboard just landed at Salt + Grove! Swing by 7 Prince Place, Suite 102 (in downtown Newburyport) to check it out! This piece measures: 53 1/2"W x 19 1/2"D x 33 1/2"H.


It has been a busy year for me and I am happy to have made the list of RE/MAX Western Canada's Prestigious Award named Top 100 Individuals. I am very honoured to be part of this group of dynamic, high achiever top real estate agents in Vancouver. West Vancouver agents like myself continue to do very well in 2014 as the market has picked up.


While our Theme Tweaker packs a lot of design features, sometimes you want access to the full power of CSS. Fortunately, this is easy to add to your theme!
While you have the Theme Tweaker open, simply click on the CSS tab at the top of the side bar. Here you can add any CSS you want to your theme, and it will live update to show your changes. The CSS editor is also color coded, and helps to show your css is added correctly.
Note that CSS is only available on Paid plans. If you apply a theme with Custom CSS to a site on the free plan, the CSS will not be applied.


Work with patients in our newly upgraded dental hygiene clinic that's both functional and technology-driven.
Students gain experience in our fully functioning Dental Hygiene Clinic that is open to the public. To contact the Dental Clinic for an appointment or other questions, phone 570-327-4500.
From the classroom to the clinical setting, each instructor is dedicated to making sure you fully grasp and can apply the techniques and information you are learning.
Increasing numbers of dental hygienists are choosing to pursue baccalaureate degrees to improve career opportunities and achieve personal and professional growth. Read more about our online bachelor-degree.
Official notice of our privacy practices as it pertains to the use and disclosure of patient health information.
Dental hygienists and dental hygiene students may be exposed to contagious diseases, therefore strict compliance with Center of Disease Control (CDC) and OSHA standards are maintained. Policies on blood borne and infectious diseases are available upon request from the Penn College Dental Hygiene Program.
The National Board Dental Hygiene Examination 5-year pass rate chart compares the pass rate of Penn College first-time takers to the national average.
The Dental Hygiene Program conducts a Dental Hygiene Clinic – open to the public – during the school year.


When you are looking for someplace to repair your vehicle everyone wants to find a place you can trust. The Exhaustman Auto Center has been repairing vehicles for the last 20 years ranging from minor tune-ups to full service items.
There aren't a lot of automotive repair shops that can say that they have been in the same place doing the same service for that period of time. We feel that this says a lot about the quality of service we provide.
and many other regular automotive maintenance items.
IF you new to the Azusa area or just looking for a new mechanic or exhaust repair facility, we would love to help you and your car. But don't take our word for it. Check us out on the local review sites like Yelp or Google Local. We are proud of the quality of work and integrity that we offer our customers year after year.
The Exhaustman Service Center is not a large chain store with corporate quotas to meet or a franchise with huge advertising budgets. So we can pass those savings to you.


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2021 Fleming Scholarship Award Winners
Nicholas Fleming | July 31, 2021
Fleming Law is proud to announce the winners of the firm's 2021 Scholarships. Many well written essays where submitted and, as in years past, the decision select the winners was a difficult one. Undergraduate Scholarship Winner – Kamren Brock From: Georgia Attending: College of Coastal Georgia Kamren is attending the…
Can I Sue Uber for Causing a Car Accident in Houston?
Nicholas Fleming | April 2, 2021
Uber drivers are independent contractors, they don't work directly for Uber. For this reason alone, pursuing a claim against an Uber driver for a car accident can be problematic. Uber accidents are more complicated than normal accidents, and you often need an experienced car accident lawyer to help you sort…
What to Do and Not to Do After a Truck Accident
Most people know what to do if they're involved in an accident with the driver of another car, even a vehicle as big as a pickup truck or SUV. But commercial truck accidents can be very different. Semis and other heavy trucks are much bigger and bulkier than even the…
Nicholas Fleming | July 2, 2020
Fleming Law, P.C., awarded one scholarship this year. The Undergraduate Scholarship is available to college students and high school seniors. The scholarship is open to all students in any program. Undergraduate Scholarship Winner – DeLon Henderson, Jr. From: Woodstock, GA Attending: Georgia Southern University This summer, DeLon (D.J.) has been…


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