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Cabinet Nominees Contradict Trump;Comey Briefed Trump On Russian Intel; VP Biden Awarded Presidential Medal Of Freedom; Speaker Paul Ryan Faces Tough Questions at CNN Town Hall.Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired January 13, 2017 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:31:20] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN HOST: One week until Donald Trump assumes the Oval Office and new questions emerge about whether he and his would-be advisers agree on key issues. How the confirmation hearings will establish daylight between Trump and his nominees.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN HOST: The intelligence report with claims that Russia had compromising information about the president-elect, it was shared directly with Donald Trump. We have details on the FBI director's talk with the president-elect.
ROMANS: And a surprise, heartfelt send-off for Vice President Joe Biden. President Obama conferred the rarest of honors on Biden at the White House. We're going to show you the emotional moments. A three- of four-hankie moment at the White House yesterday. Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.
BERMAN: I'm John Berman. Nice to see you. Thirty-two minutes after the hour right now. Well, this morning, the newest debate in Washington is between the president-elect and the people he has chosen to be in his cabinet. In confirmation hearings this week, nominee after nominee seemed to take opposing positions from Donald Trump on issue after issue, again and again.
The nominee for Defense Secretary, Gen. James Mattis, and Mr. Trump's nominee for CIA Director, Mike Pompeo, demonstrated some big differences with the president-elect, including on Russia. We're joined now by national security reporter Ryan Browne. And, Ryan, you know, a team of rivals is one thing when you come in with challenging views to the chief executive. That's one thing I think people think is a positive development with any administration. On the other hand, if they're not on the same page that could be a problem.
RYAN BROWNE, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: And that's absolutely right, John, and they definitely weren't on the same page on a couple of issues raised during the hearings.
Now, we heard from Gen. Mattis who is appearing for the confirmation for Defense Secretary, and he laid out some definitely different views on a couple -- on a range of issues.One was on Iran -- on the Iran nuclear agreement. He talked that he didn't think it was a great deal but he said that the U.S. had to stick with it for the time being. On the issue of Israel, he talked about whether or not the embassy should be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. He deferred on that but said he saw the capital of Jerusalem as being in Tel Aviv. And with Congressman Mike Pompeo of Kansas, he laid out some issues
that also were contrasted to campaigns statements from Trump on waterboarding and enhanced interrogation, something Trump had backed. He said he would never do that. And he also promised to protect the Intelligence Community from any interference.
Both men struck tougher lines on Russia on the issue of Russian involvement in the U.S. elections, with Gen. Mattis promising strong alliances with NATO and particularly aggressive towards Vladimir Putin and his actions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. JAMES MATTIS, DEFENSE SECRETARY NOMINEE: Russia, to quote the chairman's opening statement, has chosen to be a strategic competitor. They're an adversary in key areas. I'm all for engagement but we also have to recognize reality and what Russia is up to, and there's a decreasing number of areas where we can engage cooperatively. The most important thing is that we recognize the reality of what we deal with, with Mr. Putin, and we recognize that he is trying to break the North Atlantic Alliance.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWNE: And now, Trump's picks for Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, and Department of Homeland Security, Gen. John Kelly, also expressed views during their hearings that clash with Trump on things like trade, climate change, the border wall, and the issue of targeting and surveilling Muslim-Americans.
So this is setting up -- you know, it might ease their confirmation process in the Senate but it's setting up some serious potential for policy clashes with the White House once the administration comes into power.
BERMAN: You know, if they do continue pushing those positions there could be clashes. That remains to be seen. Ryan Browne, thanks so much for being with us.
BROWNE: You got it.
ROMANS: All right, 35 minutes past the hour. New information this morning on the intelligence summary containing those unverified claims Russia may have compromising information on President-elect Trump. New reporting which directly contradicts statements from the Trump team. We can now report that the summary was not just handed to Trump as part of a package of documents. Multiple U.S. officials tell CNN FBI Director James Comey personally briefed Trump on this intelligence.
[05:35:22] Not only that. Vice President Biden now confirms he and President Obama were also briefed on the same information. Let's get the latest now from CNN's Evan Perez in Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) EVAN PEREZ, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: John and Christine, FBI Director James Comey and President-elect Donald Trump had a brief one- on-one conversation at last Friday's intelligence briefing. Multiple U.S. officials briefed on the matter tell CNN that it is during that pull-aside that Comey briefed the president-elect on a two-page synopsis of unverified Russian claims to have compromising personal and financial information on the president-elect.
Four of the nation's top intelligence chiefs briefed Mr. Trump on Russian meddling in the 2016 elections and they had decided that Comey would be the one who would handle the sensitive discussion with Mr. Trump. Now, the discussion was described as cordial, to us. The FBI declined to comment on this account.
And reporters also heard Thursday from Vice President Joe Biden that he and President Obama were briefed on the unproven allegations about Mr. Trump. Biden said that he read the entire 35-page opposition research document that was put together by a former British intelligence operative. Republican and Democratic political opponents of President-elect Donald Trump had hired the operative to put together the dossier -- John and Christine.
BERMAN: All right. Evan Perez, thanks so much. Breaking overnight, FBI Director James Comey is reacting to the news that the Justice Department internal watchdog has launched a probe into how the FBI handled this investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server. Director Comey has been sharply criticized for announcing less than two weeks before the election that the FBI had discovered emails possibly relevant to its Clinton email probe. Some Democrats think that the FBI director's decision cost Hillary Clinton the election.
Last night, Comey responded to the announcement of the review. This was the statement. "I am grateful to the Department of Justice's inspector general for taking on this review. I hope very much he is able to share his conclusions and observations with the public because everyone will benefit from thoughtful evaluation and transparency regarding the matter."
All right. If you missed the heartfelt send-off that the vice president got from President Obama, this is worth watching. Get the hankies ready, next.
[05:40:15] BERMAN: President Obama pulled a fast one on his friend and his vice president, Joe Biden, at a White House ceremony. The president had a special honor for Joe Biden in gratitude for his eight years of service. This was a pretty emotional moment for the vice president -- watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: To know Joe Biden is to know that love without pretense, service without self-regard, and to live life fully.
As one of his longtime colleagues in the Senate who happened to be a Republican once said, "If you can't admire Joe Biden as a person, you've got a problem. He's as good a man as God ever created." So, Joe, for your faith in your fellow Americans, for your love of country, and for your lifetime of service that will endure through the generations, I'd like to ask the military aid to join us on stage.For the final time as president, I am pleased to award our nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
And for -- for the first - for the first and only time in my presidency, I will bestow this medal with an additional level of veneration, an honor my three most recent successors reserved for only three others; Pope John Paul II, President Ronald Reagan, and General Colin Powell. Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction to my brother, Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr.
JOSEPH BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Mr. President, this honor is a -- isn't only well beyond what I deserve, but it's a reflection of the extent and generosity of your spirit. I don't deserve this. I -- I'm indebted to you.I'm indebted to your friendship. I'm indebted to your family and as -- I'll tell you -- I'll end on a humorous note. We're having lunches and mostly -- and it's whatever's on either one of our minds. We talk about family an awful lot. And about six months in, the president looked at me and he said "you know, Joe -- you know what surprised me? How we've become such good friends."
[05:45:03] And I said, "Surprised you?" But that is candid Obama.
And it's real. And Mr. President, you know as long as there's breath in me, I'll be there for you -- my whole family will be -- and I know -- I know it is reciprocal. I -- and I want to thank you all so very, very, very much. All of you. Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: A truly warm moment in Washington yesterday. This was a man with a lifetime of public service, a senator before he was 30. Really something to see there.
BERMAN: And bipartisan praise --
BERMAN: -- if you were on Twitter yesterday, for this honor that was bestowed on the vice president for his service and for everything he has done and all he's faced with courage and grace over the years.
ROMANS: How they kept it a secret -- remarkable, huh? All right, a wonderful moment there. "CNN POLITICS" reporter Tal Kopan live in Washington. And the front page of the headlines -- or the front page of the paper have Joe Biden, and then right below it back to politics of the day -- "Nominees Diverge From Trump On Russia Security". Paper after paper noting that there is daylight between President-elect Donald Trump's nominees for top positions in his cabinet and the president-elect himself.
What do -- what's the going thinking in Washington that these nominees are going to pull the president-elect their way or it's the other way around?
TAL KOPAN, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Well, let's be clear about one thing. I'm not sure any of these nominees would pass Senate confirmation if they didn't say what they said in these confirmation hearings, you know. The Senate has been very clear that they view Russia as a threat, not a potential friend. And they would have lost several Republican senators if these nominees had not taken this line.
That's not to say that I don't think it's honest. I'm not questioning whether or not they actually truly believe it, but it does remain an open question. How exactly -- you know, there's talk of sort of a team of rivals and we're still sort of watching to see what Trump's strategy is going to be here. How much he's going to listen to these advisers telling him things, and then what he's going to say back to them in terms of instructions.
ROMANS: You know, to be clear, it's not just on Russia. It was on waterboarding, on the Iran nuclear deal, on building a border wall, and a lot of -- a host of different issues, including Russia.
BERMAN: And you're right. I mean, they answered what they answered. We'll see what they do when they get in that cabinet -- when they are the head of their agencies that may be different than what they said on Capitol Hill.
Tal -- and it's not just the cabinet who is creating space between themselves and the president-elect, you know, but Congress also. And this has been the case for some time with House Speaker Paul Ryan, who was part of a really interesting CNN town hall last night with Jake Tapper. And the speaker faced questions from a family -- parents who had come here undocumented who are concerned that if Donald Trump repeals some of the executive actions that the president took that they could be deported -- listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you think that I should be deported and many other families in my situation --
REP. PAUL RYAN (R), HOUSE SPEAKER: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- should? RYAN: No, no way in hell because -- first of all, I can see that you love your daughter and you're a nice person who has a great future ahead of you and I hope your future's here. But what we have to do is find a way to make sure that you can get right with the law and we've got to do this in a good way so that the rug doesn't get pulled out from under you and your family gets separated. But if you're worried about, you know, some deportation, you know, force coming and knocking on your door this year, don't worry about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Interesting to hear that from the House Speaker who, by the way, in the past had been a proponent of immigration reform.
KOPAN: Yes, and I believe we followed up and said, you know, but Trump had mentioned actually a deportation force early in the campaign trail. He did sort of back away from that as the campaign progressed. You know, the Republican thinking on this has long been that they want to sort of get the border right first. They want to enforce the laws that are on the books first, and then they'll start to consider some of these dreamer issues.
You know, Jeff Sessions, the nominee for Attorney General, was asked about this quite a bit during his confirmation hearings and he was a little bit non-committal. But he essentially said that there are more pressing prosecutorial concerns. There are badder people out there that the Justice Department is going to want to go after. Of course, DHS handles immigration enforcement, but there are badder people out there that they're going to try to go after first.
So, Republicans are not saying, you know, we're going to extend DOCA, but they are saying this is not our priority to round these people up.
ROMANS: One is the border piece that fits in with that because so often you hear from, you know, advocates for immigration reform that -- you know, you deport the bad guys, the bad guys come right back. So that's where the border piece comes in. All right, so much -- so nice to see you, Tal. Have a great weekend.
KOPAN: You, too.
ROMANS: It's Friday the 13th. Let's take a look at what's coming up on "NEW DAY". Alisyn Camerota joins us now. Hi, Alisyn.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: Hi, guys. Great to see you. Forgive the parka. It's a little chilly in the studio this morning. So, as you know, the House is going to, possibly today, take the next step towards repealing Obamacare. They do not have a replacement plan yet. So we're going to have the architect of Obamacare, Zeke Emanuel, on to ask him what he believes should happen next.
[05:50:05] You also know the inspector general of the Department of Justice is looking into the decisions made by Jim Comey, the director of the FBI, about Hillary Clinton's emails. This feels a little late to some people, including the old Hillary Clinton campaign. So we are going to have her former press person Brian Fallon on about how everyone on that side is feeling about this pending investigation, when Chris and I see you at the top of the hour.
BERMAN: All right, Alisyn. Looking forward to that. And I should say, Donald Trump writing about this difference between himself and some of his cabinet nominees. Just now, he posted on Twitter "All my cabinet nominees are looking good and doing a great job. I want them to be themselves and express their own thoughts, not mine."
ROMANS: All right, there you have it. Another big automaker accused of cheating on emissions. I'm going to show you the incredible drop in its stock price when we get a check on CNN Money Stream, next.
ROMANS: An Arizona trooper is alive this morning thanks to a gun- toting good Samaritan who showed up just in time to save him. The drama unfolded on Interstate 10 early Thursday morning, 50 miles west of Phoenix. An unidentified veteran trooper was at the scene of a fatal car accident when suddenly a gunman opened fire, shot the trooper in the shoulder, and began beating him. That's when a motorist pulled up and ordered the attacker to stop. When the beating continued, the good Samaritan pulled out his handgun and fatally shot the attacker, saving the wounded trooper's life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE TROOPER: He's just a tough guy because he literally has got a very severe gunshot wound to his right shoulder. They were a lot of abrasions and cuts. They were stitching up his head from where he had been impacted with the pavement. Unbelievably, his first words to me were sir, you don't need to be here. You don't need to make such a fuss of this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: The ambushed officer is in serious but stable condition this morning. The good Samaritan -- the passerby is cooperating fully with investigators and has been thanked by law enforcement officers for saving that trooper's life.
[05:55:03] BERMAN: All right. A heartfelt letter of advice to Sasha and Malia Obama from the twin daughters of former president George W. Bush. Barbara and Jenna Bush visited the Obama girls in 2008 to help them acclimate to life in the White House. Now they've written an open letter to the first daughters published in "TIME" magazine and it's sort of advice for what to do in the post-presidency.
It says, "We have watched you grow from girls to impressive young women with grace and ease, and through it all you had each other, just like we did. You have so much to look forward to. You will be writing the story of your lives beyond the shadow of your famous parents, yet, you will always carry with you the experiences of the past eight years." Such a nice sentiment. The Bush daughters also urged Sasha and Malia to never forget the people they met at the White House. And urged them with tongue in cheek to "enjoy college as most of the world knows we did."
BERMAN: Look, it was a lovely gesture to write that letter.
ROMANS: It was -- it really was. All right, let's get a check on CNN Money Stream this morning. The global markets higher ahead of earnings reports from three big U.S. banks -- JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America. They unofficially kick off earnings season today. U.S. stock futures higher right now. Stock markets in Europe rising. Shares in Asia closed mixed.
The environmental protection agency says Fiat Chrysler cheated on emissions tests. Regulators claim the automaker put software on 100,000 diesel SUV's and trucks that could have altered results of emission tests and, basically, poison the environment. These vehicles include the last three model years of the Jeep Grand Cherokee and a Dodge Ram model.
Fiat Chrysler says the software on its engines is allowable. It's a way to meet emissions rules. It's not there to cheat emissions tests but to improve engine performance. The EPA says the software was never disclosed. The secret software is a violation of the Clean Air Act.
Even if Fiat Chrysler says it was not cheating, investors did not like this at all, John. Look at shares of Fiat Chrysler, down 18 percent before being halted by the New York Stock Exchange. It then recovered but it's still down 10 percent on the day. A very bad day for Fiat Chrysler shareholders.
Amazon extending an olive branch to President-elect Donald Trump. The company says it will create 100,000 jobs in the U.S. over the next year and one-half. Amazon says these are full-time, full-benefit positions. Keep in mind, much of its current and future workforce is made up of employees working warehouse jobs and answering phones. Huge explosion in those jobs. Analysts say though Amazon would have added the jobs regardless of who won the election, but the timing is pretty good if you're trying to let President Trump know that you are creating jobs.
Trump's spokesman Sean Spicer says, "The president-elect was pleased to have played a role in the decision by Amazon." I want you to look at the explosive growth in employment at Amazon before Donald Trump was even a candidate for office. This, as malls and big retail chains, by the way, are struggling. They call it creative destruction in economics. In 2011, Amazon had 30,000 employees. Last year it had 180,000. It's supposed to be like 280,000 by mid-2018.
But I -- this is the new world where companies -- they add three jobs and they're going to say President Trump, we're adding three jobs.
BERMAN: Just to give you an update on what the president-elect was talking about this morning. The headlines in all the papers and here on EARLY START, the latest to disagree with Trump, his nominees. Talking about how many of these comments by nominees in confirmation hearings have differed from the president-elect. Donald Trump just writing, "All of my cabinet nominees are looking good and doing a great job. I want them to be themselves and express their own thoughts, not mine." So thanks for watching, Donald Trump.
ROMANS: Thanks for watching us. I'm Christine Romans.
BERMAN: I'm John Berman. "NEW DAY" starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D), CALIFORNIA, HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: They said repeal and replace. Instead, what they're doing is cut and run.
RYAN: The law is collapsed. We've got to rescue people.
KELLYANNE CONWAY, TRUMP SENIOR ADVISER: We're at a very fraught time. We have leaks on sensitive information for political purposes.
BIDEN: It was their obligation to inform not only us but the president-elect that this was out there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Policy is dictated by the president, not by the people that he appoints.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT-ELECT: If we could have a good relationship with Russia that would be a good thing, not a bad thing.
MATTIS: I would consider the principal threat to start with Russia.
BERMAN: The Justice Department investigating the FBI over its probe of Clinton's emails.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm glad that someone has finally spoken up and is looking into this.
OBAMA: As my final time as president, I am pleased to award our nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo and Alisyn Camerota.
CAMEROTA: We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. This is NEW DAY. It's Friday, January 13th, 6:00 here in New York. Up first, House Republicans pressing forward with plans to quickly dismantle Obamacare. A procedural vote in the House today, the first step to try to get rid of the law. House Speaker Paul Ryan vowing on CNN last night to repeal and replace the law simultaneously.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN HOST: But replacement would require, or should require a solution and help from a handful of Democrats to pass it. All this as President-elect Donald Trump is responding to criticism that his cabinet nominees are disagreeing with him on key issues.
We're just one week away Inauguration Day. Let's begin our coverage with CNN's senior Washington correspondent Joe Johns, live in Washington -- Joe.
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Chris.


text:
Lawbird lawyers have won a first ruling against developer Aifos on the 10th of September 2009 acting on behalf of a British client.
The client had purchased an off plan property from developer Aifos at development Balcones de Riviera, in Mijas, Málaga. The developer had breached the Private Purchase Contract because of late delivery in handing over the property.
The court sentenced Aifos to refund in full his deposit amounting to 36,700€. In addition to his deposit, the law court has ruled he is entitled also to a significant compensation as well as the legal interests accrued which amount to a further 105,321.61€. This ruling entitles him to a total refund of 142,021.61€.

domain: news


text:
One positive that’s come out of the current craziness is seeing how everyone in the entire world is searching for ways to help each other. Whether that’s using our personal resources or our professional skills, it’s heartwarming to watch.
Among my followers it’s unsurprising that emotional eating has gone into overdrive. So I’ve decided that what I can do best at this moment is to help you with that.
Emotional Eating at This Time Is Normal
First, know that emotional eating at this time is a normal and predictable reaction to the stress and anxiety of the corona crisis. Your brain is working as it was designed to help you cope in the best way it knows how. Right now that is by helping you ease your emotions with food.
There’s nothing wrong with you. And there’s nothing wrong with needing food to cope. We are all coping as best we can and if that means coping by eating, then you have my permission. There are many worse things, and if eating is helping when nothing else does that’s ok.
Paradoxically, you may find that when you relax and accept that your eating is more emotional than usual right now you may find that it naturally reduces.
If you want to take more pro-active steps to reduce your emotional eating here’s what you need to know:
Emotion and Eating Are Partners
Eating is an emotional activity and when it’s in balance there’s no problem. Even when it’s temporarily out-of-balance there’s no problem. However, like any partners these two sometimes get crossways with each other and the emotional eating can begin to feel overwhelming or out-of-control.
This is often the point where we seek to reassert control with rules and willpower – no more snacks, nothing “unhealthy,” time for a diet, etc. You’ve been down that road before and you already know it doesn’t work. It certainly won’t work now when your (and everyone’s) coping skills are being stretched to the maximum.
The problem is that willpower isn’t what you need more of. A better solution is to develop new coping skills that work better than food. To understand that, let’s look at the emotion that is underneath emotional eating.
Neuroscience confirms that our minds are prediction machines using emotion as data for keeping us safe based on past experience. Our emotions are providing us guidance, but we have to be comfortable enough to allow the emotion and receive its message. What you need are simple skills to help you experience emotion in a safe way. When you can do this you won’t need to use food to comfort, distract, or numb, and eating urges will calm down naturally.
This Is About So Much More Than Eating.
Your emotions are leading you to the growth you need to cope with the rapid change we are all experiencing. When you develop skills for emotional experiencing you are at the same time developing skills for adapting to the crisis we’re in!
Once you start listening to what your body has to say through your emotions, you transform that energy into help rather than harm. Instead of feeling like your emotions are walking you on a leash, you can receive the emotional insight and put it to use in your life. In this way you can use the intelligence of your emotions for finding what you really need beyond food.
The problem is that when you’re in the throes of major change and anxiety your mind is in stress mode – reacting rather than open to change and growth. In stress mode you can’t access the awareness you need to access change. This is where a coach can help.
If you would like help with your emotional eating I’ve got two new offers (and one is free).
In a one hour session I can teach you a simple emotional technique that will help you calm eating urges and get back in charge.
1 x 60 minute session via Zoom video conference
Follow up by e-mail
Fee: $0 + promise to write a referral if I help you (Value over $150)
Limited places are available. Click here to schedule.
I’ve created a brief coaching package that is designed to help you master the skills to transform your emotional eating from harm to help. Because I’m testing this model (and in light of the crisis we are in), I’m making it available far below normal coaching rates.
5 x 60 minute sessions (1 per week) via Zoom video conference
Follow up of 30 minutes via Zoom video conference
Includes easy weekly action steps
Fee: $197 total price for package + promise to write a referral if I help you (Value over $750).
Limited places are available. Click here to get started and schedule your first session.
What we will cover:
Session 1 – What emotional eating really is and how it’s operating in your life, why willpower isn’t what you need more of
Session 2 – How to use emotional intelligence to turn emotional eating from harm to help
Session 3 – The importance of balancing stress with relaxation and easy ways ground and soothe without food
Session 4 – How to harness the science of hope when life and eating seem overwhelming.
Session 5 – Using compassion for self and others to sustain your efforts during difficult times
The benefit of 1:1 coaching:
The experience is customized to your needs.
We practice together
I can address questions, fears, and confusion privately
You use your own experiences rather than standard assignments
You can send me private messages throughout the coaching period if you get stuck or have questions
I’m a positive psychology practitioner with over 30 years of experience in behavioral change, certified by the Institute for the Psychology of Eating and a candidate for a masters in applied positive psychology.
Click here to schedule the free 60 minute coaching session
Click here to start the 5 session coaching package
If you have any questions, hit reply and I will answer personally.
Together we can do this,
Eating Behavior Coach
P.S. Coaching sessions are available during U.S. mornings Tuesday – Thursday, Australia evenings, and European daytime hours.
P.S. Coaching services are not appropriate for treatment of an eating disorder or other mental health disorder.

domain: health


The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has created extensive resources related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVD-19). The vastness of these resources can also make it challenging for real estate owners, managers, and operators to quickly find the information they need.
Some of the most common questions related to COVID-19 deal with building cleaning and disinfection. The CDC has released interim recommendations for environmental cleaning and disinfection for buildings and facilities with suspected and confirmed COVID-19 cases. These recommendations include how to clean and disinfect, and information on specific cleaning products, as well as additional considerations for employers.
The CDC Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers webpage also includes guidance for employers to conduct routine environmental cleaning.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also outlines information on environmental decontamination on its COVID-19 Control and Prevention webpage.
The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Georgia Foundation has also released a free one-page guide to resources for commercial real estate professionals to consider in maintaining a healthy building environment. The resources relate specifically to COVID-19 and infectious disease control in general.
Get the latest content delivered straight to your inbox.


The advertising sector has taken a decidedly digital turn in recent years. In fact, the internet universe has become the place designed for advertise content, dove poter diffondere il proprio messaggio a macchia d’olio. Chiunque utilizza la rete, e di conseguenza vi sarà un numero di consumers praticamente illimitato dai quali poter attingere.
The main system for implementing an online advertising campaign undoubtedly remains the copywriting, however associated with the technical fundamentals SEO.
Index a website with SEO copywriting
By copywriting we mean the creation of textual content to be published on a company blog, aimed at promoting a product or service. It's about creating articles that convey a message intended for engage the reader, communicating the peculiarities of what you are showing and why it is worth buying. It is a marketing technique aimed at achieving a conversion, or the result you intend to achieve for a specific purpose: purchase of a product, subscription to the newsletter, promotion of a show, etc.
This tool is very advantageous for any business, whether it is a multinational, an SME or a freelancer. However, what makes the difference online in practical terms is one constant presence. Therefore, to index a website, so that it appears among the first results of search engines, it also requires the use of SEO (Search engine optimization).
How to index a website
For indexing a website two fundamental steps must be followed:
- Write engaging and quality content
- Set it according to SEO provisions
The first point concerns purely the communicative sphere. The copywriter must create an intriguing text, capable of arouse curiosity and interest. It must adopt an original and engaging style with which to convey the right emotions, leaving a positive impression in the reader's mind. However, all this could be in vain without theoptimization SEO, con la quale ottenere il miglior posizionamento per quanto riguarda i risultati sui motori di ricerca in merito ad una o più keywords.
Let's take any sphere of work as a starting point. For example, if a user needs the intervention of an electrician, the first thing he does is to search for some on Google associated keywords at the end itself in your place of residence: eelectrician in Rome, electrician in southern Rome, electrician, electrician technician, rates etc. Or a young person who wants to undertake this profession could search for the following keywords: electrician training courses in Rome, online electrician training courses etc.
These are just practical and concrete examples. Based on your business, you will therefore need to create a text with the appropriate keywords.
How to Index a Website on Google with SEO
There are three different strategies for choosing keywords
- use tools (SeoZoom or SemRush)
- extrapolate them via the Google Search bar
- simulate user searches
For greater professionalism, the use of specific software is ideal. This can be combined with the keywords provided (maximum 10) while carrying out the search in the relevant section. Finally, all that remains is imagination, putting yourself in the user's shoes and predicting what he might type regarding a topic.
After choosing the keyword on which set the content this must be inserted in some contexts: title, meta description, H2 and H3 (the titles of the paragraphs), first and last 100 words, image tags.
For indexing a website at best, so-called secondary keywords should also be used, i.e. other terms (or synonyms) potentially searched for by users.


text:
DEATH IN THE CRYPT
published by CUSTOM BOoK PUBLICATIONS
A body in the crypt… but who killed her?
Everybody has their own gameplan but no one’s saying what it is... one wants to kill; one gets killed; one wants to rescue another; one would rather not be there; and everybody’s after the money.
Senior Detective Sergeant Skyla Merrick is out to save her sister from a murder charge but the cops don’t want her interfering.
Skyla’s sister’s girlfriend’s boyfriend wants to hire Skyla’s private eye partner to find out the truth. But to rescue her sister Skyla will have to put everybody’s lives on the line... including her own.
Family history was never meant to be like this…
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|Publisher:||CUSTOM BOOK PUBLICATIONS|
|File size:||504 KB|
About the Author
David Kilner was born in London and grew up in Adelaide, South Australia, where he lives with his wife, Pauline, and two Maltese Shih-Tzu crosses. With the help of the dogs, they raised two daughters. Now retired, he spent most of his career in the social welfare sector where he became expert at writing social welfare policy and was awarded a Doctorate for his work on social housing. These days he enjoys volunteering with community organisations and writing local history studies. Many of his non-fiction works have been published, both in social welfare and in history.
He began writing crime fiction several years ago and has previously published two short stories with Detective Senior Sergeant Skyla Merrick in the lead. He is currently working on a second full-length novel featuring Skyla Merrick and her colleagues Hugh Fitzpatrick and Tom Ludlow. Once again Skyla will find herself in unexpectedly hot water.

domain: literature


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It’s a whale of a fun toy! The Playmobil Orca Whale has opening jaws and a cool mechanism to allow it to jump up from the bottom of the tub or swimming pool!
Ages 4 and up. 8-inches long.
Please Note: This item is part of the Direct Service range. This particular range of products are intended as accessories and/or additions to existing Playmobil sets. For this reason, most of the items are supplied in plastic bags or plain brown boxes instead of blue boxes.
Check out more items from Playmobil at ToyShnip.com
Playmobil 7654 Orca Whale

domain: hobby


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Responsive cards. Some cards are distinguished not really much because when they are as because when believe that. They might use nonstandard materials, for example wood or metal, and have unusual shapes, edges, folds or embossing. Tactile cards are usually significantly more expensive than regular cards simply because they use
Better yet, appoint some professional to make the selection for you. They are your best option when it comes to designing a professional business card for they have been in this business for many years and know how to design and print a perfect business card that adorns your wallet.
Some people state that the need for business cards has now gone by and that in the electronic digital time, our own use of a card is passé. The reality is absolutely nothing could be further from the actual truth. Maintaining and sending out a calling card is going to
The first thing you need to do is look for a completely new option. If you try to make some changes to an existing design, you will be unable to come up with something unique, thus your business will suffer in the end. Therefore, start designing your card from scratch
Be Unconventional – Modern Business Card printing means the designs and colours available are virtually unlimited. You must have the relevant details on the cards and you are limited by the standard size, but beyond that, you can be as creative as you like. It's not necessary to be frivolous
Adding a QR code is an effective tool in this modern age that allows you to take a photo of the business card using a smartphone. The code in the image will then direct them to your website and serves as a great way to link between your business card
Fold-Over: Fold-over cards are great for companies that want to include a little more information in their design than a standard 3.5”x2” will allow. Folded cards are 3.5”x4”, giving you twice as much space as a regular size card. Be creative with your fold-over business cards by using the folded
Having a minimalistic design such as one which has been designed using a single colour logos and the use of large amounts of white space or single colour background space. This is considered a fantastic way of giving your card a very stylish feel. To add to this them, your
It is a fine summer morning and you are in a happy mood. You have just returned from a long and important overseas business trip and you have attended a number of seminars and exhibitions. As you sit down with a cup of coffee your secretary enters and hands you
With this in mind, why just hand over business cards as though it's a chore? It should be done with a sense of ceremony that conveys to the other person the fact that you are giving them a piece of your thought and time that will be a real asset
Any content, trademark’s, or other material that might be found on the Giftcardfreebie website that is not Giftcardfreebie’s property remains the copyright of its respective owner/s. In no way does Giftcardfreebie claim ownership or responsibility for such items, and you should seek legal consent for any use of such materials from its owner.

domain: design


A solenoid-operated, 3-way, spool-type, screw-in hydraulic directional cartridge valve designed for high pressure operation up to 345 bar (5000 psi).
When de-energized, the SV58-30 allows flow from 2 to 1 while blocking flow at 3.
When energized, the cartridge’s spool shifts to open from 3 to 2, while blocking flow out 1.
Note: Port 1 must be connected to tank. Valve cannot withstand more than 276 bar (4000 psi) at the inlet of port 1.
• Continuous-duty rated coil.
• Hardened precision spool and cage for long life.
• Optional coil voltages and terminations.
• Efficient wet-armature construction.
• Cartridges are voltage interchangeable.
• Unitized, molded coil design.
• Optional waterproof E-Coils rated up to IP69K.
• Fully guided spool.
• Industry common cavity – Compact size.
Operating Pressure: 345 bar (5000 psi)
Flow: Up to 15 lpm (4 gpm)
Internal Leakage: Port 3, De-energized: 131 ml/minute (8 cu. in./minute) max. at 345 bar (5000 psi);
Port 1, Energized: 279 ml/minute (17 cu. in./minute) max. at 345 bar (5000 psi)
Temperature: -40° to 100°C (-40° to 212°F) with Buna seals;
-26° to 204°C (-15° to 400°F) with Fluorocarbon seals;
-54° to 104°C (-65° to 225°F) with Polyurethane seals
Coil Duty Rating: Continuous from 85% to 115% of nominal voltage
Response Time: First indication of change of state with 100% voltage supplied
at 80% of nominal flow rating: Energized: 22 msec. De-energized: 12 msec.
Initial Coil Current Draw at 20°C: Standard Coil: 1.2 amps at 12 VDC;
0.13 amps at 115 VAC (full wave rectified).
E-Coil: 1.4 amps at 12 VDC; 0.7 amps at 24 VDC
Minimum Pull-in Voltage: 85% of nominal at 207 bar (3000 psi)
Filtration: See page 9.010.1
Fluids: Mineral-based or synthetics with lubricating properties at viscosities of
7.4 to 420 cSt (50 to 2000 sus); See Temperature and Oil Viscosity, page 9.060.1
Installation: No restrictions; See page 9.020.1
Cavity: VC08-3, Variation 'A'; See page 9.108.1_3w
Cavity Tool: CT08-3xx; See page 8.600.1
Seal Kit: SK58-3x-MM; See page 8.650.1
Coil Nut: Part No. 7004400
Cartridge: Weight: 0.15 kg. (0.32 lbs.);
Steel with hardened work surfaces.
Zinc-plated exposed surfaces; Buna N
O-rings and back-ups standard.
Standard Ported Body: Weight: 0.27 kg. (0.60 lbs.); Anodized high-strength 6061 T6 aluminum alloy, rated to 207 bar (3000 psi); Ductile iron bodies available; dimensions
may differ. See page 8.008.1_3w.
Standard D-Coil: Weight each: 0.27 kg.
(0.60 lbs.); Unitized thermoplastic encapsulated, Class H high temperature magnetwire. See page 3.200.1_10-size.
E-Coil: Weight: 0.14 kg. (0.3 lbs.); Perfect wound, fully encapsulated with rugged
external metal shell; Rated up to IP69K
with integral connectors.
See page 3.400.1_10-size.


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The information contained within the following news articles have been pre published. The articles were published on the dates indicated and the information contained within these issues include references to taxation, legislation, regulation and other issues or concerns that may no longer apply
Business Protection – Taxation
In our first blog this week we looked at the different types of agreements that can be used in connection with Business Protection. Here, I will cover different tax implications depending upon what the protection is for.
Tax treatment of partnership or shareholder protection
Typically the premiums are paid by the director/business owner, but even if the business pays the premiums they are treated as drawings or directors’ remuneration and the business owner will be taxed as if he or she had paid them and the premiums are not classed as a business expense. Therefore there is no tax relief on the premiums. Equally there should be no tax implications on receipt of the monies either.
To comply with the agreements discussed in our last blog the plans should be written in a suitable trust for the other partners or shareholders, there will be no inheritance tax (IHT) implications prior to a claim. Care should be taken if the partners or shareholders are related.
By using the types of arrangements discussed in our last blog in combination with the trust, IHT can be avoided or significantly reduced. There is no tax liability on the proceeds of the plan for the business, as the proceeds do not belong to it.
This can be a complex area and liaison between the financial adviser and business owner’s solicitor can be a wise move.
Tax treatment for key employee cover
This type of cover doesn’t require the same types of agreements in place as the shareholder/partnership protection does. The main aim of this type of cover is to protect the business in the event of a key employee dying or being off ill.
Premiums paid by a company for cover on key employees may be treated as a business expense, which effectively means that corporation tax relief is available for the company. This treatment is typically available where; the policy is short-term (say for a fixed term of five years or less), the policy is to replace loss of profits or to cover the cost of replacing the employee only, and where the key person’s relationship with the business is employee/employer.
If the company wishes to use this tax treatment, it is recommended that the directors write to their company’s local inspector of taxes to get advice prior to setting up the cover, as all the facts in the particular case will be considered. If this treatment is not available no tax relief is allowed on the premiums.
On a valid claim, if the value is a trading receipt, which is likely to be the case if it is to replace a loss of profits, it will typically be subject to corporation tax. If, on a valid claim, the value is not trading receipt it will typically not be subject to corporation tax.
In February 2008, the Government brought life assurance policies which are company-owned under the ‘loan relationship’ rules. This can be relevant to policies with a surrender value or investment element and means that any increase in value in the company’s accounts of such policies in excess of the premiums paid will be subject to corporation tax each year.
This can be a complex area and liaison between the financial adviser and company’s accountant is recommended.
For further information and tax planning ideas, please do not hesitate to contact us on 028 9066 8700.
Chartered Financial Planner

domain: law


The medium used for component attach is key aspect of LED assembly. There is ample evidence that gold-tin (Au/Sn) yields the highest performance, although assembly costs may increase via cycle time. High-volume light engines can be assembled with silver epoxy to provide highest throughput.
Recently, Palomar Technologies has been working with Indium Corporation to evaluate Au/Sn preforms and Au/Sn solder paste. Following months of testing, several notable results for the flux and reflow on Au/Sn-backed alloys and Au/Sn preforms were found. These results are described in the technical paper “Automated Precision Assembly for High-Volume HB LEDs”.
Since uncovering these results, Palomar Technologies launched additional studies to determine the most effective process for Au/Sn solder paste and how that process compares to silver epoxy. There are several ways to reflow Au/Sn solder that includes belt furnace reflow, vacuum reflow and a Pulsed Heat System (PHS) reflow. Each method is effective, but the PHS process is much faster and limits the LED exposure beyond 300°C since most LED components degrade beyond that temperature. A traditional PHS reflow cycle is completed in approximately 30 seconds and is above 300°C for only a few seconds; a traditional belt furnace cycle is approximately 20 minutes and above 300°C for several minutes.
Traditionally, the PHS process is supported on the die attach platform so time would be lost during the reflow cycle. However, the time impact is significantly diminished by continuing component attach of one part while the first part is being reflowed.
Since the introduction of automated die and wire bonders in the 1980s, equipment manufacturers and process engineers have been challenged to balance speed with repeatability. Today, automated die bonders can perform epoxy die attach at a rate of 1.5 to 4 thousand die per hour; and automated wire bonders can interconnect complex packages at speeds of more than 10 wires per second. The advantage of automation is speed and consistency. However, a major concern with high-speed automated microelectronic packaging is that if something in the assembly process is wrong, everything will be wrong. Having a tightly regulated process flow helps avoid the risk of building a large batch of rejected product in a short period of time.
To ensure time-to-market success in high-volume production, specific methods to achieve throughput and quality are required. Click here to learn more about strategies and methods necessary to achieve the ultimate goal of automated precision HB LED assembly—to blend the requirements of high-reliability and high-throughput to support high-volume commercial production.
General Manager, Palomar Technologes Assembly ServicesTM


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A key debate about the stock market concerns the likelihood and proximity of a US recession. Equity bears think an end to the expansion is imminent. Bulls expect a substantial rebound in the stock market so long as the economy avoids such a negative scenario. “I disagree with both camps”, says Evan Brown, head multi-asset at UBS Asset Management in his latest Macro Monthly.
“It is unlikely the US enters a recession within the next year – but even so, I continue to find equities unattractive at the index level”, says Brown. “Market pricing of recession risk is more likely to increase rather than decrease from here, and still expensive valuations do not provide adequate compensation for the downside risks to activity and earnings. For asset allocation purposes, this sequencing is critical: Before investors can position for economic resilience, it is first appropriate to position for a growth scare.”
Historically, according to Brown, risk assets have not troughed until there is a positive inflection in manufacturing purchasing managers’ indexes or there has been a dovish pivot from the Federal Reserve. “Neither catalyst is imminent, in our view. The sharp tightening in financial conditions year-to-date is consistent with below trend growth later this calendar year. And even if inflation decelerates, it will likely remain elevated, making it difficult for the Fed to pivot in a less hawkish direction.”
Brown finds the environment for asset allocation challenging. “Investors are likely to continue to take a glass-half empty view of economic developments in the near term – not distinguishing between deceleration and an outright downturn. It is optimal to trade that path before we trade the destination. That means staying underweight stocks, where health care is our preferred defensive sector.”
Selectively embracing cyclicality, particularly in commodities and energy equities, is a smart thing to do, finds Brown. “If consumer demand holds up, oil prices are likely to remain firm. And if energy markets suffer additional negative supply shocks, we believe that spending on other more discretionary items is likely to come under more pressure than fuel – a development already cited by several major retailers on their first-quarter earnings calls.”
The most attractive investment to play for an unexpected increase in global economic momentum is Chinese risk assets, finds Brown. “Markets are cheap, and unlike other major economies, policy is easing rather than tightening. Of the three largest headwinds we see for markets this year (aggressive Fed tightening, Russian invasion, and Chinese activity), we believe this final one is the most likely to be first to turn into a tailwind.”

domain: finance


The fire that tore through the deserted Balmain Leagues Club website on Saturday afternoon is being dealt with as suspicious after authorities reported 2 teenage young boys were seen ranging from the location quickly after the incident. Emergency services were contacted us to Rozelle after reports of the fire at Victoria Roadway near Beloved Street about 4. 30 pm on Saturday, discovering the obsolete structure swallowed up in smoke and flames. Fire and Rescue NSW verified on Sunday early morning that the fire was
being dealt with as suspicious and cops validated that after private investigators went back to the scene on Sunday. Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne explained the fire in a tweet as big and unsafe and on
Sunday tweeted that it was no surprise. The fire brigade have actually needed to go out there frequently over the last number of years. This is not the very first fire, Byrne informed The Sun-Herald. They [Transportation for NSW] have actually not reacted at all to our issues. We require this structure destroyed now; it’s an extremely hazardous location aside from the fires. Since September 2020, the owners of the website have actually been not able to continue with their advancement, which was authorized by a state federal government selected panel, and consists of a brand-new Wests Tigers Leagues Club, Byrne tweeted. The NSW federal government states it is going to compulsorily get the home to utilize it as a tunnelling website for the Western Harbour Tunnel, however for 2 years they have actually not acted while declining to permit the owner to destroy the structure, Byrne wrote. The website has actually been uninhabited considering that 2010 when the NSW federal government revealed strategies to develop a city station in the location and the Balmain Leagues Club moved to momentary places in Homebush and 5 Dock. Transport for NSW stated it would be encouraging of any actions the owners of the previous Balmain Leagues Club website dream to carry out to guarantee it is safe and safe while NSW Cops and Fire and Rescue NSW perform their inquiries. Plans for a$400 million advancement– consisting of a rebuilt leagues club, 167 apartment or condos, a town square and grocery store– were authorized in 2020 however have actually because been postponed after Transportation for NSW got most of the website in 2015 on a seven-year lease to utilize as a dirt dump throughout the building of the Western Harbour Tunnel. However, Transportation for NSW has actually not seized the rented land from the owners as a predetermined payment has yet to be identified by the NSW Valuer General. Anyone who experienced the fire, or who has dashcam video footage from the neighboring location, is prompted to get in touch with Leichhardt cops or Criminal activity Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Our Breaking News Alert will alert you of substantial breaking news when it takes place.


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Note 1: There is limited space for this clinic, but walk-ins may still be able to pick up document packets.
Note 2: It is not clear if the forms can be filed in Circuit Courts other than Multnomah County, but some are state and federal level forms, which would be useful outside of Multnomah County.
Note 3: PCC = Portland (Oregon) Community College
“What can you do when the wheels of justice don’t turn fast enough? Or when they don’t turn at all? Vivek Maru is working to transform the relationship between people and law, turning law from an abstraction or threat into something that everyone can understand, use and shape. Instead of relying solely on lawyers, Maru started a global network of community paralegals, or barefoot lawyers, who serve in their own communities and break the law down into simple terms to help people find solutions….” [Link to Vivek Maru’s TED Talk Reading List, and link to more TED Talks on justice, law, and crime.]
Richard Zorza & David Udell Article: New Roles for Non-Lawyers to Increase Access to Justice
You can also link to this article from the SRLN website or from Richard Zorza’s Access to Justice blog, where you will be able to find dozens, hundreds, of other practical and provocative articles on Access to Justice issues.
“The paralegal profession has evolved significantly since its origin in the 1970s. While paralegals originally assisted attorneys in a secretarial capacity by formatting legal documents, they have since assumed substantive roles in legal offices, the government and corporations both large and small. Little by little, paralegals have become savvier, more educated, and more professional. Today paralegals are fully contributing members of legal teams.
Back in the early days of the profession ….” [Link to Paralegal Studies Masters website for more information and the infographic.]
Hat tip to Law Librarian Blog.
Washington State is the latest state to create a Limited License Legal Technician (LLLT) professional classification.
For an Oregon perspective, the December 2013 issue, page 12, of the Multnomah Lawyer has an article on the Washington State LLLT.
Lots of interesting posts on Richard Zorza’s Access to Justice Blog:
1) Guest Post from World Bank’s Paul Prettitore on Legal Aid in Jordan (10/10/13)
2) NYT Piece on Doctor “Mindfulness” has Major Implications for Lawyers and Judges (9/26/13)
From Richard Zorza’s Access to Justice blog:
California, Washington, and New York are featured in this article on the movement to allow people who cannot afford attorneys “to receive low-cost guidance in simpler legal matters by qualified non-lawyers.”


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Vision: To actively participate in the development of the Brazilian economy by supporting emerging companies that have a technological base.
Mission: To create an entrepreneurial culture for technology based companies that have the abilities and skills to bridge the gap that exists between science and the market.
Values: Vision, ethics, results, transparency, proactivity and social consciousness.
- Generate returns to the entrepreneurs and investors
- Generate returns to society through the creation of qualified jobs, tax revenues, and wealth
- Promote an integration of efforts by governments, universities, scientific and technological institutions, and the local business community
- Actively participate in the realization of Brazil’s technological development
- Create a model for Brazilian seed capital investments
- Be an active part of the country’s economic and social development
- Encourage entrepreneurship and decentralize growth and wealth
- Regionalize the concept and practice of seed capital
- Encourage co-investments in the portfolio companies, primarily through angel investors that invest in each of the country’s geographic regions


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Hi crafty friends! Today we want to highlight a class that will be taught LIVE on Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 6:00pm CST by Erica Rose Creates.
In this class you will create (4) 12″ x 12″ layouts. The theme is summer and you will be working on layouts with multiple photo placement, as well as with some awesome summer cut files (included with the class). This class is great if you need some inspiration to use multiple photos on a layout to document some of your favorite summer events!
As with ALL classes at The Paper Den, there is no physical product that is included. However, you can purchase a kit of products Erica will be using. These products can be purchased directly through her, visit her website for purchasing information.
The nice thing is, if you are like many crafters, you may already have this collection of paper in your stash. So, as always use your stash or products that YOU love!
The Kit Below is NOT included in the class price. This is an inspiration board of products Erica will be using for the LIVE class.


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If your unfamiliar with barn dances or ceilidhs (pronounced kay-lees) and how they can make your event a success, here’s a guide
Why have a barn dance or ceilidh?
A ceilidh or barn dance is a great idea for a variety of social events. These include fund raisers, wedding receptions, birthday parties, anniversaries and corporate shin-digs. They’re particularly good for breaking the ice at weddings where people from families and friends may be meeting for the first time.
Dancing experience is not required and the dance steps are easy to pick up. Dances have a particular pattern or structure, and will usually be based on lines, squares or circles. Each dance may see you dancing in a series of small groups or one big circle.
Better still, our caller will guide you through the steps and moves for each dance. But what if you get them wrong? No problem as the dance carries on and you can catch up – it’s very much expected, and all part of the fun :>)
How much space do I need?
It depends on how many people will be dancing. As a rule of thumb a village hall, large hotel reception room, or even a barn should suffice. If you let us know what your requirements are, or even email us a picture of the venue, we will be happy to advise as to its suitability.


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One Detained in Joint Raid in Khalis
Tikrit, Iraq - Soldiers from Task Force Danger and the Iraqi Army detained a suspected Anti-Iraqi Force member during a raid in Khalis at about 11:00 p.m., January 10. The detainee is in Iraqi Police custody. No Multi-National Forces were injured.
|Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list|


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Diamontina Walters Drawing Pages, 2020-04-02 14:03:02. Adding exact and accurate shadow can be challenging and time consuming, but fortunately you don’t need to draw very in depth shadow. It is possible to easily draw faces and their expressions with the highest degree of expertise. You’re a god-like hand controlling several elements.
Macy Black Coloring Pages, 2020-06-05 07:03:59. Print free coloring pages for children and create your own coloring book for children of all ages. To do this, simply press the essential mix and choose the coveted printer. So as to use theses pages. Furthermore, lots of the free Halloween Printable can be customized to satisfy your needs. This cute, simple butterfly is ideal to practice your coloring abilities. And that cultural shift is an awful thing. But a lot of the time that it will enhance the clearness of the outline.
Carmya Miranda Drawing Pages, 2020-06-05 07:03:58. All winners will get a complimentary family membership to the Forbes House Museum, in addition to other surprises! A minimum of one winner from each group is going to be selected. Once you select a winner you will be in a position to observe all the information and details about that user and their entries. Winners that are residents of Canada is going to be asked to finish a four (4)-part mathematical skill question in order to get their prize.
Brittnee Gillespie Drawing Pages, 2020-06-05 07:03:56. Many situations the courses offered online are the specific same courses provided in a conventional classroom. Naturally, you will need to be online to achieve that. Hybrid courses are a mixture of in-person instruction and internet learning. Furthermore, instructors at community colleges come from a wide variety of backgrounds and specialties.
Avriel Guy Drawing Pages, 2020-06-05 07:03:57. Connecting the dots looking backwards, it looks like a simple matter to do. Not all markers are made equally There are two sorts of markers, water-based and alcohol-based. Some kinds of markers One of the greatest markers around are Sharpie markers. Professional artists’ markers are normally alcohol-based. The area of a specific square represents the probability a measurement will lead to the basis state beside the square. Especially in case you work the exact same area on the paper repeatedly. A fantastic quality that is present in Draw Pad Free Graphic Design and Drawing Software is the usage of layers.
Alejandra Gallegos Drawing Pages, 2020-06-05 07:03:59. As you probably know, you’re able to now run contests directly on your Facebook Timeline without needing third party applications. Design Contest can fix all your multiple logo troubles. Contests can be an additional way to help build confidence. Their yearly art contest for children encourages grade-schooners to receive those creative juices flowing.
Destiny Coffey Coloring Pages, 2020-06-05 07:03:58. Give your toddler with coloring books in addition to plain paper and steer clear of sharp pens and pencils until your son or daughter is older. If he or she is not inspired, gives us a call and we’ll make it right. Every kid adores the color and it is going to certainly keep the kids entertained for a little while. It’s unlikely you’ll find a child that doesn’t delight in a coloring activity from time to time. Your children are going to learn through our educational program which offers an enjoyable and creative curriculum that is based on a child-centered preschool program. In addition, a youngster can learn about a lot more subtle colors which is precisely why coloring books are sometimes a useful educational tool. Children which are coloring disturbing pictures may have some problems that need to get taken care of.
Carmya Miranda Coloring Pages, 2020-06-05 07:03:59. With many possible potion combinations, it’s highly unlikely that you create the appropriate lipstick on your very first effort. Hair isn’t my strong suit. My hair is currently extremely healthful and happy!
Any content, trademark/s, or other material that might be found on this site that is not this site property remains the copyright of its respective owner/s. In no way does LocalHost claim ownership or responsibility for such items and you should seek legal consent for any use of such materials from its owner.


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"In 1991, smokers spent $10.45 billion on tobacco products,of which about 75% went to governments in the form of taxes. Excluding lost income (which costs individuals and not governments) and disability (which incurs costs for the employer), the cost of smoking for governments was about $2.3 billion in health care costs (including residential care) and an additional $96 million in lost income taxes from smokers who died in 1991. The latter number is estimated by assuming that, on average, those smokers who died in 1991 earned one half of their income at a tax rate of 19.8%. Even with this latter amount included, the result is that smokers paid in more than they took out by about $5.4 billion. "
(Source: Health Canada - CDIC Vol. 18 No.1, 1997)
You don't want to be giving money to pay for smokers' treatment? I'd say it looks to me like you owe the smokers some gratitude. I'm sure the government didn't mind the $5.4 billion dollar lump in it's wallet.
I'll make you a better deal : Tomorrow morning, I'll get all smokers to quit smoking. It would give you a great deal of new material to use in your next rant about your increased income tax and sales tax as the government attemps to recover the billions of dollars it just lost from it's revenue stream.


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Okay, weve got good news and weve got bad news when it comes to the impending Tennessee earthquake. The good news is that one quake doesnt beget another, so says Mondays New York Times
. The 6.4 quake off Peru wasnt because of the 6.8 quake in Papua New Guinea or the 6.7 quake in Hawaii last week.
The bad news? The United States Geological Survey estimates that there is a quake of 6.0 or higher somewhere in the world every two and a half days.
Or read the Flyers take on what will happen in Memphis when the inevitable happens.


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Friday, May 29, 2015
MultiLing Trumpets Growth Numbers
Salt Lake City-based MultiLing, which provides language translation services for foreign patent filings, said y that it saw a 37 percent increase in revenues over its last year. The company did not disclose any financials behind the numbers. MultiLing is led by Michael Sneddon, and backed by Frontier Capital.


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VISIONS OF ATLANTIS will release its new studio album, “Pirates”, on May 13 via Napalm Records. Now the band release the second single, “Melancholy Angel”, a song that has already proven to be one of the fan favorites, when played live during the ongoing US tour. The single comes together with a stunning video, including great visual effects and outstanding acting by the band around singer Clémentine Delauney, who has clearly developed further vocally and has both beautiful high tones and deeper more soulful colourings in her vocal repertoire.
The new single “Melancholy Angel” is representative of the new VISIONS OF ATLANTIS sound, who with “Pirates”, reveal their most honest and intimate album to date. With their latest albums, visionaries VISIONS OF ATLANTIS have without a doubt proven that they are on top of the scene. Now, the band sets sail on an adventurous new journey and exciting chapter, marking a turning point in their discography with the upcoming album, “Pirates”.
Pre-Order the upcoming album here.
VISIONS OF ATLANTIS comments: “Being a pirate to us is being fully aware and having our lives in our own hands, living and thinking freely, embracing life as an adventure with all its light and darkness. With the new album, we are opening a new era for VISIONS OF ATLANTIS, fully embracing the identity we have been flirting with for several years now — making the music that truly resonates with our souls. We continue our journey taking us through darker waters, heavier storms, where all serves as background for a metaphor about personal growth and spirituality. If ‘Wanderers’ was more about the bright side of our path, ‘Pirates’ definitely takes us deeply into shadow work, where we are facing other kinds of monsters along the way.”
The album pulls the anchor with the epic opener “Pirates Will Return”, which instantly enchants with its hymn-like chorus and showcases the high-class versatility from the very first second. In the blink of an eye, VISIONS OF ATLANTIS manage to create their very own incomparable universe of symphonic epicness, intense riffing and, above all, the impressive vocal symbiosis of Clémetine Delauney and Michele Guaitoli. Delauney‘s bewitching offerings oscillate between clear vocals, powerful belting and operatic techniques, whereas matchless counterpart Guaitoli adds spice with top-notch power metal infusions. “Pirates” presses ahead with catchy hook lines, like in mighty “Melancholy Angel”, rousing “Clocks”, charging “Wild Elysium” and majestic “Master The Hurricane” — the latter of which will make every symphonic metal enthusiast’s heart pound faster through its perfectly balanced mixture of dramatic choirs, heavy orchestration and dedicated vocals. “Pirates” reaches the harbor for now with mesmerizing “I Will Be Gone”, building up a dramatic wall of sound accented by harmonizing flutes and bagpipes, delivered by no less than FEUERSCHWANZ virtuoso Ben Metzner, who joins also on “In My World”, “Master The Hurricane” and “Heal The Scars”.
“Pirates” track listing:
1. Pirates Will Return
2. Melancholy Angel
3. Master The Hurricane
6. Legion Of The Seas
7. Wild Elysium
8. Darkness Inside
9. In My World
11. Heal The Scars
12. I Will Be Gone
VISIONS OF ATLANTIS will support DRAGONFORCE on a six-week North American tour beginning tonight (Monday, March 7) in Santa Ana, California.

domain: entertainment


text:
Not only sturdy galvanized steel chain features from this Bonn Solid Wood White Porch Swing but also provides a strong and durable solid mahogany wood, that can hold up well against any weather. With ergonomic seat and backrest, ensures you won't feel discomfort after long hours of sitting. This patio swing also provides a gentle rocking motion and simple design, perfect for relaxing alone or while visiting with friends or family.
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Construction Cost: $110 Million
Camden Yards was beautiful, clean, and a great place to experience a baseball game. Going from AT&T Ballpark (home of the Giants) to Camden Yards, I think I was a bit spoiled going into the game. I had heard that both stadiums were 1-2 in the entire league, and it’s tough not to agree.
First off, the area is just really fun. We went to the well-known bar “Pickles Pub” before the game, and you could tell that’s clearly the pre-and-post game spot. The ballpark itself was really cool; behind right field is “Eutaw Street,” which is between the stadium and the “B&O Warehouse.” There’s a bunch of shops and restaurants to visit, or you can just view the game from afar, basically like outfield standing seats.
View of “Eutaw Street” courtesy of Wikipedia.
The fans were really into it despite a large crowd of Cardinals fans invading the place. The food was great, and the stadium was really clean, which is always a pleasure to me when visiting different stadiums (some are dirty and old). I really enjoyed the stadium and love the location it’s in, and would recommend checking it out. It was the second best ballpark I’ve been to, only behind AT&T’s beautiful establishment (not a slight to Camden Yards in the least bit).

domain: geography


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Gillman and Zack decide that the best thing to do would be to start going through the massive list of games that Gillman has gathered through the Steam sale. No worries as you all get to enjoy one of the best ninja fighting mouse games of all time!
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The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) collected Rs1.84 trillion in just four months, an increase of 37% or close to Rs500 billion over last year.
It exceeded the July-October target by Rs228 billion. Against the target of Rs1.6 trillion, the FBR provisionally collected Rs1.84 trillion, exceeding the goal by Rs228 billion, according to the FBR officials. The number may change once final figures are available.
During the first four months of previous fiscal year, the FBR had collected Rs1.34 trillion and it now recorded a nearly Rs500 billion increase at a growth rate of 37%. The annual target of Rs5.829 trillion is within reach.
However, the IMF and Pakistan discussed over Rs525 billion in additional tax measures and talks boiled down to sales tax exemptions of around Rs400 billion that the fund said should be withdrawn with immediate effect.
Overall, the FBR collected 66% or Rs1.21 trillion in indirect taxes – general sales tax, customs duty and federal excise duty, which were the three main sources of indirect taxes.
Similarly, Rs957 billion or over 52% of the total collection was at the import stage.
The FBR collected Rs622 billion in income tax in the first four months of this fiscal year, up by Rs151 billion or 32% over the same period last year. Over Rs87 billion worth of income tax has also been collected at the import stage.
The income tax collection was Rs56 billion higher than the target set for the first four months. The share of income tax in total revenues stood at 34%, which has placed an increased burden on people who have lower capacity to pay.
The FBR showed 41% growth in sales tax collection in the July-October period due to heavy reliance on import taxes. It collected Rs826 billion in sales tax in four months, up by Rs241 billion.
The FBR collected Rs256 billion in domestic general sales tax (GST) compared with Rs267 billion last year, after adjusting for refunds.
Contrary to that, GST collection at the import stage stood at Rs569 billion in the first four months of the current fiscal year against Rs318 billion last year, an increase of Rs251 billion or 79%.
Total sales tax collection of Rs826 billion was Rs134 billion higher than the target, thanks to the collection at the import stage.
Federal excise duty collection amounted to Rs97 billion in the four month period, Rs16 billion or 20% more than the corresponding period of previous year.
Similarly, the customs duty collection increased to Rs291 billion, higher by Rs86 billion or 42%. The custom duty collection was Rs37 billion more than the target.
The net collection in October 2021 came in at Rs435 billion, registering an increase of 31% or Rs104 billion compared with October last year collection, according to report published in ‘Express Tribune‘.


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The 36-item short form (SF-36) health survey is the most popular generic HRQOL instrument that has been widely used to measure several population studies and variety of health conditions, including hypertension. The objectives of this study were to compare the HRQOL of hypertensive patients with that of a general population norm and analyze differences according to the presence of comorbid conditions such as diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular comorbidities. A total of 388 hypertensive patients was included in this cross-sectional study. Socio-demographic information and the presence of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular comorbidities were recorded. HRQOL was assessed by using SF-36 instrument. General linear models were used to identify statistically significant differences in scale scores. Hypertensive patients reported lower scores in six SF-36 dimensions except bodily pain and role emotional dimension when compared with Malaysian norms. After adjusting for socio-demographic variables (age, gender, education and employment), SF-36 scores in the presence of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular comorbidities were comparably limited and both had statistically significantly lower scores than hypertensive patients without comorbidities. Hypertension reduced HRQOL and cardiovascular comorbidities exacerbate reductions. Hence, future research of effective interventions should include ensuring desirable HRQOL as well as controlling blood pressure to prevent or reduce comorbidities of hypertension.
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Health-related Quality of Life (HRQOL) is emerging as an important outcome in hypertension studies. HRQOL of people with hypertension can be adversely affected by hypertension itself and side-effect of treatments. Anxiety and depression have been reported among hypertensive patients (Erickson et al., 2004; Kiran et al., 2010; Saboya et al., 2010). Labeling effects, beliefs and attitudes about illness affect HRQOL of hypertensive (Mena-Martin et al., 2003; Li et al., 2005). Thus, hypertension may have an impact on patients physical, psychological and social functioning, that altered their HRQOL. Many instruments have been developed for quality of life assessments and generic HRQOL measures allow comparisons across different populations. The 36-item short form (SF-36) health survey (Ware and Sherbourne, 1992) is one of the most popular generic HRQOL instruments. It has been administered to several population studies (Azman et al., 2003) and variety of health conditions (Johnson, 2006; Shafipour et al., 2010; Douki et al., 2010; Hosseini and Yousefi, 2009; Taragh and Ilali, 2010), including hypertension (Bardage and Isacson, 2001; Erickson et al., 2004; Aydemir et al., 2005; Ogunlana et al., 2009; Wang et al., 2009; Poljicanin et al., 2010; Wan-Fei et al., 2011).
Epidemiological (Bardage and Isacson, 2001; Wang et al., 2009; Poljicanin et al., 2010) and clinical studies (Erickson et al., 2004; Aydemir et al., 2005; Ogunlana et al., 2009; Saboya et al., 2010; Wan-Fei et al., 2011) assess the effect of hypertension on HRQOL had been carried out in various countries; quality of life was shown to decrease among hypertensive patients in the SF-36 scale scores. Erickson et al. (2004) found that hypertensive patients scores lower (i.e., poor HRQOL) on all SF-36 scales when compared to normal control. Poljicanin et al. (2010) compared SF-36 scores of hypertensive patients to those of patients with diabetes mellitus or other cardiovascular comorbidities. Patients with hypertension had comparable HRQOL to patients with diabetes mellitus and both samples had scored significantly higher than those with cardiovascular comorbidities on all SF-36 scales. Bardage and Isacson (Bardage and Isacson, 2001) found that HRQOL in SF-36 scores were poorer in hypertensive patients than in general population, especially in the physical domains while less pronounced in mental domains. Complications in hypertension further deteriorate patients quality of life.
It would be interesting to assess which reductions in HRQOL that are unique to patients with hypertension, when compared with patients with other complications. The HRQOL of hypertension has been compared with hypertensive patients with complications such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, nephropathy, retinopathy and other comorbidities (Bardage and Isacson, 2001; Aydemir et al., 2005; Ogunlana, et al., 2009; Wang et al., 2009; Poljicanin et al., 2010; Wan-Fei et al., 2011). Epidemiological research of HRQOL in Malaysia has been conducted for general population (Azman et al., 2003) while research of HRQOL in Malaysia participants with chronic conditions is still lacking. Hypertension is the major chronic disease that affects the largest number of individuals and lead to severe complications (Damorou et al., 2009). Thus, the present study aimed to compare the HRQOL of hypertensive patients with that of a general population. The HRQOL differences according to presence of comorbid conditions such as diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular comorbidities were analyzed.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Participants: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Serdang Hospital, Selangor, Malaysia from November 2008 to April 2009. A total of 388 respondents who had been confirmed diagnosed of hypertension and taking antihypertensive medication at least 6 months, aged 21 to 80 years old and able to read or understand in Malay language were recruited into this study. This study was approved by the Ethical Committees of Ministry of Health, Malaysia and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia.
Instruments: All participants were interviewed personally by the first author using a structured pre-tested questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed to collect socio-demographic information such as age, gender, educational status and employment status. Participants were asked about the presence or absence of comorbid conditions including diabetes, heart disease and stroke. These information were later validated with their medical records. Respondents were divided into 3 groups: participants with hypertension, participants with hypertension and cardiovascular co-morbidities, participants with both hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Cardiovascular comorbidities were defined as self-reported history of angina, myocardial infarction, heart insufficiency or stroke.
HRQOL was assessed by SF-36, the medical outcome study short-form health survey (Ware and Sherbourne, 1992). The Malay version of the SF-36 was translated, validated and established norms of the SF-36 in Malaysia (Azman et al., 2003). Psychometric testing of the SF-36 shown that it demonstrated adequate reliability and validity (Sararaks et al., 2005). The instrument consists of 36 items that are scored to measure eight domains of health Physical Functioning (PF), role limitations due to physical health problems (RP), Bodily Pains (BP), General Health (GH), Vitality (VT), Social Functioning (SF), role limitations due to emotional health (RE) and Mental Health (MH). Scores range from 0 (poorest health) to 100 (optimal health).
Reference population: The reference group consists of a random sample (n = 3072), aged 18 to 87 years which was representative of the general Malaysian population (Azman et al., 2003).
Statistical analysis: All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS. Descriptive analysis included calculations of means, standard deviations and frequencies of categorical variables. To estimate the HRQOL of hypertension, we computed the mean of SF-36 scale scores for the 388 hypertensive patients of this study. We compared the mean scores reported by the study patients to general population scores by using t-test. Separate ANCOVAs were used to estimate the individual scales on which the group differed significantly, when socio-demographic variables such as age, gender, educational level and employment status were controlled. Post hoc analyses were performed to determine which groups contribute to the significant differences (p<0.05).
Table 1 shows the characteristics of respondents. A total of 388 patients was included in this study. Their average age was 60 years. Of the sampled patients, 61.8% were Malay, 25.8% were Chinese and 12.4% were Indian. A majority of the respondents were married (74.5%) and unemployed (72.7%). Almost half of respondents had graduated from secondary school. There were 138 participants with hypertension, 154 participants with hypertension and diabetes mellitus and 96 participants with hypertension and cardiovascular comorbidities (Table 1).
The mean SF-36 scale scores for the 388 adults with hypertension were significantly lower than the Malaysian norms for physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problems, vitality, mental health, social functioning and general health (Table 2). However, the scores for role limitations due to emotional problems and bodily pain were consistent with general population norms.
Adjusted mean differences for the eight-domain scales are presented in Table 3. After adjusting for socio-demographic variables (age, gender, education and employment), patients with cardiovascular comorbidities had lower scores than hypertensive patients on all scales except mental health and bodily pain. Patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus had lower health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scores than patients with hypertension on the physical function scale. There were no significant differences between hypertensive patients with diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular comorbidities in all SF-36 scales except for the role-emotional domain.
|Table 1:||Characteristics of respondents (N = 388)|
|Table 2:||Comparison of SF-36 scores of adults with hypertension and the general population scores|
|Table 3:||Adjusted mean* SF-36 scale scores by comorbidities for adults with hypertension, hypertension with diabetes mellitus and hypertension with CVD comorbidities|
|*Adjusted for age, gender, educational level and employment status. Means in a row with the same letter do not differ significantly, p<0.05 according to post hoc test|
Hypertensive patients had lower scores on all domains in the SF-36 instrument-scale than the Malaysian norms except for bodily pain and role emotional. These results suggest that the burden of disease, as indicated by HRQOL (Ware and Sherbourne, 1992), is primarily in the physical dimensions of health. Although this finding contrasts with the traditional idea that hypertension is an asymptomatic condition, this is consistent with other HRQOL studies (Bardage and Isacson, 2001; Erickson et al., 2004; Wang et al., 2009; Poljicanin et al., 2010) which showed that hypertension was associated with alterations in HRQOL. This might suggest that hypertension causes some changes in patients life, such as those related to behavioral and psychological characteristics.
Hypertension was related to significantly lower physical scales, including physical functioning, role physical and general health scales, when compared to comparable measures in the Malaysian normal population (the norm). The differences in scores in domains related to mental health were smaller than those in domains related to physical function. These smaller reductions in mental health domains concur with previous reports (Aydemir et al., 2005) and support the suggestion that people with hypertension tend to have a better coping mechanism and adaptation to this disease, especially the elderly. It is possible that the hypertension condition has developed for many years in most respondents; hence psychological adaptation may lead to least decline in subjective well-being in hypertensive patients (Kempen et al., 1997). In contrast, the results of our study are not consistent with the outcomes previously reported by Bardage and Isacson (2001) and other previous studies (Battersby et al., 1995; Li et al., 2005). They found significant negative effects of hypertension on mental, social and psychological well-being. However, the two study samples use different study populations. The present study used a clinical-based older sample (mean age = 60 years), whereas Bardage and Isacson used a community-based sample (mean age = 46 years). Besides, anxiety and depression maybe the possible reason of the relationship between HRQOL and hypertension which could not be assessed in this study (Saboya et al., 2010).
Cardiovascular comorbidities affected most of the domains in HRQOL negatively (Lalonde et al., 2004; Baune and Aljeesh, 2006; De Gusmao et al., 2009). It has an impact on both physical and mental domains. Results of this study are consistent with the findings of studies on hypertensive patients with angina, myocardial infarction and stroke which reported lower physical and psychological well-being (Lalonde et al., 2004; Poljicanin et al., 2010). These findings agree with another study which showed that cardiovascular diseases can cause physical disability and psychological stress, thus, affect the HRQOL assessment (Baune and Aljeesh, 2006).
In the present study, about half of hypertensive patients did have diabetes mellitus. They reported more impairment in physical domains than mental domains, in agreement with previous studies (Saito et al., 2006). Hypertension with diabetes mellitus resulted in lower HRQOL than those with hypertension per se, in physical functioning, role-physical, vitality and general health. Wee et al. (2005) identified diabetes mellitus and hypertension as having an additive effective which is probably due to an interaction, in producing lower HRQOL. Subjects with diabetes mellitus and hypertension experienced further lowering of physical functioning scores by 2.3 points. In contrast to these findings it has also been reported that there is no further impact on quality of life due to hypertension and diabetes mellitus (Aydemir et al., 2005).
We found no statistically significant differences between hypertensive patients with cardiovascular comorbidities and those with diabetes mellitus. There are probably at least two reasons for these findings. First, we did not assess the biomedical severity of the chronic conditions. Second, in this study patients were recruited from hospital-based and therefore tend to have more severe illness than subjects from the general population. It is not known whether cardiovascular comorbidities and diabetes mellitus impact similarly on quality of life of hypertensive patients.
The SF-36 scale is a generic instrument, is available in many languages and had been used to assess quality of life in many chronic conditions (Sprangers et al., 2000; Alonso et al., 2004; Assal et al., 2006; Shafipour et al., 2010; Yazdi et al., 2008; Douki et al., 2010; Taspinar et al., 2010). The smaller reductions in many dimensions of HRQOL in hypertension than in several other chronic diseases might indicate lesser sensitivity of the SF-36 questionnaire to capture and measure attributes of health more specific for hypertension. These attributes may include symptoms such as headache, dizziness, irritability, memory impairment, blurred vision, sexual dysfunction, sleep disorder and emotional problems such as anxiety and depression (Bulpitt et al., 1976). These symptoms of hypertension and medications side effects might be crucial for HRQOL among hypertensive patients. As SF-36 instrument does not have items on specific symptoms and side effects of medications, it could not capture such reductions in those aspects. Therefore, it is useful to supplement SF-36 assessment with hypertension specific HRQOL measures such as Bulpitts Hypertension Questionnaire and Batteries (Bulpitt and Fletcher, 1994).
The findings should also be interpreted in the perspectives of convenience sampling and reliance on patient recall especially for comorbidities. Subjects were recruited from one hospital, hence this disproportionate representation limits the generalizability and interpretation of findings to other groups such as those of other racial origin, cultural backgrounds or younger patients. Moreover, we cannot definitively exclude that the possible arthritis and/or obstructive lung conditions were more severe and acted as cofounders. These probably lead to an overestimation of the reduction in HRQOL in our measurement.
Hypertensive patients presented a lower HRQOL scores in SF-36 than the general population. These measured deteriorations of the physical health domains were most apparent when compared with Malaysian norm. A similar finding concerns the HRQOL of hypertensive patients with cardiovascular comorbidities and diabetes mellitus. Moreover, these two groups had poorer HRQOL when compared with patients with hypertension. This study provides an insight on HRQOL in hypertensive patients with and without the presence of comorbidities. Hence, effective health interventions should ensure maintenance of desirable HRQOL as well as controlling of blood pressure, in order to prevent or reduce comorbidities of hypertension.
This study was supported by Universiti Putra Malaysia research university grant scheme (Vote No. 91954). Acknowledgment and gratitude are also accorded to directors, heads of departments and staff of Serdang Hospital, Selangor, Malaysia, for their cooperation and assistance. To the participants, sincere thanks are recorded.
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domain: medical