text:
Our clinical staff often answers the question, “when should my child start flossing?” The textbook answer is, at the point when two teeth begin to touch in a child’s mouth. This is usually between the ages two and six, when parents should begin flossing or cleaning between their children’s teeth, but at Kids Smiles we offer a different suggestion. We are mostly concerned about better dental habits, such as brushing for at least a full minute each time.
Most kids really will not floss properly, so good brushing is paramount until the developmental milestone of having adult teeth fully erupted in the mouth with normal crown heights and decent contact points with normal gingival embrasure spaces. When most children are 12 or older and have 8 molars and 8 bicuspids fully erupted THEN that is the time (developmental milestone NOT age) to really learn to floss correctly and at least once a day!
Flossing or cleaning between the teeth can occur before or after brushing. If you do try to floss your younger child’s teeth, Dr. Frank Sierra and our other pediatric dentists suggest that you use child-friendly plastic flossing tools to more easily floss your child’s teeth until your child learns to do it. One example is Opalpix and is pictured in this blog header. Even “toothpicks” if properly manipulated are effective. Children’s teeth have much shorter clinical crowns and can easily injure their gums with some of the “other” flossing or “in-between teeth cleaning aids”. They MUST use them parallel to the contact point and NOT dig into their gums.
The American Dental Association recommends cleaning between teeth once a day. This is important because plaque that is not removed by brushing and flossing can eventually harden into calculus or tartar. Flossing may also help prevent gum disease and cavities.
The next set of flossing instructions applies to teens and adults too.
- To properly floss, use about 18 inches of floss wound around one of your middle fingers, with the rest wound around the opposite middle finger.
- Hold the floss tightly between the thumbs and forefingers and gently insert it between the teeth.
- Curve the floss into a “C” shape against the side of the tooth.
- Rub the floss gently up and down, keeping it pressed against the tooth. Don’t jerk or snap the floss.
- Floss all teeth. Don’t forget to floss behind the back teeth.
- Remember always to also lead by example. Establishing healthy habits early on can lead to a lifetime of good dental care practices and good health.


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Tamara is one of the antagonists from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Tamara also appeared in an extended World of Color sequence to promote the film.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Tamara takes part in the battle between mermaids and Blackbeard's crew at Whitecap Bay. When Scrum sings "My Jolly Sailor Bold", Tamara first appears before him and seduces him. Entrancing the pirates, Tamara sings Scrum's song as the other mermaids surround the longboat full of Blackbeard's crewmen. Scrum is almost powerless to resist a kiss from the beautiful mermaid, but before succumbing, the mermaid reveals her true form. She tries to attack, but is hit with an oar. The mermaids then afterwards attack the crew.
World of Color
In an extended sequence to promote Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Tamara can be heard singing "My Jolly Sailor Bold", while mermaids continue swimming, shortly before the mermaid attack scene follows.
- Before the film, rumors persisted that Tamara was queen of the mermaids, but no content in the film proves Tamara or any other of the mermaids in a station above the others.

domain: artistic


International tourists to WA have spent less time and money in the state, despite tourism figures revealing holiday makers spending $113.4 billion throughout the country.
The latest tourism figures released on Wednesday have revealed WA’s tourism industry is struggling to convince international visitors to stay longer and spend more with low growth in international visitors and spending.
International visitation to WA grew by 0.6 per cent in the year ending September 2018 to 954,800 tourists, increasing by 6,000.
While experiencing marginal growth in international visitors, the total amount of money spent by them fell by 6.8 per cent or $166 million.
It contrasted local tourism, with interstate travellers rising by 8.8 per cent to 1.5 million visitors and intrastate tourists rising by 10.1 per cent to 9.07 million overnight visitors.
Interstate spending also rose by 7.8 per cent to $1.56 billion, while intrastate overnight spend also increased to $4.10 billion.
Across the country, overseas travellers spend $43.2 billion in the year to September, an increase of five percent.
Chinese tourists continued to top the number of visitors with 1.3 million for an increase of eight per cent on the previous year.
However, with the exception of China, international tourists are not staying as long with Americans spending 13 per cent less nights in the country, while New Zealand and British visitors’ trips fell by seven per cent.
Tourism Minister Paul Papalia said that part of the blame for the fall in international tourism was competition with other states for visitors from major international markets.
“People coming from international markets either come to Western Australia or to the other side of the country,” Mr Papalia said.
“They go to Sydney, all the other states generally benefit, many people travel up and down the eastern seaboard, whereas they’revery unlikely to come across the Nullabor.”
He added that WA needed to grow the amount of available flights to the state.
“What’s driving a lot of the eastern seaboard is massive growth in particularly from China for example. We have one airline flying direct from China, it’s China Southern, they fly direct, five days a week. When we took office, it was three,” Mr Papalia said.
“By comparison, Melbourne has 14 direct flights a day from China. Sydney has 12.”
He also said a drop in spending was the result of WA’s recent affordability.
“We’re more affordable than we used to be,” Mr Papalia said.
“We’re much more affordable than Sydney, than Melbourne, we’re about the same as Brisbane and our average hotel price is lower than the national average.”
“So, we’re not the boom town anymore, people don’t have to spend what they used to have to spend.”
However, Mr Papalia said there was still optimism with hopes to translate its interstate travel trends into the government’s ongoing plans to open up WA to the rest of the world.
“The stats that we’ve got from September last year, so some four months ago are reason for optimism for tourism in Western Australia,” he said.
“The stats that we’ve got from September last year, so some four months ago are reason for optimism for tourism in Western Australia.”
“With our two year action plan, we are focused on making Western Australia, Perth, the western gateway of Australia and focused very much on getting direct flights from new markets.”


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domain: design


Denkena, B., Ortmaier, T., Bergmann, B., Schreiber, P., Ahrens, M., Damm, J.:
|Titel:||Suitability of integrated sensors for the determination of chatter characteristics in a cylindrical grinding machine|
|Stichworte:||Monitoring, Plunge grinding, Grinding chatter|
Wheel-sided chatter vibration is a limiting factor in terms of productivity and surface finish regarding the application of conventional grinding wheels. Due to the formation of waviness on the grinding wheel during the process, many expensive trueing cycles are necessary. Therefore, a system for chatter detection and elimination for external cylindrical grinding machines was presented in previous work. It was demonstrated that an electromagnetic actuator reduces the generation of the grinding wheel waviness. The control of this actuator requires precise knowledge about frequency, amplitude, and phase of the chatter vibration. This information is extracted from two eddy-current sensors, which measure the workpiece displacement. However, a direct measurement of the workpiece displacement restricts the working area and is inflexible. Hence, this paper explores the qualification of sensors integrated into the grinding machine for extracting the aforementioned information with high accuracy of phase. For this purpose, two acceleration sensors mounted on the workpiece spindle and the tailstock, an acoustic emission (AE) sensor applied to the grinding wheel, and the motor current of the directly driven headstock spindle are considered. To determine the suitability of these sensors, the frequency response function (FRF) for each sensor is calculated under three conditions: no contact between the workpiece and the grinding wheel, the grinding wheel tensed to the workpiece without a grinding process, and during the process. The method for the in-process measurement of the sensor FRFs and the influence of the contact conditions on these FRFs is shown in this paper.


It has been announced that following the government’s cut to subsidies, the amount of household solar power capacity installed over March and February fell by three quarters.
The decline was expected after a 65 per cent reduction in government incentives paid to householders. According to data published by the energy regulator in mid-April, there was a total of 21 megawatts (MW) of small solar installed in both February and March.
Falling demand for solar industry
In the same period last year, 81 MW of solar energy was installed throughout the country, despite government claims that the changes where necessary to protect bill payers, as the solar incentives are levied on household energy bills.
Lisa Nandy, shadow energy and climate secretary said:
“The chancellor ignored the warnings and slashed support for this important industry in the clear knowledge it would cause job losses and deter investment. These figures show the damage his decision is causing.”
David Pickup, business analyst at the Solar Trade Association, pressed that there was still reason to be optimistic however, saying that, “we are confident that solar can still provide an attractive investment in certain circumstances and that the market will recalibrate by selling solar as a package with other smart cutting edge technology.”
Solar energy reforms
In other news, the European Commission has set out new reforms that could lead to the UK retaining the reduced VAT rate for solar voltaic panels (PV). The new plan intends to reduce the administrative burden for businesses, which should enable an increase in autonomy to Member States in how they grant lower rates of VAT.
This is good news as HMRC proposed in December 2015 that it would hike VAT on domestic solar PV and solar thermal installations from 5 per cent up to 20 per cent, following a European Court of Justice ruling that the UK’s rules on VAT on energy weren’t in-line with EU law.
Leonie Greene, head of external affairs at the STA, said that:
“Increasing VAT on solar to 20% while retaining 5% for grid electricity, gas and oil defies all logic, which is why the STA has consistently taken a strong line on this issue. The Chancellor can and should stand up to Brussels on this – lower VAT on domestic solar is within the guidelines set out in EU law.”
“We hope that Treasury will issue an official statement confirming the Government’s intention as soon as possible, as HMRC is still in theory considering responses to the consultation on this.”
“We also want to see the reduced solar rate of VAT in black and white in the Finance Bill later this year. What prospective solar homeowners and the industry needs more than ever is certainty – we need to know for sure.”
It has been estimated by the STA that the increase would have added £900 to the cost of a typical PV installation.


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First up, in November, Owairoa Primary School and The Great Glenorchy Alpine Basecamp were honoured with NZIA National Awards, the latter also receiving the Sir Miles Warren Award for Commercial Architecture, a recognition we were thrilled to accept along with our collaborator Bureaux.
Then, the Scion Innovation Hub (Te Whare Nui o Tuteata), a project we completed in collaboration with Irving Smith Architects and possibly our most-awarded building of all time, went on to collect the Sustainable Development Award at the NZ Timber Design Awards, an event returning for the first time, post-pandemic, in three years.
Following that, our wonderful construction crew of the Zed House in Christchurch, John Creighton Builders, took out the Supreme Award at the Master Builders House of the Year.
Later, at the beginning of December, it was off to the World Architecture Festival in Singapore where, after presenting live on the Fisher & Paykel Global Headquarters, the RTA Studio team was given our trophy as a winner in the Building Technology Category at the WAFX Awards - an awards programme which acknowledges international proposals that use design to tackle the big issues. The F & P project, which is set to be completed in 2025, also received a Highly Commended recognition in the Future Glass Prize for its innovative and sustainable use of glass. All in all, not a bad day out.
You can read more about all these projects in the journal section of our website.


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text:
Who was the real John Henry? The story of this legendary African-American figure has come down to us in so many songs, stories, and plays, that the facts are often lost. Historian Scott Nelson brings John Henry alive for young readers in his personal quest for the true story of the man behind the myth. Nelson presents the famous folk song as a mystery to be unraveled, identifying the embedded clues within the lyrics, which he examines to uncover many surprising truths. He investigates the legend and reveals the real John Henry in this beautifully illustrated book.
Nelson’s narrative is multilayered, interweaving the story of the building of the railroads, the period of Reconstruction, folk tales, American mythology, and an exploration of the tradition of work songs and their evolution into blues and rock and roll. This is also the story of the author’s search for the flesh-and-blood man who became an American folk hero; Nelson gives a first-person account of how the historian works, showing history as a process of discovery.
Readers rediscover an African-American folk hero. We meet John Henry, the man who worked for the railroad, driving steel spikes. When the railroad threatens to replace workers with a steam-powered hammer, John Henry bets that he can drive the beams into the ground faster than the machine. He wins the contest, but dies in the effort. Nelson’s vibrant text, combined with archival images, brings a new perspective and focus to the life and times of this American legend.---from the publisher
64 pages 978-1426300004 Ages 10-14
Keywords: biography, African American, legends, trains, folk hero, Black Lives Matter, diversity, diverse books, narrative nonfiction, first person voice

domain: library


text:
A significant proportion of patients present with locally advanced prostate cancer with inherent higher risk of local recurrence and systemic relapse after initial treatment. Recent literature favors combination of radiation therapy and extended hormonal therapy for this subset of patients. The effectiveness of Radical prostatectomy (RP) alone for locally advanced prostate cancer is controversial and is a focus of debate. However, it can decrease the tumor burden and allows the accurate and precise pathological staging with the need for subsequent treatment. Comparison of RP and other treatment modalities is difficult and incorrect because of inherent selection bias. RP as a part of multi-modality treatment (with neo-adjuvant hormonal therapy (HT) and with adjuvant or salvage radiation therapy (RT)/HT) can provide long term overall and cancer specific survival. Surgical treatment (such as transurethral resection (TUR), JJ stenting and percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) placement etc.) can also provide symptomatic improvement and palliative care to improve quality of life of patients with advanced prostate cancer.
Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences
Muhammad, N. S.,
(2015). Role of Surgery in locally advanced prostate cancer. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 31(3), 710-716.
Available at: https://ecommons.aku.edu/pakistan_fhs_mc_surg_urol/76
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

domain: medical


text:
Nearly 75 years ago, Alfred C. Redfield observed a similarity between the elemental composition of marine plankton in the surface ocean and dissolved nutrients in the ocean interior1. This stoichiometry, referred to as the Redfield ratio, continues to be a central tenet in ocean biogeochemistry, and is used to infer a variety of ecosystem processes, such as phytoplankton productivity and rates of nitrogen fixation and loss2,3,4. Model, field and laboratory studies have shown that different mechanisms can explain both constant and variable ratios of carbon to nitrogen and phosphorus among ocean plankton communities. The range of C/N/P ratios in the ocean, and their predictability, are the subject of much active research5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12. Here we assess global patterns in the elemental composition of phytoplankton and particulate organic matter in the upper ocean, using published and unpublished observations of particulate phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon from a broad latitudinal range, supplemented with elemental data for surface plankton populations. We show that the elemental ratios of marine organic matter exhibit large spatial variations, with a global average that differs substantially from the canonical Redfield ratio. However, elemental ratios exhibit a clear latitudinal trend. Specifically, we observed a ratio of 195:28:1 in the warm nutrient-depleted low-latitude gyres, 137:18:1 in warm, nutrient-rich upwelling zones, and 78:13:1 in cold, nutrient-rich high-latitude regions. We suggest that the coupling between oceanic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles may vary systematically by ecosystem.
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Redfield, A. James Johnstone Memorial Volume 176–192 (Liverpool Univ. Press, 1934).
Tyrrell, T. The relative influence of nitrogen and phosphorus on oceanic primary production. Nature 400, 525–527 (1999).
Mills, M. & Arrigo, K. Magnitude of oceanic nitrogen fixation influenced by the nutrient uptake ratio of phytoplankton. Nature Geosci. 3, 412–416 (2010).
Lenton, T. & Klausmeier, C. A. Biotic stoichiometric controls on the deep ocean N:P ratio. Biogeosciences 4, 353–367 (2007).
Geider, R. J. & LaRoche, J. Redfield revisited: Variability of C:N:P in marine microalgae and its biochemical basis. Eur. J. Phycol. 37, 1–17 (2002).
Bertilsson, S., Berglund, O., Karl, D. M. & Chisholm, S. W. Elemental composition of marine Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus : Implications for the ecological stoichiometry of the sea. Limnol. Oceanogr. 48, 1721–1731 (2003).
Ho, T. et al. The elemental composition of some marine phytoplankton. J. Phycol. 39, 1145–1159 (2003).
Karl, D., Bidigare, R. & Letelier, R. Long-term changes in plankton community structure and productivity in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre: The domain shift hypothesis. Deep-Sea Res. II 48, 1449–1470 (2001).
Arrigo, K. et al. Phytoplankton community structure and the drawdown of nutrients and CO2 in the Southern Ocean. Science 283, 35–367 (1999).
Lomas, M. W. et al. Sargasso Sea phosphorus biogeochemistry: An important role for dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP). Biogeosciences 7, 695–710 (2010).
Weber, T. & Deutsch, C. Ocean nutrient ratios governed by plankton biogeography. Nature 467, 550–554 (2010).
Weber, T. & Deutsch, C. Oceanic nitrogen reservoir regulated by plankton diversity and ocean circulation. Nature 419, 419–424 (2012).
Loladze, I. & Elser, J. The origins of the Redfield nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratio are in a homoeostatic protein-to-rRNA ratio. Ecol. Lett. 14, 244–250 (2011).
Deutsch, C. & Weber, T. in Annual Review of Marine Science Vol. 4 (eds Carlson, C. A. & Giovannoni, S. J.) http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-marine-120709-142821 (Annual Reviews, 2012).
Price, N. Elemental stoichiometry and composition of an iron-limited diatom. Limnol. Oceanogr. 50, 1159–1171 (2005).
Twining, B., Baines, S. & Fisher, N. S. Elemental stoichiometries of individual plankton collected during the Southern Ocean Iron Experiment (SOFeX). Limnol. Oceanogr. 49, 2115–2128 (2004).
Rhee, G. Effect of N:P atomic ratios and nitrate limitation on algal growth, cell composition, and nitrate uptake. Limnol. Oceanogr. 23, 10–25 (1978).
Elser, J. et al. Growth rate-stoichiometry couplings in divers biota. Ecol. Lett. 6, 936–943 (2003).
Klausmeier, C. A., Litchman, E., Daufresne, T. & Levin, S. A. Optimal nitrogen-to-phosphorus stoichiometry of phytoplankton. Nature 429, 171–174 (2004).
Jackson, G. & Williams, P. Importance of dissolved organic nitrogen and phosphorus to biological nutrient cycling. Deep-Sea Res. I 32, 223–235 (1985).
Verity, P., Williams, S. & Hong, Y. Formation, degradation and mass:volume ratios of detritus derived from decaying phytoplankton. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 207, 53–68 (2000).
Morris, R. M. et al. SAR11 clade dominates ocean surface bacterioplankton communities. Nature 420, 806–810 (2002).
Bidigare, R. et al. Subtropical ocean ecosystem structure changes forced by North Pacific climate variations. J. Plankton Res. 31, 1131–1139 (2009).
Wright, S. W. & Jeffrey, S. W. Fucoxanthin pigment markers of marine phytoplankton analysed by HPLC and HPTLC. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 38, 259–266 (1987).
Sterner, R. et al. Scale-dependent carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus seston stoichiometry in marine and freshwaters. Limnol. Oceanogr. 53, 1169–1180 (2008).
Heldal, M., Scanlan, D., Norland, S., Thingstad, T. & Mann, N. Elemental composition of single cells of various strains of marine Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus using X-ray microanalysis. Limnol. Oceanogr. 48, 1732–1743 (2003).
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We thank S. Allison, C. Klausmeier, E. Litchman and J. Martiny for their comments. The National Science Foundation Dimensions of Biodiversity (A.C.M., M.W.L. and S.A.L.), Biological Oceanography programs (A.C.M. and M.W.L.), Department of Energy Biological and Environmental Research Climate and Environmental Sciences Division (J.K.M. and F.W.P.), and UCI Environment Institute (A.C.M. and J.A.V.) provided financial support for this work.
The authors declare no competing financial interests.
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Cite this article
Martiny, A., Pham, C., Primeau, F. et al. Strong latitudinal patterns in the elemental ratios of marine plankton and organic matter. Nature Geosci 6, 279–283 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1757
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domain: biology


text:
Group Booking Terms and Conditions
Because you are making a Group Booking, there are additional Terms and Conditions that apply. Please read them and click 'I Accept' below to continue with your booking
General Group Booking Terms
By making a group reservation through Hostelworld.com you agree to the following terms and conditions as set by Hostelworld.com and as set by the hostel in question.
- In order to make a group reservation on Hostelworld.com it is necessary to pay a deposit. The balance is due directly to the hostel according to their payment conditions.
- The booking deposit is non-refundable.
- Please note that any cancellations must be notified directly to the hostel at least 24 hours in advance of your scheduled arrival date, unless otherwise stated in the hostel's conditions.
- Hostelworld.com are not responsible for changes or amendments to your reservation once it has been processed. All correspondence with regard to changes to your booking need to be dealt with directly with the hostel.
- Cancellations for reservations must be made directly with the hostel and must conform with the individual hostels cancellation policy (see below)
- It is your responsibility to pay the balance of your accommodation cost to the hostel in accordance with their payment conditions (see below). Failure to do so may result in your reservation being cancelled by the hostel.
- Individual hostels may have special booking conditions relating to group stays, please read the hostel booking conditions carefully before making your reservation.
Hostel Specific Terms & Conditions
The remainder of the amount due will be charged to your credit card ???? Should numbers or room selection change, the per person deposit times the number of people who actually travelled will be deducted from the total accommodation charge levvied by the hostel.
The following group types are not accepted by this hostel: Holiday with Friends, Junior / Primary School, High / Secondary School, College / University, Business Trip, Stag/Hen/Bachelor Party, Sports Group, Cultural Group If you have misrepresented the type of group you are booking for, your booking may be cancelled by the hostel."
Any cancellations resulting from agreement to these terms and conditions under false pretences will result in loss of deposit.
Вы должны принять условия для подтверждения бронирования.
Embrace the cozy, quite and beautiful sea view from the balcony on the 15th floor arrow would be your perfect secret escape.
Lapu-Lapu KR Suites Full Sea View is on the fifth floor of the building. This 41 sqm studio type unit is furnished with WIFI, telephone line, air-conditioning, Refrigerator, cooking facilities and cable TV. Enjoy and experience the luxurious living. Sightseeing and tours also available as well as the private car rental upon request. Water sports, Casino and Island tour activities also available.
Dusit Thani Mactan the closest neighborhood, is a vibrant and inviting retreat.
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Terms and conditions:
Cancellation policy: 7 days before arrival. In case of a late cancellation or No Show, you will be charged the first night of your stay.
Check in from 12:00 to 22:00 .
Check out before 11:00 .
Reception: 08:00 ~ 17:00
Payment upon arrival by cash.
Breakfast not included.
Non-smoking room but with designated smoking area.
Pets are not allowed. Посмотреть внутренние правила
- Бесплатная парковка
- Бесплатный WiFi
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- Стоимость постельного белья включена
- Air Conditioning
- Детская игровая площадка
- Завтрак не включен
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Meeting all graduation requirements can seem like a difficult thing to do for some students with disabilities. In addition to completing specific courses, earning the required number of course credits, and all other requirements, students must pass the statewide LEAP 2025 assessments. Many students and parents feel stressed thinking about the assessments.
Students with disabilities often must repeat courses and retake LEAP 2025 as they work towards earning a high school diploma. This increases students’ stress and anxiety levels, which makes attending school more difficult. As a result, some students with disabilities feel defeated and drop out of high school.
Louisiana has taken steps to help students with disabilities break down many barriers that delay or stop them from earning a high school diploma. The April Dunn Act has helped certain disabled students meet graduation requirements across Louisiana.
What is the April Dunn Act
In 2014, the Louisiana Legislature passed ACT 833. ACT 833 was renamed the April Dunn Act in 2020. The April Dunn Act is a Louisiana law that provides an alternate pathway to graduation for certain students with disabilities who meet eligibility requirements. Passage of the April Dunn Act has removed barriers for students with disabilities that once seemed impossible to overcome.
The law was made possible because of the efforts of April Dunn, a Louisiana resident and high school graduate. Due to April’s inability to pass statewide assessments, she graduated from a Louisiana high school with a certificate of achievement instead of a high school diploma. April advocated for students with disabilities who have difficulty passing statewide assessments to have an alternate way to satisfy graduation requirements.
The April Dunn Act does not remove any graduation requirements—it provides an alternate means for students to satisfy them. For example, if a student cannot pass the LEAP 2025 assessments required to graduate, the April Dunn Act can provide a different way to satisfy the requirement. Suppose a student has difficulty passing specific courses to earn the Carnegie credits required for graduation. In that case, the April Dunn Act can provide an alternate means to earn the Carnegie credits.
Qualifying for the April Dunn Act
Students must meet eligibility requirements to qualify for the April Dunn Act for graduation. Students must first have a diagnosed disability and an IEP. Students with an IEP who are gifted or talented only do not qualify for the April Dunn Act.
When a student enters high school, the IEP team should review student data to see if they qualify.
A student qualifies for April Dunn if:
- They did not meet the state-established benchmarks on the LEAP 2025 state assessment for 2 of the 3 most recent school years, or
- They do not pass the same high school LEAP 2025 assessment after 2 tries
Students who meet these requirements can have the April Dunn Act implemented through the IEP to help satisfy graduation requirements for Carnegie units, statewide LEAP 2025 testing, and credentials needed to earn an Industry-Based Certification or IBC.
April Dunn Act Implementation
Once a student has qualified for the April Dunn Act, it is implemented through the IEP. This must occur during the first 30 days of a student entering a new course. The IEP team must develop rigorous IEP goals and objectives to address academic content for the course or area targeted for graduation.
For example, if the April Dunn Act is implemented to satisfy Carnegie units and LEAP 2025 testing for English I, rigorous IEP goals and objectives that address English I state standards should be developed. All IEP goals and objectives must be aligned with the Louisiana Student Standards.
The regular education and special education teachers monitor the student’s performance during the school year. If a student meets the April Dunn Act goals and objectives identified in the IEP, the regular education teacher of authority can approve awarding the student graduation credit for the targeted area as identified in the IEP. The targeted area may be Carnegie credit, testing, or credentials.
The April Dunn Act does not excuse students from taking all LEAP 2025 assessments. Students must still take all LEAP 2025 assessments, but they do not have to pass them to graduate if the April Dunn Act is implemented, and satisfied.
Increased Graduation Rates of Students with Disabilities
The April Dunn Act has been a great benefit to students with disabilities. This alternate means to graduation has allowed many students to earn a high school diploma instead of a certificate of completion, and to do so without having to repeat as many classes and assessments. As a result, high schools across Louisiana have seen increased graduation rates among students with disabilities.
In addition, students with disabilities, and their families, can celebrate the accomplishment of earning a high school diploma under less stressful conditions. If your child has an IEP and is entering high school, talk to their IEP team about the April Dunn Act! The team can review your child’s data to see if they qualify. If your child does not qualify, then talk to the IEP team about the April Dunn Act again after your child has taken the LEAP 2025 testing, or as you prepare for the annual IEP meeting.

domain: law


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Wow, Patrick Stewart, Harrison Ford,
and Tom Kenny all have birthdays today.
“‘Metal Gear’s 30th Anniversary is Today” and a fictional character from ‘RWBY’ was a birthday, too.
“Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation. Selah (Psalms 68:19)”
Pyrrhic Nikos looks good

domain: entertainment


WINONA, Minn. — Whether you’re in the mood to hum along with familiar favorites, enjoy some cool jazz, or hear the Christmas story in song, Saint Mary’s Department of Music will surround you with merry music this Christmas season.
Jazz at Saint Mary’s with ‘Jingle Bell Swing’
Jazz at Saint Mary’s welcomes the holidays with “Jingle Bell Swing” 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, in Page Theatre. This year’s concert features holiday favorites from more recent years including: a swingin’ arrangement of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You;” hits from “A Charlie Brown Christmas;” “Feliz Navidad;” and even a contemporary take on “White Christmas” will help to make the season bright. Olivia Beauchamp, Emme Jones, Erin Grams, and Frannie Mamer — aka “The Songbirds” — will premiere a new arrangement of “Mister Santa” by Jazz at Saint Mary’s director Eric Heukeshoven.
Arrive early and enjoy even more holiday favorites! Jazz Combo 1 will perform in the Ben Miller Lobby from 6:45 to 7:15 p.m., prior to the performance.
For more information, contact Director of Jazz Studies, A. Eric Heukeshoven at 507-457-7292 or firstname.lastname@example.org.
The Saint Mary’s Chamber Orchestra will present their annual winter concert at 3 p.m. Dec. 7 in Page Theatre.
‘Lessons and Carols’
The joyous and uplifting Christmas service of “Lessons and Carols” will be presented by the Saint Mary’s University Department of Music at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7.
The beautiful service, held in the majestic Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, features the Saint Mary’s Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, directed by Dr. Patrick O’Shea.
“Lessons and Carols” reflects on the Christmas story through several short readings, hymns, and Christmas carols sung by the choirs and audience. Music includes familiar carols and selections by composers from the Renaissance to the present.
The Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels is located at Wabasha and Vila streets in Winona.
Celebrate the season Sunday, Dec. 8, with a variety of selections including holiday favorites and band classics by the Saint Mary’s Concert Band and Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Janet Heukeshoven.
The program includes: “Gaudete,” “Holst Winter Suite,” “The Joy of Christmas,” “Holiday Favorites,” “So Wondrous Bright,” “Gloria,” and “Sleigh Ride.” The performance begins at 4 p.m. in Page Theatre.
After the main performance, music will continue in the Ben Miller Lobby of the Performance Center. Enjoy sweet treats provided by band members, punch, and coffee while listening to a variety of chamber ensembles including a flute choir, clarinet ensemble, tuba-euphonium quartet, mixed woodwind quartet, and more. This concert is a family-friendly event; come for the music, and stay for the festive lobby party. For additional information, contact Janet Heukeshoven at email@example.com.
Tickets for all performances are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available by calling the Saint Mary’s Box Office, 507-457-1715, from noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org. Tickets at the door are available by cash or check only.
Caption: The Saint Mary’s Concert Band is ready to perform holiday favorites Dec. 8.


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Netflix surprised everyone with the recent announcement that it was producing a new animated series based on "Castlevania." Better still, the early reports all sound really promising. The first two episodes are being penned by Warren Ellis (of "Transmetropolitan" and "Nextwave" fame). Also, showrunner Adi Shankar has demonstrated a healthy respect for the source material, and is committed to making the new series the first good video game adaptation in the western world.
It's a good thing the man in charge is excited about the source material because, let's be honest, Castlevania is awesome. Ever since its debut on the original NES, the series has constantly pushed the medium of video games forward. From difficult-yet-satisfying 2D platforming to branching, open-world level design, the series was always finding new ways to challenge players. With the new series on the way, it's the perfect time to remember what made the Castlevania series so great.
15 IT DID METROID BETTER THAN METROID
The "Metroid" series might be Nintendo's most neglected franchise. Even though it has a vocal, passionate fanbase, new games in the series are few and far between. After three well-received games on the NES, Game Boy and SNES, the series was dormant for a long time. Samus Aran made an appearance in "Super Smash Bros.," but a true Metroid game was nowhere to be found on the Nintendo 64.
Gamers wanting a similar experience had to look to the Sony PlayStation and "Castlevania: Symphony of the Night." Ditching the straightforward level progression of most previous Castlevania games, "Symphony of the Night" opted for a Metroid-style design. As Alucard, players explored a gigantic sprawling castle, unlocking new abilities and acquiring powerful weapons that allowed him to progress further. It was, in everything but name, a Metroid game. Moreover, it was a better Metroid game than anything Nintendo had put out. The large selection of loot and weapons allowed players to customize their play-style, and the vampire abilities added a fun new dimension to the experience. The game was so successful, it spawned multiple sequels and established an entire genre: the Metroidvania.
14 NEVER AFRAID TO EXPERIMENT
The first "Castlevania," while a fantastic game, was not unlike many other NES platformers. It was on the harder side, to be sure, but it was ultimately a straightforward experience. You walked from left to right whipping enemies and performing precise platforming maneuvers. As fun as it was, it was standard 1980s 2D action game stuff. When it came time to make a sequel, Konami decided to try something new.
"Castlevania II: Simon's Quest," was not the most well-received game in the series. No matter how you feel about the game, you can't deny that there was nothing else like it on the NES. "Simon's Quest" gave players an open world that relied on them to solve complex puzzles to get through. Not many other games were doing that in 1987. It was frustrating and downright unfair at times, but Konami went for it with this game in a way that no one else ever had. It may not have been entirely successful, but the developers were willing to do something different and experimental with only the second game in a new series. That's admirable no matter how you look at it.
13 ITS STORY SPANS CENTURIES
How many video game series can claim that they consistently put out games for more than 30 years, which, for the most part, all fit into one coherent timeline? Sure, there were a few remakes and non-canonical entries over the years, but most of the main series tells one continuous story about a family of vampire hunters. Chronologically, the first game ("Castlevania: Lament of Innocence," released for PlayStation 2 in 2003), takes place in 1094, and chronicles the transformation of bitter mortal Mathias into the immortal vampire Dracula. The last game, chronologically, takes place in the far-flung future of 2036. (That would be 2005's "Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow" for the Nintendo DS.)
The Castlevania series is a sprawling historical fantasy that chronicles the eternal battle with Dracula. Most of the games follow the exploits of the Belmont family of vampire hunters. Passing down the Vampire Killer whip from generation to generation, they defeat Dracula every time he's resurrected by the forces of evil. That happens a lot. Throughout history, a mysterious castle appears somewhere in the world, and it's up to someone to put a stop to it (usually a Belmont, but sometimes a Morris, Cruz or even Dracula's own son).
12 STOKER'S DRACULA IS CANON
Since the entire game series is about fighting Dracula, it would be strange if it completely ignored the character's literary origin. It would have been easy to put an offhand reference into one of the games and call it a day. Konami didn't take the easy way out, and instead made an entire game, 1994's "Castlevania: Bloodlines" on the Sega Genesis, designed to fit Bram Stoker's 1897 novel into the timeline.
Instead of a Belmont, "Bloodlines" stars John Morris, son of Quincey Morris. Fans of 19th-century Gothic horror will recognize that name as one of Lucy's suitors in "Dracula." He helped kill Dracula at the end of the book, though he doesn't make it out alive. According to the game, Quincey was a descendant of Trevor Belmont. At some point, the Vampire Killer was given to the Morris family and John used it to prevent Dracula's resurrection in "Bloodlines." The Morris family's role doesn't end there either. In 1944 (2006's "Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin" on the Nintendo DS), John's son Jonathan took up the whip to defeat a vampire named Brauner, who claimed Dracula's castle for his own.
11 CLASSIC HORROR VILLAINS
You don't even need to be a fan of "Castlevania" to know that it has players fighting the most famous vampire of all time. In fact, the original Japanese title of the series is "Dracula." What you might not know is that he isn't the only classic horror villain the game lets players fight. When the original NES game came out in 1986, it wasn't yet part of a complex century-spanning lore. It was just a cool Gothic horror-themed 8-bit action platformer. Dracula may have been the final boss, but he was not the only horror icon to make an appearance.
The fun starts in level two, which puts you up against The Mummy. Well, two mummies to be specific. While they can do some decent damage, they're pushovers if you have holy water. The third level has you fighting Frankenstein's monster and Igor. While the monster is slow, Igor leaps around the screen, drastically increasing the difficulty of the fight. The penultimate level has you fight Death, arguably the true enemy of every horror movie. He's fast and has a far-reaching attack that, depending on who you ask, makes him an even tougher foe than Dracula.
10 A UNIQUELY DARK TONE
Nintendo has long been a family-friendly company. When the NES first came out in the west, the video game crash of 1983 was still fresh in everyone's minds. Instead of marketing the system as a video game console, the NES was sold as a toy. With the system aimed squarely at children, most of the games released needed to be child-friendly as well. Nintendo was infamous for removing any references to alcohol, tobacco, religion or realistic violence from any game released in North America.
"Castlevania" may have been fantasy, but its dark horror setting made it stand out from the bright colors of the usually kid-friendly NES. Most games on the console are bright and colorful. Even punishingly difficult games like "Mega Man" featured large, cartoony sprites and colorful backgrounds. "Castlevania," though it may not look like much compared to the terrifying horror games of today, stood out for its scary nature. Even if it wasn't jump-out-of-your-skin scary, it was certainly a much more serious take on horror than "Fester's Quest" or even "Ghosts 'n' Goblins." Plus, images like hanging bodies or even overt religious symbols were definitely surprising in an NES game.
9 PERFECT 2D IN A 3D WORLD
During the 32/64-bit era, 3D graphics were pretty much all anyone cared about. Nintendo wrote the book on 3D action games with "Super Mario 64" and "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time." Over on the PlayStation, 3D spectacles like "Tomb Raider" and "Final Fantasy VII" were taking over the world. Meanwhile, the Castlevania series proved that more powerful systems could make 2D games even better. "Castlevania: Symphony of the Night" was everything you wanted from a 2D castlevania game. It had a massive mysterious castle to explore, fast-paced platforming and a showdown with Dracula himself. It set the standard by which all future Castlevania games were judged.
Over the years, Konami got even better at making 2D Castlevania games. While there were a couple of ill-advised forays into 3D, their best work lived on the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS. "Castlevania: Circle of the Moon" was a must-play for early adopters of the GBA, but the next two games blew it away. "Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance" proved a "Symphony of the Night" style game could fit on the GBA, and "Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" improved on the formula, becoming one of the system's best games. Even in the mid-2000s, when 3D games had long been the standard, Castlevania was at its best as a portable 2D adventure.
8 EVEN ITS WORST WERE OK
You can't have a series run continuously for almost 30 years without making a few missteps along the way. Even Mario and Zelda have those Phillips CD-I games no one likes to talk about. Castlevania definitely has a few duds in its lineup, mostly in its attempts at bringing the series into the third dimension. There's a reason Konami made 2D Castlevania games for so long. The series just didn't translate well to 3D. Their most notable attempts were on the Nintendo 64. "Castlevania 64" and "Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness" both came out the same year, meaning both had the same glaring issues.
It's easy to forget that these games weren't terrible. Sure, if you go back to them now, they don't hold up, but neither does any other early 3D action game from that time period. The worst you can say about either Nintendo 64 Castlevania game is that they're just kind of generic. There's nothing new or special about them. They steal the targeting from "Zelda," but don't execute it well. Other than that, it's hard to find something truly bad about either game. The same goes for the series's later attempts at 3D on the PlayStation 2. They're just boilerplate action games. The real problem is they aren't as good as "Symphony of the Night." Konami did set the bar a little too high with that one.
7 WHIPS ARE THE BEST
Video games don't often get too creative when it comes to weapons. Nearly ever game has you fighting with either a gun or a sword, depending on the time period. Guns and swords are easy. Swords are rigid and move predictably. With guns, all you have to do is draw a straight line and see if it intersects with anything. Designing a game around swords or guns is less complicated than something as fluid as a whip. Even games with a large weapon selection rarely gives you a whip to play around with. You can use a sword, a dagger, an axe and maybe some kind of polearm if you're lucky.
The Castlevania series, on the other hand, is famous for its whips. The entire series is about killing vampires with a whip called Vampire Killer. In every game, the whip is front and center. And man, is it fun to use. Even in the early NES games, there was something so satisfying about whipping the monsters to death. It felt deliberate and powerful. It had such a long reach, you felt like nothing could touch you, even if that wasn't at all true. Maybe it's because we don't get to whip things in video games very often, but there's just something special about watching your weapon swing wildly over your character's head before turning a sentient skeleton to dust.
6 FOLKS BROKE CONSOLES TO PLAY IT
Let's talk about the original Game Boy Advance. The first model didn't have any kind of screen lighting at all. No back light, no side or front lights, nothing. The screen was incredibly dark and with the increasingly complex graphics it was capable of putting out, that was a problem. It was especially bad for "Castlevania: Circle of the Moon." It was hard to see anything on that screen in the first place, and "Circle of the Moon's" dark color palette made it almost impossible to tell when you were about to take a hit.
It's a testament to how good the game is that people were determined to play it despite that major flaw. If you were really serious about your Castlevania, you voided the warranty, opened up the system and installed your own backlight. It was a complicated process that required stripping and reconnecting a couple wires inside the system. If you didn't know what you were doing, you could forever destroy your console. Thankfully, Nintendo soon released the Game Boy Advance SP, which came with a built-in screen light. Even so, it's impressive that a Castlevania game was so good, gamers were willing to brick a $100 system to play it.
5 IT MADE SUPER MARIO 64 A HORROR GAME
If you're going to lift ideas from somewhere, it might as well be from one of the best games ever made. "Super Mario 64" set the standard for every 3D platformer that came after it. One of its most memorable elements was how it divided up the levels. Unlike the straightforward progression of previous Mario games, "Mario 64" gave you a hub from which you entered different open levels by jumping into paintings. It was a cool way to let Mario roam freely around the world, while providing countless diverse environments to explore.
Someone at Konami really liked "Super Mario 64," and decided to apply that philosophy to a Castlevania game. The result was "Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin" for the Nintendo DS. The previous four Castlevania games had stuck to "Symphony of the Night's" formula. You explored a giant, sprawling castle and unlocked abilities that allowed you to progress further into it. "Portrait of Ruin" had that, but each section of the castle contained a painting. The paintings took you to a smaller, but still sizable open level, with a boss to defeat at the end of each. As fun as exploring one giant castle was, the environments started to feel the same after a while. The paintings allowed the level designers to take you to new places you wouldn't expect to find in a Castlevania game. Who knew a Gothic, twisted "Mario 64" was exactly what we were looking for?
4 MULTIPLE CHARACTERS
A lot of games feature multiple characters, but for the most part, the differences are cosmetic. One character might have a unique ability, but the basic action remains the same. No matter which character you choose in "Borderlands," for example, you spend most of your time shooting enemies as they charge at you.
Castlevania's characters feel completely different from one another down to their most basic attacks. When the series first introduced the idea of playing multiple characters in "Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse," the way you approached any given level changed depending on which ally you chose to take with you. Trevor Belmont played like any other Castlevania protagonist, attacking foes head on with a whip. Sypha had to approach things more carefully, as her basic attack wasn't as strong, but her elemental spells were much more powerful than anything Trevor could do. Grant Danasty added a new dimension to the game with his ability to climb up walls, and Alucard could attack from afar with fireballs and fly over obstacles as a bat. Depending on which character you played, the path you took through the level was entirely different. Games still have a hard time pulling this off now, and Castlevania was nailing it in 1989.
3 MASSIVE WEAPONS LIST
Even in the games where you only played as one character, you still weren't limited in how you wanted to play. Yes, no weapon is quite as fun as a whip, but if for some reason you got tired of that weapon, the later Castlevania games had no shortage of options to choose from. Older Castlevanias didn't offer this level of choice. You upgraded your whip and that was the main weapon until the end. The most you could do was switch out your secondary weapon between a dagger, axe, cross or holy water. Depending on what level you were playing, only one of those options was actually useful.
"Symphony of the Night," and every 2D Castlevania game that came after offered much more in the way of customization. Don't like the whip? How about a sword? These games had big swords, little swords, clubs, spears, axes, pretty much any kind of weapon you'd ever want to fight vampires with. They even had a selection of brass knuckles if you wanted to get up close and personal with the monsters before you tore them apart. As the 2D Castlevania games borrowed more elements from RPG's, your options for how you wanted to play the game only grew. There are RPGs coming out now that don't have this level of customization.
2 DARK SOULS BEFORE DARK SOULS
These days, "Dark Souls" has a massive, dedicated following. Fans of the series love its dark, oppressive atmosphere, its deliberate animations and its high level of challenge. The Castlevania series had all of that decades before the first "Souls" game ever saw the light of day. Unlike other platformers at the time, you couldn't change direction in midair. If you jumped, you had to commit. Likewise, your attack animation with the whip was longer than the guns, swords or fists of other video games. A poorly-timed whip could leave you vulnerable to attack. All of that forced players to consider their movements carefully. They had to time their attacks perfectly and really consider their next movement Does that sound familar, "Dark Souls" fans?
Another beloved feature of "Dark Souls" is that it places you in a large open world with little indication as to where you should go. It's easy to stumble into an area you are not at all prepared for... just like in "Castlevania II: Simon's Quest." That game puts you in a large (for its time) open world and asks you to figure out where to go yourself. Walk too far in either direction and you'll meet up with tough enemies that drain your life bar in two hits. If you get a Game Over, you don't go back to the beginning of the game either. You start right where you were when you died. The only consequence is you lose any hearts you were carrying. It's amazing how much "Dark Souls" is just a modernized "Simon's Quest."
1 BLOODY TEARS
The NES was home to a lot of great music. The ragtimey theme from "Super Mario Bros.," for example, is one of those songs that's instantly recognizable to anyone who was even aware of video games in the late '80s. The "Mega Man" series also had plenty of memorable tracks that are worth a listen even if you aren't playing the game. None of them compare to "Bloody Tears."
First heard in "Castlevania II: Simon's Quest," "Bloody Tears" has been rearranged for nearly every Castlevania game that came after it. It's one of the series' most recognizable tracks. One listen is all it takes to see why. The intro sounds like the beginning of a progressive metal song. It gets you pumped to explore the massive world and whip any monsters you come across. It's a good thing this song is so great, as it's the main overworld theme for the game. You're going to hear it a lot. Before long, you might even find yourself humming along to it. It may be the best chiptune track ever written. To hear something really special, check out the "Symphony of the Night" version of the song. It takes the 8-bit metal sound to its logical extreme, opening with a creepy piano that gives way to a face-melting guitar. No matter which version you listen to, "Bloody Tears" is still the track that all video game music should aspire to be.
What are your favorite parts of Castelvania? And are you ready for the Netflix series? Let us know in the comments!

domain: hobby


The USS McCalla (DD-488) was the second American warship to be named in honor of Bowman H. McCalla, a Rear Admiral who had served in the Spanish-American War. Built on a government owned shipyard, the McCalla, a Gleaves-class destroyer, was launched on March 20, 1942 and was commissioned on May 27.
The USS McCalla, a 1,650 ton ship, was measured at a few inches over 348 feet. She was capable of reaching 37.4 knots and had amazing range which was said to have been about 6,500 nautical miles when cruising at a steady 12 knots. Typical of destroyers in her class, the McCalla was armed with five 5”/38 caliber guns, six long-range M2 Browning machine guns and six deadly Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns. She also packed ten 21” torpedo tubes for the Mark 15 torpedoes and two depth charge tracks for use against enemy submarines.
Action in World War II
Carrying a crew of 276, the McCalla took on her first wartime assignment as an escort ship providing much needed protection. She was then ordered to reinforce Allied forces in the Solomons. She continued her escort duties when she ran into an enemy convoy. The battle proved to be very costly for both sides. The Americans lost a destroyer and almost lost a light cruiser. The Japanese had heavier losses. The Imperial Navy lost a heavy cruiser and a destroyer. A third vessel had to limp back to Japan for some much-needed repairs.
The following day, two Japanese destroyers attempted to search for survivors but were subsequently sunk by Allied aircraft deployed from Guadalcanal. The McCalla managed to save scores of American sailors and captured three Japanese personnel.
After the War
She picked up a total of ten battle stars for her wartime service. The ship was decommissioned on May 17, 1946, and was placed on reserve. She was activated for service once more in 1948 and sailed with an American and Turkish crew for training purposes. Ownership was then transferred to the Turkish government. She was renamed the TCG Giresun (D 345) and served the Turkish Navy for several years. She was then struck in 1973 and was scrapped later that year.
Asbestos in Navy Ships
Although an essential component of the naval fleet, especially during World War II, naval destroyers also pose a lasting health risk to soldiers serving on them. Unfortunately, products containing asbestos were common, especially on older ships, because of the material’s high resistance to heat and fire. Despite its value as an insulator, asbestos fiber intake can lead to several serious health consequences, includingÂ mesothelioma, a devastating cancer without cure. Current and former military personnel who came into contact with these ships should seek immediate medical attention in order to detect possible health consequences associated with asbestos exposure.


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Livewell: Health Insurance & Wellness Blogs | Max Bupa
Importance Of Health Insurance In India
17 November 2020
Most of us work our entire lives to build savings and accomplish our financial goals like a child's wedding or building a home. However, these savings can easily get depleted due to medical emergencies in today's rising hospital expenses. This is where the importance of health insurance comes into play. Thus, it is pivotal to know why health insurance is important for you and the role of different health insurance plans.
A prime reason why health insurance is important is the financial security it provides. At some point, every individual and family seek security. While saving and investments are major parts of it, the importance of health insurance cannot be ignored. If there is a medical emergency in the family, you might have to give up on your savings or investments. Individual health insurance plans and family health insurance plans protect you from such eventualities. In addition, there are tax benefits, which add to the financial security.
Our lifestyle has changed a lot since the beginning of the 21st Century. We tend to travel a lot, live a sedentary lifestyle, and seldom have time to focus on our health. We often ignore small signs of a health problem and then get worried when it turns bigger.
Having health insurance cover for the entire family will provide facilities such as regular health check-ups, cashless cover, and the best medical facilities at the best hospitals, which will keep you and your family assured about each other. Plus, critical illness insurance and personal accident insurance can be best suited for persons facing greater occupational risks or health conditions.
Inflation hasn’t spared the healthcare sector at all. With rising hospital expenses and the rise in healthcare costs in general, buying health insurance policy has become a must. One can never stay too safe or foresee serious ailments, accidents, etc. At such times, critical illness insurance, personal accident insurance, and such special policies come to the rescue.
Health insurance is no more just about individual health insurance plans. There is a wide range of family health insurance plans, critical illness insurance, personal accident insurance, child plans, senior citizen plans, etc. suited to specific needs. It is also easy to compare health insurance plans through online portals, use premium calculators, etc. and make the process easier.
One of the major reasons why health insurance is important are the special benefits that tag along with it. These are the many benefits of buying health insurance policy.
● The expenses before and after hospitalization are also covered for almost two months, usually depending on the type of the health insurance plan.
● Generally, depending upon the premium paid, the hospitalization fee, which includes room expenses, is also covered under the health insurance policy.
● In case you are the insured person under the health insurance policy, you can avail cashless treatments as various insurance agencies work together with different hospital networks.
● The charges that you incur during transportation (like ambulance) in a medical emergency are all covered under the health insurance policy.
● The premium that is paid for the health insurance is tax deductible according to the Section 80D of the Income Tax Act .
It is vital to evaluate your health insurance premium before buying health insurance policy. Health insurance premium is the amount that needs to be paid regularly for health insurance every month, or every quarter, or as per policy. The health insurance premium varies widely according to different agencies and different types of plans. Better health care does not always come with low premiums, which is why it is always imperative to compare health insurance plans.
It is comprehensible how crucial buying health insurance policy is when you and your family need medical care at a time where there are rising hospital expenses especially in the private sectors. It is necessary to compare health insurance plans, as there are numerous kinds of individual health insurance plans and family health insurance plans that could be flexible according to you and your family's requirements.


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Gone off on a tangent 19/04/2018
We have been cracking on with new models 06/04/2018
Sorry for the lack of news but lots this week 27/03/2018
The Cunningham C4RK is almost finished 09/03/2018
Now down to business 23/02/2018
Busy preparing for Milton Keynes 15/02/2018
Our full range of high quality, hand moulded, 1/32 resin slot car kits and accessories. All of our cars come with resin chassis, appropriate decals, vac forms and photo etch where applicable.
Please click on any of the images to bring up more information about the products.


Luxury timepieces from around the world
‘Manufacture Slimline 50-hour Power Reserve’ range watch featuring a new in-house developed 50-hour power reserve function movement (the 28th in-house calibre by the Manufacture), a 40 mm stainless steel case, a silver dial, power reserve indicator at 10 o’clock, Roman numerals and alligator strap; available at all Helios and Ethos watch stores.
‘Octo L’Originale Solotempo’ watch featuring BVL 191 – Solotempo calibre, automatic winding and date, 42-hour power reserve, sandblasted steel case (treated with DLC) with 18-carat rose gold octagon; anthracite dial with 18-carat rose gold hand-applied indexes, integrated rubber strap treated with black DLC and 100 m water resistance; available only on www.johnsonwatch.com and Johnson Watch Co, Connaught Place, New Delhi.
‘FREAK X’ collection watch (Carbonium® version) featuring a Carbonium® matte-finish/Titanium with black DLC case that houses the Caliber UN-230 selfwinding movement (flying carousel movement rotating around its own axis); has no dial or hands, with the central bridge acting as a minute hand and one of the wheels indicating the hours; other features include 72-hour power reserve and 50 m water resistance; available at Johnson Watch Co Pvt Ltd, New Delhi and Rose The Watch Bar, Mumbai.
‘Grande Seconde Moon Swiss Serpentinite’ watch featuring a dial crafted with serpentinite, a rock sourced from the Matterhorn that has a snake skin-like look and texture; other features include moon phase and perpetual calendar (located inside the large seconds hand dial) and “mechanism 135” complication to ensure that the movement maintains perfect accuracy for 122 consecutive years; for availability, log on www.jaquet-droz.com
‘Big Bang Scuderia Ferrari 90th Anniversary’ 45 mm watch (Sapphire version) housing the famous UNICO movement, a flyback chronograph with a 72-hour power reserve; other features include a bezel cut in ceramic carbon, the same material used for Formula 1 brake discs, while the dial evokes old-fashioned speedometers with its calendar underlined in yellow; available only on www. johnsonwatch.com and Johnson Watch Co, Connaught Place, New Delhi.


text:
Through Love to Repentance. By Maggie Swan. (Oliphant, Anderson, and
Ferrier.)—This is a melancholy story, written with an excellent purpose, but not very pleasant to read. It may be all for the best that the good people meet with a sad end, and we are certainly glad to see the bad or doubtful improved, but a tale constructed on these lines is not likely to please.

domain: literature