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Book Online or call HomeAway Booking Assistance 888-640-7927
Book Online or call HomeAway Booking Assistance 888-640-7927

Beautiful garden home, walk to downtown, views

Bedrooms 1
Space 760 sq. ft.
Property type studio
Minimum Stay 2 - 4 nights

About the property

Midtown studio, second level with views of Chugach mountains, downtown Anchorage with sunset vista. 10 minute walk to heart of downtown Anchorage, near coastal trail. Short walk to midtown where the locals shop with markets and a variety of eateries and entertainment. Close to Natural Pantry, Saturday markets, Anchorage museum, Moose's Tooth Pizza, Bear Tooth dinner/movie theater, Sports Bar, coffee shops, bicycle rentals.

Queen bed and 'Full' size pullout sofa,which has a Memory foam mattress. The studio will sleep four comfortably.

Kitchenette offers a microwave, convection/toaster oven, full refrigerator, coffee maker, Hot water X-press, and toaster. All necessary ware and utensils. Barbeque grill-gas.

Bathroom with shower, hair dryer.

The bright and comfortable living space offers Maple hardwood floors, radiant heat, picture windows, and 3 sets of French doors leading out to decks with different vistas. North & West -Sunset & Downtown; East - Chugach Mountains; South - a small forest, where you may watch moose napping while you enjoy lunch on the sunny deck.

Enjoy the fresh raspberries growing on the property and the spacious lawn.

More Details

Shirley Nelson
Member since: 2015
Speaks: english
Response time:
Within a few hours
Response rate:
Calendar last updated:
January 12, 2018

About Shirley Nelson

Being a resident in the beautiful state of Alaska for over 34 years, having lived in remote areas for several of these years as a teacher and "adventurer", I settled in Anchorage and have enjoyed the central location for the ease of traveling, hiking, fishing, and the Arts.

Shirley Nelson purchased this studio in 1996

Why Shirley Nelson chose North Star

Nice sunny exposure with views. A unique "FIND" with character.

What makes this studio unique

The original house was built in 1950 on a large lot. It's prime location to business, recreational activities, and shopping, make it a 'jewel' in the heart of Anchorage. Literally, a 2 minute walk to Chester Creek Trail, where you may see the Bald Eagle perched on the birch limb just a few feet away. Continue east to Sullivan Sports Arena and various lakes, or head west to hook up with the Coastal Trail.

The 'studio 'and garage were constructed in 2007, snuggled in the back of the property with a small forest on the south border, a peaceful habitat for our local moose to relax and the birds to gather.

A QUAINT Neighborhood.

North Star Studio Accommodation and Amenities

Property Type:
  • studio
  • floor 2
  • Guests provide their own meals
Floor Area:
  • 760 sq. ft.
House Rules:
  • Check-in: 3:00 PM / Check-out: 11:00 AM
  • Max. occupancy: 4
  • children welcome
  • pets not allowed
  • non smoking only
Location Type:
  • Downtown ...
  • Mountain View ...
  • Hair Dryer
  • Heating ...
  • Internet
  • Iron & Board
  • Linens Provided
  • Living Room
  • Parking ...
  • Towels Provided
  • Coffee Maker
  • Dishes & Utensils
  • Kitchen
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Toaster
  • Dining ...
  • Dining Area
  • seating for 4 people
  • 1 Bathroom
  • Bathroom 1 -
  • 1 Bedroom, Sleeps 4
  • Queen Bed
  • Books ...
  • DVD Player
  • Games ...
  • Satellite / Cable
  • Stereo ...
  • Television
  • Balcony
  • Deck / Patio
  • Lawn / Garden
  • Outdoor Grill
  • wheelchair inaccessible
  • churches
  • cinemas
  • duty free shops
  • festivals
  • health/beauty spa
  • library
  • live theater
  • marina
  • museums
  • playground
  • recreation center
  • restaurants
  • theme parks
  • zoo
Leisure Activities:
  • antiquing
  • bird watching
  • horseback riding
  • outlet shopping
  • scenic drives
  • shopping
  • sight seeing
  • walking
  • wildlife viewing
Local Services & Businesses:
  • ATM/bank
  • fitness center
  • groceries
  • hospital
  • laundromat
  • massage therapist
  • medical services
Sports & Adventure Activities:
  • cross country skiing
  • cycling
  • freshwater fishing
  • golf
  • hiking
  • ice skating
  • mountain biking
  • mountain climbing
  • rock climbing
  • roller blading
  • sailing
  • snowboarding
  • tennis

Wonderful! 4.9/5 -
(30 traveler reviews)

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Beautiful garden home, walk to downtown, views
average rating of 4.9 based on 30 reviews

One word.... AMAZING!!!!

  • 5 of 5

I can't say enough about the hospitality expressed by Shirley.... and oh btw the Loft was perfect. We were a family of 4 and it worked for our needs. Great location and very easy to get to. There is no question that i will stay here again when traveling back to Alaska!!

  • Submitted: Jun 18, 2017
  • Stayed: June 2017
  • Source: VRBO, from HomeAway
Owner's Response: Thank you for your stay at Blue Sky Haven. I truly enjoyed meeting you and your family and glad that the moose was cooperative with a stroll for your viewing. Please visit and consider running the marathon again, next year! Thanks, Shirley
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1 0

Cosy cabin living

  • 5 of 5

Wonderful, clean space. Central location. Beautiful balconies and just very cute overall. Very comfortable bed

  • Submitted: Aug 19, 2017
  • Stayed: August 2017
  • Source: VRBO, from HomeAway
Owner's Response: Nice meeting you Linda. I hope your next visit to Alaska will have more sunshine. Please visit again. Shirley
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1 0

Great location, great host

  • 5 of 5

The Blue Sky Haven is perfect located for all what we liked to do. It`s close to downtown, close to the coastel trail and also close to the airport and all the shoping opportunities we needed.

The loft is very clean, comfortable and have all what one need also for a longer stay.

Thank you very much Shirley for sharing Blue Sky Haven with us.

Anita and Alfred, Tschingel

  • Submitted: Aug 16, 2017
  • Stayed: August 2017
  • Source: VRBO, from HomeAway
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1 0

Such a great place! A little piece of Heaven!

  • 5 of 5

We had a wonderful stay at Blue Sky Haven! It is so centrally located to just everything we wanted to do in Alaska in the way too few 5 days we had there. Shirley is such a gracious host and will point you in the right direction for whatever you are interested in doing. One of my goals was to see a moose and when we had checked out of the house without seeing one Shirley called me on the phone to ask if we were still in the area as there was one wandering in the yards of the neighborhood! We raced back as we were still close and she helped me find it so I could finally get a picture of that elusive Alaska Moose! The house itself is beautifully appointed with everything you will need. Shirley has truly thought of everything! I throughly enjoyed sitting on the deck at the end of a day of sightseeing enjoying the very late sunset (10:30pm!) and coffee in the morning. My husband and I loved it! Thank you Shirley so very much! We will be back!

  • Submitted: Aug 7, 2017
  • Stayed: July 2017
  • Source: VRBO, from HomeAway
Owner's Response: Thank you Liz! I truly enjoyed your stay and so happy the moose was cooperative! The very next day, the cow moose and young were in the back, enjoying the peace and solitude. Also, thank you for the Minnesota Wild Rice, and yes it will be a great attribute to the fresh King Salmon. Hope to see you folks again, in the near future. Regards, Shirley
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1 0

Overall nice place to stay in Anchorage

  • 4 of 5

The efficiency was clean and and well maintained. Shirley was a very gracious host and everything was very easy in terms of getting into the unit and conveniently located. The small kitchen was sufficient for small meals at breakfast or lunch. The only issues were that the unit is advertised as having A/C and none was present. Not a big deal if the outside temperatures stay in the 60s and low 70s as the unit gets a good breeze but the advertising was not accurate. As everyone likely knows the days are long in the summer months. The top windows in the unit are not covered so be prepared for sleeping in the daylight as the entire unit is filled with light from these upper windows. Overall it is a very clean and convenient place.

  • Submitted: Aug 3, 2017
  • Stayed: July 2017
  • Source: VRBO, from HomeAway
Owner's Response: Thank you for your response and input. The studio rental was designed to capture the surrounding environment, especially the view of the Chugach Range, hence the large windows and 3 sets of French doors leading out to decks, each with their own unique view or the privacy of looking into a small forest where the moose lounge. All lower windows open with screens to allow a nice cross flow and have sunblock curtains. I try to be clear with details regarding the studio. When filling in the amenities, in this particular case, the A/C, I disclosed ceiling fans. There are probably not many residences with true A/C in Alaska. other than hotels. I apologize for any misguidance. Thank you for choosing Blue Sky Haven
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1 0

Beautiful place!

  • 5 of 5

Shirley's place in Anchorage was perfect for out 2 nights in Anchorage. I was inspired by the well thought out construction of this little guest house above the garage. Lots of space, lots of light, and a beautiful garden to look down on from above. Shirly even gave us a salmon she had caught the day before to grill up. Location was just right....walkable trails nearby....and walkable to downtown. Great stay!

  • Submitted: Jul 17, 2017
  • Stayed: July 2017
  • Source: VRBO, from HomeAway
Owner's Response: Thank you for choosing Blue Sky Haven. It was a pleasure meeting you and please visit again on your next adventure! Shirley
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1 0

Nearest Airport
5 Miles
Anchorage International Airport
Nearest Barpub
0.2 Miles
Nearest Ferry
60 Miles
Nearest Golf
5 Miles
Nearest Train
2 Miles
Alaska Railroad
Nearest Motorway
0.5 Miles
Seward Highway
Nearest Ski
45 Miles
Alyeska Ski Resort
Car: recommended

Rates & Availability

Taxes and fees are additional

Additional information about rental rates

Damage Deposit $400

Not wheelchair accessible, friendly lab on property.
Property available from May 15-August 31 at summer rates. September thru December 10- weekends only: Friday - Sunday @ $150/night, minimum 2 nights

Owner's Cancellation Policy

  • 50% refund if canceled at least 14 days before arrival date.
  • 100% refund if canceled at least 30 days before arrival date.
  • Service Fee fully refunded on cancellations that qualify for 100% refund.

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Fall 2006: Moments

December 12, 2006

"The music of our community"

Before Wabash President Patrick White rang in the Class of 2010 on Freshman Saturday, he asked them to stand up.

"Look into the eyes of the men in your class, these men around you," White said. "These men will be your teachers."

Twelve days later, White made a similar request of upperclassmen, faculty, and staff at the first Chapel Talk of his administration.

"Students, professors, and staff—all are teachers in our community," White said, calling the Chapel "a holy place at Wabash—a place sanctified by conversation.

"You are teachers of one another—participants in the grand conversation of the liberal arts. This is the play of the mind; this is why we are here."

Setting the tone for campus discourse, White noted the conversations

students, faculty, staff, and alumni have over the issues and ideas that matter most "are the hardest work we do, but when we do it well, it is the music of our community."

"I know this is not easy," White added. "But to turn our backs on the conversation is to turn our backs on our mission to think critically, act responsibly, lead effectively, and, perhaps most important, to live humanely.

"In our best imagination of this College and ourselves we will find the courage, clarity, and kindness that will make our conversations grand, that will enable us to say for years to come, ‘Wabash always talks.’"

Eating with the President

My family and I had just sat down to eat when a couple introduced themselves to us.

After some conversation my mom asked the man, "I take it you work here?" "Yes, I am the president, Dr. White," the man responded.

So I spent my first day at Wabash eating lunch with the president!

—Jacob Lee ’10 from his blog at www.wabash.edu

Hope for the Hopeless

When Stephen Judah ’72 stepped onto the set of ABC’s "The View" to promote his book, Staying Together—When an Affair Pulls You Apart, he faced an intrigued but skeptical Barbara Walters and company. When he said he preferred to have the unfaithful spouse reveal the affair to his or her spouse during a session in his office, co-host Joy Behar was incredulous.

"That’s like setting up a homicide," quipped the comedienne.

"I’d rather have a controlled nuclear reaction in my office than a nuclear explosion at home," Judah replied, earning affirming applause from the studio audience.

"This is extraordinary—for leaders of national fraternities to get together with college administrators to talk about the opportunities we have to collaborate on to reach our common goals."

—Bill Martin, the chief executive officer of Phi Gamma Delta International, moderating discussions as Wabash brought to campus CEOs of six fraternities to discuss mutual challenges and opportunities with four college presidents and the Wabash Dean of Students’ office.

Wilderness in the heart of America

Professors plan the Visiting Artists Series so that students will benefit from our guest musicians, artists, and writers, and it’s hard to imagine anyone leaving a stronger impression on Wabash than Terry Tempest Williams.

In the hours sandwiched between two memorable readings, the author/naturalist had numerous conversations in and out of class with students, calling them "some of the most tenderhearted men I’ve spent an hour with." She met with Crawfordsville High School students as part of the College’s community outreach. She woke up early to have breakfast with members of the College’s environmentalist organization, reinvigorating the group and even inspiring its new name—Students for Sustainability.

During a break in her schedule, the Utah native and author of the acclaimed memoir Refuge hiked Shades State Park, guided by bookstore manager and Sugar Creek aficionado Mike Bachner ’70 and his wife, Pat Galloway. Williams returned that evening to read her work, including a freshly penned essay about Shades.

"I will never think of Indiana as only a domesticated landscape of cornfields,"Williams wrote. "Wildness resides in the heart of America."

IT WAS A STUDENT’S EMAIL THAT FIRST ALERTED the Wabash campus to the destruction of the Bridgeton Covered Bridge by an arsonist in April 2005.

And Wabash students and staff were among hundreds who helped rebuild the bridge a little more than a year later.

John Meara ’07 spearheaded the Wabash effort with help from Web Editor Howard Hewitt. Meara had chosen the state’s covered bridges as his summer research under the College’s Present Indiana program. When he received word of the rebuilding effort, helping out seemed a natural extension of his project. Twice he organized more than 20 students to lend a hand.

"Just having the opportunity to contribute to the rebuilding of the bridge was a rewarding experience, and it was great to work side by side with fellow Wabash men, who were willing to donate their time and strength out of the goodness of their heart," Meara says.

"In his quiet and unassuming way, Bill Placher has a greater national impact on the humanities in colleges and universities and on theological reflection in theological schools and churches than any theologian I know."

—Professor Emeritus of Religion Raymond Williams H’68, commenting on the Indiana Humanities Council’s awarding Professor Bill Placher ’70 with the 2006 Indiana Humanities Award.

Only at Wabash!

The curtain had fallen on the Wabash College Theater Department’s hilarious production of The Braggart Soldier when Janathan Grandoit ’06, who had played a servant forced to dress as a woman, stepped back onstage.

Then Grandoit invited Butler University coed Delphia Flenar to join him. And there, in a white wedding dress, he got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. Delphia said, "Yes," the crowd cheered, and the cast threw confetti.

2010 Trivia

Some things you should know about the freshman class, which includes:

➤ 37 legacies—men whose fathers, grandfathers, uncles, cousins, or brothers have attended Wabash;

➤ an average high school GPA of 3.7;

➤ 28 Indiana Boys State and 9 Eagle Scouts. While the majority of the men hail from Indiana, the class includes:

➤ 15 students from Chicago, 10 from Texas, 5 from California, and 4 from Mississippi;

➤ 16 students from other countries—the largest international class in more than a decade;

➤ a master gardener, a skilled pastry and dessert chef, a world class archer, a strawberry farmer, the Central Indiana Young Marine of the Year, a young man who owns his own store, and another who is the proud owner of a 1980 Blue Bird school bus.

Keep track of four members of the freshman class on the Student Life blogs at the Wabash website: www2.wabash.edu/blog/

Ben Esbaum ’07 learned marketing skills as an intern with Hannapin Marketing founder Pat East ’00, one of many internships funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. through a grant that also includes the College’s Summer Business Immersion program.

—Read more in the Student Profiles at www.wabash.edu

I saw my friend’s talent and wisdom, and how it benefited him, and I knew that Wabash was the best choice for me.

—Saidel Mayar, freshman student from Kabul, Afghanistan, who first heard about Wabash from his friend, Ashraf Haidari ’01, first secretary to the ambassador in the Embassy of Afghanistan in Washington, DC.

Dustin Foster ’09 enjoyed his first taste of Sugar Creek during a kayak trip down Indiana’s most beautiful stream. The trips, guided by Mike Bachner ’70 as part of the College’s Experience Indiana program, celebrate the historic connection between Sugar Creek and Wabash, which was founded on the bluffs overlooking the stream.

To be granted the opportunity to sing in this building is a memory I’ll cherish. The sound continued to resonate for seconds after the final cutoff. I particularly enjoyed hearing the music swirl around the cathedral at the end of "Cantate Domino."

—Jeff Sostak ’06, singing with the Wabash Glee Club at the Cathedral of York Minster during the group’s tour last summer of England, Scotland, and Wales.

"Marc’s is a voice we needed during these difficult times," Professor of English Tom Campbell said as he introduced his colleague, Marc Hudson, for the college poet’s first reading on campus in several years.

"I wanted to read some poems about places," Hudson began, "and about coming home to them.

"It takes a bit more time to find the poetry of Indiana than it does the poetry of the Cascades, or Puget Sound, or Iceland," Hudson said. "A more subtle beauty, it requires a more rooted heart. Perhaps the muse is a little thinner, but the vein grows deep."

—Read more about the reading at www2.wabash.edu/blog/pa/2006/03/

OLAB—THE COLLEGE’S OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN ABOUT BUSINESS PROGRAM—has been giving high school students an intense immersion in business and marketing for 35 years, and Professor of English Tobey Herzog has been teaching advertising to the group for 28 of those. Professor of Economics Bert Barreto and fellow OLAB faculty and participants honored Herzog’s many contributions to the program during a ceremony at the conclusion of this year’s OLAB.

Chris Greisl ’06 walks off the Indianapolis Airport runway with Crawfordsville Special Olympian Ben Gregory after Ben joined the Little Giants at the Fed Ex Plane Pull, where Chris and the team raised more than $1,100 for the Special Olympics. Ben was thrilled to join the Little Giants, who appreciated his contribution in the "lightest team" competition.

"Without Ben," Chris laughed, "I don’t think we would have gotten the plane moving at all."

Wabash College • P.O. Box 352 • Crawfordsville, IN 47933 • 765.361.6100

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(Hongqi Zhang /iStockphoto)

As parents, community leaders and school officials puzzled over the precipitous drop in standardized test scores at one of the District’s leading public high schools, Emma Buzbee had a logical explanation.

Buzbee, a senior at Wilson High School, said she and other high-performing students either refused to take the test or intentionally flubbed it to focus on Advanced Placement tests, which were given the following week.

A high score on the AP exam can strengthen a college application, earn a student college credit and exempt them from certain required college courses. The standardized test administered by the District, on the other hand, has no effect on students.

But that test, known as the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), is used to judge the performance of schools and, starting next year, evaluate teachers. Which means the PARCC exam carries high stakes for teachers and school officials and no stakes for students.

When Buzbee realized that the review session for AP chemistry at Wilson High was scheduled last spring at the same time as the PARCC exam, she felt she had little choice.

“Chemistry was such a difficult subject for me, and the AP exam is very strenuous,” Buzbee said. “Me and a lot of people in my class decided not to take the exam and go to the review instead. There was never any explicit reason we were given about why we were supposed to take the [PARCC] exam.”

Buzbee said she never intended to create problems for her school.

Federal law requires school districts to give a standardized test in math and reading to every student annually in grades three through eight and once in high school — usually to sophomores or juniors. School districts are required to test 95 percent of eligible students.

Interviews with several Wilson students and parents showed there was confusion at the school last spring swirling around the PARCC exam.

In response to complaints from public school students, teachers and parents about over-testing, school districts across the country have allowed families to “opt out” of the federally required tests.

D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson said she could not grant requests from about 100 Wilson parents asking for their children to be excused from the tests because D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) has no such policy.

It appears some took matters into their own hands.

Ellen Leander said her son, who is now a junior at Wilson, answered a few questions on his PARCC exam and then walked out because he didn’t want to miss a chemistry lab.

“He wasn’t thinking, ‘It’s going to be a win for Wilson if I win on this test,’ ” Leander said, adding that the resulting drop in the school’s PARCC score doesn’t mean that instruction is weak or the school isn’t performing. “I’m not concerned with the quality of education at Wilson. I think it’s a strong school with great teachers.”

Despite the city not having an official “opt-out” policy, some Wilson students interviewed said they received permission to skip the test after their parents emailed school administrators.

Sophie ReVeal, a senior at Wilson, said her parents got a school administrator to remove her from the PARCC testing pool so she wouldn’t have to miss two AP English classes. She said the testing process was disorganized and confusing but shouldn’t reflect poorly on the school’s teachers and student body.

“I do feel guilty that we didn’t take it because it seems that we could have taken it and it would have helped the school,” she said. “But I do blame the school for doing a really bad job on organizing it. It was really confusing, people felt forced into it, and it just didn’t feel valuable to a lot of students and wasn’t worth their times.”

Results of the PARCC tests, released Tuesday, showed that just 21 percent of Wilson students met or exceeded expectations on the English portion of the exam, compared with 50 percent in 2015. There was a 10.5 percentage point increase in the number of Wilson students meeting or exceeding expectations in math.

At School Without Walls High School — another high-performing DCPS school where students must apply for admission — there was a 12.4 percentage point drop in students meeting or exceeding expectations on the English portion and a 24 percentage point drop in math.

On the day the scores were made public, Kimberly Martin, Wilson’s principal, said she was aware that some students rushed through the English test, spending five or 10 minutes on an exam that is designed to last at least 90 minutes.

She sent a letter to Wilson parents Wednesday pledging improvements. “We need to work on resolving some of the test administration conflicts,” Martin wrote. “We know we need to be especially cognizant of the Advanced Placement administration dates as they relate to PARCC testing.”

Asked to elaborate, Martin agreed to an interview with The Washington Post but then canceled it Thursday.

D.C. officials have been scrambling to defend Wilson and School Without Walls.

“The grown-ups are in charge of setting the tone for the students of what’s important. Our students do rational things, they had a reason for doing what they did,” said Jennifer C. Niles, the District’s deputy mayor for education. “If we didn’t create the optimal environment to succeed, that’s on us.”

This is the second year that public school students in the District have taken the PARCC exam. Unlike the previous standardized test that D.C. students took, the PARCC exams given to high school students are course-based, not grade-based.

Most of the students who took the English and math PARCC exams were sophomores. But some upperclassmen who took geometry in eighth grade were also given the PARCC geometry test, even though several had already taken the PARCC exam as sophomores.

Henderson acknowledged Tuesday that there was some confusion within the school system about which students should be tested when.

It’s unclear how many students opted out of the test or intentionally failed it. The D.C. State Board of Education said there is no way to differentiate students who were merely absent on testing day from those who intentionally stayed home to avoid the test.

The PARCC participation rate at Wilson was one of the lowest among the District’s high schools, though it remained similar to the school’s low participation rate the previous year. Just 68 percent of students who were supposed to take the test at Wilson did so, according to data from DCPS.

By comparison, Anacostia High School had a 90 percent participation rate on the English portion on the exam.

An assistant principal at School Without Walls sent a letter to the school community before the test, acknowledging some confusion and saying that the school could not “accept any exceptions” to taking the test. The school, which has a much smaller student population than Wilson, had a participation rate above 90 percent on the English portion of the exam.


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In its heyday, the members of the Young Communist League of the Soviet Union liked to think of themselves as shock troops on the front lines of agriculture and construction. They were building a better USSR, and making themselves better communists in the process.

But by the fall of 1991 the Communist Party had been kicked from power and it was clear there wasn’t going to be a better USSR. On Sept. 27, the leaders of the 73-year-old organization, known as the Komsomol, met in a hotel here in Moscow and agreed it was time to put it to rest. There were no tears — there was too much property at stake.

The Komsomol, whose members ranged in age from 14 to 28, had been straying from the straight-and-narrow path of Marxist fervor for quite a while by that time. It was an organization for strivers, and for people who didn’t want to look like they didn’t belong. It was a career ladder for apparatchiks, who had used it during the years of Mikhail Gorbachev’s perestroika to create a surprisingly lucrative empire.

The Komsomol ran a chain of hotels, and a network of video salons that specialized in soft porn and action films. (Few Russians had VCRs back in those days; if you wanted to watch a movie of your choice, you went to a storefront room where video equipment was hooked up to TVs.) The organization backed trading firms — which were nonprofit because they technically belonged to the youth league — and its most successful venture was a bank, called Menatep.

Menatep was the creation of an especially ambitious Komsomol member named Mikhail Khodorkovsky. After the Soviet collapse, Khodorkovsky used Menatep — founded with Komsomol money — to create the Yukos oil company. He became Russia’s richest man, until Vladimir Putin took him down in 2003 and had him locked away in a prison camp for tax evasion.

Other Komsomol members in those final days — there were 20 million of them in 1991 — have had less dramatic career arcs. Its last leader, Vladimir Zyukin, went into public relations. Vladislav Sedelenek, who was on the organization’s central committee and took over a career agency founded with its money, went on to become chairman of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce. Mikhail Prokhorov bought the New Jersey Nets, and had a brief career in opposition party politics. Dmitry Medvedev is, at the moment, president of the Russian Federation.

The Young Communists were young men and women on the make. Cynical but clear-eyed, they were ideally positioned to ride the wave of capitalism that was about to wash over Russia.


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- Associated Press - Monday, November 5, 2012

To borrow a line from Depeche Mode, death is everywhere in “Skyfall.” James Bond’s mortality has never been in such prominent focus, but the demise of the entire British spy game as we know it seems imminent, as well.

Still, this 23rd entry in the enduring James Bond franchise is no downer. Far from it: simultaneously thrilling and meaty, this is easily one of the best entries ever in the 50-year, 23-film series, led once again by an actor who’s the best Bond yet in Daniel Craig. So many of the elements you want to see in a Bond film exist here: the car, the tuxedo, the martini, the exotic locations filled with gorgeous women. Adele’s smoky, smoldering theme song over the titles harkens to the classic 007 tales of the 1960s, even as the film’s central threat of cyberterrorism, perpetrated by an elusive figure who’s seemingly everywhere and can’t be pinned down, couldn’t be more relevant.

And yet “Skyfall” seems like it could stand on its own perhaps more than most Bond movies. In the hands of director Sam Mendes, it almost feels like a reinvention; he has said making “Skyfall” left him “knackered,” but audiences will leave feeling invigorated. And with Mendes collaborating once again with the great cinematographer Roger Deakins, it’s definitely the most gorgeous.

Deakins, who also shot Mendes‘ “Jarhead” and “Revolutionary Road,” provides a varied array of looks, all of them dazzling. The MI6 headquarters, which must be moved to a hidden underground location following a vicious attack, have a crisp and stylish industrial-loft chic about them. The rugged hills of Scotland, where the final battle occurs at Bond’s ancestral home, are both wondrous and imposing; by this point in the film, “Skyfall” extends beyond the familiar confines of a spy thriller and becomes a flat-out Western. It’s a bold move.

But the most beautiful sequence of all plays out in an empty office space in a Shanghai skyscraper: a mesmerizing mix of cool glass surfaces, delicate projected images and bold color, reminiscent of the lush hues in Mendes‘ “Road to Perdition.” Within this precise setting, Mendes knows well enough to let the hand-to-hand combat between Bond and a sniper unfold without the kind of needless edits that unfortunately have become so popular in action films these days.

Bond being Bond, he can still get himself out of any dangerous situation; the opening chase, which begins in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar and ends in impossibly daring fashion on top of a hurtling train, is a marvel of timing and choreography. Conversely, he can also talk himself into situation, as he does when he seduces the beautiful and dangerous Severine (Berenice Marlohe) after meeting her in a Macau casino.

But Bond’s vulnerability _ dare we say, his weakness at times _ makes him a much more complicated and captivating figure. He’s not always totally smooth and slick. The work is taking a physical and psychological toll. Muscular and sexy as Craig is, he looks beat-up and worn-out here, which adds what feels like an unprecedented sense of depth to a character we thought we’d known so well for so long. Three films into the series and Craig owns this iconic role by now, with his stoic cool and willingness to explore a dark side.

This time, James Bond must try and protect his no-nonsense boss, M, from what feels like a very personal attack, even as it seems that she may not necessarily be protecting him in return. The always whip-smart and dignified Judi Dench gets to explore her character’s hidden fears in the script from Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and John Logan, which adds some unexpected and welcome layers to her performance, as well. Ralph Fiennes, as M’s new superior, questions her ability to lead this aging behemoth of an agency in an increasingly unstable environment; at the same time, Ben Whishaw provides some welcome, subtle humor as young gadget guru Q, whose modern-day specialty is computer hacking.

And then there is Javier Bardem, who pretty much steals this entire movie away from these esteemed and formidable actors. He is, totally unsurprisingly, tremendous as the villainous Silva, the former MI6 agent getting his revenge against this staid, old-fashioned organization in high-tech, ultra-efficient ways that make him seem unstoppable. Like so many Bond bad guys, he wants world domination through orchestrated chaos. But he approaches the role with a mix of effeminate flamboyance and cold-blooded menace. He’s hilarious and terrifying _ and that’s just in the beautifully shot monologue in which he introduces himself with touches of The Joker in “The Dark Knight” and Bardem’s own Anton Chigurh in “No Country for Old Men.”

Ultimately, the reports of James Bond’s death are greatly exaggerated. Fifty years later, nobody does it better.

“Skyfall,” a Columbia Pictures release, is rated PG-13 for intense violent sequences throughout, some sexuality, language and smoking. Running time: 143 minutes. Four stars out of four.

Motion Picture Association of America rating definition for PG-13: Some material may be inappropriate for young children.

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- The Washington Times - Thursday, June 20, 2013

A dozen years after the wildly popular “Monsters, Inc.” was released, Disney offers another look at the iconic characters in “Monsters University.” The premise isn’t quite as fresh as when the original film was released in 2001, but Pixar’s animators have a lot more technological firepower to work with. The result is visually stunning, but lacks some of the bravado and wit of “Monsters, Inc.

The basic outline is the same. Monster civilization survives and thrives because of the ability to harness the screams of children into energy. The top guns of this world are the high-producing scarers. “Monsters University” features the duo of Mike Wazowski (voiced by Billy Crystal) and Sully (John Goodman), meeting as undergraduates at the renowned Monstropolis institution that gives the movie its name. (In “Monsters, Inc.Mike and Sully are clock-punching factory floor guys — they don’t come across like graduates of an elite university.) On campus, Mike is a grind and a striver, who dreams of becoming a scarer, and tries to make up in effort and desire what he lacks in scariness. Sully is a brash and entitled freshman — a legacy from a family of prominent scarers.

They come into conflict almost immediately. Mike resents Sully’s easy charm, and Sully bullies Mike almost as an afterthought. “Monsters University” appropriates aspects of campus movies of every stripe. There’s a bit of Harry Potter, with the weird and magical games, and the eclectic campus architecture with Gothic touches. There’s a bit of “Revenge of the Nerds,” as Mike’s declining social status pushes him into the arms of the most outcast fraternity on campus. And there’s a bit of “Animal House,” because every movie about college has to have a bit of “Animal House.”

After failing exams, Mike and Sully are forced to team up to compete in the annual Scare Games, in order to convince the terrifying insectoid Dean Hardscrabble (Helen Mirren) to readmit the pair to the prestigious scaring program. Rather than help the pair, Mike’s roommate Randall Boggs (Steve Buscemi) joins the popular campus clique. The film follows a fairly predictable path through a series of events in which Mike, Sully and their quirky teammates from the Oozma Kappa frat pile up improbable victories against their arch rivals at Roar Omega Roar.

But it’s not all smooth sailing. “Monsters University” weighs in with some surprisingly hard lessons about how work will only get you so far without talent, and how talent can languish without discipline. The plot manages to pivot away from these grim realities, but it’s to the movie’s credit that they’re mentioned at all.

The writing in “Monsters University” isn’t quite up to the level of excellence Pixar typically delivers. The laughs are there for the kids, but there are fewer of the pop culture references to engage parents.

Visually, the monsters, their games, the campus and the action are all beautifully and comically rendered. The 3-D is quite good, but the movie isn’t dependent on the 3-D shots to convey action and movement. It’s a bit jarring to hear Mr. Crystal’s crabby voice emanating from a putative college freshman, but since he’s playing a diminutive one-eyed green monster, I suppose some allowances can be made.

TITLE: “Monsters University

CREDITS: Directed by Dan Scanlon; written by Mr. Scanlon, Robert L. Baird and Daniel Gerson.

RUNNING TIME: 110 minutes.

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The costs of the WCAA's activities are to be borne by the member associations who have agreed the following approach to funding: while there will be no mandatory fees, the WCAA will seek annual (voluntary) contributions from member associations. Besides a small annual grant from the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research, these association contributions are the only source of funding for the WCAA, and thus these are vital to the continued success of the WCAA.

All associations should contribute financially, to the best of their ability, but no association shall be excluded or disadvantaged by its financial limitations.

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Member associations are asked to self-assess, based on the principles and criteria above, placing themselves in one of four levels below:

How funds are used

Funding received will be used for the routine maintenance and hosting of the WCAA website over the coming year, and for the support of travel of delegates from disadvantaged countries to our biennial meeting and in some cases to interim meetings.

How to make your payment to the WCAA

**Please note that the WCAA's Australian based bank account is no longer operational**

Please make a transfer using the details below:

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WCAA Registered Office: c/o RAI, 50 Fitzroy St, London W1T 5BT, UK.

Please note that the payment need NOT be in GBP or US dollars. You can transfer the equivalent amount in your preferred currency.

If you are able to give a reference, please give at least your association acronym.

On making the transfer please email admin(at)wcaanet.org, with subject "Payment of WCAA contribution by bank transfer" so as to help identify your payment.


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Cambro Restaurant Supplies and Equipment

Durable, High-Quality Products for the Foodservice Industry

Cambro has been dedicated to creating and providing the most durable, high-quality containers, Cambro food carts, and other proven plastic products for the foodservice industry since 1951. Cambro has grown into one of the industry's largest plastic manufacturers with its inventive CamKiosk, CamChiller, CamCarrier, durable storage containers, and glass racks. Read more

Cambro’s foodservice and catering equipment continues to be highly regarded for its quality and versatility in the catering and health care industries as well as kitchens everywhere. From their tabletop products like Cambro decanters and carafes to behind the scenes performers like the CamCarrier insulated food pan carriers, Cambro is known for in-demand, long-lasting food storage, transportation, serving, and warewashing products.

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Welcome to My Morning Routine, where Dana James and other good-life gurus share their personal (frequently surprising, often healthy) morning rituals—to help you make your a.m.’s more awesome.

Dana James
Founder, Food Coach

First thing, I take my beauty pills: two Klaire Labs probiotics and two of my Collagen Activator with Sakara Life’s rose water. The probiotics are for clear skin and the collagen activator for boosting collagen. The water is infused with silica and rose for even more skin-beautifying nutrients.

Next, I do what I call nine minutes of nourishment, which is a technique I developed for my “I’m too busy to meditate” New York City women. It’s three minutes of movement such as cat and cow, followed by three minutes of gratitude, followed by three minutes of strategy for the day. This way I have movement and meditation with a to-do-list!

If I have more time, then I’ll do a 45-minute Kundalini class live-streamed from RAMA TV in Venice, California.

Then it’s coffee time! French press organic coffee with a shot of chlorophyll. It offsets the acidity of the coffee.

Next, I use a dry body brush to increase circulation and decrease cellulite (I swear it works!) before jumping in the shower. For my face, I use Tracie Martyn cleanser, NuGene stem cell serum and Susanne Kaufmann moisturizer.

After that, I make my morning smoothie. Right now it’s a papaya and bee pollen smoothie with coconut milk and my raw vegan protein powder, Beauti-fuel. I drink half of it and take the rest to work.


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The Ultimate Guide To Getting Pregnant After Miscarriage

According to one study, women who conceive within six months after a miscarriage are less likely to miscarry again or experience other pregnancy related complications when compared with women who wait for longer periods of time. Exactly how long a woman should wait to conceive after a miscarriage is controversial. Some doctors suggest trying again as soon as possible, while guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) call for waiting for at least six months, and others suggest waiting for as long as 18 months.

When Can I Attempt Another Pregnancy?

Medically, it is safe to conceive after two or three normal menstrual periods if tests or treatments for the cause of the miscarriage are not being done. Some physicians routinely recommend that couples wait six months to a year before attempting another pregnancy in order to come to terms with their loss, whereas other physicians feel there is no compelling reason to wait so long.

The time you should wait to conceive again is not determined in numbers – like how many periods should pass or a certain number of months. “When” is dependent on your mind and body. Those aspects change depending on how far along in the pregnancy you were, if this was your first miscarriage, or if you have underlying medical conditions. Many couples find it takes much longer to recover emotionally, especially if you were past the 13th week. You may go through multiple stages of grieving, such as sad one day and angry the next.

Five facts about miscarriage

Thankfully, many women do go on to have healthy pregnancies and deliveries after miscarriage. The following statistics shed some light as to what you may be able to expect regarding your fertility after miscarriage.

  1. About one in four pregnancies are lost within the first few months. Some experts believe that this number be as high as one in two pregnancies. Many women miscarry before they ever know they are pregnant.
  2. Very early miscarriages that occur shortly after an embryo implants are called “chemical pregnancies.” If you have a chemical pregnancy, you may not even know that you are pregnant, as the miscarriage will occur right around the time that you would have normally had your period.
  3. Most miscarriages take place within the first 3 months of pregnancy. Many women keep the news of pregnancy quiet until they are past the 13-week mark. Once they are safely past the end of the first trimester, many women breathe a sigh of relief since the likelihood of miscarriage decreases.
  4. Miscarriage during the 2nd trimester is very rare and only occurs in an estimated one to five percent of pregnancies. A pregnancy lost after 20 weeks gestation is known as a stillbirth.
  5. As pregnancy progresses, the risk of miscarriage decreases.

What Are The Chances Of Having Another Miscarriage?

Many couples who experience a miscarriage worry that it will happen again. Fortunately, at least 85% of women who have had one loss will go on to have a successful pregnancy the next time, as will 75% of those who have experienced two or three losses.

Women who waited two years to conceive after their miscarriage had a higher risk for potentially life-threatening ectopic pregnancy (when the fertilized egg has implanted outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tubes) and/or pregnancy termination than women who conceived earlier. These women were also more likely to deliver via cesarean section or give birth to premature or low-birth-weight babies than women who became pregnant within six months after their miscarriage, the study shows.

The study did include women who had miscarried later in pregnancy, and the findings were broadly similar to those who had miscarriages earlier in their pregnancy.

There are some subgroups of women who may need to wait longer before becoming pregnant again, including women who show signs of an infection, the researchers caution.

The following are recommendations to make this time a little easier:

  • Ask that your pregnancy be monitored carefully.
  • You may want to avoid early preparation for the baby’s arrival. Some couples find it helpful to request that baby showers be held until after the arrival of the baby.
  • Some people will make suggestions about what you should do or not do to make this pregnancy successful because they are also invested emotionally in your pregnancy. The easiest way to handle their suggestions is to listen, and then do whatever you, your partner, and medical team feel is best.
  • Your birth experience might be bittersweet because memories may resurface about your loss. You will probably need to do some grieving in addition to celebrating your new baby.
  • Your parenting may be influenced by your past loss so moments of panic might occur, especially when the new baby is ill, or too quiet.
  • You may feel the need to protect yourself from more sorrow so you might be cautious bonding with your new baby until you’re certain he or she is safe and healthy.
  • If you feel you are struggling, speak to your healthcare provider about possible support groups or counselors who could help you through this difficult time.

Tried and tested tips to conceiving quickly after a miscarriage:

If you are trying to get pregnant, follow your doctor’s advice if any and take care of your health. Try the following:

  • Eat a balanced diet
  • Drink plenty of water
  • Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs
  • Take a prenatal vitamin containing folic acid and some other fertility related minerals
  • Get to a healthy weight
  • Start early morning meditation or simple yoga postures
  • Both husband and wife need to understand, they are both into this and need to encourage each other to change over to a healthier lifestyle
  • Take thyroid medications regularly if prescribed by your physician
  • Eat a lot of green vegetables
  • Start your personalised homeopathy medicines specially formulated for you at Welling Clinic to get pregnant faster after miscarriage.

Reference for more reading:

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Christ’s Hospital Choral Society

Christ's Hospital Choral Society SUS-140926-095947001
Christ's Hospital Choral Society SUS-140926-095947001

Christ’s Hospital Choral Society is an adult choir for members of School staff and the local community.

They meet weekly in the Court Room and are very fortunate to have Andrew Cleary, the Director of Music at Christ’s Hospital, as their conductor.

The choir perform four concerts each year, covering a wide repertoire.

The first concert is in November and will be performed in St Mary’s Church in Horsham. We are commemorating 100 years since the First World War and will be singing pieces by Blatchly, Wilcox, Goodall, some choruses from The Armed Man and Faure’s Requiem.

The Friends of CHASE are invited to provide refreshments to help them raise funds.

In December we will be holding our annual Christmas Concert in Christ’s Hospital Chapel. Members of the local community can come join in with traditional carols while the choir entertains with other Christmas themed songs and readings. The Concert is followed by wine and mince pies – the perfect start to the Christmas season!

As well as rehearsing within the School community, in March we join with the School choirs to perform Carmina Burana. The Choral Society feels it is very important to feel part of the School Community. We also provide bursaries to pupils of the school who wish to attend Choral Schools in the holiday.

Our Summer Concert is usually a lighter repertoire, covering different genres and held in the School Chapel. We were also able to have picnics on the Quad beforehand. The Friends of Chestnut Tree House were invited to come and provide refreshments at this concert to help them raise funds.

As a Choral Society, we are privileged to rehearse with the School Community and have the opportunity to perform with the youngsters. We also thoroughly enjoy performing in the wider community and helping local charities.

Report and picture contributed by Christ’s Hospital.


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2016 Suzuki Baleno GLX Turbo long-term car review, part two

By Cameron Kirby, 22 Jan 2017 Car Reviews

Buying new? We'll match you to the lowest dealer quote, get the best price for your trade-in and the lowest rate finance. Save thousands. Get started here.
Buying new? Get the lowest dealer quote, best price for your trade-in and lowest rate finance. Save thousands. Start here.
2016 Suzuki Baleno GLX

Cameron Kirby btraks up the daily routine with a mountain blast in the second part of his long-term review of the Suzuki Baleno GLX.

Humans are said to be creatures of habit, and I’m unashamedly a living embodiment of that statement. I will get up every morning at the same time, complete the same morning routine, which includes eating the same breakfast I have consumed since before I attended primary school, take the same route to work and park in the same car park. I could plot my daily routine on an Excel spreadsheet.

This monotony is broken only on the hallowed weekend when alarm clocks are outlawed, breakfast can be a lottery, and a plan for the day can be as simple and carefree as “let’s just see what we feel like”.

2016 Suzuki Baleno GLX

Repetition is handy when testing cars. Hitting the same pothole every day in different vehicles will tell you a lot about how different suspensions soak up bumps. But sometimes you just have to say “screw the beaten path” and do whatever you feel like.

It was time for the Suzuki Baleno to break free from the weekday commute and get out into the countryside. With the girlfriend in the passenger seat, favourite music playlist at the ready, fuel tank filled to the brim and snacks prepped, we headed off for a 600km drive via the Dandenongs. Aside from a rough list of roads I wanted to travel, there was no plan, and it was glorious. Both the Baleno and myself revelled in just seeing where each country road took us, doubling back on our own route to discover another new piece of fine twisting bitumen.

While I enjoyed the freedom, the Baleno took the curves in its stride. This turbo-triple-cylinder  hatch makes a rather capable hill-climber, though after re-setting its trip computer, I noted its economy soared into the 10s in even lightly spirited driving.

The Baleno doesn’t wallow around like you might expect, instead holding its line admirably. And while the steering is electrically assisted – and not universally praised – I really rated its feedback and feel.

2016 Suzuki Baleno GLX

The biggest letdown of the entire day was the Suzuki’s seats. It wasn’t a lack of comfort – you could tour all day in the Baleno GLX just fine – but there is minimal lateral support, leaving you (and the missus) sliding all over the place through twisty mountain passes.

With the day wrapping to a close, in a moment of contemplation overlooking Bonnie Doon, my girlfriend couldn’t hold back a cliched quip: “How’s the serenity, darl?”

On a day like this, with a car as eager as the Baleno GLX, on roads as brilliant as these, with company like that? Almost as good as a well-priced pair of jousting sticks.

Siri, please…

When it comes to navigating my new city, I’m spoiled for choice in the Baleno. Satellite navigation comes standard, Apple CarPlay means Apple Maps is thrown in, or I can use Google Maps through Bluetooth or auxiliary audio with a phone app. You’d wouldn’t expect much difference between the three, but you’d be wrong. After much experimenting, I’ve abandoned the standard sat-nav and Apple Maps – visual aids aren’t much help if the suggested route is terrible – in favour of Google Maps, regardless of the fact it has audio guidance only.

Read part one of our Suzuki Baleno long-term car review here.

This article was originally published in the February 2016 issue of Wheels magazine.


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Those of you who pay tax via ‘Pay As You Earn’ (PAYE) should receive your new tax codes from HMRC this month. This may not happen if your affairs are simple, for example you only have one source of income, but it is still important to check that your first pay slip has a new code. To help with the checking, here are the new personal allowances for 2014/15:-

Born after 5 April 1948                                                   £10,000

Born after 5 April 1938 but before 6 April 1948    £10,500

Born before 6 April 1938                                               £10,660

Married Couple’s Allowance                                       £8,165 (£4,083 on notice of coding to allow for 10% relief)

Blind Person’s Allowance                                             £2,230

It is easy to check when you have only one source of income and don’t receive anything else that affects your code, such as work related benefits. You just knock off the last digit to find your new code. For example, from April 2014 a person aged 61 (born 1953) with one employer/pension provider will have a tax code of 1000L. Don’t worry too much about the letters; they are used by HMRC to communicate with employers and pension providers. However, if you have more than one source of income, other allowances or benefits, or possibly even both, then things start to get more complicated and problems can arise. An example will, hopefully, help to explain this better.

Mr. Biggs is 80 (born 1933) and married. He receives a state pension of £6,000, an occupational pension of £9,000 and a small annuity of £1,500.  He will need two tax codes, one for his larger pension that takes account of his married couple’s allowance and his state pension (which cannot be taxed at source) and one for his small annuity.  These are calculated as follows. His personal allowance is £10,660. To this we add his married couples allowance (only half because the allowance is given at 10% and not at the basic tax rate of 20%) to give him a tax free allowance of £14,743. From this we deduct his £6,000 state pension (because it is the only way it can be taxed) which leaves him with a tax free amount of £8,743. Then remove the end digit to give him a tax code of 874T which is applied to his occupational pension. But what happens to the annuity? As all of his allowances have been used to calculate the code for his larger pension, anything else will be taxed at 20% and the code given in this particular case would be BR (which stands for ‘basic rate’).

If you usually complete a self assessment tax return, did you file your 2012/13 return by 31st January 2014? Did you pay what was owed by the same date? If not, you will probably be opening a penalty notice this month and if you filed after 30th December 2013 you are also too late to pay your tax via the 2014/15 tax codes. Failure to file your 2012/13 tax return and pay what you owe by the 31st January (if not coded) will mean you receive a late filing penalty of £100 and interest will start accruing. Those who usually file on paper will find that the £10 a day penalties also kick in. Now is the time to ask for help if you need it.  You may be able to appeal if you have a good reason for not complying.

This article is by Tax Help for Older People (operated by registered charity no 1102276), offering free tax advice to older people on lower incomes. The Helpline number is 0845 601 3321 or geographical 01308 488066.


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The new store feeding more for less

BIG JOB: Anglicare volunteers James Walker and Pam Smith preparing the new Anglicare Low Cost Food Bank store, due to open at 14 Wood St by the end of the month.
BIG JOB: Anglicare volunteers James Walker and Pam Smith preparing the new Anglicare Low Cost Food Bank store, due to open at 14 Wood St by the end of the month. Tara Cassidy

AN INNOVATIVE new program will put food on the tables of the region's poor.

Anglicare's new 'Low Cost Food Bank' opens in the Mackay CBD on May 30, providing a cheaper grocery store for those receiving a pension.

The Wood St outlet aims to assist low income earners in the region by allowing them to purchase food at low cost instead of relying solely on charitable handouts.

Anglicare committee member John Langford said the initiative was about providing limited income earners with a choice, and a chance to care for themselves, in turn restoring their dignity and re-connecting them with society.

"It's a basic human right to be able to fill your tummy with food, but some of these people will go to Coles, IGA and Woolworths and are really limited in what they can afford," he said.

"Others haven't got a penny to bless themselves with and rely entirely on our packs, and you can see the hurt and pain on some of their faces when they have to come and ask for a food parcel.

"Many are embarrassed.

"So while we will still provide that option where it's needed, the other option means people can come and shop, not needing to feel ashamed and feeling like they are truly looking after themselves."

The non-perishable products will be sourced from FoodBank in Brisbane while fresh foods will be provided by Coles.

The food will be sold at cost price to shoppers, often three to four times less than they appear on shelves in chain supermarkets and independent stores.

Shoppers will be required to show a pension or concession card at the check-out in order to keep the limited stock for those truly in need.

In addition to helping individuals, the program will also assist charitable organisations across the region by allowing them to purchase their food, hampers or vouchers at a low price.

Mr Langford said he had received a warm response to the new shop, even though it's official opening is over a week away.

"Some people have already seen the sign and said they'll be back on the 30th," he said.

"It's really needed in this area, there are a lot of people who are disconnected from the mainstream of happy Australians who are doing okay in life.

"There really are a lot of unseen poor, disadvantaged people walking our streets and the issue is only growing, so we hope this will help them out in some way."

Volunteer James Walker √said while FoodBank and Coles were providing much of the stock, further donations from local businesses were welcome.

"We are limited in what we get, so anything more that the community can help us out with it great," he said.

"We would love to encourage other businesses to get behind the idea, because the more groceries and options we have the better this thing comes together.

"We'd love for people to be able to come in here and do their full shopping not just have to pop down and grab a few individual items."

The official opening of the Anglicare Low Cost Food Bank, located at 14 Wood St, will be on May 30.

Topics:  anglicare charity disadvantaged food bank low income earners mackay business volunteer volunteering

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The Best Ways to Combat Stress During the Workday

Work-related stress happens to the best of us and although it’s hard to prevent, there are several practical and effective strategies you can use to tackle stress and keep it at bay. Keep reading to learn about some of them.

Maintain a Mindfulness Practice

Mindfulness means being more aware of your environment and tuning into the things you notice, such as the rate of your breathing, the feel of the sun on your bare skin and the soft chatter of nearby coworkers. You become aware of the present and accept it without judgment.

This practice offers numerous mental, physical and emotional benefits, meaning it’s worth finding time to incorporate it into your everyday routine, especially when you feel under pressure at work.

Recognize and Manage Your Triggers

People get stressed for different reasons. Maybe you get frazzled after realizing you waited too long to finish projects or perhaps you feel your stress level start to climb after dealing with irate customers in a call center job.

Once you’re aware of your triggers, there are various ways to keep them from getting out of control and making you feel anxious. Use personalized approaches to handling situations as they arise.

Taking the examples above, you could work on a time-management plan that reduces the likelihood of procrastination. If it’s upset customers that get you bent out of shape, try to adopt the perspective that they probably aren’t angry at you directly and may just be lashing out because they aren’t coping properly with things in their lives that are causing strain.

Genuinely Enjoy and Relax During Your Lunch Break

Many people multitask during their lunch breaks and without even realizing it, they stuff food into their mouths while scribbling notes, populating spreadsheets or putting the finishing touches on presentations. If this sounds familiar, it’s a good idea to decide you’re going to truly use your lunch break for just one thing: eating lunch.

A survey of British workers found most of them didn’t make sure to put aside 20 minutes to solely eat lunch, and 28 percent of respondents confessed they didn’t take any breaks at all during their time at work.

Perhaps you can relate to this and are sacrificing lunch breaks while believing it will make you more productive. If so, you’re probably misguided. People in the survey said when they didn’t take time out for lunch, they had bad moods, felt sick in the afternoons and, yes, weren’t as productive.

At first, you may find it nearly impossible to convince yourself to take a real lunch break that’s only devoted to eating, and you might have to force yourself to comply. Over time, though, it should become a habit and you’ll likely feel better as a result.

Besides — when coworkers see how you’re using your lunch break as intended, they may follow your lead. If that happens, you could unintentionally boost morale at work because of your decision.

Workplace stress is inevitable, but that doesn’t mean you just have to live with it. Try the tips above and turn them into familiar activities. Once you do that, don’t be surprised if your stress becomes less prominent, even if your work environment is as intense as ever.

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How Studios Sound Garage is Providing Musicians with a Platform to Showcase Their Talent

Posted on 9 August, 2015 by Team Wishberry

Studios Sound Garage Main Image Studios Sound Garage is a YouTube web series that aims to give fresh and independent musical talent a platform to be seen and heard. After a successful first season, founder Sanjay Pathak decided to make the second season with 11 episodes featuring 16 talented artists. He sought backing from the community, for the same in April 2015. We catch a break with him to learn about his journey ever since. View their campaign page HERE!

What all have you done since the crowdfunding campaign?

Sanjay: We’ve been busy getting all the episodes out! Ever since the crowdfunding campaign started, we’ve been coming across new people who have shown immense belief in this initiative and supported us. After the completion of the campaign, we got in touch with our backers to feature them in our web episodes, as a part of the rewards we promised! It has been extremely rewarding and satisfying to have our backers participate in the project as artists.

What inspired you to start and continue doing a project like Studios Sound Garage?

Sanjay: Studios Sound Garage is something very close to my heart where I, now along with my dedicated team, wish to showcase new faces with their talent of singing, playing instruments and even story telling. We want Studios Sound Garage to become a platform where everyone is invited to express themselves through music. Expressing myself through music is the only thing I consider myself good at. I want others like myself to have someplace where they can tell their stories. And that has been my greatest inspiration behind Studios Sound Garage. Studios Sound Garage- Behind The Scenes

What challenges did you face while making Season 2? How did you solve them?

Sanjay: As with most great things, challenges have always been there, but we were firmly determined to continue the journey. And of course Wishberry has played a very important role in making this happen! The biggest challenge was the money as audio production, video, post production and a dedicated team doesn’t come cheap. And one can’t really do justice to a project without these things. Crowdfunding helped us find not only the funders but also new artists and a whole new audience.

Tell us some of the highlights or most notable moments during this journey!

Sanjay: Studios Sound Garage Season1 won the Best Album Award (jury voting) in Artist Aloud Music Awards (AAMA) 2014, powered by Hungama. It is India's Only Digital Music Award. We got two nominations- Best Song and Best Female Singer (public Voting). Renowned music columnist and AAMA 2014 jury panelist Parag Kamani also gave good reviews on one of our songs Mati Kahe from Season 1. It gives great pleasure and strength to see your hard work on different well known platforms like iTunes. I started this alone, but today I feel privileged to be associated with great platforms like Hungama, Artist Aloud and Wishberry, and such fresh and memorable talent. Studios Sound GARAGE BTS 2

What is it that motivates you to keep doing what you do?

Sanjay: Music gives me contentment and it is my passion. Nothing else is as good for me. The belief of my team, artists and every new person I come across motivates me to do what I do. Now, I feel that it’s my responsibility to continue taking what I started to newer levels.

Give us an update on the progress that Studios Sound Garage Season 2 has made.

Sanjay: We are ready with 10 episodes to be launched. We are in the last stage of meetings with different mediums (Radio and TV) to amplify its reach. We’ll be releasing the season very soon, hopefully by the last week of August!

What's next for you and for SSG?

Sanjay: Season 3 is definitely there on the cards. I’m also working on an idea along the lines of Studios Sound. Garage on wheels, where my team will explore talents and give them a proper platform and recognition. We are trying to figure it all out and make sure that the artist gets worthy returns for his/her efforts. The first track of Studios Sound Garage Season 2 is out! Check it out! Curious to know how you can raise funds for your musical aspirations like how Studio Sounds Garage did? Just submit your details below and we will teach you how you can crowdfund successfully! [gravityform id="13" title="false" description="false"]

We keep cluttering the internet with our writing.

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Mary-Kate Olsen weds - report

Former child star Mary-Kate Olsen has reportedly married her fiance Olivier Sarkozy.

The actress-turned-fashion designer became engaged to the French banker in February (14) after two years of dating, and now sources tell the New York Post they are officially husband and wife after quietly tying the knot on Friday (27Nov15).

According to the publication, the Big Apple ceremony was attended by 50 guests and took place at a private residence.

This is the first marriage for Olsen and the second for banker Sarkozy.

The half-brother of France's former leader, Nicolas Sarkozy, was married to writer Charlotte Bernard for 14 years before they separated in 2010. Their divorce was finalized in 2011.

Sarkozy, who has two children from his first marriage, began dating Olsen in May, 2012.

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After Your Degree

Completion of the undergraduate program in neuroscience leads to the bachelor of science degree. We are often asked what one can do with a bachelors degree in this field. The answer is the same for Neuroscience as it is for any major. In a word, "Anything." While it is true that most of our graduates plan to obtain advanced degrees in medicine or science, we are a liberal arts degree program and feel that training in our program broadly prepares students for full lives in any career. Certainly our graduates have had careers that provide strong support for this view. Our graduates are in positions in the Arts, Business, Media, Education, Medicine, and Science and tell us that the education they received here prepared them to answer the questions they face each day.

For those students seeking graduate study, our emphasis on hands-on research is a crucial aspect of our program. All science graduate programs seek to train competent researchers and those students who have already had this experience as undergraduates are in the best position to obtain good offers from graduate programs. Our program requires students to gain experience in all aspects of neuroscience including systems, molecular, cognitive, behavioral and computational approaches. There is also sufficient flexibility to allow students to specialize in these subareas should they so choose.

For students interested in medical school, our curriculum is an excellent preparation for this career. In fact, most of our majors seek advance study in medicine following graduation. Completion of the Neuroscience requirements is only part of the necessary requirements for medical school and students interested in this option should contact Dr. Lisa Alty, the chairperson of the Health Professions Advisory Committee for further information.


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Add value. Don’t “act like a boy” and shout out. But don’t just sit there and raise your hand either. James tells us: Adjust how you’re showing up, but don’t stop showing up.

By Emily Gonzales (CTO, Bookigee)

At Wednesday’s Intel Bay Area Girl Geek Dinner, there was no shortage of sensory overload for the tech geeks like myself who were present. From exciting demos of future products to fascinating facts in the Intel museum, there was plenty to take in while enjoying delicious food and great drinks with like-minded professional women in tech. Without a doubt, the highlight was hearing directly from the speakers, the female technology rock stars of Intel themselves.

Here’s what I learned from them:

  1. Diversity means much more than just differences in race and gender.When asked ‘Why is diversity in IT important and how will Diversity help innovate in the future?’, Kimberly S. Stevenson, Vice President, Information Technology Group, Chief Information Officer says: If you don’t represent the customers you support, it’s difficult to understand what you’re representing. Like in applications, if you develop like a developer, your application will not sell. You have to develop like a user. You must be diverse from experience base, cultural base, and gender base.

    Vida Ilderem, Vice President, Intel Labs, Director, Integrated Platform Research added: Besides gender and race, you need people with different views, who’ve had different experiences. Once you’ve built this team, Senior Vice President Renee James, General Manager, Software and Services Group advises to: go into your organization and talk to everyone at every level. The lower level people know things that you don’t know and all the people between you think that you don’t need to hear these things. You’ll learn so much.

  2. Surround your self with people who are different from you.

    Tammy Cyphert, Vice President, Intel Architecture Group, General Manager, PC Client Group Operations seeks out people who have a different opinion than hers. She explains: One person alone can’t know everything. I look for people who disagree with me the most because I learn the most from them. Stevenson says: Think about the people that astonish you. Being astonished almost always comes from someone who just saw the problem differently. According to James: In tech companies, details matter. If you’re going to lead a tech company, find smarter people and listen to them. Figure out how to lead people smarter than you and how to get the best out of them.

  4. Make yourself heard in the right way.

    When asked how to coach women to make their voices heard in all-male groups, Stevenson tells us: It’s common for women to say: I’m going to work hard and they’ll recognize my work. You do have to work hard and deliver results, but that isn’t enough.

    You need to have a voice. Often, if you are the only women in the room, you can say “You know what I heard you say…, also to add to that…” Add value. Don’t ‘act like a boy’ and shout out. But don’t just sit there and raise your hand either. James tells us: Adjust how you’re showing up, but don’t stop showing up.

  6. Don’t be a victim when slighted by male tech counterparts.

    Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for us to be put down by our male colleagues from time to time. When this happens, James puts things in perspective: If you become victimized by that, and you focus on that, then you’re all about you and what you feel – not about what you’re trying to accomplish. Remember what you’re trying to do and be persistent. Don’t take it personally, focus and keep going.

  8. Moving up in the ranks does not mean you have to sacrifice time for a family.

    Stevenson reveals that: It gets easier as you go up. At the lower levels as an individual contributor, you learn to manage your time differently. As you move up, yes, there’s a ton of demand on your time, and you can’t create more of it. But you can get more work done because you can give more direction. The toughest time is when you have many choices. But remember that no choice is forever. Every person will make different choices. Follow your passions and you’ll end up contributing in significant ways.

James left us all with action items to take with us as we continue to learn, develop and grow as women working hard in technology: To become a leader, you have to earn it. Say what you’re going to do, do it, and do it better than people expect.

Editor’s note: Got a question for our guest blogger? Leave a message in the comments below.

About the guest blogger: Emily Gonzales is the CTO of Bookigee, an early-stage startup that builds online analytics and marketing applications for the Book Publishing Industry. Prior to joining Bookigee, Emily was a Director at Expense Reduction Analysts. Before that, she was a Senior Design Engineer at Motorola. She holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from The University of Miami and writes for TechFemme. Follow her on Twitter at @emilyshere.


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MasterCard is helping launch Women 2.0 City Meetup in new international cities! Find out how else they’ll be supporting diversity in the tech industry.

By Shaherose Charania (Founder & CEO, Women 2.0)

When we gathered our first Women 2.0 meeting in a San Francisco apartment back in 2006, we could have never foreseen that only a few years later we’d be hosting events around the world (City Meetups now take place across the U.S. and in Canada, Latin America and Europe), that more than 50,000 people would have have attended Women 2.0 conferences, or that we’d be sharing the news we are announcing today.

We’ve had the pleasure of working with many individuals who’ve started growing tech companies that either got funded or acquired, and larger companies that have gone on to make a dent and lasting impression in the industry. These are people and organizations committed to diversity, making things happen and seeing outcomes. At a time when many in the tech industry are decrying the gender imbalance and “outing” the hazings (or worse) experienced by female founders, with your help, Women 2.0 has already achieved a eight-year history of advocating for meritocracy in the tech world, and beyond.

We haven’t done it alone. With the support of Google, Microsoft and L’Oréal and many others – we’ve played an active role in changing the technology landscape, an important agenda for all. Today, we announce the addition of MasterCard to the Women 2.0 family as a sponsor of City Meetups in San Francisco, New York, Toronto (new city!), Dublin, Ireland (new city!) and St. Louis, Missouri (another new city!) as well as the Lunch Mentorship Sponsor of our next two conferences in San Francisco (September and February) and a co-branded networking event at Money 20/20 in Las Vegas.

Financial services are an essential part of life – everyone needs to transact. Disruptive upstarts are changing how all of us make financial transactions and MasterCard is a part of this evolution. They realize this evolution involves the consumers and creators, and for this reason, they came to Women 2.0 with a vision to better connect with our global community as consumers and creators.

“There has never been a more exciting and promising time to work in technology.  At MasterCard, we know that change and advances will come both from traditional players and startups alike, so partnering with Women 2.0 allows us to bring talented people from both types of companies together to network and share ideas,” said Andrea Soto, vice president of MasterCard.

What are we excited about? Growth. Companies like MasterCard allow Women 2.0 to grow our reach in new cities and continue to drive change in more places. In other words, scaling our impact, (yes please!). We couldn’t be happier.

We thank MasterCard for supporting our vision in an industry that is re-defining all existing industries at a rapid pace. It is one that needs diversity to remain strong and to remain sustainable, and MasterCard is helping make this possible.


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Reviews by andrewk344

This review is for S.O.S Tree & Stump Removal, Mount Evelyn VIC

08 Jan 2018

We have used them for over a decade having moved house several times, they are a respectful family business who always turn up on time do a great job, clean up afterwards and charge reasonable prices on jobs big and small.

Special Offers


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Our current information for this business is

Business number: 1152635
Name: AUS Antennas
Street number: None provided
Street: None provided
Suburb: Beverly Hills NSW, 2209
Phone number: 1300739997
Mobile number: None provided
Website: http://www.ausantennas.com.au
Business categories: Telecommunications, Antenna, Home Services, Home Theatre Installation, Handyman

Is our Information Incorrect or Incomplete?

Do you suspect that our information might be wrong? Please let us know so that we can fix this up.


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ASEAN: towards greater harmony

Rowanie Nakan

ASEAN: towards greater harmony

jankovoy /

The Philippines plays an active role in helping to improve harmonisation and cooperation efforts in the area of IP, as Rowanie Nakan of Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia reports.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), comprising ten member states—Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam—is now the third largest market in the world, with a population of more than 600 million. With this market size and a GDP of $2.432 trillion as of 2015, the ASEAN region continues to attract investors from around the globe, making it a major global business and manufacturing hub.

These figures are expected to rise within the next decade with ASEAN’s efforts towards economic integration , making it a strategic move for companies to expand their businesses and/or establish their presence in the ASEAN region.

Cross-border business expansion means that companies must adopt strategies that effectively protect their assets. A company’s assets include not only tangible assets, such as equipment, buildings and land, among others, but also intangible items such as IP assets, which include patents, industrial designs, trademarks, copyright and trade secrets.

The existence of registered IP rights plays a key factor in cross-border transactions and also provides protection against IP theft as, generally, only registered IP rights may be enforced. Since each ASEAN member country has its own IP regime, harmonised IP standards and examination procedures are necessary to facilitate IP registration and protection in ASEAN countries.

Harmonisation efforts are ongoing, so IP owners may, in the meantime, utilise a hybrid of ASEAN innovations and other bilateral/multilateral agreements to formulate an effective ASEAN IP strategy.

The Philippines:
a closer look at patents

Among the steps taken for greater cooperation among the various national IP offices is the implementation of the ASEAN Patent Examination Cooperation (ASPEC), which allows the participating IP offices to share search and examination results. For example, the IP owner may file its initial patent application in the Philippines. Since the Philippines is a member of ASPEC, which includes the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, the examination results of the examiner of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHIL) may, upon request of the applicant, be adopted by the examiners in other ASPEC-member countries to expedite their own examination process.

As patent application documents in English are accepted by the IPOPHIL, there is no need for translation of patent applications which are already in English. Likewise, as ASPEC operates in English, search and examination documents issued by Philippine patent examiners also need not be translated.

Aside from ASPEC, the IPOPHIL has patent prosecution highway (PPH) agreements with the USA, Japan, and Korea which allow expedited examination of Philippine patent applications where at least one claim of the corresponding foreign patent application has been allowed by the appropriate foreign IP office. Further, the IPOPHIL has entered into a PPH programme with the European Patent Office which took effect on July 1, 2017.

Inherent to greater cooperation is an undertaking by each IP office to ensure quality processes. The IPOPHIL is ISO 9001:2008 certified, and has begun preparing to transition to ISO 9001:2015 certification, which is the latest standard for quality management.

In October 2017, the IPOPHIL will be accredited as an international searching authority and international preliminary examining authority (ISA/IPEA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) following the unanimous endorsement of the Working Group on PCT.

"Cross-border business expansion means that companies must adopt strategies that effectively protect their assets."

With respect to brand protection, most ASEAN IP offices have expedited trademark registration processes. In the Philippines, a certificate of registration to an unopposed application may be issued within six months from the filing of the trademark application.

The Philippines acceded to the Madrid Protocol in 2012, allowing foreign applicants to directly file their trademark applications with the IPOPHIL. Companies may also take advantage of the low handling fee of approximately $58 being charged by the IPOPHIL as office of origin, which is one of the lowest handling fees among Madrid Protocol member states.

IP owners have to consider the enforcement activities in a specific country. In the Philippines, IP rights holders such as multinational companies may enforce their IP rights by filing an administrative complaint before the Bureau of Legal Affairs of the IPOPHIL. Civil or criminal complaints may also be initiated before the regional trial courts established as special IP courts. Either remedy allows the IP rights holder to secure provisional remedies such as a temporary restraining order or other preliminary injunctive reliefs.

The IP owner therefore has to assess the various tools available in different countries when considering where to register its IP rights and where first to file its applications to come up with a cost-effective ASEAN IP strategy.

Rowanie Nakan is a partner at  Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia. She handles patent, trademark and copyright matters, with increasing focus on the effect of the ASEAN cooperation on the Philippine IP system. Her work also includes rendering various patent-related services, such as patent procurement, maintenance, enforcement, commercialisation, and IP litigation. She can be contacted at:

Rowanie Nakan, Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia , , ASEAN, patent, Philippines, IPOPHIL, examination, cooperation, ASPEC, trademark, harmony, enforcement


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The Abyss Cast Harris & Mastrantonio Signed 8x10 Photo Certified Authentic PSA/DNA COA

A very uncommon item! Signed by Ed Harris & Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. Autographed in-person 8x10 inch photo. This is 3rd party authenticated and will also include a COA with matching serial numbers from PSA/DNA Authentication, Inc. Certificate number- U84039
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Online reviews are quickly becoming one of the most visible barometers of a business’ success from an outside perspective and a major factor in drawing in new customers. In fact, recent surveys conclude that more than 70% of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations and more than half of people say a good review will make them more likely to patronize a particular business. That’s great news for businesses that already have stellar reviews on sites like Yelp or Google Reviews, but what about companies that have gotten unflattering or even scathing reviews?

If you’re a business owner who has noticed a bad review online, recognize that you aren’t alone. Every business has had to deal with a negative review at one time or another. And the good news is most Internet savvy customers have come to expect a few negative reviews from time to time. Another consolation is a survey that showed more than 40% of customers saying their decisions are more influenced on price and location than (either positive or negative) online reviews.

Of course, there is some bad news when it comes to negative reviews and that is that it’s virtually impossible to have a negative review removed completely. Large sites like Yelp have a policy of not removing reviews, instead, relying on its own filtering system meant to weed out fake reviews. The site does however allow businesses to post comments in response to unsatisfied customers.

If your business has been given a bad review, there are a few things that you can do to help counteract any negative effects. First, read the review with a level head and see if there are any valid points or constructive criticism that can be taken from the review. If possible, try to find out who wrote the review, so you can contact them directly and try to make it up to them by apologizing if needed and offering to right the situation. If you can’t contact the customer directly, you may be able to post a response to the customer on the review site. Doing so will give you a greater chance of them revising their initial review if they have a better experience the second time around. Try to respond as quickly as possible and only promise things that you can deliver on. This tactic will require you to constantly monitor mentions of your business on a wide variety of social outlets.

Along with responding to negative reviews, an equally, if not more important strategy is to engage the customers who already love your business by encouraging them to write their own reviews. Google Reviews shows the most recent reviews first so encouraging your supporters to write reviews means positive responses will most likely turn up first in Google searches. Don’t promise to reward your customers for writing a review, because that can give the impression that your customers can be bought. Instead, when a customer is genuinely happy with a product or service you provide, simply ask them to write a review. You can also encourage your employees to ask repeat customers to post reviews.

Lastly, be sure to focus on spending your marketing dollars toward positive buzz that will translate to your overall social media strategy, rather than wasting your time trying to get negative reviews removed. You’ll be more successful and save yourself a number of headaches.

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• Tyson to Divest Sow-Purchasing Business to Clear Hillshire Deal

    Farm, Community Groups Had Pushed for Review of Planned Takeover

    Tyson Foods Inc. agreed to sell a small hog-purchasing division to resolve antitrust concerns by the U.S. Department of Justice over its planned $7.7 billion acquisition of Hillshire Brands Co.

    Under the settlement, Tyson will sell Heinold Hog Markets, a unit that purchases and resells sows, or female breeding hogs, to sausage makers. The division accounted for less than 1% of Tyson's roughly $34 billion in revenue last year, making...

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1 Result for LYSOGENIC

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Saturday, April 25, 199217AHarboring a temperate virusTap OsbornMaleska

The XWord Info Word List is now available. Angels can download it for use with their own software.


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10 Breath Freshening Healthy Foods

harmful effects of using shampoo daily

Harmful Effect Of Using Shampoo daily

When buying the shampoos one would be thinking of lush, black, beautiful hair, but have you ever imagined an unfavorable effect it can bring about to the hair and scalp health? Following the few good hair care, tips can save you from harmful effects of using shampoo daily.

What all things do we check when buying shampoo? Price… the brand…and most possibly the directions on how to use it. In fact, when buying any cosmetic products no one would check harsh ingredients that it contains. Do we require to take ingredients for granted when we are paying and buying the high-quality shampoos and other cosmetic items? Shampoos are meant for cleaning, providing the excellent hair care and more than that we all expect some cosmetic benefits also. But, the truth is that there are many harmful effects of using shampoo regularly because of unhealthy substances ingredients it contains.

Effects Of Using Hard Water On Hair

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate(SLS) used as the foaming agent is most toxic ingredient found in the shampoos, even in the best of products. SLS is one of the active ingredients used in the detergents meant for cleaning the garage floors and engines. Possible damage to the hair roots and scalp occurs when you use shampoos often. Mentioned below are some of the harmful effects of using shampoo regularly.

Cancer Shampoo contains Diethanolamine (DEA), a wetting agent, and nitrite, an additive used in the shampoos. These two chemicals reacts forming Nitrosamines, is a cancer-causing compound. Also, parabens, a preservative used in the shampoos, can cause breast cancer as well. Kidney & Liver Problems Diethanolamine (DEA) or Triethanolamine(TEA) can cause potential damage to the liver and kidneys if used often. Always check for ingredients as buying shampoo. Never use the low-quality products on the skin as it would harm the health without you knowing it. Harmful effects of using shampoo daily

Hair & Scalp Problems

The dangerous ingredient in the shampoo, SLS causes damage to the hair follicles and cause hair loss. SLS, foaming agent in the shampoo, has protein denaturing properties causes inflammation and skin irritation with many other scalp problems.

Eye Problems

The toxic ingredients such as SLS or SLES can cause the cataract in adults if you overuse it. More shockingly, everyday shampooing in the kids can hamper the proper development of their eyes. Another chemical, Formaldehyde used in shampoos cause burning sensation in the eyes.

harmful effects of using shampoo daily

Some ingredients in shampoo such as DMDM hydantoin in, Diazolidinyl Urea, imidazolidinyl urea, quaternium-15, and bronopol contains the chemical called formaldehyde, a sensitizer. Asthma, chest pain and shortness of breath are some significant harmful effects of using shampoo daily.

Skin Problems

Daily shampooing decreases the natural production of oils of the skin, thus causing various skin irritations. Often exposure to shampoo can cause rashes, skin inflammation, itching, redness, and eczema because of different harsh chemicals present in all beauty products.

Immune System

The toxic ingredients packed in the shampoo can pose a threat to the entire immune system if used repeatedly. Mainly, ingredients like SLS and SLES found in 95% of shampoos causes a significant risk to your immune system rather acting as the right hair care ingredient.

The harmful effects of using shampoo daily are endless. So, when buying shampoo takes extra care to find ingredients listed on the label and try to go for SLS free shampoos to lessen side effects on you. 10 Breath Freshening Healthy Foods

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