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Welcome to St Peters Hall, new student accommodation set in the heart of Bournemouth. The property is ideally situated just an 8 minute bus ride away from the Lansdowne campus and 20 minutes from the Bournemouth University Talbot Campus and Arts University. With five floors of stylish studio apartments, this new property has everything you need and more!
St Peters Hall has been meticulously designed to offer the best student experience possible. Each room is fully equipped with generous storage, study space and a private en-suite shower room, certain to give your friends room envy.
St Peters Hall consists of more than just bedrooms in a building. Unwind in the club lounge, break out a sweat in the private on-site gym, have a movie night with friends in the cinema room or showcase your cooking skills in the private dining room.
As you would expect, all your utilities are included in your rent, as well as Wi-Fi and broadband. Secure door entry, on-site management and 24 hour CCTV will ensure that you feel safe and secure.
The location really is the cherry on top! Take a stroll down to the award-winning beach or enjoy a tour of the Bournemouth tropical gardens, the choice is yours! Bournemouth unquestionably is one of the best place to live and study. St Peters Hall is here to make your uni years memorable, make no mistake and book today!
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Booking Details
Cancellation Policy
1. Cancellation By You - 14 -day Cooling Off Period
If you choose to cancel your booking with the property management, you have 14 calendar days after receiving the original Accommodation Offer to do so to get a full refund of the Holding Deposit paid. If you have made your booking less than 14 days before your scheduled check-in date, you may cancel your booking until the earlier of
(a) 14 days after receipt of the Accommodation Offer email and
(b) the date you actually check-in.
You may cancel your booking by sending an email to the relevant Accommodation Office email address. The property management will refund your Holding Deposit within 7 calendar days of cancellation. If you cancel your booking after the 14 calendar day cool off period, you will not get your Holding Deposit returned to you and you, and your guarantor if reasonable, will be required to meet the obligations set out within the Tenancy Agreement.
2. Period Before You Enter Into Your Tenancy Agreement
The Landlord and the property management reserve the right to not return your Holding Deposit and cancel your booking on notice if:
2.1 We take all reasonable steps to enter into the Tenancy Agreement before the deadline and you fail to do so, for example, if you fail to complete your application or provide guarantor details and supporting documentation in good time;
2.2 You provide us with relevant false or misleading information; and/or
2.3 We are prohibited from entering to the Tenancy Agreement because of the Immigration Act 2014.
3. Period From And Including When You Have Entered Into The Tenancy Agreement Covid- 19 Coronavirus
If you have entered into the Tenancy Agreement and you cancel your booking after the 14 calendar day cool off period, we will release you from the contract up to and including 23rd August 2020 where you meet the following criteria and can provide evidence:
If you are a first year prospective undergraduate student and your offer of a place at your preferred University/Higher Education institution is withdrawn because of you not achieving the required entry grades or you have surpassed your required entry grades and choose to go to a different University.
In order to meet the criteria you will need:
o To provide a written rejection letter from your chosen university/higher education institute within 72 hours of your exam results being published
o To provide a copy of the acceptance letter from your new university.
If you are unable to travel due travel restrictions as a result of Covid-19 and that travel restriction can be verified
Where proof is provided in accordance with these terms and conditions and to our and the landlords reasonable satisfaction, you will be entitled to cancel the booking and you will not be liable for the contractual obligations laid out in the Tenancy Agreement from the date of cancellation.
Failure to obtain a UK Visa
If you fail to obtain a UK Visa before the start date of your tenancy, we will cancel your Tenancy Agreement and refund any rent payments made, so long as you provide within 72 hours of receiving your official confirmation:
Supporting official evidence that your Visa was declined
Written confirmation that you wish to cancel your booking
Cancellation for any other reason
If you have entered into the Tenancy Agreement and you wish to cancel your booking after the 14 calendar day cooling off period and you do not fit into our eligible criteria above. You will not get your Holding Deposit returned to you, and you and your guarantor, will be required to meet the obligations set out within the Tenancy Agreement regardless of whether you have collected your keys.
If you cancel your booking and are able to find an eligible replacement tenant, subject to our agreement, you will be released from the contractual obligations as set out in the Tenancy Agreement. Any overpaid rent will be refunded to you, less an amount equal to your Holding Deposit as a cancellation fee. The site team will confirm your official release date.
4. Cancellations After You Have Moved Into The Accommodation
4.1. We hope you have a happy stay in your accommodation, but if for any reason you decide to leave during your contracted term, the landlord may agree to release you from your contract. Providing the conditions set out below are met:
4.1.1. You agree that you will not transfer or sublet the tenancy created by the Tenancy Agreement to anyone else without obtaining our written consent in-line with point 11.1(m) of the Tenancy Agreement.
4.1.2. You find a suitable replacement to take a new Tenancy Agreement for your room for the remaining period of your contract.
126.96.36.199. Replacement tenants must be 18 years old or over and enrolled as a full time student in a university or college in proximity to the accommodation. Where the accommodation has agreements with set universities, the replacement may be restricted to that university - Please check with your Accommodation Team.
126.96.36.199. The incoming tenant must enter into a Tenancy Agreement with us and pay sums due within this agreement.
184.108.40.206. The incoming tenant, where reasonable, must provide a suitable Guarantor. TheGuarantor must accept the Terms and Conditions set out in the Tenancy Agreement.
4.1.3. Refunds due will not be processed until the replacement taking over the contract has signed the Tenancy Agreement, paid and moved into the accommodation.
4.1.4. If you do find someone to take over your contract, you will need to pay a 50 administration fee.
4.1.5. If you fail to find someone to take over your tenancy, you will be responsible for paying thefull rent until the end of your contracted time at the accommodation.
5. Cancellations By Management Or The Landlord
Our terms and conditions require you to sign your Tenancy Agreement online within 14 calendar days of receiving the Offer of Accommodation. If you fail to sign your agreement within this timescale, we may cancel your booking, giving notice by email and you will forfeit any booking fee paid if it is outside the 14 calendar day cooling off period above.
If you fail to check-in on your accommodation start date and you have not signed your agreement, we may cancel your booking at any time by giving notice by email. If you are outside the 14 day cooling off period, your Holding Deposit will not be refunded.
Once you have signed your Tenancy Agreement, it may only be terminated if we mutually agree to do so or in the circumstances set out in point 3 above.
Payment Details
Mode of Payment
You can pay via Recurring Card, Direct Debit or via Bank Transfer. Cash and Cheques will not be accepted and will be turned away if presented at site.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Holding Deposit and what happens to it?
We ask you to pay a Holding Deposit to secure your room. When your tenancy commences, the Holding Deposit will convert into a refundable Security deposit. All deposits are registered with TDS which is a government accredited Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme provider. At the end of your tenancy, a final inspection of your room will be carried out prior to your move out and if any deductions are required they will be discussed with you at this point. Assuming the room and its belongings are in the same condition as when you moved and you have provided your bank details within our Portal you will get your deposit back within 10 working days. If you cancel your room booking within 14 days of your Accommodation Offer then you will be entitled to a full refund. After 14 days, the Holding Deposit is non-refundable*. Please refer to our cancellation policy for full terms and conditions.
*not applicable for bookings made at properties in Scotland.
Is there an age limit for booking with Property Management Students?
We only accept bookings if you are over 18, with the exception of properties in Scotland where you must be 16 or over. This is due to the legally binding tenancy agreement that every tenant is required to sign when living at Property Management Students. We also can only accept people in full-time education.
Do you provide female-only accommodation?
We do provide female-only accommodation in some of our schemes but it is not guaranteed that this will be possible. Please speak to the site team to find out more information.
Can I choose who I live with?
We are more than happy to accommodate groups as well as individuals. Where youre not booking in a group, we understand your flatmates will be key to your experience so when you book as an individual, we will ask you a series of questions to help us to match you with the perfect flatmates.
Am I allowed to have guests?
Yes. It is your home so you are allowed to have guests visiting you.
Is there always a member of staff available?
Our standard office hours are between 10 am 5 pm. Out-of-office hours are also supported by emergency contacts.
Are there social events organised for the residents?
Absolutely! We want our community to suit you, so we wont force you to come to our events but you are always welcome. If you have your own suggestions for us even better!
Can I bring my own electrical equipment for cooking, i.e. rice cooker?
No we do not advise you to bring your own electrical cooking equipment for health and safety reasons.
Who cleans the room and the communal area?
The students are responsible for their own rooms and communal kitchen within the flat. All other rooms and communal areas are cleaned by the site cleaner.
Can I smoke in the accommodation?
Smoking is not allowed within the accommodation, however, there is a designated smoking area outside the building.
What happens if I dont get on with my new flatmates? Can I swap rooms?
If you are having any issues please contact the Accommodation team in the first instance, we will do all we can to help. In exceptional circumstances it may be possible to move you; however, we would look to resolve any issues with you all.
What if something in my flat breaks or isnt working?
Drop us an email or pop into the office to let us know, our on-site Maintenance team will be able to deal with most things.
Can I have pets?
No pets are permitted under the term of the tenancy agreement.
Can I have my groceries delivered to site?
Yes. Groceries can be delivered to the reception area, but you are to ensure that you are available to take receipt of the delivery. Delivery drivers are not to be given access to the flats.
Do I have WiFi?
Yes, WiFi is included in your rent. Youll also have a broadband connection in your room on your desk.
Why do I need a Guarantor?
All students who wish to pay their rent by using an instalment plan are required to provide a qualified UK Guarantor. This provides us with the security and knowledge that the rent will be paid in full if you were to default on payment.
What does being a Guarantor mean?
By agreeing to be a Guarantor you are signing a legal document stating that you agree to pay the rent and guarantee the behaviour of the resident if they default. Please do not sign this agreement if you do not wish to take on this responsibility.
I am an International Student and do not have a UK Guarantor
Housing Hand specialises in working with international students and will be able to act as your UK Guarantor. For any further queries you can contact Housing Hand directly: www.housinghand.co.uk Tel: 0207 205 2625 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
What is Housing Hand?
Housing hand provide an international guarantor service for students who do not have a suitable or qualified UK guarantor.
How do I apply for The Housing Hand Guarantor Service?
All you need to do is fill in an application form online at Housing Hand; if eligible for the service you will be given a free quote within minutes and a Guarantor Certificate that you can use today to secure your accommodation with us. You can apply for the guarantor service online at www.housinghand.co.uk
Can you explain more about the relationship between Housing Hand and Property Management?
Housing Hand works in partnership with Property Management to stand as your UK rental guarantor. Property Management requires all students to have a guarantor if you are not able or willing to pay your rent in full for the year. If you choose the instalment plan option and can provide your own UK guarantor, providing they qualify, then you do not need to use Housing Hand, . If you choose the instalment plan option and cannot provide a UK guarantor, then Housing Hand will be able to provide this service for you.
How much does the service cost with Housing Hand?
Housing Hand charges a one-off fee that you will either pay upfront at the start of your tenancy or monthly (if on a 12-month contract).
For students, the fee will be between 60-95% of your monthly rent with the minimum price starting at 295 for 12 months cover. The exact cost depends on your personal details and several factors including the amount of your rent, you will be given a no-obligation quote for the cost of the service on application.
What are the payment options for international students?
For schemes in England and Wales, you can choose to pay the full amount or alternatively you can also pay in instalments. For the latter, you will need to provide a UK guarantor or use our guarantor service provided by our friend Housing Hand. You can find more about guarantor service here.
For schemes in Scotland, the maximum required payment in advance is 6 months payment. Please speak to the site team if you wish to pay the full amount.
I have booked a room but failed to obtain a visa, can I cancel my booking?
Yes, you are entitled to cancel your booking but we will need you to provide proof for this.
Whats provided in the bedroom? Do I need to bring my own bedding?
Facilities and features can vary; typically you are provided with a bed, a study with a desk and a chair, bookshelves, wardrobe and plenty of storage. Bedding is not provided with each room as most of our students prefer to bring their own, however, you can order bedding and kitchen utensils from their friends UniKitOut to be delivered to your room prior to your move in.
Can you arrange an airport pick up service?
Most sites will be more than happy to arrange an airport pick up service for you. You just need to let us know your name, arrival date and time and your flight number, well then arrange the transport for you. Please ensure you have enough UK Sterling to pay the taxi fare and check with your chosen property first.
Can I move in before my contract starts?
It is possible but it depends on each scheme. We would advise you to check with the accommodation team before you make any arrangements.
Can I stay over the summer?
Most of our sites offer summer stays. Please check with the accommodation team for further information.
What documents do I need to check-in?
You will need to bring a method of identification with you to the accommodation, either a Driving License or Passport, a letter of confirmation from the University. We also need a passport photograph.
What time can I arrive?
This depends on the scheme you will be living in. Please contact the accommodation team via the online contact form or email the site directly.
Is there somewhere to park when we are unpacking?
If you are travelling via car on move-in day we will inform you in advance whether theres a drop off bay on site for you to offload any suitcases or belongings, or we will send you the location of the nearest car park. Its important to book your move-in the slot with us in advance so that we can make sure these resources are available to you on the day.
I will be arriving out of hours on move-in day, is this okay?
We understand that sometimes students will need to arrive outside of arrival hours. We ask for you to contact your Accommodation Team at the earliest possible opportunity to ensure that we can provide all the necessary information and ensure that we have got everything ready for your arrival. For example, we need to ensure that we have received all relevant documentation, the booking fee and first instalment before we can move anybody in.
Who will I meet on move-in day?
It might not be a manager who will be there for the check-in however the Accommodation Team will always aim to introduce themselves at the earliest opportunity so you know who they are.
Can I move out early?
Yes, but you will still have to pay rent for the full length of your agreed tenancy, even if you no longer live at your accommodation.
When something is broken or doesnt work, how does my son/daughter report maintenance?
In the event that something is broken or doesnt work in any part of the accommodation, the student needs to report the issues to the accommodation office who will escalate it accordingly. We have Property Management Student maintenance wizards that work full or part-time on-site depending on the property. They are there for the hour of need replacing light bulbs, blown fuses, blocked showers etc. We do also work with local contractors for isolated issues. Your son/daughter will always be given at least 24 hours notice if a maintenance operative or contractor needs to access their room. We always offer for the maintenance operative/contractor to be escorted for the jobs entirety if necessary.
Can students have post and parcels delivered?
We are proud to offer a postal service during office hours within our schemes. We always communicate the postal process to our students when they move in, however, we will always make every effort to ensure that your daughter/son gets their mail safely. We always ask for students to inform the staff if they are expecting a recorded or special delivery for the site team to ensure that someone is available for the delivery. We also always ask for the student to bring some ID for when they come to collect the parcel. We recognise that the students cant always come down themselves; we are flexible with friends picking up parcels however the student needs to contact the accommodation team to let them know in advance.
We cannot be liable for any direct, indirect or consequential loss arising from accepting mail on students behalf. Although we will make every effort to ensure the students get their mail safely, we will not be responsible if recipients fail to collect their deliveries, packages are stolen or damaged due to circumstances beyond the control of the accommodation team. We also are not responsible for packages that arrive outside office opening hours or when the accommodation team are out of the office. If the students dont collect their mail within 4 weeks it will be returned to the sender.
How do you allocate rooms?
We take booking preferences very seriously and take great pride in being able to accommodate these in most cases. There is a preference box on the booking form which allows the student to put any preferences they might have, for example friends they wish to live with, location of room within the building, same sex cluster flats. We always do our best to accommodate these preferences, if for whatever reason we cant fulfil them we will always try to achieve one or two and notify the student if they arent possible.
Do I need to have a UK-based guarantor?
You only need to provide a UK-based guarantor if you wish to pay your rent in three instalments. You do not need to provide a guarantor if youre paying the full annual rent in advance.
What is a guarantor?
A guarantor is a person aged 18 or above who accepts joint financial responsibility for the tenancy and is liable to pay the rent if for any reason the student is unable to maintain payment of the rents as they fall due.
The landlord has the right to pursue the guarantor for recovery of outstanding monies therefore, it is important that any guarantor understands their obligations
How many instalments can rent be paid?
Rent can be paid in three instalments; typically these are around the same time student loans are paid out.
How can I make a payment?
You can pay via Recurring Card, Direct Debit or via Bank Transfer. Cash and Cheques will not be accepted and will be turned away if presented at site.
Recurring Card payments can be selected at the time of booking and Direct Debit can be selected by the online portal. If an alternative method of payment is required, such as a bank transfer, or you wish to change your payment method, please contact the Accommodation Team directly for details.
Are there any additional bills to pay?
There are no additional bills to pay. Our weekly rents include all costs utilities, WiFi, and access to all of our communal areas including Management Office, Private Dining areas etc.
Do I have to pay council tax?
Students do not have to pay Council Tax, but the council must be informed that you are a student and apply for exemption as this does not automatically happen. It is the responsibility of every student to apply for exemption, your University/College or accommodation provider* cannot do this for you, though we can help you!
*With the exception of Edinburgh College Residences.
How secure is the accommodation?
At Property Management Students, we want you to feel safe and secure at all times. We understand how important safety and security is to students when it comes to choosing a place to live. Thats why weve taken every effort to ensure that we provide the best services so that our students can thoroughly enjoy living with us. We have 24 Hour CCTV Cameras installed in all of our buildings, internally and externally. Secure Key Fob Door Entry & Bedroom Door Locks. There are also locks on all private bedrooms and out-of-hour security is there to support the community if you have any security concerns, ensuring your security and safety.
Fire Safety
All of the properties that Property Management Students manage have been specifically designed to be used by students. These properties have benefited from significant changes in fire safety, building regulations and coherent fire and management strategies. We have extensive fire safety systems in place in all the buildings that Property Management Students manage. We are also audited by our own internal team, as well as external consultants, on a regular basis to validate, and if necessary update, our extensive fire safety systems, policies and procedures. Further information can be found on our Fire Safety at Property Management Students page.


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Viterra, Foodgrains Bank partnership extended for another year - Canada
Title Bar - News Releases
News Release Contact Information
News Release
null Viterra, Foodgrains Bank partnership extended for another year
For Immediate Release
May 15, 2019
Regina, Saskatchewan
Viterra, Foodgrains Bank partnership extended for another year
Canadian Foodgrains Bank and Viterra Inc. ("Viterra") are teaming up for the third year in a row to partner with Canadian farmers to help hungry people around the world.
Viterra terminals in Lethbridge, Trochu and Stettler in Alberta and Viterra terminals in Raymore and Grenfell in Saskatchewan will all be seeded on behalf of the Foodgrains Bank.
Volunteer farmers and growing projects from each location are donating their time, expertise and resources to farm the various plots of land.
"One of the main challenges we hear from farmers wanting to donate a crop to the Foodgrains Bank or to start a growing project is the issue of land," says Foodgrains Bank executive director Jim Cornelius.
"2019 marks 30 years of Canadian farmers coming together to collectively grow crops for the Foodgrains Bank on donated or rented land. It's creative support like this from Viterra that will help growing projects continue being a successful avenue for Canadian farmers to create positive change in the world for another 30 years," he adds.
"We're pleased to continue growing our relationship with the Foodgrains Bank by providing them access to land around our elevators," says Kyle Jeworski, Viterra's President and CEO for North America. "This team effort between our organizations and the farmers who generously donate their time to plant and harvest the crops each year, is a great example of how combining our resources can significantly help a worthy cause."
For the first time in the three-year partnership, a Hutterite colony has taken up Viterra's offer of land. The Raymore Hutterite colony will be seeding 60 acres of peas. The other locations are being farmed by a combination of growing projects and individuals.
When the crops are harvested, the proceeds from the sale of the crop are donated to the Foodgrains Bank, and used to fund hunger response projects around the world.
About Viterra
Viterra is Canada's grain industry leader, supported by the expertise of its people, a superior network of assets, and unrivalled connections to world markets. Headquartered in Regina, Saskatchewan, our commitment to agriculture goes back over 100 years, partnering with farmers to market and move their crops to areas of need around the world. Our continued focus on operational excellence throughout North America allows us to efficiently handle, process, distribute and transport grains and oilseeds. We provide further value to our partners through a wide variety of contracting and risk management tools to help them realize the full potential of their crops. For more information on Viterra in North America, please visit
www.viterra.com. Viterra is part of Glencore Agriculture, a global market leader in originating, handling, processing and marketing agricultural commodities.
About Canadian Foodgrains Bank
Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a partnership of 15 Canadian churches and church-based agencies working together to end global hunger by:
- Supporting international programs to meet immediate food needs, reduce malnutrition, and achieve sustainable food security;
- Influencing improvements in national and international policies that contribute to ending global hunger; and
- Increasing and deepening the engagement of Canadians in efforts to end global hunger.
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For additional details, please contact:
Peter Flengeris Amanda Thorsteinsson
Corporate Affairs Communications Coordinator
Viterra Inc. Canadian Foodgrains Bank
306-569-4810 204-926-4233
email@example.com firstname.lastname@example.com
Asset Publisher
Pacific Terminal Deconstruction Notification
Deconstruction Notification
Viterra will commence deconstruction operations, under Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA) permit, of Viterra's PAC3 Elevator located at 1803 Stewart Street, Vancouver British Columbia.
Click here to learn more.

subset: commoncrawl


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Home > Articles > PETITION LET'S SAVE MALAGASY FARMERS AGAINST NEW THREATS TO THEIR (...)
The formulation by the Malagasy authorities of policies and several laws involving the use of land by investors risks to organize the negation of peasants and local communities rights on their land.
Contrary to its commitment to consolidate the Land Reform, the Malagasy government is actually burying it. In defiance of the general interest, it calls into question the advances made by the land reform. Yet this reform, initiated by the 2005 Land Policy Letter, has enabled a step forward regarding the heavy heritage of colonization.
In accordance with the principle of private property presumption, the reform recognizes the rights of untitled private property occupants which, for more than a century, have not had the means to easily access the formalization of their rights with land titles. Thanks to the reform, small farmers and rural communities, that represent 80% of the Malagasy people, are considered owners of these untitled private properties, under the management of the municipalities.
The important progresses made through the May 2015 Land Policy Letter, based on the proposal of civil society, mayors and other actors, have raised the opposition of the officers of the State's land services. They have launched an indefinite strike which notably castigated the decentralization of land management and the proposal to entrust the municipalities the management of land reserves dedicated to local development and family farming. To the detriment of the majority of Malagasy population, the authorities gave in to the corporatist demands of the domains technicians' Unions by publishing the New Land Policy Letter of August 2015.
In fact, the government has not only reneged on its commitment to the land reform but also on the consultation principle extended to mayors and civil society organizations.
At the same time, the country leaders are opening the way wide for expropriation and expulsion of people from the lands they occupy or from where they get their livelihoods, for the benefit of domestic and foreign investors, in the framework of a Public Private Partnership (PPP).
A bill that has not been brought to the citizens notice, but that was approved on September 23rd by the Council of Ministers, authorizes the State to commit "an expropriation procedure and "declaration of public utility" in case of work to be done on land under private ownership and with the owner's refusal to grant a right to the land necessary for the implementation of the PPP contract "(art. 37).
The Malagasy State, using abusively the notion of "public interest" pushes back the basic rights of the majority of the Malagasy population and offers to expropriate and evict the owners and occupiers who refuse to give up their lands.
The grabbing of Malagasy land is becoming more and more pressing. The Mining Code revision, which has been in progress for months, testifies this. To defend the interests of local communities affected by mining projects, civil society organizations invited themselves in this debate and pleaded for maintaining the existing moratorium on mining permits.
The current government makes the opposite choice. It now triggers the process of transforming the exploration permits into exploitation licenses, the renewal of expired licenses or even issuing of new ones. Without waiting for the finalization of the Mining Code revision, between 250 and 500 permits would be currently processed.
The stakes are huge. The current Mining Code authorizes the assignment of a maximum area of 10 000 km2 to a mining company. Under these conditions, 60 licenses with such a surface would be sufficient to cover the entire territory, leaving no room for any other activity such as agriculture.
In addition, through the Investment Code, foreign companies still have the option to buy land through a Malagasy partner or nominee. Several organizations of civil society are calling for the annulment of that provision that breaks an ancestral taboo on lands which are considered sacred in the Malagasy tradition.
To withstand the threats of expropriation and eviction of the majority of citizens and especially of peasants from their lands, particularly in view of the next session of the Malagasy National Assembly and a meeting of Madagascar's donors scheduled on October 7th, 2015 in Lima, Peru, only the awareness and mobilization of public opinion can influence the land policy in favor of farmers and local communities.
"For more information" on the letters of Land Policy and the various pieces of legislation mentioned in the text of the petition, please click here.
We, Solidarity of Actors on Land – SIF – and Collective for the Defense of Malagasy Land – TANY, call on the citizens of the world to support the Malagasy local communities in distress and especially farmers, by signing this petition:
"Mr. President of the Republic of Madagascar,
Mr. Prime Minister,
Distinguished members of the Malagasy government,
Dear Minister of State in charge of Presidential Projects, Infrastructure and Spatial Planning in charge of the Land,
Dear Minister at the Presidency in charge of Mines and Petroleum,
Distinguished Deputies,
we urge the Malagasy authorities to adopt laws which secure the farmers and the local communities rights on their lands, excluding any expropriation and eviction, and to revise bills and laws in force which do not conform to it,
according to a process including in all stages civil society and all citizens in the debates and choices.


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Lee County announces Black Tie Affair: Black Cat Adoption Special begins on Black Saturday
Lee County Domestic Animal Services will kick off a Black Tie Affair on Black Saturday. Beginning Nov. 30, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, all black and mostly black cats will be available for adoption for just $10. Animal Services always offers two-for-one cat adoptions so adopters have the option of getting two cats for $10! The special will run until all the cats have found new homes!
For the event, felines will be wearing their little black dresses and tuxedos as black cats are always in formal attire. "Black cats are classy, elegant, and versatile," says Ria Brown, LCDAS spokesperson. "This is a special opportunity to discover how personable and entertaining these often overlooked cats can be."
The variety available includes solid black, tuxedo (black and white), tortoise shell, and black tabby, not to mention short, medium, and long haired cats. Potential adopters will have lots to choose from and are encouraged to check the agency's website at www.leelostpets.com for a peek at the cats and kittens currently available or to submit an adoption application online. The site updates hourly.
All cats adopted are sterilized and receive age appropriate vaccinations, flea treatment, de-worming, microchip ID, feline aids and leukemia test, and county license for cats three months and older. The adoption package is valued at over $500 making it an even better opportunity to add a new feline companion to your family.
The shelter is at 5600 Banner Drive, Fort Myers, next to the Lee County Sheriff's Office. Regular adoption hours are Monday through Saturday from 11:30 am to 3:30 pm including Black Saturday, Nov. 30.
Source: Lee County Domestic Animal Services


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Nothing beats a local plumber in Cardup
Not just average we are Master Plumbers & Gas Fitters. That means you are getting a licensed, insured and professional tradesman when you hire us for your job. We will not only undertake the job with the utmost care and professionalism, we will keep you informed throughout and clean up after ourselves as housekeeping is a part of the service provided. Highly reliable, on time and professional. With plumbers and gas fitters all over the Perth area we even have a local plumber in Cardup who can service all your needs from the basic fixing of a tap through to root removal from a blocked drain.
Trusted choice in Cardup
The Plumbing and Gas Guys are the trusted choice in Cardup and right across the Perth region. All of our plumbers are police checked and cleared and our business has undertaken to be woman friendly accredited. To service schools, universities and sporting facilities we have also undertaken to have some plumbers resisted with working with children checks. It doesn't matter the job be it big or small we have the service for your needs.
We appreciate that plumbing emergencies happen and you may not have made an allowance to install a new hot water system or clear a blocked drain. We are available to discuss finance should you need it.
With Great Prices, Not $off Gimmicks you know you are working with professionals.
Plumbing with a smile
Our plumbers are friendly and professional. This means you will be treated with respect. You will receive accurate advice and updates and fair and reasonable charges for the work performed. Where needed you will be provided with details of changes to a scope of works for decision making.
Importantly we guarantee the workmanship on all or jobs.
Our plumbers are equipped with the latest technology and our vans are fully stocked so regardless of the job you need done in Cardup we have a solution for you.
Much of our work comes from referrals so we aim to give you the best service to leave you smiling, in doing so chances are you will also refer a friend and come back in the future.


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Sent in by Stella Godtel.
This is an angel tunnel through which the Orbs are travelling very quickly. (Diana Cooper).
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Diana Cooper's November 2020 Newsletter
Hallo Friends, So the UK and many parts of the world are going back into lockdown. What a gloomy feeling, especially with winter setting in. As I moved to a new area during the last lockdown and there have been very few social things taking place since I have lived here, I have very few […]Read more
Diana Cooper's October 2020 Newsletter
Dear Friends, It feels as if the world is in limbo, holding its breath. With rules changing constantly many are in a state of dis-stress. As Lightworkers we are so blessed to be connected to the angelic realms. Our guardian angels are always whispering to us of resilience and strength. They are reminding us of […]Read more
Diana Cooper's Setember 2020 Newsletter
Dear Friends, We are currently undergoing some of the most challenging months there have been on Earth. Mother Earth is starting to release the pent-up anger that has been stored within her. The energy of our emotions has been passing through our feet into the ground and has been building up for ten thousand years […]Read more
A message on discrimination
An exercise to connect with Sirius
Blessings from Lord Kumeka


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Suppose you have a locally compact group G with a discrete subgroup H. Of course G has a unique (up to scalar) Haar measure, but it seems that G/H has and induced Haar measure as well.
How does one induce a measure on G/H from the Haar measure on G? Any sources that describe this?


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Trixie Books
Ask Anna: Advice for the Furry and Forlorn
Anna follows in Trixie Koontz's paw prints with her first book as Koontz once again clues us in to what dogs are thinking—this time in a hilarious book of advice for dogs in all sorts of predicaments.
More info
Trixie and Jinx (iPad App) with artwork by Janet Cleland
It's great having a best friend to do everything with–but not so great when they go away. Trixie the golden retriever longs for her buddy Jinx the dachshund when Jinx goes on vacation. Lonely Trixie tries to find new friends, but discovers that spiders have no sense of humor and mice just can't appreciate a good tail-chase.
More info
I, Trixie who is dog (iPad App) with artwork by Janet Cleland
An interactive app for your iPad based on the children's book "I, Trixie who is dog."
More info
Trixie & Jinx
Kids young and old will relate to bestselling author Dean Koontz's funny story extolling all the wonderful things about best friends.
More info
A Big Little Life
Dean had always wanted a dog—had even written several books in which dogs were featured. But not until Trixie was he truly open to the change that such a beautiful creature could bring about in him.
More info
I Trixie, Who Is Dog
Bestselling author Dean Koontz gives readers a fun, lighthearted glimpse into the imagination of Trixie, his beloved golden retriever, whose quirky narration and irrepressible spirit will delight readers young and old.
More info
Bliss to You
Trixie Koontz's third book. She channeled it from the Other Side through Dean's computer.
More info
Christmas is Good
Trixie was full of humor and good cheer year-round, but nothing set her tail to thumping like Christmas, and this delightful little book is packed with her advice on everything from gift-giving (hot dogs are always welcome) to baking tasty sausage-peanut butter Christmas biscuits to making yourself fluffier for all the holiday parties.
More info
Life is Good (with Trixie Koontz)
Dogs know how to work hard and to play even harder. Dogs like Trixie show us how to be happy every minute of every day, except those fleeting moments after a meal when the dish is (temporarily) empty.
More info
Get news of Dean and Trixie every month!
Dean Koontz © 2020. All rights reserved.
Dean Koontz Website


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President Donald Trump signed a major budget plan into law Friday, ending the year's second government shutdown hours after it started.
Both chambers of Congress passed a short-term funding bill in the wee hours of Friday and cleared the way for a massive boost to military and domestic spending hours after funding lapsed at midnight. The government partially shut down for the second time in less than a month.
The massive legislation cleared Congress after opposition delayed or threatened its passage in both chambers. The House narrowly passed the budget bill by 240 to 186 before dawn Friday, then sent it to Trump.
Trump tweeted Friday morning that he signed the legislation.
"Just signed Bill. Our Military will now be stronger than ever before," the president wrote. "We love and need our Military and gave them everything — and more. First time this has happened in a long time. Also means JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!"
Both conservative and liberal lawmakers mounted resistance to the plan. Some GOP conservatives objected to increased spending and argued that it would recklessly increase budget deficits. Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats criticized the lack of a provision to protect hundreds of thousands of young immigrants from deportation.
Early Friday, the Senate approved the measure by a 71-28 vote following Sen. Rand Paul's repeated attempts to block the vote. The Kentucky Republican opposed the spending increases contained in the agreement and wanted to vote on an amendment to maintain budget caps.
The bill sets up a two-year, $300 billion boost in spending on military and domestic programs. It also extends the debt ceiling, authorizes nearly $90 billion more in aid for last year's string of natural disasters, gives funding to fight the opioid crisis and extends the popular Children's Health Insurance Program for an additional four years.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin applauded the bill's passage, as it extends the government's borrowing authority until March 2019. He had warned that the Treasury would lose the ability to borrow soon if Congress did not extend the debt limit.
Trump, who said earlier this week he would "love" a government shutdown, later signaled his support for the bipartisan deal.
"The Budget Agreement today is so important for our great Military," Trump wrote in a Wednesday tweet. "It ends the dangerous sequester and gives Secretary Mattis what he needs to keep America Great. Republicans and Democrats must support our troops and support this Bill!"
In a statement Friday morning, House Speaker Paul Ryan called the budget deal "a great victory" for military service members.
"Ultimately, neither side got everything it wanted in this agreement, but we reached a bipartisan compromise that puts the safety and well-being of the American people first," he said.
The legislation funds the government through March 23 while lawmakers work on an appropriations bill with the levels set out by Congress. Congress will then have to pass appropriations legislation for the current fiscal year that ends Sept. 30 and the following year.
The deal includes:
- A $165 billion increase in military spending;
- A $131 billion boost to domestic program spending;
- Nearly $90 billion in funding for disaster relief efforts in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico;
- Two years of funding for community health centers;
- Another four-year extension of the Children's Health Insurance Program, for a total of a decade;
- Funding for existing infrastructure programs related to transportation, drinking water and broadband.
The budget deal's passage faced real threats on Wednesday and Thursday. Pelosi said she would vote against the bill unless Ryan gave assurances that he would allow an open debate on immigration legislation. Other Democrats followed suit.
Self-professed fiscal hawks in the House also opposed the bill. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated Thursday that it would cost about $320 billion. Most of that would come in the first year.
Similar concerns surfaced Thursday in the Senate, as several fiscal hawks voted against it. Paul mounted the most serious opposition, leading Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn to say he would "effectively shut down the federal government for no real reason."
"I can't in all good honesty, in all good faith, just look the other way because my party is now complicit in the deficits," Paul said on the Senate floor hours before the chamber voted.
Paul and most of the Republicans who voted against the budget plan supported the massive tax cuts the GOP passed into law late last year. The CBO estimates that the law will add more than $1 trillion to federal budget deficits over a decade, even after economic growth is taken into account.
Path forward on immigration unclear
Though the bill ends a short government shutdown, the fate of immigration legislation is unclear. The Senate will have an open floor process on immigration plans next week, though lawmakers have not expressed optimism about crafting a plan that can get 60 votes.
Even if the Senate passes its own plan, it is unclear if it can garner the votes needed to clear the more conservative House.
Ryan committed to bringing up an immigration bill, but only after the budget agreement passed. He did not meet Pelosi's demands, as he reiterated that he will bring up a bill "that the president will sign."
"Democrats worked hard to achieve a bipartisan agreement and gave our assurances to the Speaker that we were not interested in shutting down government," Pelosi said in a statement after the vote. "In return, the Speaker refused to make a real commitment to schedule a vote to protect the Dreamers who have the overwhelming support of the American people and a bipartisan majority in the House."
Drafting a plan that meets Trump's demands and appeases Democrats could prove difficult. Trump has called for stricter limits on extended family migration, an end to the visa "lottery" system and a wall along the Mexican border, which the minority party has opposed.
This article originally appeared on CNBC. Read more from CNBC:
* The 10 percent correction won't turn into a full-blown bear market: Strategist
* Democrats get more aggressive in fight for House majority even as better news emerges for GOP
* Amazon reportedly launching a delivery service for businesses; FedEx, UPS shares slide


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Ken Ham is promoting this goofy exercise in special effects by Eric Hovind, a movie that claims to portray the 6 creation days of Genesis by throwing money at the CGI folks. Now Ham is quite irate that Silverman is intolerant of the movie. Just look at the wickedness Silverman spouts:
"I'm not at all surprised at this kind of support," said David Silverman, president of American Atheists. "As we have seen in nearly every religion in world history, indoctrinated victims of religion will do anything, including pay large sums of money, to have their antiquated beliefs of immortality validated. Flashy movies may make Christians feel like there is validity to the myth that they are immortal, covering up the known and proven truth with special effects."
Waaaait. Intolerance would be if Silverman were to use all the funds at American Atheists' disposal to crush Eric Hovind, or was calling for a world-wide boycott of all of Hovindiana. But opining that the movie is ridiculous and self-serving, and that Christians will dump buckets of money on it? That isn't intolerant at all. That's just expressing an opinion (and an accurate opinion at that.)
That's what scares me about the Christian right. They have a definition of intolerance that repudiates any disagreement with Christianity at all — when they can see a comment that simply says there is soon to exist a silly movie that uses special effects to patch over Christian insecurities, and then regard it as an intolerant act, you can imagine the depths of persecution they would execute if they had any more power.


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My pal the Paso Wine Guy is out with a new video last week (only 2:44 long, but definitely worth it):
We've really got to get the Power Line California Wine Retreat organized and scheduled some time soon.
Now back to the news. Needless to say my vino intake is likely to increase substantially if the news doesn't improve between now and November 6.
JOHN adds: What a great video! This is, in my opinion, one of the top posts ever to appear on PL. The nice thing about wine is that whether we are celebrating a historic victory or drowning our sorrows, it will be appropriate either way.


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Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Sports News
Trumbo joins Diamondbacks in 3-team trade
Send a link to a friend
[December 11, 2013]
(Reuters) — The Arizona Diamondbacks
have beefed up their batting by acquiring former All-Star outfielder
Mark Trumbo from the Los Angeles Angels in a three-team trade also
involving the Chicago White Sox, the Diamondbacks said on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old Trumbo, who has blasted 95 home runs during his
first three full seasons in the majors, will join the Diamondbacks
along with two players to be named later, one from the Angels and
the other from the White Sox.
Trumbo, an All-Star in 2012, hit .234 with 34 home runs and 100 RBIs
for the Angels this year.
To complete the three-way deal, Arizona will shift outfielder Adam
Eaton to Chicago and left-handed pitcher Tyler Skaggs to Los
Also on Tuesday, three-time All-Star outfielder Curtis Granderson
officially became a member of the New York Mets after signing a
four-year contract worth $60 million.
"A lot of the people I've met in New York have always said that,
'True New Yorkers are Mets fans'," Granderson told a news conference
in Orlando, Florida after donning his No. 3 jersey. "So I'm excited
to get a chance to see them all out there."
[to top of second column]
Granderson, 32, is a career .261 hitter with six seasons of
at least 20 home runs and ranks fifth in the majors since 2011
with a homer every 15.3 at-bats.
Winner of the Silver Slugger award in 2011, he became a free
agent when his contract with the New York Yankees expired after
the 2013 season.
"He brings a personality. He brings credibility. He brings
experience, and he brings talent," Mets general manager Sandy
Alderson said of Granderson.
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles;
editing by
Gene Cherry)
[© 2013 Thomson Reuters. All rights
Copyright 2013 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
< Sports index
Back to top


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Heartbleed Bug - 6 views
shared by Janos Haits on 10 Apr 14 - No Cached
Janos Haits on 10 Apr 14"The Heartbleed bug allows anyone on the Internet to read the memory of the systems protected by the vulnerable versions of the OpenSSL software. This compromises the secret keys used to identify the service providers and to encrypt the traffic, the names and passwords of the users and the actual content. This allows attackers to eavesdrop on communications, steal data directly from the services and users and to impersonate services and users."
piak652 on 30 Apr 14Are concerned with an individual's need for love and affection. The majority of people want to feel that they belong to a group. http://adfme.com/rc5O1C


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Big Dan's Ramblings
Ramblings from a Boston Boy stuck in New York
Tag Archives: Ted Williams
Pedroia is Jolted by News
From Peter Abraham, Boston Globe:
Dustin Pedroia, much to his dismay, is human.
Dr. Lewis Yocum examined the injured Red Sox second baseman yesterday and informed him that the broken medial navicular bone in his left foot will need at least six weeks to heal, not the five weeks Pedroia was hoping for.
"He kind of scared me a little bit,'' Pedroia said last night before the Sox played the Angels. "There's nothing really that I can do. Just time's got to heal me. He kind of told me I can't play unless I feel no pain, which isn't good.
"I didn't realize how serious it was and how long it's going to take.''
Today marks 33 days since Pedroia was injured, well short of six weeks. He is scheduled for a CT scan in Boston Friday, which should give doctors a better idea of how well the bone has healed. Until then, Pedroia will be shut down from throwing, taking grounders or batting practice to give his foot some rest.
"I think the message has been pretty consistent,'' manager Terry Francona said. "I think today maybe Pedey heard it a little bit better.''
Pedroia is hopeful the CT scan will bring good news. But the idea that he could return on the next homestand is not realistic.
"Mentally I'm thinking I'm going to,'' he said. "But who the hell knows?''
Pedroia said his foot "felt weird'' Monday when he tried jogging for the first time.
"Any time my foot pounds on that ground, it didn't really feel good,'' Pedroia said. "[Yocum] said you have to be smart, man. It can definitely hurt you in the long run.''
Pedroia had been under the impression he could play through some pain. But Yocum said that wasn't an option. If Pedroia fractures that bone again, he would be looking at surgery that could keep him out for parts of next season.
"You really can't do that with this injury,'' he said. "That's hard to deal with. That bone can break off and they'd have to put pins in it. That would be a disaster.''
Pedroia was distraught at first but eventually came around to the idea that it wasn't bad news.
"Everything looks great. I'm ahead of schedule,'' he said. "It's just my schedule and their schedule were a little different. That was the only thing. I'm good.''
Ellsbury moving ahead
Jacoby Ellsbury took another step forward in his return when he played six innings in center field for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox against the Rays at Fort Myers, Fla.
Ellsbury walked in the first inning, stole second, and went to third on a throwing error. He then scored on a sacrifice fly. He later grounded into a double play and had a single to right field.


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Health Indicator Report of Asthma Hospitalizations
Asthma can usually be managed in an outpatient setting, reducing the need for inpatient hospitalization. Tracking rates of hospitalization can aid in identifying populations or areas with inadequate access to routine medical care. An asthma attack can result in a hospitalization and can be initiated by a variety of triggers. Some of these include exposures to environmental tobacco smoke, dust mites, cockroach allergen, mold, pets, strenuous physical exercise, and air pollution. Two key air pollutants that can affect asthma are ozone (found in smog) and PM or particulate matter (found in haze, smoke, and dust). The majority of problems associated with asthma, including hospitalization, are preventable if asthma is managed according to established guidelines. Effective management includes control of exposure to factors that trigger exacerbations, adequate pharmacological management, continual monitoring of the disease, and patient education in asthma care.
Hospitalizations due to Asthma by Age Groups: 0-4, 5-64, and 65+, Utah, 2012-2014
NotesThe ICD-9 code used to define asthma is 493.
Data Sources
- Utah Inpatient Hospital Discharge Data, Office of Health Care Statistics, Utah Department of Health
- Population Estimates: National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) through a collaborative agreement with the U.S. Census Bureau, IBIS Version 2015
- by Sex and Age, Utah, 2010-2014
- Crude Rates by Year, Utah, 2000-2014
- Counts by Year, Utah, 2000-2014
- Total Charges by Local Health District, Utah, 2014
- Average Charge per Visit by Local Health District, Utah, 2013-2014
- Age-adjusted Rates by Utah Small Area, 2012-2014
- Age-adjusted Rates by Local Health District, Utah, 2011-2014
- Age-adjusted Rates by Year, Utah, 2000-2014
DefinitionRate: Number of hospitalizations due to asthma (ICD-9 code 493) per 10,000 population.[[br]] Number: Number of hospitalizations due to asthma (ICD-9 code 493).
NumeratorRate/Number: Number of hospitalizations among the Utah population with asthma as the principle diagnosis.
DenominatorRate: Number of Utah residents.[[br]] Number: Not applicable.
Healthy People Objective RD-2:Reduce hospitalizations for asthma
U.S. Target: Not applicable, see subobjectives in this category
Other ObjectivesHealthy People 2020 subobjectives and targets for RD-2: Reduce hospitalizations for asthma: RD-2.1: Children under age 5 years * '''U.S. Target:''' 18.2 hospitalizations per 10,000 * '''Utah Target:''' 15.4 hospitalizations per 10,000 [[br]] RD-2.2: Children and adults aged 5 to 64 years * '''U.S. Target:''' 8.7 hospitalizations per 10,000 * '''Utah Target:''' 3.7 hospitalizations per 10,000 [[br]] RD-2.3: Adults aged 65 years and older * '''U.S. Target:''' 20.1 hospitalizations per 10,000 * '''Utah Target:''' 6.7 hospitalizations per 10,000
How Are We Doing?Overall, Utah is below the Healthy People 2020 objectives for asthma hospitalizations. In 2014, Utah's overall age-adjusted hospitalization rate was 5.1 visits per 10,000 people. However, there are specific groups with a high number of hospitalizations due to asthma, these include males aged 0-4 (16.9 per 10,000 people) and females aged 65+ (12.0 per 10,000 people).
What Is Being Done?The Utah Asthma Program (UAP) in conjunction with the Utah Asthma Task Force and other partners strive to maximize the reach, impact, efficiency, and sustainability of comprehensive asthma control services through providing a seamless alignment of the full array of services across the public health and health care sectors, so that people with asthma receive all of the services they need. The UAP focuses on three types of strategies to create and support a comprehensive asthma control program, these include: building infrastructure strategies to support leadership, strategic partnerships, strategic communications, surveillance, and evaluation; linking services strategies to expand school- and home-based services; and creating health systems strategies to improve coverage, delivery, quality, and use of clinical services. These strategies are expected to increase asthma control and quality of life, by increasing access to health care and by increasing coordination and coverage for comprehensive asthma control services both in the public health and health care sectors. Specifically, these strategies include identifying people with poorly controlled asthma, linking them to health care providers and NAEPP EPR-3 guidelines-based care, educating them on self-management, providing a supportive school environment, and referring to or providing home trigger reduction services for those who need them. The linkage function has the added benefit of bringing more people who might be high utilizers of emergency room and hospital services into primary care and also providing a resource for primary care providers to refer people for intensive self-management education and trigger reduction services when needed.
Available ServicesIndividual programs in the Bureau of Health Promotion Division of Disease Control and Prevention provide information and education to citizens, physicians, and health care providers on chronic conditions. For instance, users can find helpful information on disease management and prevention at the Utah Department of Health's Asthma Program website: [http://health.utah.gov/asthma/]. A list of Utah Asthma Program services for clinicians, community health workers, and people with asthma can be found here: [http://health.utah.gov/asthma/pdfs/CAC.pdf]
Health Program Information[http://www.health.utah.gov/asthma]
Page Content Updated On 10/18/2016, Published on 11/15/2016


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Cookbook cover image courtesy of Random House
This quick soup, an American classic, makes a fine pairing with a grilled cheese sandwich or crisp romaine salad. Here the grilled cheese sandwich takes a different form—a souffléed Cheddar topping on a good piece of toasted sandwich bread. Use an organic brand of tomatoes, one that's thick with puree as well as chunks of tomato.
- Yield
- about 6 cups
- 2 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 celery rib, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil, crumbled between your fingers
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 2 tablespoons flour
- Two 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes in puree or juice
- Pinch of baking soda
- 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock or water
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- Tomato paste if needed
- 1 egg, separated, or 1 egg white only
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Pinch of cayenne
- 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon minced scallion or shallot
- 4 slices sandwich bread, lightly toasted
- 1. Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, basil, and cloves; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is limp, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, then add the tomatoes, baking soda, and stock. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes. Let cool briefly, then puree in a blender until smooth
- 2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Return the soup to the pot, add the milk, and season with salt. If the soup is too thick, thin it with additional milk or stock. If the tomato flavor isn't as rich as you'd like (if the tomatoes were packed in water instead of puree), deepen it by stirring in a little tomato paste.
- 3. For the toasts, combine the yolk, if you're using it, with the mustard and cayenne, then stir in the cheese. Whisk the white until it holds soft peaks and fold it into the mixture along with the scallion. Spread the mixture on the toasted bread and bake until puffed and golden, about 5 minutes, while you reheat the soup. Serve the soup piping hot, with a piece of cheese toast, cut in half on the diagonal, and fresh pepper ground into each bowl.
From Vegetable Soups From Deborah Madison's Kitchen by Deborah Madison Copyright (c) 2006 by Deborah Madison Published by Broadway Books.
Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone and The Savory Way, each earned the IACP's Julia Child Cookbook of the Year award. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone also received a James Beard Award, as did Local Flavors, her most recent book. She is also the author of the James Beard Award nominee This Can't Be Tofu! and The Greens Cookbook, which is now a classic. She lives in Galisteo, New Mexico.


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Almost everywhere I went last week -- TV, radio, speeches -- I was asked about the 60th anniversary of the Israeli state. I don't recall being asked about Israel quite so much on its 50th anniversary, which as a general rule is a much bigger deal than the 60th. But these days friends and enemies alike smell weakness at the heart of the Zionist Entity. Assuming President Ahmadinejad's apocalyptic fancies don't come to pass, Israel will surely make it to its 70th birthday. But a lot of folks don't fancy its prospects for its 80th and beyond. See the Atlantic Monthly cover story: "Is Israel Finished?" Also the cover story in Canada's leading news magazine, Maclean's, which dispenses with the question mark: "Why Israel Can't Survive."
Why? By most measures, the Jewish state is a great success story. The modern Middle East is the misbegotten progeny of the British and French colonial map-makers of 1922. All the nation states in that neck of the woods date back a mere 60 or 70 years -- Iraq to the Thirties, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Israel to the Forties. The only difference is that Israel has made a go of it. Would I rather there were more countries like Israel, or more like Syria? I don't find that a hard question to answer. Israel is the only liberal democracy in the Middle East (Iraq may yet prove a second) and its Arab citizens enjoy more rights than they would living under any of the kleptocrat kings and psychotic dictators who otherwise infest the region. On a tiny strip of land narrower at its narrowest point than many American townships, Israel has built a modern economy with a GDP per capita just shy of $30,000 -- and within striking distance of the European Union average. If you object that that's because it's uniquely blessed by Uncle Sam, well, for the past 30 years the second largest recipient of U.S. aid has been Egypt: Their GDP per capita is $5,000, and America has nothing to show for its investment other than one-time pilot Mohammed Atta coming at you through the office window.
Jewish success against the odds is nothing new. "Aaron Lazarus the Jew," wrote Anthony Hope in his all but unknown prequel to The Prisoner Of Zenda, "had made a great business of it, and had spent his savings in buying up the better part of the street; but" -- and for Jews there's always a 'but' -- "since Jews then might hold no property…"
Ah, right. Like the Jewish merchants in old Europe who were tolerated as leaseholders but could never be full property owners, the Israelis are regarded as operating a uniquely conditional sovereignty. Jimmy Carter, just returned from his squalid suck-up junket to Hamas, is merely the latest Western sophisticate to pronounce triumphantly that he has secured the usual (off-the-record, highly qualified, never to be translated into Arabic, and instantly denied) commitment from the Jews' enemies acknowledging Israel's "right to exist." Well, whoop-de-doo. Would you enter negotiations on such a basis?
Since Israel marked its half-century, the "right to exist" is routinely denied not just in Gaza and Ramallah but on every European and Canadian college campus.
Since Israel marked its half-century, the "right to exist" is now routinely denied not just in Gaza and Ramallah and the region's presidential palaces but on every European and Canadian college campus. During the Lebanese incursion of 2006, Matthew Parris wrote in the Times of London: "The past 40 years have been a catastrophe, gradual and incremental, for world Jewry. Seldom in history have the name and reputation of a human grouping lost so vast a store of support and sympathy so fast. My opinion - held not passionately but with little personal doubt — is that there is no point in arguing about whether the state of Israel should have been established where and when it was" -- which lets you know how he would argue it if minded to. Richard Cohen in The Washington Post was more straightforward: "Israel itself is a mistake. It is an honest mistake, a well-intentioned mistake, a mistake for which no one is culpable, but the idea of creating a nation of European Jews in an area of Arab Muslims (and some Christians) has produced a century of warfare and terrorism of the sort we are seeing now. Israel fights Hezbollah in the north and Hamas in the south, but its most formidable enemy is history itself." Cohen and Parris, two famously moderate voices in the leading newspapers of two of the least anti-Israeli capital cities in the West, have nevertheless internalized the same logic as Ahmadinejad: Israel should not be where it is. Whether it's a "stain of shame" or just a "mistake" is the merest detail.
Aaron Lazarus and every other "European Jew" of his time would have had a mirthless chuckle over Cohen's designation. The Jews lived in Europe for centuries, but without ever being accepted as "European": To enjoy their belated acceptance as Europeans, they had to move to the Middle East. Reviled on the Continent as sinister rootless cosmopolitans with no conventional national allegiance, they built a conventional nation state, and now they're reviled for that, too. The "oldest hatred" didn't get that way without an ability to adapt.
The Western intellectuals who promote "Israeli Apartheid Week" at this time each year are laying the groundwork for the next stage of Zionist delegitimization. The talk of a "two-state solution" will fade. In the land between the Jordan and the Mediterranean, Jews are barely a majority. Gaza has one of the highest birth rates on the planet: The median age is 15.8 years. Its population is not just literally exploding, at Israeli checkpoints, but also doing so in the less incendiary but demographically decisive sense.
"As it goes with Israel so will it go with all of us."
Arabs will soon be demanding one democratic state -- Jews and Muslims -- from Jordan to the sea. And even those who understand that this will mean the death of Israel will find themselves so confounded by the multicultural pieties of their own lands they'll be unable to argue against it. Contemporary Europeans are not exactly known for their moral courage: The reports one hears of schools quietly dropping the Holocaust from their classrooms because it offends their growing numbers of Muslim students suggest that even the pretense of "evenhandedness" in the Israeli-Palestinian "peace process" will be long gone a decade hence.
The joke, of course, is that Israel, despite its demographic challenge, still enjoys a birth rate twice that of the European average. All the reasons for Israel's doom apply to Europe with bells on. And, unlike much of the rest of the west, Israel has the advantage of living on the front line of the existential challenge. "I have a premonition that will not leave me," wrote Eric Hoffer, America's great longshoreman philosopher, after the '67 war. "As it goes with Israel so will it go with all of us."
Indeed. So happy 60th birthday. And here's to many more.


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I am sure for most of us this is more a fantasy but sometimes dreams do come true.
Is there a memory in your life where circumstances presented itself that you had great outfits to choose for, time, and felt daring.
Like you some how ended up alone in a theater with a huge dressing room of women's costumes and all day to try on things ?
Like some girl you knew wanted to dress you up and she had an amazing collection of dresses ?
Or I know this is bad, but you are house sitting for some women and you open her closet and find it jammed full of party dresses and bridesmaid dresses that you can fit into
Or equally bad, you are a guest of someone and the closet in the guest room is filled with all sorts of fun things !
I have tried on a few dresses while house sitting but was almost always disappointed. Hope you had better luck !


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photo credit: the Italian voice
Compatibility Test Your Relationship Now
So, how good is you relationship? Has it stood the test of time? You don't have to be psychic to know if your love will last. It helps to be compatible from the outset and even though there's nothing like life experience to confirm your gut feeling about your loved one, there are some things you can do to compatibility test your love now.
Are Your Ready for Commitment?
Commitment is the dreaded word that so many people spend their lives avoiding – quite successfully in some instances too.
Interestingly, well it is for me, the word commitment is also used to describe the legal practice of involuntarily placing an unwell person in a psychiatric facility and holding them there against their will.
Heaven forbid if this is how you feel about interpersonal commitment. If you are in a relationship and this is how it feels – then you do need to either walk or get professional help now. This is such an unhappy predicament to be in and you may feel like you need rescuing either from yourself or your relationship.
What is Compatibility? It's What Everyone is Seeking!
There is no general theory in psychology or elsewhere that outlines what interpersonal compatibility really is. There have been attempts to examine and quantify the degrees of compatibility that may or may not exist between people, but essentially the fact remains that it is as much about gut feeling and intuition as anything else. Many professionals, such as Timothy Leary (the father of LSD experiments at Harvard!) have tried but no-one knows how to measure compatibility.
So, I guess that means we have to do it ourselves and I, for one, am in favour of self help! How about you?
Horoscope Compatibility
Have you noticed with Google that an online query about compatibility will either bring up computer compatibility – Mac/Windows interface and all that – or it brings back search results for zodiac sign compatibility and astrological matching?
Thus, it seems to me, if we want to learn the secrets of compatibility in relationships we need to either learn from the two most powerful companies in the world and somehow extrapolate from electronic devices talking to each other to person-to-person empathy and harmony or we turn to astrology compatibility. The second option seems easier than the first and I do cover this in another part of Compatibility And Love website but there must be another way.
Please join me on this personal journey of discovery into what makes some couples compatibility and what helps them to commit and stay committed to their relationship. I know I'm about to learn a lot and I hope you do too.
Compatibility Tests
There are also loads of compatibility tests online.
If you are in a relationships and serious about your partner and your future together there are a few online compatibility tests you should check out.
In particular, one that you may interest is called:
1,000 Questions for Couples
It's neither free nor expensive. Let's face it, it's your future happiness you're dealing with and it's hard to out a price on that. This compatibility test starts with has loads of fun, but relevant questions and gradually moves you through more awkward subjects. The topics covered in this test include:
- Personality, Feelings & Emotions
- Favorites
- Pets
- Attractions
- Health, Food & Well Being
- Vacations
- Morals, Convictions and Beliefs
- Religion & Spiritual Matters
- Car & Driver Holidays & Celebrations
- Home & Home Life
- Past & Future
- Hobbies & Entertainment
- Love, Romance & Date Nights
- Friends & Family
- Communication
- Career and Education
- Money
- Relationships – Past & Present
- Children & Child Rearing
- Wedding & Honeymoon
- Sex
Anyway, here's that link again.
1,000 Questions for Couples
Check it out
And decide if this Compatibility Test is right for You and Your Partner
Only You Know That
Free Compatibility Tests
There are a number of free compatibility tests online and, in the name of research, I've been having some fun with my zodiac sign and that of my partner.
Here is a sample of my findings:
Love Score
Result: Capricorn and Pisces are very different, but this is exactly what makes this match so good.
Capricorns are usually very reserved and concentrate a whole lot more on the material aspect of life, rather than the emotional one. Pisces individuals, on the other hand, are usually very sensitive and romantic, but often fail at being practical with their choices.
When the two are put together, the Sea Goat will provide the stability and security, whilst the Fish will bring in the passion and romance.
The two are also very loyal and not afraid of commitment.
As far as love life is concerned, both Pisces and Capricorn want similar things. Their differences are very complimenting, and both will be able to learn a lot from each other.
This match is definitely a perfect one, at least as far as astrology can tell.
My Response: Pretty accurate actually.
Love Test
This test involved some very silly questions including:
- Does he have a moped, motorcycle or a car?
- Does he have his own room?
- Do you love him?
Numerology Test
Result: Our names mean we are only 1-2% compatible (whatever that means!)
My Response: Whatever that means! Drhh.
More About Love Tests – Free and Paid
I've already mentioned the Astrological Compatibility tests above and there are numerous interesting posts elsewhere on this site on how to match up your Zodiac Signs.
Then, there are what are known as Love Calculators (Oh! If only finding true love was as straight forward as applying a mathematical formula or running a ruler over the relationship.)
There are love calculators for every combination (male/female; male/male) – you get the idea. These probably do involve statistical averages – that's why they ask obvious questions like:
- How long have you known each other?
- Have you met each pother's parents?
- Have you been away with him? and the clincher
- Do you love him?
I'm pretty certain that there are statistics somewhere that will show the significance of each possible response to these types of questions. Besides which, really and truly, the answer's in the question!
Numerology Compatibility Test
Having done the free online numerology test (see above) already and not been impressed with the results, I wasn't sure if there was anything to be gained from paying for an upgrade to the Numerologist. I'll reserve judgment and again, leave you to decide if numerology is your thing.
Perhaps start with a basic online numerology test and decide from there. At least they are quicker than other types of tests.
Psychometric Compatibility and Commitment Test
This type of testing is the cornerstone of the online dating sites. You know the ones.
They use flash plugins; everyone (well almost everyone) looks their happiest self; and the lists of demands and wants and needs is as long and as unrealistic as the fixed smiles on the askers (sorry if I'm referring to you – I'm probably not because there are so many people registered at these sites, what are the chances of me having you in mind when I write about fixed smiles? Really, what are the chances?
Anyway, the results of these psychometric tests are ambiguous at best and the actual process (with the possible exception of one) is unsupported by scientific research.
The one psychometric test that has withstood scientific testing is known as TCT or True Compatibility Test. The results of this testing, written up in the Dynamical Psychology Journal, are available here. However, for our purposes, all we need to remember is that, as with all things there are qualifications to this statement.
Compatibility Tests or Commitment Tests: What's the Bottom Line?
There seem to be a number of factors at play when it comes to working out whether a couple is compatible and whether their relationship will last.
These include:
- how well they communicate
- are they truly committed?
- how do they resolve the inevitable difference sand conflicts that arise?
- similar backgrounds and income expectations
- personal values; we value people who have the same values
Where Do We Find Love, Commitment and Compatibility?
It could be right there in the person you are seated opposite. If not, and you really have checked then continue to read the blog and perhaps try out one of those online dating sites.
What Next?
You might like to check out a couple of these pages first:
- Dating Tips to Help You on Your Way
- Find Love In the Stars – Your Horoscope Compatibility
- Marriage in Trouble? Learn How to Save Your Marriage Here
- In Love – How to Keep Love Alive
Other References


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Peer-Reviewed Publications
Found 2 results[ Title]
Filters: Author is O'Neil, Joseph [Clear All Filters]
Children with special health care needs: patterns of safety restraint use, seating position, and risk of injury in motor vehicle crashes." Pediatrics. 2009;123(2):518-23."
Children with special physical health care needs: restraint use and injury risk in motor vehicle crashes." Matern Child Health J. 2011;15(7):949-54."


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Sweet, tangy, spicy, and crunchy all loaded on a baguette.
Of all the dishes to result from the French influence on the Vietnamese culture, the banh mi sandwich is one of the tastiest. The baguette, mayo, and pork may be borrowed from French cuisine, but the addition of jalapeños and cilantro makes this decidedly Vietnamese fare.... Read More
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Influencer marketing involves partnering with people your audience listens to and respects to help your messages stand out.
However, 75% of brands struggle to identify the right influencers, according to a May 2015 study by Schlesinger Associates for Augure.
Watch this webinar on creating a successful influencer marketing strategy. You'll learn how to identify and connect with the influencers who can make the difference between your audience tuning you out or engaging with you.
In this webinar, you'll learn:
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Jul 2014
Miss Universe 1997 Brook Lee on Hawaii and Aloha Spirit
Brook talks about why she loves Hawaii, its tourism, the differences between its islands, and what makes Hawaii unique from other island groups. She also explains the "Aloha spirit," and the power of accepting everyone for who you are; that is a WIN about Hawaii and its people.
Jul 2014
Jennifer Hawkins launches Next Top Model 2014 search in Charlestown Square
It's been 10 years since Holmesville-raised Hawkins, 30, was crowned Miss Universe, propelling her from Knights cheerleader and aspiring model to beauty queen, face of Myer and businesswoman at the helm of swimwear brand Cozi and tanning brand Jbronze.
She's also hosting the ninth season of Australia's Next Top Model, with country-wide auditions for the show kicking off at Charlestown Square on Thursday .
Jul 2014
Miss Bahamas Contestants Revealed at Official Launch
The contestants who will be competing for the titles of Miss Universe Bahamas, were officially revealed at the Miss Bahamas Launch event on July 20 at the John Watling's Distillery.
Jul 2014
Comic-Con 2014: Teen Wolf – Interview with Shelley Hennig
Ten years ago, Shelley Hennig wa Miss Teen USA. Now she's the newest series regular on MTV's "Teen Wolf."
Hennig was introduced in the third season of "Teen Wolf" as Malia Tate, a were-coyote who spent years trapped in her animal form… and she preferred it that way. For the fourth season, Malia has moved to the forefront as a member of Scott's pack and as Stiles' girlfriend.
Jul 2014
Former Miss Universe, Sushmita Sen shoots for her first Bengali film
Former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen is making her comeback on the big screen with a Bengali film titled Nirbaak. She was recently spotted in Kolkata shooting for the film that marke her debut in the Bengali cinema.
Nirbaak is directed by Srijit Mukherjee and is produced by Venkatesh Films. Sushmita will be seen opposite actor Jisshu Sengupta and Ritwick Chakraborty.
Click here for the full article.