text:
What is Pancreatic Cancer?
Brief description of the pancreas
The pancreas is a gland that is located deep in the abdomen, between the stomach and the spine. It makes enzymes that help in the digestion and produces hormones that control blood sugar levels.
Definition of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of death especially in the United States, after lung and colorectal cancers
Pancreatic cancer is simply the cancer of the pancreas. It begins when abnormal cells in the pancreas begin to grow and divide out of control and form a tumour because normally organs like the pancreas are made up of cells, cells divide to form new cells as the body needs them, when cells get old, they die and new cells take their place.
Sometimes, this processes breaks, new cells are formed when the body does not need them, or when the old cells do not die. The extra cells may form a mass of tissue called tumour. Some tumours are benign which means they ae abnormal but they do not invade other parts of the body and some tumours are malignant, malignant tumours are called cancer, they cells grow out of control and unlike benign tumours, malignant tumours invade tissues and organs of the body.
Types of pancreatic cancer
There are two types of pancreatic cancer which are the Exocrine cancers and Endocrine cancers.
Exocrine tumors are the majority of pancreatic cancers, and the most common form is called adenocarcinoma, which begin in gland cells, usually in the ducts of the pancreas. These tumors tend to be more aggressive than neuroendocrine tumors, the kind that Jobs had, but if caught early enough they can be treated effectively with surgery.
Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors constitute only 1% of all pancreatic cancers. They can be benign or malignant, but the distinction is often unclear and sometimes apparent only when the cancer has spread beyond the pancreas.
The five-year survival rate for neuroendocrine tumors can range from 50% to 80%, compared with less than 5% for adenocarcinoma.
Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer:
Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer often don’t occur until the disease is advanced. The signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer may include:
- Pain in the upper abdomen that radiates to your back
- Loss of appetite or unintended weight loss
- New-onset diabetes
- Blood clots
- Yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)
Pancreatic cancer is usually controllable only through removal by surgery, and only if found before it has spread, according to the National Cancer Institute. Palliative care can help a patient’s quality of life if the disease has spread.
Causes of pancreatic cancer:
It’s not clear what causes pancreatic cancer in most cases. Doctors have identified factors, such as smoking, that increase your risk of developing the disease.
Risk Factors of pancreatic cancer:
Risk increases if a person has two or more first-degree relatives (parent, sibling or child) who have had the disease, a first-degree relative who developed pancreatic cancer before the age of 50, or an inherited genetic syndrome associated with pancreatic cancer. The risk increases if a greater number of family members are affected. Also, the risk of pancreatic cancer increases if there is a history of familial breast, ovarian or colon cancer, familial melanoma or hereditary pancreatitis. Approximately 10 percent of pancreatic cancer cases are related to a family history of the disease.
Pancreatic cancer is more likely to occur in people who have long-standing (over 5 years) diabetes.
Smoking is a significant risk factor and may cause about 20-30 percent of all exocrine pancreatic cancer cases. People who smoke cigarettes are 2 times more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than people who have never smoked.
African-Americans have a higher incidence of pancreatic cancer compared to individuals of Asian, Hispanic or Caucasian descent. There is also a higher incidence of pancreatic cancer among Ashkenazi Jews, possibly due to a mutation involving the breast cancer (BRCA2) gene that is found in about 1 percent of individuals of this background.
The chance of developing pancreatic cancer increases with age. Most people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are over the age of 60.
Slightly more men are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer than women. This may be linked to higher smoking rates in men.
The link of diet and the development of pancreatic cancer is still unclear. A diet high in red and processed meats is thought to increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. A diet high in fruits and vegetables may decrease the risk.
Obese people have a 20 percent increased risk of developing the disease compared to people who are of normal weight. The risk is even higher in people who are obese during early adulthood. People with excessive abdominal fat may have an increased risk independent of general obesity.
Complications of Pancreatic cancer:
- Weight loss
- Intestinal/bowel obstruction
Prevention of pancreatic cancer:
- Avoid smoking
- Maintain a healthy wealth
- Eat a healthy diet
- Drink enough water

domain: medical


text:
ITS HAPPY HOUR!!
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
I really like the yoshi's island/Wario Land for VirtualBoy Style gameplay and art
Very cool, really looking forward to the full release. Feels like a true Wario Land 4 successor.
this is fun
would it be possible for you to have it be able to be downloaded via the itch app/program?
weird but cool i guess
Feels like a Wario land game in all the good ways!
Also, didn't expect rumble on gamepads.
Antonblast is one of those games that undoubtedly has the potential to reach the same level as games like Shovel Knight and Cuphead. Beautiful, well animated and extremely fun, the game demonstrates the level of care that the developers are having, by presenting very animated sprites, a world with depth and a funny story. This game is worth trying. Congratulations to the developers but not only that the people who worked on this passionately in general :D
Awesome!!!! Just amazing!
It has only one level but I have played it tons of times, really cool game!
Antonblast is one of those games that undoubtedly has the potential to reach the same level as games like Shovel Knight and Cuphead. Beautiful, well animated and extremely fun, the game demonstrates the level of care that the developers are having, by presenting very animated sprites, a world with depth and a funny story. This game is worth trying. Congratulations to the developers.
This game is a pretty good take on a Wario-Like. I tried to download the game on the itchio desktop app, but it's having some sort of a problem. So I downloaded off the browser instead. Hopefully you can fix that? Apart from that, I hope this game becomes the best.
Great game! Took me back to my Toe Jam and Earl, Bubsy, Vectorman, Coolspot days! Here is my gameplay! Thanks for sharing!
This was such a fun game. Great work!
The GOTY is here
IT'S HAPPY HOUR!
ANTONBLAST is a spiritual successor to Wario Land, and heck is it a blast to play! A box breaking, house shaking, money making, hammer slamming good time!
I'm honestly impressed with the amount of polish the first level has, there were so many secrets that were hiding here and there and this is just a TUTORIAL level!!! Controls very smoothly though how Anton attacked took a bit to get used to.
How do I download the update?
For some reason i was only able to download it on the itch web page instead of in app. Hope it helps!
Holy shit! It's antônio explosão for the PC Computer, available on Itch.io and Steam!
"Look guys look! Its Anton s greatest achievement, AntonBlast on the Gameboy advance Ha Ha Ha!"
This was cool! The destruction, movements and cartoony feel. Excited to see how boss fights and other developments go with this game
Made a video
This game is SO GOOD like srsly i got myself to listen to Its happy hour! This game has ALOT of replayabillity even tho its a demo Cannot wait for the full game!
This game looks so fucking good
IT'S HAPPY HOUR!!!
I was a huge Antonball fan, but I genuinely think this has the potential to be greater than Pizza Tower and maybe even Wario Land in my eyes. Keep up the #ANTONSWEEP!
Honestly this looks better then pizza tower-
very good yes very fun blasting
just put a fat italian pizza man and you have pizza tower 2
PHENOMENAL holy shit is it good
not sure if I can run it but it looks so great so I'll just assume it plays like heaven
Watch out Pizza Tower, it's coming for you!
I love it. But I'm stuck at the elevator(?). It seems like I need to enter it, and I thought I'd just press up to do so, but I tried that, and a whole lot of other things and nothing seems to work. What am I supposed to do here?
okay, I guess I can just continue to the right. But I still don't get how I can interact, if at all, with the elevator.
SO FUNNY ARCADE.
Getting some strong wariolandy vibes!
this is a game
I'm bout to BLAST

domain: entertainment


The City of San Diego Year 2000 Redistricting Commission will hold public hearings in each City Council district in April and May to gather recommendations for redrawing district lines. Members of the public and representatives of community organizations will have an opportunity to address the Commission during each of the hearings, according to Chairman Ralph Pesqueira.
Redrawing of City Council district boundaries is required by the City Charter in order to equalize district population and ensure equal representation. Census 2000 results show that some districts will need to loose population while others will need to gain population. Community input will assist Commissioners in deciding the direction and extend of boundary adjustments. The seven-member Redistricting Commission has the sole and exclusive authority to adopt plans that redistrict the City. A final plan is expected to be filed with the City Clerk before Labor Day.
A schedule for hearings follows. All meetings start at 6:00 p.m.
1. Monday, April 23 - Tub-man-Chavez Cultural Center, 415 Euclid Ave., District 4.
2. Wednesday, April 25 - Normal Heights Community Center, 4649 Hawley Blvd., District 3
3. Monday, April 30 - Clairemont Community Service Center, 4731 Clairemont Drive, District 6
4. Friday, May 4 - Tierra-santa Recreation Center, 11220 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., District 7
5. Monday, May 7 - Forum Hall, above Wells Fargo Bank in University town Center, 4545 La Jolla Village Drive, District 1
6. Wednesday, May 9 - Otay Mesa Library, 3003 Coronado Avenue, District 8
7. Monday, May 14 - Pacific Beach/Earl & Birdie Taylor Library, 4275 Cass Street, District 2
8. Wednesday, May 16 - Scripps Ranch Library, 10301 Scripps Lake Drive, District 5
More information is located at the Year 2000 Redistricting Commission website: www.sandiego.gov/redistricting/


text:
Traveller reviews and ratings for 343 beaches on TripAdvisor, a leading travel planning and booking site, have brought five stunning Greek beaches in the spotlight again for 2017.
TripAdvisor has just announced the winners of its 2017 Travelers’ Choice Awards for Beaches and it comes as no surprise that Elafonissi Beach in Crete ranked ninth in the Top 25 in the World and was crowned the second best among the Top 25 in Europe.
Another four Greek beaches are included in Tripadvisor’s Top 25 of Europe: including Crete’s other famous waters at Balos Beach and Lagoon in Kissamos placed 7th, Kleftiko Beach on Milos in the Cyclades ranked 8th, Saint Paul Beach in Lindos on Rhodes came in at 13th place, while Simos Beach in Elafonisis in the Laconia region of Greece took 20th place.
“To inspire those planning a beach getaway, we’ve surfaced the world’s best beaches from the millions of our traveler reviews,” said Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor.
This year, Baia do Sancho Beach, in Brazil, was ranked by TripAdvisor reviewers as the global winner.

domain: news


Letter: Unarmed people become sheep to be slaughtered by government
Published 01/19/2013, INFORUM
Can we cut away the debris and rhetoric from the discussion of gun control on the right and on the left?Word count: 480
The full article is available to newspaper subscribers. If you are a subscriber please log in to continue reading.


text: In a mountainous area in Wakayama Prefecture, a group of young people wanted to renovate a thatched-roof house to help attract visitors. With no experience or money, they relied on a local custom called yui that promotes mutual assistance. They recruited friends, local residents and professionals. One young team member even moved to the area to help make the project a reality. This is the story of how yui helped them overcome numerous challenges and create a lasting asset for the community.

domain: sociology


Three West Midlands pubs have to pay fines and costs of more than £327,000 for showing Sky Sports illegally in a successful private prosecution.
The case was led by Matt Bosworth, head of regulation at law firm Russell-Cooke, on behalf of Fact, the Federation Against Copyright Theft, and its member, Sky UK. The claimant predicted that it would prompt many more private prosecutions over copyright theft.
Matt Bosworth appears in The Times The Brief saying "this case was the largest of its type ever undertaken by Fact".
Pubs fined £327k in private prosecution for illegal football broadcasts is available to read on The Times website via subscription.
Matt is a partner and is head of the regulation and sports law team. He specialises in professional disciplinary matters, financial regulatory matters and the protection of intellectual property rights and copyright in both civil and criminal matters.


text:
IFG Advisory LLC acquired a new stake in Cummins Inc. (NYSE:CMI) in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor acquired 6,048 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $296,000.
A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Boston Partners bought a new stake in Cummins in the third quarter valued at approximately $416,229,000. APG Asset Management N.V. lifted its position in Cummins by 5.4% in the fourth quarter. APG Asset Management N.V. now owns 2,065,872 shares of the company’s stock valued at $303,894,000 after purchasing an additional 105,100 shares during the last quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC lifted its position in Cummins by 2.0% in the third quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 1,997,863 shares of the company’s stock valued at $335,701,000 after purchasing an additional 39,674 shares during the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its position in Cummins by 0.6% in the third quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 1,980,849 shares of the company’s stock valued at $332,843,000 after purchasing an additional 11,714 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Investec Asset Management LTD lifted its position in Cummins by 14.7% in the third quarter. Investec Asset Management LTD now owns 1,939,429 shares of the company’s stock valued at $325,882,000 after purchasing an additional 249,170 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.44% of the company’s stock.
Several analysts have weighed in on CMI shares. Argus boosted their price objective on Cummins from $172.00 to $195.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, November 6th. Buckingham Research boosted their price objective on Cummins from $180.00 to $195.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 1st. Bank of America upgraded Cummins from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $215.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Friday, January 19th. ValuEngine raised Cummins from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, Barclays began coverage on Cummins in a research note on Tuesday, December 12th. They set an “equal weight” rating and a $180.00 target price on the stock. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have assigned a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Cummins presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $182.07.
Cummins (NYSE:CMI) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 31st. The company reported $2.71 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $2.47 by $0.24. The company had revenue of $5.29 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.79 billion. Cummins had a return on equity of 21.28% and a net margin of 8.49%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 26.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.02 earnings per share. analysts predict that Cummins Inc. will post 10.22 EPS for the current year.
TRADEMARK VIOLATION NOTICE: “IFG Advisory LLC Takes $296,000 Position in Cummins Inc. (CMI)” was first posted by Community Financial News and is the sole property of of Community Financial News. If you are viewing this story on another site, it was copied illegally and reposted in violation of international copyright and trademark laws. The correct version of this story can be viewed at https://www.com-unik.info/2018/02/02/ifg-advisory-llc-takes-296000-position-in-cummins-inc-cmi.html.
Cummins Inc designs, manufactures, distributes and services diesel and natural gas engines and engine-related component products. The Company’s segments include Engine, Distribution, Components and Power Systems. The Engine segment manufactures and markets a range of diesel and natural gas powered engines under the Cummins brand name, as well as certain customer brand names, for the heavy and medium-duty truck, bus, recreational vehicle (RV), light-duty automotive and agricultural markets.
Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CMI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Cummins Inc. (NYSE:CMI).
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text:
Abby J. Reed writes young adult science fiction and fantasy novels that ask what if. She has a degree in English Writing and is drawn to characters with physical limitations due to her own neurological disorder called Chronic Migraine. Her debut novel, WHEN PLANETS FALL, will be published in April 2017 by Soul Mate Publishing.
Abby lives in Colorado with her husband and two fluffy pups. If her hands aren’t on the keyboard, they are stained purple and blue with paint.
GUEST POST on Writing through Writer’s Block:
Warning: I talk extensively about cupcakes (I have a massive cupcake addiction . . .) and this might make you hungry.
My struggle with writer’s block is probably a little different than others. I don’t really have a problem with coming up with ideas. I get new novel ideas probably 2345 times a day. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t write anything down and only work with what sticks.
My writer’s block problem comes from Chronic Migraine. Migraine pain is like dumping a bucket of ice water onto a warm cupcake. That cupcake used to look good, but now you couldn’t pay me to eat a pulverized soggy cold cupcake. I might be on a creative roll and all my ideas look amazing and shiny, but after I aggravate to a certain point, my creative cupcake gets too soggy and cold to work with.
After several years of writing, I’ve developed ways to make my cupcake last longer. Hand editing is easier for me than computer-editing. Drafting with the screen off makes my sessions last longer. Printing on gray paper is easier for me to read than white. I can bribe family members with candy to read aloud to me when the pain turns really bad and I’m on deadline.
Eventually, I have to leave my soggy cupcake and come back. Some days, it’s magically warm and gooey and smothered in frosting like all cupcakes should be (hungry yet?). Other days, I still won’t go near it. It totally depends on how I’m feeling that day.
On soggy cupcake days, I can still use my wait-and-see-if-it-refreshes time. I’ll daydream about my writing and my characters. I’ll read research books. I’ll think about my outline. And I always always always outline. This ensures I’m not wasting any time and cuts down on major revisions. These always make me excited about the next warm creative cupcake day and cuts back on any normal writing blocks.
On the rare occasion a normal idea block happens—it’s not a soggy cupcake problem. It’s a stale cupcake problem.
I’m just stuck thinking about the problem a certain way and my cupcake got bored.
So, I’ll paint or take a shower. Anything to get my mind motivated on something else to get my subconscious chewing on the problem. By the time I sat down for my next writing session, my cupcake is ready and I can let the words flow!
More info on Abby’s debut novel:
WHEN PLANETS FALL (Stars Fall Circle #1)
Author: Abby J. Reed
Pub. Date: April 12, 2017
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads
On a planet where the only difference between three tribes is their blood color, war is on the horizon. Breaker, an amputee, wants peace for his family and home. Malani, a kidnapped POW, wants to return home. Luka wants justice for his home. All three teens come together when Breaker is given seven days to fix a wrecked enemy starship or their home, and peace, is forfeit..
“In this richly imagined start to a new sci-fi series, Reed brings optimism to the goal of solving entrenched violence in a galaxy far, far away . . . A propulsive, sharply crafted tale about a planetary war.” –Kirkus Reviews
Website | Facebook | Twitter |Pinterest | Instagram | Tumblr | Goodreads
1 winner will receive a signed paperback of WHEN PLANETS FALL & Swag, US Only.
One thought on “Guest Post by YA author Abby J. Reed with a giveaway of her debut novel WHEN PLANETS FALL”

domain: literature


text:
Dear MaiCoin Users,
MaiCoin will support the BNB Chain and Ethereum (ETH) hard fork. In order to ensure the safety of the user’s assets, deposit and withdrawal of the ETH and ERC20 tokens and NFT will be suspended temporarily .
Deposits initiated during the maintenance will be credited to your accounts once the maintenance is completed. We will provide an update once the services resume. Thank you for your understanding.
The estimated schedule is as follows：
- 04/12 (Wed) 16:00 (UTC+8) BNB and all BSC token deposits and withdrawals on BSC network will be suspended.
- 04/13 (Thu) 00:00 (UTC+8) ETH and all ERC20 token deposits and withdrawals on Ethereum network will be suspended.
- This fork is only an upgrade of the system so it will not result in forked chains or new tokens. We will handle technical issues and there is no action for users to take. We will keep you updated if any changes.
- BSC token on MaiCoin- BNB, BSC-BTC,BSC-ETH, BSC-USDT
- Note: ERC20 token on MaiCoin - AAVE, AXS, ALICE, APE, COMP, CHZ, DAI, ETH, ENS, GRT, GALA, LINK, LDO, MAX, MATIC, MANA, PAXG, SAND, SLP, ERC-USDT, ERC-USDC, UNI
Thank you for your support.

domain: finance


text:
Daily cases rises more than 30,000 after the Onam celebrations, Kerala has decided night curfew will be from 10 pm to 6 am from Monday to Saturday. The statement got here as Kerala pronounced 25,772 new cases of coronavirus and 189 deaths today, pushing the caseload to 42,53,298 and overall fatalities until date to 21,820.
On 3 September, the state had stated 29,322 cases after reporting over 30,000 cases for numerous days and for the reason that then the numbers have steadily declined.
The check positivity rate (TPR) has additionally declined after it reached almost 20% numerous days ago. On Tuesday, the TPR became determined to be 15.87 percent trying out 1,62,428 samples in a span of 24 hours. With this, 3,26,70,564 samples had been examined until now.The bulletin additionally stated that for the reason that Monday, 27,320 people have recovered from the infection taking the overall recoveries to 39,93,877 and the quantity of active cases to 2,37,045.
Among the 14 districts of the state, Ernakulam recorded the most with 3,194 cases observed through Malappuram (2,952), Kozhikode (2,669), Thrissur (2,557), Kollam (2,548), Palakkad (2,332), Kottayam (1,814), Thiruvananthapuram (1,686), Kannur (1,649), Alappuzha (1,435), Pathanamthitta (1,016) and Idukki (925).
From the new cases,125 had been health workers, 133 from outside the state and 24,253 infected through touch.Currently, there are 6,18,684 people below surveillance in diverse districts. Of these, 5,85,749 are in domestic or institutional quarantine and 32,935 in hospitals.


text:
My 2 cents
If I remember my history of the typewriter correctly, the original mechanical design had the keys in alphabetical order. It wasn't long before typists became so adept and fast (bansai-ed?) that these early models kept jamming as the returning typebars could not get out of the way of subsequent type bars.
The QWERTY arrangement was designed specifically for left-handed people and since there weren't many left-handed typists (momof7's family notwithstanding), this forced the right-handers to slow down and reduce thr frequency of jamming.
"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." ~ Albert Einstein

domain: history


text:
Author's Note: So many of you begged for a sequel and the plot bunnies wouldn't leave me alone so you're in luck. Enjoy.
This is unbetaed so any errors are my own. (Please feel free to send me a message if you notice anything glaring)
The tongue lapping at her neck was warm and wet, causing Rose to shiver, though not from cold. She'd barely recovered from her orgasm when the Doctor had flipped her over and started to cover her body with kisses. She had a suspicion that this was his way of getting her back for not letting him touch her earlier.
He was touching her now though. Oh, god, was he ever. She moaned as his moist lips encircled the tip of her breast. She felt his tongue flick her nipple, circling, tapping, tasting. He began to suck, drawing more of the tender flesh into his mouth.
A ripple of sensation radiated through her body, starting at the point where his mouth was joined to her breast and working its way outward from there.
Their eyes met, and Rose's breath caught in her throat. It was amazing how after all this time, he could still take her breath away with a simple glance.
His eyes remained fixed on hers as he shifted his ministrations to her other breast. There was heat in their depths, but there was also a hint of something else - something akin to possessiveness, as though he were mocking her, letting her know that this was his show now.
As proof, his hands found hers and he held them still as he kissed his way lower. Slowly, languidly, he licked the smooth skin surrounding her belly button, dipping his tongue into the crevice, causing the dampness between her legs to increase.
"Doctor," Rose groaned, shifting her hips slightly, pleading with him.
He shot her a look that said he knew exactly what she wanted, but he wouldn't be rushed. Oh, yes, she thought, he was taking a wicked delight in turning the tables on her.
He released her hands and sat back on his knees. He was conveniently situated between her legs and Rose had a feeling she was in for some serious teasing before he would bring her release.
She was both delighted and dismayed when she was proven correct.
He cupped her foot in his hands and brought it to his lips. He kissed the sole tenderly before drawing her big toe into his mouth.
Rose gasped. She'd never realized that part of her body could be so erotic. If she had been wearing pants they would have been soaked. As it was, she was having difficulty breathing evenly. The Doctor smiled and did the same thing with her other foot. This time, the sensation caused her hips to buck and she cried out his name.
Again, the Doctor smiled and he lazily began to lick along the side of her foot, over her ankle, up her calf. Rose's breathing continued to quicken as he worked his way higher, stopping at her knee.
He pulled away and instantly Rose missed the feel of his mouth against her skin. She didn't miss it long, however, for no sooner had the thought entered her mind, than she felt his tongue beginning to trace its way up her other leg. Again he stopped at her knee and switched legs. He repeated his actions twice per leg before finally voyaging north.
Rose was astonished to discover that it was worth the wait. Every nerve ending in her body was on fire now and the sensation she felt when he kissed her thigh was more intense than anything she'd ever experienced before.
He inched higher, ever so slowly and Rose nearly cried with frustration and impatience. She moved her hands toward her centre, in hopes of taking care of things herself, but, predictably, he batted her hands away and uttered a sexy growl before returning to his labours. He ran his tongue over the underside of her thigh, tracing wet patterns along her skin as he climbed toward the place she wanted him to touch the most. He repeated this motion several times, always getting a little bit closer, and always backing away before he reached the prize.
Rose felt as though her entire body were one giant nerve. With every caress of his tongue she felt her grip on reality loosen as the warm tingling in her belly grew and spread through her system.
He was nearly there now and Rose breathed more rapidly in anticipation. This time she could feel his breath against the skin at her centre and she could hold on no longer. She threw her head back and screamed his name as her body writhed against the bed.
The ferocity of her sudden orgasm surprised the Doctor and he had to sit up to avoid being kicked in the head.
He watched in fascination as the final shocks of her orgasm faded and she shuddered one last time, an expression of clear bliss etched across her glorious features.
He lay beside her, pulling her body close to his, holding her as her heart rate slowed to a steadier pattern. Things hadn't worked out exactly as he had pictured. In fact, his plans for retaliation had played out far better than he ever could have imagined.


text:
Introduction to Combo
Combo's are a combination of cards that provide a specific effect that can not be achieved alone. Some examples of what combo's can do are: do 20 damage, do an "infinite" amount of damage, cause the opponent to draw 60 or more cards, or prevent your opponent from doing anything. It is impossible to do an "infinite" amount of anything in magic, as you do have to choose a specific number. However you can choose an incredibly high number (such as 100,000,000 damage) so the effect is the same. A combo usually wins you the game. History
The first combo deck to be played competitively was based on the interactions between Lich
and Mirror Universe
. The combo works by putting your life total at 0, and then switching your life totals, resulting in your opponent having 0 life, and therefore losing.
The first truly successful combo deck appeared in Mirage block. This deck was called "Prosperous Bloom," or "Pros-Bloom", after its' two main combo components, Cadaverous Bloom
. The deck worked by removing cards from your hand from the game to get mana to fuel the combo. Then you would play Prosperity
, draw cards to refill your hand, and then remove cards from the game again, and continue this cycle. This would eventually give you enough mana to play a Drain Life
to win the game.
Pros-Bloom was so good, that its' spectacular success led to the banning of Squandered Resources
. This prevented Pros-Bloom from being the powerhouse it used to be. Innovations and Progress
As years passed, players began to understand the game better, and the card pool of Magic was expanded, more and more combo's naturally were created. These combo's also started to become more and more efficient. Gone were the days of 7cc 4/4's attacking and blocking each other. Combo had pushed the game forward, and other styles of play had to compensate to keep up. With each discovery and each new revision, Magic players had come to understand how to best play and design combo decks.
In 1998, combo demonstrated its' incredible potential. Urza's Saga, Urza's Legacy, and Urza's Destiny comprised the Urza set. This block ushered in what is now referred to as "Combo Winter". This block had more banned cards in Standard and in it's Block Constructed than any other set. It also has cards banned in Legacy, and restricted in Vintage. While it was legal it also had banned cards in Extended. This set is also home to the first "emergency-banned" card. Memory Jar
was set to be printed and allowed to play; however, last minute Wizards of the Coast realized this mistake, and banned it before it could completely and single handedly change the game.
There was a saying that came of this set, that games were decided by the flip of a coin. This was to illustrate that who ever went first won, because they could create a turn one combo win. While this is slightly exaggerated, the point is nevertheless quite obvious. Combo reigned supreme, and players were frustrated by the sheer dominance and interactiveness of it. R&D does promote combos, because it creates an entirely new and exciting flair to the game. They are now much more aware and careful about creating too powerful a combo, largely in part of the Urza set.
In 2003 a new mechanic was released into the Magic world, and reinvented how combo was played. A card with the storm mechanic was copied for each spell that was played before it that turn. This mechanic was abused by playing many spells before it, and achieving an exaggerated effect from the storm mechanic. The majority of spells played beforehand were and are mana acceleration cards that simultaneously add another storm copy and provide mana to fuel it and other spells. The five storm cards printed in this set were Mind's Desire
, Tendrils of Agony
, Brain Freeze
, Wing Shards
, and Hunting Pack
. The only reactive card of those five is Wing Shards
. It also can not win on it's own, and consequently saw the least amount of play.
Storm has made a major impact in all formats. Combo was drastically changed with the printing of storm. Some decks that were spawned out of Storm include, Burning Desire, Meandeck Tendrils, Dragonstorm, Solidarity, TES, TPS, Grimlong, Desire. These all had success ranging from moderate to dominating a format.
Storm led to the most powerful deck ever created. This deck was called Burning Desire, or more commonly named Long. Burning Desire was named for how the deck abused Burning Wish
and Mind's Desire
. Long was a reference to Mike Long, and while he did not design the deck, he was one of the first players to really advertise it. Long has long been known as one of the best deck designers in the game, and thus it was coined Long.
Burning Desire was only vintage legal, and once it started to show signs of being truly degenerate, Wizards did some intense testing of the deck. Through these tests they discovered the deck wins at least 60% of the time on turn one. Not only was it extremely consistent on turn one and two, it was extremely consistent through disruption. Many variations have been derived from this deck post-restriction in an attempt to restore it to the decks' former power.
Meandeck Tendrils is known as the fastest deck ever created. It was named after Team Meandeck, a group of players who worked cooperatively as a team, and Tendrils, after Tendrils of Agony
, its' win piece. Played correctly, it wins nearly every time on turn one. However it is also known for being one of the most complicated decks ever. Even the creator, and one of, if not the best combo player ever could not play it correctly every time. It required absolute focus, and to calculate the correct order and sequence of spells took too long for sanctioned play. In a sense, the deck was so good that no one could correctly play it.
In Time Spiral, Wizards reprinted Dragonstorm
and printed Empty the Warrens
became a dominate deck in standard and Empty the Warrens
became one of the best alternate win conditions in the game. What Makes a Bad Combo, Bad? It is too Complicated
With the vast array of effects in Magic, there are ways to list chains upon chains of cards to create a unique effect. However if it takes an abundance of cards to create that effect, it makes it difficult to assemble all those cards. The deck will also lose space for other useful cards, such as disruption and draw, because you are tied down by these combo pieces. If a combo is complicated and diluted, it also becomes much easier to disrupt. It is too Slow
Magic is an interactive game. While you are preparing to complete your combo, your opponent(s) are not going to just sit around and patiently wait. They are going to attempt to either stop you, kill you before you finish it, or complete a combo of their own before you can. If your deck is too slow, you are never going to be able to do your combo before you die. The deck could be too slow because of several reasons. Here is a brief checklist to see what your problem is. The Slow Combo Checklist:
The Combo Pieces are too Dependent
- Centerpiece(s) are too expensive: Never have enough mana to play it?
- Not enough draw or tutors: Can never seem to find the right cards?
- Too many filler cards: Always seem to draw cards that do nothing?
- Too many lands: Always seem to be manaflooded?
- Not enough mana: Can never seem to have enough lands, or other mana sources?
Combo decks are different from other decks in that they have cards that are especially important over others. While every card in the deck should be effective and beneficial to the deck, these combo pieces are the cards that you build decks around. If a card in the deck relies on another to be great, it is synergy. If a card in the deck is terrible unless coupled with another card, that is being too dependent. There are exceptions to the rule, but generally every card in the deck should be able to carry its' own weight. The Combo is Ineffective
What is the point in a combo if it doesn't do anything? Unless you are aiming for a wacky or spectacular effect, or simply just trying to do something, so you can say you did, if your deck is dedicated to achieving a combo you want that combo to win you the game in one form or another. One common mistake of newer players is to try to do an effect that doesn't always win you the game. Megrim
is a common example. Many players see the face value of it and dedicate their decks to Megrim
and various forms of discard. They fail to realize that you can only discard so many cards from an opponents hand and nearly every good discard card costs three or less. This makes it is very difficult to win by using Megrim
. The Combo is Unreliable
Sometimes a combo is dependent on what your opponent does or does not do. You want your combo to always achieve what you want it to, and be affected by little to nothing. If you can't rely on your combo to work, then you're going to have some games where it is simply impossible to succeed. What Makes a Good Combo Deck, Good?
"What Makes a Good Combo Deck, Good?" you ask? Well there are several elements. While it is not required to have all of these present to have it succeed, the more you can include, the better.
Let us compare your deck to a cruise liner. The cruise liner needs a powerful engine to push such a massive vehicle. In this case power is loosely defined as how effective the combo is, and how dominate is the overall deck. Without enough power, the deck flounders and does nothing. When determining this there are several things to ask yourself.
- Does it work?
- Will it win, set me up to win, or prevent my opponent from winning?
- Is there any chance the opponent can prevent this?
- How well does this fare against a wide variety of decks?
Consistency is how reliable your deck is. If your cruise liner turned left only 50% the time you wanted to turn left, it isn't very reliable. If you can only accomplish your combo and win 1 out of 100 times, then it is not very reliable. You want to be able to play out your combo as often as you can and be set up to maintain your combo pieces as quickly and often as you can. You need to be able to steer the ship whenever you want, just as you need to build the deck to perform whenever you want and as often as possible. The two main ways to make a deck more redundant and consistent is to have tutors and draw spells in your deck. This allows you to get the necessary cards as soon as possible. Speed
For combo decks, the goal is to fully complete the combo. The faster you can do it, the more likely you are to outrace your opponent. If your cruise liner takes ten years to progress 10 miles, not many people are going to want to get on the ship. If your deck takes 30 turns to complete, then you will never win. Speed is often attained through mana accelerators and a consistent deck. Mana accelerators give you more mana than you would otherwise have by playing one land a turn. This allows you to play spells ahead of schedule, thus speeding up your deck. Resiliency
Now your cruise liner has all the power, speed, and reliability in the world. Now say that if a wave were to hit it, the ship instantaneously explodes. This kind of durability needs are the same needs for a good magic deck. You want your deck to be able to withstand as much trauma as possible and still be able to win. The more your combo and deck can endure, the more often it will work and you will succeed. Protection
While Resiliency is a key ingredient to a good combo deck, sometimes it is best to help your cruise liner. Your cruise liner has been upgraded so it can sustain the impact of common waves, but is unable to deal with larger waves from storms. If you have a weather tracker and GPS on the ship, you can steer clear and stay unharmed. In your deck, this can be achieved by adding disruption. This will either allow you to prevent them from stopping you, or prevent them for winning as you set up your combo. There are many forms of disruption, but the most prevalent in combo decks are discard and counters. Relevant Links and Sources:
- Burning Through Type One With The Fastest Deck In Magic:

domain: game


text:
We know D.C. Get our free newsletter to stay in the know.
According to a message that went out to the MPD-4D listserv this morning from Lt. James Cullen, there was a fatal shooting last night on the 4500 block of Georgia Ave. NW around 9:00 p.m:
On Saturday, Nov. 8th, officers responded to the front of 4506 Georgia Ave., NW, for a shooting victim at about 9:00 pm. A black male subject was found suffering from multiple gunshots. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. The 4500 block of Georgia Avenue will be closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic through some of the morning hours on Sunday so that evidence technicians can finish processing the scene.
Anyone with any information about this case is asked to call 1-888-919-CRIME.
This after two men were found shot on Friday night not too far away, near the corner of Marlboro Pl. and Taylor St., NW. According to the MPD, both of those victims were in local hospitals as of this morning: one in critical condition, and the other stable.
If and when more details about either of these incidents come in, we will keep you updated.


text:
Cooler weather moves into the Boston region during the day on Thursday.
Overnight rain will last into Thursday morning, tapering off by midday and leaving behind cloudy skies and falling temperatures. Morning highs in the 50s will drop into the 40s later in the day, according to forecasters.
Cool temperatures are expected to continue on Friday.
Watch the forecast by AccuWeather below:
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text:
Mandarin Oriental Dekton Fireplace
News, Top Projects
April 27, 2015
This past January we had the pleasure of working with designer Pedram Rahim to create a Dekton fireplace for a suite at the Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas.
Pedram saw the unique characteristics of Dekton Aura as an inspiration for the fireplace and focused on using the bookmatching capabilities of the product to create a fireplace that transcended pure function and became the centerpiece of the room.
The grey and white tones of the surrounding suite play off of the look of Aura, creating the perfect backdrop for the modern LED fireplace. The fireplace inspired the use of Dekton in other areas of the suite as well, including the tub area and a pair of exquisite sinks.
Pedram received glowing feedback on the project is hoping to use the product again in future fireplace projects. We can’t wait to see what else he has in store!
Follow along on Twitter for more fireplace inspiration from Dekton with #DektonHearth.

domain: artistic


JSSC Revenue Employee Amin Recruitment Form 2018 – Vacancies 886
JSSC Revenue Employee Amin Recruitment Form 2018 : Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission , Here we are presenting the latest employment news, Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission is going to recruit multi-talented and competent candidates in this department. According to official notification, JSSC Revenue Staff Recruitment 2018 has been announced on the official website. If you never make a career in this field or should not miss this opportunity. JSSC Revenue Employee Vacancy 2018 has issued the opening of 886 posts for Amin and Revenue Staff. After fulfilling the condition of the passage given in the eligibility conditions, eligible and interested candidates should be eligible to apply Jharkhand Revenue Staff Recruitment 2018 from the official website. For job seekers, information about all information available on this single post goes to JSSC Bharti Notification 2018 and certainly there is no need to gather more information.
JSSC Revenue Employee Amin Recruitment 2018
JSSC Revenue Employee Amin Recruitment Form 2018 , Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission, Revenue Employee for the Eligible Candidates and Amin JSSC Revenue Employees Amin Invitation for the year 2018 is invited. It is a very prestigious and famous department of JSSC. Unemployment candidates waiting for JSSC recruitment 2018 notification will be eligible and should not be remembered for this because now-e-day government jobs are very handy or difficult in hand because all the people first try to work for state government jobs For and after the profile of self. JSSC Revenue Employee Amin Recruitment Form 2018. Those candidates are applying for examining various posts about JSSC Revenue Employees Amin Vacancy 2018, such as the number of vacancies, application form process, qualification, selection process, age limit, application letter, notification details and below this post. Other important factors given.
JSSC Revenue Employee Vacancy Notification 2018
|Department||Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission|
|Designation||Revenue Employee and Amin Posts|
|Number of Seats||886 Posts|
|Job Category||State Government Jobs|
JSSC Recruitment 2018 Post Details
|Junior Regional Investigator||16|
|Calculator under the departmental of Animal Husbandry Statistics||23|
The applicant must have completed Intermediate or 10 + 2 or its equivalent qualification from a recognized University or Board.
Minimum age: – 18 years
Maximum age: – 35 years
Candidates who participate in this Jharkhand SSC recruitment 2018 and will participate in the examination after selection, will be done by the Authority for two stages such as written examination and interview.
Normal / OBC candidates will have to pay Rs. 460 / –
SC / ST Candidates: – 150 / –
Click Here Apply Online JSSC Revenue Employee Amin Recruitment 2018
How to Apply for JSSC Vacancy 2018 Online Form
- Visit the JSSC Official Website’s Career Page
- Search for JSSC Revenue Employee Information 2018
- Read the Adopt Notification carefully
- After applicable, click Apply to online link
- Fill the application form according to the instruction
- Upload all scanned document documents
- Pay application fee
- Send it
- Take a printout copy of the application.
Website of the Department : www.jssc.in
Please Bookmark our website for further updates by Clicking CTRL+D. If there will be an update on this topic, we will provide it here on this web page. We have gathered the full details regarding “JSSC Revenue Employee Amin Recruitment Form 2018” Notification is for the guidance purpose of the aspirants. Keep in touch with our page WittyLoft.Com for more updates on State-wise Govt Job Notifications 2018. The information published on this website is only for information purpose. We are not responsible for any Inadvertent jobs recruitment or other information published here. We don’t assure that the data provided here is completely correct. We are not responsible for any loss you get on doing so. Here we have to update the latest job recruitment as well as all government job notifications and etc. All readers, please also see the details on the original website before making a decision. Such candidates, who are looking to enter government organizations, it is a good opportunity to know all the latest government information related to all states directly from the complete information. The website can use the link above After all recruitment boards have been published, details related to cut off marks, results and final merit list will be updated on our website. The wittyloft.com is not an official website, and not associated with the Government organization. Here we provide the Online Platform regards to Jobs and Exams. All the information provided has gathered various online/offline resources. Here we are not responsible for any unknown error which may be cryptic in the information published on this website, and for any loss or damage caused by any loss, faults or inaccuracies of information on this website.


text:
Death hoaxes may spread like crazy on Twitter, but memorials are what really went viral in 2013.
Every year Twitter showcases one or more Golden Tweets, also known as the year’s most popular tweets, as part of its annual year in review package. Each of this year’s highlighted tweets was shared more than 350,000 times, and two of 2013’s most-retweeted tweets were tributes to young stars passed who passed away.
The most-retweeted tweet of the year was sent by actress Lea Michele, who used Twitter to break her silence after the death of her Glee co-star and boyfriend, Cory Monteith. Michele tweeted this message: “Thank you all for helping me through this time with your enormous love & support. Cory will forever be in my heart,” along with a picture of the couple embracing. The viral remembrance was retweeted 408,266 times at its peak.
Thank you all for helping me through this time with your…
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text:
Clin Res Cardiol (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-022-02002-5
|TRoponin of Unknown origin in STroke evaluated by multi-component cardiac Magnetic resonance Imaging – the TRUST-MI study|
|S. Greulich1, P. Krumm2, L. Nenova1, K. A. L. Müller1, S. Poli3, K. Nikolaou2, U. Ziemann3, M. Gawaz1, A. Mengel3|
|1Innere Medizin III, Kardiologie und Kreislauferkrankungen, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen; 2Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen; 3Neurologie, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen;|
Increased high-sensitive cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) is a common finding in patients with acute ischemic stroke, occurring in more than 50% of the patients. However, only the minority of patients with elevated troponin demonstrates culprit lesions on coronary angiography with the need of immediate intervention. Therefore, other unknown mechanisms of myocardial damage causing elevated troponin levels must be present. Myocardial tissue damage of non-ischemic causes, e.g. inflammation, might be an alternative reason. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is the preferred method for non-invasive myocardial tissue characterization, with its technique of Late Gadolinium Enhancement (LGE) allowing distinct differentiation between ischemic and non-ischemic myocardial damage, and with the addition of recent mapping techniques (T1, T2, extracellular volume (ECV)) allowing even the detection of diffuse myocardial processes.
In this study, we sought to evaluate in troponin-positive stroke patients the prevalence of 1) culprit lesions by coronary angiography, and 2) myocardial tissue abnormalities by the use of a comprehensive CMR protocol including LGE-CMR and recent mapping techniques.
Patients with: 1) acute ischemic stroke, 2) no history of coronary artery disease, demonstrating increased troponin levels were prospectively enrolled. Beside coronary angiography, LGE-CMR was performed within the first days of the acute event. Ischemic LGE was defined as subendocardial or transmural enhancement; non-ischemic LGE was defined as intramural or subepicardial enhancement. Mapping values (T1, T2, ECV) were compared to the values of a healthy control group.
Twenty-five stroke patients (mean age 62 years; 44% females) with increased hs-cTnI [peak median 882 ng/L] had evaluable datasets with both coronary angiography and CMR exam. Only 2 patients (8%) with elevated troponin demonstrated culprit lesions in coronary angiography and underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Overall, 13 patients (52%) showed evidence of LGE: (i) n=4 ischemic LGE, (ii) n=4 non-ischemic LGE, (iii) n=5 a combination of ischemic AND non-ischemic LGE pattern. The 2 patients who underwent PCI had both ischemic (transmural) scars. However, the majority of LGE-positive patients (n=9) showed exclusively non-ischemic LGE, or at least a combination of non-ischemic and ischemic myocardial lesions as demonstrated by LGE-CMR. In the 12 LGE-negative (but troponin-positive) patients, CMR mapping techniques revealed myocardial damage by the presence of at least one increased mapping parameter (T1, T2, ECV) in n=9 (75%) patients.
Our data confirm a low prevalence (8%) of culprit lesions in troponin-positive stroke patients. However, 52% of our patients demonstrated myocardial damage detected by LGE-CMR, with the majority of patients showing non-ischemic lesions or at least a combination of non-ischemic and ischemic lesions. The addition of CMR mapping techniques additionally detected 75% of the LGE negative patients with myocardial tissue abnormalities, underlining the important role of mapping techniques in the detection of even subtle and diffuse myocardial changes compared to LGE-CMR alone. Therefore, a comprehensive CMR protocol including both LGE and mapping techniques seems to add important value to the challenging clinical work-up of troponin-positive stroke patients.


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My Dream Cast for the Next Marvel seriesby sturmelle | created - 12 Aug 2015 | updated - 20 Nov 2015 | Public
1. Marc Worden
Actor | The Invincible Iron Man
Marc Worden's acting career began in Toronto at the age of 9, in theater and television, including a recurring role on Road to Avonlea for CBC/Disney. At the age of 12, Marc was invited to join the cast of the Mickey Mouse Club for five seasons. His work led him to Los Angeles where clients have ...
Voice of Iron Man
Actor | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Michael Rosenbaum was born on July 11, 1972 in Oceanside, New York, USA as Michael Owen Rosenbaum. He is an actor and producer, known for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Smallville (2001) and Sweet November (2001).
Voice of Winter Soldier
Actress | Sideways
One of the hottest stars of the mid-1980s, Virginia Madsen has since played a variety of roles that have cemented her reputation as a fantastic actress who can adapt to any part.
Virginia was born in Chicago, Illinois, and belongs to an acting family -- with her brother, Michael Madsen, also an ...
Voice of Enchantress
4. Phil LaMarr
Actor | Pulp Fiction
A Los Angeles native, Phil is a graduate of Harvard-Westlake School, Yale University and The Groundlings Theater and is perhaps best known as one of the original cast members of MADtv (1995) and as Marvin in Pulp Fiction (1994).
In addition to numerous appearances on stages across the country, in ...
Voice of Black Panther Voice of Nightcrawler Voice of Beast
Actor | Feast
In describing Henry Rollins, the tendency is to try to squeeze as many labels as possible into a single sentence but if Henry Rollins could be reduced to a single word, that word would undoubtedly be "workaholic." When he's not traveling, Rollins prefers a to keep a relentless schedule full of work...
Voice of Cable
Actress | Wizards of Waverly Place
Maria Canals-Barrera was born on September 28, 1966 in Miami, Florida, USA as Maria Pilar Canals. She is an actress, known for Wizards of Waverly Place (2007), Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie (2009) and The Master of Disguise (2002). She has been married to David Barrera since January 16, 1999....
Voice of She-Hulk
Actor | Goodfellas
Peter Onorati was born and raised in Boonton, New Jersey. He attended college at Lycoming College, where he received his B.A. degree in Business Administration. He was an NCAA all-conference wide receiver, and signed up to play in the World Football League, which quickly collapsed. He then enrolled...
Voice of Dr. Doom
Actress | Hollywood Homicide
Voice of Wasp
Actor | Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Charles Fleischer was born on August 27, 1950 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. He is an actor, known for Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and Back to the Future Part II (1989).
Voice of Ant-Man
Actor | American Dad!
Dee Bradley Baker was born on August 31, 1962 in Bloomington, Indiana, USA. He is an actor, known for American Dad! (2005), Phineas and Ferb (2007) and The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004). He has been married to Michelle Baker since 1990. They have two children.
Voice of Chthon
11. Clancy Brown
Actor | The Shawshank Redemption
A tall, wavy-haired US actor with a deep, resonant voice, Clancy Brown has proved himself a versatile performer with first-class contributions to theater, feature films, television series and even animation.
Clarence J. Brown III was born in 1959 in Urbana, Ohio, to Joyce Helen (Eldridge), a concert...
Voice of Red Skull
12. Jose Yenque
Actor | Between
Yenque was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Son of New York veteran actress Teresa Yenque (30 Rock, Law & Order, The Affair) Yenque grew up in the New York theater scene since the age of 8 yrs old. While attending City-as-School High School he received a scholarship to Ballet Hispanico of N.Y...
Voice of Molecule Man Voice of Kang the Conqueror
13. Carl Lumbly
Actor | Men of Honor
From stage to screen, Carl Lumbly is an actor respected for his steadfast talent, versatility and class. His prolific career includes over 100 credits in television, film and the theatre, along with extensive critical acclaim.
He portrayed CIA agent 'Marcus Dixon,' the gentle, mild-mannered field ...
Voice of War Machine Voice of Falcon Voice of Nick Fury
14. Lisa Edelstein
Actress | House M.D.
From her role as Dr. Lisa Cuddy on the hit Fox series "House" to her starring role as Abby McCarthy in Bravo's first scripted series "Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce," Lisa Edelstein's range of roles are as diverse as her talent. Set for a Summer 2018 Season 5 premiere, "Girlfriends' Guide" is a ...
Voice of Silver Sable
15. Michael T. Weiss
Actor | The Pretender
Michael T. Weiss is an award nominated actor. He is a Chicago native where he studied at the famed "Second City". He has a BFA in Acting from The University of Southern California's prestigious school of Drama. He has had a diverse career in film, television, and theater both as an actor and a ...
Voice of Kraven the Hunter
16. Mark Hamill
Actor | Star Wars
Mark Hamill is best known for his portrayal of Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy - Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977), Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) - a role he reprised in Star Wars: Episode VII - ...
Voice of Baron von Strucker
17. Nicholas Guest
Nicholas Guest was born on May 5, 1951 in New York City, New York, USA as Nicholas Haden-Guest. He is known for his work on National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989), Trading Places (1983) and Astro Boy (2009). He has been married to Pamela Guest since November 26, 1989. He was previously ...
Voice of Klaw
18. Kevin Conroy
Actor | Batman: The Killing Joke
Kevin Conroy was born on November 30, 1955 in Westbury, New York. At age 17, Kevin earned a full scholarship to attend Juilliard's drama division, where he studied under actor John Houseman. In 1978, after graduating from Juilliard, he toured with "The Acting Company", Houseman's acting group, and ...
Voice of Moon Knight
19. Ryan Stiles
Actor | Hot Shots! Part Deux
It's not surprising that Ryan Stiles would feel comfortable doing a comedic turn in the role of Lewis, one of Drew Carey's ever-present friends in the new comedy The Drew Carey Show (1995). After all, the first job Stiles ever had was that of a stand-up comedian. Although he was a good student, ...
Voice of Mr. Fantastic
20. Olivia d'Abo
Actress | Conan the Destroyer
Olivia d'Abo was born on January 22, 1969 in Paddington, London, England as Olivia Jane d'Abo. She is an actress, known for Conan the Destroyer (1984), Point of No Return (1993) and Justice League: Doom (2012). She was previously married to Patrick Leonard.
Voice of Invisible Woman Voice of Ms. Marvel
21. Lauren Tom
Actress | The Joy Luck Club
Lauren Tom is an Obie Award-winning actress, known for her roles as a dutiful daughter in the film The Joy Luck Club, as Ross's girlfriend, Julie, on the classic NBC sitcom Friends, and most recently as Mrs. Tran on Supernatural. Lauren also lent her voice talents on the animated series Futurama as...
Voice of Gamora
22. Chad Einbinder
Actor | Doctor Dolittle
Voice of Human Torch
23. Adam Baldwin
Actor | Serenity
Adam Baldwin was born on February 27, 1962 in Winnetka, Illinois, USA. He is an actor, known for Serenity (2005), Independence Day (1996) and Full Metal Jacket (1987). He has been married to Ami Julius since 1988. They have three children.
Voice of Thing
24. Michael Dorn
Actor | Star Trek: First Contact
Michael Dorn was born on December 9, 1952 in Luling, Texas, USA as Michiel Dorn. He is an actor and director, known for Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002).
Voice of Ronan the Accuser
25. Jennifer Hale
Actress | Mass Effect 3
Jennifer Hale was born on January 1, 1965 in Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada as Jennifer Leigh Hale. She is an actress, known for Mass Effect 3 (2012), Mass Effect (2007) and Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018). She has been married to Barry Oswick since 2009. They have one child.
Voice of Emma Frost
26. Hynden Walch
Actress | Adventure Time with Finn & Jake
Hynden Walch was born on February 1, 1971 in Davenport, Iowa. She is an actress and writer known primarily for her work in Adventure Time, Teen Titans, Groundhog Day, and Batman Assault on Arkham. She started her professional acting career on stage at age 11. At 16 she attended the North Carolina ...
Voice of Jean Grey
27. Rino Romano
Voice of Doctor Octopus Voice of Jack Russell/Werewolf by Night
28. Tara Strong
Actress | Batman: The Killing Joke
Tara Strong began her acting career at the age of 13 in Toronto, Canada. She landed several TV, film, and musical theater roles as well as her first lead in an animated series as the title role of "Hello Kitty." After a short run at Toronto's Second City theater company, she moved to Los Angeles ...
Voice of Black Cat
Actress | Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Trachtenberg grew up in Brooklyn and started her acting career young; she began appearing in commercials at the age of 3.
She continued to act and dance through her school years, making regular television appearances from the age of 10. She landed a recurring role in the kids' TV show The Adventures...
Voice of Valkyrie
30. Oded Fehr
Actor | The Mummy Returns
Oded Fehr was born on November 23, 1970 in Tel Aviv, Israel. He is an actor, known for The Mummy Returns (2001), Resident Evil: Extinction (2007) and The Mummy (1999). He has been married to Rhonda Tollefson since December 22, 2000. They have three children.
Voice of Dracula
31. Cree Summer
Actress | Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Cree Summer was born on July 7, 1969 in Los Angeles, California, USA as Cree Summer Francks. She is known for her work on Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001), Clifford the Big Red Dog (2000) and Voltron: Legendary Defender (2016). She is married to Angelo Pullens. They have two children.
Voice of Storm
Gary Anthony Williams was born on March 14, 1966 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016), Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 (2012) and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004). He is married to Leslie. They ...
Voice of Luke Cage
Robin Atkin Downes is a seasoned performer with an extensive and distinguished career as an Actor in the film and Television industry. He recently portrayed The Master on Guillermo Del Toro's cult hit "The Strain," which ran for four seasons on FX. Other camera credits include series regular, ...
Voice of Annihilus
Actress | Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid
Classy, graceful, & intelligent, Salli Elise Richardson was born November 23, 1967, in Chicago, Illinois. Salli's acting career was first nurtured in the theater and, ever since, she has been on a non-stop journey to success. Her first feature performance was in 1991 as "Denise" in Up Against the ...
Voice of Amanda Cage
Actress | Raising Cain
Gabrielle Carteris was born on January 2, 1961 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA as Gabrielle Anne Carteris. She is an actress and producer, known for Raising Cain (1992), Minority Report (2002) and The Event (2010). She has been married to Charles Isaacs since May 3, 1992. They have two children.
Voice of Mystique
36. Michael Madsen
Actor | The Hateful Eight
Michael Madsen's long career spans 25 years and more than 170 films in which he has played memorable characters in myriad box office hits, including: Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) Sin City (2005), Hell Ride (2008), Die Another Day (2002), Donnie Brasco (1997), Species (1995), ...
Voice of Thanos
37. David Barrera
Actor | Bosch
David Barrera is a veteran television actor who has appeared in over one hundred TV shows including Castle, Dirty John, The Big Bang Theory, CSI: Miami, The Closer, N.C.I.S., Medium, The Mentalist, Heroes, The West Wing, NYPD: Blue and 24 for which he received an ALMA Award nomination. Most ...
Voice of Baron Zemo
38. Robert Englund
Actor | A Nightmare on Elm Street
Veteran character actor Robert Englund was born in Glendale, California, to Janis (MacDonald) and John Kent Englund, an aeronautics engineer. Since 1973, Robert has appeared in over 75 feature films and starred in four TV series. He has starred alongside Oscar-winners Henry Fonda, Susan Sarandon ...
Voice of Vulture Voice of Dormammu


Within the scope of SmarAct’s modular system, fully pre-built and pre-configured positioning systems are available. These pre-defined positioning systems are customer inspired and represent the systems and platforms most commonly requested by our customers. The systems are very versatile and can be used for a wide range of positioning tasks. In the following, the systems are displayed including a breadboard adapter. All systems are also available without the breadboard adapter if a direct mounting method is preferred. On the basis of these pre-defined systems, and in combination with customized connection elements and customized stages, very complex serial positioning systems can be realized. Some of them are presented on the following pages. If your application requires a special configuration that is not shown in the following, please do not hesitate to contact our application specialists to discuss your application’s requirements.


Mummy in training! Pregnant Jessica Simpson flaunts her curves on outing with sister Ashlee and nephew Bronx
Ashlee Simpson may be the younger sister - but she does have three years of experience on her side at being mother.
Today the 27-year-old singer and actress stepped out with her pregnant sister Jessica - who nurtured her maternal side by doting over her cute little nephew Bronx.
Jessica, 30, who is pregnant with her first child, poured her burgeoning figure into a low-cut patterned dress as she carried the three-year-old tot.
Practice makes perfect: The star looked happy and relaxed with Bronx in her arms
Bronx looked cute in a pair of tweed
trousers and a hat while his mother Ashlee went for a high-necked black
ensemble with a colourful patterned collar.
No doubt Ashlee will be a great support for her sister and will be able to help her with mothering and pregnancy tips.
Ashlee spilt from her husband Pete Wentz earlier this year - but the couple are still on good terms and share parental duties with their son.
Taking tips: At 27 Ashlee is three years younger than Jessica, but has three years of experience at being a mother on her side
Let's get practising: Jessica Simpson showed her maternal side as she carried her nephew Bronx as she stepped out in New York today with sister Ashlee
Dangerous curves: True to form, Jessica poured her curves into a low-cut dress, which she teamed with tights and black heels
Jessica, meanwhile, is engaged to
sportsman Eric Johnson - and the two are set to marry following the
birth of their first child.
Simpson recently spoke to People.com about how much she loves being pregnant.
But speaking about her pregnancy glow she remarked: 'People always say that pregnant women have a glow,' she told People. 'And I say it's because you're sweating to death.'
Positively glowing: Jessica recently said that her pregnancy glow was actually because she was 'sweating to death'
Mummy chic: Ashlee looked sophisticated in her black split skirt and heels as she carried her growing son in New York
'I think they just tell pregnant women they're glowing to make them feel good about themselves, because everything makes them a little bit emotional.'
Pregnancy was meant for me – it really was,' she added. 'I can't wait to have more kids. I love being pregnant.
Out on the town: Jessica and fiance Eric Johnson ventured out in New York together last night
Spilling over: The reality star and businesswoman showed off her curvaceous figure yesterday in the Big Apple
Simpson today stepped out with Johnson and sister Ashlee at the launch of her Jessica Simpson Girls line in New York, has made no secret of the fact she likes to show off her baby bump.
However, she is yet to give an indication of her due date.
'I have such an incredible connection with myself and with my body that I've never had before.'
Animal style: Simpson looked stunning today at the launch of her Jessica Simpson Girls line at Dylan's Candy Bar in New York
Glowing: The actress and businesswoman held her blossoming baby bump as she and fiancé Eric Johnson posed at the launch today
And the businesswoman and singer can also see the spiritual side of expecting a baby.
'Just knowing that you're creating a life is such a spiritual thing,' she said. 'Everything is growing, but you're making a life. It's pretty cool.'
Today, she looked stunning in a leopardskin print dress, black tights and a black jacket as she posed alongside Johnson with her hand on her baby bump.
Blonde ambition: Ashlee Simpson wore a grey and black sweater dress, black tights and heels as she posed alongside her beaming sister
Her younger sister Ashlee was also there to lend her support.
Wearing a black and grey striped sweater dress, black tights and heels, she happily posed alongside her beaming sibling.
They joined Dylan Lauren, daughter of designer Ralph and Jessica Seinfeld, wife of Jerry at the big launch.
Dressed for success: Ashlee and Jessica joined Dylan Lauren (second left), and Jessica Seinfeld at the big launch
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NOTICE: All Tulsa Health Department locations are closed Thursday & Friday, Nov 23-24th in observance of Thanksgiving. We will reopen on Monday, November 27th to serve you.
Human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, progressively destroys the body’s ability to fight infections and certain cancers. It is recommended that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care.
HIV causes AIDS – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. People with AIDS are susceptible to life-threatening diseases called opportunistic infections. HIV is spread by sexual contact with an HIV-infected partner or through contact with infected blood, which can occur when injection drug users share needles. For more information click here.
THD’s Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic provides HIV testing for anyone over the age of 12 who is sexually active. Disease intervention specialists and a Spanish-speaking interpreter are available.
HIV testing is available for $20, which includes testing for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia.
Hours and availability for HIV testing vary by location. Appointments are recommended. Please call 918-582-9355 for more information.
Individuals may ask for a brown bag that contains free condoms at any of the THD clinic locations. Ending HIV Oklahoma also aims to eradicate the transmission of Sexually Transmitted Diseases once and for all. To receive free condoms via mail order, you must be an Oklahoma resident age 13 and older. Condoms and lube will be sent in discreet packaging to the address provided.
We have 10 locations across Tulsa County that offer a variety of services to help you and your family stay healthy.


BEFORE: Customer called us in due to finding mice in his new home. The house was used as an office for a business and has a lot of dead wiring in it. The mice were using the wires to easily access hard to reach spots.
BEFORE: Long Beach being close to the water has a high water table. In the right corner can be seen an old sump pump. These cheap contraptions are common. It's a regular bucket with holes in it, with a cheap sump pump sitting on a few bricks. The bricks are used as a stand. There's no lid, so all the vapor from the standing water is adding to the already high moisture in the crawl space.
BEFORE: The crawl space had drop ceilings in it which were covered in mold and felt soft to the touch. There's a good chance that the mice were living inside them.
BEFORE: Near the entrance to the crawl space, a lot of dead wiring can be seen.
AFTER: Our team of experts first removed all the debris in the crawl space. Then we did basic raking to regrade the crawl space. We then sprayed the mold with a high concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide, which kills mold on contact.
AFTER: The drop down ceilings were ripped down and all the debris removed. Then Delta Matting was put down to disperse the water. Our patented CleanSpace 20mil liner was put over the Delta Matting to act as a vapor barrier. The SilverGlo was added onto the walls for insulation purposes and to further reduce moisture coming into the crawl space.
AFTER: The loose wiring, where slack permitted, was attached to the ceiling. On the left side can be seen our SmartSump, a pump designed specifically for crawl spaces, with an airtight lid and an alarm. On the right side is a SaniDry Sedona, an air quality control system, to dehumidify the air (to prevent mold from ever coming back) and to filter the air to greatly reduce the crawl space smell.


Dylan Thuras is a guest blogger on Boing Boing. Dylan is a travel blogger and the co-founder of the Atlas Obscura: A Compendium of the World's Wonders, Curiosities, and Esoterica, with Joshua Foer.
In the middle of the expansive North Dakota landscape a small pyramid appears, but there is nothing ancient about this pyramid
The Safeguard Program was developed in the 1960s to shoot down incoming Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles. Built at a cost of 6 billion dollars in Nekoma, North Dakota, the site was a massive complex of missile silos, a giant pyramid-shaped radar system, and dozens of launching silos for surface-to-air missiles tipped with thermonuclear warheads.
However due to both its expense, and concern over its effectiveness and the danger of detonating defensive nuclear warheads over friendly territory, the program was shut down before it was even operational. Today its a military-industrial shell in the middle of nowhere, or in the words of Kaluz who added this great site to the Atlas, "a monument to man's fear and ignorance."
More on the Atlas, and thanks Kaluz for the great submission!
On Thursday May 26, Red Nose Day will return for the second year. It’s all about giving to children to fight hunger, sickness, and homelessness. In the video above, the most famous magician in the world, David Copperfield, has his own magical way of asking you to get involved. There’s going to be a two-hour TV show on […]
Facebook gets a bad rap, but where I live, it has brought neighbors together, and it started because of the things I didn’t want to share.
When the Congressional Science committee wants to talk about the cold weather, and when NASA has to defend their budget by explaining why NASA is important, it can make people who believe in facts… a bit tense.
If you don’t want to get stuck footing the bill for a hit and run, this dashboard-mounted camera offers up to 2K resolution to make sure you always have a reliable witness, and it’s available in the Boing Boing Store for 30% off it’s usual price.The PapaGo mounts unobtrusively to your windshield to see everything […]
While some people still maintain that everything in Apple’s walled garden “just works” and is immune to the rampant malware of the Windows world, the reality is different. The Mac’s growing market share has made it a much more viable target for malicious actors, and its built-in tools aren’t always enough to fix things. Drive […]
Boasting an IPX6 waterproof rating, the Trakk Bullet Ultra Compact Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker resists dust and heavy rainfall. It’s currently available in the Boing Boing Store.The Trakk Bullet offers the same wireless convenience as other portable speakers, but few are built as tough as this one. Its utilitarian construction is designed to be a totally low-maintenance […]


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About Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care – our history
In July 2023, Rennie Grove Hospice and Peace Hospice Care merged to help meet the growing need for hospice services in the Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire areas.
While both charities provided people in local communities with care, support and advice, demand for these services has increased. And that means many local people could miss out on vital palliative care.
By teaming up, we have extended and improved our range of services, giving more people access to support and the very best care.
Our multi-disciplinary team help people to live well and receive the support they need, when and where they want, when they need it the most. We’re here to help the whole family cope during the most difficult of times. Both during a patient’s illness and, if needed, when those around them are dealing with grief and bereavement.
About Rennie Grove Peace Hospice
We’re a charity providing free, specialist care and support for adults and children with a life-limiting illness in Herts and Bucks. We support and empower people from diagnosis to live the best quality of life possible.
Whether it’s a life-limiting condition or a terminal illness, Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care can support people of all ages through our work in the community, in the home and at our Inpatient Unit. We offer practical, specialist and emotional support for the whole family to help families spend quality time together when every moment matters.
About our services
At Rennie Grove Peace, our support begins as soon as it is needed – whether that is at the point of diagnosis, or when a symptom or support need arises. Our patients are supported to live the best quality of life they can through the combination of outpatient, rehabilitation and supportive care services, Hospice at Home and inpatient care that is right for them.
We are also here for those around our patients, including family, friends and carers, ensuring that everyone can receive the right support, wherever and whenever they need it.
Our multi-disciplinary care is provided at no cost to our patients and families and is made possible by the generous donations we receive from our local community, as well as some funding from NHS contracts.
Our care and support services
At Rennie Grove Peace, our unique care provides a lifeline of compassion and support to patients, carers, and families facing life-limiting illness in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.Found out more about our care and support services
Five services, one purpose
We work collaboratively across our five services to help people with life limiting-illness live the best life possible from diagnosis, with a choice of where they wish to be cared for.
- Community Engagement & Compassionate Communities
- Outpatients, Rehabilitation & Supportive Care
- Children’s Hospice at Home
- Community Hospice at Home
- Inpatient Services
Our services are underpinned by the Coordination Centre which is the first point of contact for patients, families and referrers, where qualified professionals triage patients to find the best service or course of action for them.
Read more about our vision, mission, values and goals.
About our people
At Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care, it’s all about our people. We offer a compassionate service for the local community, shaped and funded by that community. And we’re a person-led organisation. From the care we provide to the way we fund it.
People’s needs, strengths and wishes are at the heart of every decision we take. Everyone plays a part in making every moment matter for the families we support.
How we fund our care
We rely heavily on the generous support of our local community to raise the funds we need to provide support for approximately 7500 patients a year. Whilst we do receive some funding from NHS contracted services, your local support represents just over two thirds of our annual running costs. Because of people like you, we can reach more local families who need hospice care in Herts and Bucks. Through financial gifts, volunteering or donating items to sell in our shops – people like you help us keep caring.
Read more here about how you can help us raise funds and find out where the money goes.
You may also be interested in
Our care and support
At Rennie Grove Peace, our unique care provides a lifeline of compassion and support to patients, carers, and families facing life-limiting illness in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
Help fund specialist care for families in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire when you donate to Rennie Grove Peace.
How we plan to reach the growing number of people who need our care.


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by Mitch Kokai
Senior Political Analyst, John Locke Foundation
Scratch the Masterpiece Cake case off her list. But Melissa Quinn of the Washington Examiner highlights other important cases that the U.S. Supreme Court has yet to resolve before wrapping up its work this month.
Gill v. Whitford and Benisek v. Lamone
For more than 10 years, the justices have declined to weigh in on partisan gerrymandering cases. But that drought ended this term, when the Supreme Court considered two cases that questioned whether two voting maps were drawn to entrench the political party in power in violation of voters’ constitutional rights. …
… Janus v. AFSCME
For the second time in two years, the Supreme Court considered whether labor unions can require non-members to pay fees that fund collective bargaining negotiations. …
… Carpenter v. United States
In this blockbuster Fourth Amendment case, the justices were tasked with examining whether the government needs a warrant to seize cell phone records, including location information. …
… Trump v. Hawaii
The court closed out its argument calendar for the year with a blockbuster case challenging the third iteration of President Trump’s travel ban.
The president’s executive order restricted travel to the U.S. from seven countries that the Trump administration said posed terrorism risks.

domain: law


The pandemic’s impact on retail continues to evolve, not least for home furnishing businesses – but not always in the way you’d think. It has seen retail now focussed on post-purchase as a key differentiator.
Overall, the global ecommerce market is booming: reflected in the global ecommerce figures out this week that show that ecommerce use globally rose 10% in 2020 and is set for a similar rise in 2021 – making it worth a potential $2.7trn by year end.
Homewares and DIY have taken a chunk of this new revenue. Furniture retailer ScS is one retailer that continues to benefit from the lockdown home improvement boom, seeing sales rise by a staggering 92% in July, contributing to an overall rise in sale for 2020 of 13.9%. And there is more to come as the trend for doing up homes shows no signs of slowing in Q1 2021.
The retailer is one of many in the homewares sector that is benefitting from consumers looking to improve the homes they find themselves now living and working in 24×7.
John Lewis is putting a lot of onus on tapping into this home improvement trend, rolling out 3D visualisation tools to make planning your room make over even better.
While this is all good news for some in retail, there are problems. Delivery and return issues continue to be the hurdle at which many retailers fall – and it is hitting their ratings hard.
A study by HelloDone finds that showed that more than half (55%) of customer complaints were attributed to issues with the post-purchase experience, that is from the moment a customer has ‘clicked’ the buy button through to the item arriving at their front door.
In fact, nearly 40% of one-star reviews were attributed to issues with delivery, while a further 15% mentioned the returns process as a contributing factor to a negative experience with a retailer.
The use of social media is also having an impact on retailer perceptions as ecommerce continues to grow, with more than half of shoppers now saying that their decision to buy from a particular retail is swayed by what they see on social sites, especially photos customers have taken themselves.
Matching up the ability to offer excellent services and to sell what people want online has to be matched by the ‘getting it there’ (and indeed if needs be getting it back) aspects of ecommerce – and this is proving harder than many imagined.
The post-purchase phase is now becoming a key area that retailers need to focus in on as shoppers are now at home with online. It seems that across the past 10 months since the pandemic really started to bite here in the UK, many retailers have got to grips with the basics of ecommerce and are in the process of making that work well. However, post-purchase still needs some work. The market online is perhaps even more competitive than the ‘real world’ of retail was and, with review sites and social media strong influencers on digital shopping, making sure that delivery is done right and that customer service is there to back it up is vital.
Now how to make that work when all your customer service staff and logistics managers are working from home is another challenge, but the retailers that meet that challenge are going to be well on the way to success in 2021.


The 4-member co-ed group, KARD are making a comeback with their mini album You & Me.
J.Seph, Jiwoo, Somin and BM are returning to the music scene after officially making their debut earlier this year with “Hola Hola”. This time, they will comeback with a track titled, “You In Me” which will be released on the 21st of November. There will be 6 tracks (9 on the album version) which will include various versions of the song “Trust Me” which will be a duet by Jiwoo and J.seph, BM and Somin and of course, all the members. The title track is “You In me” and the photos are looking fantastic.
Teasers are being released for each member.
Video Credit: KARD


This morning I read an article about how Pepsi and Coca-Cola are changing their formulas to avoid having to bear a cancer warning label due to exceeding an allotted carcinogen level as a result of a new California law. The chemical in question is 4-methylimidazole which contributes to the caramel coloring. This article prompted me to wonder how many consumers consider how our governments try to keep us safe from everyday chemical exposure as well as exactly how many chemicals we are exposed to? In the scientific process of determining a safe level of a chemical or product that chemical or product is the only item being tested in a replicated method to determine that a large enough population experiences a safe outcome (population in the sense of the size of a data set that stands up with statistical rigor to be representative of a larger population of consumers).
For example in testing chemical X, people or animals are each a datum (singular of data) and tested on so that hypothetically 800 subjects are considered a population to be studied that can be considered indicative of the real-world population of consumers who will come in contact with chemical X. Regulations are set to whatever is a high enough concentration so that each datum (subject) will not get sick.
This would be fine if chemical X was the only chemical we came in contact with in the real world but the reality is that we come in contact with many different chemicals. See A Wake Up Story by Healthy Child for a brilliant illustration of what we encounter everyday.
This is where we as consumers need to be aware of synergistic effects – these are effects when a multitude of factors interact with each other. With the case of the chemicals we come in contact with it would be impossible to effectively study thus regulate how your conditioner interacts with transportation exhaust for the duration of your commute with the caramel coloring in your soda with the chemicals used to treat the new carpet in your dining room with the antibacterial spray you used on your kitchen counter with the formaldehyde on the new blouse you just bought with you having a seasonal cold with an infinite number of other products and combinations.
In studying these types of scenarios a researcher would need to be very specific with dosage of chemicals, duration of exposure, and then add in variables like stress, diet, rest, hydration, sunlight exposure and once again an infinite number of possibilities that could be replicated and rigorously tested to be conclusive for consumers and regulation of big business. It is impossible not to mention cost-prohibitive to conduct these kinds of studies.
In other models where populations are affected by synergistic affects a stressed population can be negatively affected by a variable that had been present for a long time, but became harmful when the body was pushed to too many limits. An example is global amphibian declines where fungi has been shown to be present in populations for decades but then declines occur when other variables are exacerbated like temperature or loss of pristine habitat. We lost the Golden Toad in the cloud forests of Monteverde in the mid-1980’s thanks to this kind of scenario.
The truth is that science is not all-knowing and is not able to pinpoint exact factors of what makes humans or frogs healthy. What science is doing now is trying to learn as much as possible since human and other animal environments are becoming more stressed. As humans we have our precious ability to reason to learn about the potential of chemical and stress combinations as well as reduce them. If this is your first time learning about the term synergistic effects then thank you for letting me introduce it to you. Keep learning and then do what you can with your lifestyle to reduce chemical exposure and other stressors.