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"It's beautiful, memorable, highly replayable, deep, stellar from a sound perspective, but ultimately falls just short of the high bar set by Bastion."
Includes a brand new single, too. Don't worry, you'll get it if you bought the digital soundtrack earlier.
Another success for Supergiant.
Transistor, Yakuza 4, Thief, Rogue Legacy and more.
Bastion has sold over 3 million copies.

domain: artistic


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In a picturesque spot on our east coast, egrets scan for fish, sandpipers poke the mud for worms and a multitude of small animal life thrives among the specialist vegetation of this rare habitat. Welcome to Salina Nature Reserve, one of Malta’s unique places for nature, protected under the Natura 2000 network.
Natura 2000 sites are natural areas throughout Europe where nature is protected to varying degrees. To make the Natura 2000 list, a site must host rare species of plants or animals that live, breed or seek refuge there, have an abundance or variety of wildlife or be a rare habitat.
Salina earned its Natura 2000 badge as a salt marsh – a very rare habitat for Malta. The mixing of rainwater from the surrounding valleys with seawater from Salina Bay creates a dynamic combination only specially adapted wildlife can survive. But plants and animals are not the only ones to take advantage of the estuary’s special features….
Earning its salt
In the 16th century, the Knights of St John centralised Malta’s salt production industry in one saltworks, simplifying the task of guarding the precious commodity rather than having it scattered on all compass points.
Pay a visit to Salina with your family and learn about salt production at Salina through the ages right up to the present. Drop in at the visitor centre on any weekday and ask the knowledgeable and friendly assistants how and why a salt production line became a nature reserve.
Habitat for nature
The reserve today is managed by BirdLife Malta. Open from dawn to dusk, it is an ideal family destination hosting occasional themed weekend events organised by BirdLife staff. Find out about these events on https://www.facebook.com/SalinaNatureReserve.
At this time of year migrating birds start trickling through, stopping over at Salina for a rest and a bite. As the autumn migration approaches its peak in mid-September, expect to see stints, sandpipers and shanks poking the banks of floating marsh vegetation with their finger-like beaks, looking for crustaceans that feed on the plants.
Egrets and herons wade into the saltpans in search of small fish, while grebes dive into the water and give chase. Look out for visiting flamingoes, the iconic mascot that graces the reserve’s logo, filtering out brine shrimps from the water.
A dynamic profile
Unlike other habitats, a saltmarsh is a highly fluctuating environment, as its main feature – the water – changes profile dramatically with the seasons. This might not seem like a big deal, but to the plants and animals living in the habitat, it is the equivalent of simultaneously living in the desert and in a rainforest.
The hyper saline summer water changes into a veritable freshwater lake during the rainy period. Our national fish – the killifish – is a champion of dynamic environments, capable of activating or shutting off specialised channels that secrete salt, thus keeping its salt level constant.
Thanks to multiple salt-excluding mechanisms, the freshwater beaked tasselweed thrives at Salina, providing an important source of food for some waterbirds and a spawning ground for the killifish, whose eggs stick to the plant’s strands.
Open your child’s senses to the smells and sounds of a saltmarsh, and imprint a sensory collage unique to this rare habitat. Often startling to a first time visitor the unmistakable “marsh smell” comes from the layers of decomposing plant matter so vital to the web of life.
Our urban lives too often destroy our children’s chances to create sensory memories, as we mask odours with perfumes and close our windows to the fumes that surround us.
Make a regular habit of visiting Salina at different times of year and build an audiobank of bird sounds: from the harsh cackle of gulls, to the whistling and piping of plovers or the guttural rasping of a little egret.
For an all-in-one visual feast, enjoy the sticky fleabane – a rough and ready wayside plant with sticky, aromatic leaves evocative of the seaside. In September, you cannot miss its profusion of bee-attracting yellow flowers dotting the Salina footpath.
Behind the scenes
Visiting a nature reserve with your child is more than an enriching nature experience. Every child has heard – at school if nowhere else – that nature has taken a hit from human activity. But the picture is not all bleak.
This summer take your child to Salina and witness together how nature-oriented people can transform a neglected backwater into a thriving nature hotspot thanks to years of ongoing work by BirdLife and a management plan that prioritises nature.
Notice the custom-made mud flats at the edges of carefully chosen salt pans, habitats for wading birds who probe the mud with finger-like beaks. Spot the strategically placed poles in some of the pans, providing perch-and-survey posts for gulls, terns and cormorants. Uncover the information panel secrets with your child and learn about nature at Salina.
Writing the future
Salina is a symbol of hope and a reminder that nature’s story is still being written. As in all our nature places, the wetland is threatened by human disturbance, not least from the roar of cars and motorbikes on the coast road. Success stories abound at the Salina marshland. Set your children on the side of history that cares for nature and ignite their hope that they can be part of the change.
Desirée Falzon is a naturalist and field teacher with BirdLife Malta.
Join BirdLife Malta
For more nature experiences for you and your children, join BirdLife Malta’s family events at www.birdlifemalta.org/events or become a member and join their family of nature lovers at https://birdlifemalta.org/become-member/.
BirdLife Malta is organising a three-month course to engage children in nature. For all the details, click here.
For more Child stories, watch this space.

domain: biology


A buddy noted with some surprise recently that I use emoticons, and I’ll admit: I’m a fan of the fad.
But see, here’s the thing. Emoticons aren’t a fad, or even anything new. Journalists have been using them for decades.
Of course, we had fewer to employ back then, when language was a more delicate endeavor. But instead of writing, say, “shit,” a reporter would write “$#!t.”
It was a brilliant concept by Mort Walker, the cartoonist behind Beetle Bailey. In 1964, he coined a term for using symbols instead of swearing: a “grawlix.”
Now, thanks to basic cable, there’s virtually no need for grawlixes. There are but three verboten words remaining in the English language: the n-word; the c-word; and the other f-word. And no one is going to make emoticons for them, so hopefully their expiration dates are nigh.
For now, though, we have an amazing assortment of images from which to choose: You can project symbols from an engagement ring to broken heart to the peace symbol. There’s one that sure does look like a well-coifed coil of manure.
You can dress as everything from cop to theater mayfly. There is even a middle-finger (with flesh-colored options, so you can say ‘fuck you’ with that personal touch).
It is too much, of course. We cannot help but equate possessing amounts with having more.
But it really is that rare technological step, to speak in terms that would be universal in almost any language. Much like the one mankind shared until, word has it, the almighty broke the Tower of Babel into a million shards of tongue.
So it enjoys a revival here. And let’s face it: Sometime it’s better to send a symbol when you really don’t feel like writing — particularly when your response it will likely wind up grammatically and alphabetically butchered. And when that happens, your up the creek without you’re paddle.
But I beseech one tweak, to be formerly entered into the Book of (Steve) Jobs: a ‘fingers-crossed’ emoticons. There are many variations on finger dexterity: Fingers that point, clap, cup ears, probably picks noses.
I had a nostalgic moment with a vagrant this weekend.
That’s not particularly surprising or new. As a former cop reporter, I’ve always been fascinated with the homeless, America’s last indigenous population, and their sprawling, coast-to-coast reservation: the city.
There was the homeless woman who developed a crush on Michael when he was living at my house in DC. Every once and again, she’d leave canned beets or a kitchen chair on my porch as a ‘Thinking of You’ gesture to Mikey. The street musicians and mobile soup kitchens who were fodder for endless beat stories. The homeless lady who hawked a loogie on my door when I told her I had no change. Or the homeless man I nearly accidentally crushed when he grabbed some zzzzs under the shade of my Jeep.
The taproot fascination, though, came four years ago, when I was having the Harley repaired.
The shop sat only a mile from my home, and the mechanic said there was no need to wait around; the repair would take two days, at least. So I had to decide: Succumb to my lazy-ass nature and take a taxi home, or hoof it.
I would have likely chosen sloth had I not seen the empty grocery cart in the alley behind the shop (shopping carts are like Winnebagos for city drifters, and twice as abundant as discarded cans, even though they’re worth between $75-$125 apiece).
So I dumped my belongings in the mobile cage: $200 helmet; $300 leather jacket; new iPhone in the seat normally reserved for eggs and infants.
And we began our rickety, one-wheel-askew stroll home.
Had I ducked into a phone booth and changed into a cape and big red S, the change in appearance could not be more immediate and stark. I may have had $1,000 worth of gear in that cart, but suddenly I was a hobo, human flotsam acting as catch basin for trash treasures.
No one looked me in the eye as I walked down Sherman Way. A woman stood in her doorway and waited for me to pass before she walked to her mailbox. A young man and woman, hand in hand, walked on the grass so as to not brush too close. When I passed the local park/playground, a Motel 6 for the indigent, a bedraggled man awoke from his nap, sat up and looked at me. Mistaking me for the penniless, he flopped back to sleep.
As I neared the house, I came upon my elderly next door neighbor, Ted. He asked about the cart, and I shared the adventure.
“You should have called me,” Ted said. “I’d be happy to give you a ride.”
I thanked him for the offer, then realized later that he gave me something more. An epiphany.
I had spent so many years covering the street and its denizens, I thought I had some inkling of their worldview. And congratulated myself so for fragments of altruism. But I was so foolish in my notion that all they needed was money. When really, under the cloaking shield of poverty, they perhaps needed something more basic: acknowledgment. A look in the eye. Even a firm no is, at very least, recognition of you as a human being.
But back to the nostalgic moment.
Whenever I’m feeling invisible (or at least translucent), I like to disappear by car or motorcycle into the Santa Susanna Pass, a wending, scenic and mountainous ribbon of highway engraved into the hillsides of Simi Valley. With the right song and corner, it’s a transcendent escape.
On the drive back, I noticed a man standing roadside at my exit, holding a single-word sign for the motorists as they stutter stepped through the intersection. Emblazoned on the makeshift billboard was this:
No embellishment, no plea, no bullshit sales strategy. Just a fact, out there like a wayward shopping cart.
I rolled down my window and pulled out my wallet. I gave him the contents: $8. I like to think I’d have given him $60 if I had it, though I’m not that confident in what Lincoln called the better angels of our nature.
The man took the bills with two hands, and smiled, and said something as the light turned green. I could not hear what he said.


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Second Trial Underway For Former Detective Charged With 'Intentional, Cold, Calculated' Murder
Prosecutors say Alfreda Fluker fired 15 rounds into a police-issued vehicle after finding her romantic partner - also a detective - in an Alabama park with his alleged paramour. The defense, however, says, "she didn't intend to kill anybody."
The second capital murder trial is underway for a former detective caught in what police called a “love triangle gone wrong.”
Alfreda Janapril Fluker, 42, stands accused of the 2020 fatal shooting of Kanisha Nicole Fuller, 43, who was believed to be having an affair with Fluker’s romantic partner, Mario Theodore White, according to AL.com. White — who was present but uninjured in the shooting — and the defendant were former detectives with the Birmingham Police Department in Alabama, once partners in the Crime Reduction Unit.
Prosecutors say that on April 10, 2020, at around 11:50 p.m, Fluker allegedly learned of Fuller and White’s year-long affair after finding the pair in Germania Park in Birmingham, sitting in White’s city-issued, unmarked vehicle.
Fluker allegedly opened fire — using her police-issued handgun — firing 15 rounds into the car, according to AL.com. Fuller was transported to an area hospital but succumbed to her injuries a short time later.
In his opening statements on Tuesday, Jefferson County Assistant District Attorney Eric Hamilton referred to the acronym, “ICE,” according to the Alabama outlet.
“Intentional, cold, calculated, [and] exact,” said Hamilton. “A killer, that’s what she is.”
But Fluker’s defense attorney, Erskine Mathis, disputed Hamilton’s claims, alleging that his client acted in the “heat of passion” when she allegedly saw White and Fuller in a compromising position in the car’s front seat.
Mathis argues that such a motive constitutes manslaughter as opposed to capital murder.
“She didn’t intend to hit anybody. She didn’t intend to kill anybody,” said Mathis. “She was extremely reckless and foolish in what she did, but she was absolutely outraged that he would do her this way. For a short time, she didn’t know what was going on.”
Mathis gave Fluker’s version of events, in which Fluker drove to the park and opened fire, though “she thought she was shooting high,” according to AL.com.
“When it was over, she goes down there to see if anybody was hurt,” Mathis stated. “Mario knocks her to the ground and takes her pistol, which she hasn’t seen since.”
ADA Hamilton noted in his statements that not only was Fluker’s police-issued firearm never recovered, but neither was her city-issued computer, police radio, nor her own electronics.
However, the prosecution’s version of events differed, and, according to Hamilton, it will be supported by the 911 calls made by on-scene witnesses expected to be played in court.
Hamilton stated White and Fuller saw headlights approaching their car before 15 gunshots rang out, striking Fuller in the arm, thigh and head, AL.com reported. Hamilton alleged White drove toward the park’s only access road and waited for the shooter to catch up.
“He is waiting for whoever just did this shooting while the victim lay in the front seat dying,” Hamilton stated.
Fluker allegedly did catch up, and soon, she and White faced off outside their vehicles, catching the attention of bystanders. Fluker later fled the scene.
White initially told responding officers from the Birmingham Police Department that “several Black males” were behind the shooting because, according to Hamilton, “he was trying to cover for her.”
White eventually told police Fluker was behind the shooting, prompting the department to bring in the State Bureau of Investigation.
“Birmingham homicide talked to Mario, and they found something they already knew but didn’t want to believe - that somebody they know could be that cold, that callous,” Hamilton counted.
White was never charged in connection with the investigation and later submitted his resignation.
The murder trial is the second for Fluker, whose first ended in a surprising mistrial in September. According to AL.com, the judge cited a potential juror’s “inappropriate conduct,” never elaborating on what “mishaps” led to the decision.
“Kanisha will never speak on this side of Heaven again,” Hamilton said in Tuesday’s opening arguments. “Kanisha can’t speak, but I speak for her. Today is the day of accountability.”
Jail records reviewed by Oxygen.com show Fluker remains at the Jefferson County Jail without bond.


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Springfield-based Tyson Foods received approval from a U.S. judiciary panel to consolidate 18 employee lawsuits alleging labor-law violations concerning minimum wages, overtime and record-keeping.
The lawsuits, which were filed in the district courts in 10 states, will be heard together in the Middle District of Georgia.
Many of the lawsuits were filed in the wake of a 2005 Supreme Court decision forcing Tyson-owned IBP Inc., of South Dakota, to pay workers for time spent changing into work clothes and walking to work sites. Several are class actions.
Final tip: Class-action lawsuits on overtime aren’t going away anytime soon. If you have any doubt that your policies are legal, check with counsel. He or she can tell you whether your organization risks being a class-action target.

domain: news


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The trailer of Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s upcoming film Babumoshai Bandookbaaz is out now. The trailer is all about guns and intimacy from start to end. Nawaz, who’s always nailed the gangster look in his past films, does it once again in this one! Nawaz has stolen our hearts with perfect dialogue delivery, on point comedy timing with action-packed drama in the trailer. It keeps you hooked till the end. The trailer is bang ON!
The film is directed by Kushan Nandy and produced by Ashmit Kunder as one of the producers. The makers are aiming for an August release though it has not been finalized as yet. The cast of the movie stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui along with Bengali actress Bidita Bag in the lead role. The movie also stars Divya Dutta, Murli Sharma, Jatin Goswami, Shraddha Das, Anil George, Jeetu Shivhare and Bhagwan Tiwari.
After creating a lot of chaos and curiosity among the audience, now the movie is all set to release on 25th August. On another hand, Nawazuddin will soon be seen sharing the silver screen with Tiger Shroff in India’s first dance drama Munna Micheal. This is the third time in a row the actor is all set to set the silver screen on fire alone.
The actor has been leading films like Manjhi, Haraamkhor. Nawaz in past given has given some fantastic films like Raman Raghav etc. His recent release Mom which also features Sridevi and Akshaye Khanna has earned 16.92 crores at the box office. The critics and audience have praised the actors acting in the film.
More from my site


Dunedin January 17 2024 :Hard-hitting young gun Finn Allen has equalled a World Record feat in Dunedin against Pakistan, hitting 16 sixes in the third T20I against Pakistan and posting the highest score by a Kiwi in men's T20I internationals.
Allen went on to finish with 137 from 62 balls to his name the highest score by a Kiwi in men's T20I internationals, beating Brendon McCullum's 123 (72) against Bangladesh in Pallekele in 2012. His six-hitting effort matched Hazratullah Zazai's effort against Ireland in Dehradun in February 2019. Suzie Bates' 124 against South Africa in 2020 is New Zealand's best in Women's T20Is.
New Zealand went on to post 224/7 in 20 overs at the University Oval, with Tim Seifert's 31 (23) the next best as the 24-year-old stole the show.


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Ceramics for dental restorations - an introduction
Título de la revista
ISSN de la revista
Título del volumen
Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Dental ceramics are the preferred materials for oral restoration due to some characteristics, such as adequate esthetics, high fracture strength and chemical stability. Currently, dental professionals have a large amount of ceramic systems to choose from, all of them having small differences regarding their chemistry, processing temperatures, mechanical strength and clinical applications. These differences lead to classification systems that are difficult to understand by professionals outside the dental field. The aim of this work is to review the current dental ceramic systems and present them from a compositional perspective to assure the comprehension of these materials by professionals who belong to the Biomedical Engineering field. A great effort was made to avoid classification methods imposed by manufacturers and to obtain a quick compilation of available information from the literature allowing the reader to have a general view of the stateoftheart on dental ceramics.
Ceramic systems , Feldspathic porcelain , Glassceramics , Leucite , Mechanical and physical properties , Zirconium oxide

domain: medical


text:
Watch Presentation 25min. Or watch a shorter, 2 minute version of Clive Parkinson's presentation. Download transcript.
Download Speech. In A Bird in a Gilded Cage Clive Parkinson suggests that, in a world where institutional neglect and cruelty towards some of our most vulnerable citizens has been exposed, the arts might offer something of an antidote to the way we support people affected by memory loss.
Cann Social Tonics — siteInspire
Read the full essay. The goal of the project was to promote access to culture and well-being through the creative partnership of professionals within culture, education, health care and social services - presenting new approaches towards arts and health. The target groups of these activities were seniors, mental health service users, clinicians and children.
The project evaluation employed quantitative and qualitative methods of which illustrated the positive impact of the artistic activities to the well-being of participants. By creating access to culture, the project taught the participants new skills and capacities, encouraged aspiration to improve skills and create new knowledge. The evaluation revealed positive impacts on emotion and mood, self-esteem, social vitality, communication and relationships, encouraging openness and strengthening a sense of community. This report is in Lithuanian, but google translate will help you translate sections.
Download PDF. The unit encourages collaborative, interdisciplinary practice and shared experience. Lectures and talks from key research staff and students, tutorial group meetings, and presentation. The set projects will vary from year to year and will designed to be responsive to creative opportunities.
More details soon. Please report to Education North, to which the entrance is on Nelson Street until 9th August, after that the new road should be open.
Arts for Health hold the UK's largest archives of valuable research material spanning the last 30 years. For some time, this resource has been un-catalogued and inaccessible to the public. We aim to have this material available to the public early The aim of the partnership is to gather evidence of impact and need across the UK and lobby for increased investment and a raised profile of this work.
The attached paper sets out the remit of, and potential priorities for, a Health and Well-Being Alliance serving the North-West, reflecting the imperative of enabling and supporting large scale, cross-sectoral transformational change. Specifically, it will also provide a resource to enable local public health delivery.
With the new Department of Health White Paper and immanent developments in Public Health nationally, its important the arts and cultural sector engages with this debate.
- Arts Development in Community Health: A Social Tonic - CRC Press Book!
- Banking, Finance, and Accounting: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications.
- 1st Edition.
Please send any responses to c. This conference is aimed at professionals from both the health and arts sectors. Its main aim is to raise the debate among practitioners as to the value and effectiveness of the arts along with some practical solutions. Further Details. The arts play a powerful role in the wellbeing of those who experience mental health problems.
I'd like to...
How can we understanding this? The Award recognises innovative work in Arts and Mental Health and marks significant contributions to research and practice in the field. Further details. Whether it is rekindling past skills in music, dance, poetry or song or having the opportunity to discover new artistic pursuits, the essence of these gatherings is rich in relationship building and participation.
Arts Development in Community Health: A Social Tonic
We work with partners in community health and ageing for referrals of clients who may be at risk of the poorer health outcomes of disengagement and loneliness during transitions in later life. For more information contact stephanie. Inspired by the carnivalesque; hierarchy, institutionalised structure and time are halted as all are declared equal in the here and now. This public event invites artist workshops and local performances to support a non-stop variety experience that normalises intergenerational creative and community exchange.
The next event is at the Gnomon Pavilion, Ulverstone at No Song Left Unsung is a space to express candid musings, pearls of wisdom or the unspoken and deeply personal on things that matter to us as we grow older. Musical composers respond by sampling conversational pieces recorded by the Agency team to create kaleidoscopic soundscapes. This is a model of work to be replicated with universal themes. Thank you to the residents of Meander Valley Life who shared their thoughts on the theme of loneliness.
- The Last Trials of Clarence Darrow.
- Arts Development in Community Health : A Social Tonic - tecubiztdisfce.ga!
- Bibliography – A Restless Art.
- Seeing the Invisible: On Kandinsky;
- CISSP Practice Exams (3rd Edition).
This program questions how we could better welcome new residents, reducing the emotional stress of moving into a new community. Independent living villages come together to share their their own transitional experiences and share stories past and present that celebrate their individuality, values, skills and interests. Its creative and non-intrusive approach allows the potential for all to recognise like-minded individuals and common ground interests in their surroundings.
National award-winning project model developed by Chris Mead and Stephanie Finn in Billy supports children in their community to be connected in school and their neighbourhood. This engagement becomes an annual ritual of public celebration and a rite of passage that invests in the best start possible during the pivotal transition of early years.
Seniors are integral as positive role models, sharing stories and making billy carts alongside makers and families in creating happy childhood memories. Since , Billy is established in two primary school communities in Tasmania. About Us. Collaboration begins with your story.
Care Professionals Our consultancy and social care programs are delivered to be aligned with your values and brand, applying creative participatory strategies that nurture purpose and self-engagement for improved health outcomes for your clients.
Our work with disadvantaged communities, aged care homes, independent living villages, dementia specific, social and respite centres has been recognised with two Australian Arts and Health awards in Community Health and National Leadership Lets collaborate together to develop new creative programs with your team. Volunteers Agency welcomes volunteers of all ages and all walks of life, bringing a diversity of skills and creative input connected to our values and mission.
Artists Agency trains, mentors and supports artists to work in healthcare and community settings on relevant projects for specific outcomes.
Rekindle and Reconnect. Social Tonic Playing, doing and making together is a social tonic. For more information contact: stephanie.


ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Holly Holm pauses for a second and takes a breath. Her mind drifts back to one of the biggest moments in UFC history and the celebration that followed. She tries to finish her sentence, but her voice cracks as she gets choked up.
The last two months of 2015 were emotional for Holm. On Nov. 15, she did the unthinkable and knocked out the previously undefeated -- née unbeatable -- Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia. Then she was whisked away on a media tour. She drove around with actor Jamie Foxx, got monstrous ovations at NBA games and bought a new wardrobe for all her public appearances.
A 20,000-person parade filled the streets of downtown Albuquerque -- Holm's hometown -- on Dec. 7, 2015, to celebrate her winning the UFC women's bantamweight title.
Some cities have professional sports teams; Albuquerque has Holm. Albuquerque International Sunport showcases a wall with Holm in her UFC fight kit with a smile on her face and the American flag over her shoulders.
"I feel like I owe them something rather than them doing another thing for me," Holm said of the post-victory parade. "I felt like everybody in Albuquerque had already supported my whole life. If they were gonna do something more, it was like, 'No, you guys don't understand -- I thank you.' I didn't feel deserving of it, I guess. I just didn't think that way."
Holm is a former three-division boxing champion, defending those titles a total of 18 times. She's a former two-time Ring magazine fighter of the year and regarded as one of the top female boxers of all time. In mixed martial arts, she has been a perennial contender in two divisions, is a former bantamweight champion and came within a close judges' decision (and some after-the-bell punches) of winning the featherweight belt.
Out of all the combat accolades, that head kick to Rousey is what forever changed Holm's life. She went from local hero to international celebrity. From the parade to the media opportunities, there was one thing she repeated: The win over Rousey was phenomenal, but it was something to build upon -- not something that would define her.
So far, however, it has. That victory is currently her legacy, but that legacy isn't cemented just yet. Holm has an opportunity to change that -- and it comes Saturday night.
Holm's personal and professional life changed dramatically after her victory over Ronda. She lost three straight fights -- to Miesha Tate, Valentina Shevchenko and Germaine de Randamie. Outside of the cage, the public nature of her success and the challenge to maintain privacy impacted her marriage. After a year of separation this past February, she finalized a divorce with Jeff Kirkpatrick following a seven-year marriage.
Those around her say she is a different, freer Holm going into this fight against Amanda Nunes at UFC 239 on Saturday in Las Vegas.
"Black and white," Holm's longtime coach Mike Winkeljohn said, comparing Holm now to where she was before. "Holly is a much happier person right now, and it's opened her up in training. Now, she can actually focus on fights, instead of worrying about things outside of the fights.
"That's a hard thing that people don't understand until you're in the fight game. It takes 100% of your thought process, of your time. It's all-consuming and you can't think of anything else. And if you do, you lose.
"And she's back."
Holm is adamant her personal struggles had nothing to do with her losses. She is not looking for excuses. There isn't a fighter alive, she said, who doesn't go into a contest without something happening in their lives.
"If I didn't perform, it was my fault," Holm said. "Even if I had other things going on, I should have been able to compartmentalize and no matter what -- even through my marriage -- I never felt unhappy in life.
"I know there's challenges with people in a relationship when they are a fighter or in the public eye, things like that. Now that I don't have to worry about that, I just do what I want."
Holm's efforts to reduce the exposure of her personal life have been replaced by a care-free attitude when it comes to social media. She started focusing more on Instagram, an account she has had since 2014 but had been posting on only sporadically. Last September, Holm and teammate Michelle Waterson, a good friend, did the Ciara "Level Up Challenge" dance and posted the video on Waterson's Instagram. It currently has more than 1 million views. Holm went on her own account and posted a second dance video in April. It has nearly 900,000 views.
"I want to shock the world twice. I'm going in with full belief I'm beating Nunes. And then I want to defend it and I want to keep winning." Holly Holm
"A lot of people are like, 'Wow, we see you've changed' or 'You're doing more' or 'You're doing this,'" Holm said. "A lot of people actually tell me that about my Instagram and I never thought about it. The thing is, this is who I've been the whole time. ... I guess I just opened the book a little more."
Can something as lighthearted as the desire to post funny videos manifest itself in training and a high-level prizefight? Maybe not directly. But the feeling of freedom that allows Holm to make those decisions unencumbered could.
"I have such a big fight coming up and I've kind of just looked at in a little different light than I have in the past," Holm said. "Yes, I still have a lot of anxiety for it. I still have a lot of stresses and things. You want to win. It's pressure."
That pressure to win is augmented by the fact a fighter's career doesn't last forever. To step into the cage against one of the world's most dangerous strikers is a risk at any stage, but at 37, that motivation needs to be substantial.
"I turned pro at 20. I'm 37. I have to be able to enjoy this journey, or else what am I doing?" Holm said. "Am I wasting 17 years of my life just being stressed out and not enjoying what I'm really experiencing?"
The topic of Holm's age comes up often, but she doesn't see an end to her career on the horizon. Holm said she thought early that she'd fight until 25 years old, maybe 30. Then, when she turned 30, she thought 35.
Now? Maybe 40 or beyond. She's still learning and improving.
In boxing, Holm was a three-division champion over an 11-year professional career. During that time, though she was training at JacksonWink MMA, Holm didn't do any wrestling or grappling. She didn't start working on those parts of her game until she transitioned into MMA as a 30-year-old. Though that left Holm somewhat behind the curve, she now feels confident enough to have used it almost exclusively in her last fight -- a unanimous decision win over Megan Anderson at UFC 225 in June 2018. After some tribulation standing up against the bigger and longer Anderson early, Holm used wrestling to take Anderson off her feet and grappling to keep her controlled on the ground for most of the rest of the bout.
"The best Holly is in front of us," Greg Jackson, one of her coaches, said. "She probably has five or six more good years ahead of her. She's just getting good at it now."
Since defeating Rousey, Holm is 2-4 in the UFC. She moved up in weight and lost to the legendary Cris Cyborg and to de Randamie, the latter in a disputed decision. The blemishes on Holm's record bother her. Holm has been finished only once in that stretch, a fifth-round submission loss to Tate in a fight she was winning. The title loss to Tate came in Holm's first defense after beating Rousey.
"There was no fight [among] any of my fights since the belt that I just literally got my ass handed to me," Holm said. "For me, it's like I've come short, I've come short, I've come short. But I don't feel like I can't compete with these girls anymore, that's the difference. ... I know I'm still fully capable of beating any girl in this division."
Holm knows her legacy is on the line against Nunes, who is coming off a knockout of Cyborg. It was Cyborg's first loss in 13 years, since her pro debut. Nunes, a -350 favorite heading into Saturday, is now the champion in both the bantamweight and featherweight divisions. Nunes seems unbeatable. Holm has heard all that before.
"I want to shock the world twice," Holm said. "I'm going in with full belief I'm beating Nunes. And then I want to defend it and I want to keep winning. I want to retire on top, not on bottom. I don't want to retire because I feel like I have nothing left. I want to retire because I feel like I did what I needed to do and that I'm content with it."
As it stands now, how Holm will forever be remembered in MMA is unclear. What Tate values in Holm is her willingness to "take on all the biggest challenges out there." Holm fought Tate four months after beating Rousey, and she didn't have to. In fact, the UFC wanted her to sit out until a Rousey rematch.
"She will always be remembered that way," Tate said. "And she exemplifies what it means to truly believe in yourself and that losing does not define you, but rather, like winning, is all just part of the journey."
At JacksonWink MMA, Holm's place is forever set as a mentor and leader. Waterson said a Holm nod of approval is constant affirmation for the younger members of the team. No one has ever questioned her work ethic.
"I always joke around that any time I'm tired or this or that or complaining, I always think to myself, 'What would Holly do?'" Waterson said. "And then I get my ass up to go train."
Holm will forever be tied to Rousey. There's no way around it. But Holm is still in the UFC, still competing for titles. Rousey left MMA after getting knocked out by Nunes in 2016 and joined the WWE in 2018.
"To be the person that beat Ronda Rousey isn't the person," Jackson said. "That's still Ronda Rousey's legacy. It would be nice to be the person that also won again."
Holm isn't just fighting Nunes either. She's fighting time and history. Her goal is to still be considered the best women's MMA fighter of all time. Rousey once held that distinction, then Cyborg. Now most will say it's Nunes. Holm says she believes it can still be her.
"That's why this fight has so much on it," Holm said. "I know what's on the plate. And being the fact that I'm 37, they wouldn't be saying some of the things they would be saying if I was 27. Being 37, they're gonna say if I lose, 'Oh you should retire.' If I win, 'Oh my gosh, we knew you could do it again.' It's one or the other."
And if she does it, if she stuns the public again? It might be cause for another Albuquerque parade. Holm knows the people there, the ones closest to her will be living and dying with every punch and kick at UFC 239.
"If I lose, we all hurt," Holm said. "If I win, we're all on a drug-free [high]. And people don't understand that. It is a high that you're constantly seeking. And that's success."


So I treated myself with a trip to the BIG gun store today and took my daughter along, cause she’s great. We picked up some ammo and targets, a new mag for my Security 9, and some little doodads. Saw a lot of pretty rifles in the racks, including a used Henry model of the Quigley gun in 45-70. Only $900! There were also many pretty new pistols in the cases; very nice stuff.
Then came the defining moment. We made our way to the display case full of used handguns. A nice GP 100 in .357 w/4" barrel. Tempting, but still out of budget. A shiny stainless RIA 1911 with pearl grips in .45acp. I think it was around $450 or so. Then my daughter calls me over to see a CZ 100 9mm. It is clean and looks like it has barely been fired. I picked it up.and it felt pretty good in my grip. Comes with three mags, a case, and screw adjustable rear sights. I must-read the price tag at first. I thought it said $299, but on second look it was only $229!
The thoughts started churning! I have a baby Taurus I should be able to get $100 for on trade in, so $129 in cash. I drove home and immediately went to the web for info and reviews. Turns out this model was CZ 's first attempt at a striker fired polymer frame pistol in 1995, and it’s DAO. A reviewer on the USCCA blog calls it the benchmark for bad triggers. Very long, hard pull with tremendous stacking right before firing and long reset. He couldn’t find enough words to fully communicate how bad this trigger was. Oh, as it’s ugly, too.
So, not going back for it Tuesday. sigh The hunt continues.


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Artist inspiration galore…Posted: April 7, 2014
I begun the research initially through my dissertation prep, making sure i was onto the right track with photo-realistic style artists. My search through the abundance of artists available on this site and many more spilled over into my subject practice, just the excitement and inspiration for future works of mine and what i hope to create was amazing.
Just want to be drawing all the time..
Oil Paintings by Robin Eley
Pencil Drawings by Paul Lung
These are just two of the amazing artists who show that a busy composition and unusual subject and meaning aren’t needed to create a completely jaw dropping image when this amount of skill and time has gone in to creating each piece. Other artists such as Samuel Silva, Juan Francisco Casas and Lynch-Smith are other examples of the multitude of photo-realism artists I’ve discovered through my research so far.

domain: hobby


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Tom Brady Shuts Down 'Masked Singer' Rumor
By Jason Hall
September 13, 2022
Tom Brady has once again denied rumors that he appeared on a taping of The Masked Singer during his time away from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last month.
"I don't know where they get all these things," Brady told Let's Go! podcast co-host Jim Gray on Monday (September 12). "They've got to talk about something, it wasn't me. I wasn't masked and I'm not a singer so that wouldn't really fit my profile.
"I'm basically only good at one thing, which is throwing passes, other than that I'm basically worthless."
A recently leaked clip from the upcoming season of The Masked Singer has reignited rumors of Brady's participation on the celebrity singing competition during his more than 10-day absence from the Buccaneers.
The clip, which was obtained and shared by TMZ Sports, shows comedic actor Ken Jeong, a judge on the show, say that a contestant dressed as a hummingbird had a disguise and performance that was "screaming out like a football legend," before guessing that the celebrity was Brady after initially throwing out Peyton Manning, Brady's longtime on-field rival, as a possible guess.
"He just got fined for not showing up to training camp because he is here on 'The Masked Singer,'" Jeong said, although inaccurately noting a fine, rather than an excused absence. "This is seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady!"
Brady addressed the growing conspiracy theory that he was actually participating in the taping of the Masked Singer while away from to the Bucs for more than 10 days and returning to the team on August 22.
"Wasn't on the masked singer (sic) last week. Was wearing a mask though," Brady quote-tweeted last month with a video showing someone wearing only a helmet and his BRADY brand underwear doing stunts on a motorcycle -- although unlikely to actually be the quarterback himself.
Brady agreed to a 10-year, $375 million to become FOX Sports' new NFL lead analyst whenever he retires, which was among several examples provided in a Reddit post making the claim of his participation in the singing competition.
Brady returned to the Buccaneers last month and reportedly took the absence in order to fulfill plans made with his family prior to his un-retirement announcement earlier this year.
League sources with knowledge of the situation told Pro Football Network that Brady made a commitment to spend time with his family, primarily his wife, supermodel Gisele Bündchen, at an exclusive resort in the Bahamas during his time away from the team, which was planned before his decision to return for his 23rd NFL season in March, just weeks after his initial retirement announcement.
"His commitment to family and having a personal life was at the heart of this hiatus from football, and there was no medical emergency, as speculated, or other reasons," Pro Football Network wrote, which was re-shared on Twitter by NFL reporter Dov Kleiman.
Tom Brady is back in the building and is expected to practice today.— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) August 22, 2022
Brady was initially absent from the Bucs' practice on August 11 and expected to be away from the team for several days, head coach Todd Bowles said at the time via NFL Network Senior Insider Ian Rapoport.
"#Bucs QB Tom Brady is not at practice today for personal, non-football reasons," Rapoport tweeted at the time.. "Coach Todd Bowles will discuss it after practice, but my understanding is he won't be present for a few days."
Rapoport added that "Brady is fine and the team is on board with his reasons for being absent," but noted that it would "be a little bit" of time before the seven-time Super Bowl champion was expected to return.
Bowles later confirmed that Brady was expected to be away from the team until after the Bucs' preseason game against the Tennessee Titans on August 20, according to Rapoport.
On August 21, Bowles told reporters that Brady would return to the team early this week, according Rapoport, who said he was told that the seven-time Super Bowl champion was expected to be with the team on Monday.
The Buccaneers had already ruled Brady out for their first preseason game against the Miami Dolphins on August 13 prior to his initial reported absence.
Brady, who turned 45 earlier this month, announced his retirement, then un-retirement this offseason ahead of his 23rd NFL season.
Brady is the NFL's all-time passing leader for yards (84,732) and touchdowns (625), as well as quarterback wins (244), among numerous other records.
The San Mateo native spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, leading the franchise to an NFL record six Super Bowl championships (tied with the Steelers), before joining the Buccaneers as a free agent in March 2020, which resulted in Tampa Bay winning its second Super Bowl in franchise history, becoming the first NFL team to win a Super Bowl in its home stadium, in February 2021.


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Recent Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Diagnosis
Indiana Health Alert Network Notification – June 16, 2017
Fatal Case of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in a Pediatric Patient
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) was recently notified of a fatality in a pediatric patient with a diagnosis of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Due to the interest in this case, the ISDH would like to provide information on the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, along with some additional recommendations.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a tickborne disease caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii. In Indiana, RMSF is transmitted through the bite of an infected American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis). A delay in disease recognition and initiation of appropriate treatment is associated with severe disease and poor outcomes.
The first symptoms of RMSF typically begin 2–14 days after the bite of an infected tick. The disease frequently begins with sudden onset of fever and headache, with a rash occurring 2–5 days after fever in 90% of cases. Thrombocytopenia, hyponatremia, and elevated liver transaminase concentrations develop in many cases. If not treated, illness can be severe, with prominent central nervous system, cardiac, pulmonary, gastrointestinal tract and renal involvement, disseminated intravascular coagulation, shock, and possible death. Children with RMSF may experience nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite and are less likely to report a headache. Frequently observed signs and symptoms in children with RMSF are abdominal pain, altered mental status and conjunctival injection. Occasionally, symptoms like cough, sore throat, and diarrhea may be seen in children.
While most people with RMSF (90%) have some type of rash during the course of illness, some people do not develop the rash until late in the disease process. It is important for physicians to consider RMSF if other signs and symptoms support a diagnosis, even if a rash is not present.
The diagnosis of RMSF must be made based on clinical signs and symptoms, and can later be confirmed using specialized confirmatory laboratory tests. Treatment should never be delayed pending the receipt of laboratory test results, or be withheld on the basis of an initial negative finding for R. rickettsii. Information such as recent tick bites, recreational or occupational outdoor exposure, contact with dogs, similar illnesses in family members or pets, or history of recent travel to areas of high incidence can be helpful in making the diagnosis. The healthcare provider may also look at routine blood tests, such as a complete blood cell count or a chemistry panel. Clues such as a low platelet count, low sodium levels, or elevated liver enzyme levels are often helpful predictors of RMSF but may not be present in all patients.
Doxycycline is the first line of treatment for adults and children of all ages and should be initiated immediately whenever RMSF is suspected. The use of doxycycline to treat suspected RMSF in children is standard practice recommended by both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Infectious Diseases. Unlike older tetracyclines, the recommended dose and duration of medication needed to treat RMSF has not been shown to cause staining of permanent teeth. Treatment is most effective at preventing death if doxycycline is started in the first 5 days of symptoms.
- Ask about outdoor exposure in history, including location and dates of exposure.
- Consider tickborne diseases in the differential even if other diagnoses are identified.
- Do not rule out tickborne disease if there was no recognized tick exposure. In approximately half of pediatric RMSF cases, there is no recall of a recent tick bite.
- Use doxycycline as the first-line treatment for suspected RMSF in patients of all ages.
- Order diagnostic tests for additional agents if the clinical history and geographic association warrant. The clinical presentation for RMSF can also resemble other tickborne diseases, such as ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis. Similar to RMSF, these infections respond well to treatment with doxycycline.
- Report tickborne diseases within 72 hours to the local health department of the county where the patient resides (410 IAC 1-2.5-128).
For more information
- Tickborne Diseases of the United States: A reference manual for healthcare providers: https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/resources/tickbornediseases.pdf
- CDC Tickborne Diseases mobile app: https://www.cdc.gov/mobile/applications/mobileframework/tickborne-diseases.html
- Indiana Communicable Disease Rule: http://www.in.gov/isdh/files/Final_Rule_LSA_.pdf
For questions, please contact Taryn Stevens, Vector-Borne Epidemiologist, at email@example.com or 317-234-9727.


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The next Cultivated Artist Experience will begin in fall of 2022 in Southern California. More details to come.
In this video, graduates of the CAE program share unique experiences and breakthrough stories:
In Create: Transforming Stories of Art, Life & Faith, you'll read the personal and professional challenges of artists. Visual artists, filmmakers, writers, dancers, and musicians. The Kindle ebook has over 25 beautiful paintings, photos and illustrations. Free for Kindle & Epub. $9.99 print - Amazon.Kindle - Amazon Print - Amazon iBook, Nook, etc.
Cultivating the Spiritual Life and Creative Work of Artists
The Grove helps artists cultivate personal and professional results with inspiring retreats, artist community gatherings, and online resources.
Join Grove Founder, Joey O'Connor, in this free video course designed to help you get unstuck & unblocked in creating your art. You'll also receive free updates from The Grove. Get started today!


High Integrity Steel & Stainless Steel Fabrications
Ancon is an ASSDA accredited specialist fabricator and has a wealth of experience in working with a range of types and grades of stainless steel.
For more information on Ancon's ASSDA accreditation please click here.
High integrity steel components can be designed and manufactured for a wide range of industries including Civil Engineering, Building, Infrastructure, Water Treatment, Nuclear and Mining.
Our primary aims are to protect our employees and the wider community, whilst maintaining service to our customers. Read about the measures we are undertaking here.
High-performance masonry support and fixing systems from Ancon have helped three of Australia’s most iconic new buildings to success in the country’s prestigious 2019 Think Brick Awards.


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By Erica Wright
The Birmingham Times
Welcome to Third Thursdays! This series—published in the Birmingham Times on the third Thursday of every month—highlights area citizens who overcome odds to make a difference in their own lives or those who make a difference in the lives of others.
Sanchez Tanniehill was a happy and healthy baby—until he was 6 weeks old.
“I came home looking good,” he said. “My mom put me down for my daily nap, came back in the room to check on me, and realized my lips had turned blue. Like any other mom, she rushed me to the nearest hospital, [where] they found that I’d had a stroke at 6 weeks old. On top of that, I had spinal meningitis.”
Tanniehill’s family was told he would never speak or be able to walk on his own, and he would be completely blind, but “God had other plans for me,” he said.
Today, the 34-year-old Alabaster, Alabama, native is a singer, motivational speaker, and author. He has released two albums, and last summer he published “God Did It,” a book about his journey.
Never Treated Differently
Tanniehill’s health complications at 6 weeks old left him paralyzed on his left side and blind in his left eye. He also struggles with dyslexia, but he was never treated differently by his parents or others.
“If my [two] brothers got a whooping, I got a whooping,” he said. “I was in regular classes in school. The other kids were nice, so I was never treated any different because of it.”
Tanniehill attended Thompson elementary, middle, and high schools in Alabaster. While in elementary school, he participated in the Special Olympics.
“I did the shot put, softball throw, and bowling,” he said. “[Special Olympics] was fun because it did give me a chance to play sports, which I never had done before. It was a great experience.”
In middle school Tanniehill started singing.
“I grew up singing, running around the house with my karaoke machine, [then] … I started doing talent shows,” he said. “A lot of my friends would tell me about [different] shows and [encourage me to] try out, so I did, and I liked it. The next year came around, and [they] said, ‘Let’s do it again,’ so I did it again.”
Tanniehill continued singing through high school, and during his senior year he was encouraged by a cousin to record a demo tape: “I prayed about it and thought, ‘What’s the worst that could happen?’ So, I went into the studio, recorded my first CD, and said, ‘Yeah, I could see myself doing this after high school.’”
After graduating from Thompson High School in 2003, Tanniehill went to work for the Birmingham Barons.
“I was Babe Ruff, [mascot for the Birmingham Barons], for a while,” he said. “I liked that, but my heart was really in music.”
In 2006, Tanniehill tried out for the hit television show American Idol when it came to Birmingham for auditions.
“I met all different types of people, [even the show’s host] Ryan Seacrest, but I only made it to the second round,” he said. “One of the reasons I only made it to the second round was because they put us in pairs, and the guy I was paired with messed up ‘Sweet Home Alabama’—he was from Florida.”
Tanniehill said he would have tried out again in 2007, but he had surpassed the maximum age to audition. Even without American Idol, his music started to reach people. In 2008, he was invited to perform at the city of Alabaster’s annual CityFest, where he performed songs from his demo tape, “Just Me,” and saw how people responded to his story and his music.
“I spoke with attendees after the show, and many of them willingly shared their own stories with me of how God intervened in their lives,” Tanniehill said. “They were inspired by how I gave Him glory for bringing good from the bad I had experienced. God was … using me as a vessel through which His glory was being poured.”
“God Did It”
After his CityFest performance, Tanniehill re-recorded his demo tape and released it as an album in 2009. He also started touring locally, doing shows at churches and other events.
“I was selling my CDs out of the trunk of my mama’s car,” he said. “[If] anybody wanted a CD, I would sell it to them or give it to them.”
Tanniehill released his second album, “Work of an Artist,” in 2012.
“I was finding myself with that album,” he said. “I found the lane and what direction I wanted to go in, and that album [gave] people hope no matter what their circumstances were. That album featured a lot of people that were local like me, [including] Alvin “Cornbread” Garrett of Just a Few Cats and gospel artist LP (Like Paul).
“I had a vision one night and said, ‘I’m going to write a song about my story.’ I got all excited, went in my parents’ room at one in the morning, and told them about it. … Then I called my producer and told him I wanted to do a song about my story because everybody has a story to share, but it’s up to you to share it. That’s when ‘God Did It’ came about.”
Tanniehill’s single, “God Did It,” was released on iTunes in 2014, and Tanniehill turned it into a brand featuring a variety of products, including T-shirts, hats, hoodies, sweatpants, mugs, auto accessories, and even home décor and baby items (select items are available for purchase at goddidit.store/gdi/shop/home).
“The song says, ‘Look at me. I’m a living testimony. I’m not supposed to be able to tell my story. Just when everybody gave up on me, He did it again. [The song] just tells my story, and people responded to it really well.”
“Trust in Him”
Tanniehill gives motivational speeches during some of his singing engagements and book signings. He’s taken his message as near as the Lakeshore Foundation in Homewood and as far as El Salvador, where he visits once a year. He started taking the annual trip to Central America in 2017, when he partnered with a ministry from Bibb County. Tanniehill said he prayed about whether to travel there and decided to go.
“I go [to El Salvador] every year to share my story with the kids in school,” he said. “We do 10 schools for that whole week and share our testimonies. I thought I was being a blessing, but, no, they blessed me.”
Tanniehill said he remembers a little boy coming up to him and saying, “You changed my life when I was ready to give up. … I look at life totally different.”
“That touched me right there. I didn’t know what to do,” said Tanniehill. “That’s how El Salvador blessed me. That one message from that little boy, who was in eighth grade, I think, blessed me.”
Tanniehill now has a team of 35—10 in Alabama and others everywhere from New York to Georgia to California to Florida—helping him share his story and teaching people to share theirs. He uses the proceeds from his endeavors to sponsor an orphanage in Sierra Leone and to fund the mission trips to El Salvador.
His book, “God Did It,” released in July 2018, is an inspirational story that mixes the scripture he uses to get through daily with his own personal testimony, Tanniehill said. One scripture he finds inspirational is Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.”
Tanniehill said his story is about experiencing the power of prayer.
“I was miraculously healed and protected as a child from what could have been a life-and-death situation,” he said. “But God uses that experience to give me a platform to share the good news with the world. Prayer is more than just asking God to intervene in a difficult situation. It’s a way to demonstrate a complete dependence on and trust in Him and His goodness.”
Tanniehill’s book is available at Books A Million, Barnes and Noble, and his website, www.sancheztanniehill.com.


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"A world where art does have to do with the everyday utilitarian objects".‘Florence’ is a modern loungewear brand with resort vibes that aims to help women to simply feel good, cherishing themselves and seeing joy in everyday life by dressing playful, comfortably and stylish, in the most sustainable way possible.
The idea arise from a personal desire to combine my Brazilian heritage sparkled by colors, shapes, movements, and artisanal work, and the Nordic values of beautiful aesthetics powered by quality design. Due to losing my job when Covid circumstances hit, right after the end of my maternity leave, I decided it was time to pursue a dream of creating something new, different and mindful by making ordinary everyday life more joyful and special.
By creating clothing from leftover fabrics I want to draw new definitions around what luxury should mean. Sets and accessories so versatile that allow us to cherish ourselves, feeling comfortable and stylish on our own terms, either sleeping, running errands, or joining friends for lunch.


Employees In Flooded Houston Could Find It Difficult To Show Up For Work
RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
All right. The long holiday-weekend is over and it is back to work. In Houston, that is easier said than done. Thousands of people remain in area shelters, thousands more in FEMA-paid hotel rooms. As NPR's Carrie Kahn reports, getting to work may be the least of some people's problems.
CARRIE KAHN, BYLINE: Eighteen-year-old Adolfo Angel was all ready to start his new job until Harvey hit Houston. His employer told him to come back today. The only problem is one of the family's cars is still drying out.
ADOLFO ANGEL: Yeah. Everything works.
KAHN: Luckily, he says, the engine is fine.
A. ANGEL: Yeah, we pulled out the back seats. There's nothing in the trunk. I mean - if you touch right there, I mean, you can still feel how wet it is.
KAHN: The water came in over the seats, but Angel says it's still drivable. That's good news since Houston, the fourth largest city in the country, is not known for its public transportation. Cars are the way to get around. The Angel family has four. Lucy, Angel's mom, has a car, but she's not sure about her job.
LUCY ANGEL: Me and my husband were over there, both.
A. ANGEL: And so neither of them are working.
KAHN: She says she doesn't know if she and her husband can get to their job. They work as kitchen help at an upscale eatery in the heavily-flooded western part of the city.
In Memorial Bend, a few residents wearing hip-high waders slosh through the water-filled streets of this affluent neighborhood, trying to get to their flooded homes. The area did pretty well during Harvey's downpour. It wasn't until last Wednesday when officials released water from the fast-filling reservoirs that hundreds of homes flooded, including Jennifer Richman's.
JENNIFER RICHMAN: Yeah, this is trash. I know. Luckily we've read all those books already (laughter).
KAHN: Wearing boots, masks and gloves, Richman and an army of helpers are packing what is dry and throwing out what got wet. Her daughter's feathered rainbow-colored parrot ended up in one of the 30 filled industrial black garbage bags on the front lawn. Her flat-screen TV looks like it's salvageable.
RICHMAN: I have tons of friends that are willing to help me. These are my Girl Scout troop-leaders, and we're just doing the hard work, you know?
KAHN: Most of Richman's friends, though, have full-time jobs.
RICHMAN: Everyone has to go back to work. I mean, of course. I mean, that's why I'm panicking.
KAHN: She doesn't know how she's going to finish cleaning out everything by herself.
RICHMAN: Your help is going to dry up. You're not going to have people to help you anymore. That's like - that's a huge stress.
KAHN: At the massive NRG Center, which is still housing nearly 3,000 displaced residents, many volunteers are having to give up shifts and go back to work. First-grade teacher Ana Cornejo hands out books and colorful fidget spinners to children staying in the shelter.
ANA CORNEJO: Which one - what color you want?
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Green.
CORNEJO: You want green? Yes, I have - let me see if I have green spinner. Yes, I do. Yes, it's for you.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Thank you.
KAHN: She's worried that with the start of the workweek, fewer people will be able to lend a helping hand.
CORNEJO: I hope they - they can come in, you know, and help because these people need a lot of help, too.
KAHN: Texas's Congressional delegation is also heading back to work. Republican Senator John Cornyn took a final tour of the massive shelter before leaving for Washington, D.C.
JOHN CORNYN: And the first order of business is to make sure that we do everything we can do to make sure the federal government is providing the support that's needed for Texas and Texans to heal.
KAHN: There are still 1,500 people in downtown Houston's George R. Brown Convention Center, and FEMA has given out vouchers for more than 1,700 hotel rooms. Teacher Ana Cornejo says so many people still need help.
CORNEJO: It's a couple more week that we has to work together as a community and help them.
KAHN: But with much of the city back to work this week, that might be yet one more challenge. Carrie Kahn, NPR News, Houston. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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KORA – Conference of Youth Work
Conferences of Youth Work are organized once a year in order to strengthen youth sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and especially the concept of youth work. Each Conference deals with issues that are current in that period and has a different target group depending on the wanted results.
1st Conference of Youth Work – KORA I
The first Conference of Youth Work gathered key actors of youth work, ie. municipal youth officers, or officers who are in charge of youth issues from 63 units of local governance in Republika Srpska. The aim of the Conference was to strengthen youth sector by engaging key actors of youth work from local communities in Republika Srpska through development and promotion of future cooperation, and by ensuring the standards within youth work. It was an international Conference as besides local representatives among participants experts in youth work from Belgium, Russia, and USA were present as well.
- A created list of youth officers from 63 units of local governance in Republika Srpska was the main result of the 1st Conference of Youth Work.
2nd Conference of Youth Work – KORA II
The Second Conference of Youth Work in Republika Srpska gathered managers of youth centers, youth workers, and representatives of Institutions from Republika Srpska, as well as experts and representatives of Institutions and NGO sector from neighboring and EU countries. The aim of the Conference was to strengthen youth sector through creation of an umbrella organization of youth centers at the level of Republika Srpska, and to ensure and verify standards in youth work. The Conference provided an opportunity for the development and promotion for future cooperation and creation of the work plan for joint action.
- As a result of the Second Conference the association of Youth Centers – Network of Youth Centers for Animation, Training and Development (M.O.C.A.R.T.) was registered.
3rd Conference of Youth Work – KORA III
The third Conference of Youth Work in Republika Srpska gathered more than 50 key actors in youth work from the Youth Centers for Animation, Training and Development (M.O.C.A.R.T.), as well as representatives of youth organizations. Furthermore, as active participants during the Conference were representatives of relevant institutions and donors – USAID, UNFPA, Ministry of Youth and Sports of Serbia, Ministry of Family, Youth, and Sports of Republika Srpska, and Directorate of Sports and Youth of Montenegro, and other actors relevant for support in youth work. The aim of the Conference was to advance youth sector through exchange of knowledge and experience, and development of cross-border cooperation.
- A list of priority programs for advancement of youth status in local communities through the work of youth centers was created as the result of KORA III.
4th Conference of Youth Work – KORA IV
The 4th Conference of Youth Work in Republika Srpska has gathered over 50 key actors in the field of youth work from the network of youth centers in Republika Srpska, as well as youth organizations from Republika Srpska and Serbia, as well as representatives of relevant institutions. The first day of the Conference was devoted to the development of partnerships and joint cooperation of youth centers in Republika Srpska with youth centers in Serbia. During the second day of the Conference a Symposium “Importance of Youth Work” was held, after which a collection of research papers was published. The Conference also included representatives of the Tax Administration, the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund of Republika Srpska and the Ministry of Labor and Veterans’ Affairs of Republika Srpska, with whom consultations were organized on the problems faced by youth organizations, youth centers, associations of citizens,etc. During the last day of the Conference, the annual assembly of the MOCART network of Republika Srpska was also held.
- The aim of the Conference was to strengthen the youth sector in Republika Srpska through the development of mutual partnerships and joint cooperation, as well as networking with organizations from Serbia in order to strengthen cross-border cooperation. The conference represents support for the development and implementation of local youth strategies and youth policy of Republika Srpska 2016-2020. The conference provided an opportunity for the development and promotion of future cooperation, as well as the creation of a joint action plan.
5th Conference of Youth Work – KORA V
The 5th Conference of Youth Work was held on December 14 and 15 in Laktasi. The Conference was attended by representatives of youth centers, local and republic organizations dealing with youth issues, and youth officers from various municipalities and towns in Republika Srpska and representatives of institutions. Beside them, guests from Serbia and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina attended the Conference as well. The Conference was focused on the development of mutual partnerships and co-operation of youth centers in Republika Srpska, and the establishment of mutual support and stronger links between the representatives of the youth sector and the local government. A panel discussion on the Youth Policy of Republika Srpska 2016 – 2020 was held within the Conference on youth relations and cooperation with local levels of government, and an assessment was presented on the situation in the local communities on the cooperation between officials and youth sector.

domain: sociology


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Tips for managing mouthiness in dogs
And the reasons why your dog is biting.
It’s normal for kids to be mouthy (or talk back) to other kids or adults. But did you know that puppies can be mouthy, too? While they don't use words, they can express a range of emotions by using their mouth.
"Mouthiness is when a dog puts their mouth on their people's arms, legs, clothes or hands and makes loose chewing motions but doesn't fully bite down, although it can still be painful or cause bruising," Dr. Aliya McCullough, Fetch's on-staff veterinarian, explains.
It's understandable to want to curb your pup's mouthy ways — especially while they're young and haven’t formed habits. So here's what could be behind your dog's biting and how to train them to stop.
Why does my dog nibble on me?
Puppies often get mouthy as a reaction to teething (usually until around 6 months old) and when experiencing strong emotions, like excitement or frustration — it’s up to you to teach your pet how to express themselves in other ways.
"Mouthiness may be a way to communicate that a dog doesn't like a particular activity," she adds. "For example, if you're petting them and they start mouthing you they may want the petting to end."
You should also check in with your veterinarian to ensure the mouthy behavior doesn't stem from an underlying condition, like anxiety. If your dog is anxious, they may use their mouth to let people around them know, Dr. McCullough explains. Veterinarians or veterinary behaviorists can recommend the proper way to manage your dog's anxiety.
Help your dog live a healthier, longer life.
Introducing the Fetch Health Forecast.
How to stop a dog from biting
One of the first steps in limiting this behavior is identifying what the trigger is, Dr. McCullough says. First, try to note what causes your dog to start being mouthy. If the mouthiness happens when playing with them, calmly tell them "no," stand up and face away from your pup. Doing this will show them that the behavior is wrong and that playtime won't continue when they start biting you. Repeat this process until your dog understands. You may need to take longer breaks in between playtimes if your pup is too excited, Dr. McCullough says.
When mouthy behavior happens because of excitement, ensure that your pup gets enough exercise and mental stimulation during the day so they don’t get over hyper. And when the nibbles happen, redirect the behavior from you onto a safe chew toy so your dog learns what’s OK to reach towards when happy.
Never punish your pup while training their mouthiness. Yelling, punishing or quickly pulling away from a dog during playtime may cause more frustration or make them think it's a game. And if you can’t quite get to the bottom of your dog’s mouthiness, talk to your veterinarian, as your dog may require a specialized training or treatment plan.
What toys are best for mouthiness?
Toys (specifically cloth and rope toys for pups that enjoy mouthing fabric or furniture) are great for redirecting a dog’s mouthy behavior. Dr. McCullough recommends looking into a flirt pole (which is like a wand with toys at the end) to distract dogs, too.
"I used one with my puppy, and it's a good way to engage in fun play. It tired her out without tiring me out, and she was able to bite and chew the toy on the end without mouthing my hands or any other part of my body," she shares.
Training your pup to stop being mouthy will ensure they're their best selves in every situation. Patience and consistency are key, Dr. McCullough says. And if your dog doesn't understand your cues, she recommends reaching out to your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist for extra support.
The Dig, Fetch's expert-backed editorial, answers all of the questions you forget to ask your vet or are too embarrassed to ask at the dog park. We help make sure you and your best friend have more good days, but we’re there on bad days, too.
Save up to 90% on unexpected vet bills
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Photo by Matteo Vistocco on Unsplash

domain: pet


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Saturday, May 5, 2012
A Page of Little Ari Drawings
This piece was difficult not because I don't have a lot of practice drawing my cat, but because I had so many little drawings of him and was determined to give the page a decent layout. The more of them I finished, the tougher it was to use the remaining space well, have everything leading in toward the others with a good eye path, create a good page as a whole instead of "cool little life studies."
I love my cat. I could and do draw him endlessly. I also don't mind having a lot of bad sketches of him crop up in my sketchbook. I lighten up when I do these gestures and don't worry so much about whether each of them is a good drawing or even an accurate likeness. This project, I wanted to do my best on them.
It's part of an art trade with Charlotte Herczfeld, my pastel teacher, a Swedish Colourist who heads up the Pastel Guild of Europe. She taught me how to handle color, how to handle pastels and depth and distance. She freed me from literal adherence to the photo and from sticking to local color instead of what I see. She also taught me how to create any hue I want with optical mixing and use a limited palette in pastels.
I've got several other artworks in the package. I'm nowhere near her level of skill, honored she liked so many of my works though. I'll be packing them all up this week to ship to Sweden and then wait for a wonderful, glorious package containing a painting that went right to my heart. I need to order a good frame for hers too, need to set aside that budget and not unpack it until I have a frame big enough - though I have mat board and can cut the mat for the painting myself just as I did last time.
I'm so thrilled about this and honored. I'm also vastly relieved that A Page of Little Ari turned out so well! I can't believe I managed, with all that care and patience waiting for good days and of course waiting for the cat to hold still in good poses, to fill the page just right. He is a great beauty of course, there was no question of the model's competence in this piece.
A long project completed just right! Nothing compares to that feeling!


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Seductive, airy, graceful. Boudoir dresses by Pollardi will touch your feelings and stir the passion of your beloved. They are eye-catching, intricate and multifunctional. These outfits will be a wonderful decoration both for the awakening of the bride and for the first wedding night, honeymoon, or photo sessions of the future mother. Sexy bridal lingerie, negligees, wraps, dresses, slip-dresses. You can choose the most luxurious boudoir outfit with Pollardi right now.
The bride's morning is a moment which girls strive to capture in the photo no less than the wedding celebration itself. Amazing delicate boudoir-style outfits make them look irresistible at this moment - lace robes, wraps, sexy lingerie. Pollardi is not afraid to highlight the beauty of the female body, therefore, creates amazing modern outfits that emphasize the femininity and attractiveness of every girl.
As many brides say, self-confidence is achieved through perfection in every little detail. Therefore, Pollardi designers have created special bridal lingerie - beautiful, daring, perfectly fitting, invisible under the wedding dress and exciting the groom’s fancy when he can finally take it off. An equally beautiful boudoir slip-dress for a wedding can turn a bride into a real goddess of beauty, whose sensuality will be worthy of admiration for loving eyes.
It is easy to impress your beloved if you are wearing a dress by Pollardi on your wedding night. The collection of boudoir outfits presents exquisite sexy models made of the most stunning and eye-catching materials which emphasize women's beauty such as silk, chiffon, lace, translucent mesh, tulle. The most seductive and exciting accents are set with the help of a good cut and fantastic decor.
You will have an unforgettable first night. The bridal dress for the first night by Pollardi will bring even more romance, tenderness, and admiration into this fantastic passionate moment. Lush or flowing, short or long, white or black. The collection offers you boudoir dresses for the first night to meet your every need.
The honeymoon is the time to enhance love and tenderness between newlyweds. You can bring even more emotions to this sweet time by taking a boudoir outfit with you on vacation. This is the kind of outfit your sweetheart will not want to take off, since honeymoon dresses by Pollardi will make you look even sexier and more passionate. The joint vacation of the newlyweds will surely be long remembered because the designers of the brand did their best to create stunning and amazingly beautiful looks.
It is easy to make your honeymoon more pleasant. For the boldest girls, there are many models of boudoir outfits in the collection: lace bodysuits, sets, transparent capes, romantic wraps, stylish jumpsuits, slip-dresses. Choose your unforgettable look for every night of your honeymoon.
The wedding day is undoubtedly one of the most exciting events in a girl's life. But boudoir outfits by Pollardi can delight beauties more than once because in such a luxurious outfit you can make fantastic sexy photo shoots in the most exotic corners of our planet. Stunning and sexy outfit will help to reveal the passionate sensuality of each girl, which you can grasp even through photos.
Another fashion trend is boudoir photo shoots of pregnant women. A luxurious lace robe or a wrap will emphasize a delicate, quivering look with a baby bump. A boudoir maternity photo in such an elegant outfit will enable you to capture the most reverent moment in the life of every woman. The designers of the Pollardi brand have crafted for you romantic airy silhouettes, decorated with handmade embroidery, lace, crystals and spectacular decor, which will make you feel like a real queen.

domain: design


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National Cream-Filled Chocolates Day - 2022-02-14
What is National Cream-Filled Chocolates Day?
Okay, chocolate lovers! You can celebrate this special day with your very own homemade chocolates. It’s okay to indulge in your favorite treats because you know exactly what goes into them. There are tons of options for customizing your chocolates, and the molds make them fun to eat. Cream-filled chocolates are delicious. There are two ways to make them. The first idea is to make ganache and fondant, roll it into a ball, and then dip the fondant in chocolate. The other way is to use a mold and fill it with melted chocolate.
When is National Cream-Filled Chocolates Day?
National Cream Filled Chocolate Day is celebrated on February 14 of every year.
History of National Cream-Filled Chocolates Day
We have been unable thus far to find the creator of this national day, but we will be sure to keep you posted.
We would gladly assist you in any of your endeavors. Provide the following information please.

domain: food


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People will stare. Make it worth their while → Robert Abi Nader Haute Couture | S/S ‘13
Masks worn by plague doctors. It had glass eye openings and a cone nose shaped like a beak to hold scented substances and straw.
Download the previous Beyoncé: X10 performances here
"Though we’re different as blue and red, I’m not afraid to draw from her in performance, rifts, even in bed."-Beyoncé on her persona, Sasha Fierce (via thequeenbey)
One of Beyoncé’s models for her VMA Vanguard Award performance tells a story about how Beyoncé comforted her before the show began. So sweet!


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Engagement with Iran over its nuclear problem has become increasingly complicated; not only has the regime backed away from previous commitments, but internal political developments require the Obama administration to call for engagement without undermining the opposition.
While a Nobel Peace Prize seems the occasion to address an international audience, Obama must use this opportunity to speak to his domestic constituency on the three great present challenges to world peace: nuclear proliferation, climate change and the allure of radical Islam.
Opposition groups can only counter the regime’s hegemony by letting go of their obsession with Gamal Mubarak’s succession and addressing other issues at the core of the upcoming elections.
The trouble in northern Yemen should serve as a wakeup call to the global community to help Yemen deal with the political, security, and economic crises it faces, before the confrontation escalates and further destabilizes the region.
Iran's domestic political turmoil has seemingly caused it to back out of an agreement with the P5+1 to send its processed uranium out of the country. The United States and its allies must now redouble efforts to make sure that Iran does not try to make nuclear weapons
Rather than endlessly discussing ruling elites, opposition movements, and civil organizations from a reductionist framework centered on democracy and human rights, researchers must push their analysis outside the realm of conventional thinking.
While it is a positive development that a functional, democratic and pragmatic country like Turkey is playing a larger role in the Arab and Islamic world, it could also mean the beginning of a new round of confrontations if no progress is made in the Arab-Israeli peace process.
Without dramatic improvement in the Arab world at all educational levels, unemployment, illiteracy, and income inequality will continue to worsen, and the region will remain a danger to itself and its neighbors.
Tunisia appears stable, but only because of systematic media censorship and a lack of information about human-rights violations. The international community would do a real service for the country if they encouraged true reform.
Events of the last months in Algeria have shown that the less the state engages in dialogue with the street, the more the street will resort to violence and abandon the tools of voting and peaceful demonstrations.
The Russian, Israeli, Iranian and U.S. positions on Iran’s nuclear ambitions are open to several interpretations. The most realistic endgame scenario to best serve the chief interests of all players is one in which Iran maintains the ability to produce a nuclear weapon but refrains from testing one.
Western governments must make educational aid a priority or they risk allowing extremist madrasas to win the hearts and minds of the Arab world.
The Obama administration has demonstrated its ability to introduce major foreign policy changes despite some powerful opposition at home, marking a victory for their advocacy of diplomacy in form and substance.
While Barack Obama has re-launched Israeli-Palestinian talks and begun negotiations with Iran, the Arab world has remained virtually absent.
Although it has begun to move out of isolation, Libya still faces an underdeveloped infrastructure and poor social services, coupled with high unemployment rates.
The Obama administration should establish direct talks with Hamas on substantive issues in a public, multilateral forum— otherwise it risks squandering a good deal of its prestige in the Arab world by not making a prominent departure from Bush administration policy.
The United States should establish direct talks with Hamas on how it can play a productive role in the peace process and gradually integrate into Palestinian political and security institutions.
The Egyptian state uses Islamic morals to stifle freedom of expression, which prevents them from fully embracing either conservatism or liberalism.
The reforms established for Morocco's recent local elections have helped improve community management, but have not succeeded in limiting royal intervention in politics.
There are significant differences to how America’s moderate friends in the Middle East and those of its radical foes reacted to Barack Obama’s speech to the Muslim world.


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The NO BITE IS RIGHT is a national campaign run
by Bayer Animal Health to inform owners of the risks fleas and ticks can
cause your pet as well as yourself and family.
Did you know a female FLEA can lay around 2000 eggs in her lifetime?
What are FLEAS?
This parasite is a small, wingless insects, just a few millimetres long with hind legs modified for jumping. The majority of the flea life cycle will occur off the animal, but can easily occur in the home.
The fleas lay their eggs on the animal, which then fall off into the environment (e.g. onto bedding or carpets). Only 5% of the flea population is actually on the animal, the remaining 95% is in the environment in form of eggs, larvae and pupae.
How is your pet affected?
Fleas will bite cats, dogs, rabbits and even humans. You may notice your pet is scratching, licking or biting a lot, has unusual red patches of skin, signs of hair loss or flea dirt.
Flea dirt looks like tiny black dots and can be identified by a simple quick test:
Take a piece of paper towel and dampen
Rub gently on your pets fur where you suspect there is flea dirt
If the black dots change to a reddish-brown colour – FLEAS ARE PRESENT!
Some animals may suffer from flea allergic dermatitis (FAD), which is irritation of the skin directly related to the presence of fleas, and a strict flea prevention routine should be followed to alleviate the symptoms.
How to help your pet?
Treat your pet with a prescription flea product as directed by the manufacturer or your veterinary surgeon. These can be in a variety of forms, such as spot-ons, collars or tablets. The most common application is a spot-on treatment given on a monthly basis. Speak to our staff about our Pet Health Care plans to make sure your pet gets the best prevention at the most affordable prices.
With a heavy infestation of fleas, don’t forget to treat the environment as well. Remember those fleas can live in bedding, sofas, beds, carpets, car, etc. so it’s just as important to treat the home as it is the pet!
A UK survey reported that 23% of dogs had TICKS without the owner’s knowledge
What are TICKS?
Ticks are commonly found in long grass, and attach themselves to your pet as they brush passed. They are eight legged and are composed of two body sections.
Their highly developed mouthparts allow them to pierce a pet’s skin and feed on the animal’s blood, sometimes causing reactions at the site of attachment. Severe infestations can lead to anaemia in young animals.
Ticks are associated with Lyme Disease, Babesiosis and Ehrlichiosis.
How to help your pet?
Prevent Ticks by using a prescription tick product as directed by the manufacturer or your veterinary surgeon. Products can be in a variety of forms such as collars, tablets or spot on treatments.
If you have any questions about these parasites or prevention, our staff would be happy to help.