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For example: T is pronounced using the tongue front part. Despite there being just 26 letters in the English language there are approximately 44 unique sounds, also known as phonemes. The 44 sounds help distinguish one word or meaning from another.

Various letters and letter combinations known as graphemes are used to represent the sounds. Words are built from vowels a, e, i, o, u and consonants the rest of the alphabet. Write me. It represents an open knowledge base. Every member can share and gain knowledge about a new language. Open Menu Questions back Recent Hot! How many Vowels and consonants in English alphabet English Open. How many Vowels and consonants in English alphabet.

Please log in or register to add a comment. There are 26 letters in the English alphabet. I hope this helps. Shweta kumari In classifying the letter symbols, there are 5 pure vowels a, e, i, o, u , 19 pure consonants b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, x, z , and 2 semi-vowels y, w in the standard English alphabet.

Letters of the English alphabet that represent consonants include all the letters that are not vowels. In English language there are 26 alphabets and they are further divided into 5 vowels a,e,i,o,u and 21 consonants remaining alphabets. A consonant is a letter of the alphabet that represents a basic speech sound produced by obstructing the breath in the vocal tract.

For example: T is pronounced using the tongue front part. Letters of the English alphabet that represent vowels: a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y. A consonant is a speech sound made by partially or completely blocking the flow of air through the mouth using the lips, teeth, tongue, and palate.






















The UK lost servicemen and women, of which were killed in action. Other coalition countries account for deaths according to the icasualties website. While coalition troop fatalities are reasonably well documented, deaths of Iraqi civilians and combatants are more difficult to track because of a lack of reliable official figures. All counts and estimates of Iraqi deaths are highly disputed.

The organisation Iraq Body Count has been collating civilian deaths using cross-checked media reports and other figures such as morgue records. According to IBC there have been between 97, and , civilian deaths up to July The most bloody period for civilian deaths was the month of invasion, March , in which IBC says 3, ordinary Iraqis lost their lives. A further 3, were killed in April of that year. The group says the difference between its higher and lower total figures is caused by discrepancies in reports about how many deaths resulted from an incident and whether they were civilians or combatants.

The number of United States troops who have died fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan had passed 7, at the end of Approximately , national military and police from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraqi, and Syria allies have died. Western allies have also borne high human costs. They died in a host of ways. This is a decrease from a peak of casualties in Additional information on fatalities in the Iraq War The invasion of Iraq by the United States and coalition forces in March saw the beginning of the Iraq War, a conflict that would continue beyond the end of the decade.

Fatalities of American forces were highest in the first five years of conflict as soldiers grappled with the Al Qaeda as well as civil war between those groups seeking to fill the power vacuum left by the removal of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Casualties progressively decreased from , in part due to attempts by Barack Obama who made the removal of troops from Iraq a central promise of this successful campaign to succeed George W. In , the majority of Americans considered sending troops to fight in Iraq to be a mistake. While the number of civilian deaths in the Iraq War was much higher, the trend of numbers decreasing from onward was in line with the trend for American solider losses.

However, civilian deaths rose again from onward as Iraq returned to heavy conflict with Islamic State. The high number of American fatalities in the first five years of the Iraq War could be seen as influencing the reluctance of the United States to commit ground troop support in the battle against Islamic State when the issue was discussed in Not only is the loss of life a tragedy in itself, but the political discourse in the United States surrounding the involvement of their troops in Middle Eastern conflicts has made further involvement unattractive to elected officials.

However calls for further ground support are likely to continue as Iraq remained in the top five countries with the most terrorist attacks as of Loading statistic Show source. Download for free You need to log in to download this statistic Register for free Already a member? Log in. Several estimates based on randomly selected household surveys place the total death count among Iraqis in the hundreds of thousands. Several times as many Iraqi civilians may have died as an indirect result of the war, due to damage to the systems that provide food, health care and clean drinking water, and as a result, illness, infectious diseases, and malnutrition that could otherwise have been avoided or treated.

The war has compounded the ill effects of decades of harmful U.






















From to declines occured in all four census regions. Non-circumcision has been the norm in the Western Region for more than a decade.

The Southern Region now is approaching parity. The circumcision rate gained slightly in Also, the NCHS pages have not been updated since Other population groups are excluded from their calculations. The data provided here includes all population groups. The decline of 7. The genital integrity rates percentage of boys leaving the hospital intact are presented below. Circumcision hit its highest level in , at which point the genital integrity rate was just 15 percent. The intact rate increased in all four census regions of the United States from to and the nationwide incidence of boys with intact genitals was The North Central Region rebounded to above 20 percent, and the Southern Region increased to above 40 percent.

The intact rate slipped back a bit between and The intact rate among newborn males in the U. Blacks have lagged behind other groups and generally have achieved the lowest rate of genital integrity since The NIS produces circumcision statistics. Statistical Brief 45 12 provides data on circumcision for the year The NIS uses data from 38 states. The overall rate of circumcision according to the NIS for is 56 percent prior to release from hospital.

This converts to a genital integrity rate of 44 percent. The genital integrity rates for the four census districts are as follows:. In , the U. Circumcision statistics are difficult to obtain because of the large number of locations in which circumcisions are performed in the United States. Different sources provide varying results. But in most cases, circumcision is performed by an obstetrician in a hospital.

Circumcision rates are thus reported by hospitals and may undercount circumcisions performed in other settings or on older children or adults. The highest circumcision rates in the U. But that number has fallen steadily for the past half-century, especially as immigration from countries where circumcision is not common has increased. In , the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, as reported by U. Circumcision rates also vary based on other factors.

Nationally, circumcision rates are higher in suburban and rural areas and lower in large metropolitan areas. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. National Center for Health Statistics.

Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Trends in Circumcision for Male Newborns in U. Hospitals: — Minus Related Pages. On This Page. Page last reviewed: November 6, Content source:. Data and Statistics. PDF image. Men without a foreskin do appear less likely to get penile cancer. But the disease is uncommon —affecting roughly one in , men in the US each year—and fairly treatable.

For a bit of perspective, women are times more likely to get breast cancer. And while it is true that three randomized trials in Africa found that circumcision more than halved the risk of men getting HIV , it is harder to justify a prophylactic procedure in a place with considerably less HIV risk.

In addition, the trials found that circumcision helped men who have sex with infected women. In America, however, HIV is transmitted primarily via nonsterile syringes or sex between men, and there is no evidence that a foreskin affects either mode. Johnson, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michigan who has authored several reports on the subject.

A closer look at how this religious rite became a national practice reveals some uncomfortable truths about health care in the US. Apparently, all it takes to popularize an elective preventative surgery with questionable health benefits is a mix of perverse incentives, personal bias, and ignorance.

First, it helps to know a bit of history. Although religious practitioners have been snipping foreskins for thousands of years, the medical practice dates from the late 19 th century—a time when the causes of most diseases were poorly understood. Mystified by everything from epilepsy to madness, some physicians in both America and England began to suspect that the real trouble was phimosis, a condition when an overly tight foreskin hinders normal function.

By removing the foreskin, surgeons believed they could heal all sorts of maladies, from hernias to lunacy. Around the turn of the 20 th century, American epidemiologists were also trying to explain why Jews lived longer than other groups of people. Jews tended to have lower rates of infectious diseases, such as syphilis and tuberculosis, in part because they had little sexual contact with non-Jews.

But some scientists began to suspect their rude health was a product of circumcision. At the time, surgical interventions of all kinds were becoming more popular, owing to better anesthesia and greater concern over cleanliness, which reduced hospital contagion.






















In fact, sports is a very big part of Maltese culture, most notably; football soccer. Although small in size, Malta does have a national team and even a local league with Maltese teams in it. Seeing as how Malta is an island right in the middle of the Mediterranean, you can only get to Malta either by plane or by boat. If you plan on visiting Gozo, see our list of top things to do in Gozo here. A common question we get asked a lot from tourists is why are there so many churches in Malta?

The reason being is that Malta is a very religious Christian country and the town churches were the highlight of the country for many, many years. Due to its central location between Europe and Africa, many empires through the ages saw Malta as the perfect naval base on the doorstep of 2 major continents.

Luckily, Malta held its footing and was never captured or conquered during both world wars although it came very, very close. Malta is famous for many things such as the food, the lifestyle, the history, its tiny size, and more. However, something that gets a lot of attention overseas lately is the Azure Window which is a natural rock formation that can be found in Gozo. This was made famous by a scene in Game Of Thrones and thousands of fans and tourists visit this now-iconic landmark each and every year.

It is said that Malta got its flag from King Roger the First of Sicily when he first colonised the island in Did you know? General Information. Cultural Sites. Natural Sites. Countryside Walk. Leisure Activities. Business Directory. Doing business in Malta. English Schools. Igaming Industry.

Conference Centres in Malta. Classified Ads. Lottery Results. Radio and TV Stations. Real Estate. Public Services. Optom, B. Christian Studies. He is a kiteboard tragic, who now works as a Christian Copywriter.

The answer to that question is the same as the number of days in a year. But what of those unaware of the meaning? How would they process these images? The mo you grow can save a bro- Movember Basic instructions before leaving earth? T20 World Cup: Advantage Pakistan. This addiction could kill you. Clanging cymbals, a simulacrum of love. Six days you shall labour …….






















CA - Chartered Accountant 1. Chartered Professional Accountants Alberta. CFA Institute. CGA Alberta. Designed with the working professional in mind, courses are offered on a part-time basis and combine online learning and self-study with options for in-class sessions. In addition to formal education and the common final examination, the CPA certification program requires CPA candidates to complete a term of relevant practical experience.

Learn more about the practical experience requirements, how to report practical experience, and what employers and mentors need to know to support Candidates. CPA Alberta provides a variety of services, resources, and benefits specifically focused on the improvement of its members in the accounting profession. Alberta CPAs have free access to this service, which includes the ability to view available positions and directly upload resumes that are then viewable by potential employers. Students enrolled in the CPA Professional Education Program as well as the legacy education programs also have access.

CPA members: get involved in great volunteer opportunities throughout the year. There are a variety of activities available, including mentorship programs and our volunteer tax clinic program. Looking to stay up-to-date on the state of business and accounting? Find articles and links on topics relevant to accounting and finance professionals, including disruption and innovation, cyber security, the future of the profession, accounting standards, and more.

The Clear Communication for Business workplace communication group is designed to help internationally educated professionals fine-tune their communication skills with colleagues, supervisors, and clients. In one week, you will learn through role-play and scenarios the nuances and expectations of the Canadian business culture.

Topics include active listening, assertiveness, conflict resolution, problem solving, and teamwork. Visit the Clear Communication for Business page for more information. The bookkeeping profession is currently unregulated in Canada, and anyone can advertise their services as a bookkeeper. The Certified Professional Bookkeeper CPB designation requires at least two years of professional experience as a bookkeeper and completion of an exam.

From a business point of view, the duties of a bookkeeper and accountant are quite different although there is some overlap. Generally, a bookkeeper is responsible for business record keeping, e.

Many bookkeepers can also perform some accounting functions such as creating basic financial reports. An accountant deals with the bigger picture; his or her main function is business planning. The accountant's role is to examine the numbers recorded by the bookkeeper, summarize the information, and prepare tax returns , financial statements, annual reports, and provide advice to the business as to the financial state of the company.

Accountants are usually tasked with dealing with the tax authorities should any tax-related issues arise. The rates charged by accountants and bookkeepers are commensurate with the differences in training, education, and responsibilities - bookkeeping hourly rates are a fraction of those charged by accountants. For business owners, having a good bookkeeper and a well-organized accounting system can reduce accounting costs substantially.

One of the best ways for a business to save money on accounting and bookkeeping costs is by using small business accounting software.






















Speaking as Gaius, I feel I have mentored the young wizard as far as I can — he is much smarter and greater than me now and I am simply exhausted! Battling sad news with humor, Irish actor, Eoin Macken who plays the gallant knight, Gwaine took to twitter to console fans by tweeting: "For the ppl sad about Merlin, it's true this is the end of it, sorry about that Shine and FremantleMedia Enterprises which handles Merlin internationally are in the early stages of developing potential Merlin spinoffs using the universe created in the series — possibly with the further adventures of the Knights of the Round Table.

But that's no reason to get rid of the whole thing, is it? Apparently it is. The only question left is what will happen at Christmas. Will the show stick to the mythology, and climax with Arthur dying at Mordred's hand? Or, if that scuppers the movie plans, will we get a happier ending? Will Merlin ever reveal his secret, or at least learn a second trick? Will Richard Wilson ever look comfortable in that wig? Will Morgana ever buy a hairbrush?

Merlin certainly needs to go out with a bang. It owes us all that much, at least. Merlin has been cancelled, just when it was getting really good. Merlin as we know it will not be returning to our Saturday teatime screens, and I for one am quite upset. Some may argue that point in Titanic , but still: The protagonist, Rose, reached the end of that story with victory and freedom from her previous, oppressive life. We all know that real life has meaningless tragedy. But part of the reason we tell stories is to create meaning.

They did this throughout the series, too — just not in the ending. But none of these things accomplish anything for the plot.

Everything in a story should happen for a reason. Every episode or chapter, every scene, every line of dialog, should either move the plot forward or advance a character arc.

The writers spent all this time over five seasons establishing how excellent Arthur is with a sword. And then, Mordred just comes and… stabs him?

With almost no effort whatsoever? He could have at least used the advantage of magic, which he possessed. In any story, there will be subtle promises that the audience picks up on, often unconsciously.

Whether or not these promises are made intentionally by the writer, they create deeply-held expectations for audience members about how the story will progress, and how it will end.

Making good on these promises is crucial for maintaining an emotionally satisfied audience. While it is, of course, good to surprise your audience with twists and turns, you must never break your promises. By the end of this story, Merlin will be free! Arthur will see him for who he really is! But technically , it happens. And yes, Arthur does see and acknowledge who Merlin is.

The two friends are finally equals as they always should have been , and Arthur has a heart-wrenching moment of gratitude for all Merlin has done. Furthermore, there was another implied promise. It was more subtle than the main one, but no less real. And it went something like this:.

It would have been perfectly satisfying to see Merlin become free, and to know that he and Arthur would continue on their adventures — as equals this time — after the show was over. But the fact that Merlin himself only gets a small taste of this deeply-hoped-for-future is what makes it so painful.

The emotional effect of all this is equivalent to making someone wait, and wait, and wait, and then finally giving them what they long for — only to snatch it away again immediately afterwards. As a reader, viewer, and writer, here is my best, current advice for avoiding The Merlin Problem. In my opinion, this actually makes for the best kind of ending.

Watching a sad, centuries-old Merlin cast a longing but resigned look at the place where his king died and then having the screen fade to black is hardly the ending the characters and the audience deserved. And they have risen to the challenge almost excessively — even today, fan fictions continue to be published and read on all major online platforms, some focusing on relationships between side characters, others corrective and restorative, and still others set in the present after the last shot of the last episode, telling the story of a newly-risen Arthur who is positively agog at modern-day Britain.

Fan art is still distributed and well-loved, illustrating beloved scenes and characters or alternate narratives. The rate at which fans have adopted this well-loved saga into something of their own is incredible.

And some of these works have serious gravity — they have around half a million words and a sincere readership that follows new updates akin to how people once followed serialized stories published in magazines.

Fan fiction gives inspired creators an avenue to put their own spin on a world that the show encouraged us to love and then tragically whisked away from us and the characters. Their adoration for the show is clear in their treatment of the characters.






















Leto roamed far and wide in her search for a refuge where she might give birth, but the many places she approached were afraid to receive her. Finally the island of Delos accepted her, but only after she assured the island which is personified in the Hymn with a great oath that a sacred precinct of Apollo would be built there and that it would become a place of prosperity, wealth, and prestige. When Leto had endured nine days and nights of labor, Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth, was summoned by Iris from Olympus to help in the delivery.

Goddesses present at the birth attended to the newborn child, and as soon as Apollo had been nursed on nectar and ambrosia, he miraculously became a mighty god who declared that the curved bow and the lyre were his and that he would prophesy to mortals the unerring will of Zeus.

Leto was delighted with her son, and all of Delos blossomed with joy. Originally at this site there had probably been an oracle of the great mother-goddess Gaia, and the slaying of the dragon may symbolize conquest by the Hellenes and their god Apollo, who thus becomes yet another to add to our list of dragon slayers. After Apollo had established his sanctuary, he needed to recruit attendants. He spotted a ship sailing from Crete and he sprang aboard in the form of a dolphin. The crew was awed into submission and followed a course that led the ship to Crisa.

Yet the sacred area and the temple built on the lower slopes of Mt. Parnassus are particulary awe-inspiring, and the many dedications made to the god remind us of how Greek religion was responsible for the development of great and universal literature, poetry, drama, sculpture, and architecture.

The Pythian games, celebrated every four years, included both physical and intellectual competitions and the worship of the god. The Oracle and Pythia at Delphi. The Panhellenic sanctuary at Delphi was the most important oracle in the Greek world.

People in general and representatives of states in particular came from all over the Greek world and beyond to ask Apollo questions of every sort. The Pythia, the prophetess of Apollo, uttered the responses of the god as she sat on a tripod. Her answers came in incoherent ravings, which were transcribed by a nearby priest into intelligible prose or verse. The Cumaean Sibyl. The sibyls at Cumae in Italy were famous.

We learn about this Sibyl from Ovid. Apollo offered her anything that she wished, if only she would yield to him. Apollo killed the sons of Niobe while Artemis slew the girls. According to some version of the story, Apollo and Artemis each left one child alive so Niobe had no more claim to superiority.

When Amphion saw his dead children he swore vengeance on Leto. Zeus struck the king down with a thunderbolt to protect the mother of his children from retribution. Leto, however, still had some measure of pity for Niobe. She transformed the queen into a mountain to end her grief. In both kindness and anger, Leto was a constant companion of her son and daughter.

In both art and literature, she is almost always depicted beside one or both of them. Leto was fond of music, of which her son was the patron god. Stories that mentioned Leto often showed her in the forest with her children as well as at Olympus.

The mother goddess, acting in a somewhat unexpected manner, often joined her daughter during hunts. One such story includes the detail of how Leto behaved when the hunt was over. As they left the forest, she pulled her veil back over her hair and straightened her clothes. In the forest with her children, Leto acted the part of a nymph who enjoyed dancing and hunting without being concerned about propriety. But back on Mount Olympus she resumed the role of the proper matron and mother.

Leto was a Titaness who was loved by Zeus for her beauty. While he had originally chased after her sister Asteria, he began an affair with Leto when the elder sister escaped his pursuit. Leto finally found refuge on the island of Delos, giving birth to twins who were destined to become great gods of Olympus.

Artemis and Apollo became two of the most revered gods of the Greek pantheon. The twin archers were staunch protectors of their mother, saving her from several attacks by chthonic beings. Leto was a kind and maternal goddess who was known for her mercy. She also had a terrible temper, though, and took sometimes violent revenge on those who insulted her. Rarely seen without one or both of them, the mother of Apollo and Artemis earned her place on Olympus through her devotion to its favorite deities.

My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember too long! I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. The twins killed the giant Tityus because he had attempted to rape Leto. The twins also took vengeance on Niobe, who had seven sons and seven daughters.

Niobe boasted that she had born more and greater children than Leto. Niobe wept uncontrollably until she turned into a stone which still spouts tears. Both Apollo and his sister were excellent archers and the bow and arrow were important symbols for both. Plagues and unexplained deaths were attributed to Apollo or Artemis shooting the victims with arrows the beginning of the Iliad is a good example of this.

The lyre was most associated with Apollo as the god of music, however, it was created by the god Hermes [see Hermes ]. Apollo was unlucky in a number of his love affairs; in fact, he seems never to have been happy in love. He fell in love with Cassandra, the daughter of Priam, king of Troy, and in order to win her consent, he offered her the gift of prophesy.

But after she was given the gift, Cassandra changed her mind and refused his advances. A god cannot take back a gift once it has been given, so Apollo could not prevent Cassandra from correctly predicting the future, so he cursed her so that she would never be believed, despite the fact that she was always correct.

According to another story, while Leto was passing through Lycia, she felt thirsty and tried to drink from a well. The peasants however, stirred up mud and made the water undrinkable for her and her children. In anger for the unfairness towards her children, Leto turned them all into frogs. The central fountain in the terrace garden of Versailles depicts this scene. Other sources say that after many years of wandering and when her children went to their father on Olympus to live as gods, Leto finally settled in Thebes to spend the rest of her life.

There, Niobe, the arrogant queen of the city, once said that she was superior to Leto, because Niobe had given birth to fourteen children, seven male and seven female, instead of two.

Leto and her divine children were so insulted when they found out about this, that Apollo and Artemis took revenge, killing all fourteen of Niobe's children.

When Niobe discovered what had happened, she burst in great grief. Indeed, Zeus turned her into a pillar of stone but people said that when they were passing by this pillar, they could see it weep tears. She was usually honoured and depicted in combination with her children. The origin of her name is not known. Some say that it means "unseen" and this makes a connection to her modesty, as in most Greek vases, she was depicted as a modest young woman lifting her veil to Zeus.

Others suggest that her name derives from "lada", which was the Lycian word for woman. The bottom line however is that Leto was a very decent and respectful figure in Greek mythology and she was actually representing motherhood. Contact us Contact us.

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Craving more life balance, less stress, and better health? Check out my Nourished Planner , the daily planner to help create simplicity and under-schedule your life. As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you.

There may be affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own. Search This Website Jump to Recipe. Boiled baby red potatoes get an infusion of butter and parsley to make this super simple side dish one of my all-time favorites for any meal. Course Side Dish. Cuisine American. Keyword boiled potatoes. Prep Time 5 minutes. Cook Time 30 minutes. Servings 6. Calories kcal. Instructions Add the potatoes to a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by 2 inches.

Bring to a boil and add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Reduce to a rolling simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender and the skin is beginning to fall away from the potatoes, about 20 minutes. Drain the water from the pan. Off the heat, lightly mash the potatoes. Add the butter and milk and mash until incorporated. Stir in the scallions, season with salt and pepper and serve. The mashed potatoes can be made early in the day.

Cover and keep warm, then reheat gently, adding more warm milk if the potatoes seem stiff. Red Skin Potato Mash. Rating: 5 stars Ratings 5 star values: 4 star values: 0 3 star values: 0 2 star values: 0 1 star values: 0.

Read Reviews Add Review. By Marcia Kiesel. Pin Print More. Read the full recipe after the video. Leave small new potatoes whole, halving larger ones. No matter the size you cut the potatoes, keep pieces similar in size so they finish cooking at the same time. Potatoes left out at room temperature and uncovered will brown. You can keep them in water up to 24 hours before you cook them. For three pounds of potatoes use a 4- to 5-quart pot.

Add enough cold water to cover the tops of the potatoes. Turn the burner on high and bring water to boiling. Reduce the heat to medium-low or low. Cover the pot with a lid. Cook the potatoes in gently boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes for small Red Potatoes, New Potatoes or cubed large potatoes, and 20 to 25 minutes for quartered potatoes.

Remember a huge factor in how long to boil potatoes is the size of the potatoes. You can use a fork to test to see if they are tender enough. Your fork should easily slide through the potato when they're properly cooked. If your recipe calls for cooled potatoes, run them under cold water or submerge in an ice bath to speed the cooling process.

Test Kitchen Tip: You can boil potatoes ahead of time for use later as long as you cover and refrigerate them. If you want to boil potatoes quickly, try using your microwave. For the ultimate in easy solutions, use your slow cooker to boil potatoes. Our Test Kitchen used a 4-quart slow cooker for 3 pounds of potatoes. There are tons of ways you can use cooked potatoes. Whip up a Classic Potato Salad for your next potluck or family grill out or try our popular Fried Smashed Potatoes , which is a rustic take on a mashed potato with the skins on.

If mashed potatoes are your favorite, you can't go wrong with our Classic Mashed Potatoes , but for a delicious twist on the traditional, try our Gruyere-Garlic Mashed Potatoes. And, for a fancy way to serve mashed potatoes, try these Duchess Potatoes. Because the starch content in potatoes differs from type to type, some are better for boiling than others depending on what you plan to make with them. Test Kitchen Tip: Many people like to substitute sweet potatoes for standard spuds in their favorite recipes.

Learn the best way to boil sweet potatoes to make the swap.






















It's important that you only enter events that you know you can complete under the time limit. For a half-marathon prediction, add 20 seconds per mile to the pace you were able to do to finish a 10K. For a marathon prediction, multiply your 10 kilometers finish time by five. Training can do wonders. By gradually building your walking distance and paying attention to your posture and walking form, you will be able to walk faster and longer. It's always a good idea to build up your walking time steadily from shorter to longer distances.

By adding a longer walk each week, you will build your muscles and stamina. You will also toughen the skin on your feet, which helps prevent blisters.

Add a mile to that distance each week, which will be between 15 and 20 more minutes of steady walking. Try a day quick-start walking plan to begin building your walking mileage, whether you just want to walk a mile, enjoy a 5-kilometer charity walk, or even begin training for a half-marathon or marathon. Looking to start walking off the weight?

Our free guide offers tips, workouts, and a printable schedule to help you get on the right track. Hanson S, Jones A. Is there evidence that walking groups have health benefits?

A systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Me d. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellFit. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.

These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. You could invest in a standing desk or try piling up some boxes under your laptop. Speed walking can be a great, low impact, way to stay active whether or not you want to get involved in competition. To begin training, you could start with a weekly goal of 10 or 15 minutes per day for 5 days and gradually increase time, distance, pace, and number of workouts as you gain strength and endurance.

It takes around 15 to 22 minutes to walk a mile. Walking lunges are essentially a series of lunges where you walk into each lunge. Walking can be a robust workout or, well, a walk in the park, depending on your mood and fitness level. Better yet? Walking is fun, easy, free, and it can be an amazing workout if you know how to turn up the intensity. Here's how to turn your daily walk into a legit….

Working your glute muscles is key to get your butt in shape. Here are the top butt exercises you can do at home with bands and with weights. Curious if at-home cold therapy devices are worth the hefty price tag? We tried one to find out. Here's our review. Kettlebells may look like the simplest piece of equipment in the gym, but they offer a ton of benefits for your body.

Discover how kettlebells can…. Support is the name of the walking shoe game — but so is style. These top 10 shoe picks give women of all walking styles something to get excited…. High knees are an explosiveness-building move that — like most plyometric exercises — carry a lot of upside, if you can deal with the intensity…. Stretching after running is just as important as the run itself. Using a fitness tracker — like Apple Watch or Fitbit — can help you gauge your progress and stay motivated.

Most of these wearable devices track distance covered, calories burned, and steps taken in a day — or over the course of a workout. For example: Try a minute walk the first week. The next week, aim for 25 minutes, and the next week, go for The key to weight loss is to burn more calories than you consume.

According to the CDC , walking at a moderate pace 3. They include improved cardiovascular health, a lower risk of diabetes and stroke, improved mood, stronger bones, and better balance. And remember: Any amount of exercise is better than none. Read more expert advice on how to lose weight by walking here.






















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More info. Stereophonics started out as a band, formed in a small village in Wales. The Cwmaman lads soon found fame after almost 10 years of grafting, with their albums and tours becoming incredibly successful. Their output has seemingly dwindled in recent years after some shocking events, but are they still together? Stereophonics is still going strong, though there have been some difficult moments for them and band members have also gone off to do their own thing at times. The group, then known as Zephyr, started playing with other members until Stuart was sacked from the band, and Kelly joined with him to start something new.

Their name changed once more to the band we know and love and soon released their debut album, Word Gets Around, as a three-piece band. In the early s they were achieving a great deal of success, but Stuart was sacked once again from the band.

They hired a new drummer, Javier Weyler, to work with them on their fifth album, Language. During this time they performed some huge concerts and festivals, however, tragedy struck when their former drummer, Stuart, died. He was found dead at his home in Llwydcoed at 5. Two weeks after playing to their mammouth audience in Swansea, the band took home the Kerrang! On the back of the Morfa Stadium show, they released two more singles. I Wouldn't Believe Your Radio and Hurry Up and Wait , both songs which were a departure for the normally consistant, rockier sound that had come to be expected, but still charted well, both hitting the 11 spot.

The videos for the songs on this album also became more elaborate than that of the singles from 'Word Gets Around' and leant heavily on the medium of cinema. The inspiration for four of the singles came directly from the films the band liked and they played out their fantasy roles in their individual promos.

This song would eventually go on to become a Stereophonics favourite in it's own right. Once again teaming up with Bird and Bush to produce their album, the Stereophonics set about recording an album that was a sonic departure for what they had previously amassed as a band. In the years that had taken them away from small town Cwmaman and around the world as the new darlings of the Britpop machine, they had come to experience a lot more of the good and bad sides the music industry had to offer.

Preceded by the track Mr. Writer , it was a downbeat, acoustic drawl that saw their comeback on the UK chart scene. It charted well at 5, and had an infectious melancholy hook, but the song was a direct response to a journalist that had toured with the band on an American tour.

The band claim that he had " lived amongst them, ate their food and drank their drink " citation needed but when he left the band to write about them, the review was very negative. This lead to a steely attitude being taken by the band after this. However, this had a knock on effect to the band in general, as the media regarded Jones with a growing discomfort and unease that neither he, or the band have ever really been able to shake.

The second single, the polar opposite of Mr. The subjects of Jones' writings have for a long time been put under the microscope, but consistently, you can get a feel for the experience he was having at the time by taking the lyrics as read.

Have a Nice Day itself is a clear dividing point for many Stereophonics fan. The success of this song and the album that followed gained the band a wealth of new fans, but older fans felt that the band were moving too far into a new, pop-orientated direction. The band had originally wanted to name the album 'JEEP', a shortened word which stood for the phrase that apparently Kelly got from his brother after he came home from a stint in the army and wrote the word on his bedroom wall.

However, Daimler-Chrysler copyrighted the word this name so it was changed to its current, elongated title. It is commonly referred to by it's acronym, 'J. On July 21st, the Stereophonics followed in the footsteps of the Manic Street Preachers and played a full concert at the newly built Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. Then in November , the band announced it would release Handbags and Gladrags UK 4 as an official studio track, though it wasn't on the current album tracklisting.

Vegas Two Times , the album opener was released on DVD single, and live footage from 'A Day at the Races' was overdubbed with the studio track for the video. Vegas Two Times opens the album with a minute of female harmonies before the track kicks in. This extended intro was completely cut for the single version, and also when being played live, but by this point in their career, the live 4-piece had once again grown to included second touring guitarist Scott James, and backing singers Aileen McLaughlin and Anna Ross.

The album itself divided fans and critics alike. Most opinions were and still are very cold towards the record, citing the dramatic departure from the band's signature sound as main reason behind it's poor critial reception. It is also worth noting the effect that 'Mr. Writer' had on the relationship between the media and the increasingly outspoken Jones. Most reviewers refute this claim however, citing a lacklustre performance in songwriting as the principal downfall of the LP.

Fans are also split, for some of them were not fans until the release of the album and use of such tracks as Have a Nice Day on TV commercials. Others see the departure in signature sound as a fall from grace the band has yet to recover, whilst the more pragmatic approaches seem to suggest that the giddy days at the time of 'WGA' and 'Performance' were dizzy heights that will probably never be reached again, if only for the luck of timing and social chords that were struck within the era of these intial albums.

The band themselves were quick to defend the sound of the album, without making any apology for the songs that made the cut, suggesting that the rigours of touring the world as a rock band mean that they were constantly in an environment surrounded by loud music, and when they got back on their tour bus, they wanted to distance themselves from that sound, so they turned to a different type of music. In turn, this music feeds the inspiration for the upcoming songwriting process.

In June , the band headlined the Pyramid stage of the prestigious Glastonbury festival, displaying a confident reportoire of songs new and old alike, and for the first time played unreleased songs, the most significant and electrifiying of these performances being that of future lead single Madame Helga.

After a summer of festival appearances the band settled in back at their homes to write songs for the album. In the coming months, both Kelly and Richard both decided it would be better if they moved to London, to ease their label pressures and commitments. Stuart declined to do the same. Instead, Cable was given his own TV chat show, Cable TV , by BBC Wales, where he would host lively chat and music, which included an acoustic set by Stereophonics , although curiously without Stuart, obviously wanting to draw clear definitions between his band and his TV persona.

They played acoustic versions of songs that would go on to become Getaway and Climbing the Wall. When it came to the new album, it is widely assumed that Kelly wrote the songs without any input from anyone, except live recording engineer and personal friend Jim Lowe. In the liner notes of the new album, Kelly wrote: " We got together as a band and rehearsed the demos at Stuart's garage a week before going into the studio… " But demanding schedulings had already begun to put a strain on the working relationship of the band.

The studio process also changed for this album. Relying heavily on live engineer Lowe to capture the tracks in as few takes as nessessary added to the very live and raw sound on the album.

The song were on a more personal level, rather than on a narrative, and faced issues like alcohol and drug abuse, sex and procarious living more than had reviously been addressed by the band. On July 21st, the band released their biggest international smash song to date, the gorgeous and aching Maybe Tomorrow which charted in the UK at 3, but went on to transcend the band's status as a restricted UK act.

The melotron and rhodes piano sound that gave the song its melancholy charm found it's way onto quite a few American TV and film soundtracks including ' Wicker Park ' and later on the Academy Award-winning film ' Crash '. The band lined up on last single to be released in the UK prior to finishing their world tour in , the aforementioned Since I Told You It's Over was scheduled for released in November. However, in September whilst in America touring the album, Stuart Cable was sacked by the two founding members of the band, Kelly and Richard, citing commitment issues as the sole reason for the departure.

Emotionally to me this is heartbreaking, I love him like a brother, but commitment-wise there have been issues since Just Enough Education To Perform.

Cable had pulled out of imminent and ongoing US tour dates citing ill health and had suspended his own touring regime at the advise of doctors, though the band were set to continue toruing without him, leaving him to return to the UK to recuperate.

Cable has always claimed that he knew nothing of his sacking until being confronted with it by the media. The band replaced him on the road with friend and former drummer for The Black Crowes , Steve Gorman. Gorman remained on tour with the band until they had completed every date, and even appeared in the video for bonus single Moviestar , a track that didn't make the original cut of the album, but was to be released as a single in it's own right.

Stuart Cable provided the drums tracks for the song in studio before his departure, but had already been sacked before the video had been shot. On the 20th December, Cardiff's Millennium Stadium would once again play host as the final gig of the world tour, and end a successful year on the road in which they had played in excess of over 60 gigs and festivals in no less than 14 different countries.

They ended a turbulent year on a high. A settlement was reached between the remaining members of the band and Cable as compensation for his axing, but the bitterness between the band, both current and former, was apparant, with Cable brandishing Jones a 'dictator'.

The recording process for new record was to take up the entirety of Writing for the album had taken place on the road between , and the band quickly put the disappointments of the previous year behind them and focused on recapturing the imaginations of their listeners.

After writing the bulk of the songs for the new record, which was set to throw back to the days of old, the band went into the studio to record the album demos. The band felt at this point that this process required a committed drummer. Steve Gorman was not considered as a full time replacement for Stuart Cable and Gorman later rejoined the reformed Black Crowes in As Weyler had assisted in recording demos for Stereophonics' new studio album, later on that year Kelly Jones and Richard Jones wrote to Javier inviting him to drum permanently within the band.






















During dormancy, typically summer or winter months, you might notice yellowed blades of grass in your lawn and less growth. Perennial ryegrass does prefer to be well irrigated, so, especially during periods of hot temperatures or low rainfall, make sure to water your lawn.

Sufficient water will help perennial ryegrass to maintain its brilliant green and to avoid dormancy during periods of drought. Adaptable to a variety of nutrient-rich, well-drained soil types, perennial ryegrass prefers a pH balance between 5. Fertilizing your lawn can accelerate growth and maintain healthy grass. If you are curious about the nutrient levels in your soil, contact the local county extension agent or regional agronomist for a soil sample kit and instructions on how to provide a soil sample.

Generally, mowing your lawn at higher heights promotes healthy root systems. Particularly during hot months, keeping perennial ryegrass taller will make it less susceptible to heat or drought. Additionally, it is an allelopathic plant meaning that it can release chemicals into the soil as a defense mechanism to prohibit neighboring plants from infringing on the same soil. Since perennial ryegrass does not spread naturally, weeds can infiltrate any thinned or bare areas of your lawn.

To prevent weeds and to maintain a lush lawn, you can reseed any thinned or exposed areas. You might also consider seeding your lawn with a grass seed blend so that other grasses can spread among the perennial ryegrass bunches. Mixed with other grasses, perennial ryegrass protects neighboring grasses, strengthens the soil, and adds color to your lawn year after year. If you have questions about your lawn, consider buying your seeds from a local garden supply or seed provider who can provide you recommendations.

If you have a green thumb and are ready to buy seeds without any additional questions, find perennial ryegrass seeds at:. Perennial ryegrass seeds have a very quick germination rate, so if the temperatures are right and the water and seed-soil contact are there, the seeds should germinate within 5 to 10 days.

After the seeds have germinated, you can begin watering as deeply and infrequently as possible. Reseeding your perennial ryegrass should not be a fix-all for every problem that arises, but it is a good general maintenance technique for keeping your lawn thick and healthy.

Get instant access to all of our premium pasture seed products by entering your zip code into our exclusive Seed Selector! The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. For one reason or another, you might need to reseed your lawn. Or the lawn could have suffered from a drought, or disease, or pest damage. You may even be trying to overseed a warm-season lawn with perennial ryegrass seeds so that you have a green lawn in the winter.

Whatever the reason, it is very likely that you will need to reseed your lawn at some point. So how do you reseed? Related Articles. Try it now! I was curious about how long it takes for grass seed to germinate once a lawn area has been seeded and watered.

How long does it take for grass seed to germinate? Some varieties of grass seed will germinate in under a week, while others can take up to a month just to germinate! And of course, the grass seed varieties that tend to make the nicest residential lawns are the ones that take quite a while to start sprouting. Each type of turf grass has a different expected germination time under ideal conditions.

Read on to learn more about the seed germination times for common types of turf grass. The germination time for almost grass seeds typically ranges between 5 and 30 days, depending upon the type of grass. Here are the estimated expected germination times for common turf grass species under ideal conditions:. In general, cool-season grasses are quicker to germinate than warm-season grass types. Among cool-season grasses, Ryegrass germinates very quickly while Kentucky Bluegrass takes the longest time to germinate.

Warm-season grasses will take at least a week or two to germinate, with Zoysia grass generally taking the longest amount of time to germinate. The long germination times of warm-season grasses is one of the reason many homeowners opt to buy plugs of existing plants rather than grass seed. So, waiting for grass seed to germinate and sprout is not a quick process. The delay is completely normal and should be expected. Cool-season grasses are generally sold in a mix of different species of grasses.

Grass seed mixes could contain Bluegrass, Ryegrass, AND Fescue — all of which may germinate at different times once the seeds have been initially moistened. The Ryegrass is in the mix so that the customer can see germination happening and convince them to keep watering!






















The energy you need to complete any bout of exercise is entirely dependent on the intensity of that exercise. Quick physiology primer:. Anaerobic alactic: This is the energy system Usain Bolt most frequently taps into. Anaerobic glycolytic: This is a combo of both: power and efficiency think: mile Aerobic: This is the energy system guys like Galen Rupp and Mo Farah use most. Then, as it gets more intense, fatigue settles in your legs, your recovery becomes incomplete, you start building up lactic acid in your muscles, and then you phase into the other energy systems.

There are different ways to rank and compare with total number of stages as well as a way to compare vo2 max to other guys in your age group.

Go here for the whole chart. See this link to calculate what your VO2 max is based on the stage and number of shuttles you complete.

Russ spent 12 years as a police officer with Victoria Police. The last four years of that time was spent at the Victoria Police Academy as an instructor, where he taught everything from fitness to firearms. He has trained police applicants, as well as recruits undergoing their initial training, experienced serving police officers and was even called on by Victoria Police to help train other would-be police academy instructors.

You may also like. Read More ». Search for an article. Get Your Free Course. This free guide will give you 3 quick tips to instantly boost your beep test score. VO2 max is simply your maximum oxygen uptake, or your maximal aerobic capacity. The accurate way to test your Vo2 not a good look for regular gym use — photo courtesy of Wikipedia. Instead, the best alternative is to use the beep test which makes testing VO2 levels something anyone can do simply and easily.

Having done the test, working out your estimated VO2 max is simply a matter of applying an equation to the level you get on the bleep test. Simply, the test involves running back and forth between two points 20m apart. Over the course of the test, the athlete progresses up through various levels lasting just over a minute each , with the beeps getting faster at each new level reached. At the point where the athlete fails to reach the line before the beep, this becomes their highest score and the test is over.

The vast majority of people will be done before they reach level 13, which takes less than 14 minutes. This should allow you to keep pace with the game and not let fitness be a barrier to performing well. If you did score a 9 or below you might find the above table fairly disheartening.

When the Manchester Futsal players ran the test in the top score any player recorded over the season was level But scores higher than that have been registered in the past — For example, Brett Emerton , the former British Premier League player capped 94 times for Austraila, earned somewhat legendary status getting a level 15 score just before the world cup. Has anyone completed it?

This is highly doubtful. He managed to achieved a highly impressive level For more beep test score results, you can see the summary on Top End Sports. This is a fantastic video showing you exactly how to run the test. Your score on the beep test can be improved if you know a few simple tips. Please let us know. Search This Site. Testing Extra We have over fitness tests listed, so it's not easy to choose the best one to use. PAGES home search sitemap store.