text:
Oxoaluminium, C16-C18-alkyl esters
Currently viewing: S-01 | Summary001 Key | Experimental result002 Key | Read-across (Structural analogue / surrogate)
24 January 2013 to 25 February 2013
OECD Guideline 202 (Daphnia sp. Acute Immobilisation Test)
EU Method C.2 (Acute Toxicity for Daphnia)
See test material information
- Total organic carbon and aluminium analysis: Samples were collected at 0 and 48 hours from the control and pooled treatment replicates and stored at -20°C until analysis. Duplicate samples were taken and stored at approximately -20°C for further analysis if necessary.
- Test water: Reconstituted water comprised of Elendt M7 medium was used.
- Preparation: 200 mg aluminum, benzoate C16-18-fatty acids complexes was added to the surface of 2 L of reconstituted water, to give a loading rate of 100 mg/L, and stirred using a magnetic stirrer at a rate that a vortex was formed to give a dimple at the water surface. The stirring was stopped after 23 hours and the mixture allowed to stand for 1 hour. A wide bore glass tube, covered at one end with Nescofilm was submerged into the vessel, sealed end down, to a depth of approximately 5 cm from the bottom of the vessel. A length of Tygon tubing was inserted into the glass tube and pushed through the Nescofilm seal and the WAFs removed by mid-depth siphoning (the first approximate 75-100 mL discarded) to give the WAF.
- Controls: Test control: test medium only. Positive control: potassium dichromate at concentrations; 0.32, 0.56, 1.0, 1.8 and 3.2 mg/L.
- Evidence of undissolved material: Microscopic inspection of the WAF showed no micro-dispersions or undissolved test item to be present.
Details on test organisms:
- Age: First instar, less than 24 hours old
- Source: In-house laboratory cultures
- Culture conditions: Adult Daphnia were maintained in 150 mL glass beakers containing Elendt M7 medium at approximately 20°C under a 16 hour light to 8 hour dark photoperiod, with 20 minute transitions. Each culture was fed daily with a mixture of algal suspension (Desmodesmus subspicatus) and Tetramin flake food suspension. Conditions ensured reproduction by parthogenesis.
Water media type:
Total exposure duration:
Post exposure observation period:
At the start of the test, the dilutent had a total water hardness of 152 mg/L CaCO3.
Test temperature:
21ºC to 23ºC
The pH was 8.0 at 0 hours and 7.8 to 8.0 at 48 hours.
Dissolved oxygen:
The dissolved oxygen ranged from 8.3 to 8.6 mg O2/L at 0 hours and 8.5 to 8.8 mg O2/L at 48 hours. The equivalent air saturation values were 97 to 99 % at 0 hours to 96 to 98 % at 48 hours.
Nominal and measured concentrations:
- Preliminary test: The loading rates to be used in the definitive test were determined on the basis of a range finding study at 1.0, 10 and 100 mg/L nominal loading rates showing no effects.
- Nominal concentration: The test was conducted as a limit test with a single nominal loading rate of 100 mg/L (WAF).
- Measured aluminium concentrations: 0.012 mg/L at 0 hours and 0.0057 mg/L at 48 hours.
- Measured total organic carbon (TOC): Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analysis of the test preparation at 0 and 48 hours showed measured concentrations of 0.50 mg C/L and less than the limit of quantitation (assessed to be 1.0 mg C/L for the method employed) respectively.
- Test vessel: Glass jar
- Type: Closed
- Material, size, headspace, fill volume: 250 mL glass jar containing 200 mL of test preparation.
- Aeration: None
- No. of organisms per vessel: 5
- No. of vessels per concentration (replicates): 4
- No. of vessels per control (replicates): 4:
TEST MEDIUM / WATER PARAMETERS
- Source/preparation of dilution water: Reconstituted water - Elendt M7 medium
- Culture medium different from test medium: No
- Intervals of water quality measurement: Water temperature was recorded daily throughout the test. Dissolved oxygen concentrations and pH were recorded at the start and termination of the test.
- Adjustment of pH: Adjusted to pH 7.8 ± 2 with NaOH or HCl.
- Photoperiod: 16 hours light and 8 hours dark with 20 minutes dawn and dusk transition period.
- Light intensity: 396 to 405 lux
EFFECT PARAMETERS MEASURED: Immoblization or adverse reactions recorded at 24 and 48 hours. Daphnia were considered to be immobilized if they were unable to swim for approximately 15 seconds after gentle agitation.
TEST CONCENTRATIONS
- Range finding study: Yes
- Test concentrations: Limit test at 100 mg test item/L WAF.
Reference substance (positive control):
Potassium dichromate
> 100 mg/L
Nominal / measured:
Conc. based on:
other: Water Accommodated Fraction
NOELR
- Results: There was no immobilisation in 20 daphnids exposed for 48 hours to a 100 mg/L WAF of aluminum, benzoate C16-18-fatty acids complexes It was considered unnecessary and unrealistic to test at loading rates in excess of 100 mg/L. Given that toxicity cannot be attributed to a single component or mixture of components but to aluminum, benzoate C16-18-fatty acids complexes as a whole, the results were based on nominal loading rates only.
Results with reference substance (positive control):
- Reference: Harlan Laboratories Ltd., study number 41203341. Daphnia were exposed to 0.32, 0.56, 1.0, 1.8 and 3.2 mg/L potassium dichromate under similar exposure conditions to the definitive test and the immobilisation data was analysed by the geometric mean method at 24 hours and the trimmed Spearmman-Karber method at 48 hours.
- Results: Based on nominal concentrations, the 48 hour EC50 was 0.45 (95 % confidence limits 0.42-0.48 mg/L). The results were within the normal range for this test item.
Reported statistics and error estimates:
Some of the temperatures were measured to be slightly in excess of the 18 to 22ºC given in the study plan. This was considered not to affect the results of the test as no adverse effects of exposure were observed throughout the duration of the test and that the temperatures did not deviate more than ± 1ºC throughout the test.
Table 2 Cumulative Immobilization Data in the Definitive Test
Nominal Loading Rate
(mg/L)
Cumulative Immobilized Daphnia (Initial Population: 5 per Replicate)
No per Replicate
R1 – R4 = Replicates 1 to 4
* Whilst 4 daphnids were observed immobilized in this control replicate, this was not thought to impact the validity of the test as this was isolated to one vessel and was considered to be contamination of this vessel rather than being representative of the control group.
Whilst 4 daphnids were observed immobilized in one control, this was not thought to impact the validity as this was isolated to one vessel and was considered to be contamination of this vessel rather than being representative of the control group.
The acute toxicity of aluminum, benzoate C16-18-fatty acids complexes to Daphnia showed no effects at a water accommodated fraction nominal loading rate of 100 mg/L. Therefore, the 48 hour EL50 is determined to be > 100 mg/L (WAF).
The acute toxicity of aluminum, benzoate C16-18-fatty acids complexes to Daphnia magna showed no effects at a water accommodated fraction nominal loading rate of 100 mg/L. Therefore, the 48 hour LC50 is determined to be > 100 mg/L (WAF). The acute toxicity of of the test item to Daphnia magna was determined in a GLP-compliant, limit test (Harlan 2013) following OECD guideline 202. The study is considered reliable and relevant for use for this endpoint.
Read across data
REPORTING FORMAT FOR THE ANALOGUE APPROACH
1. HYPOTHESIS FOR THE ANALOGUE APPROACH
In accordance with the Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, Annex XI, section 1.5, read-across to aluminum, benzoate C16-18-fatty acids complexes has been used to fulfil REACH information requirements where appropriate and is justified by the chemical structures and common physiological active moieties of the substances. The chemical structures of the target and read-across substances are very closely aligned. The aluminium cation, a long chain fatty acid, and the –Al=O (-AlOH in aqueous solution) moieties are identical in both substances. The key difference is that read-across substance contains a benzoate moiety linked to the aluminium cation, which is absent from the target substance. Benzoic acid and benzoates have been well characterized (eco)toxicologically, but in this case generating experimental data on the aluminium salt containing benzoate would be expected to demonstrate a 'worst case' hazard profile when compared to the target substance. Since no intrinsic toxicity could be demonstrated from any of the Annex VII or VIII endpoints with the benzoate-containing aluminium salt, then these results can be read across to the target substance without restriction.
The substances consist of aluminium salts of fatty acids, with the source substance having additionally a benzoate moiety linked to the aluminium cation as well. As such, both substances have common functional groups and as the fatty acid moieties are considered not to be hazardous, since they are an endogenous part of living cells and are a dietary requirement for many organisms, the toxicity of the substances will be driven by the presence of the aluminium species (and additionally the benzoate for the source substance). The substances have common starting materials and methods of manufacture, principally the reaction of aluminium with organic acids, with the target substance often being used as a pre-cursor reacted with benzoic acid in the manufacture of the source substance. The substances have common breakdown products and, in the environment, the substances will dissociate and biodegrade into inorganic aluminium species and fatty acids then carbon dioxide and water.
2. CHEMICAL(S)
Source chemical: Aluminum, benzoate, C16-18 fatty acids complexes (EC: 303-385-6, CAS: 94166-87-7)
See robust study summaries for further details on the identity of the tested substances and IUCLID dataset for further information on the substance identity and the data to support the read across justification.
3. ANALOGUE APPROACH JUSTIFICATION
The literature search identified no ecotoxicological data for the substance and no experimental ecotoxicity data are available for the substance. The hazard testing was conducted on the substance prepared as a 50% w.w. concentration in pharmaceutical white oil. The presence of the oil restricts the solubility of the substance and reduces its bioavailability to the aquatic environment therefore, no testing was carried out on the substance as no meaningful results would be achieved. Instead, in order to provide a worst-case scenario for the aquatic ecotoxicity potential for the substance, data have been read across from a structural analogue which was tested in in isolated form (i.e. extracted from base oil).
No novel aquatic ecotoxicity testing on the substance was carried out but novel proprietary data were read across from aluminum, benzoate C16-18-fatty acids complexes. This substance is considered suitable for read-across as it contains a fatty acid moiety coordinated to an aluminium atom. The chemical structures of the target and read-across substances are very closely aligned; both substances consist of aluminium salts of fatty acids. The aluminium cation, a long chain fatty acid, and the –Al=O (-AlOH in aqueous solution) moieties are identical in both substances.
The fatty acids present in both substances are the same, consisting of a mixture of C16 and C18 chain lengths at approximately a 1:2 ratio. The C16 and C18 fatty acid moieties are derived from natural fatty materials, or substances which are chemically indistinguishable from natural fatty acids. The fatty acid moieties are considered not to be hazardous to humans as they are natural constituents of the human body and essential components of a balanced human nutrition. REACH Annex V, Entry 9, groups fatty acids and their potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium salts, including C6 to C24, predominantly even-numbered, unbranched, saturated or unsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids. Provided that they are obtained from natural sources and are not chemically modified, the substances included in REACH Annex V, Entry 9 are exempt from registration, unless they are classified as dangerous (except for flammability, skin irritation or eye irritation) or they meet the criteria for PBT/vPvB substances.
Fatty acids are an endogenous part of living cells and are an essential dietary requirement for many organisms. They are absorbed, digested and transported in animals and humans. When taken up by tissues they can either be stored as triglycerides or can be oxidised via the ß-oxidation and tricarboxylic acid pathways. The ß-oxidation uses a mitochondrial enzyme complex for a series of oxidation and hydration reactions, resulting in a cleavage of acetate groups as acetyl CoA. Acetyl CoA is used mainly to provide energy but also to provide precursors for numerous biochemical reactions. Alternative minor oxidation pathways can be found in the liver and kidney (ω-oxidation and ω-1 oxidation) and in peroxisomes for ß-methyl branched fatty acids (α-oxidation). The metabolic products can then be incorporated for example into membrane phospholipids.
The read across substance also contains a benzoate moiety linked to the aluminium cation, which is absent from the target substance. Although it also contains a coordinated benzoate ion, under environmental relevant conditions the benzoate ion has a LC or EC50s of > 100 mg/L for fish (OECD SIDS 2001) and therefore does not contribute any additional toxicity to the substance. Benzoic acid and benzoates have been well characterized (eco)toxicologically, but in this case generating experimental data on the aluminium salt containing benzoate would be expected to demonstrate a 'worst case' hazard profile when compared to the target substance as this substance is tested in isolated form (i.e. outside of the base oil). Since no intrinsic toxicity could be demonstrated from any of the Annex VII or VIII endpoints with the benzoate-containing aluminium salt, then these results can be read across to the target substance without restriction.
Comparison of the data for the two substances indicates that they are expected to have similar properties. Neither the target or read-across substance meets the criteria for classification for physico-chemical, environmental or human health endpoints, based on the available data.
On the basis of the physico-chemical results, the substances are not flammable and have similar densities. The low vapour pressure results indicates that hazards associated with the atmospheric compartment or inhalation routes of toxicity are not expected to be relevant. The substances show similar water solubility, without surface active properties, indicating that they are likely to have similar behaviour in the aquatic environment.
Although the read-across substance met the criteria for ready biodegradability and the target substance did not, neither substance was inhibitory to micro-organisms at the concentration tested. The difference in biodegradation results is expected to derive from the presence of the base oil in the target substance sample, which is designed to minimise leaching of the grease thickener, and therefore less of the grease thickener would have been available for degradation by the micro-organisms.
There are no results available for the ecotoxicity of the target substance and therefore comparison of the effect concentrations against the read-across substance is not possible. However, leaching studies on grease thickeners in base oils have been used to assess the potential bioavailability of the grease components. The bioavailability potential of the water accommodated fractions (WAFs) of metal (lithium and calcium) soap complex based grease thickeners was assessed using a solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) method combined with gas chromatography (GC). This approach was complemented with metal ion analysis to determine whether the metal leaches out of the base grease during WAF preparation and the ecotoxicity of WAFs was also monitored using an in vitro Microtox assay. The SPME-GC data confirmed that there was negligible leaching of the thickeners from base oils in the samples tested, with measurements for calcium and lithium below the limit of detection (<0.1 mg/L) and the screening ecotoxicity data also showed a lack of toxicity of the greases.
The results of the bioavailability potential of the WAFs, the metal ion analysis and the screening ecotoxicity of lithium and calcium based complexes have been read across to aluminium based thickeners. All of these metal salts of fatty acids are expected to behave in a very similar manner when entrained within a grease matrix, with high temperature stability indicating that the thickener structure is robust and resistant to diffusion out of the oil. Dissolution of grease thickeners from grease into water is very unlikely as the thickeners are poorly water soluble and the thickeners are embedded in the hydrophobic grease matrix and thus unlikely to leach out. Therefore, although there are no data on the ecotoxicity of the target substance, no effects are expected based on the lack of bioavailability of the thickener.
These data on the potential for leaching of other metal salt complex based grease thickeners have been read across to both the target and read across substances. On the basis of these results, it is expected that neither the target nor the read across substance would leach from the base oil in which they are typically marketed and therefore neither substance would be bioavailable. Thus, reading across data from the source substance tested in its isolated form is considered robust as it provides a worst-case conclusion for the target substance which is only manufactured in an inert carrier, typically base oil. In order to provide further evidence for the lack of bioavailability, it is proposed to undertake leaching studies on the target and read-across substances themselves. Dependent on the results, the two studies would then be used to show the similarity in the bioavailability of the two substances and provide further weight of evidence for the read-across approach.
The available mammalian toxicity data show that neither the target nor read-across substance would be classified as irritating to skin or eyes and would not be classified for acute oral toxicity, with LD50 values of >2000 mg/kg. Although no other data are available for comparison of the potential mammalian toxicity of the two substances, the target and read-across substances are expected to behave in a very similar manner. As grease thickeners are entrained within grease matrices which are robust and resistant to diffusion out of the oil, neither substance is expected to be bioavailable. In order to provide further evidence for the lack of bioavailability, it is proposed to undertake leaching studies in fed state simulated intestinal fluid (FeSSIF) on the target and read-across substances. Dependent on the results, the two studies would then be used to show the similarity in the bioavailability of the two substances and provide further weight of evidence for the read-across approach.
For the ecotoxicity of the substances, read across from the source to the target substance is considered justified as both substances have very low solubility in water, would not leach when in situ in base oil during use as grease thickeners and are not expected to be bioavailable. The substances, in the environment, would dissociate and degrade into inorganic aluminium species and firstly, fatty acids (plus benzoic acid for the source substance), then ultimately carbon dioxide and water. As the fatty acid components are biodegradable and are not expected to be hazardous (and the benzoate component of the source substance is not expected to be hazardous), the toxicity is expected to be driven by the aluminium component, so would be the same in both the source and target substances. As such, read across from the source substance, tested in its isolated form, is considered to provide a worst-case scenario for the target substance, which would have even more limited bioavailability as it is manufactured in situ in an inert carrier, typically base oil.
4. DATA
T = target substance (tests were undertaken on a sample prepared as a 50% w.w. concentration in medicinal white oil unless otherwise indicated)
RA = read-across substance
- State: Liquid (T), Solid (RA)
- Melting point: 21°C (T), 224°C (RA)
- Relative density: 0.933 (T), 1.08 (RA)
- Vapour pressure: 0.00015 Pa (T), 0.000044 Pa (RA)
- Surface tension: 72.5 mN/m (T), 72.6 mN/m (RA)
- Water solubility: ≤0.00015 g/L (T), ≤0.00026 g/L (RA)
- Flash-point: 159°C (T), No data available for RA
- Flammability: No data available for T, Not flammable (RA)
- Self-ignition temperature: 374°C (T), 383°C (RA)
- Viscosity: 174.3 mm2/s at 100°C (T), No data available for RA
- Biodegradation: Not readily biodegradable (31%) (T), Readily biodegradable (79%) (RA)
- Acute aquatic invertebrates: No data available for T, EL50 (48 h): > 100 mg/L (RA)
- Algae: No data available for T, EL50 (72 h): > 100 mg/L and NOELR (72 h): 100 mg/L (RA)
- Aquatic microorganisms: NOEC (28 d): 6.7 mg/L (T), NOEC (28 d): 15.4 mg/L (RA)
- Acute fish: No data available for T, LL50 (96 h): > 100 mg/L (RA)
- Skin irritation: Not irritating (T), Not irritating (RA)
- Eye irritation: Not classified (T). Not classified (RA)
- Skin sensitisation: No data available for T, Not sensitising (RA)
- In vitro gene mutation in bacteria: No data available for T, Negative (RA)
- Acute toxicity, oral route: LD50: > 2000 mg/kg (T, test undertaken on solid (isolated) form of the substance), LD50 >2000 mg/kg (RA)
- Acute toxicity, dermal route: No data available for T, LD50 >2000 mg/kg (RA)
- In vitro cytogenicity: No data available for T, Negative (RA)
- In vitro gene mutation in mammalian cells: No data available for T, Negative (RA)
- Short-term repeated dose toxicity, oral route: No data available for T, NOAEL: > 225 mg/kg (RA)
- Reproductive toxicity: No data available for T, NOAEL (P): > 225 mg/kg (RA)
- Developmental toxicity: No data available for T, NOAEL (F1): > 225 mg/kg (RA)
The hazard testing was conducted on the substance prepared as a 50% w.w. concentration in pharmaceutical white oil.The presence of the oil restricts the solubility of the substance and reduces its bioavailability to the aquatic environment therefore, no testing was carried out on the substanceas no meaningful results would be achieved.Instead proprietary data are read across from aluminum, benzoate C16-18-fatty acids complexes. This substance is considered suitable for read-across as it contains a fatty acid moiety coordinated to an aluminium atom. Although it also contains a coordinated benzoate ion, under environmental relevant conditions the benzoate ion has a 48 hour EC50 for Daphnia of > 100 mg/L (OECD SIDS 2001) and therefore does not contribute any additional toxicity to the substance. Aluminum, benzoate C16-18-fatty acids complexes was tested in the form of an isolated solid and showed no toxic effects at a water accommodated fraction loading rate of 100 mg/L (Harlan 2013). Therefore, the 48 hour EL50 is determined to be > 100 mg/L (WAF).
Based on read across, the acute toxicity to Daphnia is expected to show no effects at a water accommodated fraction nominal loading rate of 100 mg/L. Therefore, the 48 hour EL50 is determined to be > 100 mg/L (WAF).
EC50/LC50 for freshwater invertebrates:
The hazard testing was conducted on the substance prepared as a 50% w.w. concentration in pharmaceutical white oil.The presence of the oil restricts the solubility of the substance and reduces its bioavailability to the aquatic environment therefore, no testing was carried out on the substance as no meaningful results would be achieved. Instead proprietary data are read across from aluminum, benzoate C16-18-fatty acids complexes. This substance is considered suitable for read-across as it contains a fatty acid moiety coordinated to an aluminium atom. Although it also contains a coordinated benzoate ion, under environmental relevant conditions the benzoate ion has a 48 hour EC50 of > 100 mg/L for Daphnia (OECD SIDS 2001) and therefore does not contribute any additional toxicity to the substance. Aluminum, benzoate C16-18-fatty acids complexes was tested in the form of an isolated solid and showed no toxic effects at a water accommodated fraction loading rate of 100 mg/L (Harlan 2013). Therefore, the 48 hour EL50 is determined to be > 100 mg/L (WAF).
The acute toxicity of aluminum, benzoate C16-18-fatty acids complexes to Daphnia was determined in a GLP-compliant, limit test (Harlan 2013) following OECD guideline 202. As no effects were observed in the preliminary range finding test, the definitive toxicity to Daphnia test was conducted as a limit test at a nominal loading rate of 100 mg/L alongside a blank control. Twenty Daphnia divided into four replicates were exposed to a water accommodated fraction of aluminum, benzoate C16-18-fatty acids complexes for 48 hours in standard ecotoxicity media adjusted to a hardness of approximately 150 mg/L CaCO3. Observations of immobilisation or abnormalities of behaviour or appearance of the Daphnia were made at 24 and 48 hours and the test solution analysed for aluminium content and total organic carbon at test initiation and termination. As no effects were observed, the 48 hour EL50 is determined to be > 100 mg/L (WAF).
OECD (2001). SIDS, Benzoate, SIDS Initial Assessment Report for 13th SIAM, Bern 7th– 9thNovember 2001, UNEP Publications.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


There have now been several Noctilucent Cloud reports from around the country and I managed to grab a view of them early on Sunday morning. My location is on the UK's south coast, so if I can see them, so should most of the country. For me they were difficult to see visually, right on the edge of the morning twilight coming up to 03:00 BST (02:00 UT). My camera did a better job. However, a more recent observation by John Rowlands who's one of the finalists for the "So you want to be a scientist?" competition run by Radio 4, suggests that the last display on June 13/14 had got a lot brighter.
You can find out more about noctilucent clouds (NLC) on page 53 of June's Sky at Night Magazine.
Here are a few shots from the morning of the 13th (observation night June 12/13). Normal clouds appear dark in these images while NLC's appear as blue-white wisps close to the horizon.
This comet is currently passing low down across the northern part of the sky, from right to left as seen from the UK. It's a tricky thing to see because of its low altitude and lack of really dark skies at this time of year. Binoculars are the best tool to spot it and it can currently (June 14) be found travelling just below the star Alpha Persei, otherwise known as Mirphak. If you're not sure how to locate Mirphak, first identify the "W" shape of Cassioepeia. The two stars marked on the chart below can then be used to point to Mirphak which should be visible to the naked eye - depending on how transparent your sky is low down in the direction shown. Binoculars show Mirphak to be surrounded by an attractive semi-circle of stars. Over the course of the next week, the comet will be travelling towards the bright star Capella which lies to the left of Mirphak by about the same width as the "W" pattern of Cassiopeia.
Through binoculars, the comet looks like a smudged star. If your skies are good, you might be able to make out its long thin ion tail. Camera's bring out the comet's best side, and reveal it to look quite green in colour. They will also bring out it's tail detail. There's currently a long thin ion tail and a short, stubby dust tail. Some recent photos of the comet are shown below but if you're looking for it visually, it looks nothing like it does in the pictures instead appearing small and faint.
Finally, the last of my 3 top sights in the June's Sky Guide was Ceres crossing M8 the Lagoon Nebula. Bad skies stopped me getting the actual crossing and neighbouring trees and bushes elevate my southern horizon quite a lot. In the end I had to drag my scope right back next to the house on our decking, and catch the pairing as it passed between a small gap between two trees! The shot below hasn't been processed much at all yet, but it dows show the Lagoon Nebula, which is located in Sagittarius, and the asteroid, or rather dwarf planet, Ceres.
Comet C/2009 R1 McNaught was seen below and left of Mirphak in Perseus this morning. The comet still looks like a fuzzy star through binoculars and it's ion tail can just be made out. Through a 4" scope (observed by my Sky at Night colleague, Paul Abel) the comet looked distinctly green in colour. Paul was also able to sketch the ion tail and the short stubby dust tail. I'll put up some more pictures of it later. I'd love to see other's photos of this object if you have any.
Post comet observing, more NLC's were seen this morning too. Much easier to see with the naked eye this time but more constrained to the north as dawn broke.
Nice NLC capture, Pete - not the greatest display ever but I'm sure we'll get more as the season progresses.
That's the catch here ... for the last 3-4 weeks we seem to be getting thickening cloud in the evenings, clearing mid morning ... only 3 opportunities to do night time observing & I've been unfortunate enough to miss them all with severe headaches. The opposite applies to solar, very few days "missed" due to weather, and we've almost forgotten what rain is here. Can't last, the schools finish at the end of June & that will break the weather for sure.
Too tired to chase NLC's last night but I did manage some shots on the comet, now to be found between Mirphak and Capella. Binoculars show it easily but it's a struggle with the naked eye due to it's low altitude and bright sky in this region. Here are two shots, one taken with a DSLR (22 x 1 minute exposures stacked) and the other with a CCD (10 minute, single exposure).
The comet is now very close to Capella, the brightest star visible low down in the northern part of the sky. If you can get outside at around 01:30 BST and locate Capella tomorrow morning (21st June), using binoculars, place Capella in the field of view of your binoculars and look out for the smudged star above it - that's the comet.
I looked out for NLCs this morning too but for me anyway, there were none to be seen.


text:
Rallying call to give heroes on fundraising journey warm welcome in Suffolk and Norfolk
Lucy Clapham
Published: 6:30 AM August 11, 2012
Well wishing residents are being encouraged to hold onto their patriotic bunting and banners from the Jubilee and Olympics to welcome a group of military heroes into the region as they embark on an epic fundraising challenge.
Made up of ex-servicemen and civilians, including a triple amputee and former US marine, the members of the Tour de Forces team are preparing to run and cycle their way round the coast line of Great Britain in aid of four military charities.
Their incredible journey - more than 3,000 miles long - will take them through north Suffolk and Norfolk and into Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth, Caister, Happisburgh, Cromer, Hunstanton and King's Lynn.
Their journey through East Anglia will include two overnight stays in Gorleston and King's Lynn and residents of both seaside resorts and in communities along the route are being urged to show their support for the team by giving them a heroes welcome.
Organiser Paul Shersby, 24, who has grown up in a military family, came up with the idea for the challenge after sending a message to friends on a social networking site.
He said the journey through Norfolk and Suffolk would be a new experience for a lot of the team but one they were looking forward to.
'We're hoping for people to show their support, it will be a big push for us,' he added. 'This is the first time a team have cycled and ran in. It's going to be tough but we have got the mentality, we're quite driven.'
The team includes former Royal Marines Commando Mark Ormrod who lost three limbs on Christmas Eve 2007 while serving in Afghanistan. He was part of a team that ran 3,563 miles across America and will be completing the Tour de Forces challenge using a specialised hand cycle.
He will be joined by runner Charles Padilla, a former United States Marine Master Gunnery Sergeant who also took part in the USA charity challenge, Mr Shearsby, who will be cycling the course, Marc Roberts, who has served in the Army and Navy and will also be cycling, sports therapist Stevie Budge and support vehicle driver Sean Aiken.
They are setting off from Plymouth next month and aim to cover an average of 100 miles a day at a speed of around 14mph, completing the coastal course in 32 days.
Joyce Cooper, a welfare case worker with the Royal British Legion (RBL) in north Suffolk, is giving the team a bed for the night in her Gorleston home and helping to coordinate a welcoming ceremony when they arrive.
The grandmother-of-three said: 'I think it's important they get a heroes welcome, our house is going to be covered in bunting. I think they deserve it and they need to recognition for the effort (they're making) especially young Mark who is doing 100 miles a day with no legs and only one arm.'
She has teamed up with RBL members from Yarmouth to organise the welcome near her home in Marine Parade.
'I would love to make this a big celebration, it's a case close to my heart because I do work for the legion,' Mrs Cooper added.
The Tour de Forces team is expected in Lowestoft at around 4pm on September 6 and will then move onto Gorleston to arrive between 5pm and 6pm.
They will set off from Gorleston at around 8am on September 7 and head north along the coast to finish in King's Lynn at around 6pm. They will then wave Norfolk goodbye at 8am on September 8 and head to Grimsby.
? For more information about the challenge visit www.tourdeforces.com

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Muyinatu Bell receives $1 million grant from NSF Smart and Connected Health program
Bell's project will focus on improving the effectiveness of procedures pertaining to heart disease, the number one cause of death worldwide.
Venkataraman named in 'MIT Technology Review' list of top innovators under 35
Center NewsMachine Learning and Artificial IntelligenceMedical ImagingUncategorized
The MIT Technology Review lauded her work on detecting and pinpointing the sources of epileptic seizures in the brain as "groundbreaking."
Archana Venkataraman receives NSF CAREER award
Machine Learning and Artificial IntelligenceMedical ImagingUncategorized
Archana Venkataraman, a John C. Malone Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been chosen by the...
Suchi Saria and team receive Armstrong Award for Excellence in Quality and Safety
Center NewsData AnalyticsUncategorized
John C. Malone Assistant Professor of Computer Science Suchi Saria, Katharine Henry, Hossein Soleimani, Tony Wang, and Andong Zhan have...
Venkataraman wins NSF award to develop mathematical framework for brain modeling
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded John C. Malone Assistant Professor Archana Venkataraman $875,000 in grant funding to support a...
C-Arms Bring 3-D to the OR
Robotics, Augmented Reality, and DevicesUncategorized
Imaging has become an essential part of a surgeon's toolkit in the past two decades, making operations on the most delicate...


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The Second Apocalypse
Miscellaneous Chatter
Philosophy & Science
Is there really a Determinism/Indeterminism Dichotomy?
Pages: 1 ... 4 5 [6]
The Zero-Mod
The Honourable H
The Original No-God Apologist
Re: Is there really a Determinism/Indeterminism Dichotomy?
Quote from: sciborg2 on March 22, 2019, 03:22:53 pm
I think the universe has events, and while the mathematical modeling is useful the actual events are better described via Aristotle's ideas of causation and entities having particular natures & causal powers.
Re: Intentionality, I think of it just as having Aboutness of Thought, as in Thoughts about the World. Given most of our cause-effect descriptions pre-suppose consciousness due to their interest-relativity it suggests there is something...interesting...going on there...
Yeah, I'd be willing to buy something like a "limit to math."
I'm just unclear if it could be that Intentiality could rise of things unIntentional. Kind of how the "infinite" nature of language seems it could arise from, well, no language at all...
"I am a warrior of ages, Anasûrimbor . . . ages. I have dipped my nimil in a thousand hearts. I have ridden both against and for the No-God in the great wars that authored this wilderness. I have scaled the ramparts of great Golgotterath, watched the hearts of High Kings break for fury." -Cet'ingira
sciborg2
Contrarian Wanker
"Trickster Makes This World"
Quote from: H on March 22, 2019, 03:47:32 pm
Yeah I think the issue of semantic determinacy is related to the challenge of providing causal accounts of Intentionality. And of course how is it that any clump of matter in the brain can, somehow, be about some other clumps of matter in the world.
But Causation is wonky enough without trying to suss out mental causation...
Health Resources:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/12NfnxYU5ZSur-RahRNI-bNMnTjxE12vyGWmY46Xq2h0/edit
Register family with 911 services. Also mental health info & hotlines, articles, treatment assistance options, prescription assistance, legal aid, etc.
And that is sort of a problem, because math and language are sort of the tools we are using to investigate. So, if everything we find is a mathematical/linguistic answer, that makes sense, because we are looking at everything through a sort of math/language lens.
I mean, maybe, I don't know...
I'd say Rationality / Intentionality / Subjectivity underpin our scientific investigation.
And science itself could be defined as the discovery of patterns through observation of change.
Can this yield knowledge of things-in-themselves, rather than relational structures? Seems unlikely since much of this investigation assumes both dynamism and stability so I don't see an answer to "Why don't the Laws of Nature change?".
To go back to the OP, math is useful modeling but its lingual limits - namely describing events through probability - is not an actual restrictive dichotomy [of randomness / determinism ] on Nature.
« Last Edit: March 22, 2019, 07:03:34 pm by sciborg2 »
From Freya Matthew's Why has the West Failed to Embrace Panpsychism?
"Consider, for instance, Newton's laws of motion. If we are given Newton's second law then we can indeed predict that a billiard ball will accelerate in proportion to the strength of the force applied to it, but if we have no idea why force and mass and acceleration are related in the way the law describes, we will not really understand why the ball behaves as it does. In other words, since this model of explanation leaves universals themselves unexplained, it ultimately begs the explanatory question. The illusion of explanatory power that attaches to this structure of inference from universal to particular emanates not from ontology but from logic, and reflects the fact that 'the world,' as it is re-presented in theoria, is organized not by innate ontological necessity but by the rules that govern propositions. These are rules of predication, consistency and inference, first and foremost inference from universal to particular. So the structure of theoria subtly follows the structure of mental doubling or re-presentation via the mirror of picture-propositions; in conformity with this, theoria orders these picture-propositions in accordance with the laws apposite to them, namely, the laws of logic, rather than discerning in reality itself the contours of any innate ontological necessity. In this way the world takes on the aspect of a rational order: in characterizing it as rational however we are in fact identifying the logical structure of the mental mirror rather than the structure of the world itself."
"I would like to spell out in a little more detail how the conundrum of causation at the heart of science is a consequence, at a subtler level, of the mirroring maneuver at the base of theory. In this mirroring maneuver the mind, as we have seen, projects 'the world' as an idealized totality onto a kind of mental screen and in the process differentiates itself, in just the kind of way Kant detailed in his analysis of the transcendental unity of apperception, into a knowing subject, on the one hand, and the world as object or known, on the other. Since this object is, despite its world-content, mentally a passive construct of the subject, it will be understood by the subject to be, in an ultimate sense, inert. In the explanatory scenario of theoria, self-activity, and hence motive power, will always be intuited to lie outside the object. The object by definition, qua object, lacks the power of self-creation or self-animation. It will for this reason seem intuitively natural, from the perspective of the subject, to posit an external source of motive power for the world, a Prime Mover or, as secular substitute for such a Mover in science, a principle of causation, which is, as we have seen, a principle of coercion or force. The laws of nature are held in place by the arbitrary but coercive force of causation."


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Home News west ham news hammers wont part with issa diop
West Ham news: Hammers won't part with Issa Diop
Newcastle United are reportedly thinking about a move for West Ham's Issa Diop.
The Magpies are aiming to bolster their ranks in the January transfer window in a bid to avoid the drop.
They have already completed a £12 million deal for Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid (as per Sky Sports). However, they are still looking to add more players to strengthen their ranks.
The Tyneside club are targeting Issa Diop to solve their defensive issues but, as per football.london, West Ham have no interest in letting the 24-year-old leave in the middle of the season.
David Moyes' side are currently dealing with several injuries, with Kurt Zouma, Angelo Ogbonna and Aaron Cresswell all sidelined at the moment.
Issa Diop joined the Hammers in the summer of 2018 from Toulouse in a deal worth around £22m.
The 24-year-old enjoyed an amazing first season at the London Stadium, starting 33 Premier League matches and earning a goal to his name.
However, he failed to maintain his high standards over the following years.
And currently he is the fourth choice centre-back at the Irons, with Zouma, Ogbonna and Craig Dawson all ahead of him in the pecking order.
However, the defender has started all the previous six league matches for the Hammers. While he has also been involved in the Europa League and EFL Cup matches for the Irons.
With several key players already injured, it seems only right that West Ham are not interested in letting Diop leave in January.
Join 888sport and get £40 in Free Bets when you bet £10 on any football match.
Kieran Trippier
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I'm a football writer from Pakistan. Partial to Manchester United and a massive fan of cricket.


Image Title: African American Coloring Pages President Barack Obama With Designs 7. Post Title: Obama Coloring Pages. Filename: african-american-coloring-pages-president-barack-obama-with-designs-7.gif. Image Dimension: 568 x 654 pixels. Images Format: jpg/jpeg. Publisher/Author: Randal Stehr. Uploaded Date: Monday - December 31st. 2018 22:04:13 PM. Category: Coloring Pages. Image Source: homedepot.com. Obama Barack Pages 5. Page Famous For And Remodel President 19. Free Inside Plan With Regarding Best Month A Decorations Books Plans Ideas Coloriage Sheet H Imprimer HOLIDAYS De 15. In Within Plan. Kids 11. Printable COLOR Coloriages History Coloring Women S Designs U PAGES Printables Fabulous May Cars Crayola 16 14. Decor DIY 0. Com 9. Black Inspirations 12. 1.


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Lena Dunham's Site to Shut Down in Latest Blow to Her Career
Instagram/@lenadunham
Justin Caruso
Lenny Letter, a left-wing feminist site created by actress Lena Dunham, is shutting down in the latest piece of bad news for Dunham's career.
A letter, written by Lena Dunham and her fellow writer for Girls, Jenni Konner, explained their decision to shut down the site in a post Friday.
"In the three years since we began, the Internet has opened up for underrepresented writers in ways we wouldn't have predicted or believed from our 2015 bunker. It was an honor to be part of that brigade, and we can't wait to see how those who forged that path keep holding space after Lenny is gone," the post reads.
"While there's no one reason for our closure, this change allows for growth and a shift in perspectives — ours and yours. But can we ask one favor? Please, continue to push forward the voices that need a platform, the untold stories that deserve to be heard, the diversity that the publishing industry claims to value but has never mastered."
But according to the New York Post, there was one main reason for closure–the failure to make enough money off the site.
Specifically, the Post reports that the site always had issues with making money, and then traffic "plunged precipitously since July 2017, sources said, when it reportedly had 500,000 subscribers."
Whatever the true reason is, the site shutting down in another piece of bad news for Lena Dunham.
The 32-year-old actress has long tried to align herself and her career with progressive causes, but has at times struggled to win the affections of the left.
Her TV series Girls was relatively popular, but was criticized for being "too white" by many who didn't think there were enough non-white characters. The actress also caught flak from feminists when she defended a man who worked as a producer on Girls from an allegation of rape in November.
"While our first instinct is to listen to every woman's story, our insider knowledge of Murray's situation makes us confident that sadly this accusation is one of the 3% of assault cases that are misreported every year," a statement released by Dunham and Jenni Konner read.
Finally, Dunham's new HBO show Camping has generated largely negative reviews from critics, just the most recent blow to her career.
EntertainmentCampingGirlsHBOJenni KonnerLena DunhamLenny Letter
Behar: Dense Biden Thought White Privileged Sens Would Work with Him
Ukraine's Zelensky: 'There Are No Minor Incursions'


The Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) has introduced a week-long training course covering international maritime law and its relationship with international trade, shipping and marine insurance.
The BIMCO Law Academy provides an opportunity to acquire and develop legal knowledge and combine it with practical and focused insight into the fundamental principles of shipping and trade law.
BIMCO said that, at all times, the emphasis of the course will be on commercial practice and the contemporary issues emerging.
The five-day course takes place July 8-12, 2019, at Trinity Hall College at the University of Cambridge, UK. More information can he found here.


text:
#1 New York Times bestselling author
BOOKS & OTHER STUFF/
It's all about the characters
BOOKS & OTHER STUFF
WESS'HAR
VIEW OF A REMOTE COUNTRY
OTHER NOVELS
Batman Arkham Unhinged
Furie's Key
INFORMATION CENTRAL & SITE SEARCH
WRITER'S STUFF
ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE
BOOKS (SERIES)
I've split my novels into series, with a reader advisory for age suitability just in case. I don't write YA books, despite the Star Wars titles. All my books are for adult readers and most are M for Mature, so please bear that in mind if you don't want your kids to read it or if you're offended by it yourself. Click on the series title for more information. Kids hear worse in the playground and see more extreme stuff on TV that's somehow rated for 12 and older, but I issue the warnings just in case. And there are some words that are mild in the UK but enough to cause the vapours in the US, and vice versa. Proceed accordingly. If you want to ask more specific questions about suitability, please e-mail me.
RINGER SERIES
WESS'HAR SERIES
NOMAD SERIES
VIEW OF A REMOTE COUNTRY (ANTHOLOGY)
OTHER NOVEL SERIES
After a brief flurry of stories when I first started writing, I gave up short fiction except for specially commissioned work for franchises and other nice little earners from time to time. The ideas that I once turned into shorts became either novels or comics. In the time it takes me to write a short, I can write a third of a novel, or two comics, or several levels of a game, or even a complete script.
Up to now, shorts haven't paid enough to be worth the time, but now that independent publishing has rewritten the rule book on what's possible, and there are so many formats and ways to deliver stories to readers — text, audio, audio drama — that short fiction is thriving again. And it's pretty exciting to have those opportunities.
Some of the stories are available as an anthology, VIEW OF A REMOTE COUNTRY, in e-book and paperback. The full list of shorts (or at least the ones I can definitely link to a publication) is here.
Writing comics is the most fun you can get paid for without being arrested. If I had to pick just one medium to work in, I suspect comics might win.
By series:
BATMAN – ARKHAM UNHINGED
(Images © DC Comics and IDW.)
As well as writing Gears novels and comics, I was the lead writer on Gears of War 3. Even if you're not a gamer and you think it's all blood and grunting, take a look at Gears and give it a chance. It really does have a story, the cinematics are world class, there's real acting from the voice talent, and I worked my guts out on it. So don't let my efforts be in vain. You will play, and you will love it, but even if you don't play, at least enjoy the wonderful cinematics. It's a very special IP that'll always be the best franchise project I've worked on and I'm genuinely proud to have been part of it.
© 2000 - 2022 Karen Traviss.


Edimax BR-6204Wg 4-Port 10/100 Wireless G Router.
If you need to connect your devices (mobile, laptop, psp, ipod touch, iphone, dslite) to the internet wirelessly then this Edimax Router can be easily setup for wifi access.
You will need to connect the ethernet cable from your internet modem to the router to enable Wifi access. Please note, the router has 4 ethernet ports and a WAN port, it has no usb or dsl ports.


The Senior Brand Manager will work closely with product development to make sure our games meet and exceed consumer expectations and are commercially viable, achieve profitability and ROI goals, are well positioned in the marketplace, have a strategic marketing plan, and are brought to market successfully and managed throughout their lifecycle as ongoing brands.
Plan and develop branding communications, advertising, promotional and PR programs to enhance sales of his/her product(s). This will include consulting with management and working directly with members of product development, legal, finance, sales and marketing in strategic planning, creative execution and media planning.
Identify key-success factors for the game, build its final positioning, and benchmark your analysis against consumer research studies.
Manage the development of game assets (trailers, demos, screenshots…) and ensure that your assets are translated into the constitutive elements of the game, such as universe, characters, and actions.
5+ years' experience in brand and/or product marketing required.


We believe in the value of relationships. We understand every client relationship is unique, and truly believe that our success is a result of your success. We value highly skilled, motivated employees and continuously facilitate their growth.
Benefits include medical, dental, cafeteria plan, paid parking, continuing education, 401(k), profit sharing, incentive programs, PTO and flexible work schedule.


chelseaknoll necessitava di un nuovo design di product packaging e ha lanciato un contest su 99designs.
È stato scelto un vincitore tra 38 design presentati da 12 designer.
Our product will give the customer a sense of glowing. They will feel the product, "Glow"
Looking for Large wrap around the box. Dove Image should be solo from top to bottom wrapped around one corner of box. Label art for product is included for reference.
Expect future consistent contracts if done excellent.
We sell refrigerator water filters.


9 out of 10 based on 403 ratings. 4,192 user reviews.
Haynes Publishing provide manuals for a wide range of Opel models. Learn how to make DIY car repairs and service your Opel with our comprehensive guides.


Please improve navigation from viewing an image or video back to the library.
When I click on View from the library, I'd like some indication of which image or video I had just been viewing when I close it and return to the library, usually wanting to delete or edit what I just looked at. I often can't remember or find right away which clip I had been looking at. (Many thumbnails look very similar, and of course they move in their position as other items are deleted.) Alternatively, it would be nice to have a delete and/or edit option right from the view.


text:
Experience Something Special April 23, 2019
If you're seeking a hotel that lingers in the mind long after you've left, we have the perfect selection of long-time favourites, family-owned gems, resorts rich in heritage and impossibly-luxurious hideaways you'll have no desire to ever leave.
BLUE WATERS, ANTIGUA
We've always been huge fans of Blue Waters, but don't just take it from us: this wonderful resort received the royal seal of approval in 2016, when Prince Harry stayed here during his tour of the Caribbean. We particularly love the newly-refurbished Cove Suites, set apart from the rest of the resort and each boasting over 730 square feet of space. According to Which?, that's the same size as the average new build home in the UK!
If that's still not enough, how about the sprawling, 2,000-square-foot Rock Cottage? Set on its own peninsula, this palatial retreat has five bedrooms, a kitchen and a gorgeous infinity pool, offering the ultimate in privacy and seclusion.
You can also escape for some much-deserved pampering at the resort's heavenly spa, which recently introduced a series of rejuvenating face and body treatments thanks to a new partnership with ila Spa.
7 nights from £1,449 per person sharing a Superior Hillside Room including breakfast.
OFFER: Save up to 35%
STAY: Now – 17 Oct 2019
TAKE ME THERE >
JAMAICA INN, JAMAICA
A timeless atmosphere, sense of understated elegance and the warmest of welcomes greet you at the iconic Jamaica Inn. Over its illustrious six-decade history, the hotel has hosted the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and Ian Fleming. A lot has changed over the years, but you'll still find Teddy manning the beach bar and Rupert in charge of the croquet lawn.
There are just 55 suites, cottages and bungalows, with suites offering an expansive furnished balcony or verandah providing fabulous open-air living rooms.
The cottages are absolutely stunning, with Cottage 7 being the latest addition; this two-storey haven offers sweeping ocean views and access to a private cove. Whether you opt for an upper-floor suite complete with beach or sea views, a cottage perched on a bluff with its own oceanfront infinity pool, or a bungalow on sun-kissed sands, you'll find this celebrated resort more than lives up to its glittering reputation.
7 nights from £1,779 per person sharing a Deluxe Verandah Suite on Room Only.
OFFER: Stay 7 Pay 5 + US$150 food & beverage credit and complimentary room upgrade
STAY: 01 May - 31 Oct 2019
MANDARIN ORIENTAL, CANOUAN, ST VINCENT & THE GRENADINES
Words like 'luxurious' and 'exclusive' don't really do justice to the Mandarin Oriental, Canouan. First of all, you need to get to Canouan Island, accessible only by private jet or Twin Otter propeller plane. Once you've arrived, prepare to be blown away by the pristine white sands, vivid turquoise lagoon and impossibly-Instagrammable infinity pool.
The sumptuous suites are a vision in marble and Murano glass, with cutting-edge tech and a butler on hand for your every whim and fancy. To reach the spa, take the funicular railway up through the forest – yes, really - to one of ten hillside treatment palapas. This utterly unique resort is a place to relax, kick back and take things slow, just like the endearingly-unhurried resident tortoises.
7 nights from £4,929 per person sharing a One Bedroom Beachfront Suite including breakfast.
EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Stay 5 Pay 4 + complimentary upgrade from One Bedroom Oceanview Suite to One Bedroom Beachfront Suite + US$600 food & beverage credit
STAY: 01 May - 30 Jun & Sep 2019
CORAL REEF CLUB, BARBADOS
This refined resort is something of a Bajan institution, owned and operated by the O'Hara family for over 60 years. Many of the staff have been at the hotel several decades themselves, including head gardener Lloyd Richards, who leads a popular weekly tour of the beautifully-landscaped grounds. You can swap stories with the owners at their regular Monday night cocktail parties, and get to know some of the many repeat guests to whom the hotel is simply 'The Club'. History and heritage does not mean old-fashioned, however: the hotel's decor is elegant and contemporary, the Caribbean-inspired cuisine is exquisite, and The Spa offers wonderful treatments using products from Natura Bissé.
7 nights from £1,919 per person sharing a Garden Room Cottage including breakfast.
OFFER: Stay 7 Pay 6
STAY: 08 May - 24 May 2019
THE SANDPIPER, BARBADOS
Coral Reef Club's sister hotel is smaller and more intimate, with a dedicated fan club all of her own. This beautiful beachside retreat has just 50 rooms and suites, beautifully decorated with splashes of Caribbean colour. It's the little things that make The Sandpiper so special, like The White Company bathroom amenities and the refreshing sorbet delivered daily to your sun lounger. Dining at the highly-rated restaurant is a real treat, in a romantic setting surrounded by flickering torches and elegant koi ponds. And if you really want to push the boat out then take a look at the Beach House, a stunning three-bedroom villa set right on the sand.
7 nights from £1,889 per person sharing a Garden Room including breakfast.
OFFER: Stay 7 Pay 6 + complimentary tennis coaching
STAY: 08 May - 09 Aug 2019
This 300-acre private island is peppered with palm trees, caressed by cerulean waters, free from cars and an ultra-luxurious escape for the discerning traveller to whom service and privacy are paramount. But how do you improve on perfection? That's the challenge that faced new owners the Oetker Collection when they took over Jumby Bay in 2018, but we're happy to say it's looking better than ever following a multi-million dollar upgrade.
Jumby's interiors have been refreshed with subtle tones, rattan furniture and nautically-inspired flourishes. New additions include an Italian-style beachfront trattoria, a sparkling seafront infinity pool and upgrades at the spa, including redesigned treatment rooms and a new steam room and sauna.
The Estate House restaurant, set within an elegant 19th-century plantation house, also gets a fresh new look, and you can now enjoy a unique farm-to-table dinner under the stars at the island's organic kitchen farm.
Regular guests can relax safe in the knowledge that the old Jumby Bay magic hasn't been dimmed; this remains one of the world's most exclusive luxury resorts, with the same spectacular cuisine, beautiful natural setting and superb level of service that has always made this such a favourite of ours.
7 nights from £4,849 per person sharing a Rondavel Room on All-Inclusive.
COMO PARROT CAY, TURKS & CAICOS
Many resorts claim to offer an escape from the crowds, but few deliver on that promise quite like COMO Parrot Cay. Find your own piece of paradise on this mesmerisingly-beautiful private island, spread over 1,000 acres of almost entirely undeveloped powder-white sand. This is where the A-listers come for respite from pursuit by the paparazzi, a tranquil retreat with a focus on wellness.
The award-winning COMO Shambhala Retreat is a destination in itself, with holistic Asian-inspired treatments and complimentary yoga classes. The resort underwent an extensive refurbishment last year, introducing a soothing palette of bleached wood floors, teak furniture and crisp white linens that only adds to the sense of serene relaxation.
7 nights from £2,849 per person sharing a Garden View Room including breakfast.
MARBELLA CLUB, MARBELLA, SPAIN
Old-world glamour meets contemporary chic at the legendary Marbella Club. Originally built in the 1950s as the private residence of a German aristocrat, the hotel became a playground for the international jetset, attracting the likes of Brigitte Bardot and Audrey Hepburn.
Never one to rest on its laurels, Marbella Club has brought things bang up to date with stylish accommodation, a 5,000-square-metre kids' club and an extensive wellness centre. The weekend buffet at the Beach Club is a local institution, and the hotel enjoys a prime location on the 'Golden Mile', halfway between Marbella old town and glitzy Puerto Banus.
7 nights from £1,569 per person sharing a Deluxe Double Room including breakfast.
NECKER ISLAND, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
Even the most seasoned travellers in the Caribtours office were green with envy when travel adviser Abi stayed at Necker Island earlier this year. Sir Richard Branson's ultra-exclusive retreat is the world's most famous private island, hosting up to 30 guests in unparalleled luxury. Necker is usually only available on a whole island buyout basis, but the Celebration Weeks offer a rare opportunity to book individual rooms. Ask our travel advisers for more details on these special weeks which take place during selected dates throughout the year.
MONT ROCHELLE, FRANSCHHOEK, SOUTH AFRICA
Gastronomes and oenophiles flock to Franschhoek for its fantastic food and wine, and where better to base yourself than Sir Richard Branson's gorgeous 100-acre hotel and vineyard. Daily wine tastings help create that warm fuzzy feeling, and the fabulous staff will happily prepare a picnic for you to enjoy as you explore the sun-dappled grounds. If you were in any doubt as to what this place is all about, check out the names of the room categories: Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet and Pinotage!
From £135 per person per night, sharing a Shiraz Room including breakfast.
ULUSABA, SABI SAND RESERVE, SOUTH AFRICA
Experience the magic of a South African safari in spectacular surroundings with a stay at Ulusaba, Sir Richard Branson's exclusive private game reserve. Situated within the wildlife-rich Sabi Sand Reserve, surrounded by 13,500 acres of open bush, this is a fantastic spot to track the Big Five on twice-daily game drives, along with hippos, giraffes, cheetahs and more. Many of the sumptuous rooms have their own private plunge pool, where it's not unknown for elephants to stop by and quench their thirst.
From £485 per person per night, sharing an Elephant Room on All-Inclusive, plus two game drives daily.
STAY: Now - 30 Jun or 01 Nov - 21 Dec 2019
HUVAFEN FUSHI, MALDIVES
Find the desert island you've been dreaming of at Huvafen Fushi, one of the most beautiful boutique resorts in the Maldives. If it's sandy feet you seek then opt for a beach bungalow; if you're more of a water baby, the overwater bungalows are the perfect choice. Either way, you'll have your own private plunge pool, 24-hour butler service and high-end amenities including portable Marshall speakers and an in-room espresso machine.
Cosmopolitan culinary options include recent addition Feeling Koi, where you can feast on Japanese izakaya-style cooking, while the chic UMBar is a great place to cosy up on a beanbag or cool off with a cocktail.
Don your snorkel gear and you'll discover another world below the water, a veritable kaleidoscope of colourful fish and coral reefs. Join the resort's resident marine biologist for a guided underwater excursion, paddle a glass-bottomed kayak around the turquoise lagoon, or book yourself in for a soothing treatment at the underwater spa.
Dive deeper still at Vinum, the Maldives' first underground wine cellar, where you can enjoy an exclusive tasting menu and wine pairing some eight metres below sea level.
7 nights from £3,885 per person sharing a Beach Bungalow with Plunge Pool on Half Board
EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Save 35% + complimentary Half Board
Book by 31 May 2019
Prices are based on two adults sharing and include return scheduled flights, private transfers (shared for boat and seaplane) and the use of a UK airport lounge.
If you'd like to find out more about these wonderful offers, or to book your next luxury holiday, give one of our expert travel advisers a call on 020 7751 0660 or fill out the form below.
Karen's absolute favourite
Fairmont Royal Pavilion


Now, what we need is an upgrade of our googles to lvl277!
Miss the days of TBC when our googles were good until SWP, and there we could upgrade them.
The reagents are probably a placeholder, otherwise this will be an extremely cheap way for high-end raiding engineers to make some good money (and provide the Hunters in the raid with a good damage bonus as well).
From what it says on the Ashen Verdict 3.3 guide here on http://www.wowhead.com/?guide=3.3&ashen-verdict, This pattern, as well as Iceblade Arrows Will Require 1 Primordial Saronite to purchase, in addition to honored reputation with the Ashen Verdict and Goblin / Gnomish Engineer respectively.. (Alternate Clarification, http://www.wowwiki.com/Ashen_Verdict).
I also highly doubt the Reagents are placeholders, due to the sheer cost of the pattern. One primordial saronite will be rather expensive in terms of emblems or gold, if any are on the Auction house, or for sale at all.
the final icing on the cake though random, was to bring in goblin/gnomish engineering into the mix... which means if lets say you happen to be a hunter engineer but not the right specialization, you ether need to switch, or find someone else regardless to get your top of the line bullets... was thinking maybe they'd do something more along the lines of gear or trinkets for high end specializations in either, but are bullets and arrows really the pinnacle of goblin and gnomish engineering lol?
Awsome bullets :)....... come on Blzzard add more things to engineering.... WotLK have been so *!@#ing unfair for engineerers.... we now got these bullets/arrows, jeeves, some enchants and old stuff...... give us more cool things to do..... am I right!
Finally something to do with my bank full of Eternal Earth and also get a small profit from!
Can you learn both, by switching between goblin and gnomish engineering?
Luckily for me, I'm an hunter. I got mining and loads of guildies got engineering. Might be worthwhile to ask the guild if anybody has this or the arrows.
A true shame that one of the first really reliable ways for Engineers of any form to make money is being removed from the game shortly after it is introduced with the removal of ammo from the game altogether. I am currently debating if it is worth using a primordial Saronite to by a recipe that will be removed from the game by the end of the year or if I should just give it to a guild mate to but something that will actually still be useful after the expansion.
That's true only if Cata comes out before 2011. I honestly doubt it will happen. Anyway... you still have 7 months from now, so you can make good money (depending on server economy).


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Communication Overload: Keeping Up with Google Search's Constant Updates
Joe Howard February 11, 2017 6 min read
Joe HowardHead Buff at WP Buffs
If you're reading this right now, it means you're invested in search engine optimization.
Maybe you've been doing it for decades since Google was nascent. Or maybe you're stumbling into SEJ for the first time as someone who's brand new to SEO.
Either way, you're here to learn how to use search engines to drive targeted traffic to your website and convert visitors into new customers, client, patients, readers, or loyal fans.
One of the hardest aspects of SEO is stay on top of all the updates Google announces, and especially the ones that it doesn't.
If you didn't take a good hard look at your content before Panda came out, you might have felt the pain of a Panda slap and a big rankings drop.
If you didn't clean up your trashy backlink profile before Penguin was released, that Penguin slap and rankings loss probably didn't do you any favors.
You get it. A huge part of optimizing your website correctly for search engines is staying on top of algorithm changes in real-time.
But with so many resources to choose from in 2017, which bring you the most accurate information? And more importantly, which can you really trust?
Why Does Google Make Changes So Often?
First things first – why does Google make so many changes to its search algorithm?
In 2012 alone, Google launched 665 improvements to search. That number was probably even higher in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.
Google's mission with search is pretty straightforward: to give users the most valuable solution to their query. It sounds simple, but with almost five billion web pages on the web, Google search is taking on a massive undertaking. The constant changes in search algorithm are attempting to improve results for 40,000 searches every second and 1.2 trillion every year (not to mention ensure AdWords it improving their bottom line).
How Do I Stay Updated?
While Google makes hundreds of updates to search every year, knowing them all isn't necessary for even the most skilled SEO. Remember that it's much more important to stay up-to-date with the biggest updates and the most well-known changes in search results.
The most important updates are:
Major algorithm updates like Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird, etc.
Major click-biasing changes like knowledge graph, Google answer box, image carousel, etc.
Major user behavior changes like mobile search, load speed expectations, CTR curve changes, etc.
These are the biggest updates that will affect the visibility of your website in search engine results. Here are the resources that will help you track these changes effectively.
1. Google Webmaster Tools Blog
The best place to start when it comes to Google updates is the source. While there are many trusted resources out there that report on Google search changes, it's best to hear about major updates straight from the horse's mouth.
The Google Webmaster Central Blog offers official news on crawling and indexing sites for the Google index.
Want to learn about the new mobile-friendly test API? Here's a good place to start.
The Google Webmasters YouTube Channel is another official Google source. This is a good option if you like to digest information via video and can be a nice change-of-pace from the nonstop onslaught of articles on new Google updates.
Webmasters record videos from around the world, so the channel has a real international flavor. Subscribe to the channel and you'll receive video updates via emails every once in a while from YouTube. Set it and forget it!
2. Search Engine Roundtable
Search Engine Roundtable is probably the best source outside of Google to find out about the most recent Google updates. They exclusively cover Google and publish five to ten articles or updates daily. They send out a daily recap daily so you can get all the news in your inbox without having to go searching.
3. Moz
Moz is one of the companies at the forefront of SEO and inbound marketing, as it has been for years now. Their approach to making SEO accessible for everyone is their hallmark, and it makes them a must-bookmark source for SEO knowledge.
The Moz Blog is a great place not only to learn about Google's most recent updates but to really dive deep into what they mean for you and your website. Knowing when and how updates affect websites in general is one thing, but learning exactly how they work and what you need to do to continue optimizing correctly and avoid penalties is going to be the difference-maker.
Join the email newsletter as well as the Moz Top 10 Newsletter to get updates right in your inbox.
Mozcast is another helpful Moz product. It's a weather report showing turbulence in Google's search algorithm for any given day. The stormier and hotter the weather, the more Google's rankings changed.
4. Search Engine Journal
That's right. There's a reason most posts on SEJ receive hundreds or thousands of reads and shares – you've already arrived at a premier destination for SEO.
While most posts here go into real depth about a specific topic related to search engine marketing, Search Engine Journal offers a lot with regards to Google's algorithm updates.
Matt Southern is the Lead Newswriter here and regularly publishes shorter articles that will give you the rundown on something happening right now.
For example, if you wanted to know what 200 sites were banned from Google search results for promoting fake news recently, Matt's your guy.
5. Search Engine Land
Search Engine Land is another daily publication that covers all aspects of the search marketing industry. They have a section specifically to help you track Google's updates, and you can of course subscribe to said updates via email.
There are a few key figures in the SEO community you should follow. You can even activate mobile notifications so you're the first one to see their tweets and learn about Google's most recent updates.
Danny Sullivan, founding editor at Search Engine Land & Marketing Land
Rand Fiskin, founder of Moz
Matt Cutts, used to oversee the webspam team at Google and is now working with the US Digital Service in DC
Larry Kim, founder of WordStream
Barry Schwartz, CEO of Rusty Brick
Cyrus Shepard, senior content & SEO manager at Moz
The Real Trick
Now that you have all these great resources to stay up-to-date on Google's changes, you need to set up a system that helps you keep track. Going to each of these websites every day isn't sustainable, so let's get you set up with a better system.
Subscribe to each of the above periodicals above via email. That way, all your updates will flow directly into your inbox.
Sign up for unroll.me and get all those updates in one, clean email every morning, afternoon or evening.
Now you'll receive a daily update about Google algorithm changes without leaving your computer. Magic!
Knowing about the changes Google makes to its algorithm is essential to keeping your website's content visible in search results. Staying vigilant, continuing to learn and setting up a system that will autonomously deliver you news are the keys towards maintaining an SEO-friendly website.
Featured Image: Branden Collum/Unsplash.com
In-post Photo: @lottemeijerfotografie/Unsplash.com
Screenshot by Joseph Howard. Taken February 2017.
CategoryCareers & Education
Joe Howard
Head Buff at WP Buffs
Joe is the Head Buff at WP Buffs, a 24/7 WordPress website maintenance service for serious website owners and white-label partners. ... [Read full bio]
15 Essential Communication Skills For Digital Marketers
Tracking Google Knowledge Graph Algorithm Updates & Volatility
Google Broad Core Algorithm Updates: Everything You Need To Know


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Mark Barberio | #44
D | 6' 1" | 200 lb
Mark Barberio
Birthplace: Montreal, QC, CAN
Draft: 2008 TBL, 6th rd, 1st pk (152nd overall)
Follow NHL
NHL Career 272 14 42 56 2 115 2 6 1 2 1 0 312 4.5
Mark Barberio News
Barberio - Pregame (Dec. 18)
Barberio - Oct. 11
Projected Lineup: Avalanche vs. Bruins
2019 Training Camp: Barberio
Barberio Assigned to Eagles for Conditioning Loan
Colorado Readies for Final Two Weeks
Barberio - Postgame (Jan. 12)
Barberio and Wilson Healthy as Avs Practice in Montreal
Barberio - Jan. 11
Avs Prepare for Quick Trip to St. Louis
Mark Barberio Bio
Barberio helped the Colorado Avalanche go 43-30-9 and earn the second wild card into the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference one season after finishing last in the NHL (22-56-4). The defenseman was rewarded with a two-year contract on May 15, 2018.
Claimed off waivers by Colorado from the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 2, 2017, Barberio has 53 points (13 goals, 40 assists) in 239 NHL games with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Canadiens and Avalanche. A sixth-round pick (No. 152) of the Lightning in the 2008 NHL Draft, Barberio set an NHL career-high with 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 2017-18 despite missing 36 games with an upper-body injury. He had one assist and averaged 22:18 of ice time in Colorado's six-game loss to the Nashville Predators in the Western Conference First Round.
Barberio played four seasons with Cape Breton and Moncton in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He was named to the QMJHL All-Rookie Team in 2006-07 and ended his junior career with a second all-star team selection in 2009-10 before signing a three-year contract with the Lightning on May 28, 2010.
Barberio enjoyed success in the American Hockey League prior to joining the Lightning at the end of the 2012-13 season. He won the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL's top defenseman in 2011-12, when he helped Norfolk win 28 straight games en route to winning the Calder Cup with a four-game sweep of Toronto.
QMJHL Second All-Star Team (2010)
AHL First All-Star Team (2012)
Eddie Shore Award (AHL - Outstanding Defenseman) (2012)
AHL Second All-Star Team (2013)
Signed as a free agent by Montreal, July 1, 2015.
Claimed on waivers by Colorado from Montreal, February 2, 2017.


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Jack Colback, the Ginger Pirlo? Here are a few other 'Ginger' football nicknames down the years
This morning, Roy Hodgson claimed Jack Colback was known to some as the Ginger Pirlo, but that had to be a joke, right? Just like this list of other 'Ginger Xs'.
Jack Colback, the Ginger Pirlo
Yes, this morning at his press conference to name the first England squad after the World Cup, Roy Hodgson named Jack Colback and said that he had heard him referred to as 'the Ginger Pirlo'.
Like you, we've never heard it either, so surely this was a joke that simply got out of hand, but we expect to see lots of signs around St James' Park to this effect at the weekend. Andrea, we assume, is not impressed.
Basketball Ireland Chief apologises for social media post following controversial England penalty in Euro 2021 semi-final
Drew Talbot, the Ginger Maradona
Currently earning a crust at Chesterfield, the forward garnered the superb nickname following a virtuoso show against Liverpool in the FA Cup for Luton in 2008. The nickname hasn't really stuck, but it did earn him a link with a move to Brescia. Needless to say, he didn't join Brescia.
Stephen Quinn, the Ginger Messi
One of our own and we suspect we might see this nickname aired again if he continues to play so well for Hull. The Irish international earned the name during his time at Sheffield United and his early season form this term at Hull could well see his old moniker get another outing or two.
If we start a chant at the Oman game next week you have to join in, right?
Christian Eriksen shares first update from hospital as he undergoes tests after cardiac arrest
Gary Megson/Sean Dyche, the Ginger Mourinho
This nickname has been passed around a bit, with Burnley boss Sean Dyche the latest incumbent of the complimentary tag. But for us the original and the best is Gary Megson, who earned the name in his days at Bolton, where the nickname was even sung from the stands when the team were doing well. It didn't last, like Megson in the Bolton job.
Neil Lennon, the Ginger Guardiola
For his managerial feats at Parkhead, Neil Lennon was dubbed the Ginger Guardiola by some sections of the Celtic support. After being posted on a Celtic message board after the club finally won an away Champions League game against Spartak Moscow in 2012 the nickname caught on and we're sure there are some Ginger Guardiola t-shirts in the back of some folks wardrobes even as we speak.
Spartak Moscow 2 - 3 Celtic by lumkintoe
Ryan Giggs charged with assaulting two women and controlling or coercive behaviour
Steve Sidwell, the Ginger Iniesta
After he opened the scoring for Fulham in their 2-0 win over Aston Villa in December last year, the first under Rene Meulensteen (remember him) one excited Fulham fan dubbed Sidwell the Ginger Iniesta and when he left the club following relegation this summer, the club's official statement refereed to him as such.
Gary Doherty, the Ginger Pelé
One was a world class striker who could even turn his hand to the art of defending - such was his all encompassing talent - the other was some Brazilian lad who your dad insists was a bit handy back in the '60s and '70s.
Who doesn't love the Doc? The Obafemi Martins of Irish football has been in a constant state of being 'only 34' for around 13 years now, and built his reputation as a defender turned striker turned defender.
It's hard to believe but he actually played 45 times in the Premier League for Spurs in between spells at Luton and Norwich, where he played most of his career.
He's still going at Wycombe Wanderers, incidentally.
Brought to the Club, initially on loan, from Aston Villa in January 2011, the 'Ginger Iniesta' became a firm crowd favourite courtesy of his work rate and knack for popping up with important goals.
Time for the Stoke fans to revive it.
🎧 LISTEN: Leinster & Argentina legend Felipe Contepomi joins Greg, Megan and Jason to discuss Ireland's thrilling win over the All Blacks, and his Ronan O'Gara rivalry
Football.
Here's the line-up for this week's Late Late Show
Charlie Herbert
Manchester City's Benjamin Mendy charged with four counts of rape
Reuben Pinder
Michael Ballack's son Emilio, 18, dies in 'quad-bike crash'
Five football documentaries to watch to kill time before the new Premier League season
Christian Eriksen stable but may not play football again, says sport cardiologist
Clara Kelly
Martin Compston reveals moment he delayed Line of Duty filming to watch Scotland penalty shoot-out


The BBB Cycling Backyard Crew consists of pro's, adventurers, discoverers, survivors, fanatics and life lovers on a bike. People who like to sit in the saddle as long and often as possible. Who enjoy a social ride but are also capable to drive themselves to the limit. Enthusiastic people who know how to inspire others to cycle more often. Are you ready for BBB Cycling Backyard Crew as 'part of your ride'?


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GLOBAL ARTIST PLANTING A SEED IN THE STATES
Nick Christophers
Eliane Amherd, singer, guitarist and song writer
Coming from a small alpine town in Switzerland, where youngsters had no easy access to a jazz or pop education (before YouTube)…Eliane and her friends had to get themselves inspired/ organized and form their own bands, learn from records etc. Any free moment they had they lingered in the local music store and listened to everything they could get their hands on, discovering Jazz, Rock and Pop history.
She soon made it her business to make music her life's work. After visiting NYC to check out the music scene she knew that this was the place for her to be. She soon moved to New York and graduated from the, The New School University with a BFA in Jazz and performing arts.
Eliane is not only a guitarist and vocalist but also a songwriter. Her talents began to be recognized and she would end up performing internationally. She had the opportunity to perform at International Festivals in China, Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar, Malaysia, Nepal, Mongolia and in Europe.
"One of my favorite moments was at the Hong Kong International Festival. With the city's impressive Skyline as a back drop and a big audience in front of me. I just started my first song and the people began to cheer in the middle of it. They made me feel very welcome and treated me like a star. Also performing in my hometown Brig is always special. I have a loyal following there."
While touring in Asia she found that the people have a deep appreciation for artists coming from abroad. People are very enthusiastic and stand in line for autographs and pictures. New Yorker's are certainly also enthusiastic but have an abundance of culture available to them every day and it is much harder for artists to gather a decent crowd at their concert, beating the cultural overload.
These opportunities were in-part because of the success of her album "Now and from Now On". The international buzz she received began to open doors for her to get requests to perform overseas. Besides that she also was a candidate for the very first edition of "The Voice of Switzerland" in 2013 on Swiss National TV. The attention this generated only brought more results. She was soon asked to perform at the World Expo in Milan in 2015 and major events like the Soiree Suisse at the Swiss Embassy in Washington DC.
In NYC she also plays guitar in several groups like "As Lolas", an all female band playing Brazilian psychedelic 70ties Rock. Eliane has not stopped there as she has planted her flag in many other areas. She had the pleasure of playing alongside such acts like Lou Reed, Susan Vega and the Brazilian Girls at the reopening of the Silverstein Building at the World Trade Center.
On a release note, her song "As If" appeared in the award winning movie "Approaching Union Square" by filmmaker Marc Meyers. Another key accomplishment was her voice being featured on a song by Jeremy Mage entitled "Slippery Light" which aired on the NBC hit TV series "Lipstick Jungle".
Currently, her new album "Skyline" has been released in Europe and will be soon here in the States. The album offers a multi-layered display of genres that seem to fuse seamlessly. From the opening track "Never Is" to the jazz / rhythmic sound of "Andromeda" she paints a musical landscape in which to travel. Eliane has made many strides as a band member and even more so as a solo artist. The album is meant to portray her two sides the one in Switzerland and the one in New York. Besides the album she is also due back in her native land to host a festival that spotlights women performers.
Eliane is also slated for a show at the Way Station (http://waystationbk.blogspot.ch) on June 24th in Brooklyn, New York. This European import is all about spreading her love of music in any way possible. Look out for her new album "Sklyline" wherever music is sold.
www.elianeperforms.com
ACTOR / DIRECTOR FRANK LISI BUILDING ON HIS DREAMS
March 2019 | Nick Christophers
August 2019 | TLSR Staff
Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima is the star of BCBGMAXAZRIA's Fall/Winter 2019 Campaign. Called 'Be Your Own Muse', the campaign has the former...
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Japanese cosmetics brand SK-II enlists top model Behati Prinsloo for its latest campaign, and heads out and about in the city. Promoting the new Facial Treatment Essence...
September 2019 | Nick Christophers


A few years ago I was your standard 'always use treats for training rewards' kind of gal. It wasn't until I started experimenting with different rewards that I realized how boring my training had become.
Do you want to sit? "Good girl." Here's a treat. Imagine that same scenario over and over again times infinity. Gets a bit dull and predictable doesn't it?
I wouldn't work 8 hours a day for kibble, but I'd be willing to jump through a hula hoop for a slice of coffee cake. Different behaviors call for different rewards, and when it comes to working with Laika I have yet to find any one size fits all training rewards.
Instead of dangling yummy treats in front of my dog while training I started to improvise, sometimes with nothing but a whole lotta praise as the reward.
Our dogs are smart, they know when you're getting ready for a training session. What do you do every time you train? Do you grab a clicker and treats? Whatever your preparations are your dog has caught on. As soon as they see that clicker they know what time it is.
Once I started practicing new behaviors "on the fly" without all that prep I noticed something amazing – my dog was usually doing just as well. While I still use a clicker and treats for trick training I've started using a bunch of other rewards as well.
It took some trial and error to figure out what really motivated Laika, but once I learned to improvise it got much easier. Here's a few examples that worked brilliantly for Laika.
After I realized that Laika loved interactive play more than anything else I started to use that when working on our recall. She preferred to keep on exploring rather than coming back for a treat. But when I switched that doggie treat for one of her toys she couldn't resist. And I was happy to oblige, getting a dog to come back to you when there's so many things to see and smell is tough, so the reward needed to awesome.
Even through her adolescent years if I gave the appearance of being on the verge of having fun she'd come running back. After being rewarded with a short game of tug rather than a treat she decided that coming when called leads to fun. And to Laika fun games are a priority.
Next time you're house training a puppy treat every pee outside like the best that's ever happened. Make that puppy feel like that poop is the best thing she could have bestowed upon this earth. Praise enthusiastically, let her know she's made the best decision ever. Is that weird? A little, but it works.
After celebrating each pee and poop so enthusiastically I started to get a little weirded out and embarrassed. Laika was getting it which was amazing, but she started staring intensely at me the entire time she was going – looking so damn proud. I had no choice but to smile right back, and when she was done praise like the dickens.
I remember when my boyfriend would take her out he'd come in and say "you're dog is weird – she just stares at me the whole time with a weird grin." Yes she did, and awkwardly enough sometimes she still does. As weird as that process was it worked, and it worked quickly. After a few days she was almost 100% potty trained.
When we're out on park trails I bring a tug toy along. Most of the time it's enticing enough to stop Laika from fixating on that squirrel or weird guy on a bike & pay attention to me.
Who doesn't love a good ole game of tug in the middle of the woods anyway?
If your dog isn't play motivated try using some different food rewards. A piece of meat or some cheese will probably be a lot more enticing to your dog if they're used to the same old training treats.
Training rewards come in many shapes and sizes, find out what motivates your dog & go with it.
Some dogs are extremely food motivated, while others thrive on play. When it comes to something like house training a whole lot of praise goes a long way.
To keep training sessions from becoming boring and predictable switch up the rewards. Find out what works for your dog and what doesn't. It's an awesome way to find out what motivates them, and it certainly keeps things interesting.
Coming up with new rewards has been a real learning experience. It's opened up so many more possibilities of training in any situation, even if I don't have a clicker or treats on hand.
I'm far from perfect when it comes to dog training, but at least I'm having fun and not boring Laika to tears as we learn these things together.
Do you switch up your training rewards? What really motivates your dog?
This post is part of the Positive Reinforcement Pet Training Week blog hop hosted by Cascadian Nomads, Rubicon Days, and Tenacious Little Terrier. Join in on the first Monday of each month to help share your positive training advice and experiences. This month's theme is sharing our dog training mistakes, join us and share some of yours. Next months Positive Reinforcement Pet Training Week begins August 3rd and the theme will be improving our pet training skills.
I'm really bad about switching up my rewards. I tend to lean towards, the food works, I'll stick with it method. Although sometimes if it's not the right time to reach for a treat (like Sampson is doing his 'business') then I will pet and praise Delilah and offer the treat after. Sometimes I just praise and don't offer it at all, but mostly it's treats. I'm glad you found something that works for Laika!
That's hilarious about Laika staring at you as she goes potty. House training was a cinch with my girls using the same method! I wish that Ruby was interested in toys outside – the world is just so much more exciting than toys OR treats. Thanks so much for joining the hop and for these great reminders.
Great post!! I love using games for training we don't always use food, Phoenix loves to work for toys, too!
One way I make food more exciting is by tossing it. The dogs love chasing after food!
Keeping things interesting definitely makes a difference!!!
I try to switch up rewards but Kilo is food obsessed. He had lots of toilet "accidents" up until recently so I do the same as you LOL. It has worked so well. He now pees and poops almost on command and rarely goes inside. Recall is still a big challenge. I did hear lying down and pretending you'll play can work.
Such a great post! My brother tried training his dog for recall, but some people just don't have the chops. I constantly encourage him to be the wackiest and most exciting thing, but he gets embarrassed so easily. Now his dog remains on leash.
Great article! Even when training and playing with cats [who tend to take a little longer to catch on to something new than dogs]…. it's a good idea to switch it up once they've mastered whatever "it" is. Variety is the spice of life for both humans and pets.
We do potty training the same way you do. We make their business the greatest thing ever and praise well beyond puppy-hood. Lucky for us and field training, the retrieve is the reward so that makes it easy.
What a cute pup! I've definitely noticed that while food rewards work, they're really best combined with toys and praise.
Thanks for joining the hop! I use food most often but I will also use a toy sometimes and "life rewards" like getting to chase the squirrel.
It's a cool idea to use different methods of motivation for different types of situations. When I was growing up, we had a puppy, and we would also praise him like crazy whenever he went potty. Yeah, it does seem a little strange, but it definitely worked!
I love this post. It is so true. We use treats of all different value. Charlie's recall is fantastic because he LOVES frisbee. Its all about being creative. When they are doing something wrong it usually because I am not switching things up whatever else he would rather be doing is more rewarding!
Great advice! Training is difficult and complicated. We have to be able to adjust as pet parents!
Great tips. Looking at the pictures, that doesn't look like a bored dog to me! What a cutie.
Wonderful post, I love the idea of changing it up like this!


The 'Future-Makers Award '17-'18' goes to team Alliander 'Power2Aid'! We congratulate Alliander on creating an astonishing sustainable business-case. Power2Aid wants to empower local communities in post-disaster areas to build a sustainable future together with aid organisations and Dutch energy companies. Watch their full pitch here.


Even since I've had this cold, this has been my mantra. And like any cold I ever had, I experience the typical pattern. Over time, I get better and better.
As far as updates go, this is all you're going to get today. I took it easy while I blew my nose and ran the vaporizer. I worked from home and I took a shower at lunch time. That's about it.
Today's high is going to be 41 degrees and the silver lining is having time to recover from this cold.
To those of you who are sick of the taste of cold syrup, I hope that you all have a fantastic day.


This video addresses the main arguments dealing with abortion. Our Adventist "Guidelines on Abortion" state that human life should be protected, but our church owned medical institutions have been allowed to kill thousands of innocent unborn babies with impunity. Is this the best way we have to protect the unborn?
Can a Church be Neutral on Moral Issues?
Program 1 of The Abortion Controversy: Breaking the Silence – Dianne Wagner's Story (Part 1). Steve Wohlberg interviews Dianne Wagner of Mafgia Ministry. Dianne had two abortions, suffered unimaginable guilt, pain, and other "Post Abortion Syndrome" symptoms, and finally found hope and healing through God's forgiveness, love and grace. Emotional. Inspirational. Life-changing!
Program 2 of The Abortion Controversy: Abortion Trauma – Dianne Wagner's Story (Part 2). Steve Wohlberg interviews Dianne Wagner of Mafgia Ministry. Dianne had two abortions, suffered unimaginable guilt, pain, and other "Post Abortion Syndrome" symptoms, and finally found hope and healing through God's forgiveness, love and grace. Emotional. Inspirational. Life-changing!
Program 3 of The Abortion Controversy: A Child Saved – Antionette Duck's Story. Steve Wohlberg interviews Antionette Duck, Founder/Speaker of Mafgia Ministry. Antionette was almost aborted but her mother changed her mind. Her ministry reaches out to post-abortive women and men to help them find hope and healing from the trauma of abortion.
I am glad that persons are taking up this issue. And I am pleased sin is being called sin. And I hope that something will be done. Meanwhile, here in Malaysia, 20,000,000 live insulated from any hope by severe laws. Jail and kidnapping and murder reward courage here. I'm pushing for courage anyway. You push where you are and I'll push where I am.