China has issued a smog "red alert" for large parts of the country, urging for schools to be closed, cars to be restricted and residents to stay indoors. The alert is expected to begin Saturday and last until Tuesday.
Beijing lifted the previous "red alert" on December 10 when northern winds dispersed the polluted air, which has been largely blamed on coal power plants, vehicle emissions and factory operations.
The National Meteorological Centre said the wave of smog would cover large parts of central China and stretch across to the northeast area of Harbin, with Beijing's 22.5 million residents expected to be caught in the middle.
Forecasters have predicted that levels of PM2.5 - the deadliest form of particulate matter - will exceed 500, which is more than 20 times the World Health Organization's recommend level.
According to China's government guidelines, a "red alert" is triggered when the index passes 200, and people are cautioned to stay indoors when the index exceeds 300. The red alert is the highest tier of a four-color warning system.
Visibility is also expected to be very minimal in the most affected areas, which will most likely include Beijing.
Drastic changes needed
China is the world's biggest carbon emitter, and has said it plans to upgrade coal power plants over the next five years as part of its climate change obligations.
Germany's Max Planck Institute published a study in "Nature" magazine estimating that some 1.4 million people die prematurely in China each year because of the effects of pollution.
smm/jm (dpa, Reuters)


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Silver Branch And Pearl Necklace
Item code: HH99362
159 £ 112 £FREE SHIPPING
You must choose color
You chose an invalid size
Layana London x Martyna Tejwan - Luxury jewelry - This 80cm long necklace with brushed silver branch. Beautiful and striking piece.
Brushed silver branch with pearls. handmade with artisan techniques therefore slight differences may occur.

domain: artistic


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Such an exciting day. As many of you know, I’ve been on a three week trip to NY. I can honestly say, I never want to take another trip of this length ever again. I guess I’m a homebody.
Today we hop on a plane and make our journey home. And boy are we ready. It is also the day that Bondage Anniversary becomes available for pre-order on Totally Bound’s website. It is a total rush to see my book on the same carousel as some of my favorite authors. I feel truly privileged.

domain: literature


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Early reports about last night’s showdown-averting $38.5 billion agreement indicate that while Republicans dropped their demand to end federal funding for Planned Parenthood — in return for a guarantee that the issue would receive an up or down vote on the Senate floor — a provision that would prohibit the District of Columbia from using federal or local funds to pay for abortions remained.
But this, like the effort to defund Planned Parenthood, would not actually save the federal government any money, since the rider would prohibit the District from spending its own locally-raised dollars on the procedure. As Tanya Somanader pointed out earlier this week, the provision would revive a 13-year ban President Obama overturned in 2009:
This language would restore the Dornan amendment to ensure that no congressionally appropriated funds (whether locally or federally generated) may pay for abortion in the District of Columbia. The good news for pro-life advocates is that the inclusion of the Dornan Amendment in the one-week continuing resolution ensures it remains in place to prohibit abortion funding in the nation’s capital for the rest of the year.
The policy was in place from 1996-2009. Then, Democrats initially approved an omnibus spending bill lifting the 13-year-long ban on directly paying for abortions in the nation’s capital and Obama eventually signed the measure.
Politico reports that the final deal contains other riders, including the guarantee of a Senate debate and vote on repeal of the Affordable Care Act, “numerous studies of health reform that Republicans say ‘will force the Obama administration to reveal the true impact of the law’s mandates,'” and annual audits of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The measure also denies additional funding to hire more IRS agents.

domain: finance


text: Background: Oral exfoliative cytology is a noninvasive and nonpainful technique for early diagnosis of oral potentially malignant disorders and oral cancer, and the use of cytomorphometry ameliorates its diagnostic reliability. The objective of the present study was to analyze methyl green-pyronin Y (MGP)-stained oral exfoliated cells (OECs) of oral leukoplakia (OL) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) by cytomorphometry. Materials and Method: An observational study was conducted on 150 individuals equally divided into three groups: normal mucosa, OL, and OSCC. Smears were prepared from OECs and stained with MGP. Cytomorphometry was done for 100 cells per subject, and various cell and nuclear parameters were measured and calculated. Results: The Kruskal-Wallis test with post hoc correlation showed significant differences in nucleus and cell diameter (ND, CD), nucleus and cell area (NA, CA), nucleus and cell perimeter (NP, CP), and nucleus to cytoplasmic (N:C) ratio for diameter, perimeter, and area. Spearman’s ρ correlation of various N:C ratio methods showed good correlation between N:C perimeter and diameter ratio, N:C diameter and ellipse ratio, and N:C area and ellipse ratio. Additional morphological factors showed significant relations for both cell and nuclear regularity factor, shape factor, and nuclear contour index. Discussion: MGP-based cytomorphometry showed a significant decrease in CD, CA, and CP and increase in ND, NA, NP, and N:C ratio from normal mucosa to OL and OSCC. MGP proved its worth as an effective stain for OECs, despite its strict standardization.

domain: medical


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Hillary Rosenwald EDAC
Senior Associate / Senior Healthcare Planner
Hillary Rosenwald has spent more than 30 years working to provide people with the best healthcare environments with experience in health facility planning, master planning, clinical operations management and healthcare program management for large integrated healthcare delivery systems. Hillary enjoys being part of an integrated team that delivers high functioning and aesthetically pleasing environments for patient care. Her passion for healthcare extends to helping people make healthy decisions and she has taught group fitness classes for over three decades.
Prior to joining Page, Hillary worked for the U.S. Army Surgeon General and the Defense Health Agency planning ambulatory care facilities and hospitals on military bases around the globe. One of her favorite projects was a group of eight National Intrepid Center of Excellence Satellite facilities dedicated to providing medical services for soldiers with Traumatic Brain Injuries. Hillary enjoyed the challenging, team-driven experience and appreciated the rewarding outcome. Hillary has also honed her expertise in space planning criteria as a key member of the Department of Defense Space Planning Criteria work group for three years.
Hillary’s extensive experience on the owner’s side ― for more than six years, she was Director of Facilities Planning for Kaiser Permanente ― enables her to bring a unique perspective to her work with clients. She partners with clients to provide design solutions to meet the changing needs of the healthcare environment. Hillary is a Lean Six-Sigma Green Belt with applied expertise in asset utilization models. She is also certified in Evidenced-Based Design (EDAC).
She is actively involved in improving the healthcare industry, serving on the Board of Directors of the Women in Healthcare Organization Washington DC Chapter. The organization's mission is to serve as a professional development group for women in healthcare, promoting the roles and responsibilities of females in the healthcare industry and empowering one another to mentor growth and support business through sharing successful techniques, contacts, products and services.

domain: health


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Arsenal is reportedly battling Chelsea for the signature of former Germany international, Jerome Boateng.
The German has been declining for some time at that Allianz Arena and he seems to need a change of environment to make him a more effective player.
He has just one season left on his contract when this campaign ends and he was close to leaving in the winter transfer window.
He was wanted by Arsenal but the move never materialised and he remained as a member of the Bayern Munich squad.
The Germans reportedly want to offload him in the next transfer window and see if they can recoup some of the money they have spent on him instead of letting him go for free.
Reports in Italy claim via FootMercato that Premier League rivals, Arsenal and Chelsea both want the German to bring his experience to their side.
Mikel Arteta will be rebuilding his team when this transfer window opens and according to the same report the Spaniard reportedly wants Boateng to be part of that rebuilding effort.
Arsenal has William Saliba joining them in the summer, but the likes of Pablo Mari and Cedric Soares may not be offered permanent deals at the end of their current spell so their departure would create space for a new defender.

domain: sports


Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting GAZETTE NEWS to 80360, or email
Fire crews tackle caravan blaze
9:31pm Sunday 20th January 2013 in News
ARSONISTS are thought to be responsible for a caravan fire in Colchester.
Two crews from Colchester Fire Station were called to the blaze at Rockhampton Walk at about 8.15pm on Sunday.
Firefighters used two hose reel jets to tackle the blaze.
The incident commander reported that the caravan was 100 per cent alight.
A spokesman for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said the cause of the fire is thought to be suspicious.
Comments are closed on this article.


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Patagonia Sites You Need to See to Believe
Discovering the world beyond your doors will help you to grow together instead of growing apart. Nothing brings a couple closer together than exploring different cultures side by side! You will struggle to find a more intensely beautiful, rugged, and diverse countryside than Patagonia. Patagonia is genuinely an adventure-filled wonderland from vivid green alpine meadows dotted with wildflowers to glacier fields. If you are looking for a romantic destination, then look no further. Indulge your wanderlust with these Patagonia Sites You Need to See to Believe.
Overview of Patagonia
Patagonia is a distinct region that spans the lower sections of Argentina and Chile. On the Chilean side, it starts in the Araucanía region extending to the southern end. On the Argentine side, Patagonia begins in the province of Rio Negro and extends to Tierra Del Fuego. The area is vast, covering some 430,000 square miles, but Patagonia is desolate. It encompasses rugged steppes, expanding glaciers, Andean peaks, and some of the most stunning lake countries on the planet.
Where Will Wanderlust Lead You?
Patagonia is enormous! It's a utopia for adventure enthusiasts. But, unless you have weeks—perhaps months—to spare, you won't be able to see it all. Therefore, you will need an itinerary that will deliver the heart-pumping thrills you seek but also fit into a reasonable time frame. No trip to Patagonia is complete without seeing the following sites.
Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
To experience the best that this park has to offer, you hike the breathtakingly beautiful W Trek. You will pass calving glaciers, amble through arid plains and scramble up picturesque peaks overlooking ethereal lakes. Torres del Paine provides a perfect overview of this unique corner of the globe.
Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina
For many people, Patagonia begins and ends at Los Glaciares National Park. One on the world's last glaciers that are still growing in size, Perito Moreno, is located in this park. Stand watching long enough, and you'll likely witness huge splinters of ice break off and fall crashing into the sea. Use ice axes to hike on the top of slippery glaciers. It's a once in a lifetime activity.
El Chalten, Argentina
This village is near some of Argentinian Patagonia's key sites—including the famous Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy mountains and the Viedma glacier. Take a long walk out of town, about a mile or so, along the famous Ruta 40, Argentina's longest road, and you'll see these renowned mountain chains.
Puyuhuapi Bay, Chile
A town in the Chilean fjords, Puyuhuapi Bay, is quiet and calm. It's the kind of place in which you dream of being trapped for a couple of weeks. It's mostly farms, small campsites, and boats that line the shore. The water is so flat and calm that it reflects the sunsets brilliantly.
Ushuaia is the world's southernmost city, known as "The End of the World." Is Antarctica on your bucket list? If yes, a stopover in Ushuaia is probably in your future because it serves as a departure port for ships bound to Antarctica, which is some 620 miles due south. But you don't need to go all the way to Antarctica. You can get a taste of the northern right across the channel on Martillo Island. Penguin colonies make their home on this island.
Marble Caves, Chile
The caves were created over 6,000 years by waves washing against a peninsula of solid marble. They border Lake General Carrera is considered the most beautiful caves in the world. Light-reflecting from glacial lake creates the light colors of the caves. The hues and tones change throughout the day, an extraordinary light show created by nature.
Chinloe Island, Chile
The mist-covered archipelago off the west coast of Chile can be logistically tricky. But there are tons of reasons to justify the trek. The island's relatively isolated locale means its natives have developed their unique language, mythology, and building style.
Patagonia is stunningly beautiful. This stark and desolate area has been attracting couples who genuinely want to get off the beaten path. If you're going to indulge in Patagonia's wanderlust, make sure you visit these seven lovely sites. These are the Patagonia Sites You Need to See to Believe!

domain: travel


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Digital Edition of Studio Magazine Vol. 16 No. 1
FOCAL POINT Tosca Terán Scott Coish writes about the artist’s exploration of biomaterials.
Saidye Bronfman Award Winner: Lou Lynn Mary-Beth Laviolette explores the sculptor’s distinguished career.
Celebrating The Crafts Lera Kotsyuba highlights the artists and makers who were recognized by the Governor General awards this year.
The Pursuit Of An Unknown Tomorrow Yaw Tony’s silk scarves bring together design, beauty and cultural heritage.
Playing With Fuzzy Tech Styles Researcher and artist Lee Jones investigates how interactive textiles can be employed in craft futures.
In The Absence Of The Object The pandemic changes Michael Prokopow’s research plans for a book on the British artist Hurvin Anderson.
A Robotic Embrace Haptek Lab interviews ceramics curator Garth Johnson.
On Making Pottery And Cooking Soup Poetry by ceramicist Benjamin Hertwig.
PORTFOLIO Pavitra Wickramasinghe (Montréal, Que.) , Wally Dion (Saskatoon, Sask./NY), SugaCayne Designs (Toronto, Ont.)
INQUIRIES Michelle Jacques The Head of Exhibitions & Collections/Chief Curator at Remai Modern shares the details of her work.

domain: library


Most of the existing controlled landfills in Spain comply the environmental legislation regarding the location distance they have to keep from protected areas such as Sites of Community Importance (SCI), Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA) and even from surface water bodies.
According to the study carried out by researchers at the Universitat Jaume I and the National Polytechnic Institute of Mexico, to be published in the journal DYNA, Ingeniería e Industria, only 3% would not comply the minimum distance regulations.
The research, "Influence of location in environmental impact of landfills. Case of Spain" has analysed the degree of compliance of the most important environmental factors included in the fourteen Environmental Impact Statements (DIA) of the 175 controlled landfills existing in Spain, assessing issues such as site location, area taken or hydrography.
The study began with the analysis of 14 environmental impact statements (DIA) of Spanish landfill projects to elucidate which environmental factors were taken into account to allow their execution and, at the same time, protect the environment and natural resources of the area. In all statements analysed appeared factors such as geomorphology and land use, surface hydrology, gas emissions, groundwater or proximity to population areas. Other factors included in most of the DIA were related to noise and vibration, flora and fauna, landscape and cultural heritage.
After data collection, the research team analysed the compliance of regulation with respect to six factors: surface hydrology, groundwater hydrology, noise and vibration, air quality, flora and distance from airports. The results show that 94% of landfills are located more than 300 meters from any body of water and that 69% are on groundwater bodies since most of the surface of the Iberian Peninsula has water bodies or underground aquifers and it is difficult to find a location far from them.
With regard to noise and vibration, 80% of the landfills are located more than 500 meters from a residential area, and in terms of flora and fauna, 19% are in areas of community interest or special protection areas for birds since the law does not forbid it, but recommends that when choosing these sites, corrective and protective measures have to be intensified. The distance of 93% of the landfills from an airport exceeds 10,000 meters, and although Spanish law does not establish a minimum, that distance allows avoiding collision between birds and airplanes.
To assess the quality of the air, it was decided to analyse the emissions of methane using data supplied by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment during the years 2009 and 2010. The data were compared with avoided CO2 emissions when burning the biogas generated in landfills as required by Spanish law to prevent emissions of greenhouse gases. The comparison revealed that the burning of biogas prevented the arrival into the atmosphere of five times the annual emissions of greenhouse gases produced by some 630,000 passenger vehicles.
The deposit of waste in landfill is the last option in the hierarchy of waste management, which the EU marks in their programs (the first would be prevention, reuse, recycling, other recovery ways such as energy or incineration, and lastly elimination or landfill disposal). However, in Spain it is the destination of more than 50% of the waste generated, although in view of Professor Francisco Colomer, one of the project leaders, "a major effort is being made by installing recovery facilities to reduce waste and lower this figure to 25-35%).
The study is part of the project on "Evaluation of the technical, environmental and socio-economic transformation viability of a downtown landfill into a comprehensive waste management centre" funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation in 2009 within the subprogram for the Promotion of International Scientific Cooperation of the National Program for Internationalization of R&D. The draft version of the paper was chosen as second prize in the 16th International Congress on Project Engineering and a summarized version has been accepted for publication in the journal DYNA. Ingeniería e Industria.


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La La Land—last week spur of the moment with a couple friends I saw Hollywood’s newest musical film starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. We laughed and then cried. From a filmmaker’s standpoint, La La Land sports phenomenal art direction, acting, color, costume, and choreography design in my opinion. It’s 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.9/10 on IMDb seems to agree. Minus a couple modern themes (such as sleeping together before marriage) and a couple costume choices that I didn’t appreciate or agree with, this film tells a direct yet aesthetic story of the struggle artists have when their dreams and relationships (or lack of) conflict. Certainly a film that my friends and I, embarking into that same setting, can relate to.
As a close screenwriting friend said while discussing it, “It was a great movie, but I didn’t like it.”
“I don’t think it’s that you hate the story,” I refuted. “I think you know it’s a beautifully made story that holds a very painful, close-to-home truth—and that’s why you don’t like it. Kind of like Dead Poet’s Society.”
She nodded. “Okay, I’ll give you that.”
The Catholic News Service stabs at a summary of the film:
In the city where dreams are manufactured, two star-crossed lovers meet: Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress, and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a jazz pianist. Each is driven toward a singular goal. Mia wants to be a movie star, while Sebastian hopes to open his own club.
Their gooey romance bubbles over into a series of numbers worthy of Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron. In this context, the corny dialogue is utterly appropriate, even charming:
“It’s pretty strange that we keep running into each other,” Mia tells Sebastian.
“Maybe it means something,” he replies.
Needless to say, the path to success is rocky, and perseverance is sorely tested. Mia suffers one humiliating audition after another. Sebastian, broke, joins a rock band led by his newfound friend Keith (John Legend), and heads out on the road, sacrificing his craft for a paycheck.
Separation frays the relationship, and conflict ensues. As the music swells and Mia warbles tunes like “The Fools Who Dream,” the power of love to conquer all seems momentarily in doubt.
The hard part of the ending for me was that Mia broke Sebastian’s heart—and in some ways his dream. Even though he had Seb’s, he didn’t have it because he did it all for her while she moved on. Eventually, he will move on, too, but in that moment on the piano bench when Sebastian sees Mia there is a sense of pathos for what might have been if they had both moved forward together.
As a Catholic artist, I would like to probe further. Is it better to leave someone behind to follow your dreams and then wait forever until you meet someone again? Or, instead of cohabiting and breaking up, would it be better—regardless of your dreams—to marry someone in an appropriate near future if you meet a good person you truly love? And worry about how your dreams fit into your new life afterward.
I think about that often as a twenty-something in a world of young adults each poised on the brink of personal discovery and pursuit. There are a million and one other questions that evolve along with this moment, but this story points to one in particular. What is better? Waiting, very potentially sacrificing a deep relationship, until you have made it in the art industry?
Or is it better to put another person first, make a commitment, and then dream each other’s dreams—the heartaches, the messes made, the victories, the family life…together.
The more I think about it, the more I am not so sure that two people really need to give up their dreams to have a happy relationship in art. Perhaps—like any piece of art in film, music, painting, stage—we need to weave our dreams together and follow where they take us in the stars.


BIOSTAR announces its latest video card designed to tackle the needs of gamers with competitive performance. BIOSTAR GeForce GTX 950 features 2GB of GDDR5 memory, with 768 CUDA cores, and support for NVIDIA PhysX and DSR Technology. Game in silence with the Low noise output via its heat pipe cooling design, and be prepared for the latest titles with its complete DirectX 12 support.
The BIOSTAR GeForce GAMING GTX 950 features NVIDIA's 2nd-generation Maxwell GPU which boasts highly-improved performance-per-watt versus other cards. With performance intended for 1080p gamers, the GTX 950 is the perfect lightweight card for MOBA gamers featuring various optimizations to improve your gaming experience while delivering the best performance-per-watt that only the latest-generation Maxwell GPU can offer. Armed with 768 CUDA cores and complimented by 2GB 128-bit GDDR5 memory, this card brings stunning visuals with support for up four monitors: dual-DVI, DisplayPort and HDMI supported.
Complimented by the full-array of NVIDIA-exclusive features like GeForce Experience, Dynamic Super Resolution (DSR), Multi-Frame SuperSampling, native PhysX acceleration and other visual improvements is support for DirectX 12; be ready for the next-generation of blockbuster games with the BIOSTAR GeForce GAMING GTX 950.
BIOSTAR GeForce GTX 950 GPU Features:
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX950 GPU
- 2GB GDDR5, 128bit with ultra-speed memory
- Low noise, heat pipe cooling design
- NVIDIA super 768 CUDA processing
- Dual DVI/display port/HDMI output support
- PCI Express 3.0 x16 bus interface
- Support NVIDIA Surround with up to Four Monitors
- Complete DirectX 12 support
- Support NVIDIA PhyX and DSR Technology
For more info on the GeForce GTX 950 please go to: http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en/vga/introduction.php?S_ID=212
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We all know it's normal for babies to wake at night. However, some babies wake excessively or remain awake for unusually long periods of time during the night. Find out what causes baby waking, settling and sleep problems at night.
Causes for babies waking at night
Like many exhausted parents you would understandably be eager to discover how to get your child to sleep through the night. However, before this can be achieved it's important to understand why babies and children commonly wake through the night. Pinpointing the reason, or more commonly reasons, your child wakes during the night will enable you to respond appropriately to his nighttime needs.
1. Normal sleep pattern
It's normal for all humans, babies, children and adults, to awaken many times during our sleep. Brief awakenings between sleep cycles are essential for our survival (see Infant sleep patterns). No baby sleeps through the night, but some babies reach the stage where they can settle themselves back to sleep without disturbing their parents sleep.
Hungry newborns naturally need to be fed every 2 to 4 hours overnight. By 3 months of age some babies may go up to 6 or even 8 hours without feeding overnight; while others may continue to feed 2 or 3 times overnight until the age of 6 months or beyond.
Many babies will cease overnight feeding on their own accord; however some healthy, thriving babies over 6 months continue to seek overnight feeding for weeks, months or even years beyond an age when overnight feeding is necessary to meet their nutritional needs. The reason is may be due to a sleep association of feeding to sleep OR because the child's internal body clock continues to trigger hunger signals at these times.
3. Sleep associations
Parents often intentionally or unintentionally assist their child to fall asleep. Once dependant on this help this becomes a sleep association for the child. A baby or child who relies on a parent's help to fall asleep may also rely on the same help to return to sleep when they wake between sleep cycles during the night.
A child may wake due to physical discomfort. This may be due to a wet or dirty diaper, feeling too hot or too cold, teething, a sudden loud noise, uncomfortable clothing, becoming entangled in bed clothing OR any number of other possibilities.
5. Illness/medical conditions
Any illness can result in more frequent nighttime awakenings. Understandably, children cry out to be comforted by parents when they are sick. Common medical conditions which may result in frequent overnight awakenings can include...
- Obstructive sleep apnea - due to enlarged adenoids.
- Epilepsy - minor seizures can occur on falling asleep or waking.
- Asthma - may result in breathing difficulties, such as a wheeze and nighttime cough.
- Urinary tract infections - may cause pain when the child passes urine.
- Any illness or condition - resulting in nasal congestion or a cough may disrupt sleep.
- Esophagitis - due to severe heartburn from gastro-esophageal reflux.
- Severe eczema - with results a child scratching itchy skin.
6. Developmental stages
Children often wake parents more frequently when they are learning a new developmental skill, such as rolling, sitting, standing, crawling or walking. Unfortunately for parents, many children choose to practice these new-found skills during the night.
If a child sleeps on their back they often learn to roll from back to front long before they can roll from front to back. If a child is a tummy sleeper this may be reversed. They also learn to pull themselves into a standing position before they have figured out how to get back down. As a result a child will often cry out to parents in the night because they are "stuck" in a position they don't know how to get out of.
7. Separation anxiety
Most children experience some degree of anxiety when they are separated from the person with whom they are emotionally attached, (this may be a one or both parents or a caregiver). Each child may be affected by separation anxiety to varying degrees depending on his/her temperament. Some children will become extremely distressed as soon as their parent or main caregiver is out of their sight.
The onset of separation anxiety generally begins around the age of 6 months, peaks at around 9 to 10 months, starts to reduce in intensity by around 15 to 18 months but may continue for anything up to 2.5 to 4 years. During this time a child may cry out for their parent or caregiver during the night, when they awaken between sleep cycles, because they need to be reassured that they are not alone.
8. Sleep deprivation
Many children don't know when they are tired and can go and go until the reach a point of over-tiredness. An overly-tired child may experience difficulty 'switching off' in order to fall asleep and may wake more often during the night (See How much sleep do children need?). Encouraging healthy daytime sleep habits encourages healthy nighttime sleep habits.
9. Lack of routine
Our internal body clock is the 24-hour day/night-activity/rest cycle to which our bodily functions are set. At regular intervals during the day we tend to become tired, hungry, active, listless or energized. A child's body clock is influenced by the environmental and sensory cues parents provide.
Ideally a child (over 6 months of age) will have their longest sleep during the night. However, sometimes a child's body clock can become 'out of synch' with parent's day/night pattern, although a child may be getting enough sleep it may be at the wrong times. You may suspect this problem if your child...
- Has long naps during the day e.g. 3 hours or more.
- Refuses to go to bed until very late at night.
- Sleeps in well into the morning.
- Is regularly awake for long periods around the same time during the night.
10. Nightmares and night terrors
Around the age of 2 years many children begin to experience increased wakefulness due to nightmares or night terrors.
Young children don't know what's real and what's not. Children can become fearful of anything they don't understand i.e. violence or scary images on television or from observing domestic disputes. Most children will at point develop a fear of monsters in their bedrooms. Fear of the dark is also normal for most children around the age of 2 years.
Just as adults experience sleep disturbances related to stress so too can babies and children. Babies and children can be affected by a stressful environment. A child may experience stress while adapting to changes, such as moving house, a new baby in the family, visitors staying with the family, a new babysitter or starting a new daycare.
Written by Rowena Bennett.
© Copyright www.babycareadvice.com 2020. All rights reserved. Permission from author must be obtained to copy or reproduce any part of this article.
Your Sleepless Baby book
In my book, ‘Your Sleepless Baby: The Rescue Guide’, I explain how babies sleep; how parents influence their baby’s sleep; and the type of support babies require from parents to sleep well.
Information is provided on a range of effective solutions to various infant sleep problems, including those related to sleep associations. There are step-by-step instructions for each problem and solution. Included are recommendations on how to make bed-sharing work, and 6 ways to encourage baby to sleep independently in a crib. There are options that range from gradual methods, which minimize baby’s upset, through to quick methods that are more upsetting for baby in the short term but which resolve any distress associated with chronic sleep deprivation much sooner.
There is also information on how to identify and manage the many medical, behavioral and developmental reasons for infant sleep problems including circadian sleep problems (the second most common cause of infant sleep problems).


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At the 2017 MLB Amateur Draft, the Hawkeyes had four guys drafted from what turned out to be one of their best and most exciting teams in a long time. With the addition of Jake Adams, Mason McCoy, Ryan Erickson, and Nick Gallagher to the squad of former Iowa players in the minors, the Hawkeyes now have thirteen players trying to work their way to the show. At about the midpoint of the 2017 baseball season, it seems like an appropriate time to check in on some familiar faces and see how they’re performing thus far this season.
Matt Dermody (TOR): Dermody is currently the oldest former Hawk in the minors and the only one to have made it to the show at any point in his career. At AAA, the lefty has put up some pretty strong numbers, going 5-1 with a 3.08 ERA in 29 appearances. He’s striking out almost a batter every inning and over five batters for every base on balls. He did make it to the Majors earlier this season, where he didn’t fare so well in his only appearance for Toronto. He gave up five runs and only recorded one out, which would bring his MLB ERA to 135.00. Ouch.
Jake Yacinich (LAA): Yacinich is doing pretty well in High-A ball with the Inland Empire 66ers, slashing .282/.336/.383 over 61 games, all of which would be career bests if he stays on his current pace for the remainder of the year. The former eighth-round draft pick has four home runs and 19 RBI on the year.
Tyler Peyton (CHC): Peyton has struggled at bit at Class A South Bend in his first season in the minors for the Cubs organization. Through 10 appearances (two starts), the righty is 2-3 with a 4.85 ERA. He’s been hit around a bit, giving up almost 11 hits per nine innings on the year, which hasn’t paired well with an average walk rate of 3.5 per nine innings.
Eric Toole (COL): In limited playing time at Class A, Toole has slashed .224/.297/.345 with one home run and six RBI in 2017. While he hasn’t been a force at the plate this year, he’s been as solid as they come defensively - he hasn’t committed an error in 270 innings.
Blake Hickman (CWS): After recovering from Tommy John surgery, Hickman has been relatively solid this season with Class A Kannapolis. The hard-throwing righty is 1-4 with a 4.70 ERA in eight starts, although his K/BB ratio is pretty low at just over 2/1.
Nick Roscetti (MIL): Rookie League actually recently just started, but Nick Roscetti has been on a tear through his first 13 games of action on the young season. He’s slashing .291/.339/.473 with five doubles, a triple, and a home run.
Joel Booker (CWS): Booker was on a tear at Class A Kannapolis earlier this season, but since receiving a call-up to High-A Winston-Salem, the outfielder has had his fair share of struggles. With Kannapolis, he slashed a terrific .312/.374/.400 with three homers and 27 RBI in 61 games. Since his call-up, however, he’s only hitting .169 in 18 games, although he does already have six stolen bases.
Nick Gallagher (CLE): No stats yet.
Ryan Erickson (CWS): SMALL SAMPLE SIZE ALERT: Erickson has only made five appearances out of the bullpen in the Rookie League this season and he hasn’t yet found his footing. He’s rocking a 5.40 ERA and has struggled keeping runners off base - he’s giving up 15 hits per nine innings and walking four batters per nine innings thus far. One thing that’s been impressive though has been his K/9 rate - he’s striking out over a batter per inning.
Mason McCoy (BAL): McCoy has only played nine games thus far in Low-A ball, but he’s been raking thus far. The shortstop is slashing .360/.471/.560 in his 25 at-bats and has taken an impressive seven walks already.
Jake Adams (HOU): You didn’t think we forgot about Mr. Adams, did you? Adams has been destroying baseballs in Low-A ball, already hitting five home runs in just 17 games. He’s hitting for low average thus far (.215), but that’s sure to go up once he adjusts a bit more to the higher quality pitching than what he saw at the college level. One thing that might be a concern thus far is strikeouts. He’s struck out in 33% of his at-bats in the minors, although in just 17 games, it’s definitely too early to panic about that yet.

domain: news


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Inside the Life of a Working Diplomat
Using the life and work of one of the world's most accomplished diplomats, Sweden's Jan Eliasson, this provocative book shows how diplomacy influences global political debates and international relations. Ambassador Eliasson provided John Shaw with unusual access to his work during his final years in Washington as an ambassador. Shaw attended policy meetings with the Ambassador, watched him give speeches, host high-level receptions, and interact with other senior diplomats. Using Eliasson as the vehicle, The Ambassador offers a behind-the-scenes perspective of modern diplomacy. After leaving Washington, Eliasson served as the president of United Nations General Assembly, Sweden's foreign minister, the UN's special envoy for Darfur and is now the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.BUY THE BOOK:
"John Shaw's compelling account of one of the world's most remarkable super-diplomats is important for all students of international relations. This study of Swedish Ambassador Jan Eliasson's activities and initiatives in Washington reveal both the complexities and personalities that drive the policies of nations in the world today."
—Richard Lugar, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
"Students of diplomacy will find this book an enticing portrait of a world-class ambassador."
—Richard Solomon, former U.S. ambassador, president of the United States Institute of Peace
"More than a vivid, highly readable account of a master-diplomat, this book is also a highly persuasive argument for the critical role the ambassador can play in the 21st century."
—Strobe Talbott, president of the Brookings Institution
"A compelling profile of an exceptionally gifted diplomat, The Ambassador provides a rich, insightful and dynamic portrait of modern diplomacy itself."
—Diane Orentlicher, professor of International Law, Washington College of Law, American University
"Any newly nominated ambassador to Washington should have John Shaw's in-depth profile of what it takes to succeed in the world's political capital."
—Chester Crocker, professor of diplomacy, Georgetown University
"The Ambassador should be obligatory reading for anyone interested in learning what makes some ambassadors influential and others irrelevant. John Shaw has written a fascinating account of the strategy, tactics, and tools that an ambassador from a small country can employ to successfully compete in the big leagues of Washington diplomacy."
—Moises Naim, editor-in-chief, Foreign Policy
"One of the sharpest observers of Washington's diplomatic scene, John Shaw provides a lively, thought-provoking revelation of what it takes today to be a successful ambassador."
—Walter Cutler, former U.S. ambassador, president of Meridian International
"This book provides a readable, wide-ranging and comprehensive account of what modern ambassadors really do."
—Brent Scowcroft, former National Security Advisor to Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush
Capital Books, hardcover, April 2006, ISBN: 9781933102160
Capital Books, paperback, June 2007, ISBN: 9781933102429


Buttigieg's face is his message
Pete Buttigieg, conversational in Norwegian, Spanish, French, Italian, Maltese, Arabic, Dari and, of course, English, would rather his face speak for him. It is a young face, a pleasant face, and one that explains why he is running for president. "My face is my message," he said recently on "Morning Joe."
That face, and certainly the brain behind it, has Buttigieg unexpectedly on the rise in Iowa, where a recent poll of Democratic presidential candidates had him third behind Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders and suddenly affluent, with $7 million raised for his campaign in the first quarter. That's a phenomenal showing for a candidate who has a name that consistently thwarts my spellchecker. He is only 37, which is, really, the whole idea.
"Right, a lot of this is simply the idea that we need generational change," Buttigieg continued. "That we need more voices stepping up from a generation that has so much at stake in the decisions that are being made right now. That's why I often talk about how the world's going to look in 2054, when I get to the current age of the current president. It's to remind us that this isn't just about one election. This is about an era. The decisions that are being made in our politics right now will decide how the next 20, 30 or 40 years will go."
Memory suggests we take Buttigieg's prominence with a grain of salt. The presidential race is a bit like "The Voice." It is always discovering new stars and then forsaking them for someone even newer. It was only about eight years ago that Herman Cain thrilled much of this jaded nation with his "9-9-9" tax plan (don't ask), won some straw polls, got into the presidential debates, and has not been heard from since.
Will this be Buttigieg's fate? Could be. But he has a precursor of sorts in this regard. Twenty-nine-year-old John F. Kennedy — now, there was a face! — ran for Congress in 1946 with posters of his face along with the slogan, "The New Generation Offers a Leader."
He won. And he won the White House 14 years later with a similar message about youthful energy. (Never mind that he was sickly; he looked great.) Kennedy, though, was exceptionally handsome: "the most perfect blue eyes I had ever seen on a man," wrote Gene Tierney, one of Hollywood's most glamorous stars. She promptly fell in love.
If American politics offers a rebuttal face, it certainly has to be Abraham Lincoln's. It was crumpled with worry, scarred by life, sad with romance gone wrong, anguished by such backbreaking toil that, as Sidney Blumenthal noted in "A Self-Made Man," Lincoln once said, "I used to be a slave." Lincoln himself appreciated that he was ugly. When Stephen A. Douglas, his opponent in a Senate race, called him two-faced, Lincoln responded, "I leave it to my audience: If I had two faces, would I be wearing this one?"
Buttigieg's is not the only fresh face in the race. Beto O'Rourke is also young at 46, and perfect to play Robert F. Kennedy in some movie. He, too, is doing well. Either one of them — or the exuberant Kamala Harris — could emerge as this year's pied piper, leading the kids away from Sanders, 77, whose ideas seem new but are even older than he is.
Buttigieg is clearly the sort of guy we all hated in high school. He was always first in his class, then on to Harvard, where he was festooned with Latin honorifics (Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude), and then on to Oxford as a Rhodes scholar. He worked the usual high-prestige jobs, joined the Navy Reserve and served in Afghanistan. He was elected mayor of his town, South Bend, Indiana, at the age of 29 with 74 percent of the vote. As could be expected, he won re-election with 80 percent of the vote, after announcing he was gay. In 2018, he got married. His face is magic.
But it is only a face, and if, as I believe, advanced age has to be taken into account in choosing a president, so does youth. Energy and exuberance and an appalling lack of body fat are not all that matter. With furrows on the flesh, a sadness in the eyes and the cruel vandalism that gravity inflicts sometimes comes wisdom. If Buttigieg's face is his message, it is not yet complete. It lacks lines.
Richard Cohen writes a weekly political column for The Washington Post.


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Origin: Southeast Asia, domesticated around the Mediterranean
Daikon radish is a fast growing with big leaves which show within 2 weeks. The most common western radish with a crispy, fleshy texture, and a mild yet peppery taste. Excellent addition to salads, savoury dishes, stir fries and very tasty eaten raw. Can be boiled, cooked, shredded and fried. Combine with chilli, salt and pepper and coriander for a distinctly oriental feel.
Color and texture: A creamy white stem with a vivid green top and a crispy, fleshy texture.
Seeds: Our organic seeds are grown in Longiano, Italy
Nutritional information: Contains a high concentration of vitamins A, B, C, E, & K.

domain: food


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Think Before You Speak Education Poster
Think Before You Speak Education Poster is inordinately sumptuous and makes a well-known wall decoration, this dimension is 24 x 36 inch and the price is $16.99. If you're trying to seek top recommended Think Before You Speak Education Poster with sixpenny price, this one is the right deals for you.
Type: Premium Poster
Dimension: 24 x 36 inch
Think Before You Speak Education Poster is a illustrious laminated reprint of a worthy classic work of art. Your search for it has brought you to the right place.
The item is consists of the use of typeface and fonts to create graceful works of art. It has introduced a crowded host of characters whose moral contradictions are refreshing and interest-holding in a earmark dominated by painting of cut and dry evil and exquisite forces. Think Before You Speak Education Poster is a fabulous decent sized poster, the colors are brilliant and suitable. Those valuable posters you've done for the keyposters are everywhere. The product is terrific everyone loves it and it decidedly look transcendent in the bedroom, it brings something really eminent to the room. The poster has radically glassy colors and looks nice. The radiant colors were muted, and Think Before You Speak Education Poster stark white stars are light gray.

domain: design


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If you have been tracking the S&P500, which is the core investment of the philosophy of the Investing Starter Kit, you will see that it has dropped in value to 4,397.94 as of the close on Friday. The market is about to open in 2 minutes, and I'm guessing it will be a wild ride.
If you have been tracking it, please notice what emotional reactions you might be having. Are you thinking, "Oh no! This is a big problem!" or "Wow, it's going on sale! Now could be a good time to buy." or anywhere in between?
Stock market investing ALWAYS comes with the risk of losing your money.
Investing is a long term game, and it's so important to be patient and considered in your actions.
Update after the market closed at 4:30pm: A wild day in the market, indeed, with the S&P 500 dropping as low as 4,222.62, but rising up to close slightly higher, to 4410.13. Did you watch the fluctuations? I did, a bit, and it was fascinating. what did you think?
The market has gone through a MAJOR correction, and today, the S&P 500 closed at 3902! That's down over 300 points from the last time we checked. How does it feel to see that? Assessing how we relate to the volatility is a key element to learning to invest.
Please take note of how this volatility in the value of the S&P 500 affects you, and let me know in the comments?
And as always, thanks for reading this!
What is Money? is HERE
What is Investing? is HERE
What is The Investing Starter Kit? is HERE
Sign up for The Investing Starter Kit waitlist HERE. That’s a good place to start!

domain: economics


The idea is to use the mirror illusion to create a 3D animation. This is a perspective mapping project that uses a unity plugin to create 3D objects by modifying the models. This is inspired by videos on Youtube about creating holograms through the phone. It uses a coin to calibrate the location and additionally uses environment mapping techniques to create the optical map. The map is then invested to create the model through the unity code. They propose that this system can be used to create 3D animations such as virtual agents.


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About what are the best knife sharpening stones
A much healthier diet ought to have. This article has simple tips that will help you can use to produce your diet easier in steps you'll be able to handle.
Use whole grain products rather than anything that has white flour foods. Whole grains and wheat provide more fiber and protein compared to processed wheat products. Whole grains foods will keep you feeling full for quite a while and help to reduce your cholesterol. Make sure the record is "whole".
Fiber is a terrific thing for anybody to have in everybody's diet. Fiber helps with weight reduction by reducing hunger. It can also reduce blood cholesterol level. Fiber may also decrease the chance of cancers and diabetes as well.
Try out eating an assortment of protein per day. Choose skinless poultry, skinless poultry and fish. Eggs also have a terrific source of protein.Studies suggest that eating one egg each day won't impact your health. Try out refraining out of eating meat one meat-free day out of every seven days. Instead of beef, use peanut butter, seeds, seeds, legumes, peas and beans in your foods.
Individuals who want to know more about nutrition know that they have to cut exceptionally milled grains from their diets. Is it wise to use supplements like fiber tablets or wheat germ in the grinding process?
One great nutrition tips is to use artificial sweeteners instead of refined sugar. Consuming too much sugar has harmful health effects, such as severe heart problems. You might not even taste the difference.
If you are nutrition-conscious, you ought to know that these foods aren't a healthy choice. Anything pre-packaged and only needs a fast zap is filled with a great deal of preservatives that may keep weight on.
Try out tons of healthy-food recipes. For example, were you aware that you can combine things such as milk, natural peanut butter and milk. Oatmeal pancakes is just another healthy recipe that is easy to pick up and packaged with wonderful nutrition.
Try to consume a larger percentage of baked foods over fried foods. Baked or cooked foods are usually fats and healthier when compared to foods that are fried. Eating healthful baked foods regular will also provide your body with greater energy.
Canned salmon is fantastic food. Canned salmon is full of minerals that are good for physiological functions and isn't packed with fat and carbs. Consider varying meals as far as you would like to undergo the most from your everyday diet plan.
Nuts are healthy choice if you eat them. A handful of almonds are high in fiber and also really yummy.
Potatoes are considered to be a staple in many people's everyday diet.Many find it difficult to finish a meal without potatoes or bread.
Broccoli creates a wonderful addition to your daily diet. It's phytochemicals that fight cancer, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Steaming it for a brief time or microwaving aids contain nutrients through cooking. Broccoli that's overcooked has no great.
Be smart when you look for whole grain things. The color of a food does not indicate whether it is whole grain. You need to read the labels and know exactly what you are actually buying.
If you slide some days don't worry. If you start to feel guilty, then that is when poor habits start coming back again. Just chalk it up to one of the cheat day and start throughout the next morning. Getting down on yourself isn't accomplish anything.
Prepare fundamental dishes that members of your family will love. When you keep it easy, you know they'll eat properly.
Some small known vitamins and minerals that offer necessary nutrients for the skin include L-Carnitine, L-Carnitine and zinc. L-Carnitine is a nutritional supplement you have to take in capsules or pills. Zinc is in legumes, nuts and eggs. Most veggies grown in the earth have selenium in selenium. Vegetables which are increased hydroponically usually do not.Eating foods and including L-Carnitine will help you keep balanced nutrition.
You need to know about proper nutrition after collecting information on nutrition. It's simple to be tricked into eating foods which seems healthy but really is not.
You should cut back on how much sugar that your children eat every day.
Replace your dairy products together with those who have here low-fat ingredients. Evaporated low-fat milk that's fat free can be utilised in place of cream. You could also use ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese. These switches taste fantastic and save you calories.
However, lately, fish has been replaced by poultry and red meat. Seafood is filling however light and doesn't possess as much saturated fat as red meat. You will also find plenty of in fish. Incorporate fish into your daily diet for optimum health benefits.
Separate your plate into components. This method will allow you to figure out the meal you've prepared is lacking vital food groups that you're eating. Split your plate according to veggies, a small quarter for starches, and lean protein. This balance makes it possible to reach your dietary objectives.
Kids have a tendency to want to get integrated in their parents are doing. This also gives you to teach them concerning the nutritional value of particular foods.
Try for you children interested in baked potatoes instead of french fries to get a healthier potato dish.Try decorating each half having low fat milk and cherry tomatoes to make funny faces or other attractive designs.
Change the type of milk. Skim and 1 percent milk have equal amounts of minerals and vitamins, nevertheless lack the calories and fat.
Eat slowly and revel in the food that you are consuming. This really is a good idea since it is going to prevent you in eating less food.
A fresh diet can be quite challenging. It's possible to simplify the process by breaking it down. Following a nutritious diet every day can help you achieve your goal. Details like the tips you learned here can make sure you get to the right path to eating properly.


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Go to the game's main page
Number of Reviews: 3
Write a review
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:Goofy light game, October 10, 2020
by KatherineTheCurst (Kansas, USA)
This was a fun little game, but I felt like I might have been missing some of the puzzles (other than the sheriff's crossword). I don't know if I'm just not able to figure it out, or if the puzzles aren't there in the first place. I thought the idea was cool, I mean, a game about a monster called Crocodracula? What's not to love? I did kind of wish the playable characters had a little more variation between them, but I can see why that would be a huge amount of work.
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domain: game


As winter approaches, ensuring your home is warm and cozy becomes a top priority. Your heating pump is the heart of your home heating system, and any malfunction could lead to a chilly situation. For many homeowners, encountering issues with their heating system is daunting, primarily due to the complexities involved in troubleshooting and repair. However, following a systematic approach, you can handle emergency heating pump repairs effectively and efficiently. If you’re searching for reliable heat pump repairs in Monroeville, PA, there are three essential steps to ensure your home stays warm in the cold.
Step 1: Diagnose the Problem
Listen for abnormal noises, look for leaks, and check if some parts are not warming up as they should. The issue could be as simple as a tripped circuit breaker or as complex as a malfunctioning compressor. If the problem seems too complex, seek help from licensed technicians in heating installation in Monroeville, PA.
Step 2: Check the Thermostat and Filters
Often, the cause of a malfunctioning heating pump could be a poorly calibrated thermostat or clogged filters. Ensure your thermostat is set at an appropriate temperature and it’s calling for heat. Additionally, dirty filters can restrict airflow and lead to inefficient heating. Regular cleaning or replacement of filters is an essential maintenance practice that can prevent heating issues.
Step 3: Consult a Professional
If the issue persists after following the first two steps, it may be time to consult a professional. Experts have the skills and tools to handle your furnace repair in Monroeville, PA.
In conclusion, maintaining a warm, cozy home during winter is crucial. With a systematic approach to diagnosing and addressing issues and the help of professionals when needed, you can ensure reliable heating all season.
Don’t hesitate to contact Supreme Heating & Cooling. We’re here 24/7 for your heating system needs and queries. Call us at (412) 245-8964 to ensure your home remains warm and cozy all winter.


Playing tracks by
Nirvana, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam and more.
This show was 13th in the global 90s chart, 16th in the global alternative rock chart and 71st in the global rock chart.
This mix focuses on the grunge movement that gained popularity in the early 90s thanks to the success of bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam & Alice In Chains. Grunge became less prevalent by the late 90s after the death of Kurt Cobain but continues to influence modern rock. These are some of my all-time favourites from the "Grunge Era".


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This Is How To Recognize The Rice That Contains Dangerous Plastic!
The biggest rice producer worldwide is China, with over 200 tons of rice a year, but this rice is extremely dangerous as a result of the plastic content, as Korean Times reported.
The report suggests that Chinese rice companies are selling fake plastic and potato starch rice, steamed with rice aroma. Then, the rice is combined with organic rice in order to trick customers.
This incited a further investigation with the aim to find out if these claims are really true, and sadly, the findings will shock you!
Chinese rice contained plastic that can fill up a small plastic bag. Still, there are differences between these two types that can help you spot the fake one, like:
First test: Water
Pour one tablespoon of your rice in a glass of water. If the rice you intended to consume falls on the bottom of the glass, it’s organic.
Second test: Fire
Light a couple of rice kernels, and if they don’t burn, it means they are organic. If they burn, this indicates that your rice is fake.
Third test: Pestle and Mortar
Crush a few grains of rice, and if they are organic they will turn into a white powder, but if you see yellow stains, it means the rice is fake.
Fourth test: Mold
Cook rice in water and then transfer it in a plastic container. Let it stay in a sunny area for a couple of days, and if you see mold, it’s organic.
These are easy tests a but they will truly help you protect your own health and discover the origin of the rice you wanted to consume.

domain: agronomy


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The four-day annual Convention of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada is held in Toronto. It has grown in size, stature and influence since it began in 1932 and today is the event of choice for the world’s mineral industry. In addition to meeting over 1,000 exhibitors, 30,147 attendees from 126 countries, it allows participants the opportunity to attend technical sessions, short courses as well as social and networking events.
ean-Michel Basquiat took the New York City art world by storm in the early 1980s and gained international recognition by creating powerful and expressive works that confronted issues of racism, identity and social tension. Although his career was cut short by his untimely death at age 27, his groundbreaking drawings and paintings continue to challenge perceptions, provoke vital dialogues and empower us to think critically about the world around us.
Jean-Michel Basquiat: Now's the Time marks the first major retrospective of the artist's work in Canada and will feature close to 85 large-scale paintings and drawings from private collections and public museums across Europe and North America.
Memory Unearthed features the photographs of Polish Jewish photographer Henryk Ross (1910-1991), one of the official Lodz ghetto photographers. From 1940 to 1944, Ross took work-permit identification card photos for the ghetto's ever increasing Jewish population consolidated into Lodz ghetto by the Nazi regime. He also took “official” images, promoting the ghetto's work efficiency , and at the same time he documented the grim daily life in the ghetto: suffering and despair, starvation and diseases, the exploitation of the workers, the deportation of thousands to death camps at Chelmno and Auschwitz.
The restless, wonderfully fertile choreographic imagination of James Kudelka has never ceased to surprise audiences and The Man in Black is no exception. Set to six songs performed by the late country and western giant Johnny Cash – In My Life, Four Strong Winds, Sam Hall, If You Could Read My Mind, Hurt and Further On Up The Road – the work for one female and three male dancers is by turns haunting, funny, anguished and touching, an utterly arresting work by one of today’s finest dancemakers. The choreography is a play on several popular American country-western dance styles and the fluid partnering and sculptural groupings generate a stream of arrestingly poetic images. The choreography, like the songs that inspire it, is an ode to the human spirit.
The Toronto International Bicycle Show is the best place to shop for bicycles and accessories, preview the newest trends in cycling from the top manufacturers and distributors plus enjoy thrilling action-packed events.
Fashion lovers can discover an amazing array of vintage fashion at the new Toronto Vintage Clothing Show. The show is an opportunity to discover hand-picked vintage and retro clothing, accessories and jewellery from top independent vintage fashion vendors. Exhibitors hail from Montréal, Toronto, Ottawa and beyond, and offer rare, one-of-a-kind pieces. Vendors carry everything from costume jewellery, to Chanel, Hermes, vintage scarves, hats, cocktail dresses - anything you could want at every price range. One day only. Takes place at North Building.
Forcier/Norman features the work of creators Marie France Forcier and Tracey Norman, whose choreography is aesthetically different yet complimentary, astutely crafted and rich in compelling imagery. Forcier’s Scars are All the Rage and Norman’s what goes between explore the impact of loss and transformation, promising a balanced program of satisfying new dance works.
Two shows in one place. With over 400 exhibiting companies, the National Home Show and Canada Blooms are full of innovative solutions, show discounts, gourmet foods, entertainment, free celebrity seminars and shopping for the entire family.
Lewis Carroll’s immortal children’s story Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has long fascinated not just generations of children and readers, but artists in other disciplines. Its irresistible blend of whimsical, fantastical characters and wildly outrageous narrative along with the slyly knowing, subversive strain in its makeup has always attracted the interest of everyone from filmmakers to philosophers. Choreographers are no exception. And in Christopher Wheeldon, the Carroll classic has undoubtedly found its ideal choreographic interpreter.
Kaeja d’Dance kicks off its 25th anniversary year with world premieres by both Karen and Allen Kaeja that play with notions of fate, coincidence and choice. Karen Kaeja’s work elicits an enigmatic and provocative take on the childhood amusements of spin the bottle, truth or dare and other games of love that ignite strange and random patterns of attraction. Opposing the freedom of choice, do coincidences generate charged fields of desire, engagement, conflict and hope?
The One of a Kind Show offers an interactive experience in which artisans have the opportunity to showcase their talents and connect with their consumers. Everything sold at the Show is handmade by artisans from across Canada and the U.S. The One of a Kind Shows are constantly transforming and gener
A Sirocco is a powerful Mediterranean wind hailing from the Sahara that crosses North Africa and settles in southern Spain. Award-winning choreographer Anjelica Scannura moves beyond geographical and stylistic boundaries searching for the obscure Arabic roots of flamenco.
Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival is an annual event in May with well over 1500 Canadian and international artists and photographers exhibiting at more than 175 venues throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Founded as a not-for-profit organization in 1997 and now a charitable organization, the Festival is devoted to celebrating, and fostering the art and profession of photography, through a diverse range of programmes.
As a leading proponent of photography, the Festival increases exposure and recognition for local, Canadian and international artists and is committed to advancing knowledge, creativity and innovation in photography. It stimulates excitement and discussion among a diverse audience that has grown to over 1.8 million. CONTACT is the largest photography event in the world, and a premiere cultural event in Canada.


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Good Life actress Penelope Keith has been given permission to open a tea room in the Scottish Highlands following a six-year planning battle.
Ms Keith, 70, and her husband Rodney Timson, have been planning to open the shop in Avoch, in the Black Isle, since 2005.
However, Highland Council refused her permission, saying her plans were out of character with the local area.
After submitting a revised design, the plan has now been approved.
The original plan by Ms Keith, who also appeared in To The Manor Born, had prompted opposition from some residents.


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The thought of organizing a stress free get together has been in my mind a lot lately. Christmas and New Years are approaching and this is the season of many parties and get togethers with friends, family and coworkers. So the desire to have my own little soirée has
Finding work life balance during Christmas festivities can seem difficult to do. Especially when you feel torn between a demanding job/studies and your personal life. When work or college is priority, you find yourself missing out on family time, hanging out with friends and with people you wished you spent
It’s finally that time of the year, we’re we can finally get away from work for a few days, focus on wrapping gifts, meeting up with friends we haven’t seen in months, scroll through Pinterest for the Christmas recipes, and squeezing in some last minute shopping before the big day.

domain: sociology


Extending the Life of Your Grinder Plates and Knives
Hi guys this is Jon from Meatgistics. We are going to start posting more things that are going to show you how to properly care for your equipment. We are doing this in the hopes of helping you get many years of enjoyment out of your equipment! Today we are going to talk about how to properly care for your grinder plates and knives.
The first thing to know is that there are two basic types of plates and knives, Disposable and Sharpenable. Before we talk about the differences in these plates let talk about how you want to care for both of them. You may have heard that you want to “marry” a plate and knife, this means that you should only use a specific knife with a specific plate. This is important because it allows the knife and the plate to wear at the same rate, if you have a sharper plate and a duller knife or vice versa both will dull prematurely and you will not get as good a grind.
We also want to make sure that we are always using white oil on the plates and knives, white oil is a highly refined packers tech oil that will not gum up and is 100% food safe. If you do not oil your plates and knives before you use the grinder then when you turn on the grinder and that knife starts spinning you are going to have un-lubricated metal grinding against metal and that is going to cause a lot of friction. This friction is going to heat up your grinding surfaces and your product is going to slightly cook as it is pushed through the plate. You also want to oil your plates and knives when you are done cleaning them as this will help prevent rust on the plate and knife and extend their life.
Now the sharpenable plates and knives can be used until they are dull and then sent in to us or another company for resharpening and when you get them back they will be as good as new! We sharpen the plates by grinding the entire surface of the face down so all the round holes have squared edges again and a square metal edge is a sharp edge! The knives are a little more difficult, with those we sharpen the leading edge and grind an angle onto them so that only the leading edge comes into contact with the plate. This allows less of the plate to be worn away during your grinding. Before choosing a company to send your plates and knives to ask them if they send back your plates to you or if they rotate stock. We send you back the same plates and knives that you sent in to us because plates and knives can only be sharpened so many times and there is no good way to ensure you are getting a plate that has the same number of sharpenings left as the one you sent in.
The disposable ones are just what they sound like, you use them until they are dull and then throw them out. The disposable ones are cheaper but in the long run the extra money you pay for the resharpenable ones can be made up as the cost of resharpening is far lower than the cost of a new set of plates and knives!
Another good tip to extend the lives of plates and knives is to only hand tighten down your grinder head ring. You might have a wrench for the grinder ring but this is only designed to be used to remove the ring if it can not be removed bu hand. If you use a wrench to tighten down the ring then the plate and knife will pressed too tightly against each other and will dull quicker.
Sharpening a plate!
Sharpening a knife!
Kenjamin last edited by
Great article, but is there an easy way to determine if your knives/plates are disposable?
Thanks, we are wanting to do more and more on maintenance stuff here so people can take care of their equipment. There is no rule that is 100% accurate but almost all plates with a hub like this on one side are going to be resurfaceable, some are two sided plates so they are resurfaceable without a hug though. A really good indication is how much you paid for them, if you spent 20 something on a plate for a #32 then they are probably disposable, if you spent $50 or so then they probably are. Knives are even harder and have less rules but the cost thing holds true, if you spent less then $20 for a knife of any size then probably disposable $25 or more then probably resharpenable. If you want to take pics of any knives or plates you have questions on I should be able to look at them and tell you!
Just an FYI, everybody that received snack sticks for Christmas last year loved them… I just ordered another batch of Willie’s Snack Stick spice blend to do it again this year!
Jonathon, I have to agree that 275 is too hot… If you have the time I’d shoot for 225, but if it needs to be “done”, then 250 would be the max I would do…
I have always filled the water pan for everything I smoke… 2 reasons, first it does tend to add moisture during the long cook thus keeping the bark from turning to shoe leather… and second because the water pan acts as a heat sink and helps maintain the temperature (in my vertical propane smoker) a bit more accurately… I’ve heard folks tout using apple juice in the water pan to impart a sweeter flavor, but I’ve never tried it…
On the other hand, my dad smoked for years, mostly in a converted fridge with an electric hotplate in the bottom… he never used a water pan and never had an issue with dry meat…
As for the type of wood to use, that’s just a trial and error, personal preference thing… I happen to like steaks cooked with oak… that may be too strong a flavor for your taste (my GF hates it)… Recently I have been using a lot of maple for NC bbq, chicken and even cheese… I like the maple for the meats, but next batch of cheese will go back to the hickory / cherry mix that I was using…
I followed the instructions on the video. It may have something to do with the sausage not getting as firm as it should. I used the cotto salami on duck breast with pork fat. It sure tastes good. But it’s a little soft.
I’ve done a lot both ways. I would highly recommend a stuffer and I have the Weston grinder with the auger stuffing attachment. It’s slow, but if you’re doing 5# or 10# batches, it’s not that bad. I’ve had small 5# stuffer, old school cast iron Enterprise, 11# vertical and now a 35# hydraulic. Don’t get me wrong I wouldn’t trade the hydraulic but the 11# vertical I got on amazon had a lot of versatility. I think your bigger decision should be what type of stuffer should I buy. I would recommend the taller, smaller diameter instead of the large shorter one. The smaller diameter allow for a higher pressure for doing sticks with cure in them. The large short ones would be great for doing pork sausage or larger diameter casings, not 19-22mm sticks with cure. It would be fine as long as you’re doing fresh like breakfast or something like that. If you go the stuffer route I’d get it from Waltons and get the Weston-they stock parts, other no name from amazon is a one shot deal, once ours broke couldn’t find parts. Plus they have so many tube sizes now and Walton’s does a great job helping with casing and stuffing horn sizes, they carry them all.
I purchased a stuffer off Amazon for under $100 and would never go back to using the grinder. With the grinder, it was always a two man job and took forever. The stuffer is much faster and have no problems doing it all by myself. Plus with a hand crank stuffer, no electricity usage and wear and tear on your grinder.
Thank You Sir:


text:
This is a modern-day adventure story featuring Paulo’s supernatural encounter with angels – who appear as warrior women and travel through the Mojave desert on their motorbikes.
Haunted by a devastating curse, Paulo is instructed by his mysterious spiritual master to embark upon a journey – to find and speak to his guardian angel in an attempt to confront and overcome his dark past. The Valkyries is a compelling account of this forty day quest into the searing heat of the Mojave Desert, where Paulo and his wife, Chris, encounter the Valkyries – warrior women who travel the desert on motorcycles, spreading the word of angels.
It’s been a few years since I discovered Coelho’s writing in Adultery and The Alchemist. I’ve read a couple of other books by him since, and they’ve been a mixture of hits and misses.
The Valkyrie falls somewhere in between for me.
This book tells the story of Paulo and his wife Christina that travels to the Mojave desert to find their guardian angel. It is classified as fiction, as Coelho himself has taken a bit of creative freedom when telling their story.
I find spiritual stories to be very interesting, but when it comes to The Valkyries, the heavy focus on angels just wasn’t a huge hit with me. It painted such a strong picture of religion and not spirituality, which isn’t really my cup of tea. That being said, Coelho is a very talented storyteller, and he does well with building up an interesting storyline of their trip to the desert.
I thought the parts of the story where Paulo and Christina spent time with the Valkyries was the most interesting part, and I would have loved to have gotten to know even more about them.
But I also understand that Paulo didn’t want to make up too much of their stories by adding plenty of fiction to it.
This might be what makes me lose interest in the story at times. It is the fact that I don’t know what’s fiction and what’s real. This makes it hard to be baffled by the miracles and happenings of this story because I can’t seem to wrap my head around what’s a truly amazing personal experience and what just happens to be make-believe. This might just be my personal preference about the build-up of a story that ruins this for me, I’m not sure.
I didn’t think that The Valkyries was a bad book, I just think it wasn’t for me. The religious aspect of it turned out to be a bit overwhelming for my taste, and it didn’t leave me with that lasting impression that for instance The Alchymist or Adultery did. That being said, I can definitely see the message that he wants to come across when it comes to facing our own past and forgiving.
So overall I would say that The Valkyries is an interesting story with much potential, and for the right person, I think it could be an amazing read. Unfortunately, I am not that person.
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I read a Norwegian hardback version of The Witch of Portobello.
Publisher: Bazar Forlag (Norwegian edition)
Originally published: September, 2006
Pages: 319 (hardback)
Audiobook length: 8 Hours and 14 Minutes
Blurb by the publisher:
Paulo Coelho, one of the world’s best-loved storytellers, is back with a riveting novel tracing the mysterious life and disappearance of Athena dubbed `the Witch of Portobello’, which was a top ten Sunday Times bestseller in hardback.
This is the story of Athena, or Sherine, to give her the name she was baptized with. Her life is pieced together through a series of recorded interviews with those people who knew her well or hardly at all – parents, colleagues, teachers, friends, acquaintances, her ex-husband.
The novel unravels Athena’s mysterious beginnings, via an orphanage in Romania, to a childhood in Beirut. When war breaks out, her adoptive family move with her to London, where a dramatic turn of events occurs…
Athena, who has been dubbed ‘the Witch of Portobello’ for her seeming powers of prophecy, disappears dramatically, leaving those who knew her to solve the mystery of her life and abrupt departure.
Like The Alchemist, The Witch of Portobello is the kind of story that will transform the way readers think about love, passion, joy, and sacrifice.
I’m not sure what it was that I expected from this novel, except that I always have high expectations whenever I go into a new Coelho novel.
The Witch of Portobello tells the story of Athena (aka. Sherine Khalil) told through the people that she met throughout her life. We get to know at the very beginning of the story that Athena is dead, but we don’t know how or why. This is the thing that drives the story forward.
Through “interviews” with family, lovers, friends, and acquaintances, Coelho paints the picture of this mysterious woman coming from a gypsy background in Transylvania, adopted into a wealthy Lebanese family and then marrying and having a child at the age of 18. We then get to know the mysterious story of how her life unfolds through the lives that she touched in one way or the other. Some for better, some for worse.
There’s quite a lot of mystery to this story, and to find out how everything builds up to the ending of Athena’s life. As this is a Coelho novel, there is a certain amount of talk about religion and spirituality, which I think is to be expected if one has read any of his other novels. I for one don’t mind it, but I also feel like it can become a bit much at times.
I also had a bit of a hard time connecting to the character of Athena. That could be because we never really get to see or hear anything from her perspective. That makes her a character that’s hard for me to get a connection to, and therefore also one that I couldn’t really find myself fully invested in.
Even so, Coelho is a really good storyteller, and I never found this story to be boring or my mind to drift.
An interesting story about an interesting character’s fate, but the writing style didn’t fully appeal to me, unfortunately.
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Trump voters in South Georgia come to terms with GOP health plan
Kenneth Peek, a farmer in the South Georgia city of Ellaville, voted for Donald Trump hoping for reforms that bring down his health care costs. But preliminary analysis indicates that the proposed GOP health plan would hurt him, not help.
Kenneth Peek had a rough year. The South Georgia farm where he and his wife grow corn, wheat and soybeans faced a drought and lost money in 2016. So he's working construction jobs to make ends meet.
The 64-year-old hoped to catch a break on his health care costs. He has insurance through the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, but the premiums and bills keep going up and up. That’s one reason he voted for Donald Trump, hoping “he gets this old country straightened out.”
But like many older Americans and people with limited means, Peek is learning that the Republican plan to replace Obamacare doesn't give him a break. It gives him a thumping.
Under the proposed plan, thousands of Georgians who live in rural areas that voted overwhelmingly for Trump – by a whopping 75 to nearly 90 percent in some cases – could lose out on thousands of dollars in tax credits to help them buy health coverage, an analysis by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has found.
Without it, experts say, many would have to pay far more and possibly be forced to drop health coverage altogether.
Those hardest hit: people 60 years or older making between $20,000 and $40,000 a year, according to an AJC analysis of data compiled by the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation. It compares how tax credits proposed by the GOP plan size up against what people get under Obamacare.
It’s a vulnerable age for many working class Georgians. They increasingly suffer from multiple — and expensive — chronic conditions like arthritis and heart disease. But they aren’t old enough to qualify for Medicare, the government health program for Americans age 65 and over.
Nationwide, the Republican proposal could lead to 24 million Americans losing their health insurance in the coming decade, the Congressional Budget Office estimates.
President Trump on Wednesday seemed to acknowledge that some of his most ardent supporters would likely lose out under the plan.
Fox News’ Tucker Carlson questioned Trump about the plan, saying a recent Bloomberg report showed “counties that voted for you – middle class and working class counties – would do far less well under this bill.”
“Yeah. Oh, I know that … I know,” Trump responded. He called the health plan “very preliminary.”
Carlson pushed him further, saying, “It seems like maybe this is inconsistent with the message of the last election.”
“A lot of things aren’t consistent, but these are going to be negotiated,” Trump said. “We’ve got to go to the Senate. We’re going to see what happens in the Senate.”
Trump added: “We will take care of our people, or I’m not signing it.”
‘It was supposed to be better’
Kenneth Peek is among many Trump supporters in South Georgia coming to terms with the new GOP proposal, called the American Health Care Act, and learning they could be worse off.
Make no mistake, many people here still love Trump. They remain hopeful he will bring about reforms that reduce health care costs, open up competition and help rural areas like theirs.
Much of that support is driven by widespread disdain for Obamacare. Many see it as an entitlement that often benefits people not willing to pull their own weight.
Worse, they resent Obamacare’s mandate that people buy health insurance, seeing it as a directive at home in a repressive regime, not a democracy. Even some with Obamacare insurance have complained their premiums have grown by double-digits in recent years and deductibles are so high that their coverage is basically worthless.
Right now, Peek is paying $281 a month for his health policy through Obamacare. That’s $3,372 a year. He’s receiving $11,172 in government tax credits. (His wife, Debra, is on disability.)
Under the proposed new plan, his tax credit would shrink to about $4,000, a drop of $7,172 or 64 percent.
The tax credits are designed to help people who don’t get coverage through an employer buy individual insurance. Both Obamacare and the GOP plan offer them but in very different ways.
The Obamacare credits are based on income, so people who make less benefit more. Under the GOP plan, people would receive credits based mostly on their age, not their income. So a 40-year-old making $30,000 and a person the same age making $50,000 would receive the same flat sum of $3,000.
Peek, for his part, is disappointed, and concerned he might not be able to afford health insurance.
“The way they talked it was supposed to be better,” Peek said.
But his support for Trump remains. He likes the president’s efforts to tighten-up the nation’s borders and add muscle to the military.
Still, the way health care reform is going reminds him of something his daddy told him years ago.
“Anything the government gets involved in, it’s going south.”
Keep government out of health care
Ellaville is a little place tucked away off U.S. 19, about a 2 1/2-hour drive south of Atlanta. It serves as the seat of Schley County with its population of barely more than 5,000.
Around here, Obamacare is just about a dirty word.
Some 77 percent of people in Schley — pronounced as Sly — voted for Trump in the presidential election. Trump drew widespread support from white, working-class people across the country. This county is 73 percent white, and the median household income is $39,375, well below the national figure of $56,516.
Ellaville’s downtown is a short stretch bounded by a brick courthouse with a clock tower on one end and the Piggly Wiggly on the other. There’s only one traffic light.
It’s lunchtime at the Main Street Grill. The place has a rusted metal sign swinging above the front door. There’s a TV that plays Fox News a lot. On the wall, there’s a sign from the original Ellaville High School and photos of teens who worked here before going off to the military.
Blake Yelverton is taking a break with a burger that doesn’t cut any corners. Cheese and bacon and everything. He’s 23, a burly young man with a big red beard, and he works on his father’s cow farm.
“I don’t believe it’s the federal government’s job to provide health care,” he said. “It’s communism, socialism anyway.”
Yelverton hopes Trump trashes the whole thing, and he’s not too fond of the GOP plan being discussed in Congress either. “They’re doing a lesser evil of Obamacare,” he said.
“I’m on my parents’ plan,” he said.
So, Yelverton, it turns out, benefits from Obamacare. That’s because the law allows parents to keep kids on their insurance until age 26 — a widely-popular element of Barack Obama’s signature health law that Republicans intend to keep in their replacement plan.
Confronted with that information, he pauses for a moment.
“I haven’t been to the doctor in four or five years,” he said.
While some would be hammered financially under the GOP plan, there would also be winners.
Thousands of Georgians, mostly those who are younger and better off financially, would come out ahead under the GOP plan.
Right now, most individuals who make roughly $50,000 or more make too much to qualify for tax credits under Obamacare. The new health plan offers credits of $2,000 to $4,000, depending on the person’s age, to people making up to $75,000. (Those who make more may also qualify for some financial help.)
Under the GOP plan, a 27-year-old would get $2,000 a year to buy insurance, versus getting nothing from Obamacare.
House Speaker Paul Ryan contends the proposal will lower premiums and improve access to affordable care while providing tax relief and reducing the federal deficit by nearly $340 billion.
Democrats and consumer advocates argue it benefits the wealthy to the detriment of the poor.
‘There’s a lot of prayers here’
The people of Ellaville are proudly unpretentious. They know a lot of people in Atlanta think they are, as Yelverton says, “straight up hicks down here.”
But they believe this place is great in the ways that matter most. Good schools, safe streets, people who come through for one another.
When someone’s child died, they held a fundraiser for the family. When the Peeks’ farmhouse burned down on Christmas Eve 1983, people came together and raised money.
“Everybody was worried about us having Christmas,” Debra Peek said. They donated gifts and clothes for the kids and money for the family to get by. “When people pray for you, you can feel those prayers. There’s a lot of prayers here.”
Behind the Grill’s cash register stands owner Duane Montgomery. He was born and raised in Ellaville, and he also serves as the fire chief and head of emergency management services. His mom, Shirley, helps serve customers seated around the eight tables. She’s retired, and helps out when she wants to.
Duane has strong views on today’s health care problems, shaped greatly by his work with the county fire and EMS department. He’s seen two hospitals in the area close in recent years. So he’s hoping Trump helps out the rural areas, which he says really need more health care.
Over at the Piggly Wiggly, owner Joel Veatch is helping stock shelves. Another Trump supporter, he hopes Congress repeals Obamacare.
He thinks reform should start with the hospitals. When Veatch had to go for a stress test, a hospital in Albany said it would cost $6,000. He checked with another in Columbus, and it said $1,600.
“If there’s that much variance in cost, then something’s wrong,” he said.
Veatch may be in for a sad surprise. Health care providers and consumer advocates fear the GOP plan will only worsen the problems that put so many rural hospitals in the red.
A recent analysis by Georgia State University estimated 750,000 Georgians could lose their health insurance under the proposal. Such a scenario could send the state’s rate of uninsured people — the third highest in the nation — soaring.
Georgia hospitals already provide $1.75 billion a year in free care to the uninsured. Trying to care for a flood of newly uninsured patients could force some already struggling rural hospitals to close their doors.
‘What happens now?’
Across wide swaths of rural Georgia, the future of health care remains largely uncertain.
Rural lawmakers seem to be at as much of a loss as the residents they serve.
Rep. Butch Parrish, R-Swainsboro, said he’s concerned about the impact the GOP health plan could have in his east Georgia community. So many hospitals and other health care providers in rural areas are “just hanging on,” and more people without insurance would just make things worse, Parrish said.
“The devil is in the details, and we haven’t gotten all the details yet,” he said of the Republican plan. “We’re not sure where this is going to take us.”
Campaigning on repealing Obamacare is one thing, said Rep. Dominic LaRiccia, a Republican from Douglas. Getting up to Washington D.C. and actually doing it is something else, he said.
“Our concerns are the same as the people we serve,” LaRiccia said. “What happens now?”
The GOP plan is expected to head to the House floor for a full vote this week, but with numerous hurdles ahead, it is far from a done deal.
Hard-line conservatives in Congress oppose the plan, saying it doesn’t go far enough. Any replacement, they say, should do away with all of Obamacare, not just pieces of it.
Meanwhile, more moderate Republicans in the House and Senate from states that expanded Medicaid, the government health program for the poor, under Obamacare, worry many of their constituents could lose coverage.
Trump met with a dozen or so conservative lawmakers on Friday to discuss the plan, winning over one of Georgia’s two Republican holdouts.
“I think we’re on an upward path,” said U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Cassville. “There still will probably be a few changes along the way, but I think those changes are just going to improve the bill for conservatives like me.”
Georgia Republican Rep. Jody Hice has also opposed the plan.
But it’s still unclear whether Ryan will be able to garner enough support among his own party to pass the plan. Changes have already been proposed to help bring more conservatives on board. And even if it does pass the House, the plan could ultimately be dead on arrival in the Senate.
‘I had another beer’
Kirk Lyman-Barner is not just an insurance broker who sells Obamacare policies. He’s also a client.
A few years ago, as Obamacare was coming on the market, Lyman-Barner was working for a nonprofit that helped poor people with housing. He had a background in insurance, and he noticed that many brokers were staying away from selling Obamacare policies.
But Lyman-Barner saw the government health care program as “an amazing opportunity to help folks.”
So he went back to selling insurance in 2014, and opened an office in his hometown of Americus. It’s located in Sumter County, adjacent to Schley County. It’s still South Georgia, but Americus is a very different place than Ellaville. With some 16,000 people, it has more of a small-city urban flavor, even as it works to preserve its heritage.
Lyman-Barner’s business took off. Last year he made $70,000 in commissions.
But these days he sees Obamacare under stress. Insurance companies — faced with more sickly and expensive consumers than anticipated — have had to pay out more and, in turn, have cut back on commissions to brokers. This year, Lyman-Barner expects to manage just as many policies but only earn $20,000 in commissions.
The GOP plan worries him personally and professionally. The other night he discovered he would lose $9,040 in tax credits under the new plan.
The insurance salesman realized he might not be able to afford health insurance. His head started spinning. How would he continue to protect his three college-age children? And what about his wife, who has autoimmune issues?
His clients, facing their own problems, might drop their policies.
His reaction: “I had another beer.”
Shafts of sunlight slice through dark clouds over Kenneth Peek’s farm, making it look like a religious painting.
“God’s country,” his wife Debra calls this place, where the eye can range for miles and miles over green earth.
The Peeks love this farm, so much so that when their farmhouse burned 34 years ago, they put down a double-wide trailer and made do.
Looking ahead, they see more years here. The four kids are all grown. They help out when things get busy. Staying healthy, the couple realizes, is essential to keeping the farm going.
Health costs are never far from their thoughts. Debra had a heart attack about three years ago, so she’s now on disability.
Kenneth’s best bet, he thinks, is to simply reach the age of 65 in September, and qualify for Medicare. And hope that nothing changes for the worse till then.
You can see the love between them when they speak. She does most of the talking. When he says something, it’s either important or funny.
“People ask us what it takes to make a happy marriage,” Debra says.