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Donate your unwanted car to charity
The UK's original not-for-profit car donation service
Charity Resources
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Giveacar – Bringing Scrap Car Donation to the UK
Before you found Giveacar, had you ever heard of car donation? Didn't think so. That's because in the UK, people are unfamiliar with the concept. We are pioneers in the field and it is our goal to make the concept as familiar as taking your old pair of jeans down to your local Cancer Research outlet.
Car donation works because it is so simple. Involved in the process are four groups; us (Giveacar), you (the customer), our salvage operator, and finally the charities. Everyone is a winner and here is why:
The customer disposes of an unwanted car and is happy on two accounts. Firstly, they do not have to go through the arduous process of scrapping a car. Secondly, they enjoy the satisfaction of benefiting a good cause.
Our salvage operator benefits because they are able to add to their output of scrap metal, or charge a (reduced!) fee to put a car into an auction.
The charity benefits because they receive a donation for which they do not have to do any work.
How, I am sure you are wondering, does Giveacar benefit? The way in which we benefit is by promoting a concept which we believe to have great potential. We are passionate about car donation, and believe that it can raise millions of pounds for charities in the UK. Every year, over two million vehicles are scrapped in this country. That's an enormous market which we would only need to capture a fraction of to make a big difference. When one considers that a significant proportion of vehicle owners release their cars to scrap dealers without asking for anything in return, it is easy to see why we are so excited about promoting car donation. We want to get the message out to people that their scrap cars are valuable. More importantly however, we want to make sure people act on this information and use it to help a cause close to their heart.
Every time we receive a cheque or payment it provides a fantastic boost, because we know we're helping others. We are laying the foundations for something that could help charities for years to come. Giveacar is in its early stages, but we are starting to generate significant revenue from our donations. Both charities and customers have fully embraced the concept and given time, we hope it will become commonplace. That's the goal, and that's our motivation – to create out of nothing a source of untapped revenue for charities that will help them for years to come. For more information about donating your car, please contact us.
We have written a few articles about car donation – to help you understand it's roots and origins.
Donate used cars to charity
Shredding a scrap car
FAQs Donate your carFind a charity to support
The least painful way to say goodbye to a car!
An efficient, well explained process. Collector was very likeable, which made it easier to part with a car which had been part of the family for eleven years. Thank you Giveacar!
It's always great to support Devon Air Ambulance Trust.
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Home/features/Infographic/A 10,000-year vision of digital currencies at a glance
A 10,000-year vision of digital currencies at a glance
Admin Send an email June 9, 2020
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The technology revolution has opened the door to the digital age, and in this age, digital money will play an undeniable role. Digital currencies are now at the beginning of a millennial journey, and traditional systems are becoming weaker than ever. In the image below, you can see the 10,000-year-old perspective of digital currencies in a simple way:
To better understand the image above, we briefly review the main periods of human social and cultural history.
The age of agriculture
Fifteen thousand years ago, people who hunted and collected plants gradually became acquainted with the cultivation of seeds and decided to replace them with the beginning of agriculture. In this era that lasted until three decades ago, many human initiatives emerged, including the line, accounting, governance, and especially money. For thousands of years, gold was either used as money itself or backed by money issued by governments. The gold standard, or gold-backed money, continued into the industrial age, although it was severely weakened.
Industrial Age
The invention of the steam engine in 1712 sparked the Industrial Revolution. The idea of using machine power instead of manpower brought about a dramatic change in production; Agriculture was no longer the main occupation of the people. In the case of money, governments continued to follow the gold standard until the 1970s, with several stages of change, the last of which was the Bretton Woods agreement, but in 1971, then-US President Richard Nixon officially announced the end of the gold standard. A few years later, all governments abandoned the standard. After that, we entered the era of Fiat money or money without backing. Contrary to popular belief today, governments can issue unlimited money without backing.
Technology revolution
The rise of computers in the 1980s ushered in the technological revolution. The technological revolution, or more accurately the "digital revolution," was able to take money into the virtual world using computers and the Internet. Few people today carry a suitcase full of banknotes to the bank to transfer large sums of money. As Yoval Noah Harari writes in his book, "The total world money is about $ 60 trillion. However, the total number of coins and banknotes is less than $ 6 trillion. More than 90% of all the money in the world, more than the $ 50 trillion in our accounts, is on computer servers alone. Similarly, most business transactions are made by transferring electronic data from one computer file to another without any physical cash exchange. "He is just a criminal who, for example, buys a house with a quality full of money!"
The digital age
The world is going digital much faster than we thought. In the digital age, trust, privacy and security are far more important than the analog world. In the case of money, current structures cannot support what has been said in the digital age. Bitcoin was introduced in 2008, shortly after the Great Depression. This monetary system, although only more than a decade old, seems more efficient than Fiat's decades-old system. Even if bitcoin stops somewhere, the digital age will definitely move forward with money or currencies that are more transparent, more secure, and more private. We seem to be at the beginning of a process that will continue to grow for tens of thousands of years.
What is a 51% attack on the Chinese bloc? + Video
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Forecast of Indicators on Bitcoin Price (Update 2021)
Infographic: History and future of payments at a glance
Infographic: How much room does Bitcoin have for growth?
6 reasons why bitcoin is a solution for energy and the environment, not a problem
Blockchain-based elections; Move to the end of cheating
Did you miss the uptrend in Bitcoin? Introducing a low-risk strategy

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The skilled doctors of My Orthodontist know that a bright, confident smile can do wonders for your self-esteem. Braces (or one of our other orthodontic treatments like Invisalign) can help you achieve that beautiful smile, but to get the best results as quickly as possible, it is important that you take care of your orthodontic treatment along the way. Part of that means avoiding certain foods that could be harmful to your orthodontic appliances.
In most situations, common sense will help you determine what foods could potentially be bad for your braces. That being said, our orthodontists have compiled a list of foods you should avoid if you want to maintain the health of your teeth and the progress of your orthodontic treatment.
Patients of My Orthodontist trust our doctors with the development and care of their smiles. We are an ever-expanding practice with offices in Lawrenceville, Cherry Hill, East Orange, Deptford, West New York, Paterson, Medford, and Bayonne, NJ, as well as Langhorne, PA. To make an appointment in one of our offices, contact us directly. We look forward to helping you smile brighter!


Engine Oil Temperature Sensor Location. The Tacoma is a compact pickup truck manufactured by Toyota. The 2.7-liter 3RZ engine was offered in first-generation Tacoma pickups built between 1995 and 2005. Along with the four-cylinder engine, the Tacoma came equipped with an optional four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission. Coolant Temperature Sensor Location. I don't have a 2011 manual however I do have the manual for a 2010 and I would think they would be the same The wiring diagram does not show a coolant temperature sensor How Does An Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor Work. How hot does your vehicle's engine get during an average drive? You may not know—but hopefully your vehicle coolant temperature sensor does.The sensor keeps tabs on the operating temperature and alerts the on-car computer when there's a potential problem.
Engine Oil Temperature Sensor Location is only about image we have reliably detected on the internet imagination. We made one mind to discuss this image it website because of based on conception comes from Google image, it's one of most slippery withdrawn ask keyword on Google search engine.


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Over 1000 to graduate from Curtin Sarawak's diploma, foundation and degree programmes this May
Curtin Sarawak stands proud for having produced close to 2,000 graduates in its 11-year existence
Miri – 14 March 2011 – Over 1000 students of Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) will graduate from various pre-university and degree programmes this May, representing the highest number of graduands the university has seen since its establishment in 1999.
Approximately 400 students will be graduating from various undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, about 560 from foundation science and engineering and foundation commerce and arts programmes, and over 50 from diploma programmes.
Four events are being organised at the Eastwood Valley Golf & Country Club to mark this momentous occasion, beginning with the Diploma and Foundation Certificate Ceremony 2011 on 5 May.
This will be followed by the Graduation Ceremony 2011 on 6 May, and Award and Scholarship Ceremony 2011 and Curtin Alumni Dinner on 7 May. This year's Graduation Ceremony will be the university's tenth.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam, who is also the state Minister of Tourism and Heritage and Minister of Industrial Development, as well as the chairman of the Curtin Sarawak Campus Council, is expected to officiate at both the Graduation Ceremony and Award and Scholarship Ceremony.
Assistant Minister of Communications and Assistant Minister of Sports Datuk Lee Kim Shin, who is also the chairman of the university's management board, will meanwhile officiate at the Diploma and Foundation Certificate Ceremony.
The Chancellor of Curtin University, Dr Jim Gill, will be coming from Perth and the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Curtin Sarawak, Professor Ian Kerr, as well as members of the Curtin Sarawak Campus Council and Management Board, will also attend the events.
Students who have completed their programmes at the end of Semester 1 or Semester 2 of 2010 and have met all requirements for graduation have been invited to attend their respective ceremonies.
To confirm their attendance, all graduands are required to complete a response form available from the university's Student Services Department or downloadable from the Curtin Sarawak Graduation homepage at www.curtin.edu.my/current/graduation.htm, and submit it the Student Services Department no later than 18 March 2011. Other relevant forms such as for academic regalia and photography services are also available from the Student Services Department or on the homepage.
All enquiries regarding the graduation events are to be directed to Bradly Endes, Larry Ayu or Josephine David of the Student Services Department at 085-443939 ext. 4000, ext. 3862 or ext. 3867 respectively, or by e-mail to [email protected]
Curtin Sarawak alumni interested to attend the Alumni Dinner can contact Career & Alumni Officer Imong Gani at 085-443939 ext. 3926 or e-mail [email protected]
Curtin Sarawak, Curtin's first and largest international campus, has produced close to 2,000 graduates in its 11 years' existence. It takes pride in producing career-ready graduates with a passion for life-long learning and a commitment to serving the needs of the broader community.
The diverse, challenging and rewarding education they receive at Curtin Sarawak, and the internationally-recognised Curtin qualification they earn, gives them a distinctive advantage in their future careers.
Many its graduates with engineering and technical qualifications are now employed in Sarawak's oil and gas industry, or in leading manufacturing corporations in West Malaysia and overseas. A good number from its business programmes are pursuing lucrative careers in the business, banking, communications and multimedia sectors.
With a student population now approaching 3,000, it offers a unique international and cross-cultural learning experience with a cosmopolitan mix of Malaysian and international students from some 40 countries.
For more information on Curtin Sarawak, visit its website at www.curtin.edu.my.
Eighth annual Curtin Sarawak Open Day on 20 September
Curtin Sarawak inks MoU with Technip in Malaysia
Curtin Sarawak continues winning streak in Sarawak Open Source Competition
First big stage production of Romeo and Juliet at Curtin Sarawak
快来留言! "Over 1000 to graduate from Curtin Sarawak's diploma, foundation and degree programmes this May"
即刻参观:Curtin University Malaysia
建筑与城市规划 / 商业管理类 / 传播类 / 工程科技类 / 地理与环境科学类 / 财经类 / 人文,法律与社会科学类 / 餐饮,休闲与旅游类 / 文史与语言类 / 医疗与保健类 / 电脑与资讯科技类 / 大学先修课程


Hatchimals are magical creatures hidden inside speckled eggs.
Help them hatch with your love and care!
Find out on October 6th 2017!
Introducing the new Hatchimals Surprise! These magical creatures are hidden inside colorful speckled eggs! Who will YOU hatch? Find out on Hatchimals Day - October 6th 2017!


Now that the countdown to our Pacific Northwest trip has gone from months to just a few weeks, our planning is much more organized in the form of a Google Doc, which is further divided into essentially a list of foods, drinks, and sweets and another list of "everything else" - a scattered assortment of sights, markets, museums, and parks we hope to see. I AM PUMPED. It will inevitably be a feast for our eyes and our bellies. And our spirits.
One thing that Andrew has become very into lately is coffee, as evidenced by our recent purchases including an aeropress and a bialetti moka pot. We've been living off Keurig coffee these past three years, mostly due to convenience and laziness. It's fast, but the taste is to be desired, not to mention its poor environmental impact. So in an effort to improve both our earth and our general coffee experience, we are going to try and make moves towards different coffee methods. Fingers crossed - we love experimenting with new kitchen tools and techniques but also reserve the right to trump any new methods if deemed unpractical, since we'll be interns next year and time will be, as always, precious. But if you have any suggestions, let me know!
Along the lines of practicality, I've been cooling off my layer cake obsession last year and turning to recipes that are much more realistic for the every day student - ones that take minimal effort, make as little mess as possible, and still taste damn good. Treats that go well with your cup of coffee in the morning or something to share with friends in class. Sara Cornelius' ultimate chocolate chip cookies have been a game changer lately, along with that lemon loaf from last month and Molly Yeh's sesame coffee cake. Don't get me wrong, I love a good layer cake and I'll be a frosting girl forever and ever (I think), but lately there's something quite satisfying in a naked slice of loaf cake or a salty-sweet cookie.
So along the lines of practicality, here's another unfrosted dessert that you can whip up on a weekday and take to class without feeling too flashy. And keeping in spirit with the weather, it's the perfect spring-into-summer dessert, with strawberries to embrace the spring and buttery dough reminiscent of summer fruit pies. This weekend one of my favorite couples, Ben and Erb, are hosting a crawfish boil along with their great friends Mike and Keelee. I typically contribute sweet things to a party, and this year will be no exception (although ironically, after saying I've cooled down on layer cakes, I'll be bringing cake to this party har har. There's a good reason though, promise). These buttery, jammy bars would be the type of thing that works well in these potluck situations, where each person can just grab a square and move quickly onto the next item so you're not holding up the line. They're not too fiddly and easy to eat, small enough for you to get a taste of everything else, because who wants just one dessert at a potluck, right?
Happy almost Friyay! Enjoy the rest of your week, friends.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease and line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper, then set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the blackberries, strawberries, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and cornstarch until combined, then set aside.
In another large bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold butter and, using your fingers, press the butter into the flour mixture so that it becomes like small crumbs/pebbles of butter within the flour mixture (much like you would do with pie dough). Add the egg and vanilla extract and, using a wooden spoon, mix until it forms together into a dough like wet sand.
Spread 2/3 of the dough mixture into the pan, then add the berries. Top with dots of the dough mixture (it won't be able to cover all the berries, and this is ok). Sprinkle on top more old fashioned oats and turbinado sugar, then place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the juices from the berries starts to subside a little.


I select a specific fundraiser when editing http://ussunnah.org/donate inside of the Upfront editor but when I save and go to view the page normally it says 0 donors $0 dollars. I do notice 4 Fundraising Panel options when choosing a widget but all 4 do the same thing. Please help as we are doing 2 fundraising campaigns currently and showing people $0 when they know we have raised thousands could be VERY off-putting and look bad for our foundations reputation.
I am sorry to hear its not working for fundraiser widgets using with upfront themes. We are aware of this issue and our developers are working on it to fix it as soon as possible. But this is something upfront does not have support for. Sorry!
Please keep an eye on this thread for updates or you will also get notified via WPMU DEV Dashboard plugin.
Upfront just adds the widget correct? So I suspect the source problem as being with Fundraising. I have tried starting a new install on a new server (had to be done anyways) and the duplicate widgets disappeared but I am now not seeing any donations as the Pledges imported but they didn't attach to fundraisers. I really need help with that so I'll open a ticket for that problem specifically.
Yes, fundraising widgets are not compatible with Upfront framework at the moment. As described in above reply our developers are aware of it and working hard to fix the issue.
But, I have come up with a solution that will fix using widgets in upfront issue. I tested it on my own website and it worked for me.
1. Install amr shortcode any widget plugin.
2. Go to Appearance > Widgets and add fundraising widget in Widgets for Shortocdes sidebar.
3. Configure the widget and copy the shortocde generated on save.
4. Now, you can use this shortcode any where in Upfront theme framework.
Note: You might see widget is not in any sidebar error in upfront editor but when you will save changes it will work fine on frontend.


And you have no idea what is a lie and what is the truth. How often do you get into arguments with people on the internet? In your shoes, I would have not have a boyfriend living under the same roof as me and my children. Certainly, one person can be responsible in part for someone leaving a relationship, but in cheating, the cheater is totally responsible for his or her actions. How do you get past the pain and get on to the next part of your life? He is the one that sent this post to me. Question 11: What is something you probably should do, but will never do? Life and relationships are not easy. You're even calling him an ogre and saying he's belittling you're son. If his desires are different and he is interested in expanding your sexual relationship between the two of you, then decide what it appropriate.
My husband started out with little things, and over time they became bigger and bigger to the point that I went to the hospital and was beaten very badly. This is because if you want to raise your value in the eyes of your boyfriend then you have to end the contact with your boyfriend at all cost. What do you need advice about? I am no Clark Gable so she may reject me because I'm not handsome. The good thing is, you can surely avoid this death trap in your relationship. I had even brought my wedding dress and he had no intentions or interests in actually marrying me at all.
My kids mental stability played too much of a factor into it all. Let Him Have a Night Out Men are always complaining about how they never get to spend enough time with the boys, and when they do finally get the chance, the lady is calling and complaining that he needs to get home. What used to be only for the rich but now is mostly associated with poverty? What do you think has gotten too socially acceptable? Soon you will notice that his texts get a little bit soppier because he is missing you. What music videos made a strong impression on you? Books Everyone has a favorite book, so why not ask him to share his favorite literary titles with you? Even more importantly, men are attracted to happy, outgoing women. It may be all red roses and violins playing and kisses in the rain.
Even if he asks, don't be tempted to go into detail. The familiar smell of leather can transport you straight back to all the fun times you had making out in your first boyfriend's posh car. Question 5: What gross and unhygienic things do people do that bothers you? He is big on respect your mom and I have seen him with his mom and I love the respect and love that they have. When was the last time you were really, really wrong about something? If you visited this page by searching how to get your ex boyfriend back that means you are emotionally lost and suffering from painful feelings of losing the person you love most in your life. You spend a good amount of time with your ex boyfriend, and you know his likes, dislikes and everything in between.
Guys don't get hints , I'm female but I've learned that you just have to straight up let them know! You need to seriously consider whether you want to continue the relationship. How easily do you change your opinions? How much is the correct amount of ice cream to put on an ice cream cone? How often is your brain on autopilot? No stripper could ever please him like that! Use them when you want some more attention from your man! People get defensive real quick if you talk bad about their family. Well my boyfriend went away for 3 months on his birthday i sent him a video telling him how i felt he blocked me. I'm happy to hear that you and your family are dealing well with this. We all have annoying habits, so feel free to share some of yours and give him a heads up.
Personal insight and self-awareness is really hard to gain. Slow, fast, hard it's all you. It is like solving jig-saw puzzle in the dark without knowing these reasons. I know you have Scrabble or Monopoly hidden somewhere in the depths of your junk closet every household does. I have been dating this guy now for 7 months.
You need to listen to the still small voice inside of you, and decide where to focus your time and energy. Make The Phone Call: Take the step first and make a call to your ex. What would you want your funeral to be like? Determine what he enjoys and take appropriate action. Can you live with your boyfriend and his choices — without him changing — exactly the way he is right now? Children need that figure head in the house. Who makes you uncomfortable when you are around them? Try not to get overly emotional and tell him exactly what is bothering you and how you think it cannot be fixed. What sorts of activities made you feel close with each other? Question 21: If you dropped everything and went on a road trip, where would you go? Who the hell do you think you are making this poor woman feel terrible for having a life other then her kids. Which does not mean to introduce the children to everyone you date, which you have not.
I hope we will do it next time as well. A little while later, I giggled again. This is the best reason to want a boyfriend, right? If you could speak to everyone in your country at the same time, what sentence could you say that would make the most amount of people instantly hate you? Solid conversation starters for any guy, including your boyfriend. Question 12: What was the best thing about how your parents raised you? The happier you are, and the more beautiful you are and the more your boyfriend will be drawn to your positive vibes. Yes her kids should come first and if this guy is being abusive then she knows what she needs to do.


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Reflections on the history of Georgian and Abkhaz identity, by Stephen Shenfield
Stephen D. Shenfield | Special to Abkhaz World
The Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, like other ethnopolitical conflicts, has been accompanied by complicated arguments between scholars aligned with the warring sides about the history of their 'nations' and of the relations between them. Which nation was the first to arrive in the contested territory? Which has stronger and more continuous connections with that territory?
For all these scholars, however, it is an unquestioned assumption that their nations have existed, albeit not in their current form, since ancient times. It is precisely this assumption that makes their controversies appear archaic to scholars in today's Western academic milieu, because it is an assumption unequivocally rejected by the so-called 'modernist' school that has acquired preponderant influence in that milieu.
According to the 'modernists' – the three most prominent are Benedict Anderson (Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origins and Spread of Nationalism, 1983), Ernest Gellner (Nations and Nationalism, 1983), and Eric J. Hobsbawm (Nations and Nationalism since 1780: Programme, Myth, Reality, 1990) – nationalist movements do not arise to give expression to the identity and interests of pre-existing nations. On the contrary, it is nationalist movements that create nations, first as imagined and then as real political communities, out of populations with diverse, often vague, and often multiple identities (local, regional, religious, dynastic, etc.). What nationalism is really about is summed up in a famous statement made in 1861 by the Italian nationalist politician Massimo d'Azeglio: 'We have made Italy. Now we must make Italians.'
Nationalist historians contribute to nation-creating projects by writing largely mythical 'national histories' that project the newly emergent national communities back into past ages. Thus, just as German historians of the old school used to write about 'German tribes' in reference to times when there were as yet no 'Germans,' so even now Georgian historians posit the existence of 'Georgian tribes' in periods when a Georgian identity had yet to emerge. With rare exceptions such as Academician Valery Tishkov, scholars in the post-Soviet region remain blissfully unaware of the 'modernist' school of thought.
I was very impressed by the 'modernist' school when I first encountered it, but I am no longer wholly in sympathy with it. In his 1995 book Nationalism Anthony D. Smith presents a more discriminating position. He suggests that the 'modernists' go a little too far when they deny the real pre-existence of all nations. While acknowledging that many nations have indeed been created by modern nationalist movements, he argues that some ethnic communities, such as the Armenians and the Greeks, have had well-defined identities since ancient times.
I am wary of the Eurocentric focus of 'modernist' scholars. They are concerned primarily with the nationalist movements that arose in the nineteenth century in Central Europe (for the unification of Germany and Italy) and in Eastern Europe and the Middle East in the process of disintegration of the Russian, Austro-Hungarian, and Ottoman empires. Their ideas seem much less applicable to the history of China and Korea, for instance.
The 'modernists' also take little if any account of parts of the world such as the Caucasus and Central Asia where kin communities have survived into the current era. 'Kin community' is my preferred term for an ethnic group with a sharply defined internal structure based on blood kinship, uniting families into clans, clans into tribes, etc. A closely related term used in anthropology is the gens. An ancient kin community may provide the basis for a modern nationalist movement, as in the cases of the Abkhaz and the Circassians (Adyg).
A kin community may give rise to a nationalist movement and perhaps eventually a nation-state in one of two ways. It may directly constitute itself as a nation or it may unite with other kin communities in its vicinity to form a broader group that may eventually develop into a nation. Unification may be achieved by agreement (as in the case of the Iroquois Confederacy) or it may result from efforts by a core kin community to assimilate neighboring groups, whether through conquest, diplomacy, or cultural diffusion (or all three).
Georgian national identity has clearly arisen from such efforts by a specific core kin community in the area called Kartli – the Kartlians. The Kartlians first absorbed other tribes, like the Kakhetians, who came under the rule of their kings and were exposed to Persian influence in the region that is now eastern Georgia but in historical context might better be referred to as 'Greater Kartli.' Later they began to absorb tribes further to their west, but that process was never completed throughout the area now claimed as belonging to Georgia, inasmuch as the Abkhaz sustained their separate identity and eventually developed a national movement and nation-state of their own.
In considering the question of when a Georgian identity emerged close attention should be paid to the linguistic evidence. Ancient authors used different terms to refer to the eastern and western parts of what is now Georgia – Iberia or Hiberia for Kartli and adjoining areas, Colchis for the region along the eastern shore of the Black Sea (including present-day Abkhazia). If we focus on local languages – for local perceptions may not coincide with those of outside observers – we find a single word, Sakartvelo, with the root 'kart' and therefore the literal meaning of 'country of the Kartlians,' and its equivalents in other local languages: Sakurtuo in Megrelian, Okurtura in Laz, Kyrttʷ'yla in Abkhazian. Thus, the consonantal structure of the root is always K-RT; only the vowel varies. [1]
Were Sakartvelo complemented by some other term for Georgia in a broader sense, we could trace the emergence and development of that term as a fairly reliable indicator of a wider Georgian identity. However, no other term seems to exist – only Sakartvelo. Of course, it is quite possible that the meaning of Sakartvelo has expanded and changed over time since its first appearance in an eighth-century chronicle. In order to assess whether, when, and how this has occurred it is necessary to study the contexts in which the term has been used in contemporary documents in local languages. I am not in a position to undertake such a study, but I would like to make a few remarks.
It is often said that 'Georgia' was united during the period from 1008 to 1490 and that through the following centuries of division the memory of this period kept the idea of Georgia alive. However, the official name of the polity established in 1008, 'the Kingdom of the Abkhazians and the Kartlians' alludes only to its two most important tribal components and conveys no sense of ethnic or national – as opposed to dynastic – unity. Consider also the full official title of the kings who ruled this polity after 1124:
King of Kings, Autocrat of all the East and the West, Sword of the Messiah, King of Abkhazia, King of Kartli, King of Kakheti and Hereti, King of Armenia, Possessor of Shirvan
The title expresses an aspiration toward universal empire, no doubt inspired by the example of Persia, and the pride of monarchs who bring together diverse territories under their rule. Again, the union is purely dynastic. The territories include not only several that are arguably 'Georgian' in character but also Armenia and a 'possession' (Shirvan) that roughly corresponds to present-day Azerbaijan. We have here a realm that encompasses the entire Southern Caucasus. Again we find no sign of ethnic or national unity. The union is a dynastic one. A parallel may usefully be drawn with the later West European dynastic empire of the Habsburgs, which brought together such ethnically diverse components as Austria, Spain, and the Netherlands.
So I am not convinced that there existed a specifically Georgian identity during this period. It is up to those who take the contrary view to present detailed evidence in its favor. I do not believe that a clearly Georgian identity arose before the middle of the nineteenth century, in imitation of nationalist movements elsewhere in Europe and in response to Russian domination. It seems to me that this is one of those cases in which the 'modernist' interpretation of nationalism is valid.
This is not the place to analyze the views of the nineteenth-century creators of modern Georgian nationalism, but I would like to note that it is doubtful whether they regarded Abkhazia as a part of Georgia proper, rather than a region where Georgia (and not Russia) should have the right of colonial settlement. [2]
[1] Source: Baia Dzagnidze, 'Why is Georgia also called Sakartvelo?' – updated 12/27/2017, https://theculturetrip.com/europe/georgia/articles/why-is-georgia-also-called-sakartvelo/.
[2] See my essay on the origins of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict.
Sergei Bagapsh: Politician who guided the Republic of Abkhazia through its troubled beginnings, by George Hewitt
Abkhaz Society Increasingly Polarized On Eve Of Presidential Ballot - RFE/RL
The dynamics of electoral politics in Abkhazia, by Donnacha Ó Beacháin
Independents defeat prominent politicians in Abkhazia's parliamentary elections
Latin America: Georgia plays by the rules of Abkhazia, by Levon Galustian
A new era in Turkey-Abkhazia relations, by Hasan Kanbolat
Georgia's fine, lofty, useless strategy, by George Hewitt [The Guardian]
Why I Apologize To Abkhaz People, by Ucha Nanuashvili
"History Speaks Our Language!" A Comparative Study of Historical Narratives in Soviet and Post-Soviet School Textbooks in the Caucasus, by Vladimir Rouvinski
Russia's Accession to the WTO: Likely Impact on the Abkhaz Economy, by Beslan Baratelia
Mrs. Clinton Goes to Georgia, by Thomas de Waal
Сomment on an article in the Vanuatu Independent: To Tamar Vashakidze and the people of Vanuatu
The attempt on Abkhaz President Ankvab, by Alexander Krylov
"What Are They Doing? After All, We're Not Germans": Expulsion, Belonging, and Postwar Experience in the Caucasus, by Claire P. Kaiser
How do contested states seek international recognition? The case of Abkhazia | Norwegian Institute of International Affairs
For twenty years now the West has shirked its responsibility in Abkhazia, by Oliver Urs Lenz
Stalin's Downgrading of Abkhazia from Union Republic Status Decried, by Paul Goble
Abkhazia and the promises of princes, by Magdalena Frichova Grono
Georgian Repentance: Richard Norland's Version, by Sergey Markedonov
The Circassian question and Abkhazia: historical factors and contemporary challenges by Arda Inal-Ipa
Abkhazia: wedded to independence, by Zygmunt Dzieciolowski
The pawn of great powers: The East–West competition for Caucasia, by Ronald Grigor Suny
Best friend "puppets", by Andrei Babitsky
Baron Pyotr Karlovich Uslar: Inventor of the First Abkhaz Alphabet, by Stephen D. Shenfield
The Ethnic History of the Abkhazians in the XIX-XX centuries, by Tejmuraz Achugba
Appendix to Documents from the KGB archive in Sukhum. Abkhazia in the Stalin years, Translation by B. G. Hewitt
Caucasus Times: Interview with Stephen Shenfield
Gia Anchabadze: "In XII-XIII Centuries Term "Abkhaz" Had Three Meanings"
Giorgii Anchabadze - the fate of the Bedia church
Remembering the peace train, by Stephen Shenfield
Post-war Developments in the Georgian-Abkhazian Dispute, By George Hewitt - Parliamentary Human Rights Group, June 1996
The roots of the conflict, by Bruno Coppieters


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Scotland: Holyrood crisis of credibility
Written by David Fletcher 25 Feb 2021
Many are saying Holyrood faces a 'crisis of credibility' over its inquiry into the handling of harassment complaints against Alex Salmond, now that his written evidence submitted to the inquiry has been redacted at the request of the Crown Office. In another development, MSPs on the inquiry committee have asked the Crown Office to hand over all correspondence between Peter Murrell, chief executive officer of the SNP and Ms Sturgeon's husband; Liz Lloyd, Nicola Sturgeon's chief of staff; Sue Ruddick, chief operating officer for the SNP; and Ian McCann, SNP compliance officer. Mr Salmond claims the documents being requested will show he was the victim of a high-level plot. Ms Sturgeon, who has emphatically denied there was any such plotting against her former boss, is scheduled to appear before MSPs next week. She described suggestions that the Crown Office's intervention was politically influenced as 'downright wrong'.
Pray: for truth and justice to flow through parliamentary proceedings as individuals and the justice system face a crisis of credibility. (Proverbs 21:15)
More: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-56181114
harassment complaints
crisis of credibility
More in this category: « UK fishermen fear losing homes Government must stop extremists avoiding prosecution »


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How to become a future innovator in Engineering – In Person Insight Day (10am-3pm) NI Only
Back to work experience
Industry: Engineering
Application deadline: 22/02/2023
Dates: 08/03/2023 – 08/03/2023
NOTE: This in-person Insight Day is only open to young people from Northern Ireland and you must be able to commute to their premises in Lisburn.
At Camlin Group we provide innovative and intelligent monitoring products and services that help make electricity and rail networks safer, more efficient, resilient, and sustainable.
This is an exciting opportunity to explore life in an international technology company, where innovation is in our DNA. Our Engineering Careers Insight Day will help you explore entry routes and the various engineering career pathways in Camlin Group, plus information on the skills and qualifications needed to excel in this profession.
This day will offer you an insight into our Engineering teams here at Camlin and over the course of the day, you'll hear from the talented teams working on cutting edge technology on their career journeys, offering their top tips to how to succeed in engineering. Here's what we have planned for the day…
· Welcome to Camlin Group and Company Overview
· Meet the Team – An introduction to Systems Engineering and Mechanical Engineering
· Tour of our factory – seeing engineering at work
· Skills workshop: How to shine in an interview
· Engineering Challenge – have you got what it takes to excel in Engineering?
· Review team findings from the Engineering challenge
· Final re-cap and Q&A
· Close the session
Before applying please…
· Be sure to read all details and tell us a bit about yourself. Successful applicants will be selected based on the content of your application form and evidence of your curiosity and motivation to pursue a career in our industry.
· Students will need to be able to commute to our offices and attend from 10.00am-3.00pm for the full day
Skills/Experiences you will gain – Teamwork, Project Work, Communication Skills, Interview Skills, Problem Solving, Time Management.
Great for students who are curious, open to new ideas, innovative, tenacious, creative, determined.
Places are limited to 10 young people for this in-person Insight Day at Camlin Group Lisburn, so apply early to avoid disappointment!
*Dress code is smart casual. No tracksuits or sportswear.
*Lunch will be provided by the employer.
*Camlin Group do not want transport to this Insight Day to be a barrier to young people. If transport costs may be an issue to you being able to attend this opportunity, please ask your teacher to email: ni@speakersforschools.org as soon as possible.
When applying, answer the following questions
What do you already know about Camlin Group?
What attracted you to apply for this Engineering Insight Day with Camlin?
Which of your skills would you like to improve?
More about what we do:
Camlin Group has a worldwide presence with facilities in 21 cities across 17 countries. Camlin's goal is to optimise the critical infrastructures that people, cities and communities around the world depend on, all day and every day. At Camlin we provide innovative and intelligent monitoring products and services that help make electricity and rail networks safer, more efficient, resilient and sustainable. We create smart answers to tough problems with a worldwide team of data scientists, researchers and engineers harnessing advances in Artificial Intelligence and machine learning, robotics and materials science to solve some of our customers' most pressing challenges.
Skills/Experiences You Will Gain:
Deep dive into Electrical/Electronic engineering and their applications Apply here Deep dive into Electrical/Electronic engineering and their applications Age: 16-19 Duration: 1 Industry: Engineering Application deadline: 07/03/2023 Dates: 14/03/2023 - 14/03/2023 Timings: 10:00 - 14:30 We are Electrical and Electronic engineers; the innovators, creators, developers, and leaders of the advancements in current technologies, who take pride in the creation of intelligent, smarter devices.… Read More
The World of Engineering! Apply here The World of Engineering! Age: 14-19 Duration: 1 Industry: Engineering Application deadline: 01/02/2023 Dates: 14/02/2023 - 14/02/2023 Timings: 12:30 - 15:00 What's it like to work in civil engineering? What's a typical day like? We invite you to take up the opportunity to open your mind to the endless opportunities, excitement and fun,… Read More
Jacobs- A World of Possibilities Apply here Jacobs- A World of Possibilities Age: 14-19 Duration: 1 Industry: Engineering Application deadline: 18/04/2023 Dates: 25/04/2023 - 25/04/2023 Timings: 09:30 - 15:00 Do you have an interest in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) subjects and like to know more about working in the industry? Well, we have the perfect Insight Day… Read More
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With the amazing array of colours and woodgrains available, it can be all too easy to pick the first ones you like, but it's best to take other factors into account, too. Think about the exterior parts of your house that are hardest to change, for example the roof tiles, the brickwork, the driveway – even a verdant front lawn. It may be asking a lot to find colours that coordinate with all these features, but at least try to make sure your window and door colours don't jar with any of them.
Try to choose frames that are sympathetic to your home's natural features. For example, a distinguished 1930s house with a cream-painted exterior might benefit from Light Ivory frames and doors, while a modern detached with white rendered walls would suit the edginess of Anthracite Grey.
According to the song, so try to bear others in mind when you choose your hues. Those living around you will probably see your exterior as often as you do, so while individuality is always a good thing, try to be sympathetic to the style and colouring of the houses either side. If, for example, pale pastels are the order of the day on your street, your Silver Grey or Chartwell Green will probably go down a storm.
You can specify something striking for the exterior of the frames, but choose a more subtle colour for the inside. You may want to use your new windows as a way of introducing a fresh colour that you can match your interior to. Conversely, you can use a shade that frames and complements the greenery outside your window.
uPVC windows and doors are a practical choice. As well as choosing from VEKA Group's range of 29 different colours and realistic woodgrains, you'll have peace of mind knowing that there's virtually none of the year-in, year-out maintenance associated with timber. There are lasting benefits, too – uPVC's durability allows it to withstand the elements, so it won't rot or fade, like wood, or corrode as aluminium does.
Ask your local Independent Network installer for advice on what colours would work best for you!


I love to visit my Sister-in-law and gather in the visions of her beautiful home.
Let's take a look at her Fall vignettes.
The back side of the fireplace in the dining room.
A set of six salad, dinner plates, cups and saucers. I love the sugar bowl and creamer, plus a serving bowl and platter.
Perfect for a small Thanksgiving Day dinner.
The pattern is "Antique Rose" Ridgway Ironstone Staffordshire, England.
Well Pilgrim it's time to go. That's my John Wayne voice.
I think "fallish" is a PERFECT word to describe your lovely set!!! Very pretty vignettes all over the place.
Love the fall vignettes. And the ironstone dishes are gorgeous. Thanks for sharing.
Those dishes are beautiful! I like how you have them displayed. Have a blessed day!
Love those dishes and the fireplace! Your all set for fall and Thanksgiving.


The style of the Suffolk Oak range creates a focal point in your room by allowing the natural beauty of the oak shine through. Finished by adding clean chrome handles and metal drawer runners. This style is a modern classic!
"Lovely grain finish and style"


"Do they happen to have one of those little cart things you can use to load up your stuff around here?" Carl asked. I scanned the horizon of Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, Ariz. to see what I could find. "Yup, they've got one right over there," I say while pointing, and soon we're loading up the largest Pelican photography equipment case I've ever seen onto what looked like a flattened shopping cart so we could check in to our first flight.
The plan was simple. Carl and I would fly to St. Louis, Mo., rent a car (one large enough to hold that mammoth Pelican case) and head out towards Minnesota by way of Chicago and Madison. Along the way we'd take pictures, perform interviews and do some road touring through the midwest. We'd be spending a lot of time together in a small space.
It was day one of our 1,000-plus mile trip over the course of five days. I was ready to go.
It all started at Wing Ding 35 in Greenville, S.C. I was there as a staff photographer for Wing World, and I wanted to take some time talking to Members to find out what they liked and didn't like about the magazine. After trying to just walk up and talk to people randomly (and rather unsuccessfully), I realized that it was probably best to hang out in the Official Products Booth where Members would come up to me. That's when I met Bob Phelps and Bruce Beeman.
And that's about the time when I decided that my road trip needed to go a bit different path than I had previously projected.
After arriving at the airport, we went to pick up our first rental car, a Nissan Rogue, which is a small SUV designed for teenage boys who like the sound of a revvy exhaust and don't understand how a transmission works. After loading up that gigantic Pelican case and a few other items, we were off to our first destination, the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch.
We chose this particular hotel for three reasons. First, it was close to the Gateway Arch, a sight neither Carl nor I had seen before. Second, it was affordable, and three, it had lots of dining options nearby. We were only going for the night (as would be the case for all of our destinations), so I wasn't too concerned about everything else.
One thing I hadn't considered was parking. Finding a parking space in any downtown area can be rough, but there was no nearby outlet for the Hyatt Regency. The closest place was a parking garage about two blocks away that was packed to the gills. Valet was an option, sure, but were I riding a GL1800, I don't think I'dwant to let some guy ride off on my bike. There was no long-term parking solution on the street that I could see, unfortunately.
After parking the Rogue and hoofing it a few blocks to the room, we went upstairs to see what we could see — and it was awesome. The famous Gateway Arch was framed perfectly outside of our windows, and with the sun setting behind it, the view was amazing. The rooms, not so much. I'd say they were tiny, but that would be flattering. I had to shimmy in and out of the bed, as clearance on both sides was rather tight. But that was OK, again, we weren't going to be there for long.
For dinner, we ate at Brewhouse Historical Sports Bar, located conveniently down in the lobby. Neither myself nor Carl drink, but we did want some legendary BBQ and that's exactly what we had. Carl, being on some kind of weird diet thing that would follow us throughout the trip, was eating healthy and had a chicken plate that he enjoyed. Me? I was all about the pulled pork sandwich, and we also chose to split a hot pretzel since neither of us had lunch. The pork was succulent, with a nice sauce that had a touch more honey than I was expecting — but it was still amazing. We watched the Cardinals play a game that night, then headed up to the rooms to retire.
Unfortunately, we weren't able to take in the Gateway Arch because our schedule simply wouldn't allow it. What we discovered by talking to the locals and doing a bit of research online is that you can travel to the top of the structure if you're feeling daring. To do so, you fit into this tiny elevator that can make you feel a bit claustrophobic (or so claimed our hotel's concierge). That container jogs up, sideways and at angles to get you to the peak, where you can see up to 30 miles on a clear day. The Arch does sway a bit as well, so keep that in mind. Me, well I'm deathly afraid of heights, so none of that seemed very appealing.
After loading up the Rogue, we headed off to interview Bob and Diane Phelps. A few hours later, it was off to Peoria, Ill., our next destination. But first, we would take the roads less travelled.
Like many of you, I've been to Motorcycleroads.com. It's a great place to f ind roads and paths that you might not have taken otherwise and use them to get to your destination. That website was one of my key pieces of research for this trip, and it's why we decided on Peoria, Ill. for our destination, which, in hindsight, was probably not the best idea — but I'm getting ahead of myself.
We decided to take the Illinois Ultimate Scenic Rivers Route, which is 140 miles along Illinois Route 100. To start, we had to leave the Phelps' house by way of the 67, then, once we'd crossed the Illinois border, continue on the 67 until we hit the 16, then jog around a few times until it turned into Route 100. Although the trip does turn and have lots of movement, long story short, you want to stay on Route 100 and head north.
Shortly after our trip began, we found ourselves behind a gentleman on a yellow GL1800 with a Lehman trike conversion and Illinois plates. We were behind him for most of the drive, which further cemented our decision that this was a good place to be. If he liked it — and he certainly appeared to — then so would we, and that we did. Although there aren't a lot of places to stop and do things, the scenery does live up to its reputation. There's lots of rivers that pop in and out of view, and between the cliffs, rolling hills and wildlife, it's pretty spectacular to see.
One thing to note here, is that I was born in Montréal, Quebec, Canada, raised in Boston, Mass. (Go Sox!), and have spent most of my adult life in the Phoenix, Ariz. area. So although I've spent a lot of time riding down roads that have farms and trees on the side, it's been a long time since that happened. Carl, on the other hand, is a Phoenix native. He's travelled of course, but neither of us had ever seen such large expanses of corn and soy as we would on this trip. To those of you in the midwest, this might seem boring because it's all you see whenever you hop on and ride. But for Carl and myself it was fascinating, and all the old barns and silos just made the trip that much more interesting. It's a matter of perspective, I suppose.
After a few hours of winding around Route 100, we found ourselves on the 136 East, then 97 North to the 24/78 towards Peoria. Shortly thereafter, in the early afternoon, we got to our hotel, a Staybridge Suites at Peoria, Downtown. That's when things got interesting.
Neither Carl nor I had ever been to Peoria, but our GPS was telling us that we had to go through the industrial district to get to our hotel. In the process, we saw burned-down cars, lots of construction and more than a few shady characters. This wasn't looking good.
The immediate area of our hotel wasn't bad, and the rooms were great. This would be the one spot on the trip where Carl and I would share a space together, and in this case it was a two-room suite that also happened to be ridiculously cheap. Carl and I would share a common area with a kitchen, and then get our own rooms and showers.
But at this point, we had a few unexpected problems. Carl had already taken several gigabytes worth of pictures, and we needed a backup hard drive to get that covered. I, meanwhile, was hating the Rogue. The transmission was all over the place and it rode like it was on wagon wheels. We decided to kill two birds with one stone and head to the airport to trade in the Rogue, then head to pick up a hard drive and dinner on the way back.
After driving through a ridiculously bad area guided by our GPS, we found ourselves at the airport. I parked the Rogue, let Carl wait with the car (with some of our stuff) and went inside to swap out the vehicle. The lady behind the counter was very nice and helped me get into a Ford Escape, which should've been just a footnote in the story. But five minutes down the freeway later, with squeaky brakes and a transmission that wouldn't shift into fourth, we turned around and swapped out the vehicle again. This is when I found out more about Peoria than I expected.
Once I worked out the exchange, I asked the girl behind the counter where my friend and I could get something good to eat. "Where are you staying?" she asked. When I responded that we were downtown, she turned white and her eyes got quite large. Apparently, we did not pick the best area to stay.
She pulled out a map of the area. "See this area here?" she says as she circles our hotel. "You DON'T want to be there," as she looks up at me from behind her glasses. "You want to be here," and she circles an area across the river labelled East Peoria. "That's where the new restaurants and stuff are. That's what you want — trust me." And with the map in hand, Carl and I loaded up our new Ford C-MAX and headed off towards the other side of the river.
A side note about the Ford C-MAX: I've never owned a hybrid vehicle before, and my only experience with one prior was an article I wrote about the 2009 Prius where I drove it up to Flagstaff, Ariz. for the day. Although the C-MAX is a smaller vehicle and it was a bit difficult to squeeze in all of our stuff, it was overall an amazing ride. It has a mammoth glass roof that can be covered by a cloth interior cover, which we often kept open. There were leather seats, Bluetooth and all sorts of other appointments that kept us comfortable for the remainder of our 800+ miles on the road — and the 45 MPG that we got the rest of the trip didn't hurt, either. Overall, a fun car.
After crossing the bridge to East Peoria, we were confronted with a gorgeous area full of new hotels, restaurants and shopping. It was the perfect area for a stop, and that's exactly what we did — it was dinner at a chain restaurant, then later we'd come back and get that hard drive at a Target that was so new that I saw drywall dust on the floor. Point is, if you're going to Peoria anytime soon, take a look at East Peoria, as there's some nice options over there. I'm sure there are some great people on the west side of town that we didn't meet, but our particular experience told us that we were in the wrong place.
The next morning, after a quick drivethru breakfast, Carl and I hit the road again, this time using the 74 to get to the 55 towards Chicago. We would stop at Route 66 along the way, take some pics of the legendary road, then get to Chicago before lunchtime. The plans were set.
This is where things went wonky. We had a GPS unit from Budget Rent-A-Car, but we also had our smartphones as guides just in case. I had meticulously planned out the trip using Google Maps, but since I just referenced hyperlinks instead of printouts for our route, I had to follow things manually while driving or have Carl do it for me. Somewhere along the way, I leaned on the GPS instead of the Google Maps directions and found that we had completely passed Route 66, and now, even though we were riding parallel to the Mother Road, we weren't on it. I pulled us over to get directions.
We were right on the 55, just south of the 116, and it looked like if we just pointed the car east towards Pontiac that we'd be on course. We zigged and zagged the Ford through town, and then found ourselves in downtown Pontiac, right next to the Route 66 museum. Two turns later and we realized that we stumbled upon a spectacular little slice of small-town life. But more on that later this issue.
With our time in Pontiac complete, it was back on the freeway towards Chicago. In our case, we wanted to get there as fast as possible, so it was the 55 all the way into town. But for those of you who want to take the less travelled route, the 53 runs through Joliet, Ill., then the 171 goes further north as well to the 34 that rolls right into Ogden Ave. and Chicago proper. Our trip involved lots of traffic and more rivers and cool bridges, but we got to our hotel in Downtown Chicago with time to spare. After all, I had a game to catch — but that will have to wait until next time.
Posted 11/29/2013 by wing & filed under Featured, Road Trips.
We followed this gentleman for at least 40 miles.


The CYA Report is a free flowing, sometimes mature discussion of HR and talent issues. On today's show we have Bill Kutik. Bill is the Co-Chair of the HR Technology Conference, a Tech Columnist for HRE, and Host of the Bill Kutik Radio Show. Bill joins us today to talk discuss his last year serving the HR Technology Conference, or what we like to call "the end of an era".


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Coping with Christmas: a survival guide for when festivities are tough
This post originally appeared on The F-Word
It's supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. The cheerful TV ads encourage spending and the songs blaring out from speakers in every public space tell us stories of loving families and joyful times. But for a significant number of people, Christmas is an incredibly tough time of year.
A few years ago we published a post about the difficulties of getting through festivities for many survives of childhood sexual abuse. Amongst other things, the writer recommends doing Christmas on your own terms:
There is an awful lot of societal pressure to 'do' Christmas. Even now, after years of doing it my own way, I have learned that you can never tell people you are doing NOTHING on Christmas day. They look horrified! They invite you to their home, they suggest alternatives. They can't imagine that anyone would want to opt out of the celebrations altogether. Thankfully though, I do do something, but it is so much on my own terms, and so far removed from the traditional family day that I feel more in control, and more like I'm making it my own.
But it does not remove the memories.
It is a difficult step to take but one that can make a difference to how in control someone feels.
Of course, there are many reasons why people dread this time of year. I talked with some other collective members, and we thought about the following groups of people, although it is not an exhaustive list:
LGBT people who aren't out, or who are and have difficulties with family and friends accepting them;
people with a history of abuse, especially if it relates to family or the time of year;
people who are isolated or lonely;
people in fear or violent relationships;
people far from home;
people with mental health problems or who are disabled or housebound;
people in poverty;
people who have been abused within a religious or cult setting;
people who have been bereaved, especially if the bereavement happened around this time of year;
people who do not celebrate Christmas;
people with eating disorders;
people away from their families;
people dealing with relationship breakdown
people with alcohol addictions.
Triggers are everywhere. It is impossible to hide from the visual, audio and even sensory reminders of how you are supposed to feel, what you are supposed to be doing and who you are supposed to be with, and it can become incredibly overwhelming.
So if you would love to be with your family on Christmas day but they don't want to see you since you came out to them, or if you want to see friends but struggle with the absence of public transport, if you would love to celebrate Christmas with your kids but simply can't afford a big feast, a twinkling tree and a pile of gifts, or if you have nobody around who you can safely spend time with, what do you do? Reach out
One man, James Gray, took out a newspaper advert to request company in order to avoid spending his tenth Christmas alone. Many readers commented that if they lived nearer to him they'd invite him to celebrate with them, but in fact there are Mr Grays all over the country, he is not the only person who is lonely and wants to share the day with somebody. And while taking out an ad in a newspaper may not be to everybody's taste, if you have nobody to spend the day with and you would love company, ask those around you. It can be scary because you probably don't want anyone to feel obliged, but sometimes you will find that somebody else is in the same position as you are, also looking for a friendly face to be with on the 25th. Do it your own way
Our guest blogger four years ago suggested,
You can also start to create your own rituals. If you want to celebrate Christmas, but not in a way that's inherently linked to a difficult childhood, then imagine what you would really like to do to celebrate, while trying to remove all society's pressures about the season from your mind. The day might start with an early morning stroll. You might write and illustrate a cartoon. You might clear out the clutter from the attic! You could also look at how other societies, cultures and religions celebrate special days, and get some alternative ideas.
Those also work if you opt out of Christmas altogether. Once you get used to people fretting about your lack of plans, then it's all yours. You can get on with it as if it's no different from any other day, perhaps using some self-made rituals if you find yourself feeling left out of the loop.
Other people enjoy working or volunteering on the day. zohra has found it uplifting to volunteer at a food bank or soup kitchen, and I have friends who do not want to 'do' Christmas so are happy to take the Christmas day shifts at their place of work, allowing colleagues to take the day off and taking the pressure off themselves because they have a 'legitimate' reason to not be at a tense family dinner or a triggering Christmas Mass.
Avoid self-destruction
If you're feeling rotten it might be tempting to drink a bottle of Baileys and eat nothing but crisps, but these things will not only not fix anything they could make you feel far worse. Alcohol is a depressant and a lack of nutrients will make it harder to summon the energy to keep going, so limit the booze and try to get some vegetables into your system. Try to get the right amount of sleep, and if you are having urges to self-harm use your most effective coping strategies, reach out to somebody you trust or call a helpline to try to get through it safely.
Choose your priorities
Perhaps there are certain celebrations you would love to take part in, whilst dreading other events. The DIY Couturier recommends prioritising according to your desires, saying,
If you don't attend to the special seasonal thing that makes you happy, you're going to be absolutely miserable attending to the things that make others happy.
Damage limitation: social media
Helen tries to stay off social media. She says,
"I just end up watching half the planet's celebrations spread liberally across the day and that really doesn't help. The only slight light in the darkness last year was running a search for "Christmas is ruined" and watching the updates. If you ever wanted to learn what class privilege and the fetish of consumerism look like in a nutshell, that'd do it"
I watched a similar Twitter phenomenon last year, when somebody retweeted everything they could find that included terms such as "so unfair" and "I hate my parents". It really was enlightening, depressing and hilarious, all at once. If you are likely to be checking Twitter and Facebook on the day, look out for hashtags specifically for people who are alone or struggling.
Are you the kind of person who can change or enhance your mood with music? Maybe schedule an hour or so of sad songs to feel thoroughly miserable to, and then up the tempo or stick on a comedy video to lift your mood. For me, good music and good comedy can make a real difference to my state of mind but you may have a different trick that is more effective for you: a great book, dancing around the room or writing a poem. Whatever it is, if it works for you, do it.
Give yourself a break
I am constantly amazed by my mind's ability to make a bad situation worse. If I'm already feeling fragile it can create a barrage of self-defeating mantras and vicious insults. Try to get through Christmas without adding to your distress by bombarding yourself with criticism, too.
Have an escape plan
If you can't get out of an event that you don't want to go to, have a clear escape plan so that, when you've had enough, you can get away. Prepare excuses for leaving, and work out in advance how you'll get home.
Take pleasure where you can find it
In situations that are incredibly trying we need to grab hold of anything that might help. Whether that's watching a cheesy film, finishing off a box of chocolates, reading 1,800 pages of Passive Aggressive Notes or just having an afternoon nap, do what you need to do to keep your spirits up. "Thinking happy thoughts" is not an unproblematic concept but, if it works for you, do some positive affirmations or lists of things you're thankful for.
Finding positives in the small things and focusing on them can help, so when Helen informed me that, "Christmas Day is four days after Midwinter Solstice so there's about an extra minute of daylight...", it did genuinely make me smile. Find things like that.
This, too, shall pass
While this time of year is all-consuming and overwhelming, remind yourself that it will end. Whether that, for you, will be Boxing Day or at some point in January, the festivities will stop and the world will eventually get back to normal.
How to support friends who are struggling
It might be that you are thoroughly enjoying the festive season but you're aware that some people you care about are finding it tough. One of the most helpful things you can do is not make assumptions. Asking, "are you going home for Christmas?" presumes a welcoming and happy family life, as well as access to transport, and telling someone to "treat themselves to something nice" is an unrealistic and insensitive piece of advice for the 13 million people living in poverty in the UK. If someone has an eating disorder, let them choose how much, if any, of a Christmas dinner they eat, and if somebody is on their own then give them a call to see how they are and have a chat.
If you love the carols and tinsel, it can be difficult to understand why Christmas is so difficult for so many people, but follow your friends' lead and offer support sensitively.
The Ghosts of Christmas Past
Christmas Survival Tips For the Melancholic And The Infirm
Eating disorders and Christmas time
Dealing with domestic violence at Christmas (for children)
Coping with family stress at Christmas (for grandparents)
Coping with Christmas when you have cancer
Christmas and autism spectrum disorders
Coping at Christmas (for bereaved people)
9 Ideas for Coping with the Holidays When You Have a Mental Illness
8 Tips for LGBT People to Lower Holiday Stress
Depression at Christmas - A Survival Guide (PDF)
Are there any tips or resources you would like to recommend? Let us know in the comments below.
[The image is a photograph of two mockingbirds arguing. It was taken by Chiltepinster and is used under a Creative Commons licence]
Nomination for Mind Media Awards 2013
Nominating myself for an award goes against all my self-depracating Britishness, but buoyed on by being named on the list of most influential people in Britain I thought I would give it a go.
Anyone who knows me knows that I have long-term mental health problems and this is something I write about regularly. I also produce a podcast whose first episode was dedicated to mental health and stigma, in an interview with Charlotte, aka Bipolar Blogger. The fact that I often write from a service user's point of view does not mean that I feel I can get away with poor research or inadequate information: I always thoroughly investigate whatever subject I am writing about.
I also try to write about mental health issues in forums which are not dedicated to health or disability issues. In particular, in the past year, I have written about mental health at The F-Word feminist website and for the New Statesman:
Women Can't Win: Mental Health in Crisis (The F-Word)
This Minimally Sane Lunatic Fights Back (The F-Word)
Stigma, mental health, fear-mongering and murder (The New Statesman).
Challenging stigma is particularly important to me. The discrimination which occurs daily, and the prejudice displayed against people with mental health problems is an incredibly widespread problem and this is made worse by irresponsible reporting in the media. Making sure that I write responsibly is therefore a key priority, and in particular I take care to follow the Samaritans guidelines on writing about suicide and self-harm. I also publicise these and share them when appropriate on social media and with other writers. I also use Trigger Warnings and Content Notes when needed.
The platforms where my writing is published have considerable reach, and I expand this further by sharing the work on my Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and Pinterest accounts. This social sharing means that more people are able to find and read what I write, and can in turn share it with their friends and contacts.
Being named on the Most Influential Disabled People in Britain list does demonstrate the reach and impact I have. Through my writing and social media work I have made contacts and been able to network with a wide array of people and organisations, and I particularly enjoy having the opportunity to connect with people who would be isolated without social media as a means of communication.
It is for all these reasons that I am nominating myself for the Digital Media section of the Mind Media Awards 2013. I believe so strongly that reporting on mental health should be responsible and should have service user voices at its core that I follow these principles throughout my work, and it is because of these core beliefs that I am putting myself forward.
More of my writing can be found here.
Converge Podcast 03 "Zines are a good place for radical hope" - Interview with Zinester Cath Elms
Posted by incurable hippie at 9:46 am
On this episode of the Converge Podcast, I talk to Cath Elms, feminist and author of feminist perzine Here. In my Head.
We talk about feminism, longevity, typewriters, relating real life events to feminist theory, the zine community, how and why to start your own zine and much, much more. Enjoy!
Say hi to Cath and Philippa on Twitter - the text is populated for you but you can edit it.
Spill the zines
Marching Stars Zine Distro
Rebel Grrl Zine
Cath's site: catherineelms.co.uk
Blatantblithe.wordpress.com
Cath on Twitter
Spill the Zines on Twitter and Facebook
Swansea Feminist Network on Facebook
Vampire Sushi Distro
Direct Download: converge_ce_zines_3.mp3
Stitcher Smart Radio
Labels: converge, podcast, zines 0 comments
Converge Podcast 02 "Once you open your eyes and see it it doesn't go away, it gets worse" – Interview with Cath Smith of The Women's Room
When two women on Twitter heard BBC Radio 4′s flagship Today programme host discussions with all-male participants, and the show said they had not been able to find any qualified women to feature, they decided to do something about it. They set up The Women's Room, where over 2,000 women have signed up to register their expertise and experience.
In this episode of the Converge Podcast I talk to one of the site's co-founders about sexism, Twitter and women's representation in the media.
The Women's Room
The Women's Room on Twitter
Music (Creative Commons Licences)
Holloway Holiday by Scragfight (This is what feminism sounds like)
I dunno by Grapes (ccMixter)
Direct download: 02_Converge_The_Womens_Room.mp3
Labels: cath smith, podcast, the women's room, women's representation 0 comments
Converge Podcast 01 "A place to explore what I was feeling, and why I thought I was feeling like that" - Interview with Bipolar Blogger
Mental health service users face regular discrimination and are misunderstood and misrepresented by public opinion and the media. In this first episode of the Converge Podcast, I talk to Charlotte Walker, also known as the Bipolar Blogger, about her experience of mental ill-health, and how she has developed her blog and social media presence. We compare notes, share similarities and offer hints and tips to anyone listening who wants to better understand the issues surrounding mental illness and stigma.
Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me: A Graphic Memoir by Ellen Forney
Charlotte's Blog
Charlotte on Twitter
Charlotte on Facebook
Terminal by Drained Glory (Mansplaining on the Dancefloor
Direct download: 01_Converge_Bipolar_Blogger.mp3
Labels: converge, mental health, podcast 0 comments
Hello, long-neglected blog, I have missed you! There is lots to say and update.
A year and a bit ago I became self-employed as a freelance writer. I didn't think I was going to be able to make it work, but somehow it went from strength to strength and I do seem to be holding my own in this business.
In seemingly unrelated news, I have wanted a tattoo for 15 years. My inability to make a decision about what it should depict means I have never done it. I would make a decision and change my mind and choose something else and change my mind. I was beginning to wonder if I would ever settle on something to actually get one done.
Back to the business... when I'd done it for a year, this felt super significant. Despite illness, disability, and sometimes feeling completely like I was floundering, I'd done it. It felt really important to mark it in some way. Of course, a tattoo came to mind, but that endless question - what would it be?
My eyes came upon a sign I have had by my desk for the whole year, which had encouraged me whenever I felt like I just couldn't do this thing. It reads, "She believed she could so she did". When I needed a confidence boost, I would look at the sign and realise I could do it. Not only did it help me, but I'd also looked at it most days for a whole year and still liked it...
So there I had it, the tattoo. I had it done yesterday and I love it.
Did it hurt?
Well, yes. However it was a lot, lot better than I'd imagined in that respect. It was sore, kind of like being scratched again and again and again. I wouldn't call it painful, although some spots were worse than others.
Where did you have it?
My left inner forearm. I've always known that my first tattoo would go there, for some reason. I think partly it's because when I used to self-harm, that part of my arm took the brunt of my frustrations, so this was a way to reclaim it somehow. The old scars means that the ink might not be entirely uniform, but I can live with that.
I also wanted it to be somewhere where it would be seen. I didn't want a tattoo somewhere like my back where neither I nor anybody else would ever see it, I wanted it to be visible.
Any regrets?
Not even a tiny one.
Who did it?
Nikk at Good Vibrations Tattoo in Crookes, Sheffield.
But what about when you're 94 and it's gross?
Source: Uploaded by user via Philippa on Pinterest
Michael Brown: Just Because Christians Rioted Doesn't Make it a Christian Riot
Coping with Christmas: a survival guide for when f...
Converge Podcast 03 "Zines are a good place for ra...
Converge Podcast 02 "Once you open your eyes and s...
Converge Podcast 01 "A place to explore what I was...


What's a better way to start off the fall season than giving away FOUR of our lovely cross body purses? With all of the colors and styles available, we have a purse that will fit everyone's personality! We think any of our bags of fall would look great with your new fall wardrobe! We are giving away a Luxe, a Peyton, a Sarah & a Penny this week! Read below for more information about each purse as well as giveaway entry rules! Happy Fall Y'all!
The Luxe clutch is made of synthetic leather and has a pebble finish to the material. The hardware is gold in color and there is a removable strap so the bag can be carried as a personalized clutch or a monogrammed crossbody bag. The Luxe Clutch measures 11 by 7 inches and comes in a variety of bright colors. Each bag has a different color trim as you can see by the photo. The trim color is not very obvious, but it is a nice detail that adds to the Luxe feel of the bag! The clutches from one dye lot to the next do vary slightly, so if you are trying to match a large bridesmaid order to a previous order, we suggest contacting us before ordering so we can ensure orders placed during different weeks will match color tone perfectly. In case we do have multiple dye lots in stock and you want the "darkest" or "lightest" shade in terms of color, just make a note on your order! Inside there is a snap closure to help keep important items inside the bag where they belong.
The Sarah style monogrammed crossbody bag is here! This bag comes in 4 great colors. On the interior, it has two pockets on the front and a zipper pocket inside. The bag also features a zipper so things don't fall out! The clever gold clasp on fronts adds a classy closure feature and matches the gold in the chain strap. This crossbody bag is made of synthetic materials and features a lengthy strap so it can go across all bodies! It measures 10.5in by 7 inches and is 2.5 inches deep.
Monogrammed Peyton Clutch! The bag has two zippers on the front and a snap closure. It measures about 13 x 9 inches! The material is synthetic leather. PLEASE NOTE: This bag does come with a strap. We do NOT suggest you carry this bag with the strap. We are selling the bag as a clutch, not a purse. If you want to carry this bag as a purse, we suggest you take this to a sewing store and have the strap permanently fixed to the bag from the inside rather than the back. The strap does not support the bag as a cross body bag. Once you put weight in the bag, the strap could tear. We cannot be liable for this. We considered no longer selling the bag due to this issue but due to customer requests, we have kept it online. Thank you for understanding!
The newest monogrammed gift is here, the Penny Bag! This great bag features three different ways to carry one purse! You can carry the bag as a wristlet, a cross body bag, a purse, or even just a clutch! It measures roughly 14 by 9.5 inches but each bag can vary slightly. The strap clips on and off and the bag has a zipper in the back. The bag is made of synthetic leather.
Shop these bags at Marleylilly.com!
Enter to win a free monogrammed cross body purse from Marley Lilly! It's as easy as 1, 2, 3!
Follow our blog, The Monogrammed Life!
We will randomly select 4 WINNERS on Friday, October 12th at 10:00 am EST!
We will privately message our winners on Facebook, so be sure to check your messages!
So excited about this. I have been wanting something monogrammed for so long!
liked, shared and following on gfc- cindy batchelor ! love the bags!!
Have fallen in love with these!!! Love the classic timeless way a monogram looks!
Posted, Liked, and Following! I LOVE these all sooooo much!
Liked, following, and share. Thanks for hosting such a great giveaway!
These are ALL ANNOYINGLY CUTE! Love love love your stuff. Love all you Pinterest stuff! TY for hosting such an awesome giveaway!
Liked Shared & Following!!! Fingers Crossed!!! I <3 ML!
All entered!!! Hoping I win!
I am so excited! I hope I win!
LOVE IT ALL! Hope I win!
Ooo I would love to have a beautiful new purse!!


text:
Bailey Hale Aston Walter Wiley Green Justin Henderson Wiley Chris Barnes Sports College football Football College sports
Louisiana Tech Conference USA Rice
Smith runs for TD in OT, Louisiana Tech edges Rice 23-20
HOUSTON (AP) — J'Mar Smith ran for a touchdown in overtime that made the difference as Louisiana Tech edged Rice 23-20 on Saturday night.
Trailing 20-17 in the overtime period, Smith led the Bulldogs (4-1) downfield then took it in himself from 12 yards out for the win. Rice had scored first in OT on a 36-yard field goal by Chris Barnes.
Smith was 21 of 39 for 210 yards and a score passing. Justin Henderson ran for 64 yards and a score and Bailey Hale kicked a 31-yard field goal.
Trailing 14-7 at halftime, Louisiana Tech evened it up with Henderson's 24-yard touchdown run with 1:23 left in the third. Rice went ahead on a Barnes field goal late in the fourth and the Bulldogs replied on the ensuing drive with Hale's field goal that evened the score at 17-all with 1:10 remaining to force overtime.
Wiley Green threw for 128 yards for the Owls (0-5). Aston Walter ran for 112 yards and two touchdowns.


text:
Graphic courtesy of the Kauffman Foundation
Economy Entrepreneurs Series
Wiens: Entrepreneurship can give the recovery a second wind
Jason Wiens	 February 22, 2016 February 22, 2016 0 Comments economy, Jason Wiens, Presidential race, unemployment
Editor's note: This post was republished with permission from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's Policy Dialogue blog.
By all accounts, the 2016 presidential campaign has thus far been anything but ordinary. An unconventional candidate with no record of public service has built broad support and a "Democratic socialist" who advocates higher taxes, free college tuition, and more and better paying jobs is giving the presumptive Democratic Party nominee a run for her money.
Many political observers have offered explanations:
Angry voters are looking for someone who shares their displeasure,
The electorate has changed and doesn't look like those of the past, and
The sheer number of one party's candidates.
Some combination of these and other explanations is likely. But underneath them all is a deeply felt current of economic stagnancy and uncertainty about the future.
Yes; the economy has seen positive job growth for a record 64 straight months.
True; unemployment sits at 4.9 percent, an almost 8-year low.
But many Americans feel like they are still treading water, at best. The recovery has not been felt evenly and the fruits of the recovery have not been widely distributed.
Americans are unsure that their wages will not be reduced and concerned about economic inequality. Fears are also bubbling up about whether the rise of automation and robotics will mean fewer chances for people to support themselves with a decent job.
Economics tell us that when demand for labor grows, wages should also rise. Yet, declining unemployment has not produced robust wage growth. At the end of 2010, after the recession officially ended, nominal year over year wage growth had fallen to 1.7 percent, from a 2007 prerecession rate of over 4 percent. Since 2010, nominal wage growth has slowly inched upward, with the year over year growth rate in December 2015 at 2.6 percent.
Along with wages, household income, another measure of financial security, is depressingly weak. From a pre-recession high of $57,357, real median household income sat at $53,567 in 2014—7 percent less than before the recession. Families are having to stretch budgets and get by with less.
If this is the new normal, large segments of the American population are unwilling to accept it. Nor should they.
Disrupting the Status Quo
Thankfully, smart public policy focused on entrepreneurship can again create broad-based, inclusive economic growth.
Support Investment in New Ideas
Investments in new ideas and innovations are the building blocks of tomorrow's successful companies. Government can support investment in research and development directly, by funding agencies like the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.
It can also indirectly support innovation through the tax code. At the end of 2015, Congress passed and the President signed into law an enhancement in the federal R&D tax credit that will now allow startups without income tax liability to benefit.
The challenge is finding room in a budget increasingly crowded out by mandatory spending and debt payments to fund these innovation-producing investments. Here, Congress and the newly elected President must address the long-term issues eating away at the federal budget.
Welcome Immigrants
A second way in which government action can spur growth happily has no cost: welcome skilled, talented, and entrepreneurial immigrants.
Immigrants to the United States are nearly twice as likely as native-born Americans to start companies. Yet, the United States offers no visa by which a foreign national with entrepreneurial ambitions can come to our country and build a business that will provide jobs for Americans.
Moreover, the thousands upon thousands of foreign students studying at American universities face daunting challenges if they want to stay in the United States and help American businesses grow. To our economic disadvantage, many of these American educated graduates return home to compete with U.S. firms.
Remove Barriers
Finally, government should identify and remove barriers to entrepreneurial entry.
Excessive regulation can overwhelm startups. Some laws function to protect and enrich existing businesses, creating an unfair playing field that disadvantages young companies. Other laws, like occupational licenses, shield insiders from entrepreneurial competition. And the federal tax code, with all of its credits, deductions, and depreciation allowances benefits existing businesses but doesn't always aid young, not-yet-profitable startups.
Entrepreneurs will always pursue their dreams. Government just needs to make sure it isn't making an already difficult and risky pursuit more challenging.
With the support of good public policy, entrepreneurs can lead the way to a recovery that will be felt by all.
Chris Jackson, research assistant at the Kauffman Foundation and regular blogger at Growthology, contributed to this post.
Jason Wiens
Jason Wiens is the lead policy engagement manager in Research and Policy for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. His responsibilities include making federal, state, and local policymakers aware of the work done by the Kauffman Foundation in addition to writing policy briefs and developing policy engagement strategies.
Find Wiens on Twitter: @JWIENZ.
Tags:economy, Jason Wiens, Presidential race, unemployment
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