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Summer loves spending time with her family, reading, traveling, and cuddling with her puppy.
The Miniature Schnauzer- What An Amazing Breed!
I feel so blessed to have the privilege to be a parent to a Miniature Schnauzer. I was able to adopt our 'Rowdy' from a co-worker who lost his home after the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey. My co-worker lost everything and had to move into an apartment which didn't allow for pets. Rowdy was being kept in a kennel and he was devastated. After losing my Wheaten Terrier, Hannah, a few months before, I never thought I would want a different breed of dog. However, I fell in love with Rowdy the moment I saw him. He was so well trained as the owners before us entered him in dog shows, and although he was a little leery of us at first, he warmed up quickly. Now Rowdy is such an added joy to our lives. I didn't know there were different types of miniature schnauzers and I really knew nothing about the breed, but thanks to a lot of new friends on VERY large Facebook groups, I've learned so much. I hope this article does the breed justice, and please let me know if you find any misinformation or anything you see that you want changed. I'd be glad to take all of your comments into consideration. I want to make this informational and helpful for anyone considering adopting a mini schnauzer!
Rowdy, Our Black Miniature Schnauzer
Different Colours of Miniature Schnauzers
History of the Breed
Like many smaller terriers, the Miniature Schnauzer was originally bred as a 'ratter' or guard dog for farmers. They come from Germany, and they are the result of the Standard Schnauzer being bred with a smaller dog. Most sources say that the Standard Schnauzer was bred with a Miniature Pinscher and perhaps the Poodle or even the Pomeranian. The curly nature of their hair when grown out has a Poodle-type curl.
The breed was introduced to Germany and Europe in the mid 19th Century, but was first 'shown' as the Miniature Schnauzer Breed in 1899. The breed was introduced to the United States in 1924.
Miniature Schnauzers are sort of 'square-shaped.' They are often referred to 'distinguished gentlemen' or 'old men' because of their facial features. Their beards and their eyebrows are very masculine looking. Female Miniature Schnauzers generally measure 12-14 inches tall, and weigh between 10-15lbs. The male Minis are a little bigger, measuring about the same in height, but weighing between 15-18 lbs. Our Rowdy is 18 lbs and when he doesn't get his walks or play time in, he gets a little more portly. When we adopted him he weighed over 20 pounds, but he was in a precarious situation. Now that he gets regular exercise and a regular food schedule, he rarely weighs over 18 pounds.
The Miniature Schnauzer is now the 16th most popular dog breed in the United States. The popularity of the breed has declined from 8th most popular where it stood 10 years ago. This information is very surprising, as the Miniature Schnauzer is such a wonderful family pet.
The Temperament of the Miniature Schnauzer
My husband and I have had a wonderful experience with our Rowdy. He is normally very sweet, fun loving, playful, and loyal. He has the 'guard dog' instinct and he barks when people walk by our home, or if someone rings the doorbell. When visitors come he growls lightly until they bend over to pet him. He generally warms up to people fairly quickly, but he's not as social as other terrier breeds. Many owners report the same experience I have had with Rowdy, which is their Mini is comfortable around a visitor once he/she sees your reaction. Once they are comfortable that the guest is welcomed, they relax and warm up to the guest.
Our Rowdy likes to be the centre of attention. He doesn't like it when other dogs visit. In fact, he won't leave other dogs alone. He pesters my son's dog to no avail, and even though he only weighs about 18lbs, he thinks he's the size of a horse.
I have done some research to see how our Miniature Schnauzer behaves compared to the general temperament of the breed. I've also asked at least one hundred random people about their 'Minis' and I have recorded responses over the past four months or so.
Our Rowdy displays the typical personality characteristics of the breed. He's playful and curious, he's alert and very loyal, and he basks in attention. Being aggressive with strange dogs of the same sex is common, although for the most part, Minis are fairly good with other household pets, including cats. As mentioned before, the breed is very likely to be territorial, (meaning they often bark when people are outside or when someone comes to the door.)
Thanks to a comment from a user named 'Linda,' I realized I didn't put anything specific about female Miniature Schnauzers and how they are different from male Minis. My experience has been limited to a male Mini, but I have heard from several Miniature Schnauzer owners who have females and say they are very sweet and docile. Females behave a bit differently than their male counterparts. Females are more generally more docile, less aggressive, and more welcoming to people and other dogs. They too are known to be territorial, but they relax quickly with guests. Both male and female Minis are sweet and cuddly.
Like any terrier, Miniature Schnauzers can be hyper. However, this is normally a sign that the dog isn't getting enough exercise. They are very intelligent, and although they can be stubborn, they are easily trainable. Training should be done at an early age, and reward based training works well with the breed. Rowdy was well trained when we adopted him and he's never had an accident inside of our house, but he DID figure out how to get rewarded very quickly. Soon after he arrived he started to run to the door because he knew when I let him back in, I would give him a treat! My husband was much smarter with this, but I am a total pushover. Minis are smart, so you can't be a pushover like me when you're training one because they are great at manipulating! And.. really.. How can you say no to that sweet face??
How Many Mini Schnuggle Schnauzer Parents are Reading?
Grooming Your Miniature Schnauzer
We take Rowdy to the groomers once every five to eight weeks. While Miniature Schnauzers are technically a 'hypoallergenic' dog as they don't really shed, their coat grows quickly. Without proper care, it will mat easily, and it's difficult to comb. We bathe Rowdy at least once a week. We normally use the shampoo recommended by our vet.
Rowdy loves to explore the backyard for every weed, twig, and leaf he can bring in the house, and we have to comb him regularly to get all the stuff of of him.
A groomer who's knowledgeable on the way to shape a Miniature Schnauzer will generally leave it's beard long and full, and shave the back and sides. The legs usually are left with a more 'puffy' look. The cut is similar to that of a Wheaten Terrier or a Kerry Blue Terrier.
Minis will collect a lot of 'eye snot' at the corners of their eyes which hardens and becomes painful to remove. We once had a groomer who removed the 'eye snot' without getting it wet first to soften it, and she actually ripped it off Rowdy's skin and he had a cut. It broke my heart. The 'eye snot' will harden, but it's fairly easy to remove if you wet it down during a bath.
It's important to consult your vet before bathing your Mini because Miniature Schnauzer get what 'Mini Parents' call schnauzer bumps. They will get wart-like bumps on their backs, and sometimes water filled blisters. The bumps will go away, but they will also continue to come back. When we first got Rowdy and found the bumps, I took him to the vet and the vet told me this is a very common skin condition for the breed. I also felt a lot better when I joined some Facebook groups who assured me their Minis got the bumps as well and they were just a 'normal' thing. However, you don't want to shampoo your Mini with something that could irritate, or even cause more bumps.
Feeding Your Miniature Schnauzer
There is an never ending debate over which dog food is best for dogs. There are so many competing brands out there, and most vets have recommendations and preferences.
Miniature Schnauzer puppies under eight weeks should be fed 1/4 cup of dry dog food four times a day. Puppies over eight weeks should be fed 1/2 cup of dry dog food, two times a day. Our vet recommends Rowdy eat twice a day, and we normally give him a half cup of food. He self regulates. He normally eats when he's hungry, but we only give him the half cups of food twice per day.
As far as the type of food we feed him, all veterinarians recommend different foods, but they pretty much all agree that grocery store dog foods with lots of filler and by-products should be avoided. Also, foods with a high amount of wheat and corn should be avoided. Wheat and corn have been known to contribute allergies and skin conditions in Miniature Schnauzers.
We feed Rowdy 'Taste of the Wild Canine Formula.' We fed our Wheaten Terrier, Hannah, the same. The food is expensive but it's highly recommended by veterinarians and it grain free, and I have grown to trust it over the years. If you are considering adopting a Mini, just ask the breeder or your vet what kind of food is recommended, and make an educated choice that you feel good about.
Health Issues Common to the Miniature Schnauzer
Miniature Schnauzers, like other breeds, are prone to a few health conditions.
The skin condition I mentioned is called Comedo Syndrome and it's unique to Schnauzers. The wart like bumps usually come up on a Miniature Schnauzer's back. I've found them on Rowdy's sides before, but mostly they come up on his back. They are commonly referred to as 'Schnauzer Bumps.'
Miniature Schnauzers are generally a healthy breed, but they are prone to bladder stones. In fact, they are more prone to bladder stones than any other breed of dog. Symptoms of bladder stones include frequent urination, inability to urinate, blood in urine, and incontinence/urine dribble. If you notice this with your Mini, you should take your pet to the vet. The good news is, Dietary Management is usually very helpful with the condition. However, surgery may be necessary when noninvasive methods don't work.
Another problem common to the Miniature Schnauzer is cataracts. Our Rowdy is 9 years old and he doesn't see the best. It's rare, but cataracts can start to form in Miniature Schnauzer puppies when they are only 8 weeks old. The best way to manage the worry of your Mini developing cataracts is be sure to take your dog to the vet every year and have his eyes assessed. If your Mini has developed cataracts, there are oral medications and drops that are very helpful to the problem.
Pancreatitis has been found in Miniature Schnauzers. Signs of Pancreatitis include vomiting, diarrhea, fever and lethargy. If you notice any of these symptoms, take your Mini to the vet. He or she will need an IV with fluids, and likely have to change foods to all low-fat.
Hypothyroidism is also found in Miniature Schnauzers, and it can effect their weight. It causes them to gain weight, be lethargic, and start to lose their hair. The good news is, if you expect your Mini to suffer from Hypothyroidism, there are medications and treatments that are easy and inexpensive.
Ear Infections are common in most terriers, and the Miniature Schnauzer is no different. It's important to pay attention to see if your dog's ears smell yeasty, or if they seem to be itching their ears a lot. Ear infections are easily treatable if found in time, so keep an eye on your Mini and make sure his ears seem healthy.
Does Your Miniature Schnauzer Suffer From Any of the Following Illnesses?
How Much Exercise Does Your Miniature Schnauzer Need?
Miniature Schnauzers are a spunky breed and they are full of playful energy. They are clever enough to find their own fun if you are too pooped to play. Rowdy will often get one of his toys and get on his back, and hold the toy over his head. He looks like a baby playing with a toy! He will also often bring us a toy or a ball (balls are his favourite), and ask us to throw it to him and play catch. He also has several other toys he plays with.
We are sure to allow him plenty of time outside in his garden where he enjoys peeing on every shrub, tree, plant, flower, and fence (especially if there is a neighbour dog on the other side of the fence). He loves to sniff everything for long periods of time. Usually, when he's done his 'outside' time he'll come to the door and stand. Rarely does he bark to get back in the house.
We walk Rowdy each night for at least 30 minutes at a vigorous pace. He walks like he is the 'King of the Castle' and has a very arrogant gate. He also loves to growl at people while walking, which is always pretty embarrassing. My one neighbour laughs every time he sees Rowdy, because he behaves like he's the most important animal on the planet and he growls a little. Our neighbour says 'Ohhh, he's bad' and laughs hysterically. Little kids don't really enjoy Rowdy barking at them, so I keep him on a tight leash. My husband and I also have a cattle ranch in the rural Houston area and Rowdy loves to go visit. We have 420 acres, but we keep him close to the house because he WILL run at a cow or a bull! He is not afraid at all. They look at him like he's crazy. It's important to realize you shouldn't let your Mini off a leash when bigger, strange animals are around.
Rowdy loves to run around the ranch, and he loves his walks. He also loves to play catch, and he loves to chew on 'Bully Sticks.' Bully Sticks or 'Flossies' are a treat I've given my dogs ever since I found out about them. They'll keep a puppy or adult dog busy for hours. They are spiral in shape, and when they get soft from chewing they turn into a sort of 'floss' like substance.
Generally, most of the people I've talked to about their experience as Miniature Schnauzer owners say that their dogs are find with a good 30-45 minute walk a day and some play time at home and in the garden.
Flossies or Bully Sticks
Appropriate Leashes, Collars, Harnesses and Toys
From the information I've gathered, it seems like Miniature Schnauzers are like most other terrier breeds. They like balls (you can buy smaller tennis balls or other balls because they have a hard time fitting the bigger ones in their mouth). They love squeaker toys. Rowdy is not big on those plastic bones (I am not sure any dog is), but he loves his pink stuffed bunny, his pink stuffed pig, his yellow duck, and his pink sausage dog the most.
He gnaws on these toys for awhile every day, I find myself washing them and drying them, but he definitely likes them better when they are old, used, and smelly.
Rowdy doesn't like his Kong toys much. He gives up on licking the peanut butter and becomes bored with it. He'd rather have someone throw him his pig, bunny, duck or ball and bring it back for a repeat throw.
As far as leashes and collars go, we use a harness on Rowdy that his leash attaches to. My husband was too afraid that his neck would get hurt with a regular collar. I can't say our Mini loves the harness, but as soon as he starts on his walk, he forgets all about it.
Our vet recommended a harness for Rowdy made by a company called and Pug LIfe. He recommended it for Rowdy's unique 'square shape,' and to ensure his neck isn't hurt from the result of tugging on a leash while wearing a collar. We had been using another type of harness which was kind of like putting on a bra, and it was kind of difficult to get him to step in it and make sure his feet were going in the right holes. This harness is better because it just slips over his back and buckles, and it has a handle on the back as well. This harness is much easier, and when Grandma watches Rowdy for us, it's much easier for her. It can be used with any leash really, and Rowdy loves to prance in front of us on his leash like he's the King of the World!
Pug Life Harness Picture
Looking to Adopt a Miniature Schnauzer? Look No Further!
If you are considering adopting a Miniature Schnauzer, it's been my personal experience that adopting an adult Mini has been extremely rewarding. We adopted Rowdy and saved him from being put to sleep, and what a tragedy that would have been! He's added so much joy, fun, and love to our home and lives!
Here are some good links to consider if you are wanting a Miniature Schnauzer for a pet. Remember, adoption is love!
This is a list of Miniature Schnauzer rescue organizations by State:
This link points to the American Miniature Schnauzer Club and it explains their rescue program:
Here is a link to Petfinder, which helps people who want to adopt particular breeds find them. This particular link is for Miniature Schnauzers:
Here is a link for people who are l looking to adopt a Mini in the South East of the United States:
If you want to adopt a puppy, here is a link the American Kennel Club 'Find a Miniature Schnauzer Puppy' page. They suggest reputable breeders.
Whatever you decide, you should never buy any dog from a pet store or a puppy mill.
carlette ottman on February 20, 2020:
Our mini schnauzer is generally friendly to sny schnauzer she meets. But not other dogs. Also they need regular dental care.
Sharon Brown on March 16, 2019:
Welcome to Schnauzer parenthood!! Lifelong love of Schnauzers; I grew up with minis and my husband and I have adopted 10 over the years and a couple of puppies along the way too (we love having three at a time and adopt adult/senior dogs). Your article was great. I want to mention one disease older mini's are prone to hyperlipidemia (fatty blood) and diabetes. Both are manageable, but take constant monitoring.
Polly on March 15, 2019:
I've had eight miniature schnauzers; usually two or three at a time. I will never be without one, if I can help it.
karin l bendel on March 15, 2019:
I have two mini schnauzers. One is 3 the other almost 11. We adore them. Both are healthy. This article is good and informative.
Summer LaSalle (author) from USA on March 15, 2019:
Judy- WOW! You have a 24 year old Mini? That's got to be some kind of record?? Sounds like you are a wonderful person and a great mom to three lucky Minis. Thanks so much for sharing, and being such a great person :)
Judy jacobson on March 15, 2019:
I now have 3 schnauzers. I have had five prior to these 3 who had to cross the bridge. Miss them every day. One of mine is black and she was a puppy mill breeder. Probably my most loving dog ever. Not necessarily cuddle but is with me wherever I am including the bathroom. Her name is Annie snd she is 24. I have had her for 9 years and terrified of losing her. Another is named Gracie and she is dark grey. Very tiny frame big heart and really loud and affectionate when we come home but other times independent like she needs her own time. She was turned in due to owner illness. She was two and not socialized much do barks a lot and is shy of strangers. She did not have her tail docked and it goes faster than a race car. Very quick to learn words but not obedience. My third right now was a show dog who had to be spayed. She is so loving and also with me always. No one is Alpha. She is lovely in the house but not sure she had outside walks. She goes nuts when she sees other dogs. It looks aggressive but trainer says no. However I cannot change this behavior after almost a year with her. She is a beautiful silver grey. I do not groom her as a show dog. I let her be a house do and she is perfectly being a house dog. No more crates. Very few accidents. Loves sleeping close to me. Yes 3 on a bed gets crowded but that is where schnauzers sleep. Most are a bit shy of children but if treated gently would never bite. Love love love minis.
Summer LaSalle (author) from USA on March 15, 2019:
Linda thank you so much! Very valid point! I added the information in the article. I am going to add more about health issues later on today, but your input was awesome and appreciated!
Summer LaSalle (author) from USA on March 15, 2019:
That's wonderful Ellison! They are sooo sweet! Ours is a complete joy. Thanks for the comment
Linda on March 15, 2019:
Schnauzers can also have kidney issues possibly related to the bladder stones. Sensitive tummies run in the breed too. Females behave differently than male Schnauzers. Yet you do not address this. Since you have a male and this is your only experience, you need to seek input from female Schnauzer owners. Females are more docile, less aggressive, like people and other dogs normally and are territorial, but easily will relax when they know they are not threatened. Femal Shcnauzers are very sweet and gentile versus the male. I would include and seek input about the females and not exclude them from this piece. Also, the standard or giant Schnauzer is a breed unto itself.
Ellison Hartley from Maryland, USA on March 15, 2019:
I had mini schnauzers, a mother, and daughter. They were salt and pepper colored and named Mickie and Camie. They were great loyal dogs, I would most definitely recommend them and will probably have one again in the future sometime. Great article!

domain: pet


The Department of Defense (DoD) is responsible for remediating and protecting groundwater aquifers associated with military installations. Contaminated groundwater is the largest liability in the Defense Environmental Restoration Program. At many sites, groundwater resources have been contaminated with chlorinated ethenes and ethanes due to past usage and disposal practices. The Strategic Environmental Research & Development Program (SERDP) and the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) have funded numerous research and technology demonstrations to address chlorinated solvent sites since the early 1990s. Less complex sites have been cleaned up to some extent but may still require monitoring and management, and the remaining sites are more challenging.
Given these investments, SERDP and ESTCP hosted a two-day chlorinated solvents expert workshop from July 18-19, 2018 in Seattle, WA to review the current state of science, evaluate the adequacy of existing tools and technologies, and identify and prioritize research priorities to assist SERDP and ESTCP in developing a strategic plan for funding future research and demonstration projects related to chlorinated solvents. Invited participants including DoD and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) remedial project managers, federal and state regulatory scientists and engineers, university researchers, industry representative, and environmental consultants partook in five breakout session to discuss: (1) Site characterization and fine scale delineation; (2) Defining the new conceptual site model (CSM) for remaining sites in the DoD inventory; (3) Long term performance of remediation technologies; (4) Technology transfer issues; and (5) Future directions. On the first day, the breakout session working groups discussed management challenges and identified science and technology needs that could be addressed through SERDP and ESTCP funded efforts. Breakout sessions on the second day built on the first day by developing prioritized research, demonstration, and technology transfer needs that could be addressed over the next three to five years.
Workshop findings were compiled by several workshop participants and have been summarized in a Summary Report that will serve as a strategic plan to guide future SERDP and ESTCP investments, including development of the most recent FY20 SERDP Solicitation.


The owners of boutique coffee shop and bakery the Annex Café on Putiki Road are delighted that Metro magazine has named it the ‘Best Destination Café’ in Auckland.
The magazine’s December issue will reveal its influential list of top-50 cafes, with the Annex making the top 10 overall as the best café in a destination area.
Jane Burn, who owns the cafe with husband Stephen, was delighted when told. “I was really excited. It’s quite a big deal. I didn’t realise how much of a big deal it was until I told all the girls at work and everyone was very, very excited.
“It’s a really nice reward for a team effort. Little Tart Bakery, which is next door, is very much part of the whole thing at the Annex – they do all the baking. So it’s very much a team effort from our exceptional staff.”
The Annex, a converted cottage with an all-white interior, only employs the owners and four staff members.
“It’s very pretty and unique, there’s nothing else like it,” Jane says. “We have old furnishing that I had at home, walnut tables, bits and pieces, and I made it to my aesthetic.
“It’s very tiny, but it’s got a really nice feeling within it, which I think appeals to a lot of people.”
The magazine ranks cafes on a combination of food, drinks, service, atmosphere and location.
“We’re only open four days a week but it’s very much a labour of love. All of us who work here treat it very much as our own, so it’s great.”
Jane and Stephen have sold coffee on Waiheke for 21 years, having first founded Island Café and following up with a small espresso bar behind True Blue in Ostend. • Richard Jones


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PHOTOS: Northwest Sand Festival solo winners
Winners have been announced in the solo division of the Northwest Sand Festival. (SEE PHOTOS)
The 2012 Northwest Sand Festival runs Aug. 16 through Sept. 3 in the southwest corner of The Commons Mall parking lot. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Prices are $7 adults; $5 for seniors and children $5; kids under 4 are free. A festival pass for all 19 days of competition is $25.
To learn more about admission specials and events, visit nwsandfestival.com or contact email@example.com or (253) 221-4449.

domain: hobby


I’m so tired!
- How many times have you read the phrase “feckless cunt” (or, better yet, “feckless c—-”) today? Probably too many, but here are a few more mentions: In a statement from Sarah Sanders, the White House called Samantha Bee’s description of Ivanka Trump “vile and vicious.” Sanders also called the “executives at Time Warner and TBS” to “demonstrate that such explicit profanity about female members of this administration will not be condoned on its network.” [The Daily Beast]
- The ghost of Melania Trump weighed in, or at least a statement claiming to be from Melania weighed in. This sequel to Rebecca is really unexpected. [CNBC]
- So did everyone else. [The Hill]
- After pardoning Dinesh D’Souza, Trump said he was also considering commuting the sentence of former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich and pardoning Martha Stewart. Don’t do it, Martha! [Washington Post]
- Trump’s anti-abortion judicial appointees could have a long-lasting impact on abortion policy and access. [The Guardian]
- “Global trade war,” is a term we’re likely to hear a lot of in the next few months. [Politico]
- A new poll shows that only 20 percent of voters trust Republicans to handle sexual harassment in the workplace. [Axios]
- Mitt Romney didn’t vote for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. Instead, he wrote in the name of his wife, Ann. At least he voted for a woman. [Talking Points Memo]
This has been Barf Bag.


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Canal union says U.S. owes more than $1 billion
MIAMI -- The United States left the Panama Canal Zone without paying its employees more than $1 billion in severance pay, social security and other benefits, the workers' union charged in a lawsuit Thursday.
The U.S. government, which ceded control of the canal to Panama in 1999, "has not given any legitimate explanation as to why they were treated the way they were," said Steven Marks, the union's attorney.
The lawsuit filed in federal court in Miami seeks more than $1.2 billion in compensatory and punitive damages for 30,000 Panamanian civilians employed by canal administrators, the U.S. military and other U.S. agencies since the 1970s.
More than 20,000 workers have signed documents to be part of the lawsuit, Marks said.
The union charges U.S. citizens were treated differently from Panamanian citizens before and during the turnover, and that attempts in the past year to settle the dispute were fruitless.
Justice Department spokesman Charles Miller said it would be inappropriate to comment on the lawsuit because no one with the government had seen it yet.
Marks estimated Panamanian employees are owed close to $1 billion in severance pay under a U.S. law mandating payments when a major employer shuts down operations. He said some workers were offered and accepted severance packages but were never paid.
"There are people who have lost their houses and couldn't keep up with their payments because of this," said Aurelio Grimes, a heavy equipment mechanic employed by the canal authority before and after the turnover.
Multiple unions represented workers before the turnover but now are under the umbrella Association of Employees of the Panama Canal Area.
"They were afraid to do anything formally until it became clear that a turnover was going to occur," Marks said. "There is no longer a fear that there could be any retaliation."
The United States employed 30,000 Panamanians to operate, maintain and defend the canal. Military bases have been abandoned, and about 9,000 workers now run the canal.

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Editor of this novel here. :) Badass Female Lead, check. Equally as badass Male Lead, check. A cute pet, who is silly and adds comic relief, check. Ling Jue, the cross-dressing FL casually takes her revenge against her scheming step-family. Making money, starting up a business... she does it all. Instead of the typical love-at-first-sight novels, this one starts off with both ML and FL trying to kill each other. It is an enjoyable read, with cute interactions.
Liked by 42 peopleLIKE
LovetteN:Hi what is the chinese name please

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JOHANNESBURG – The gloves are off as South Africa’s biggest tobacco producer, British American Tobacco South Africa (Batsa), takes legal action to challenge the government's extension of the ban on cigarette sales during level 3 of the national lockdown.
Batsa, a unit of British American Tobacco (BAT), the world’s second-largest cigarette producer, said on Friday that it was suing the government because the ban on the sale of tobacco sales was threatening the survival of the legal tobacco sector and the livelihoods it directly supported.
The company charged that the ban on tobacco sales had succeeded only in growing a nationwide illegal industry at the direct expense of law-abiding businesses, citizens and taxpayers.
It asserted that the cigarette sales ban was a drain on the fiscus, with the National Treasury losing R35 million revenue in excise taxes every day.
“Batsa has long argued that the banning of a legal product will have dire consequences – driving millions of smokers to the illicit market, robbing the government of much-needed excise tax contributions, undercutting tobacco control regulations, encouraging criminal behaviour and threatening thousands of jobs,” the company said.
Mlungisi Mtshali, a national spokesperson for the department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, said on Friday that the department had not yet received court papers from Batsa.
Mtshali said the department was also facing legal action from the Fair-Trade Independent Tobacco Association (Fita).
“This (Batsa legal action) is a continuation of legal action facing the department in terms of the ban on the sale of cigarettes,” said Mtshali.
Fita chairperson Sinenhlanhla Mnguni approached the court last month for an order to lift the prohibition on the sale of tobacco, by striking the provisions in the regulations.
Last month, Batsa announced that, as it believed in working with the government, it would find a better solution, and had decided not to pursue legal action against the government. It had said it would instead pursue further discussion on the application of lockdown regulations.
However, the company said on Friday that despite constructive engagements with the government since the ban on tobacco came into force, the company had received no formal response.
Batsa said it had also not been included in any of the government's consultation processes so far.
Johnny Moloto, Batsa’s head of external affairs, said under level 3 consumers would once again be able to buy all the products that had been restricted under levels 5 and 4 of the lockdown, except for tobacco products.
“The government has instead decided to maintain the ban on tobacco products under the guise of limiting the spread of Covid-19 while allowing all other previously banned consumer products to go back on sale.
“Given the situation, and the lack of any response from the government, despite our ongoing efforts to engage with them, we are now commencing urgent legal proceedings,” Moloto said.
Batsa said it had received support from Japan Tobacco International and groups and organisations representing the tobacco value chain, including consumers, tobacco farmers and retailers.


Over the past decade, our partnership with Synology has been instrumental in our company's growth. Their user-friendly interface and simplicity were easy for our staff to use. Synology's on-demand scalability has consistently met our storage needs, making them an invaluable and reliable business partner."
Rob Crossley, Founder and Managing Director, Create IT
Headquartered in Dubai, Create IT is the IT services and consulting branch of Create Group, a leading digital communications agency with a full-service production team in house. With branch offices in Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, Create Group boasts a global workforce of over 250 full-time staff. Create Group has gained worldwide recognition for delivering exceptional results to renowned clients such as Expo 2020, Emirates Airline, and Red Bull. Adweek ranked Create Group as 43rd in their 2019 and 2020 Fastest Growing Agencies award.
As a digital agency, digital information is essential for Create Group's employees. With staff generating and working daily with vast amounts of digital marketing content, the agency's data storage needs were growing at an unprecedented rate. Their storage use was 300 TB, and they projected that in the next three to four years that figure would exceed one petabyte. With this looming storage need, it was clear that Create Group needed to scale up.
Create Group valued their existing deployment for its dependability and ease of use. Create IT had rolled out this data solution using solutions from Synology that used an RS2421RP and an RS818+ for most storage and backups. With their experience, they already knew how simple it was to scale with Synology's systems. So when Create IT was tasked with growing their deployment to the petabyte scale, Synology, their partner in data for more than 10 years, was naturally their first choice.
Centralized storage with ultra-scalability
Create IT selected Synology's newly launched HD6500 as Create Group's next data storehouse. Boasting 60 bays in a 4U rackmount enclosure and support for up to 300 drives when fully expanded, it was precisely what the agency needed for a petabyte-scale file server.
Create Group uses the HD6500's file server capability to store and work on many of their client projects. Its storage capacity currently exceeds 150 TB, a figure that is growing steadily, and they are able to scale as high as 4.7 PB with the HD6500 using the optional RX6022sas expansion units.
SaaS backups with no hidden costs
Create Group's digital professionals are heavy users of cloud services. As Create IT advised, they use Synology's unlimited, license-free Active Backup for Microsoft 365 to keep their 300+ users' data securely backed up on site. This data includes over 1300 email accounts, 50 Teams channels, more than 560 OneDrive accounts, and over 190 SharePoint accounts.
This proactive approach to business continuity helps Create Group safeguard their essential SaaS data. As an added bonus, simple mistakes such as unintentional deletion or modification are easily corrected by individual users through Synology's Active Backup for Microsoft 365 portal, a self-service web portal that simplifies file restoration.
Better business continuity with the 3-2-1 backup strategy
Data integrity is a serious matter for Create IT. As such, they follow the 3-2-1 backup strategy to effectively safeguard the data on Create Group's HD6500.
As the first part of this approach, they've repurposed their RS2421RP+ to serve as an on-site storage destination for automated, hourly snapshots using Snapshot Replication, Synology's integrated tool for creating and managing data snapshots. In case of unforeseen disaster, this gives them the ability to restore their data with only minimal disruption.
As a second backup measure, they've moved their RS818+ to an off-site data center, repurposing it to store daily snapshots. Using this strategy with their Synology infrastructure gives Create IT a high degree of redundancy and allows them to guarantee data integrity and availability for Create Group. And as there are no additional licensing costs with Synology's Snapshot Replication software, Create IT's services remain cost effective and scalable.
The integrated data management solutions from Synology have enabled Create IT to scale their deployment while also staying well protected:
Petabyte-scale storage empowers future business growth with better client service
Active Backup for Microsoft 365 protects SaaS accounts with on-premises backups at no additional cost
Active Backup for Microsoft 365 Portal reduces IT expenses by giving individual users the ability to self-correct accidental file deletions or modifications
Snapshot Replication provides superior on-premises and off-site redundancy with the option for rapid data restoration
- File Server
- Active Backup for Microsoft 365
- Snapshot Replication


How to write about dull subjects (in an interesting way)
By Lorraine Forrest-Turner,
Of all the reasons people cite for attending my writing courses, ‘how to make dull subjects interesting’ comes pretty close to the top. In response, I smile understandingly and (politely) point out that there’s no such thing as dull subjects, only dull writing.
There is enough excellent writing in print, online and in broadcasting to prove this. People have written talks about biometrics, books about neutrinos, radio programmes about pensions and feature films about mathematics.
It’s never the product, service or policy that’s the problem; it’s the writer’s lack of understanding and/or enthusiasm. If the writer’s not ‘into’ the subject, how can the reader be?
So, how is it done? How do you write about ‘dull’ subjects?
Who says it’s dull?
First off, we need to abandon the idea that it’s the subject that’s dull.
A new government policy on the rights of walkers to use coastal paths at certain times of year, or the launch of a new compact generator for small garages might hold no interest to me and you, but to the coastal walkers of Great Britain and self-employed car mechanics, these subjects are fascinating.
I personally wrote content for a car paint company for 13 years and never run out of things to say. The more I learnt about the subject, the more interesting it became.
Rule number one is forget how you feel about the subject and consider the target audience. Why would it be of interest to them? What benefits does it bring? How does it affect their lives? (Of course, thinking about the target audience first is what all good copywriters do.)
Watch the shopping channel
The next step is to get enthused by the subject. Whether you like it or not.
If you’re in any doubt about the ability to get excited over something that doesn’t excite you personally, watch the shopping channel.
Not all night, of course. Unless you’re into that sort of thing. Just watch it for half an hour or so to see how the presenters talk endlessly about the virtues of cordless drills, magnifying mirrors or reproduction Victorian plates. How do they do it?
They study the product, learn exactly what it does and how it benefits the viewers, then, not content to just tell us it’s capable of drilling into concrete, they show us.
Show; don’t tell
If you’ve ever studied how to write fiction, you’ll be familiar with another ancient rule – show; don’t tell.
Everyone loves a good story. If you can frame information into a narrative, your reader will follow your tale from beginning to end.
In his article There’s no dull subjects, only dull authors, Brian Adams from PH Creative talks about an article on manufacturing latex and neoprene gloves.
The subject could be dry, but he suggests reframing the story with a narrative that follows one pair of gloves from raw materials and blending to moulding and quality control, you communicate the same information in a lively way.
Ask the right questions
In How to Write Interesting Content for a “Boring” Topic, Pratik Dholakiya, co-founder of E2M, says that creating compelling content is all down to asking the right questions.
He gives a good example of how you can take the potentially mundane subject of coffee cups and shows how the classic ‘who, what, where, why, when and how’ questions can be used to dig deep and find a new angle.
He cites an article on Cracked.com called 4 Reasons Why Fair Trade Coffee Is a Scam that answers the simple question Is fair trade coffee really fair? The article has more than 240,000 views and 6,200 likes on Facebook.
Stop being lazy
The ‘secret’ to writing engaging content is hard work. If you’re a lazy writer and you rely on clichés, jargon and a list of features, you’ll bore yourself and your audience. But if you take time to study the subject and see it as endlessly fascinating, you’ll find a way of making your writing equally compelling.
Write compelling content
If you’re tasked with writing about ‘dull’ subjects for your organisation’s newsletter, emailer, magazine or blog post and want to make that content more compelling, you might want to sign up for the CIPR’s workshop Writing content for company media.
Lorraine Forrest-Turner is a freelance copywriter and communication skills trainer. Her next CIPR Writing Content for Company Media workshop takes place on 29 November 2019.


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Stevie Nicks is asking everyone to join in on wearing masks when out in public to help fight the coronavirus. She shares on her social media that she’s been actively listening to The Rolling Stones and Crosby, Stills & Nash in “a magical place.” She says other people can achieve the same serenity by putting in the effort to combat the coronavirus.
Stevie Nicks has a message for everyone about wearing masks
“Please don’t give up on humanity.”
“Please don’t give up on humanity and let this virus win this war. It’s up to us now, because nobody is helping us. Nobody is coming to our rescue. No one.” Nicks joins a bunch of other celebrities who have been pushing for the people of the world to wear a mask. The coronavirus continues to rage on across the globe.

domain: sociology


Baseball: Alonzo Garcia pitches San Fernando past Banning, 5-1
Junior pitcher Alonzo Garcia allowed three hits while striking out six and walking two in San Fernando's 5-1 win over Banning. Julio Arias had two hits and Miguel Castaneda had two RBIs.
Downey swept a doubleheader from Long Beach Poly, 3-2 and 1-0.
Sun Valley Poly defeated Warren, 5-4, Salamon Salazar had two RBIs for the Parrots, who are 6-1.
North Hollywood defeated Sylmar, 3-1. Andrew Marmor threw a complete game.
Arleta defeated Taft, 8-5. Chris Garcia had three hits and Alex Cendejas and Andrew Cuevas had two apiece.
Moorpark defeated San Pedro, 3-2, in 12 innings. Brad Fullerton finished with three hits and two RBIs. Griffen Mazur drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly. James Barker threw four scoreless innings of relief, striking out seven.
-- Eric Sondheimer


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With spring already upon us, we can all see the Easter bunny popping his head around the corner. And like every holiday season, decorations are also a given. The red and greens we see on Christmas are long gone and have now been replaced by neutral yet refreshing colors. It’s all these small accents that will bring your kitchen back to life – feeling fresh and festive.
As such, if you want the Easter bunny not to miss your home this season, here are a few ways found on www.rtacabinetsupply.com to decorate your kitchen.
Tulip Wreaths on Cabinet Doors
There’s no better way to freshen up a kitchen and making it more welcoming than to hang a few small tulip wreaths on every other cabinet door. Faux wreaths are also a good option if you wish for them to remain in good shape – but make sure that you go for quality pieces. Pastel colors are quite popular when it comes to these wreaths.
Here is a DIY project for you. Take some eggs that you emptied from just one end, only breaking from the tip of the eggshell – and then paint the eggs a metallic gold by using spray paint. Plant some snowdrop seeds in there, and by the time Easter turns around, those seeds will have turned in actual flowers. They’re the first sign of spring, so naturally, placing them on your window sill or your kitchen table will surely liven up the kitchen.
Most of us have a table in the kitchen that generally remains bare. However, with Easter coming around the corner, you might want to decorate the kitchen table as well. After all, it is the first thing that you see when you step inside the kitchen – so, you need to make sure that it looks the part. A couple of tall golden candles, some painted eggs, and some pastel-colored flowers will surely do the trick. However, make sure that you keep it as simple as possible. After all, you will also have to cook on that table.
If your kitchen cabinets are outdated or simply not looking their best, a great way to decorate them would be to give them a fresh layer of paint. Pastel colors (such as a pastel blue) are the most popular choices for spring – but then again – it also depends on your kitchen theme. You may change the tint, or you may simply apply the color that they used to have.
Jar Eggs and Feathers
If you have some free space on the counter, take this decorative tip into account: get a big, clear jar, and inside it, place some black and white eggs (maybe even guinea fowl eggs), and then add some matching feathers in there. It will give your kitchen that holiday Easter vibe, all while maintaining that modern twist of the contemporary kitchen.
Eggshell Place Cards
If your dining table is in the kitchen, you might want to decorate it with some eggshell place cards. Make some nests out of yarn or straw and place some eggshells in which you planted some wheatgrass seeds. Once the wheatgrass grows, place a name card in the grass and put it in the assigned spot for your guest. Top it off with some miniature bunnies on the side, and you have the perfect decorations for your kitchen table.
Egg Paper Garland
If your kitchen cabinets or windows look boring, you might want to decorate them with some garland – but not any kind of garland. The kind that has egg-shaped papercrafts on it. All you need is some string and some scrapbook paper. This spring, grays and pale pinks are a good choice to go for. Attach them to the bottom of your cabinets in a streamer style, and you’ll be good to go.
The Bottom Line
Your kitchen does not have to be boring during this holiday season – you just need to be creative enough to make the right decorations. Eggs and tulips are the most popular for Easter – but in the end, you may choose anything that suits your sense of style the most.

domain: artistic


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Dr. Josh Berd, DDS and Associates Receives the eAssist Top Practice Award
Josh Berd, DDS and Associates (https://thedentistgroup.com) has received eAssist’s monthly Top Practice Award (https://dentalbilling.com/category/eassist-top-doctor/). Each month an eAssist client who embodies the values of community involvement, exemplary dental services, and quality patient care receives this honor. Given to the practice as a whole, the award recognizes the need for a cohesive unit to run a high level practice.
Dr. Josh Berd of Josh Berd, DDS and Associates has built a successful practice based on the idea of “Dentistry with Design.” Berd and his team take their work very seriously, endeavoring to “provide quality dental care . . . and to go above and beyond to make patients comfortable,” as presented in the mission statement on their company website. The practice uses a wide range of modern technology and techniques to provide the quality care spoken of, as well as kind and caring attitudes to give the patients a positive experience.
Each staff member assures that their values are in line with those set forward in the practice mission statement. These attributes serve to guide team members in both business and personal conduct. These values are:
- Strong moral character
As the practice leader, Dr. Berd has a prominent list of accomplishments and honors. Among these are his graduating from the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry, receiving awards for clinical excellence while there. An additional award came as he received a certificate from UCSF School of Dentistry for dental implants. He currently serves as a clinical professor and volunteers on medical missions frequently.
“I’m focused on providing [patients] with personalized care while utilizing advanced technology and innovative procedures to create the most comfortable patient experience.” Says Dr. Berd.
Josh Berd, DDS and Associates is a dental practice focused on not only quality care for patients, but also to those less fortunate. In July of 2017 the entire practice volunteered and provided free services to the San Francisco Homeless Prenatal Women’s Program. At Josh Berd, DDS and Associates they truly provide the help and services worthy of their motto of “Dentistry as unique as you.”
About Josh Berd and, DDS and Associates
Providing quality dental care in the San Francisco, California area, Dr. Josh Berd and his team focus on using the most up to date techniques and equipment to provide a positive, comfortable, and productive patient experience.
Learn more at: https://thedentistgroup.com/
About eAssist Dental Solutions
eAssist Dental Solutions is America’s leading provider of virtual insurance billing services for dental offices. The company’s end-to-end solution eases the burden on office staff, while optimizing the claims payment and appeals process. eAssist ultimately helps practices be more efficient, profitable and customer-focused.
Learn more at: https://dentalbilling.com/.

domain: medical


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After you are fully prepared, the Lasik procedure takes less than fifteen minutes to complete for both eyes. This will certainly seem an incredibly brief time to have a permanent change to your vision, as well as in this regard Lasik seems almost also good to be true. In addition, most Lasik patients notice improved vision right away or within a couple of hours after the Lasik procedure has actually been executed.
This does not suggest that you must expect to leave of the Lasik center with twenty-twenty and also with no need to treat your eyes carefully for the following numerous days. It likewise suggests that some Lasik individuals will require more time to see the complete results for the Lasik procedure, in some cases as much as 6 months for their vision to support permanently. Anticipate excellent vision, as well as take the time and also take care of the operation to produce its finest result.
Usually the Lasik physician will give the post-procedure person a protective shield for their eyes. He could also advise sunglasses during the day if you experience sensitivity to light after the Lasik treatment is done.
Lots of clients at the Lasik centers often obtain eye drops to keep their eyes moist for some time after the Lasik procedure is done. Once more, this varies by patient as well as by physician, so ask about your certain circumstance, particularly if you are prone to eye dry skin on a periodic basis also prior to the Lasik procedure. Additionally, it might be helpful to maintain any kind of ceiling followers or other air blood circulation gadgets off in the household for the initial couple of days.
The majority of customers could return to work and regular everyday tasks the day after the Lasik treatment is done, and do not require any type of additional assistance from various other buddies or family members. After waking, boosted vision from the Lasik adjustments need to currently start to be noticeable.
This improved vision could not be the end product of the Lasik treatment. The renovation to nearsightedness after Lasik is normally quick as well as dramatic, though there may be some issues browse this site in reviewing easily for the initial few days after the Lasik operation. This is completely typical, as well as need to clear up before the week is out.
People that use Lasik to improve their farsightedness usually find a significant enhancement the day after the Lasik surgical procedure. It may be that there is a temporary blurring of things distant, but this will certainly settle itself. If this condition continues to be for more than a few days, the Lasik doctor can suggest and also prescribe momentary glasses until vision is supported.
These are all common post-operative suggests for a Lasik client, in order to really feel comfortable with exactly what to anticipate after the Lasik procedure. As with any kind of medical therapy, obtain all of your concerns responded to by the personnel of your Lasik facility for your individual case.
In addition, most Lasik individuals notice boosted vision right away or within a few hrs after the Lasik procedure has actually been carried out.
It additionally implies that some Lasik individuals will certainly need even more time to see the complete results for the Lasik treatment, often as much as 6 months for their vision to support permanently. Several people at the Lasik centers typically get eye goes down to keep their eyes moist for some time after the Lasik treatment is done. People that use Lasik to boost their farsightedness normally discover a significant enhancement the day after the Lasik surgery.


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Tutorial: Query Microsoft Access
Tables using Excel for Mac
By Jim Gordon, co-author of Office 2011
for Mac All-in-One For Dummies.
Part 3 - Setup and Choose Data Source
Before you can connect to an
Access database, you must set the connection up in the Mac
OS ODBC Manager app (Applications > Utilities). You
give each data source a name (DSN stands for Data Source
Once you have saved at least
one Data Source Name in the Mac OS ODBC Manager app. you
access the data source in Excel. On the Data tab of
the Ribbon, in the External Data Sources group click the
Database button. Then choose the data source you wish to
in ODBC Manager - Choose User
DSN or System DSN?
You add new data sources and
name each source in the Data Source Chooser Dialog. If you
add a data source to the User DSN tab, the data source is
available to only the current Mavc OS X user account. Data
sources added to the System DSN tab of the Data Source
Chooser Dialog are available to all users of the computer.
Choose either the User DSN tab or the System DSN tab.
To define a data source, click
the Add button in the Data Source Chooser
Dialog. If prompted, choose the Actual Access driver, and
then click the OK button. Go through the Actual Access DSN
configuration wizard. You may need to unlock the control
panel with your system password (click the lock in the
lower left corner if it is locked). The idea is to build a
list of connections to your various Access databases so
you can choose from a list of database sources to connect
to using Excel or any other ODBC enabled program. The list
will appear whenever you use any program (most likely
Microsoft Excel) that wants to connect to a data source.
At a minimum the ODBC dialog box needs to know 3 things:
• The name of the database (a short name
of your choosing that you enter)
• A description (you type a short
• Your OBDC connection settings will be
saved with the the Data Source Name (DSN)
The documentation you received with your ODBC driver has
easy to follow, detailed instructions from Actual
Technologies explaining how to add data sources and name
them, should you need additional help.
Jim Gordon's MVP

domain: library


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TAUNTON — Schools Superintendent Julie Hackett delivered what she called "some exciting news" during Wednesday night's school committee meeting.
Hackett took obvious pleasure in announcing dramatic improvements in terms of graduation, dropout and suspension rates at Taunton High School during the past two years.
The graduation rate for the grade 8-through-12 public high school was 81 percent for seniors graduating in 2013, compared to 77.4 percent in 2012, she said.
The dropout rate dropped to 2.6 percent in 2013 compared to 5.5 percent in 2011 and 4.6 percent in 2012.
"This is a very big deal for us," Hackett said.
Hackett also there was a 36 percent reduction in suspensions of students in 2013 compared to 2012.
"That's a big deal (and) we'll see the difference in grades too," she said.
The 81-percent graduation rate, according to Hackett, is the highest in the history of the high school, which is located within what the state calls an "urban school district."
She said 46 students dropped out of Taunton High in 2013, compared to 81 the year before and 139 in 2005.
Kristen Keenan, one of the school's four associate headmasters, said Hackett "pushed us to challenge ourselves."
"Attendance has become synonymous with success at Taunton High School," Keenan said, adding that absenteeism and tardiness at many schools have reached "epidemic levels."
Hackett said although she agreed to set goals in terms of increasing graduation rates and slashing the dropout rate, she cautioned that she is always mindful that blind allegiance to the concept of goal-setting can be counterproductive.
"There are many inherent dangers. We don't want to get in the habit of becoming bean counters," she said.
Taunton High has a student body of more than 2,400 students.


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ENTER YOUR DETAILS FOR LIVE RATES AND AVAILABILITY
- Hotel Description
- Hotel Amenities
- Family Friendly Amenities
Stay in the heart of Melbourne – Excellent location - show map One of our top picks in Melbourne. Punthill Apartment Hotel - Little Bourke offers modern accommodation in Melbourne's Chinatown. All self-contained apartments include high-speed internet access and flat-screen cable TV. Punthill Apartment Hotel - Little Bourke is surrounded by the restaurants, bars and cafes of Melbourne’s vibrant CBD. Her Majesty’s Theatre is next door and Princess Theatre is a 5-minute walk away. Guests can enjoy home comforts such as hairdryers and ironing facilities. All apartments have kitchenettes, and some feature a fully equipped kitchen. A balcony is available in some rooms, upon request. The fitness centre with indoor swimming pool provides a great way to work out or relax. View All
- Air conditioning
- Non-smoking throughout
- Family rooms
- Facilities for disabled guests
- Non-smoking rooms
Pool and wellness
- Indoor pool (all year)
- Pets are not allowed.
- See properties that allow pets
- Free! WiFi is available in the hotel rooms and is free of charge.
- Private parking is possible on site (reservation is needed) and costs AUD 19 per day.
- Luggage storage
- Dry cleaning (Additional charge)
- Meeting/banquet facilities (Additional charge)
There is no Family Friendly Amenities

domain: travel


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Synopses & Reviews
Tell Me What to Eat If I Have Diabetes includes dozens of healthful, practical, mouth-watering recipes, plus supermarket and restaurant advice. The recipes all include familiar, easy-to-find ingredients and involve minimal preparation time. Just because you have diabetes doesn't mean you can't enjoy life, eat well, and live healthy!
Instead of adding another voice to that nagging chorus which tells diabetics what they must not eat, Elaine Magee, the "Recipe Doctor," gives readers positive advice about what foods they should be eating every day.


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Think you might have an STD? There’s an app for that. Plus more sexual health news from the past week.
If we wish to equalize the responsibility over reproductive health and make it a more just system for us all, men can no longer be left out of the reproductive health equation.
Police have made sex workers—and people they suspect of being sex workers—afraid to carry condoms by harassing them and using condoms as evidence of crimes.
A look at how chlamydia rates are up, especially in women, how Chicago Public Schools may start sex education in kindergarten, and why “not tonight, honey, I have a headache” may not be a wise excuse for some.
You can buy sex toys at the drug store these days. Does that mean we no longer need to talk about and promote sexual health?
During his tenure as Surgeon General, Koop was not political. He was not ideological. And he was not quiet (like many of his predecessors had been). He saw his position as a platform to speak to the public, and he used it, surprising both the right and the left along the way.
As National Condom Month draws to a close, this week’s roundup focuses on condom availability and use: in New York, in high schools, and in colleges.
Not only are unintended pregnancy rates higher for some servicewomen—now we’re learning that across the military, the STI rate among women is seven times than that of the general population.
This special Valentine’s Day edition of the Sexual Health Round Up looks at the increasing number of pubic hair grooming accidents that land people in the ER, the myth about how many calories sex burns, and the possibility of a ride in a condom cab.
In this week’s sexual health round up: we have hit an expected but dreaded milestone with the first document cases of cephalosporin-resistant gonorrhea in North America; a major porn producer sues the city of Los Angeles to stop the enforcement of an on-set condom requirement; and study shows that an age-old herb might work just as well as modern prescription drugs for erectile issues.


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TAKE TWO: An alternative look at the day in sport
As Justin Willett reported in Saturday’s Tribune, the Stadium Grill — a restaurant scheduled to open in August at the Hampton Inn in the shadow of Faurot Field — will offer the Tiger Challenge Burger. It will be a massive hamburger that is free to anyone capable of finishing it.
A word of advice to the Stadium Grill brain trust: Underestimate the gluttony of the American sports fan at your own financial peril.
Consider the concoction of the West Michigan Whitecaps. The minor league baseball team struck public-relations gold when it announced the latest addition to the menu at Fifth Third Ballpark. The Fifth Third Burger includes five one-third-pound hamburger patties topped with a layer of Fritos, a cup of chili, five slices of American cheese, salsa, nacho cheese, lettuce, tomato and sour cream — all sandwiched inside an 8-inch sesame seed bun that requires a pound of dough. Jalapenos are optional. The cost is $20. The calorie count is 4,889.
The Fifth Third Burger attracted widespread media attention as a seemingly impossible gastronomical challenge, but the serious eaters at Thursday’s Whitecaps home opener wondered: What’s for dessert?
Of the 32 customers who entered the Fifth Third Burger contest, 17 finished. The contest winner, 16-year-old Steve Landis, didn’t even alter his day to accommodate the four-pound belly bomb. His father, Dick Landis, told the Grand Rapids Press that Steve had primed himself by eating a big breakfast and hitting a Chinese buffet for lunch.
So the bar is set. Anything less than four pounds and 5,000 calories is an hors d’oeuvre, not a true Tiger Challenge.

domain: food


Can you boot off a add in card for sata 3 Tags: SATA Boot SSD Storage Last response: January 2, 2012 10:33 PM in Storage Share WINTERLORD December 29, 2011 4:12:57 AM hi i was lookig at ssd drives and i want to get a sata 3 drive however my motherboard dont support it so i was wondering if i could get a add on card that had sata 3 and boot an ssd off the card. will this work? More about : boot add card sata Migelo December 29, 2011 7:36:36 AM Yes you can. But you'll have a hard time finding a good card, with good performance. You can follow my thread that I'm going to open after posting this message. armand_h a b G Storage December 30, 2011 4:06:31 PM there are many good raid controllers are out there ! how much do you want to spend? Can't find your answer ? Ask ! Get the answer WINTERLORD January 2, 2012 10:33:27 PM not much at all but would like to have the ssd of one drive full performance Can't find your answer ? Ask ! Publish Related resources : ForumSata III add on card help! ForumSetting up an SSD to run off a PCI SATA card as the bood device ForumAdd -in PCI-e SATA card causing problems ForumCan I boot off a RAID card with only 1 hard drive plugged into it? ForumAdd -on SATA-3 Controller/SSD Recommendations ForumBoot to PCIe Sata card ? ForumLooking for a Good SATA III add on card ForumAdd -in PCI-e SATA card causing problems ForumASUS Model U 3 S6 USB 3 .0 & SATA 6Gb/s Add -on card ForumGigabyte 7dpxdw-p Silicon Image 3114 Boot Win2k 3 sata Raid 1 ForumIde to sata adapter boot issue Forumhow do you add a pci raid card to add to more sata drives ForumMSI K8N Neo4 Boot Question - Won't boot off SATA ForumBoot off SATA with ATA disk + other SATA disk present? ForumAdd in card for SSD ForumMy computer is saying that there is a hard disk failure ForumDid I run out of SATA ports? Forum[Solved] SATA hard drive question ForumRemoving disk write protection: SD card ForumAsus P8Z68-V - use all 6 SATA ports simultaneously? More resources Read discussions in other Storage categories Hard Drives DVD Drives DVD Writers Optical Media Flash Media NAS/RAID SSD Western Digital !


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Ill Camille Drops “Heirloom” Album
Compton-born rapper Ill Camille has released her long awaited album, Heirloom.
The 16-track LP includes features from TDE’s latest signee SiR, Alternative R&B singer Iman Omari, LA rapper Damani Nkosi, and many more.
Ill Camille is no stranger to the industry having shared her vocals on Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city, and writing songs for several artists including Ty Dolla $ign, Terrace Martin, and many other artists.
Grab it now on iTunes, Spotify, and Google Play. Let us know what you think in the comments!

domain: celebrity


text:
Q. 84.4( 11 Votes )
When and where did Mahatma Gandhi successfully organise Satyagraha Movements just after arriving in India?
Several Satyagraha movements were launched by Mahatma Gandhi after his return from South Africa. Champaran, Kheda, Ahmedabad etc., were some of those places.
Mahatma Gandhi went to Champaran in the state of Bihar in the year 1916 and started Satyagraha along with the peasants as a struggle against the exploitative plantation system.
Another Satyagraha movement was launched in the year 1918. This movement was organised among the workers of cotton mills.
Gandhiji started another Satyagraha movement in Kheda in the year 1918, demanding relaxation in revenue collection. The peasants of Kheda were unable to pay the revenue due to crop failure and a plague epidemic.
After these movements, Gandhiji decided to launch another Satyagraha movement against the Rowlatt Act in the year 1919.
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Why was the Simon Commission sent to India?Together With Social Science
How did the Non-Cooperation movement start with the participation of middle-class people in the cities? Explain its impact on the economic front.
Why was Congress reluctant to allow women to hold any position of authority within
the organisation? How did women participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement?
Explain.Social Science - Board Papers
What was the significance of Poona Pact, 1932?Together With Social Science


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Pet And Animal Companion Tropes
Pets & Psychological Well Being: 15 Advantages Of Emotional Assist Animals
While canine may be contaminated with SARS-CoV-2, there isn’t any evidence that infection causes illness and no proof that they transmit the virus to humans or different animals. Local, state, and federal partners together with CDC and USDA proceed to collaborate using a One Health method to analyze SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in individuals and animals. You can discover up to date data and sources on COVID-19 in pets and different animals on CDC’s Pets and Other Animals page right here. This research demonstrates that transmission between cats is possible with prolonged close contact. It does not tell us although, how doubtless that is to occur in natural settings. The researchers urged individuals to not forgo the comforts of feline companionship; people are the clear dangers by way of illness transmission, not pets.
Confirmation of novel coronavirus in cats continues to be a very rare occurrence. It isn’t a surprise that SARS-CoV-2 can infect some animals beneath certain conditions. Other human viruses like H1N1 influenza and SARS-CoV-1, which is very similar to SARS-CoV-2, have additionally unfold from individuals to animals in low numbers, most notably in cats, ferrets, and pigs. There isn’t Health News any evidence to suggest that a naturally contaminated animal is able to transmitting an infection back to people. Transporting a dog or a horse, for example, are two very various things. They differ in size, in the room they need and the kind of help they require.
Thanks to our experience and our true love and respect for animals we’re capable of cater to all their wants. This index is for tropes about relationships between animals and people. It contains tropes about pets, pet owners, working animals, familiars and other tropes associated to animal domestication. It additionally contains tropes about optimistic relationships between humans and wild animals. “Pets provided a unique type of validation by way of unconditional assist, which they had been often not receiving from different family or social relationships,” stated Dr. Helen Brooks, lead writer of the examine.
Differences Between Pets
Per the CDC and the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians , testing of wholesome animals that have been exposed to COVID-19 is not recommended. Two dogs and two cats examined positive for the presence of the virus in Hong Kong and Belgium. All were in shut contact with their infected house owners. Thousands of different dogs and cats with known exposures from many countries have been examined and located to be adverse.


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As you might remember, I wrote about Duck Donuts last month. It's a new favorite place for my family to get our sugar fix. They specialize in made-to-order, melt-in-your-mouth doughnuts.
Kelly Trimyer, Duck Donuts Cary owner, emailed me to thank me for that post (I'd gone incognito) and share details about a special celebration that they'll be having this week to open a new deck.
From noon to 4 p.m., Friday, the Duck Donuts in Cary will be giving away free samples of doughnut holes, lemonade and iced lattes. They also will have a special of the day: One made-to-order doughnut and a milk served on a Duck Donuts souvenir Frisbee for $5.
It's at 100 Wrenn Dr. in Cary.


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Around the country, attitudes about retirement are shifting.
Have A Question About This Topic?
When considering life insurance, it's important to understand your options.
Important items to consider when purchasing condo insurance.
Without a solid approach, health care expenses may add up quickly and potentially alter your spending.

domain: economics


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SoulCollage® is a fun gathering where you can play with images from magazines, catalogs or calendars and organize them onto 5 X 8 inch mat board to create a “deck” of cards that hold meaning for you. Create cards that represent your passions, pleasures, family, community, inner aspects of yourself…your shadows, archetypes, anything!
In these gatherings, all materials are supplied, including images, glue, and mat boards. After creating some cards, we walk around for a gallery walk to look at everyone’s creations.
There is also a writing aspect to this process, so you can journal what the card means to you. Sometimes we are unsure of the meaning of the card, until we give the card a “voice” which states “I am the one who….” . The journaling process helps to access the meaning of the cards, which can be very deep because the cards are our soul’s expression. No art talent is required.
It’s fun, simple and soulful!
View samples from our SoulCollage. Judy is a trained SoulCollage® Facilitator.
RSVP to email@example.com


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The truth is that not all sufferers are superior candidates for surgical or invasive procedures. Even those who are are generally nervous about the Unintended effects that could be linked to surgical procedure.
The amount of time desired in your method will depend on the regions that you might want to target. Now Every single treatment is just one hour. As an example, for higher and decreased abdomen solutions, a two-hour session could be ideal.
Throughout the CoolSculpting® treatment, a gel pad is put on the pores and skin ahead of The location of the applicator. The CoolSculpting® applicator is then placed more than the remedy spot. Due to vacuum assisted applicator, people may well at first sense a pulling, tugging or pinching sensation. Up coming, the cooling component is activated.
Excess fat to the underside of the arms is extremely visible and appears hefty, especially in equipped or short-sleeved shirts. Struggle again with CoolSculpting arm fat reduction and eliminate unpleasant “bat wings” that make The body search significant and unattractive. This easy, groundbreaking technique erases a mean of one and a 50 % to 2 inches off of each and every arm through the treatment interval, leaving sufferers with a more toned, slender look.
Discover your own pores and skin treatment products and solutions, picked from the dermatology specialists at Skin Spectrum for skin's vitality and beauty.
It will take just only one cure to obtain you on your technique to hunting By natural means slimmer with sculpting benefits that enhance steadily for weeks. This procedure is ideal for Females and men who're at or in the vicinity of their target human body weight but have areas of Unwanted fat they would want to lessen.
For guys, reducing physique Excess fat bulges could be a very difficult method, especially when the trouble location is actually a stubborn spare tire within the belly. When diet program and workout fall limited, obtaining an alternative choice to liposuction in Scottsdale is as simple as scheduling a CoolSculpting session. At our Scottsdale office, we figure out that Adult males would like to seem fantastic much too, and step one is slimming down the spare tire to provide our male people a smoother, far more contoured appear for their midsection.
CoolSculpting has no downtime, with a few numbness exactly where Unwanted fat is taken care of and delicate soreness. Sufferers can assume to view a variation within their overall look in as very little as two to a few months, with most consequence at two months.*
After the tissue has been exactly cooled for any very carefully calculated time period, the specific Unwanted fat cells begin to stop working.
Due to the fact this procedure does not entail anesthesia or incisions, there is no expected Restoration interval. In a few times, as your Extra fat cells begin to reply, some patients encounter mild soreness or perhaps a numbing sensation.
Locate your individual skin treatment items, picked through the dermatology specialists at Pores and skin Spectrum for skin's vitality and beauty.
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CoolSculpting has been showcased in many top information publications all across the country, As well as in a latest post from Health Information Digest, just one best plastic surgeon from Big apple can be singing its praises.
For guys, decreasing human body Fats bulges could be a very difficult approach, particularly when the condition space is really a stubborn spare tire within the belly. When diet regime and exercising slide limited, acquiring an alternative choice to liposuction in Scottsdale is as simple as scheduling a CoolSculpting session. At click for more our Scottsdale Business office, we identify that Adult males want to appear great too, and the initial step is slimming down the spare tire to provide our male individuals a smoother, more contoured glance to their midsection.

domain: health


Update On FTR’s AEW Contract Status After Return At AEW Revolution
FTR are back in All Elite Wrestling, and they’re reportedly here to stay.
At AEW Revolution, Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler returned to the promotion when they attacked The Gunns, who had just retained the AEW World Tag Team Championship in a four-way match. Harwood and Wheeler last wrestled on AEW TV on the December 21 episode of AEW Dynamite. Harwood then announced that they had been given a few months off to contemplate their futures, as their contracts were set to expire in April.
Mike Johnson of PWInsider reports that the “belief” is that Harwood and Wheeler are locked into long-term deals, and their absence, along with their teases of jumping ship, were all part of a storyline.
Harwood and Wheeler are former AEW World Tag Team Champions. They are also former IWGP Tag Team Champions, ROH World Tag Team Champions, and AAA World Tag Team Champions. They were the first-ever Triple Crown Tag Team Champions in WWE.
WrestleZone will provide more details as they become available.
RELATED: Dax Harwood On FTR’s Match With The Acclaimed: At That Point In Time, We Didn’t Want The Tag Belts
The post Update On FTR’s AEW Contract Status After Return At AEW Revolution appeared first on Wrestlezone.


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WE ARE SPECIALISTS IN EVERYTHING
SIGN AND PRINT.
OUR PRINT SERVICES INCLUDE...
DIGITAL & LITHO PRINTING
Digital printing is perfect when you've got a tight deadline or only want a small print run. Litho printing is best for long runs but takes longer to produce.
Our digitally printed materials are produced primarily on a top of the range HP Indigo press, our litho work is usually carried out on a Heidelberg Speedmaster.
FLYERS & MORE
Leaflets, flyers, booklets and more. We can produce all kinds of promotional and informative materials on a variety of papers with our top of the range presses.
We are able to produce posters and similar high quality large printing on a wide range of paper stocks using both digital and litho print technologies.
Letterheads, compliments slips, business cards, stickers and more can be produced to the highest standards, We've got your office supplies covered.
Both our digital and litho presses are capable of producing high quality NCR Forms (No Carbon Required) in both Full Colour and Black & White.
LARGE FORMAT PRINTING
We can produce everything from canvas, posters and wall art to banners, exhibition displays and signage using our Large Format inkjet printers.
Our indoor display work is mainly printed using our Epson Stylus Pro, and outdoor signage work is usually printed using a HP Scitex uv printer.
Our UV curable printer produces fade resistant prints on all popular signage substrates including PVC Banner, Dibond, Foamex, Correx and Perspex.
Roll-up banners, exhibition displays and podiums, A-frame posters/pavement signs, flags and much more can be produced for both indoor and outdoor use.
Using our pigment based Epson Stylus Pro we can produce high quality photographic prints on canvas, archival paper, photo paper, foamboard and much more.
DECALS & STICKERS
From vehicle graphics and cut lettering, to shop window graphics, printed wall coverings, custom shaped printed stickers and everything in-between.
Besides the equipment required for traditional ink-on-paper (or plastic and metal) printing, our facilities are equipped with plenty of other technologies.
We can supply your business with promotional products such as mugs and keyrings, through to garment printing and embroidery and a lot in between.
Using sublimation we can print a full colour image onto items such as mugs, mousemats and more. Countless 'imprintables' can be printed using this technology.
Screen print is most often assoiciated with t-shirt printing, but we are able to print on all kinds of items using this technique including pens balloons etc.
We are able to offer high quality embroidery of garments and fabrics, ideal for work uniforms, club polo shirts, and countless other applications.
Much like embroidery, vinyl printing is most commonly used for garment printing, however we can print on most fabrics so this technology has plenty of uses.
SOME OF OUR RECENT PROJECTS...
NCR & STATIONERY PRINTING FOR LEO LOCKS.
FLYERS & VOUCHERS FOR VINTAGE VON.
GET IN TOUCH
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU!
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domain: design


- What do you imagine when you think of CocaCola?
- What do you imagine when you think of Apple?
Can you imagine the color and logo of both these brands?
The majority of us can, and that’s the power of branding. If there is one thing to learn in business, it’s branding. Consistent branding is key to making your company, business, blog, or idea a success.
However, most bloggers and webmasters who start a blog or a product company are not so accustomed to design and branding. Most of us use sites like Fiverr, 99design, and Freelancer.com to hire a web-designer to work on the branding aspects of our websites.
And if you are working with a well-skilled designer, then that’s great. But if not, you will miss out on several important aspects of branding.
What are these important aspects of branding?
Apart from the company’s vision and mission statement, here are a few important visual aspects of branding that you need to implement ASAP:
- Font (Typography)
- Color Palette
Just having these three things will bring you one big step closer to establishing your product as a brand.
Once you have these 3, what you need to do is use the same logo, typography, and color palette on your blog, website, product catalog, social media images, emailer, etc. Once you start being consistent with your brand identity, users will subconsciously start interacting with the visual identity of your brand.
A powerful example of this is CocaCola. When I think of CocaCola, I can visualize the font and logo design with the lettering in white surrounded by red.
Before I share this artificial intelligence logo and brand identity maker with you, I want you to really understand the basics of branding so that you can start utilizing this concept right away. Even if you don’t use this tool, you should know what steps are necessary to turn your business into a brand.
Go and read this:
Brandmark: Create Instant Logo and Brand Identity with Artificial Intelligence
If you ever found yourself asking:
- How do I create a logo for my blog/website/product?
- How do I select the color and typography?
Well, Brandmark is the answer.
This is an artificial intelligence-based tool that is very smart. When I tested this tool, I was impressed with the quality of the output. You can use the actual output for your brand identity, or you can use it as an inspiration for designing something yourself.
Let me quickly show how you how to use Brandmark.
- Head over to the Brandmark app.
- Enter your company name and tag line. If you don’t have a tag line or don’t want to show a tag line with the logo, you can keep that field blank.
This part is very important, and you should take a few minutes to enter the details carefully.
Based on your input keywords, this AI-based logo maker will suggest icons for your logo. So apart from the main keywords for your website, you should also use words that define your brand. (Ex: Witty, Friendly, Professional, Amusing, and so on.)
Once you are done adding all keywords, click on next.
This is where you will select the icon that you want to use as your brand logo.
Now, select a logo of your choice. Scroll down and click on more logos to generate more ideas. The best part is, everything is done instantly, and some of the ideas are much better than I imagined.
If you are not happy with any of the logo ideas, I recommend you to go back and enter more keywords in the Branding Keywords section.
Once you have selected the logo you want to use, click on next.
Most newbies usually stop after creating a logo for their brand. This is a big mistake. The color of your brand plays a major role in creating a visual brand identity and a long-lasting impression on your customers.
- Have you ever thought about why Facebook uses blue?
- Why does CocaCola use red?
This is not by chance; there is science behind it. If you don’t know about this, I suggest you take an extra 10 minutes right now and read these two articles:
- The Psychology Of Colors: How Does Color Affect Your Conversion
- Psychology Of Colors In Web-Design: How Do They Affect Your Readers?
There is power in using the right color for your brand.
So when we create a color scheme, we create a palette which consists of the main brand color and a few other complementary colors. This is the same thing we can do with Brandmark.
Once you have selected a color palette, scroll up to see the color “hex values”.
I suggest you note these values down on an Excel sheet, or even better, create a document called “Brand identity for $brandname” and keep the value there for easy access and sharing.
Click on next.
Here you need to pick two fonts:
- Logo font
- Body font
Scroll down to select the font combinations from the suggestions:
If you want to select the typeface for your logo, title, or body font, click on Choose fonts and make changes there. This is one thing I like about this tool as it lets us customize and personalize as much as we want.
Once you have selected the typography combination, click on next.
Now, you will be able to preview your choices. If you want to make any changes, simply click on back and feel free to adjust things as needed. You can preview what I just created using this link.
Once you are satisfied with the preview, click on next. This is where we can purchase our logo, color, and typography schemes.
Brandmark also offers the option to create a website for you, but I found it to be pricey as instead of a one-time cost, you will be paying monthly fees. So, let’s skip that.
If you already know the font (Hint: Use the WhatTheFont Chrome extension) and the color palette and only needed a logo idea, you don’t need to buy anything.
Otherwise, I recommend getting the Developer package which seems the most useful as you get a Vector logo in SVG and EPS formats along with a brand style guide.
Creating A Brand Identity
Brandmark is not your average tool, as it definitely makes the process of logo creation and creating a brand identity fun.
Moreover, the customization options ensure that whatever you create is truly yours.
Note: This tool is not a replacement of a full-time designer because there is a lot more branding work to be done. At the same time, bloggers and bootstrapped entrepreneurs can use this tool to create a brand identity from day one.
I will definitely use this artificial intelligence tool to create logos and brand identities in the future.
For now, I would like to hear your thoughts. Go ahead and try this tool to let me know how well you did creating a brand identity!
For further reading:
- Online Logo Maker: Free Logo Creator Tool
- 6 Effective Tips to Brand Your Blog Like ShoutMeLoud
- How to Build a Personal Brand (and Why You Need One)
Like this post? Share it with your friends!


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For nearly two decades, bariatric surgeon Dr Andrew Jenkinson has treated thousands of people with obesity. In his book, Why We Eat (Too Much), he debunks the myths around dieting and weight-loss.
Our old-fashioned understanding of obesity is slowly being challenged. Many scientists are realising that it is not the quantity of calories that are available in the food supply to a population that will affect obesity levels: it is the quality of the food available that causes obesity. Natural foods do not make populations fat. If a grain, oil and sugar based diet is fed to any population of people high levels of obesity occur.
Contrary to popular belief, our metabolism isn’t under our control and can vary dramatically depending on how much we eat. In those who diet a lot, their weight set-point – the level of energy (fat) storage that our brain calculates is necessary for our survival – shifts. The more diets you’ve been on, the higher your weight set-point and the slower your metabolism, because your body wants to protect you.
Why (most) diets don’t work
Low calorie diets
Very low calorie diets (600–1,200kcal/day) like LighterLife or SlimFast generally use meal-replacement shakes and soups and by definition are not sustainable if you want to have a good quality of life (i.e. be able to eat). Low-calorie diets cause changes in our metabolism. In the long run they raise your set-point, meaning that when you come off the diet you will regain all your lost weight and then some more until your new weight set-point is reached.
Low carb diets
The Atkins, Paleo and Dukan diets are based on low-carb eating. Once carbohydrate intake is reduced to under 20 grams per day, a process called ketogenesis occurs. There are many celebrity advocates of ketogenic dieting, such as Kim Kardashian. It is an effective way of reducing weight but it has very unpleasant side effects, from a pounding headache to weakness, constipation and flu-like symptoms. The aim of the ketogenic diet is to starve your body of carbohydrates so it has to use up its own stores. By not taking in any food that can be broken down into glucose, you are forcing your body to start using the reserve that is stored in the liver. As with most diets, if you lost a lot of weight dieting this way, and then reverted to eating more normally again, you would regain all of that lost weight... and more.
Popular examples of intermittent fasting are the 5:2 diet and the 16/8 diet. The 5:2 diet involves eating normally for five days, and limiting calorie intake to 500 or 600kcal for two days. The 16/8 diet advocates eating during an eight-hour window in the day. Both diets advise avoiding processed foods.
Unlike many other types of diets, intermittent fasting, just like low-carb dieting, remains popular - which means that it probably does work for some people. How does fasting work? By decreasing the opportunities for eating, and at the same time by avoiding processed foods, both the insulin profile and the omega ratio of the dieter will be improved and therefore the weight set-point will be reduced.
Vegetarian and Vegan Diets
Many vegans or vegetarians eat out of concern for the environment and animal welfare, but are these diets helpful for weight loss? Two of the main causes of an elevated set-point (and therefore weight gain) are unnaturally high insulin profiles and a relative deficiency of omega-3 compared to omega-6 essential fatty acids. Most vegetarians and vegans will eschew many types of processed foods because they contain animal products. This has a positive effect on both the amount of sugar and the amount of omega-6 oils they consume. However, frying foods in vegetable oils and consuming nuts and seeds (all high in omega-6) will have a detrimental effect on their omega profile, particularly as fish (a valuable source of omega 3) is excluded from their diet.
They also may consume a lot of bread, pasta and rice, which has a detrimental effect on their insulin profiles and weight. However, I find most vegans and vegetarians are aware of the quality of their food, more inclined to prepare their own meals and more likely to avoid processed foods. If they can avoid taking in too much sugar or refined carbohydrates, their set-point (and weight) will fall.
How to curb cravings
Many people report fewer cravings when they start to eat well. However, there are times when certain foods seem to be calling us! The chocolate in the fridge says, ‘you deserve a treat, you have had a hard day.’
It is important not to underestimate the intensity of cravings. Many of my patients say they feel edgy, agitated and restless while experiencing a craving and most say it becomes difficult to reason with themselves. So how can you manage cravings?
- Get moving – there is a lot of physical agitation associated with cravings and moving can ‘burn up’ this extra energy. Some of my clients dance or march on the spot. It is not simply about distraction; it is about directing this extra energy.
- Surf the urge – what goes up, must come down! People often believe that an urge or craving will keep building. However, when we allow ourselves to observe an urge we often notice it builds in intensity and then disappears.
- And breathe - cravings arise from a high-energy state, which we can lower by remembering to breathe. An audio download of a three-minute breathing exercise can be found at https://franticworld.com
We need to re-think our omega fats
Ideally, and throughout history, the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 within our bodies would have been between 1:1 and 1:4 (i.e. four times more omega-6 than omega-3). If we go back to hunter/gatherer times, when food was fresh and not based on grains or vegetable oils, we would see this range. People living in remote areas of the world today, who consume natural home-grown foods, will have these levels as well. But if you consume a Western diet, many omega-3s have been removed and large amounts of omega-6 have been added to foods that have been processed.
So, the omega-3 to omega-6 ratio rises to a staggering 1:50 in some Westernised cities. The more omega-6 in the cell wall, the more that the appetite and weight regulating system will be ratcheted towards weight gain. An increase in the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio has been in implicated in: Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, anxiety mood disorders and suicide.
To optimise your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, follow some simple rules. Eat lots of greens, and eat lots of meat and fish that have eaten their greens - many farms feed their livestock an unnatural grain-based diet containing omega-6, in order to make them grow bigger faster (it works for animals as well as humans) so you will have to source grass fed meat very carefully.
This goes for fish too - farmed salmon that has been fed grain will have a much poorer omega-3; omega-6 profile than line-caught fish. You can also include dairy products, including butter. Cut out vegetable oil, seeds (including grains) and processed foods. Because the good foods tend to be fresh for only a short period of time, you will have to shop regularly and you will have to cook.
What alcohol does to your weight set point
We know that alcohol can cause many serious illnesses, from heart disease and cancer, but how much does our alcohol consumption contribute to obesity? When we count the calories, it looks bleak. For UK adults, the average weekly alcoholic calorie intake is over 1,800kcal. But my book is all about not counting calories and instead questioning how different factors affect us metabolically. So, for now, let’s push away guilty thoughts about how many calories alcohol contains and think about how it influences our weight set-point.
Interestingly, alcohol can improve insulin’s function, making it more efficient. But the side effect of this is when we drink alcohol it can lead to lower levels of blood sugar. The brain senses this and tells us to eat – producing the late-night craving for a kebab or morning fry-up. Alcohol, because of its effect on blood-sugar levels (and cortisol), heightens our appetite and makes us eat more. If this extra food is high in sugar, wheat or vegetable oils then it raises our weight set-point.
In addition, moderate or heavy drinkers have higher cortisol levels, causing fat to be distributed to the abdomen. By cutting down your alcohol intake significantly (or quitting) your weight set-point and weight will fall. If you are an occasional or light drinker, and if you make good food choices when drinking, then it is unlikely that it is having a significant effect on your weight set-point.
Extracted from WHY WE EAT (TOO MUCH): The New Science of Appetite by Dr Andrew Jenkinson, published by Penguin Life at £16.99 © Dr Andrew Jenkinson 2019
Here's what Telegraph readers had to say:
'I also eat as part of a 16:8 fasting pattern'
"Keto helped me lose weight and keep it off. I also eat as part of a 16:8 fasting pattern with my main meal before I go to bed which helps me sleep through the night."
'Giving up alcohol is always a good thing'
"It is extraordinary, the horrible effect dairy has on the skin and on weight gain. Anyone wanting to lose weight should cut it out first and see what good that does. And giving up alcohol is always a good thing."
'Eat a balanced diet of real food'
"I stopped eating sugar and dropped 5 stone in 8 months. It works and I am living proof. Eat a balanced diet of real food, not processed food that is controlled by the 10 giant food corporations. The old mantra that 'a calorie is a calorie' is false! Sugar is metabolised in the liver completely different than other calories. Stay away from processed food and fizzy drinks and eat fresh fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs, butter, cheese, a little meat, fish, sardines, tuna etc."
'I will never go back to a standard high carb diet'
"I do agree with him on one point though - if you stop a low-carb diet, you will regain weight. But this illustrates an important part of it - you need to consider it a permanent lifestyle change rather than a quick fix diet. I've been eating low carb primal for 4 years, and I will never go back to a standard high carb diet. My kidney, liver and heart function are all completely normal, I get them tested every year and I've never had any issues."
'It still needs to be healthy'
"Adults only need to eat twice a day maximum (unless very active) and it still needs to be 'healthy' or generally one will get fat."
Which other common dieting myths need debunking? What are your personal weight-loss tips? Tell us in the comments below.