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ever wanted to be popular online? here's a quick how-to!
this is by no means a complete list; this is just an overview of some of the more popular sites. the descriptions of each site are my own opinions and do not reflect on anyone else's. this may be slightly biased towards writing websites, as that's what i have most experience with.
youtube.com - you can post song/dance covers here, as well as original songs too! also, funny videos (think nigahiga, IIsuperwomanII, jennamarbles, etc) work wonders. you can also vlog here, but i'd recommend getting a solid fanbase first on a main channel before you start a separate vlog channel (like nigahiga and higaTV). you can also advertise for your channel in the comments section of some more popular videos, but some don't like that.
tumblr.com - this is a good place for fandoms (gifs, photo edits, etc). funny content is well-received here, as is fanart and occasionally fanfiction. if you're into editing or funny memes, etc, check tumblr out. just beware - conflicts can escalate quickly here, especially with inflammatory comments. but if you've been on the internet, i'm sure you know about this already.
wattpad.com - this is a place for authors! try to get a good cover for your story (check out www.canva.com to make your own cover; it's pretty easy. i'm not paid to advertise them, btw, this is personal opinion). there isn't as much fanfiction here as on other sites, and wattpad itself tends to lean more towards original stories (think of the vibe as books in a bookstore, but online). the popularity selection of users and stories is more random/based on luck, so be patient here; also, your story can be popular but yourself as a user may not be (eg, you can have thousands of readers for a story but less than 25 followers). it's not my favorite site, to be honest.
deviantART.com - there is fanfiction and fanart, as well as original poetry, art, and photography here. i wouldn't recommend editing stuff and posting it to dA unless you have permission from the creators; there's an anti-plagiarism policy here. any nsfw stuff is also banned and the staff will catch it pretty quickly. there are groups here that you can join to meet other people with similar interests, too! check those out - it's a pretty unique feature that i haven't found too much on other sites.
archiveofourown.org - it's hard to get popular on this site. it's on a mostly story-by-story basis, depending on which story gets popular; there's also no "follower count" displayed here so it's less about the numbers. there's a lot of fandom stories here, be they anime- or real-person-based like The Avengers, etc, but give it a shot if you write a lot of fanfiction!
instagram (app-based) - this is mostly for original art or fanart, or photography. good artists can get a lot of coverage here! it's kind of hard to post stories here - if you want to, though, i'd recommend writing your story (or copy-pasting it) in the description of your picture. you can go tag-crazy here, too - there's no limit on your descriptions. in fact, if you want a large fanbase, i recommend tagging as much as you can as it helps people find your content quickly. fan accounts do grow in popularity rather quickly, as do accounts that repost stuff from tumblr (eg screenshotting and reposting).
twitter.com - funny tweets are always great, but you can't go tag-crazy here with only 140 characters. writing may be hard to do here unless you're into flash fiction or something of the sort, but you can post art! lots of artists use twitter. personally, i'm not super well-versed in tweeting since i don't use twitter very much, but it's kind of like status-based, from what i gather of the website.
facebook.com - to be honest, i'm not sure about this one. i see it more as a personal, connect-with-friends-and-family sort of thing, but you can make your own art page or business page and get people to like it. do what you want, though!
how to build up an online fanbase
make some quality content!
if you want a big fanbase, users want some original quality content. be it fanart/fanfiction, photo edits, covers, whatever you're good at, post it online! or just be funny - that works, too.
now i have some content... where do i post?
it really depends on what sort of content you create! i have a detailed (ish) list in this story's description if you want some help, or comment if you have any other questions or concerns!
i've posted! how do i get feedback?
try leaving feedback on others' works, joining groups with others with similar interests, tag your work, etc! i'll go more into detail in the coming slides.
get feedback [and leave feedback!]
leave comments on other people's works! it'll make them happy and chances are that they'll check out your page / work as well. and of course, when you get comments, reply to them! be friendly.
get feedback [stay connected]
nobody likes an artist that's distant and never replies (of course, if you have 1 million followers, that's a bit different). be friendly, be grateful to your fans, and reply to your comments.
get feedback [similar interests]
if there's such a feature, join groups of stuff you're interested in or of stuff you post about! this'll expose your creations to people with similar interests who might like your creations.
get feedback [tag stuff]
no, not a clothing tag like the gif lady! tag your work with any and all relevant tags - this will help people find your work when they search for a certain thing in the search box.
get feedback [ask around]
this tends to be more common on instagram, but you can try asking for a shoutout, follow for follow, etc. do this at your own discretion, though - some people don't like this/find it annoying.
get feedback [keep improving]
it can take a while before your popularity grows. while you wait, keep improving your skills! a good artist will get what they deserve, but at this point you've done what you can! keep at it.
why aren't i popular yet?! where are my fans?!
don't be disheartened if you're not instantly popular! it takes time to build up a fanbase, trust me on this. just keep going; you'll get there, i promise!
what websites should i post to? [check description below]
i've made a list in the description! it's by no means a complete list, but it's a good place to start. keep in mind that different websites have different types of art that are popular there.
any more questions?
leave me a comment and i'll try to get back to you ASAP!

domain: hobby


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Columnar trees are popular for landscaping and gardening and continue to rise in popularity yearly. That’s why you want the best columnar trees for your needs.
The versatility and usefulness of the best columnar trees are hard to match. But with so many different varieties out there, it can be hard to know what columnar tree will work best for you.
That’s why we’ve done the footwork for you! Read on for our top picks of the best columnar trees for your home garden, things to consider when purchasing and planting them, and more.
Our Top Picks
Best Columnar Apple Trees:
Stark Bro’s “Spire” Series
Budget Columnar Tree:
North Pole Arborvitae
When it comes to choosing the best columnar trees for your garden, there are several different factors to consider. For example, you may want a long-lived and fast-growing tree. Adaptability and disease resistance are also a must!
In addition, you want a columnar tree that fills plenty of space without sacrificing that classic high, well-groomed column shape. For checking all these boxes and more, we recommend Cryptomeria Radicans as the best columnar tree overall.
This columnar variety grows 3 to 4 feet per year, can withstand many harsh weather conditions, offers great coverage and windbreak, and thrives very well in many climates throughout the United States.
No matter what your needs are for the best columnar trees in your home garden, the Cryptomeria Radicans are likely to meet most, if not all, of them.
- Fast-growing and long living
- Easy to care for
- It covers a good deal of space per tree
- It has soft, attractive, feathery foliage without losing any density
- Great for border landscaping, privacy, and windbreaks
- No consistent complaints to speak of
Best Columnar Apple Tree
Stark Bro’s “Spire” Series
Stark Bro’s offers the best columnar apple trees, providing a variety of options to suit every gardener’s needs. These trees are perfect for urban gardens, small spaces, and container growing. Four popular types include the Stark Crimson Spire, Stark Scarlet Spire, Stark Ultra Spire, and Stark Emerald Spire Apple Trees.
The Crimson Spire Apple Tree produces full-sized, tangy apples with crisp white flesh, perfect for fresh eating and making apple juice.
The Scarlet Spire Apple Tree bears bright blushed red over green apples that are excellent for eating fresh, homemade apple sauce, and juicing.
The Ultra Spire Apple Tree is the most compact columnar apple tree, with bold red apples and creamy flesh that are perfect for baking, making sauce, and other preserves.
Lastly, the Emerald Spire Apple Tree bears attractive green apples with a beautiful golden blush, which are excellent for fresh eating and homemade apple sauce.
All four columnar apple trees share similar characteristics, reaching a mature height of 7-10 feet and a width of 2-3 feet. They bear fruit within the first couple of years, making them an attractive option for gardeners looking for a quick, easy harvest. To ensure successful pollination, choose another apple variety from the recommended pollinators list. Experience the convenience and beauty of Stark Bro’s columnar apple trees and enjoy delicious homegrown fruit in your own backyard.
Budget Columnar Tree
North Pole Arborvitae
Sometimes, the ability to find and select the best columnar trees for your landscaping comes down to what you can afford. Columnar trees are not always cheap, and the price can add up quickly when you need more than one you’re your landscaping needs.
For folks who are looking to purchase one or more columnar trees to add to their home garden without breaking the bank, we recommend the North Pole Arborvitae as one of the best columnar trees you can get on a budget.
Not only is this quite the affordable columnar tree variety, coming in at roughly half of what many of its contemporaries sell for, but at a glance, you can see that this variety sacrifices no beauty for the price!
The North Pole Arborvitae has much of the classic columnar shape and shade, remaining narrow and upright with no need for pruning.
This tree stands at 15 feet when fully mature and can be planted directly or in a container. Whatever your needs, this wonderful columnar variety will fit in your yard—and your price range—without any hassle!
- Low maintenance and easy to grow
- A hardy variety that thrives in several growing zones
- Affordable and adaptable to different landscape needs
- Some customers have reported their columnar trees failing to grow to their mature height despite optimal growing conditions
Scarlet Sentinel Columnar Apple Tree
Some columnar enthusiasts out there may be looking not just for a great columnar tree for landscaping but for one of the best columnar trees for growing fruit! There are several types of edible columnar trees out there, including pears, apples, and more.
When it comes to sheer versatility, ease and speed of growth, and its ability to thrive in the broadest of climates from growing Zones 4 through 8, we recommend the Scarlet Sentinel Columnar Apple Tree as the best edible columnar tree.
This beautiful apple tree is a compact but lovely columnar, fruiting in 3 to 5 years and standing at 10 to 12 feet when fully mature. It adds a blush of vibrant color to landscaping and produces crisp, fleshy red apples with a white interior.
Anyone on the hunt for one of the best columnar trees for both landscaping and fruit will find themselves delighted by what the Scarlet Sentinel Columnar Apple Tree has to offer!
- A fantastic, vigorous apple tree
- Produces an early harvest each year
- Attractive for landscaping with deep green leaves, bright red apples, and beautiful white blossoms in the springtime
- Compact, can be grown in containers or directly planted in the soil
- Apples are delicious and great for raw snacking, baking, or turning into juice or cider
- Sizes may vary, with some trees being notably larger than others from distributor to distributor
Dee Runk Boxwood
Home gardens of all kinds will vary in terms of size. But if you are looking for one of the best columnar trees for a smaller garden, you may find yourself on a long and even disappointing hunt!
You need a columnar that will help hedge in your garden without compromising any of the necessary sunlight your plants require to thrive. Keeping this fine balance in mind, we recommend the Dee Runk Boxwood as one of the best columnar trees for smaller gardens.
This narrow columnar variety reaches only 8 to 10 feet at full maturity. It makes for great hedging columnar and can be sculpted and trimmed to suit your garden’s needs.
As this columnar is unattractive to deer, you have no need to worry about your garden landscaping inviting them too close to your plants. And as it is also pollinator friendly, the Dee Runk Boxwood can help bring in the kind of help your garden needs to thrive each year!
- A smaller columnar variety, ideal for smaller gardens
- Great for hedging
- Fast growing compared to other boxwood columnar varieties
- Less risk of blocking sunlight for garden plants as opposed to some other columnar trees
- Slower growing than other columnar varieties, adding only about 6 inches per year
Things to Consider When Choosing the Best Columnar Trees for Home Gardeners
There are many things to consider when it comes to choosing the best columnar trees. Here are things we believe should be taken into consideration while you’re shopping.
Edible Or Decorative Columnar Tree
It is important to know that columnar trees vary in type and use! Some columnar trees, such as evergreens, are only for landscaping. Others are fruiting trees. While the fruiting varieties can certainly enhance your landscaping, they will do so very differently from a classic evergreen columnar.
When choosing the best columnar trees for your particular needs, be sure that you take time to research whether that particular columnar is a fruiting variety or not.
Different columnar tree varieties do well in different growing zones. While many do well in central zones with moderate climates, the warmest and coldest areas may not be suitable for certain columnar.
When selecting the best columnar trees for your garden or landscape, it is always important to ensure you are selecting a variety that will thrive in your particular growing Zone.
How Many Columnar Trees Will You Need
Because of their tall, narrow build, columnar trees often make for a compact hedge that is ideal for privacy and windbreaking.
However, it is also important to be aware that this narrow build and the necessary spacing to avoid overcrowding will factor into how many columnar trees you will need for your particular landscaping needs.
Before selecting and purchasing your columnar trees, measure the space where you intend to plant them accurately. Then, double-check the mature spread and planting distance of your columnar tree of choice.
This will help ensure you can purchase the necessary number of columnar trees to complete your gardening project.
For the most part, columnar trees are very low maintenance and tend to be quite hardy. However, certain varieties may need more watering, different sunlight exposure, different soil, and more attention than others.
This can vary between edible and landscaping columnar as well. Always be sure to research your preferred columnar and learn its needs, so you can be sure your gardening space can adequately meet them.
Columnar Tree FAQ
How Do I Care for My Columnar Tree?
Various types of columnar trees have all different kinds of needs. In general, they will need low to moderate watering, and some evergreen varieties might require protection from the stronger summertime sunlight. Some may also require some pruning to thrive truly.
Be sure not to plant your columnar trees too close together, as there will not be enough nutrients to go around. If you are potting your smaller columnar trees, you will want to make sure you have an adequately sized container and that they have access to sunlight and water.
For detailed care instructions, be sure to research your columnar tree variety of choice and do your best to meet its individual requirements for soil, watering, spacing, and more.
Wrapping up the Best Columnar Tree for Home Gardeners
Ready to purchase the best columnar trees for your home garden and craft an unforgettable landscape? Before you get started, be sure to check out our Fruit Trees page. This is a great resource to help ensure you have all the knowledge you need to get your columnar trees started off on the right foot.
Want more garden content? Visit our gardening page for in-depth guides, explainer posts, and great ideas!

domain: agronomy


Where does the album format stand in contemporary dance music? Is it obsolete? I:Cube thinks it just might be.
It’s an age-old question, of course, whether dance music really works in an album format. There are few examples of dance producers releasing classic albums, and even fewer who’ve done it while keeping the dancefloor in mind (Burial’s Untrue, to take a recent example, is as much a nocturnal pop record as it is a garage one).
It’s a question that French house veteran I:Cube, a contemporary of Daft Punk’s, struggled with for years before releasing this year’s “M” Megamix, a storming collection of dance tracks cut off at their peak. Most tracks on “M” Megamix clock in at around the two minute mark, and there’s no long intros or outros – it’s just hit after hit after hit. It’s an album defined by instinct and physicality, rather than over-thought (as I:Cube reveals in this interview, he figured out the tracklist in five minutes). And it’s one of the albums of the year.
Obviously what first stands out about “M” Megamix is how it’s structured: short tracks, short intros, quickly chopped together. Why did you choose to approach it today?
“I was a bit fed up with the format of the album for dance music. I don’t think it’s really relevant anymore to make an 80 minute album with 10 minute tracks. For a long time I didn’t release an album, I preferred to just release singles – I thought it was the best way to reach people who were into my music. It was kind of by accident that “M” Megamix even happened, I just had all these bits lying around and thought ‘why not do it that way?’ At the end of the day it’s listenable, at least for my ears, and I like the way it’s… not even full tracks at times, just ideas, get them out then on to another one. Your brain, your mind doesn’t have too much time to think, and I think that’s how people listen to music now, very quickly. People haven’t listened to full albums for around 10 years now.
“I also didn’t want to think too much seriously about it, a lot of it is just having fun, making music and enjoying making music, and putting a lot of stuff on one CD to make everybody happy. I suppose it’s generous [in that way].”
Do you think the shift in how people listen to music has affected dance more than other genres?
“Not really. The dance album has always been a kind of paradox, it’s not at all what dance music’s about – it’s about tracks, they’re put together for one night, in one context, such as a club or party. That’s when it makes sense, it’s with the people, the soundsystem, the DJ obviously. So with [dance music] albums, it’s been about adopting the pop or rock music format, and to be honest… now, the way everything has exploded, and all the influences as mixed together… You know, I can’t even think of many great dance music albums [regardless]. So in a way, this format was a way to escape that trap.”
Obviously you’ve released several albums in the past. Is this something you’ve struggled with before?
“With my first album I wasn’t thinking much about that, it was very straight-forward, I was enthusiastic and just really happy to release an album. But in 2003, I just decided ‘no, I don’t want to do it this way anymore’. So I released Live at the Planetarium, which was related to an ambient live [performance] I’d done, and [with “M” Megamix] I wanted to go back to more simple things, the dance music that I loved, more simple structures.”
In terms of structuring it, namely the tracklist, was that something you also did quickly and instinctively?
“Yes, with the final tracklist I did it in five minutes I think. I wanted to put them together quickly, then at the end, I kept almost the same order. [I’d taken two years to make the material, so] I didn’t want to spend another year thinking about how the order. I wanted to stay instinctive.”
In past interviews, you’ve spoke about the importance of naivety in music. Is this something you feel applies to this album?
“I try, I try. It’s hard, because my ears are more trained [than before] and it can be really hard to stay fresh. I think the only way would be to change completely, and work with a new genre or a new set-up. You have your own gear, your own tricks and your own comforts. I like some sophisticated stuff, of course, but I think with dance music, some people need to return to a more basic approach, following this era of [a focus on] sound design – minimal, and all that. In dance music, I can feel it coming back to something more physical. I prefer it that way, at least.”
Do you feel this beat-tape style approach is something you’ll do on future albums?
“It could become a series on its own for me, a mixtape every two years or so. For the moment, I don’t know, but it gave me confidence that I have a format that works for me, so why not? I don’t know if I’d do something exactly the same, but why not keep this format, or change it, make it a radio show for instance? Everything’s so blurred right now that a mix can be considered an album, and vice versa. Who knows?”


text:
- Cast Glass
- 175cm L x 58cm W x 65cm H
- Edition of 10 + 2 AP
Glacier: a cast glass chaise lounge, with sculptural lucidity and elegance. The smooth fluid-like shape consists of a single swooping gesture; an energy captured in pure, optically transparent glass. This once fluid material flows from the central core counterbalancing the outstretched planes of the overall lounge. Hand cast and polished by master craftsmen in the Czech Republic, the glass is annealed and strengthened over an 80 day cooling process.
The lucid chaise longue has a smooth, fluid-like shape consisting of a single, swooping gesture, an energy captured in pure, optically transparent glass. Its name comes from its resemblance to a solid piece of ice suspended in motion.
Edition one of only ten ever made, Glacier is the perfect synergy of design and craftsmanship.

domain: artistic


On The Hill: Private Peak 9 pipe to warm up for the Dew Tour (video)
December 21, 2015
On The Hill is brought to you by The Steadman Clinic and the Steadman Philippon Research Institute.
VIDEO: Z Griff warms up for the Dew Tour action at Breckenridge this weekend with a solo run through a tree-lined halfipe on Peak 9. Tune in this week for more On The Hill coverage of all things Dew Tour.
Breckenridge official report: 0″, 0″, 0″
Summit Daily field report: It is a warm and not too windy, grey bird morning with hopes we have some snow on the way.
Weather: High 43°, low 19°. Cloudy with light wind.
Recommended Stories For You
Lift lines: Nobody on Peak 9 but possibility of crowds on Peak 8 for Dew Tour.
Breakdown: It is a bit boney out there but the groomers are doing a great job to make it work. Nobody out on Peak 9 but there is action on Peak 8 for Dew Tour with some semifinal rounds. Low light today but not overly cold or windy. There’s a 30-percent chance for snow starting 4 a.m. on Friday.
Trending In: On The Hill
- As conditions ravage Imperial Challenge, Breckenridge’s Howdyshell wins, Campbell family shines
- High Country Crime: Former teacher suspected of burglarizing bike shop
- Addiction cycled Tyler Little in and out of the Summit County Jail, but he walked out with his GED
- Copper Mountain Resort pond skim fiasco could lead to felony charges for man who tried to jump crowd (with video)
- Breckenridge Ski Resort closes 2017-18 season with Plunge (with video)


AbstractKnowledge graph embedding, which aims to learn representations of entities and relations in knowledge graphs, finds applications in various downstream tasks. The key to success of knowledge graph embedding models are the ability to model relation patterns including symmetry/antisymmetry, inversion, commutative composition and non-commutative composition. Although existing methods fail in modeling the non-commutative composition patterns, several approaches support this pattern by modeling beyond Euclidean space and complex space. Nevertheless, expanding to complicated spaces such as quaternion can easily lead to a substantial increase in the amount of parameters, which greatly reduces the computational efficiency. In this paper, we propose a new knowledge graph embedding method called RotateCT, which first transforms the coordinates of each entity, and then represents each relation as a rotation from head entity to tail entity in complex space. By design, RotateCT can infer the non-commutative composition patterns and improve the computational efficiency. Experiments on multiple datasets empirically show that RotateCT outperforms most state-of-the-art methods on link prediction and path query answering.


While it may not be difficult to find replacement parts for GMC vehicles, these days only the absolute best are required to fix your automobile. Make no mistake, you didn't buy your P1500 unless you understood you would be getting horsepower and great value both impeccably combined into one automobile. It's not all the time that you realize that you have to buy a replacement Brake Master Cylinder to repair your vehicle. Anyone who operates a GMC knows that when it comes to fixing their automobile only the most superior replacement parts will do.
The first applications of the use of hydraulic pressure were in mining and supplying water across great distances. Your GMC P1500 has a brake system that uses hydraulic pressure generated inside the brake master cylinder. This part uses the force from your brake pedal to compress brake fluid and distribute it to each caliper or wheel cylinder. That is where the braking force from your GMC P1500 brake master cylinder is applied; as the calipers and wheel cylinders create the necessary friction so your vehicle can slow down if needed.
Buying new GMC parts from www.carpartsdiscount.com means you are paying the lowest prices for the absolute greatest original and aftermarket replacement P1500 parts on the internet. Given all the trouble that can be involved with performing maintenance on your car or truck, let www.carpartsdiscount.com be the most authoritative website you go to make purchasing it easy. When your GMC needs a new replacement Brake Master Cylinder, there's no need to waste time looking anywhere other than the authority, Car Parts Discount. All the GMC P1500 Brake Master Cylinder parts on this page will fit vehicles made in 1980, 1979. Choose your year below to refine your search.


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Isolation and characterization of some new oxalate-decomposing bacteria
- 53 Downloads
Forty-one cultures degrading and assimilating oxalate were isolated from chicken dung. Characterization indicated six different types. One of these belonged to the genusAlcaligenes hitherto never reported to degrade oxalate. Three groups ofPseudomonas strains differed physiologically from strains already known.
KeywordsOxalate Sodium Hypophosphite Oxalate Formate Difco Yeast Extract Oxalate Medium
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
- Bassalik, K.. 1913. Über die Verarbeitung der Oxalsäure durchBacillus extorquens n. sp.—Jahrb. wiss. Botan.,53:255–302.Google Scholar
- Bhat, J. V.. 1966. Enrichment culture technique.—J. Sci. Ind. Res.,25:450–454.Google Scholar
- Breed, R. S., Murray, E. G. D. andSmith, N. R.. 1957. Bergey's Manual of determinative bacteriology, 7th ed.—The Williams and Wilkins Company, Baltimore.Google Scholar
- Chandra, T. S. andShethna, Y. I 1973. Oxalate metabolism in bacteria.—Abstract No. 205; 42nd Annual General Meeting of the Society of Biological Chemists, India.Google Scholar
- Höpner, T. andTrautwein, A.. 1971.Pseudomonas oxalaticus: Requirement of a cosubstrate for growth on formate.—Arch. Microbiol.77:26–35.Google Scholar
- Khambata, S. R. 1954. Studies on some microorganisms associated with the intestine of the Indian earthworm.—Ph. D. Thesis, University of Bombay.Google Scholar
- Shethna, Y. I.. 1967. Oxalate decomposition byThiobacillus novellus. Adaptation to formate.—Indian J. Biochem.,4:34.Google Scholar
- Society of American Bacteriologists Communittee on Bacteriological Technic. 1957. Manual of microbiological methods.—McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York.Google Scholar
- Takamiya, A.. 1953. Formic dehydrogenase ofEscherichia coli. IV. Kinetics of the competitive inhibition by hypophosphorus acid.—J. Biochem. (Tokyo).,40:415–419.Google Scholar

domain: biology


text:
Garlic Beef Lo Mein Recipe - TipBuzz
This Garlic Beef Lo Mein is a quick and easy version of classic Chinese dish. It’s so much better than takeout and seriously addictive with tangy garlic and soy sauce flavors, the perfect weeknight dinner idea you can make in 20 minutes! All you need is only a few ingredients: flank steak, lo mein noodles, garlic, carrots, broccoli, sesame oil, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger and brown sugar. Video recipe. | Tipbuzz.com #LoMein #BeefLoMein
Tumblr is a place to express yourself, discover yourself, and bond over the stuff you love. It's where your interests connect you with your people.
Instagram post by Misfit Industries US LLC • Oct 21, 2015 at 10:58pm UTC
I Effin Hate the giant front wheel look. Hell if they raked it out the wheel could be even bigger! Maybe so big ya can't see around it!

domain: food


text:
Finnadvance, an Oulu-based life science start-up that develops microfluidic devices for in-vitro microvascular network generation, presented their solution and took home the Tech Start-up 2019 Reward. The company spoke about their game-changing innovation live on stage in Cologne on October 30, 2019.
The Tech Start-up 2019 Award received over 260 submissions from around the globe that were evaluated by a panel of international tech experts and investors. Then the jury selected top finalists based on the level of innovation, business potential, and marketability of their solutions. All the participating start-ups presented their solutions in front of great speakers such as Sir Richard Branson, Tim Berners-Lee, Jimmy Wales and more, at the world’s leading innovation event in Cologne.The pitching resulted in Finnadvance taking home the trophy.
‘I am happy, but not surprised. A lot of startups are recycling the same ideas and adding fancy words like ML and AI. We use these technologies but never mention it, since a keen-eyed person would notice it anyway so it was about time that we were recognized. This is what this award shows. Our pitch was the simplest but we had the most straightforward idea, and the right technology to it,’ commented Prateek Singh, CEO at Finnadvance.
The winners are granted a free stand at the StartupCon 2020 and access to extended network of tech leaders, potential investors and business partners. Moreover, they will benefit from the 11th IoT/WT Innovation World Cup® prizes worth over +500.000 USD, a comprehensive innovation environment and the knowledge base to boost their development.
‘We are immediately being contacted by a lot of international investors. I am already invited to all sorts of events. In the next three weeks I will speak in five different countries,’ concluded Singh.
Joanna Seppänen, Health & Life Science, BusinessOulu

domain: news


Scosche FlyTunes Apple iPod Classic Bluetooth Adapter Dongle - Black
- Always Stay Connected
- HD Crystal Clear Bluetooth Connection
- Long Lasting Battery
- Sleek Compact Design
Wireless Audio Gaming Experience
The Scosche fly tunes enable you to connect your wireless headphones to your Apple iPod Classic, giving you the ultimate wireless audio experience.
Always Stay Connected
The FlyTunes by Scosche allows you to always stay connected even when on a flight! It is equipped with 4 inch 3.5mm audio adapter for aeroplane flight entertainment systems, TV's, gym equipment and other hard to reach AUX output applications.
HD Crystal Clear Bluetooth Connection
The FlyTunes Bluetooth transmitter outputs HD crystal clear sound quality as it works on bluetooth 4.1 technology and dual 3.5mm AUX prongs. Power FlyTunes on/off, play/pause audio streaming or pair it with 1 or 2 Bluetooth devices using the multi-function button (MFB).
Long Lasting Battery
The FlyTunes has been engineered with a built-in rechargeable battery lasts up to 8 hours on a full charge, ensuring you are connected on long flights, travel journeys and hardcore workouts.
Sleek Compact Design
The sleek and compact design of the FlyTunes allows you to connect wherever whenever with ease and simplicity, whether it maybe on an aeroplane, in the gym or simply at home.
- FlyTunes Wireless Transmitter
- 4” 3.5mm AUX Adapter Cable
- USB-A to USB-C Charging Cable
- Storage Pouch
How to Setup Bluetooth Headphones to iPod Classic:
- Simply insert the Bluetooth Transmitter into the 3.5 mm jack in the iPod
- Turn the transmitter on (Hold button for 3 seconds until you see flashing blue and red LEDs)
- Turn on your Bluetooth headset and place them into pairing mode
- Headphones will indicate a successful pairing
|Mobile Fun ID||80236|
Q & A
Delivery & Returns
Delivery during Covid-19
Mobile Fun are still open online and shipping orders. All product stock messages are up to date and as accurate as possible, with delivery times quoted at the checkout remaining accurate also.
These estimated time of arrival dates are constantly looked at and refreshed to ensure that you can purchase with confidence during this difficult time.
|Method||Estimated Delivery Time||Price|
|DHL Express Shipping||3-4 business days||$40.95|
DHL Express Shipping - $40.95
A fast, secure and reliable method. Your item will receive priority handling, and benefit from a full online tracking so you can check your package’s progress along the way. Usually takes 3-4 business days.


Bharti Infratel has been a leading telecom tower infrastructure provider in India consistently for years now. The enterprise of such a large scale\u2014close to 2000 employees\u2014had to assure the seamless availability of apps for all its users. But the CIO had to deal with a unique problem of the apps going haywire during peak business hours.\n\nAvailability was a distant dream\n\nRajesh Mittal, head-IT operations, Bharti Infratel, had a two-fold problem at hand. One, the application performance at the end user was a challenge and another was the application availability at the end-user level. \u201cMost of the time, the application worked fine at the datacenter level; but often users complained that the app didn\u2019t perform as it behaved on several occasions like business hours 10-12, peak hours, and month ends.\u201d\n\nWhen the technical team checked at the server level, the app worked fine; but the users still complained. For example, a CXO of Bharti Infratel needed to access a critical application\u2014like a PI, PO approval, budget approval. In such a tedious situation any cost approval can\u2019t exceed \u00bd a second, otherwise, the delay is considered an overwrite. \u201cAt the same time, there wasn\u2019t a measurement tool. We relied on the words of end users about the problem. By the time we approached the external vendor the problem would be normalized,\u201d says Mittal.\n\nMittal categorized the issue into three parts:\n\nUser satisfaction was one problem.\n\tProductivity was a challenge.\n\tAvailability of the application at end-user level was a challenge.\nPrognosis and troubleshooting:\n\nMittal and his team readied a solution. The team deployed RUE at the edge of the network, i.e., the datacenter, ensuring every transaction on the server is tracked. This gives a hop-by-hop tracking of the point of delay. It is an X-ray of the transaction, which analyses the transaction and conducts a fault detection.\n\nIf any transaction is taking longer than the expected time, then an SMS and email alert is sent. For example: If a CXO finds a problem, prior to that the IT team gets notified in advance. There is a dashboard where the health of the app is notified. After looking at so many alerts, an analysis is done. The dashboard detects the point and level of the fault. When you have an exception log over time, you get to know the root cause of the problem, which was hidden earlier. With this tool, diagnosis happens proactively and troubleshooting is faster. Hence, the rate of incidents has come down.\n\nThe solution also measures the availability of the application. There is a proxy agent sitting at each location and doing a synthetic transaction from each location to the company\u2019s servers, 24x7. At any issue, it captures the log and notifies the issue from the server location. It gives real availability 24x7. Any problem at the server level is captured and gives a closer look at the network.\n\nBenefits are two-fold:\n\nMittal could finally reap benefits of such an elaborate solution. \u201cProductivity has been enhanced. People are facing lesser issues, and problems are being detected proactively.\u201d Mittal says that he can now notice the problem pattern too. Therefore, the issues aren\u2019t being repeated.\n\n\u201cThere has been a reduction of tickets by 20 percent. This helped baselining the application performance at various levels and we could do an upgrade,\u201d says Mittal.


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The most recent figures present that extra persons are avoiding the standard church marriage ceremony
(Photo: Unsplash / wedding photography)
According to the latest figures from the National Statistics Office, fewer people choose to make their relationship with a traditional church wedding official.
Only 54,000 people chose a church wedding in 2017 – the lowest number in existence – a sharp drop from 184,000 in 1987.
Around 40,000 married in Church of England churches in 2017 and just under 6,000 in Roman Catholic churches.
Overall, religious ceremonies accounted for less than a quarter (23%) of same-sex marriages in 2017.
The statistics reflect a general decline in the number of people who have made a living with 242,842 marriages in England and Wales. This corresponds to a decline of 2.8 percent over the previous year and the lowest level since records began in 1862.
Of these marriages, 6,932 were between same-sex couples.
The numbers continue to show a long-term decline in heterosexual couples who have opted for a wedding. The numbers have dropped by 45% since 1972.
At the same time, couples are reluctant to marry, with men with an average age of 38 years and women with 35.7 years making a bond among heterosexual couples.
Many also live together first, with almost 9 in 10 (88%) of same-sex couples living together before getting married in 2017.
Kanak Ghosh of the National Statistics Bureau, who produced the numbers, said: "Marriage rates for couples of different sexes are now at their lowest levels in existence.
"This has continued a gradual long-term decline since the early 1970s, with numbers falling a third over the past 40 years.
"The popularity of religious ceremonies fell to historic lows for the second year in a row. Less than one in four couples chose to marry through a religious ceremony."


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domain: entertainment


- Nigeria NIMC1 is pioneering Africa-first Mobile Identity Ecosystem leveraging OSIA2 open standard interfaces to verify unique identities (NIN3) against National Identity Registry
PARIS, May 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Secure Identity Alliance (SIA), the global identity and secure digital services advisory body, today announces that Nigeria NIMC is pioneering Africa-first Mobile Identity Ecosystem leveraging OSIA open standard interfaces to verify unique identities against National Identity Registry.
A digital public good supported by a growing community of 35+ members of industry and government organizations, the OSIA initiative is building a global interoperability framework that features open standard interfaces (APIs) to connect all key building blocks of the identity management ecosystem.
In short, OSIA open standard interfaces ensure governments are able to select the building blocks they need from the suppliers they choose, and to easily connect these to build their national identity ecosystem.
As a result, OSIA eliminates proprietary barriers, breaks down information silos, drives innovation and maximizes investment in existing digital infrastructures.
Developed by CommonIdentity, an African software company part of the OSIA Initiative, the Nigeria NIMC Mobile ID Ecosystem allows the citizen to have his/her Unique ID be verified against National Identity Registry near-instantly and securely via an OSIA interface. Launched in December 2020, the App has been downloaded 3,3 million times in 90 days. The daily rate is now 180 000.
Philippe Barreau, Chairman of the Board, Security Identity Alliance, said: "The OSIA initiative represents a new era of openness and collaboration between industry and governments across the world to resolve the interoperability and data sharing challenges. The Nigeria NIMC pioneering Africa-first Mobile ID Ecosystem implementation proves once again that OSIA has successfully moved from the drawing board to the real world."
Debora Comparin, Chair of the OSIA Workgroup, added "Harnessing the power of APIs, OSIA is an efficient and cost-effective way of leveraging industry expertise while pushing continuous innovation and remaining confident that there will be no need to discard existing legacy ID investments."
OSIA unleashes market innovation, facilitates the implementation of multi-vendor programs and enables identity as a service.
The OSIA functional and technical specifications are freely available on the GitHub collaboration platform: https://github.com/SecureIdentityAlliance/osia
For more information on OSIA, join us on 15th June 2021 at 15.30 GMT for a webinar: https://app.livestorm.co/science-media-partners/osia-gets-real-its-time-to-unlock-the-identity-ecosystem?type=detailed
1 NIMC : National Identity Management Commission
2 OSIA : Open Standards Identity APIs
3 NIN : National Identification Number
About the Secure Identity Alliance
Secure Identity Alliance is dedicated to supporting the provision of legal, trusted identity for all, and to drive the development of inclusive digital services necessary for sustainable, worldwide economic growth and prosperity.
We believe legal, trusted identity is the cornerstone of rights protection, social inclusion and digital economic development - and the access point to a wide range of essential public and private services.
We bring together public, private and non-government organizations to foster international collaboration on the issues of legal identity, to help shaping policy and to provide technical and implementation guidance for national and international ID systems.
Its Board Members are Idemia, IN Groupe, Thales and Veridos.
For more information on the Secure Identity Alliance, visit: www.secureidentityalliance.org .
Follow the Secure Identity Alliance at @secureidentity1
Press Contact: Stéphanie de Labriolle email@example.com
SOURCE Secure Identity Alliance


The price of 2MW solid fuel boiler is generally between $1,000-$20,000. Solid fuel boilers can be used in a variety of industries such as power plants, central heating companies, papermaking and printing plants. The fuel can use solid fuel, coal, biomass pellets, blocks, logs, rice husks, etc.
Fangkuai SZL series double-drum coal fired boiler
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5. It can be applied to a variety of fuels, including coal Ⅱ and Ⅲ.


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Is it time to give this celebrated shooter a knighthood?
British sporting shooter George Digweed added another world title — his third of 2015 — to his long list of shooting achievements last week, amid calls to have him knighted.
George won the World FITASC Championship, held in Minnesota, US, by scoring three perfect rounds of 25 and never dropping more than three shots on any other layout. His total score of 190 was one point clear of Damian Birgan, from Australia, and Michael Spada, from Italy, who were both tied on 189.
His win follows hot on the heels of his last world title, the World Compak Sporting Championship, held in Estonia, in June, and the World English Sporting Championship, held in Florida, in April (News, 29 April).
Calls for a knighthood
He has now won a grand total of 26 world titles during his four-decade long career, as well as 18 European championships, 116 international championships, 10 European Cups and 11 British and English championships.
George Digweed got the new clay shooting season off to a perfect start in Africa, wining the South African Grand…
Is it talent or practice that determines if you are an average Shot or a great one — and could…
One keen fan, 30-year- old novice clayshooter Brett Woollacott from Cornwall, has now set up an online petition urging the British Honours and Appointments Secretariat to consider George for a knighthood.
Brett told Gamebore, one of George’s sponsors: “If you mention the names Bradley Wiggins, Chris Hoy, Nick Faldo, Kelly Holmes and Sebastian Coe, nearly every household in the UK will know roughly who they are, yet when the name George Digweed is mentioned people draw a blank. For a man who holds more world titles than a lot of the current listof sporting knights and dames put together, that is a disgrace.”
You can sign the George Digweed knighthood petition here. And vote in our poll on our home page to make your voice heard.


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China Airlines launches mobile boarding pass
Passengers flying from Osaka Kansai, Hong Kong and Frankfurt airports with China Airlines can now make use of mobile boarding passes.
China Airlines has become the latest airline to introduce mobile boarding passes, removing the need for passengers to print out traditional paper boarding passes.
The mobile boarding pass can be used on services from Osaka Kansai, Hong Kong and Frankfurt airports and has already been used by more than 1,000 passengers.
Passengers who check-in online will be emailed their boarding pass, and it can also be downloaded via the airline’s iPhone app.
At the gate, the mobile boarding pass can be scanned by handheld devices in just 2-3 seconds.
More information is available here.
Want to learn more about how you can embrace mobile and wearable technology to enhance the passenger experience?
At FTE Europe 2014, which will take place in London from 3-5 March 2014, industry experts including Ian Baigent-Scales, Global Customer Systems Manager, Airport Strategic Development, Virgin Atlantic; Giorgio Medici, Customer Care Manager at SEA Aeroporti di Milano; and Renaud Irminger, Director of SITA Lab, will deliver presentations in a session entitled: 'Taking advantage of mobile and wearable technologies to personalise and differentiate the passenger experience'.
» More information on FTE Europe 2014
» Register to attend FTE Europe 2014


text:
You wouldn’t willingly or knowingly eat a spoonful of lab-generated chemicals, but when you don’t read ingredient labels in the food you purchase, you’re literally doing just that. Common food items in the U.S. contain chemicals that are banned in over 100 other countries.
These added ingredients are used by food manufacturing companies to prolong the life of the food, get the consumer addicted, enhance flavor, cut costs, and keep you wanting more, which is great for business, but poisonous to your body.
The Following Ingredients Are Found In Your Foods Today:
Coloring agents (blue 1, blue 2, yellow 5, and yellow 6) Found in: Cake, candy, macaroni and cheese, medicines, sport drinks, soda, pet food, and cheese. Most artificial colors are made from coal tar, which is also used to seal-coat products to preserve and protect the shine of industrial floors, as well as in head lice shampoos to kill off the small bugs.
Olestra (aka Olean) Found in: Fat-free potato chips. Side effects anal leakage, a dramatic depletion of fat-soluble vitamins and carotenoids, robbing us of the vital micro-nutrients.
Brominated vegetable oil (aka BVO) Found in: Sports drinks and citrus-flavored sodas may lead to thyroid issues, such as hypothyroidism, autoimmune disease, and cancer. BVO’s main ingredient, bromine, is a poisonous chemical that is considered both corrosive and toxic. It’s been linked to major organ system damage, birth defects, growth problems, schizophrenia, and hearing loss.
Potassium bromate (aka brominated flour) Found in: Rolls, wraps, flatbread, breadcrumbs, and bagel chips.Made with the same toxic chemical found in BVO (bromine), this additive has been associated with kidney and nervous system disorders as well as gastrointestinal discomfort.
© Copyright – Hector Sectzer


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ProClip cement industry mounts will also be a key feature in several partner booths. We are glad to partner with Command Alkon, OtterBox and Trimble Transportation who will also be exhibiting at WOC 2022.
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Medical Tourism and Wellness: Hospitality Bridging Healthcare (H2H) takes a systems approach to examining the growing field of medical tourism, one of the fieldÃ¢Â€Â™s hottest niches, with billions of dollars spent each year. This important book fills the need for a modern management book that looks at medical tourism in depth from a medical and hospitality operational management perspective.
Growing numbers of people are going abroad to find affordable quality medical care for both necessary and cosmetic medical services. When they require surgery or dental work, they combine it with a trip to the Taj Mahal, a photo safari on the African veldt, or a stay at a luxury hotelÃ¢Â€Â”or at a hospital that feels like oneÃ¢Â€Â”all at bargain-basement prices. The book takes a comprehensive look at medical tourism, covering such topics as:
The history of medical tourism
Why patients/tourists decide to travel for medical care
The role of professional facilitators of medical tourism
Key countries and medical disciplines in medical tourism
Transportation, food, entertainment, and hotel/hospitality services
Hotel and spa designs for medical tourism
Best practices in medical tourism
Patient follow-up after medical discharge
Future trends in medical tourism
Careers in medical tourism
With the inclusion of case studies, the book provides a comprehensive look into this growing trend and will be valuable to upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in health care administration and those pursing MBAs in healthcare, medical students pursuing a management focus, and students in hospitality management. It will also be a must-have resource for professionals working in hotels and in health care.

domain: medical


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Fall is upon us. That means, according to Eastern medicine, it is the season of grief and the lungs. I've been learning a lot about how to hold my own grief in the last year after the passing of my father. I've also been noticing many of my clients facing variations of grief in their own life lately, so I thought it timely to write on this topic.
Firstly, feelings of grief can arise from to a variety of experiences. There are the obvious losses like the passing of a loved one. Then there is disenfranchized grief: losses that aren't widely recognized or supported by society, like the loss of a loved one to suicide, or addiction; loss of a pet, or patient; letting go of an idea of and connection to family due to abuse; loss of an identity, job, or home; loss of hopes and dreams (miscarriage, infertility, divorce, lay offs, the childhood you wish you had had), and more. We might experience anticipatory grief as a loved one declines from illness, or addiction, before the "official" loss actually occurs. There are many shades of grief, contexts of loss. It's helpful to remember that our experience with each scenario will be as unique and multi-faceted as our relationship with that being, dynamic, or aspect of our life.
Our American culture doesn't really create much space for grief in our day-to-day life. The support structures that many of us need aren't woven into the fabric of our social spheres unless we are a part of a community that consciously acknowledges and tends to that aspect of living and dying. It can feel lonely being in a process of grieving, and we may judge ourselves that we should be over it or move on, or that our feelings may not be warranted because it might not compare to someone else's loss/experience. I can't tell you how many times I've heard someone grieving say that once the funeral is over, or a few weeks have passed that many people stopped asking them how they are doing. Most workplaces only offer a few days of time off for bereavement, and some may not offer grace for the sense of "nonfunction" that some people experience following a loss. Not to mention, the alienation that some feel for having a disenfranchized loss, because lots of society doesn't know how to hold the mixture of uncomfortable and conflicting feelings that can arise from a loss related to suicide, or abuse, for example. It's easier for some to not look or talk about it. In turn, it can create a weird feeling in griever, a sort of cognitive dissonance, and a need for someone to "Please, acknowledge the elephant in the room!"
I could go on, but for now, I will offer a few final thoughts and suggestions. Take what resonates, and leave the rest. Since grief is so unique and personal, not everything may speak to you.
For the Griever:
For Those Who Care for Someone Who is Grieving:
Hope this helps if grief is showing up in your life these days. If you are grieving, is there anything else important that needs mentioning? Share with us in the comments.
Lots of care and comfort for you,
Wisdom from my father.
This one goes out to my pops, Bob the Nice Guy.
Today, and all days, but, especially today, I remember him.
During his time, this kind, gentle, creative soul emanated a love that I'll be nestled within for the rest of my life. Dad modeled how to be a brave, compassionate human, spirit undampened by challenges. He believed in me, and this instilled a confidence in myself to step into the world as I have. He gave me my goofy, and sometimes ridiculous sense of humor, for better or worse. I'm sorry? ;)
There aren't words for all that I could say. Perhaps someday, I'll reach across time and space to him in the Great Beyond, capture the words in poetry like the great mystics Hafiz and Rumi, bottle them up as some elixir to share with you. But that is for another day.
What I have for you today is wisdom he shared with me often during my early decades:
"Life is what you make it."
When I muse over this, I meditate on the essence of what I want to cultivate in my life. Compassion, kindness, joy, wonder, acceptance, love. I aim to help myself and others find relief from pain in healthy ways. To delight in the unique facets of life. To laugh and marvel at the beautiful intricacies that are revealed when we pay attention.
I suppose there are some specific "outcomes" that maybe, someday, I'd like to experience, but I hold them lightly now. I know that life is more than the boxes we check off. It takes twists and turns. Sometimes it pans out as expected and sometimes not. A lot of it we can't control. But the way we choose to show up with what is given, we can. I do believe care, love, wonder, and shared humanity exist in all these moments, though sometimes it can be hard to find or access. Yet, if I trust in my ability to find these qualities within myself and the world, there will be a little more internal grace, no matter what plays out. Even during the hard stuff.
In the months following my dad's passing last fall, the prospect of Father's Day rolling around without him felt pretty grim. Around the new year, inspiration came of an epic adventure to connect with him, and let a shared dream finally come true. This gave me a light and a focus amidst the grief, a way to make a long-held vision come to life. As you read this, I am likely in ceremony, honoring this sweet soul and our shared love of mountains, land, and nature. Making a bit more magic out of this life, and if I'm going to really make Dad proud, a joke of it too. But more on that later... right now, I'm busy.
Happy Father's Day.
So it goes.
P.S. Dad would want me to share this with you. :) If you want to sing out, sing out...
Strategies to help you get through
Do you have certain days or times of the year that bring up "stuff" for you?
For some, these might be holidays, like our upcoming Mother's Day. It could be birthdays, or death days of loved ones lost, or perhaps anniversaries of significant challenging events (like a car accident, move, break up, etc).
It is not uncommon to feel in a funk on such days, and the time leading up to and following them. It's like the energetic echo of those experiences still lingers, and we experience it as that date rolls around. Sometimes we can reduce the energetic charge of those anniversaries by working through our experience in a conscious way. Or, we might just want to plan to be extra kind and loving to ourselves, knowing we might feel tender, vulnerable, or cranky (and that's okay).
If you relate to this, and have an anniversary you would like to support yourself through, here are some thoughts to consider.
First, know that it is okay to be feeling off. Give yourself permission to feel and make space for what comes up. If you are not experiencing what mainstream society says you're "supposed to feel" (on holidays, for instance), that is okay. You are not alone. Many people struggle on these days too.
Contemplate ways to take care of yourself, then make a plan to make it happen. Here are some ideas to get you rolling:
What speaks to you?
Do you have an anniversary coming up? How will you tend to yourself?
Sending lots of love to you, no matter what might be bubbling up for you at this time.
Catch some z's...
Before I began my professional Reiki practice, I was an early childhood teacher. Everyday after lunch, the kiddos would pull out their mats, grab their blankets and stuffed animals. We'd cue up the Enya and pull the shades as the kids got cozy. The other teachers and I would tuck them in, and rub the backs of the children who wanted help falling asleep.
Sometimes I joke with my in person Reiki clients that I went from being a nap assistant for kids to adults, as I help "tuck them in" while they climb under the blanket on the massage table. Once the Reiki gets flowing, now and then, I'll get a snorer on the table. They weren't the first, nor will they be the last. (I've certainly been one of those people too!) It honestly brings me a lot of joy that people experience enough comfort and safety to let go during a session. I notice this during remote work too.
The soothing energy of Reiki often helps put people so at ease that they settle into a meditative or sleep state. This is where the magic happens, and the body repairs and heals itself.
In this world of hustle and bustle, and stress, sometimes we have a hard time drifting to sleep and getting rest. Sometimes we need help to calm and get ourselves regulated. If you need assistance with this, I've been in training for a long time. ;) I'd be happy to support you with a session, or perhaps you'd want to try one of my new meditations to settle.
Goodnight cow jumping over the moon...
Ease gently back into the world.
Happy Spring Equinox,
Today, we find the light is balanced with the dark. Here, in the Northern Hemisphere we are going to get to enjoy more and more daylight until the Solstice in June.
I've been reflecting a lot lately about how we've just lived through three years of the Covid era. My conversations with clients and others have shown that this has felt like a bit of a time warp. It's hard for many of us to take in that this lasted three years, yet we also experienced moments that felt like an eternity or a standstill. My life changed in so many ways, and I can imagine that may be true for you too.
I noticed that in the earlier days of the pandemic there were several voices telling us to be aware that we were moving through a collective trauma. As such, we should be mindful, gentle and forgiving with ourselves. To adjust our expectations of ourselves, because we were doing the best we could in survival mode. Perhaps, it's just me and the information that I consume, but it seemed to me that message petered out at some point, though we all continued to live through this experience. I think many of us just got tired, and were doing the best we could to get through.
In case you need to hear this today, I want to remind you that the last three years were not business as usual. As things settle, and the light returns, continue to be gentle with yourself. It may take some time to make sense of what we all just lived through collectively, and, of course, what you experienced personally. (I'm waiting for the Ken Burns documentary! ;) ) If you feel tender, or cautious, or just ready to get on with it, I hear you! Allow space for what's there. Be kind to yourself. Try to be kind to others who are relearning what it's like to live again.
Make space to bring with you the wisdom that you've gleaned during this time, and permission to shed the stress and dysregulation that may have come with it. If you feel called, share with our community what wisdom you are bringing with you, or perhaps what you are most looking forward to or hopeful about as the light returns in the comments below.
Wishing you all a gentle, easeful transition into the spring.
In the fallow times of winter, the garden lay idle, the air brisk. The surface offers stark reflection and quiet. Though below, the compost integrates into the soil. The wrigglers and the crawlers hibernate, or dig down deep, insulated from the cold, continuing to work their magic. During this time of yin, the ground has time to digest the previous season, and rest, hopefully to be replenished and renewed for the spring.
I am giving myself extra permission to lean into these dormant times this revolution of the sun. After sudden loss in my family this fall, I'm choosing to be gentle with myself this year. The Universe gave me a nudge to put my group Reiki classes on hold for the time being so I have time and space to let the reality settle, to grieve, but also to dream. I feel comfort and more room to breathe knowing that I don't have to do all the things right now. That it is enough to enjoy the therapeutic space of one-on-one work with clients, and know that when I am ready to return to teaching, I'll be refreshed and with my soil reworked.
In the meantime, I have some guided meditations that are incubating, and hopefully will be ready to share later this year. I sense shifting focus to these meditations will not only feel restorative for me in the making, but also, hopefully, feel supportive for you when you all are able to enjoy them. While we wait for those, did you know there is a opportunity to join me once a month for a live guided meditation on Zoom? Learn more, and sign up here. Our next meditation is this Thursday Jan 26th from 5:30-6:30pm CST. Recordings go out after if you can't join us live.
Are you embracing this fallow time, or would you like to? Let us know how in the comments.
Let's face your fears... together
The days are growing darker, the veil is growing thinner. We have entered a time of inward turning here in the Northern Hemisphere. The advancing quiet welcomes our reflection, and often provides the right conditions for subtitles to bubble up from our subconscious.
Our modern Western celebration of Halloween plays with ghouls, goblins and spectres, while offering us a sugar high to face them all. While this can bring fun and fancy, we can choose to explore the theme of these celebrations in relation to our own healing to take them deeper.
(Note: If you've been finding yourself in an activated fight/flight response you may want to skip this reflective practice. Continue reading at the bold text.)
So, dear one, what fears lay present within you?
Oh boy, did you notice yourself contracting or resisting at all to that question? Perhaps that is your body's response trying to protect you from seeing these fears. I invite you to breathe with me, remind yourself that you are safe, and invite the presence of light and compassion to be with you.
What fear wants to be witnessed by you in this moment? Maybe you write it down. Continue to breathe, and observe it with curiosity. Just like with the quintessential boogie man in the closet that we realize is a coat once we've opened the door and turned on the light, so too, may we feel relief when we hold our fears with brave, loving, compassionate interest. We realize things aren't always as they seem. Some of our fears will boil down to these distortions of reality that need gentle correction.
Others may be of another variety, revealing the fragility of the human experience. Things that we may likely or inevitability face at some point: a fear of loss, pain, death, rejection, etc. These things we can run from, pretend that they are not there, or do whatever we can to try to prevent them from happening. Of course, we would do that. These fears and potential realities can be difficult, and scary. We are trying to protect ourselves. But, what if, for this moment, with me and all the other readers here with you, we breathe and acknowledge this fear and how it feels in your body. In truth, we may not ever be able to stop or change some of these fears from happening. But, we can be with our vulnerabilities with compassion. We can know that this is part of the human experience, and each of us is not alone. There are so many people out in the globe who hold this same fear. Though that doesn't take it away, somehow, for me, I find this shared humanness can be a balm for the experience.
When facing these types of "inevitable" fears, I try to remind myself of my own resilience, and tools. That no matter what I might face in the future that I have the ability to move through that experience, and ask for help if I need it. I remind myself of the times that I have faced my fears, whether by choice or life dragging me through them. I see that those experiences I've survived, and perhaps I've gained greater wisdom or tools as a result.
Sometimes though, working with our fear is something we need to do in a safe, supportive environment. We might need to untangle stored trauma in our bodies to release us from the fight/flight response. Soothing our nervous system, and coming to a place of regulation is key. If this resonates, you might find Reiki, or working with a skilled trauma-informed practitioner supportive.
No matter how you might find yourself today, remember you are not alone, you matter, and there are loving forces in the universe out there to support you, you just have to ask.
Feeling brave? Want to share with us one of your fears, or how you are feeling after sitting compassionately with them? Let us know in the comments.
Sending lots of love,
P.S. Reach out if you need support! :)
One of the things that I appreciate about Reiki is its ability to meet us where we are at in any given moment. When we are stressed or anxious it can bring calm and comfort. When in physical pain, it can provide ease and relief. When running on a lack of sleep, it can offer deep relaxation. When unable to leave the house for feeling sick and tired, it can help us move through the illness and heal more quickly. When struggling to find a way forward in work, relationships, or projects, it can offer clarity. When feeling alone and unsupported, it can reunite us with connection and hope.
Because Reiki is a spiritual and energetic modality, it can mold itself to whatever the situation requires and help bring a greater sense of balance. Reiki is flexible and transcendent of time and space. It can support us whether we are receiving in person, at home on our couch connecting over the phone, or about to go into surgery or to court. Even if we are not able to tune in due to circumstances, the Reiki still flows and brings balance. We can receive it from others, as well as from ourselves if we are attuned.
This adaptability of Reiki, and its gentle way of responding to all situations makes it one of the most grounded, practical, and compassionate tools I have ever had the privilege of adding to my tool box.
Perhaps, you have had the opportunity to see how Reiki supports you in the various scenarios of your life, or perhaps you have yet to discover this unique quality of the modality. I would love to hear the ways that you may have experienced Reiki in our comments. Were there any things that you were surprised about?
Many blessings to each of you.
Strengthen your spidey senses
An intention that commonly comes up with my clients is a desire to awaken or strengthen their intuition, so in this installment of Musings from the Journey, I thought I would share some of my tips.
Would ya know that you can approach developing your intuition scientifically? I mean, you don't have to chart or record your experience judiciously (unless you want to), but, holding the posture of a neutral observer will help you immensely. The key to tuning in to our intuition is to listen and notice.
Gather data over a period of time. Pay attention to the subtle cues you pick up on in your body and environment. In our culture, it is common to write off certain types of input we receive because we are "making it up" or "imagining things." This perspective squashes intuition like a bug, before we can even see that it may be a beautiful, rare butterfly. Now, disclaimer, not everything you experience will be information you want to take as guidance, but we want to at least open the door so you are receiving some info.
Some examples of "data" to make a mental note of: if you see something out of the corner of your eye, you feel a twinge in your belly when around someone you aren't fond of, your body feels drawn to move in a certain direction, you hear a buzzing in your ear when thinking of something in particular, your dreams, etc. There are all sorts of ways that we can perceive energy. What I invite you do to when you notice something to is to say to yourself, "Oh, isn't that interesting? I'm experiencing ______." Then you don't have to make theories or projections of what it may or may not mean. You are just making note of the data.
Flex your intuitive muscles in small ways. As part of the data gathering process, give yourself low-stakes decisions to make, see what kind of information you get, then make a judgement call. Then, see how that plays out in time. For example, when driving or biking home from an errand, ask yourself which direction to turn as you approach an intersection. Do you hear the word "left," feel a pull to go in a certain direction, see a line of energy guiding you, feel a sensation in your chest, etc.? Based on what you notice you make a choice about which direction to turn. As you continue on, maybe everything goes smoothly. Maybe you have to stop and wait for a train, or there's an accident. Maybe you pass your best friend, and pull over for a chat. Whether it goes well, neutral, or not the best, this is all giving you additionally insight into how you receive information and what it might be telling you.
Continue to intend to have awareness. Even if you aren't noticing seemingly anything at first, keep your intention open to receiving information. It is called subtle energy because indeed it is subtle. The Universe speaks to us in whispers, unless we are being really thick... then sometimes we can get hit over the head with it. I will say there have been times I've had a negative thought then I bonk my head on something... that's a cue!
There are some practices that will help you flex your subtle perception muscles: meditation, yoga, Reiki, being in nature. Practices that help you slow your thinking mind, and tune into your body are very helpful. As well as practices that get you in touch with your spiritual, energetic, and animal nature. Also, if there is an activity that you enjoy that you find you get "in the zone" with this is great! Notice how you receive information when in that kind of a space.
Over time, patterns will reveal themselves. I was not always in tune with my intuition, and when I set out to develop it, I really didn't know what to put stock in for a long time. After maybe a year or so, the meaning of one of my indicators became very clear. I had enough real-life experience and feedback by that time that helped me know that when I feel strong chills through my head, back and body that either: there is something that is being said that has truth and warrants special attention, and/or there are spirits that are letting me know that they are present.
Developing your intuition is an ongoing process. While there will be cues that become more clear in time what they are indicating, you probably won't get to a time when you've figured it all out. There is so much subtlety and nuance that it is worth coming to your intuition from a place of discernment, gratitude, and humility. Hold the information you get lightly until (and even if) the patterns become clear. There are factors can can complicate the process, like our ego! But, what I've found is that this continuous inquiry and relationship can really enrich our lives, and help us live more and more in alignment with who we really are.
I would also be remiss not to mention that the way each person receives intuitive information and what it may mean is individual. Just because chills means I'm onto truth or spirits for me, doesn't necessarily mean it is the same for you. This is all about getting to know your body with it's (extra)senses for the unique instrument that it is. The more time you spend tuning in and "practicing" the better trained your ear will be to when things are resonant, or out of tune.
So, anyhoo, that's what I'll leave you with for today. Do you have reliable intuitive signals, or experiences you'd like to share? Perhaps, you have questions that I can address in another article. Leave them in our comments.
Where are the little glimmers of light and beauty?
March of 2020 I was signed up to take an ancestral healing training with shamanic practitioner Debra Morrill. Shortly before, the Covid outbreak hit, and, like so many other things, the class was postponed until it was safe to reconvene. While we waited, Debra and my teacher Ana Larramendi, her host, suggested that we go on a shamanic journey to connect with one of our ancestors that had survived a pandemic in their time. Since we all were here, no doubt at least one family member had made it through similar times. Now, about two years into the pandemic of our era, I've been reflecting on the wisdom that came from that journey.
I was led to a woman in France during the bubonic plague. She lived with one or two other people, and I could see that in time one of them would succumb to the Black Death while quarantined away in a separate room. My ancestor kept to herself as the sickness spread around her town.
When I asked what helped her move through those times, I saw her going out into her garden behind the house. Looking up at the sky, the sun radiated down on her face, the light and warmth melting away some of her preoccupation, burdens, and grief. In that moment, she was alive and she could feel. She bent down, plucked a vibrant strawberry, and delighted in its sweet juices. As the Black Death spread around her, these visits to the garden kept her connected with enough light and enjoyment to sustain her through those years.
I planted several strawberry plants in my garden the spring after I did that journey. It was too late to truly enjoy their fruit that year, but I grew other things in the meantime. By June of 2021, the strawberry plants had established themselves. I would step out each morning, my shadow cast over the leaves, crooning as I gently searched for tender, ripe berries. Inevitably, I would find a few. Then I would stand eyes closed, slowly savoring the sun-warmed crimson flesh as the morning sun glimmered through the trees on my face.
These moments, and moments like these... snuggled with my kitties feeling their steady purr and poofy fur, laughing at a silly comedy, feeling snowflakes land on my face, receiving a small act of kindness or shared humanity from a stranger or friend, these seemingly small things have helped sustain me, and tap into resiliency. While there has been so much constriction, challenge, and loss over these last two years, there are still little glimmers of beauty hiding under the leaves. We just need to take a moment to pause, look, and allow ourselves to receive it.
What has helped sustain you during these times? What has brought comfort, relief, or even joy? Share with us in the comments. If you haven't found much of these qualities in your life lately, how can you make space for it to enter, even amongst the struggle?
With lots of love and care,
Reiki Master Teacher and Owner of Embrace Your Essence

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Twinkledust, designers of beautiful clothing for little ones, have just released their 2018 Christmas Collection.
Featuring exclusive, UK designed and manufactured prints for newborns, right through to four years, their unique designs are made from 100% soft jersey cotton. All garments, feature nick-free poppers and safe water-based inks, for the very comfy and cosy gift this Christmas.
Join in the family matching trend this festive season with Twinkledust’s unisex range of Christmas pyjamas. Featuring a gorgeous reindeer and sleigh print in classic white and red, the whole family can sleep and relax in coordinating style.
Twinkledust’s newest print from their ‘Little Deer Collection’ it is made with 100% super soft oeko-tex certified cotton and so is kind to your little one’s skin.
Definitely a print to fall in love with – and when you do, not only can you dress little one head to toe in this fun, seasonal print, you can also keep the festive feeling going right through to their sheets! Also available as a bedding set,the new cot bed collection allows your precious one to have sweet dreams wrapped up in their favourite print, all night long. The 100% cotton duvet set comes in its own matching reusable cotton bag, so when not in use, it can be loving stored away and protected, ready for its next use.
Pop the Polar Bear
This whimsical white polar bear print, contrasting with a cosy and soft navy cotton is truly adorable. Whether taking little one out for a trip to meet ‘The Big Man’ or simply enjoying a lazy day at home in the run up to Christmas, baby will be snug, warm and super stylish this season in this cute sweatshirt and leggings set.
For more info visit twinkledust.co.uk.

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2021 Festival Programme
In 2021 we will be celebrating the tenth anniversary of our Festival. Join us in person Wednesday 29 September – Sunday 3 October and online at a later date for chamber music concerts in the wonderful surroundings of Hatfield House.
Full details will be available in June, with tickets going on sale at the end of June.
Donations towards the 2021 Festival would be most welcome and can be made via the donate button on the homepage. Or you can also text: 2021HHCMF [+ the amount you would like to donate ie 2021HHCMF 10 for £10] to 70085


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New Good Groceries Guide Helps Consumers Make Better Choices for People, Animals, and PlanetIn time for holiday food shopping, the ASPCA, Food Chain Workers Alliance, GRACE Communications Foundation, and the Natural Resources Defense Council team up to share tips for buying more humane, healthy, fair, and sustainable foods
NEW YORK, N.Y. — Today the ASPCA® (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), Food Chain Workers Alliance, GRACE Communications Foundation, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, released the Good Groceries Guide, a digital resource to help consumers buy food that supports a healthier, more humane and fair food system.
Today’s consumers are increasingly concerned about where their food comes from, and for good reason. The rapid industrialization of our food system has led to widespread problems such as foodborne illnesses, worker exploitation, animal abuse, and environmental degradation.
“The exploitation of farm animals, food workers and the environment that we see every day in our food system can be overwhelming,” said Daisy Freund, Director of ASPCA’s Farm Animal Welfare Program. “While opting out may seem incredibly difficult, finding food from better sources can often just be a matter of knowing what to look for. The Good Groceries Guide will empower consumers with the knowledge to make every purchase a vote for a more humane, sustainable and accountable food system.”
The Good Groceries Guide helps consumers differentiate between meaningful and meaningless labels when it comes to animal welfare, health, the environment, and worker treatment. The guide also provides suggestions on how to help reduce food waste, the importance of buying in-season produce, and how to demand more humane, fair, and healthy options at grocery stores, among other topics.
“The food system is the largest employer in the United States, with 21.5 million workers who make up 14 percent of all workers in this country,” said Joann Lo, Co-Director of the Food Chain Workers Alliance. “The problems facing food workers are often intertwined with health, the environment, and animal welfare, and this Good Groceries Guide helps consumers address all of these issues, to the benefit of our communities and our food system.”
“Purchasing locally grown, seasonal foods helps support local farms and maintains farmland and open space in your community,” said Urvashi Rangan, Ph.D., Chief Science Advisor with GRACE. “People want to know where their food comes from and how it was produced. The Good Groceries Guide can be a helpful resource.”
“The seemingly small decisions we make in the grocery aisles can have a big impact on the world we live in,” said Jonathan Kaplan, director of the Food and Agriculture program at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “From fighting the spread of antibiotic-resistant infections, to conserving water, and curbing climate change—our food choices can make a difference. This guide can help people shop to support a better future for our children and grandchildren—over the holiday season and all year long.”
For more information and to download/access the Good Groceries Guide click here.


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This is a question that God asks of Job, as Job is seeking to work out his theology in the midst of his own personal and very real suffering. And to answer that question, "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?" The answer to that question would without a doubt be me, far too often. I cringe as I remember too many times I have been quick to speak and slow to listen. Quick to "tidy up a theology" with a nice neat bow on top of it, rather than living in the sovereignly ordained messiness of it, knowing that God Himself is sovereignly at work. These thoughts come to me after reading Andree Seu's article from World magazine entitled, "Letters To God: Cluelessness never stopped the clay advising the potter." It is a thoughtful article, written by an author who is aware of her own failings, written to inspire us to walk on the "unkept roads" with one another through a life that is far from the idealized "perfect life" trusting in our Sovereign Lord. Pour yourself a cup of coffee...read this article...read Psalm 88 and the see who the Lord calls you to pray for today. Take care ~M
"Susanna got in the way of my having a perfect life. It's nothing she did; it's something that was done to her. Worse than that, it's something that God did to her.
Five and a half years ago, Susanna's three sons, hale men in their 20s, died in a boating mishap on the same day. Her husband and she were already divorced. Her Christian daughter subsequently renounced her faith—and her mother.
I happened to be in the home of a friend of a friend of Susanna's when the news of the accident came that spring. But I didn't know the woman. Didn't want to know her. Our paths finally crossed last month at a retreat.
A retreat, imagine. She asked to come to my room and chat. Just before that, a woman in the last session had raised her hand and asked how we can be joyful when we're always "waiting for the other shoe to drop."
I offered sound theology: "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise" (James 5:13). Someone else did better: "Life is like a fairy tale where a lot of bad things happen in the middle, but the ending is happy. Think about the ending."
Sitting in my room with Susanna, I gave up all thought of saying a helpful word, though that's why she had come. I was scandalized myself. I felt like David when God struck Uzzah because he touched the ark. "David was angry because the Lord had burst forth against Uzzah. . . . And David was afraid of the Lord that day" (2 Samuel 6:8-9). God had killed the hapless cart man in the middle of a worship dance to the accompaniment of "songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals."
Susanna does not fit in my theology. She is like Psalm 88, a chapter of the Bible that you always hope won't be there next time you open it. Some other Psalms start poorly but have soaring endings. Psalm 88 has no ray of hope.
At one point in the retreat I had read selections from Children's Letters to God:
"Dear God, In school they told us what you do. Who does it when you're on vacation? Erin"
"Dear God, Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones why don't you just keep the ones you got now? Jane"
"Dear God, If you let the dinosaur not extinct we would not have a country. You did the right thing. Jonathan"
"Dear God, If you give me a genie lamp like Alladin, I will give you anything you want except my money or my chess set. Raphel"
What makes the letters cute is that the kids are clueless and yet they're giving God advice.
I went home and read all of Job.
God gave Job no answers. Nor did He apologize. He is God, He does as He pleases. We are all clueless, like children, and yet would give Him advice. He tells us that He is good. There is nothing to do with that but accept it or reject it. Job's wife rejected it, as did Susanna's daughter: "Curse God and die," they said. That's a choice.
I told two of my friends, independently of each other, the story of Susanna, thinking I would rattle their faith too, thinking I was presenting them with a theological Gordian Knot. I thought we would do a little hand-wringing together and flirting with doubts. They surprised me and said, in effect, "It all comes down to trusting Him."
Writer Anne Lamott tells the story of a little boy locked in his room and afraid. But his mother reaches under the door and finds his fingers, and he is consoled enough to wait for the locksmith who's coming in a while. This is the best we will do with Susanna: God's presence and His promise.
"Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?" (Job 38:2). That would be me, Lord.
"I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know" (Job 42:2-3).
Click here for a link to the actual article: Copyright © 2007 WORLD MagazineDecember 15, 2007, Vol. 22, No. 46

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Women may soon need to protect their online data in states where abortion is now illegal. Here's how to do so.
Yahoo Finance Live's Brian Sozzi breaks down the chart of the day.
A stock split is a way for a publicly traded company to alter its share price and outstanding share count without affecting its market cap or operating performance. Enacting a forward stock split is a way companies can make their shares more nominally affordable for retail investors who might not have access to fractional-share investing. More importantly, stock splits are viewed as a positive sign by Wall Street and investors.

domain: finance


Conor McGregor's glittering fighting career has made him a multi-millionaire, and he's not afraid of showing off how he spends his hard-earned cash.
The Notorious has flaunted his latest extravagant purchase on Instagram - flicking through the brochure of a personalised £3million yacht he is having made for him.
The prospectus for the Prestige 750 yacht includes a quote from McGregor himself: "Chasing the dream inspires me."
And as the two-time UFC champion flicked through the pages of the booklet, he gave a glimpse of the luxury design of his new toy.
The boat is 75ft long and includes four cabins with multiple living spaces.
And there was another inspirational quote included in the brochure, this time coming from one of McGregor's fighting heroes.
The famous line comes from Muhammad Ali: "He who is not courageous enough to take risk will accomplish nothing in life."
But unfortunately the boxing great's name is spelt wrong in Conor's brochure, appearing as "Mohammad" instead of Muhammad.
McGregor hasn't taken part in a fight since losing against bitter rival Khabib Nurmagomedov in their lightweight title fight at UFC 229 in October.
‘The Notorious’ has a plethora of challengers awaiting him in the lightweight rankings but the former featherweight king is only interested in the biggest fights available.
Former middleweight champion Anderson Silva has reiterated his desire to face off against McGregor in a UFC 'super-fight'.
A clash between two of the greatest UFC fighters in history would be a huge pay-per-view success, however, both fighters would have to change weight classes to make the bout possible.
All parties involved would take home a significant amount of cash meaning this match up remains a real possibility.