text:
Useful Links
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- Date submitted: 31 Oct 2011
- Stakeholder type: United Nations & Other IGOs
- Name: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- Submission Document: Download
Full SubmissionUNDP?S SUBMISSION TO THE RIO+20 PREPARATORY PROCESS 1 November 2011 United Nations Development Programme CONTENTS UN SYSTEM PREAMBLE 5 GENERAL CONTENT 7 A) UNDP?S EXPECTATIONS FOR THE OUTCOME OF RIO+20 7 Commitment to accelerate poverty reduction in the context of sustainable development 7 Commitment to integrated decision-making as the pathway to sustainable development 7 Commitment to a multilateral approach 7 B) UNDP?S COMMENTS ON EXISTING PROPOSALS 9 Sustainable Energy for All 9 Sustainable Development Goals 9 New Ways of Measuring Progress 9 Private Sector and Corporate Responsibility 10 A currency or financial transaction tax 10 C) IMPLEMENTATION AND HOW TO CLOSE THE IMPLEMENTATION GAP 11 SPECIFIC ELEMENTS 13 A) PRO-POOR GREEN ECONOMY 13 Key Areas for Action 14 Finance 14 Energy 14 Employment 14 Resilience 14 Community institutions and local management 15 Land and natural resources 15 Biodiversity 15 Commodity supply chains 15 Participation and social mobilization 16 Social protection 16 Gender equality and women?s empowerment 16 B) INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 17 Overall functioning of IISD 17 The country level 17 The global and regional level 18 UN inter-agency coordination mechanisms at the global and regional level 19 UN SYSTEM PREAMBLE UNDP has been pleased to have worked with its fellow agencies in the UN system to prepare a joint preamble, approved by the United Nations Chief Executives Boardfor Coordination (CEB) on 29 October 2011: UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM SYSTEME DES NATIONS UNIES 29 October 2011 Common statement by the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) on the Outcome of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development 1. We, members of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board, recognize the historic opportunity provided by the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development to reset the world on a sustainable development path. 2. We affirm that sustainable development is a top priority for our organizations, and reaffirm the continuing validity of the principles in the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and of Agenda 21, including the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. We recommit to a renewed system-wide effort, in partnership with the full range of governmental, civil society and private sector stakeholders, to support the realization of these principles. 3. Despite substantial improvement in many key areas of development and environment, the world has not made the progress towards sustainable development aspired to in the outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and in subsequent related world conferences. 4. Over the past twenty years, the world has witnessed strong economic growth and significant progress toward attaining a number of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It is of grave concern, however, that these positive trends have been accompanied by increasing disparities and inequalities, persistent gender inequality, social inequity, a growing deterioration of the environment, and recurrent economic, financial, energy and food crises. 5. At the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (or Rio+20), renewed commitment and urgent action are therefore needed to lay a firm foundation for a longer-term process of redressing imbalances, agreeing on priorities, and reforming institutional arrangements at all levels, to bring about coherence and the integration of policies across the economic, environmental and social pillars, with human beings and their wellbeing at the centre. The Conference must also address the means of implementing outcomes, through the provision of resources, including for technological transformation and capacity building. 6. Charting the way forward to eradicate poverty and promote sustainable development must start with the recognition that the world has changed in fundamental ways. Climate change is significantly altering the physical and human geography of the planet. There are major differences in population growth, age, sex structures, spatial distribution and patterns of movement; resource consumption has increased, and production patterns are more unsustainable. But there has also been wide-ranging technological progress, from renewable energy and energy efficiency, to innovative measures for adapting to climate change impacts, and new and efficient means for social networking, dialogue and participatory engagement, providing opportunities that were not available twenty years ago. 7. Against these changing parameters, Rio+20 must acknowledge that economic, social and environmental objectives are not independent variables, but are mutually supportive, with progress in each area facilitating advancement in the others. Our objectives should be to enhance equity, revitalize the global economy, and protect the planet and its ecosystems that support us so that all people, women, men and children, can live in dignity. 8. The sustainability of future growth and development will rely critically on innovation, improved economic, energy and natural resource efficiency, an open and supportive multilateral trading system, better fiscal policies providing incentives for sustainability, comprehensive wealth accounting and valuation of ecosystem services, equitable access and inclusive political processes and the capacity to create sufficient decent work. Growth must lead to strengthened resilience ? of households, ecosystems, and economies, and improved water, food and nutrition security. 9. Economic growth must be of high quality and inclusive. It should occur hand in hand with relevant efforts to accelerate progress in global health, gender equality and women?s empowerment, the realization of human rights, greater equity, improved access to and quality of social protection and the rule of law, and the fair distribution of the benefits of development. Policies must avoid trade protectionism and negative impacts especially on the poor and vulnerable groups such as refugees and internally displaced persons. These objectives are all key elements of the green economy approach, and we pledge the support of our organizations to Member States as they engage in this critical and transformational transition. 10. The shift to sustainable development presents challenges, but also offers opportunity for substantial investments, both public and private, in productive infrastructure, technological transformation, Science, education and human capital development. The UN system stands ready to assist Member States as they formulate and implement the enabling policy and regulatory frameworks that are essential for such investment to take place, and to continue to strengthen its work at the country level. 11. In the current fragmented system, institutional reform is unquestionably needed at national, regional and international levels, to integrate the dimensions of sustainable development, improve effectiveness in implementation, urgently scale-up activities, and bring about further coordination and coherence of policy. 12. The UN system is determined to do its part on institutional reform, by improving system-wide coordination mechanisms, and by reviewing and improving policies and programmes, including through joint programming. But this may not be sufficient, and Rio+20 should consider continued efforts on broader reforms within the UN system, for example, the strengthening of institutions, mandates and regulatory frameworks, or making structural changes. 13. At a more specific level, from a range of priority issues, a number have emerged that warrant particular attention in the context of sustainable development at Rio+20. Among these are: energy, water, oceans, green jobs, sustainable cities, sustainable agriculture and food security, disaster risk reduction, and investing in health, education, youth, gender equality and women?s empowerment. 14. These issues require a coordinated approach by the UN system, stakeholders from government, civil society and the private sector, to find joint innovative and lasting solutions. The organizations of the UN system have been intensifying efforts and cooperation to address the challenges of the water, energy and global food security crises. Rio+20 will provide an appropriate platform to support selected initiatives, such as the Sustainable Energy for All initiative, which illustrate a collective renewed commitment to sustainable development. 15. At Rio+20, we must build upon and scale up the achievements, best practices and lessons of the MDGs, and lay strong foundations for the post-2015 development agenda. We must chart a course for measurable progress towards sustainable development goals, using milestones that integrate the economic, environmental and social dimensions and a new generation of metrics to measure our achievements. The UN system stands ready to support the world?s nations and peoples to make sustainable development a reality. GENERAL CONTENT: UNDP?S EXPECTATIONS FOR THE OUTCOME OF RIO+20 A. UNDP?s expectations for the outcome of Rio+20 UNDP attaches the highest importance to Rio+20, both as a process focusing on the challenges and realities of sustainable development and as an opportunity for renewed impetus to the collective global quest for a more sustainable world. UNDP?s overall expectations are summarized below, with concrete proposals detailed in subsequent sections of this submission. Commitment to accelerate poverty reduction in the context of sustainable development Rio should ensure that we collectively seize the opportunity to accelerate poverty reduction and that we recommit to sustainable development based on socially and environmentally responsible growth and equity. With a world population of seven billion and an expected growth of a further two billion by 2050, Rio must focus on the challenge of securing growth that is inclusive and equitable, and that does not continue to assault our shared planet and the life it sustains. This should include the need to change global consumption patterns, particularly in rich countries and population segments. In short, we have to learn to expand human development and share prosperity more equitably, within the larger web of life, no longer viewing ourselves ? humanity - as alien conquerors of our planet. We are part of it. This is the essence of sustainable human development. Commitment to integrated decision-making as the pathway to sustainable development The Outcome Document should reinforce a commitment to decision-making at all levels that balances and integrates the three dimensions of sustainable development. All decisions and recommendations coming out of Rio+20 should fully reflect and contribute to an integrated approach. UNDP?s has experience to offer from its work over the past two decades as its mandate includes all three pillars of sustainable. Commitment to a multilateral approach A commitment is needed to resolving the global ?common goods agenda? through a strong and vigorous multilateral approach. With strong commitment and support from all of you, the UN development system can play a pivotal role, including at the country level with the UN RC system and its convening power as the central pillar. A One UN, delivering and working under the shared banner of sustainable development, is a powerful tool of transformational change. GENERAL CONTENT: UNDP?S COMMENTS ON EXISTING PROPOSALS B. UNDP?s comments on existing proposals Many proposals have been put forward, which would all help in bringing about the integrated approaches that are required to set the world on a course for sustainable development. UNDP would like to highlight four of them and offer comments and practical suggestions for advancing them. Sustainable Energy for All Access to energy is essential for achieving sustainable human development and accelerating progress on the MDGs. We can no longer accept a situation where more than a billion people lack access to electricity and three billion to clean facilities for cooking and heating. Universal access to modern energy services is achievable by 2030. Proven and innovative solutions exist. Political leadership and commitments, investment in capacity development and scaling-up field-proven and innovative business-led models are the actions that are needed. UNDP is fully committed to a global partnership for achieving universal access to sustainable and affordable energy by 2030 in line with the Secretary General?s initiative on Sustainable Energy for All. This should be a sectoral priority as well as a contribution to the integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development. Wherever there is a demand from governments UNDP will capitalize on the RC's convening power and help bring key actors together in order to bring policy work, financing,technology and capacity development together to create conditions for major scaling up. We have learned from experience in many countries that off-grid, decentralized solutions are just as important as large centralized generation and transmission projects, and we now know that renewable and clean sources are often the most cost-effective. Sustainable Development Goals It is crucial to remain focused on achieving the MDGs. Despite recent shocks and setbacks, many countries are making impressive progress. There is still time to achieve the goals globally by 2015, by implementing the commitments made at the 2010 MDG Summit. However, sustaining MDG progress and making further progress in the fight against poverty beyond 2015 will be challenging. Rio+20 must address this challenge head-on by agreeing on an ambitious development agenda for the future where progress will not be undermined by unsustainable policies and practices, but where we can accelerate poverty reduction through a more inclusive, equitable, and environmentally responsible development model. Agreeing to expand access to sustainable energy for all would be a key building block. Rio+20 representsa unique opportunity to lay a strong foundation for the post-2015 global development agenda, which must be an agenda of sustainable human development for all. UNDP is fully committed to this process?recently launched by the Secretary General?of working towards an updated and upgraded set of global goals by 2015 that build on the current set of MDGs while reflecting current global challenges and the imperative of sustainable development. A new set of goals would need to encompass developed and developing countries alike. In this context, Rio+20 can help establish a roadmap that may include specific or broad sustainable development goals?such as in the area of energy?as well as a definition of critical themes and principles that can give clear direction to the process. From UNDP's perspective, such principles must include equity and inclusion, as well as environmental sustainability. One key strength of the MDGs has been their focus on people, of measuring progress in terms of enhancing human dignity and capabilities. This should not be lost as we move to 2015 and beyond. New Ways of Measuring Progress The current means by which progress is measured serve the cause of development poorly. Efforts in the 21st century require measurement standards that capture sustainable development in all its dimensions and help to ensure that environmental imperatives and human well-being are no longer trade-offs to short-term economic growth. As such, Rio+20 should be the beginning of the end of measuring progress and prosperity mainly by GDP. This will require new tools as well as new policies. UNDP proposes that Rio+20 requests the UN system and the BWIs to jointly develop proposals for a set of measurements that, combined, could lead to a new Gross National Income for Sustainable Development (GNISD) or a Sustainable Human Development Index to be considered initially by the UN Statistical Commission in 2014 and to feed into the discussion around the post-2015 agenda. Private Sector and Corporate Responsibility The corporate private sector accounts for the bulk of economic decisions and investments ? also across borders - and therefore has a decisive role to play in advancing sustainable development. The United Nations Global Compact, with its voluntary approach, has made considerable headway in encouraging businesses to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. However, today?s environmental and development challenges call for a greater contribution from the corporate sector to sustainable development. To this end, Rio+20 could agree to developing an international agreement on corporate responsibility that would, for instance, require all corporations listed on stock exchanges to report on their corporate social and environmental sustainability measures. Rio+20 could also agree to the development of an international accounting standard that would require multinational companies to report sales, profit and taxes on a country-by-country basis in all the jurisdictions in which they operate. Such a standard could, along with other measures such as systematic exchange of tax information between governments and capacity development for national authorities, help prevent illicit financial flows from developing countries and prevent tax havens from undermining developing countries? efforts to mobilize domestic resources for sustainable development. A currency or financial transaction tax To help close the funding gap and adequately and fully finance sustainable development Rio+20 could consider innovative sources of financing, including existing proposals for a currency or financial transaction tax. At a very minimal rate (0.005%) and without any additional administrative costs, a currency transaction tax could yield annual revenues of about $40 billion. A broader financial transaction tax of for instance 0.05% on domestic and international financial transactions could raise an estimated $600-$700 billion annually. With today?s more organized, centralized and standardized infrastructure both taxes are administratively feasible. A currency transaction tax is argued for by UNDP?s 2011 Human Development Report (HDR) and the idea has increasingly been gaining support as a practical policy option. The recent financial crisis underscores the relevance and timeliness of these proposals. GENERAL CONTENT: IMPLEMENTATION AND HOW TO CLOSE THE GAP C. Implementation and how to close the implementation gap What will be required to close the implementation gap will in many ways be similar to what is proposed later in this submission on actions to assist countries advance IFSD internally, supported by a coherent UN Country Team which engages all international actors active at the country level. In UNDP?s view many of these actions are relevant for developed and developing countries alike: 1) Strengthening inter-ministerial coordination inter alia through the lead of a high-level government office with substantive authority; 2) Institutionalized processes ensuring meaningful participation of private sector, civil society actors, parliamentarians and other national actors, including underrepresented groups of society, and representatives at sub-national level in the full development programming cycle ? ideally these processes could be institutionalized through legislation and partially funded by state budgets. 3)An integrated development planning process and document tied more directly to Medium-Term Expenditure Frameworks, to ensure that integrated strategies and policies are funded. Sustainable development should no longer be left to parallel processes and documents. This implies: a) Theapplicationof integrated assessments that help understand where synergies between growth, poverty reduction and environmental sustainability exist and where they do not. b) Measuring progress differently. Support to integrated decision-making and priority-setting by better and in some cases different measurements and indicators such as well-being. This implies strengthening of monitoring and evaluation systems linked to well-funded national statistics agencies, as well as line ministry reporting. A range of household, environmental, gender and economic data as well as survey data is needed to capture a fuller range of sustainable development indicators. 4) Progress in sustainable development requires effective integrated engagement, planning and implementation at the subnational and local level as much as at the national. This is in part an issue of awareness raising and capacity development locally, and of putting in place effective local governance, policy and implementation frameworks and processes for effective local participation and civic engagement. It is equally an issue of building sustainable development into the criteria for distribution of power and resources between national, subnational and local levels of governance. 5) Increasing public awareness on links between governance, environment, economic growth and poverty reduction. 6) Strengthening national capacities for aid effectiveness in line with the Paris Declaration and Accra Agenda for Action, and for better harnessing the catalytic potential of ODA for sustainable development. 7) Ensuring that adequate and predictable international and domestic financing is available for developing countries through: a) Developed countries meeting the ODA target of 0.7 % of GNP; b) Identification and exploitation of innovative sources of financing (see Section 2.b); c) Policy space for developing countries to be able to fully commit domestic resources to achieving sustainable development; d) Elimination of harmful subsidies; e) Reform of competition and anti-trust policies; f) Appropriate domestic taxation; g) Regulation to fight tax evasion and other forms of illicit funding flows, such as corruption; 8) Ensuring that green technologies are developed and that they are accessible to developing countries as a global public good with low cost and short time lag. 9) Putting in place adequate regulatory frameworks and safeguards for the private sector and other drivers of development, and monitoring by other stakeholders, including civil society organizations and parliaments to ensure inclusive development. 10) Addressing the needs of groups of countries with particular vulnerabilities, such as the Small Island Developing States (SIDS), who are facing particular risks and challenges in their pursuit of sustainable human development. SPECIFIC ELEMENTS: PRO-POOR GREEN ECONOMIES A. Pro-Poor Green Economies UNDP is aware that the term green economy is problematic for some. As there is no agreed definition as of yet, we focus on what we believe is needed to make a green economy work for everyone, including the poorest, and how to develop a box of tools and approaches that could support countries? national sustainable development objectives. There are still significant gaps in perception, knowledge, and evidence of how this concept can be translated into action at the country level. UNDP believes that the central answer to this question lies in building national and sub-national capacities to redirect public and private investments toward economic activities that are both socially and environmentally sustainable. Many activities to promote a green economy are already taking place. For example, investments in clean energy and reducing GHG emissions have been rising significantly. However, many of these investments are still focused on ?low hanging fruits??that is, activities that make economic sense and sit below the marginal cost abatement curve. While encouraging, such green economy investments are mainly the result of economic incentives that do not necessarily contribute to poverty eradication or to the attainment of other social goals unless inclusiveness and poverty reduction are explicitly pursued as a core objective and strategy, addressing fundamental drivers and factors that interconnect environmental degradation, poverty and social inequity. Special attention must be paid to key sectors such as agriculture, extractive industries, fishing, forestry, and informal sector activities such as in waste-picking in urban areas, on which the poor and local communities depend for their livelihoods and income-generation and that can be significant multipliers for poverty reduction. This requires capacity development, strengthened institutions and enhanced governance. To extend rising investments to the more challenging activities?and those that have social and environmental dividends?strong enabling frameworks are required. These frameworks put in place institutions, policies, and regulations that internalize social and environmental costs, regulate activities at safe levels, and redirect investments toward the greener and more pro-poor options across key economic sectors. In this regard, the lessons and experiences of the UNDP-UNEP Poverty-Environment Initiative (PEI) can be important. A green economy which works for the world�s poor would: 1. Maintain growth while reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the economy as a whole, and promote job creation and other economic opportunities in key economic sectors that predominantly employ the poor 2. Generate more public revenues to enable investment in environment-friendly quality services, to which the poor would have equitable access; 3. Retain biodiversity and ecosystem services, while also maintaining the livelihoods of the poor and creating opportunities for local sustainable enterprises to thrive; 4. Promote equitable access to energy and its efficient use; 5. Build resilience to economic, social, environmental and other risks; 6. Empower the poor and marginalized, including women and indigenous peoples, to play an active role in the investment decisions that have an effect on their well-being; 7. Pursue pro-poor environmental fiscal and financial tools, including financing mechanisms that benefit local communities. There is no one-size-fits-all green economy ? each country will transition along its own unique path to a version that balances between the three pillars of sustainable development in a harmonious way. However, such transitions will not be easy as they will call for planning over a relatively long time horizon; understanding and managing risks along the transition path, especially those that directly impact the poor; balancing tradeoffs such as those between certain kinds of biofuels and food prices; fostering and propagating innovations and introducing well calibrated instruments such as taxes and subsidies that can help along the way. National efforts will be key ? but cross-national ones, such as through the transfer of appropriate technology or providing appropriate space for developing countries for developing green infant industries and activities, can also play very important roles. These changes can only happen if the following are put in place: capacities for integrated decision-making that promote cross?sectoral and cross-stakeholder engagement, coordination and alignment; integrated approach to planning and policies; increased financing; new ways of measuring progress and results; and strengthened implementation capacities. Key Areas for Action Within this vision for green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication, UNDP sees a number of critical areas for immediate action. Finance Finance is an essential tool to drive the green economy. A key part of making the green economy work for the poor will be to ensure that all countries and communities are empowered to catalyze the public and private finance they need. Rather than focusing on hardware investments on a project by project basis, the international system must use scarce resources to put in place the policies, regulations, and institutions that redirect existing and projected financial flows away from investments that are harmful or unsustainable and towards outcomes that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. Environmental fiscal reforms (EFR) offer the potential of internalizing the costs of ecosystem degradation and resource-intensive use through the use of green taxes and user fees, as well as removing environmentally harmful subsidies (for example in agriculture and energy). This is particularly important with climate change finance?one of the major new resource flows at the international level. By focusing these resources on technical assistance for EFR-like activities to collect revenue or free up resources, our collective action can ensure that countries, communities and private sector actors are equipped to access and catalyze the finance they require for their pro-poor, low-emission, climate-resilient development priorities. Energy Providing access to clean energy is critical for achieving green growth and sustainable human development. It also accelerates progress on the MDGs. Universal access to modern energy services is achievable by 2030, and UNDP will work with partners to apply proven and innovative solutions to reach that goal. Supporting the development of clean energy technologies?and access to these technologies for all?is a critical step. Economic incentives are needed to drive this transformation, and technical assistance must therefore play a major role. For example, support for the development of feed-in tariff systems can generate incentives for decentralized energy production and can promote access and clean options. Wherever there is a demand from governments UNDP will capitalize on the RC's convening power, and help bring key actors together in order to bring policy work, financing, technology and capacity development together to create conditions for major scaling up. Employment To address the growing demand for skilled labour in the green sectors there will be increasing shifts in employment patterns at the global and national levels. Labour market policies must support youth, the poor and marginalized groups to acquire adequate skills for new jobs and provide social protections to avoid negative impacts of labour market shifts through income protection and educational support. Investments to create new green jobs should be accompanied by support for training and skill development, including access to volunteering opportunities. Resilience Climate change presents new challenges to the poor by altering ecosystems and their services with the potential of disrupting growth, livelihoods and food production, changing disease patterns, and increasing vulnerability from natural disasters. The last few years of economic crisis, and rising or volatile food and fuel prices have also taught us the importance of building greater resilience to economic shocks and volatility. Sustainable development and the building of a prosperous pro-poor and green economy will require redoubled attention to economic and social policies that can reduce vulnerability to such shocks and uncertainty. In order for economies to be transformed in a sustainable direction over time, attention must also be given to ensuring that key institutions, regulations, and incentives are resilient to shocks and embed climate and risks into their activities. Such a stable enabling environment in turn promotes economic resilience and moves the focus away from a reactive method of development toward a proactive risk-reduction approach. Community institutions and local management Local solutions must be fully incorporated into green economy policies and programmes to harness the untapped potential of local actors including farmers, women, indigenous peoples, communities and local businesses. One key challenge lies in establishing effective governance mechanisms for the poor to play a role, and in making the links between national and sub-national planning, and in decentralizing budgets to empower local authorities to contribute to sustainable development. Equally important is building on the strengths of community-based organizations to unleash local innovation. This can be accomplished by creating an enabling policy environment for the realization of local rights, facilitating local access to environmental finance, promoting practitioner-driven learning and knowledge sharing, and enhancing community voices in policy processes. Land and natural resources Clear land and property rights are critical to ensure poor people are not marginalized and lose their access and rights to use land and resources. The increasing volume of agricultural investments and international land deals underline the importance of securing the resource rights of poor rural people. Secure resource rights also provide important incentives for local ecosystem management and sustainability of local initiatives. While a majority of the poor today live in rural areas and depend on farming for their livelihoods, about 70 per cent of the world?s population is estimated to be living in urban areas by 2050. Low-carbon, sustainable agriculture has the potential to promote growth, employment and food security for rural and rapidly urbanizing populations while assisting with nutrient cycling and maintaining ecosystem services. This potential can only be realized if poor men and women farmers can access knowledge, technologies and green markets. Similar examples exist for sustainable ecosystems management (fisheries, forest) with the potential for growth, employment and poverty reduction. Biodiversity The sustainable management of biodiversity and ecosystem services is essential for realizing a green economy. Particularly for poor and economically marginalized communities, biodiversity and ecosystem services are a lifeline; they are the foundation of local livelihoods, the basis of local food security, and the source of local health and wellbeing. Just as biodiversity loss can be a driver of deepening poverty, biodiversity conservation and sustainable use can be a vehicle for delivering inclusive, climate-resilient development and economic growth. Commodity supply chains Agriculture and commodity supply chains are the largest employers in low-income countries, accounting for 60 per cent of the labour force and producing 25 per cent of GDP. Commodity supply chains are also a significant cause of environmental degradation worldwide in terms of GHG emissions and deforestation. Green commodity supply chains deliver commodities that are harvested or produced to ensure maintenance of the ecosystem functionality and ensure social inclusion and sustainable livelihoods of workers and communities. The main challenge for sourcing the world with primary products of low ecological and carbon foot print is to scale up sustainable harvesting and production practices. This requires countries to move beyond sustainability standard adoption and certification by some producers to satisfy niche markets, to wider private sector, government and civil society collaborative action so that the entire sector improves environmental and social performance. Participation and social mobilization Participation in the development planning and investment decision making process is essential for inclusive sustainable development. This is particularly important for groups of people that have traditionally not benefitted equally from economic growth, including women and indigenous peoples. In particular, sustainable development must support women?s, youth and low skilled workers? empowerment and employment. There is a great need to further strengthen women?s property rights, access to capital and natural assets and their participation in economic and investment decision-making processes. Social protection If implemented well, programmes such as broad-based social security, labor guarantee schemes, provision of crop insurance and targeted cash transfers, can boost resilience among the vulnerable, enable them to invest in their future and take moderate risks, and ultimately drive productivity gains and inclusive growth. Even with all the above measures to develop a pro-poor green economy, there will be marginalized vulnerable groups who would not be able, because of their specific situations, to participate in the economy or share the benefits of the development outputs. These groups would include segments of the informal sector, persons with disabilities, the elderly, indigenous and other disenfranchised populations and poor women. A system of social protection would be needed to ensure that these groups at least share the benefits of the outputs of the pro-poor green economy. Through carefully selected programmes and deployment of appropriate instruments this can be achieved. Gender equality and women?s empowerment Greater efforts are needed to promote gender equality and women?s empowerment within development and particularly around the green economy. With targeted support from governments, development agencies and private investors, women can contribute to and benefit more from opportunities created by the shift to greener economies. This also requires a strengthening of capacities to integrate gender perspectives into economic policy, including the design of subsidies, taxation, pricing, transfers, compensation and benefit sharing. Women?s informal and care work has to be recognized and valued in economic policy making; and the gender-defined roles of women and men as consumers and producers must be recognized. Ensuring that women and other traditionally excluded groups have greater access to credit, training and benefit sharing will mean broader sustainable development progress. SPECIFIC ELEMENTS: INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT B. Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development (IFSD) Overall functioning of IFSD Experience since Rio92 has shown that unless the institutional framework for addressing sustainable development in a fully integrated manner exists and is supported comprehensively, there is little hope of the fundamental change needed to achieve sustainable development. As such, IFSD is about strengthening co-ordination, institution building, and strategy development at and between all levels to ensure a balance among economic development, social development and environmental protection as interdependent and mutually reinforcing dimensions of sustainable development. UNDP believes that the better this balance can be achieved, the better we will be able to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Against this background changes made to the current national and international institutional framework in pursuit of IFSD should serve to: ? Enhance a sustainable development governance architecture that promotes greater convergence and provide greater parity between the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development; ? Enhance integrated and thereby better informed, decision-making and priority-setting at all levels; ? Ensure interaction at all levels across institutions and bodies including those that do not interact (sufficiently) today; ? Reinforce the loop between the operational country level and the normative global level and vice versa; ? Foster stronger dialogue and partnerships with civil society and the private sector at all levels; ? Empower people to participate and have their voices heard. The country level Functions to be performed by countries? own institutional framework The country level is the key level to achieve integrated decision-making and priority-setting. Decision?making designed to facilitate integrated consideration of national development priorities will, in all countries, improve implementation, including, where relevant, by providing a stronger foundation for international partners, such as the UN, to rely on in planning their support. It would also enhance coherent messaging from different parts of member states governance structures into different parts of the international system thereby contributing to system-wide coherence at the national as well as at the regional and global levels. How this may happen See points 1 through 6 under 'closing the implementation gap? on page 11. Functions to be performed by the UN framework at the country level The functions to be performed by the UN development system at the country level are, at the same time, to help develop, match, mirror, and support integrated policy approaches and government decision-making developed through cross-sectoral, cross-ministerial and multi-stakeholder country ownership at all levels. How this may happen In light of the timing of the QCPR, Rio+20 may wish to recommend that the QCPR takes the outcome of Rio+20 into account and ensures that the UN development system on a ?no one size fits all? basis will be able to cater for: ? A dialogue with the Government that has support for sustainable development, especially integration of the three pillars, as a key starting point and objective at the outset of the UNDAF process; ? Strong UN support for building country capacity for sustainable development; and ? Delivery in support of countries? own sustainable development objectives. In addition, Rio+20 could recommend that: ? Sustainable development is embedded in the performance criteria of Resident Coordinators and all senior UN representatives at country level; ? Resident Coordinators are authorized to drive the process forward from UNDAF to country programme implementation; ? IFIs are invited to participate on a more committal basis in the work of UNCTs including UNDAF roll-outs. The global and regional level Functions to be performed by inter-governmental bodies at the global and regional level At the global and regional inter-governmental level the institutional framework for sustainable development and the conduct of its work should lead to more effective coordination, coherence and enhanced synergies and cooperation across the international system, e.g. the UN as well as the BWIs/IFIs. It will be important to: ? Elevate sustainable development to an appropriate level in the UN intergovernmental structure; ? Enhance interaction among institutions both within each of the three dimensions of sustainable development and across the three dimensions; ? Ensure that environment is dealt with as a system-wide cross-cutting issue at par with the way other issues are handled; ? Identify and close potential gaps in the structure of functional commissions, standing committees, and expert bodies at the global level; ? Overcome the fragmentation and, in many cases, weak interaction between existing; intergovernmental bodies, such as the socially related functional commissions under ECOSOC; ? Enhance the role of the regional level subsidiary bodies and the interaction between these bodies and the global parent body to further a coherent normative framework; ? Ensure that the normative work at the global and regional level is properly linked with and informed by priorities and experiences at the country level; ? Enhance interaction with UN inter-agency coordination mechanisms. How this may happen Establish a sustainable development intergovernmental body at the global level: ? ECOSOC could be revamped to fulfill the role of premier UN body addressing sustainable development. A more realistic option may be to establish a Sustainable Development Council (SDC), modeled on the structure and operational flexibility of the Human Rights Council (HRC). Such a body would essentially replace the Commission on Sustainable Development, which could either be discontinued, or turned into an Environment Commission under ECOSOC. ? In either case, the sustainable development body should be mandated to work across the entire UN system and BWIs/IFIs and connect bodies and issues including subsidiary bodies under ECOSOC that do not interact today, such as the various socially related functional commissions and the Commission on Science and Technology. ? The sustainable development body could be equipped with a Universal Periodic Review for Sustainable Development (UPR-SD) mechanism, again modeled on the HRC where countries review each other on a voluntary basis. Through such UPRs the sustainable development body would establish important links with developments on the ground, serving to both help countries advance towards sustainable development and to inform the global sustainable development body of challenges and solutions on the ground. ? Where relevant, these UPRs could include reviews of the international support provided through the UN/IFIs for each country reviewed and thus provide links to the UN development system on the ground. At regular intervals, e.g. when a sufficient number of countries and the international support provided has been reviewed, the intergovernmental sustainable development body could meet with the UN Development Group to distill lessons for future work of UNDG in guiding the work of UN Country Teams. To ensure political clout and cross-ministerial and cross-sectoral membership and participation: ? The sustainable development body should meet periodically at the highest level possible to ensure its political clout. In addition, meetings at ministerial level and technical levels should always be designed in a way that attracts ministers, civil servants and NGOs from different portfolios. ? It could be considered to award permanent membership to some Member States and/or Chairs of Groups ? A UPR mechanism would itself provide a strong impetus to ensure cross-ministerial participation and clout. To ensure that subsidiary bodies fully reflect the three dimensions of sustainable development and that gaps are closed: ? Other potential gaps in ECOSOC?s subsidiary bodies could be looked into. One example is the expert body on taxation. With the increased focus on fiscal reform, subsidy reform, etc. embedded in, among other things, the thinking around a green economy, an upgrade of this expert body to a higher level body could be considered. ? Consider whether institutional arrangements for handling disasters and for disaster risk reduction are adequate to ensure proper integration of disaster risk reduction measures into mainstream development; ? Ensure stronger interaction with regional subsidiary bodies. Regular sessions focusing on work in the regions could be part of the work programme of the sustainable development body. To ensure stronger interaction with civil society and private sector: ? While participation of civil society and the private sector will be important in regular sessions of the proposed intergovernmental sustainable development body, there may be a need to zoom in on the particular contributions that these actors can make in promoting sustainable development including through partnerships with governments. Therefore, a tripartite sustainable development subsidiary body could be established under ECOSOC. This body could be modeled over the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues which has equal membership of government and indigenous peoples? representatives. UN inter-agency coordination mechanisms at the global and regional level The current system of UN inter-agency coordination mechanisms has evolved over the past 10-12 years as a response from the UN system to the increasing need for ensuring coherence and coordination across a broad and multi-facetted system of secretariats, funds, programmes and agencies with particular mandates each in their field and governed by different mechanisms. These inter-agency coordination mechanisms will need to reshape/adjust to reflect the outcomes of Rio+20. UNDP welcomes the discussions that are already on-going within the inter-agency system in this regard, including concerning more frequent interactions between the UNDG and HLCP. The functions to be performed by the inter-agency system at the global and regional level should include: ? Making effective sustainable development integration and coherence a core task for coming years, with a strong focus on building an optimal enabling framework for UN Country Teams and member states in their pursuit of sustainable development; ? Enhanced integration of work across the three dimensions of sustainable development; ? Enhanced participation by the IFIs on a committal basis in inter-agency mechanisms at all levels; ? Application of the issues based approach to the substantive work in all three dimensions of sustainable development (this approach is currently applied to environmental or environmentally related issues only); ? Stronger links between the normative and the operational parts of the inter-agency system; ? Strengthened participation, not least by non-resident agencies, in regional inter-agency coordination mechanisms; ? Strengthened interaction between inter-agency coordination mechanisms at the regional level to ensure stronger support for integrated delivery at the country level; ? Better synchronized coordination at the regional level. How this may happen ? Rio +20 could encourage the further development of the Framework for Advancing Environmental and Social Sustainability in the UN as a means to enhance system-wide coherence and strengthen linkages between the normative and operational work of the UN; ? Introduction of an integrated and possibly shared budget system and shared knowledge management system by given deadlines; ? Through a review of the geographical coverage of their regional divisions, UN agencies could synchronize their organizations at this level. ? Rio+20 may consider commissioning an independent review of the UN inter-agency coordination mechanisms and system. Copyright 2011United Nations Development Programme. All rights reserved. For more information: www.undp.org/ United Nations Development Programme One United Nations Plaza ? New York, NY 10017 USA


text:
New Year's Eve Packages at Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa
Come and celebrate the New Year with Bailiffscourt Hotel and Spa! After a warm welcome you can relax in the spa before enjoying a wonderful five-course gourmet dinner and entertainment into the small hours.
Following a well-deserved lie-in, join the manager and other guests and spa members in our annual New Year's Day swim in the sea - a bracing but exhilarating experience!
New Year's Eve - Party Night
New Year's Eve - Thursday 31st December 2015
After your afternoon arrival we will be serving Champagne and sparkling wines in our lounges. Complete your afternoon by playing board games, exploring the grounds or being pampered in our award-winning spa. Treatments are additional, and we advise booking in advance as they are understandably popular.
The evening begins with a Champagne and canapé reception, and perhaps you might embrace the night's Scottish theme by wearing kilts and tartan. A five-course, Scottish-themed gourmet dinner will be served in our candlelit restaurant.
After dinner our resident DJ will soon have you on your feet and dancing well into the New Year.
New Year's Day - Friday 1st January 2016
After a well-deserved lie-in, join the manager and other guests and spa members
in our annual New Year's Day swim in the sea - a bracing but exhilarating experience!
Your reward for your bravery - or even if you have stayed snug in bed - is a fantastic traditional English breakfast.
After breakfast your brief but memorable stay with us will be at an end, unless you would like to stay for New Year's Day luncheon or book further nights at a special rate.
For more information and to book please call 01903 723511.
|Party Night
|Additional Nights
(half board)
|Featured Suite
|Deluxe Double Room
|Superior Double Room
|Classic Double Room
Please be advised that bookings of six or less may be accommodated on party tables of up to ten guests.
Prices are per person based on two sharing. Single supplements apply.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Welcome Guest!
Sign In
New Guest
A 14K rose gold ring set with one round "Chocolate" Tahitian Pearl, 9-10mm and bronze in color, and three faceted round Diamonds totaling 0.09 carats, total weight, in a "Diamond-cut leaves" setting. Approximate width of setting = 3/4". Additional ring sizes may be available at a higher price, please contact Personal Shopper at 800-253-6016 for assistance.
Copyright and trademark laws under U.S. and international law protect this site. All rights reserved. ©1999-2016. 1-800-253-6016


text:
In the corridors of power
D.C., as US Americans like to call their capital, is a city everyone somehow feels they know. After all, it provides the backdrop for the US correspondents who report on the daily evening TV news and for the heroes of the political and spy thrillers that follow them. But what is it really like in the corridors of power? A good way to find out is to take a look behind the scenes at the White House - and anyone can
Back to the overview
A glimpse behind the scenes in the home of the powerful
The White House:
A sight you've seen a thousand times: World famous as the residence and official seat of the US President, the White House was first occupied in 1800 by John Adams. A far less well-known fact, on the other hand, is that the current home of the Obama family also opens its doors to the public. To make sure of a place on a tour, it's a good idea to book as early as possible (but not more than six months before your planned date). US citizens are required to apply through their congressman, people of other nationalities through their respective embassy in Washington. Incidentally, the same procedure also applies to a visit to the Pentagon.
The White House: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Tel. +1-202/456 70 41 (Visitors Office). Free tours by prior reservation, Tuesday to Saturday mornings. White House Visitor Center (no prior reservation required): 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, +1-202/208 16 31. Opening times, daily (except Thanksgiving, Christmas and January 1) 7:30am – 4pm. Admission: free. www.whitehouse.gov/about/tours-and-events
Embassy Series:
Transcending borders: How about a short trip to Egypt, China or Turkey? Contributing to the Embassy Series, the diplomatic missions of these and other countries hold mostly classical concerts, although there is a growing trend toward performances by folk musicians from the respective countries. In addition to an enjoyable musical event, visitors also have the opportunity to take a look behind the prestigious facades of the embassy buildings.
Embassy Series: Tel. +1-202/625 23 61. Often several concerts a month, dates and admission prices available on the website: www.embassyseries.com.
International Spy Museum:
Top secret: A host of unwelcome guests also prowls the corridors of power. In fact, according to the International Spy Museum, "more than 10,000 spies" allegedly live in Washington. This extraordinary museum provides information about some of history's most spectacular cases of espionage, tells of undercover agents from the days of the Cold War and the 21st century, and showcases some of the tricks and technologies spies use. A visit is not just highly informative, but also very entertaining. Instead of offering guided tours, the museum sends visitors on secret missions, and also has some very special adventures lined up for children and teenagers.
International Spy Museum: 800 F Street, NW, +1-202/393 77 98. Opening times: daily (see website). Admission: US$ 18 (ages 12-64), reductions for children and senior citizens. www.spymuseum.org
Where fact and fiction intersect
Washington Monument:
Symbol of power: On its completion in 1884, the 169.3-meter-high obelisk ousted Cologne Cathedral as the tallest structure in the world, but in turn lost the title to the Eiffel Tower in Paris five years later. To this day, however, no building rises higher into the sky over Washington, making the visitor level right below its tip a fantastic place to grab some impressive views over the entire city. The aluminum-tipped stone needle also plays a special role in several works of pop culture - for examples as a favored target in the sci-fi movie Mars Attacks!.
Washington Monument: National Mall. Opening times: temporarily closed due to maintenance. www.nps.gov/wamo
House of the Temple:
Mysterious string pullers: Freemasonry was a subject of hot debate in Washington long before Dan Brown (Angels and Demons, The Da Vinci Code) released his new bestselling novel The Lost Symbol. The fact is that some of the United States' founding fathers (none other than George Washington among them, for example) were members of the secret society - and that Brown's story is pure fiction. Washington's Masonic temple, on the other hand, really does exist and is officially open to visitors.
House of the Temple: 1733, 16th Street, NW, Tel. +1-202/232 35 79. Opening times: Mon-Thu 9am-4pm (March-August), Mon-Thu 10am-4pm (September-February). Admission: US$ 7.33, students and senior citizens US$ 3.33. www.scottishrite.org
Library of Congress:
Where knowledge is power: Nowhere will you find as many books and other items of printed matter (more than 32 million!) stored in one place or have the opportunity to turn the pages of so many extremely rare, historically significant volumes as in Washington's Library of Congress. Exhibitions, concerts and readings as well as other cultural events are regularly held here, too. Guided tours of the Thomas Jefferson Building are also available, offering visitors a chance to explore this imposing building with its Great Hall, Main Reading Room and impressive murals.
Library of Congress: 1st Street, SE, Tel. +1-202/707 80 00. Opening times: Thomas Jefferson Building Mon-Sat 8:30am-4:30pm (but vary for other buildings, Reading Room and cultural events). Admission: free. www.loc.gov
Pictures: Corbis (4), Look-Foto, getty-images


text:
Sweet home, Chicago
Where gangster Al Capone used to enjoy the view, where secret agents like to shop, how guitarist/singer Buddy Guy is trying to save the blues – six Chicagoans talk about life in one of the United States' most exciting cities.
Back to the overview
Chicago: city of Blues and secret agents
"Even now, after eight years, I never tire of this view," says Angela Roman, director of operations at the Signature Room restaurant on the 95th floor of the Hancock Center. "You can see for almost 80 miles on clear days, and the skyline is always changing with new skyscrapers going up and light and weather conditions never the same." Roman always had a head for heights, she says, but admits that getting used to the elevator ride every day was difficult. "After all, we are 300 meters above the street"
Restaurant Signature Room in the Hancock Center, 875 N. Michigan Avenue, Tel. +1-312/787 95 96, www.signatureroom.com
"When I came to Chicago in the 1950s, there were so many blues clubs here, you couldn't count them," says Buddy Guy. He is a veteran of the old days of blues from which legends like Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and he himself emerged. Today, Guy runs one of the last surviving blues clubs. "I invested my life savings to try to save the blues," he says. "Otherwise, where's the next Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton or Stevie Ray Vaughan going to come from? They all started out on their careers in clubs like these"
Blues-Club Buddy Guy's Legends: 700 S. Wabash, Tel. +1-312/427 11 90, www.buddyguy.com
The shop where Patrick Shaffner and Shirley Sung work may be called "Boring Store" but it's anything but. "We are really a secret agent shop," they say, tongue in cheek, "but if we called ourselves that, no true agents could shop here." And whose idea was it to open a spy shop in the trendy Wicker Park neighborhood? "That information is classified," says Shaffner, but concedes this much, "the shop is backed by a non-profit organization that runs creative writing courses. The store helps to fund the teaching"
The Boring Store: 1331 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Tel. +1-773/772 81 08,
Tattoos, architecture and contemporary history
Marci Mundo was 18 when she got her first tattoo – a flower on her foot – because she waited till it was legal. Eight years on, she is now manager of Tatu Tattoo, one of the oldest tattoo studios in Chicago. "I come from an artistic family," says Marci. "I've been interested in art for as long as I can remember." So she considers tattoos an art form? "Definitely! Here in the shop, we draw about 90 percent of the motifs ourselves, which means that nearly every tattoo is an original!"
Tatu Tattoo: 1754 W. North Avenue, Tel. +1-773/772 82 88, www.tatutattoo.com
Helmut Jahn only intended to spend a couple of terms studying here when he came in 1966. "Back then, everything was much more focused on Chicago. This is where modern architecture has its roots." But the man from South Germany stayed on after graduating – and built a career as a world-famous architect. His company headquarters, a venerable, 40-story skyscraper, used to be one of the tallest buildings in the world. "You might be interested to know that the dome once housed the Stratosphere Lounge," says Jahn, "a bar that served alcohol during the Prohibition and was a frequent haunt of Al Capone"
Murphy/Jahn Architects: 35 E. Wacker Drive, www.murphyjahn.com
A place with a history: The Regal Theater opened in the 1920s and was the first large venue for black audiences. All the major black entertainers performed here. The New Regal Theater followed the Regal in the 1980s, but was forced to close around the turn of the millennium. Then a few years ago, new investors bought the historical building. "We wanted to give the Regal Theater back to the neighborhood," says general manager Rick McCoy. "This isn't one of the wealthiest communities, but people here have the same right to good entertainment as those in areas that are better off."
Chicago Regal Theater: 1641 E. 79th Street, Tel. +1-773/768 99 00, www.chicagoregal.com
Photos: Jupiterimages, Achim Multhaupt (6)


text:
- Acura
- Aston Martin
- Audi
- Bentley
- Buick
- Cadillac
- Chevrolet
- Chrysler
- Datsun
- Dodge
- Eagle
- Ferrari
- Fiat
- Ford
- Geo
- Golf
- Honda
- Hummer
- Hyundai
- Infiniti
- Isuzu
- Jaguar
- Jeep
- Kia
- Lamborghini
- Land Rover
- Lexus
- Lincoln
- Lotus
- Maserati
- Mazda
- Mercedes
- Mercury
- Mini Cooper
- Mitsubishi
- Nissan
- Oldsmobile
- Plymouth
- Pontiac
- Porsche
- Rolls Royce
- Saab
- Saturn
- Scion
- Smart
- Subaru
- Suzuki
- Toyota
- Volkswagen
- Volvo
1998 Lexus SC Custom Hoods, 1998 Lexus SC Custom Trunks
Aftermarket 1998 Lexus SC hoods help make a car look newer. Just this one replacement can make a big difference in a car's appearance, mainly because it's such a large component in and of itself. You can replace a 1998 Lexus SC hood with one that's an exact copy of the vehicle's stock Lexus hood, or you can select a customized Lexus hood that falls in line with a new design you had in mind for your Lexus car. Either way, you'll end up with a Lexus car that's better looking, with an engine that's better protected from anything that might damage it
1998 Lexus SC Carbon Fiber Trunks are located at the back of most Lexus trucks, Lexus SUVs, and Lexus cars, and act as the main storage spaces for these vehicles. For Lexus truck owners, the Lexus trunk is mostly an open bed that is left uncovered. For Lexus drivers of cars and SUVs, however, the Lexus trunk is often a distinct space reserved for the transportation of luggage, groceries, and all kinds of other odds and ends.
Though you can't replace the Lexus trunk space itself, you can replace the Lexus rear trunk hatch that keep that keeps the trunk space enclosed. Also often known as a 1998 Lexus SC hatch, this piece is as replaceable as the 1998 Lexus SC front hood is, though it is replaced far less commonly. If your car got rear-ended, or even if it's just bruised up a bit to the point where paint alone can't make a difference, you may want to replace that trunk hatch or 1998 Lexus SC hood with an aftermarket version that looks cleaner and newer to help maintain the value of your 1998 Lexus vehicle.


text:
- Chevrolet Bull BarsDodge Bull BarsFord Bull BarsGMC Bull BarsHummer Bull BarsJeep Bull BarsMercedes Bull BarsNissan Bull BarsToyota Bull Bars
- Spec-D TuningRacing EleganceSpyder
Bull Bars
Featured Bull Bars Products
An aftermarket bull bar basically sits attached to the front of the vehicle, and is meant to protect any passenger inside the vehicle from potential injury if a large animal is hit head-on. Though metal versions are banned in some jurisdictions, polycarbonate and other materials are now being used more frequently. You don't even have to use a bull bar as a safety measure; they're also used to mount lighting equipment, emblems, and other aftermarket accessories. So if you found a way to use a bull bar, and you think you'll like the look of one on your vehicle, go ahead and get it installed.


text:
Milan - Homes with a history
Born half a millennium ago, Andrea Palladio was destined to become one of the greatest architects of all time. Today, the palaces and villas he built in Northern Italy are popular destinations for architectural tours; and for some people, they are even a more or less regular home
Homes with a history
Some houses are more than just rooms with walls around them. "When I decided to move into this house, many of my friends saID it had a special magic," says Christian Malinverni, a business consultant from Milan who has been living in the magnificent Villa Godi Malinverni just outside Vicenza since 1997. "I was skeptical, I don't believe in that kind of thing. But I have to admit that there really is something unusual about this place. Maybe it's the air or the water, I don't know, but my begonias survive the winter outside without any problems. My gardener thinks that's normal, but when I told my florist in Milan, he laughed."
But some people are also surprised to learn that Malinverni lives in the villa through the winter. The reason for their consternation is that Villa Godi Malinverni was built by Andrea Palladio, the star architect of the Italian Renaissance. It's an early work dating from ca. 1540, has 12 000 square meters of floor space and ceilings up to nine meters high - and there is barely a wall that isn't covered with frescoes.
The drawing rooms, sometimes nine meters high, are replete with frescoes
Andrea Palladio was not the man for false modesty. He was over 30 when he traveled from his hometown of Vicenza to Rome, where he fell in love with the Pantheon: Now something just like this - only more modern - was what he wanted to build! Today, nearly 500 years later, we know his was not simply the crazy dream of a megalomaniac, but a dream fulfilled thanks to his patrons, who included the prelate Paolo Almerico, who had returned to his native Vicenza after a brilliant career in the Vatican and who loved the country life.
Almerico envisioned for himself a villa worthy of a pope, and Andrea Palladio obliged him in 1566 by conceiving the monumental La Rotonda. Visible from quite a distance, it stands proud amid the undulating hills outside the gates of Vicenza. Neither architect nor patron lived to see the villa completed because it took over 40 years to build. After an eventful history, a neglected and abandoned La Rotonda was ultimately bought by the Venetian Valmarana family in 1909. "My grandmother was friendly with Rainer Maria Rilke and Hugo von Hofmannsthal," says Conte Ludovico di Valmarana. "She sent them on ahead to Vicenza to view the villa and only after they returned, full of enthusiasm, did she actually buy it."
Today, Conte Ludovico lives with his wife, his two sons and their families at La Rotonda. But only in the summer, when it's hot outside and deliciously cool within the villa's walls. You would freeze to death there in the winter because there is no central heating - nor will there ever be: "Warm air is bad for the frescoes," says the intractable 84-year-old.
He has made some concessions to modern-day comfort, however, putting in electricity and running water, and installing bathrooms. He also prides himself on the kitchen he made serviceable for his cook by providing a wood-burning stove and a stone sink.
Serviceable for creating culinary delights! It's very easy to picture pasta being rolled out on the massive kitchen table and a succulent roast browning in the oven. The dining room easily seats twelve, and if more diners arrive, a long table is placed beneath the central dome or outside in the loggia. "We enjoy life at the villa," says Conte Ludovico, "it's a pleasure to entertain friends and guests here in the summer."
Paying guests are only permitted to view the villa from the outside, and even that is not always possible. The count is unrelenting. "It is our home, after all," he points out.
La Rotonda is a monumental piece of architecture that even provided the architects of the White House in Washington with inspiration. Visitors are welcome to view from the outside, but not to enter the building
This doesn't stop up to 50 000 people coming to the gates of the park each year requesting admission. La Rotonda is an architectural monument that has served as the model for countless buildings, including the White House in Washington and the replica a Palestinian billionaire recently erected on a green hilltop near Nablus.
Who exactly was Palladio? "A genius," opines artist Manuela Bedeschi, seated by the gigantic fireplace in her Palladian kitchen at a wooden table as old as the villa itself. She lives with her husband at Villa Pisani Bonetti - but also only in the summertime. They spend their winters in Verona.
Villa Pisani Bonetti restored to former glory following extensive renovation
She holds art shows in the spacious premises, too. The living quarters are on the second floor, in the converted hayloft, in the drawing rooms and in the splendid loggia. Bedeschi loves the property. "It's a house, not a palace, and it's relatively easy to maintain. It looks like Palladio spared a thought for the cleaning women, too."
Art and art exhibitions are an important part of daily life at Villa Pisani Bonetti
Andrea Palladio was born in Padua on November 30, 1508 and spent much of his life in Vicenza.
The old part of town alone is the site of more than 20 Palladio palaces, churches and arcades, which is why UNCESCO listed Vicenza as a World Heritage Site in 1994. Corso Andrea Palladio is the main artery in the center of town, where Max Mara, Armani and Benetton boutiques stand cheek by jowl with ice-cream parlors, pharmacies and cafés. Visitors are well advised to stop for a coffee or a snack at Pasticceria Sorará on Piazzetta Palladio, where the cappuccino is good, the cakes are even better, and the terrace affords an excellent view of an impressive Palladio statue and the town's giant basilica also designed by the master.
"You know, Palladio wasn't so crazy that the villas he built cost a stack of money to run," says business consultant Christian Malinverni. Originally, nearly all of his villas came with farms that helped pay for the their maintenance and provided a living for their occupants. This is no longer the case. "Too expensive," says Malinverni, "we have to come up with other strategies in order to keep the villa going."
He rents out the grand entrance hall, spacious drawing rooms and the garden to wedding parties and businesses as a venue for receptions, conferences and presentations.
Visitors keep out! Built in 1540, Villa Godi Malinverni near Vicenza is open to visitors, but they are not allowed indoors
The team of 22 domestic staff has its hands full. "There's always some problem. Keeping the villa going is a 24-hour job," one lady admits.
Five-year-old Ludovica Malinverni is oblivious to all of this. She lives with her parents in a modernized wing of the villa and is delighted when her daddy puts up a large screen in one of the drawing rooms on her birthday for her and her friends to watch a Disney movie. She knows all five gardeners by name and also that it will take her a long time to find her shoes again if she leaves them lying around. "You get used to this life," says Christian Malinverni. "It's exactly what I wanted."
The villa's facades owe their decorative patina to 400 years of history
When all's saID and done, his grandfather got himself a bargain when he bought the property in 1960 for 300 million old lire (around 160 000 euros). Over the years, renovations have cost three times the purchase price, but Christian Malinverni has been offered between 30 and 40 million euros for the villa in the meantime. Not that he's interested in selling. As he says, there's a special magic about the place.
Villa Almerico Capra Valmarana "La Rotonda":
Probably the most famous and also most beautiful Palladio villa, La Rotonda occupies a hilltop location on the Riviera Berica, two kilometers from Vicenza. Its consummate symmetries and columns are fine examples of Palladio's architectural mastery.
Via della Rotonda 45, Vicenza, Tel. +39-444/32 17 93. Outside viewings only
Villa Angarano Bianchi Michiel:
The residence of Count Giacomo Angarano is located close to Bassano del Grappa. Although alterations have been made over the centuries, the villa's two L-shaped barchesse and their columns are still just as they were originally built in 1548.
Via Corte 41, Sant'Eusebio - Bassano del Grappa. Outside viewings only
Villa Caldogno:
This villa was built in 1545 and is the property of Vicenza province. It is used for art shows and boasts some superb frescoes. The well-stocked library on the ground floor also contains a number of works devoted to Palladio.
Via Zanella 3, Caldogno, Tel. +39-444/90 50 54, open 3-6pm, Saturday 9am-12 noon
Villa Godi Malinverni:
Reputedly the first villa Palladio built, its construction goes back as far as the year 1540. Villa Malinverni houses a collection of paintings and fossils as well as a pinacotheca showcasing 19th Italian art. Almost all of the furniture here dates from Palladio's day.
Via Palladio 44, Lonego – Lugo di Vicenza, Tel. +39-445/86 05 61, www.villagodi.com, open Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday 2-6pm October through March, and Tuesday 3-7pm, Saturday 9am-2pm and Sunday 10am-7pm June through September
Villa Pisani Bonetti:
The villa was neglected for many years and has only been carefully restored more recently. Today, the owners use it for art exhibitions. The gardens provide a charming backdrop for vernissages.
Via Risaie 1, Bagnolo di Lonigo, Tel. +39-444/83 11 04, www.villapisani.net, open all year round. Tours by telephone appointment only
Villa Poiana:
Built ca. 1550 for the noble Paltinieri family. The Paltinieris did not live here but used the villa as an administration building for their estates. The villa is still bordered by a country estate and is regarded in architectural circles as a particularly fine specimen of Palladio's work. The villa is used for residential purposes today as well as for exhibitions.
Via Castello 43, Poiana Maggiore, Tel. +39-444/89 85 54, www.villapoiana.it, open Wednesday through Friday, 10am-1pm and 2-6pm, Saturday and Sunday, 10am-6pm in summer; in winter only by appointment. Telephone reservation required
Photos: Martin Nink
Further travel information
- Lufthansa Highlights Milan
- Information about the city of Milan


text:
At checkout we'll ask you to select a hotel from the list below. Once your booking is confirmed, we'll send you a confirmation voucher with full contact information (phone number, email address, etc.) for our local operator in case you need to update or change your hotel pick-up details.
Commonly Asked Questions
What if my hotel is not listed?
That's OK! At checkout you can select an alternative hotel and make your way there on the day of departure; or you can contact our local operator directly to make alternate pick-up arrangements.
What if I have not yet booked a hotel?
Once your hotel arrangements are finalized, you can contact our local operator directly with your hotel details.
What if I live locally, am staying with friends or relatives, and/or don't require pick-up?
Once your booking is confirmed, we'll send you complete details and directions to the tour/activity departure point.
This hotel will be listed for you on the checkout page.
You can review or edit your hotel selection before completing this booking.
Special Offer
$353.99 Save $104.00


text:
A variety of Oregon issued clothing and equipment will be for sale, including football helmets and jerseys, cleats, shoes, jackets, warm-ups, sweatshirts, polo shirts, T-shirts, sport-specific practice gear and more. Additionally, miscellaneous office furniture will be available for purchase.
This is a cash and credit only sale (no checks will be accepted) and all sales are final.


text:
Primary progressive aphasia
- Aphasia, primary progressive
- Primary progressive aphasia syndrome
News & Events
On this page
NCATS Co-Sponsored Conferences
American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) 19th Annual Meeting, Wednesday, May 04, 2016 - Saturday, May 07, 2016
Location: Washington, DC
Description: Save the date and plan to head to Washington, DC on May 4-7, 2016, for the premiere gene and cell therapy conference in the world. Taking place at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, the ASGCT 19th Annual Meeting will feature ground breaking clinical trial results, cutting edge technology advancements, social networking events, and much more. Join over 1,900 of the worlds top gene and cell therapy professionals for four full days of educational offerings including plenary lectures given by Dr. David R. Liu and 2015 Japan Prize recipients, Dr. Alain Fischer, and Dr. Theodore Friedmann.
- Aphasia, primary progressive
- Primary progressive aphasia syndrome


text: Print ID Number Search Results Complaints N/A Investigations N/A Recalls 1 Service Bulletins N/A Have a safety-related Complaint? Let us know by going to our File a Complaint Page Share this pageEmail A Friend ReceiveEmail Alerts RSS Learn AboutNHTSA's Recall Process Email a Friend * Required--> Recipient's Email Your Email Your Name (optional) Please wait... Receive Email Alerts Please select the link below to go to our email subscription page. Email Subscription Page Subscribe to RSS Vehicle Recalls: Google MyYahoo Child Restraint Recalls: Google MyYahoo Tire Recalls: Google MyYahoo From User Complaint to Recall NHTSA's databases provide an in-depth record of Safety Issues for Vehicles, Child Restraints, Tires, and Equipment. Safety Issues include all government and manufacturer-issued Recalls for your product as well as Safety Complaints other users have filed. Learn about NHTSA's Investigation process to issue a recall. Your Safety Complaints and Safety Complaints of others TO NHTSA may conduct a Safety Investigation OR Manufacturer reports Safety Issue TO If a Safety Issue is found, a Recall could be issued Complaints (There are no complaints for this product..) Investigations (There are no investigations for this product.) Recalls Service Bulletins (There are no service bulletins for this product.) Loading Recalls... Request Research Category NHTSA ID Number Remove from List Fees and Copying Services By authority listed in Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 7, there are fees assessed by TIS for this service. We charge a standard labor charge of $50.00 per hour for requests involving computer searches, locating and copying documents. In addition, we charge duplication fees, which are $0.10 per page for paper-based or imaged documents. Some files are only available on microfiche; which means you will receive paper-based copies of microfiche sheets. Many simple questions can be answered free of charge by calling our toll-free NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236. Among their many services is the capability to provide information on recalls, the status of defect investigations, and referrals to many other Offices and Organizations. Contact Information All fields are required unless otherwise noted. First Name: Last Name: Requester Type: --select-- Law Firm Researcher/Engineer Consumer/Individual Company: (Optional for Consumer/ Individual) Address Line 1: Address Line 2: (Optional) City: State: --select-- ALABAMA ALASKA AMERICAN SAMOA ARIZONA ARKANSAS ARMED FORCES AMERICAS ARMED FORCES EUROPE ARMED FORCES PACIFIC CALIFORNIA COLORADO COMMONWEALTH OF NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS CONNECTICUT DELAWARE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA FLORIDA GEORGIA GUAM HAWAII IDAHO ILLINOIS INDIANA IOWA KANSAS KENTUCKY LOUISIANA MAINE MARSHALL ISLANDS MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS MICHIGAN MINNESOTA MISSISSIPPI MISSOURI MONTANA NEBRASKA NEVADA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW JERSEY NEW MEXICO NEW YORK NORTH CAROLINA NORTH DAKOTA NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS OHIO OKLAHOMA OREGON PALAU PENNSYLVANIA PUERTO RICO RHODE ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTH DAKOTA TENNESSEE TEXAS UTAH VERMONT VIRGIN ISLANDS VIRGINIA WASHINGTON WEST VIRGINIA WISCONSIN WYOMING Zip Code: Phone: Extension: (Optional) Email: Confirm Email: Check to aggree to terms stated after the checkbox By checking this box I agree to pay all fees, that may apply under terms and conditions of Fees and Copying Services for processing this request. Please wait... Refine/New Search Select one or more areas to search, then enter up to 25 NHTSA ID's separated by comma, space or new line. ABOUT NHTSA IDS NHTSA assigns each Safety Issue a unique ID. There are several places to find a NHTSA ID: Confirmation email when you file a safety complaint Manufacturer letter regarding a recall News item or NHTSA press release about a recall Complaints Investigations Recalls Service Bulletins NHTSA ID's13V018000


text:
Prices and availability are subject to change from the time and date that you print this page.
7/2/2016 3:36:39 AM. For Customer Service, please call 800.933.9904
Available in Pink, Lavender, Grey or Aqua, our exclusive Dream Girl Sham is like something out of a dream (hence the name). Round out the look with the matching quilt.
Aqua Dream Girl Quilted Sham 26"Wx20"H
Details, details
- Nod exclusive
- Imported
- More colors available
Show 'em what you're made of
- Shell: 100% cotton
Care instructions
- Machine washable
Extras! Extras!
- Coordinating Dream Girl Bedding available
At The Land of Nod, nothing is more important to us than providing safe, high-quality products to you and your family. We believe that kids' products should be able to handle everything kids throw their way (literally and figuratively). That's why all of our products have an 18-year quality guarantee. And, hopefully, your kids will no longer be sleeping in bunk beds by then.
Who's there?
Anita who?
Anita borrow a cup of sugar, may I come in?
Natural Harmony™ Pillows
Our Designers Recommend
Hampshire Arched Bed (Stone) $599.00 - $699.00More Colors Available
Aviary Pendant Lamp (Black) $39.97reg. $99.00More Colors Available
Head in the Clouds Pillow $19.00


text:
Sales / Product Support
Returns / Repairs
Eagle Optics takes the guesswork out of choosing a tripod head and legs by offering a great selection of tripod kits. Browse our kits by Gitzo, Manfrotto, Vortex, and more. All of our kits offer you a perfectly paired tripod head and legs. Whether you are looking for a spotting scope tripod or a camera tripod, our Eagle Optics professionals are available to answer your questions.
Displaying 1 Item


text: Our cute little bwon skinned family stands 2" tall or twists at the waist to sit down. They are proportioned to fit with our Parking Garage or any doll house, tree house, stocking or pocket. Made of solid renewable Rubberwood in Thailand. Non-toxic paint. Set inclues 2 parents and 2 children.


text:
The Township Committee is looking for residents to
volunteer their time serving as Montville Township Board or Commission members
as of January 2013. Examples of some of
the Township Boards and Commissions are:
Design Review Committee, Environmental Commission, Board of Health,
Recreation Commission, Planning Board, Board of Adjustment, Housing Committee, Long-Term
Financial Planning Committee, Historic Preservation Review Commission, Drug
Awareness-Municipal Alliance, Library Board of Trustees, Residents' with
Disabilities Advisory Committee, and Open Space Committee. Information regarding boards and commissions
is available at www.montvillenj.org.
If you are interested, please fill out
a Citizen
Leadership Form and submit to the Municipal Clerk by November 30, 2012 at firstname.lastname@example.com or fax to


text:
Dr. Moyer's Experience
Research training, expertise and qualifications
Dr. Moyer's Care Philosophy
Dr. Moyer's Specialties
- Family Medicine
More About Dr. Moyer's Background
Oops, you entered a bad link for Dr. Moyer!
The link you entered contains bad characters or identifiers. Please enter the link exactly as it appears in your email or text message.
Thank You
This confirms that we have received your survey about Dr. Moyer. Please note: Your insights will help other patients make informed decisions. Please note: it may take 1 business day for your survey response to appear.
Thank You
Our records show that you have already confirmed your survey for Dr. Moyer. Please note: it takes 24 hours for your survey results to show up on the doctor's profile.


text:
- Binoculars
- Spotting Scopes
- Tripods & Mounts
- Monoculars & More
- Hot Deals
Sales / Product Support
Returns / Repairs
At Eagle Optics, we understand that the holiday season can be hectic. We are dedicated to eliminating hassles of gift exchanges or returns. If you purchase a product to give as a gift after November 1, 2015 or if you receive a gift that was purchased from Eagle Optics during the 2015 holiday season, our normal 30-day return policy will be extended to allow you until January 31, 2016 to return or exchange the product.
If the product is not returned in new condition, there may be a restocking fee.
Please return the product:
Please note that if a product is not placed inside a shipping carton, the return or exchange will be subject to a restocking fee.
Our Eagle Optics professionals are available to answer your questions at 877-999-0094 or email@example.com.


text:
Call us 7 days a week
Know exactly what you want?
Save time with this quick order form. If you know the catalog/part numbers for the items you wish to purchase, enter them into your cart here. You can also browse the site and add items to your cart from any product page.
Quick Order
Top Categories in Electrical & Bulbs
Fluorescent Bulbs
Incandescent Bulbs
See More
Fixture Parts & Accessories
Locking Devices
Straight Blade Devices
Electromechanical Timers
Electronic Timers
All Categories
Please select at least one item
Adhesive Technologies T-Type 1" Ribbon CapT-Type 1" Slotted Spreader Nozzle Cap. Required adapter #3836.For Use With:
Give Us Your Feedback On This Page
* Help us continuously improve by reporting any errors or omissions on this page including:
Please provide an example of any missing or incorrect information...
* Your comments will help us improve our services to all customers.:
* Email Address:
* Verification: (Type the characters you see below)
If you need immediate assistance, please call 1.888.978.7759
By submitting this form, you agree that your submissions and their contents will automatically become the property of Global Industrial Equipment without any compensation to you.
Thank You For Your Input!
Your comments will help us improve our services to all customers.


text:
Free Case Evaluation
Tell us more about your case so that we may connect you with local, licensed attorneys.
Security | Privacy Statement
About Us
Since 2008, we have been helping individuals facing a legal issue find licensed, local attorneys that can help resolve their legal matters. We help over 50,000 consumers every month and our service is provided to you completely and 100% free of charge.
Seen In:
- USA Today
- Kiplinger
- The Washington Post
- Newsweek
What is DUI and DWI?
Driving while intoxicated is a very serious driving offense. Some states refer to it as Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) or Operating Under the Influence (OUI), but most states refer to it as Driving Under the Influence (DUI). The more colloquial term "drunk driving" is a misnomer, because you don't have to be drunk to be nailed for drunk driving.
DUI usually includes two stand-alone offenses:
- driving under the influence of alcohol to the extent it impairs your physical and mental faculties, and
- driving while you have a blood alcohol content of .08 or greater even though the alcohol has had no effect on you.
In the vast majority of DUI cases, both offenses are charged. The good news is that in the end, if you plead or are found guilty, you very likely will only be sentenced on one. The bad news is, of course, that it's hard to win a DUI case when the prosecution has two shots at you.
Do You Need a Lawyer?
Unlike the other driving offenses, defending a DUI charge usually requires a lawyer because the consequences of a DUI conviction are so serious. If you want to fight the case all the way through a trial, you should represent yourself only if you absolutely have no access to legal representation. On the other hand, you could save thousands of dollars in attorneys fees if the almost certain course of your particular case — like the vast majority of DUI cases — will result in a guilty plea and a standard sentence.
If you face a DUI charge you first need to figure out 1) whether fighting the charge in your case would likely result in a successful outcome, and 2) whether you can handle the case yourself in the course of entering a plea or arranging a plea bargain. Serious charges require an attorney's help. Second and subsequent DUI charges, juvenile DUI, DUI charges that involve injury or death, and DUIs in which you had a very high blood alcohol content can result in a substantially more serious punishment, and the laws concerning these more serious DUI offenses vary enormously from state to state.
Receive a Free Case Evaluation
DrunkDrivingLawyers.com offers in-depth information on DUI and DWI cases to help you understand what to expect. And if you're looking for legal help now, we put you in instant contact with drunk driving attorneys in your area.
Complete this form so that you can get a Free Case Review from a local attorney experienced with handling DUIs or DWIs; there is no obligation and you will be contacted shortly after the form is submitted.


text:
In my lightboxes:
Sunrise At Knots Island
Re: Morning RagaPosted on Thursday 30 June, 2016 by Laura Zirino.
This is much better than those crazy, flaming sunrises.
Re: At The End Of The DayPosted on Wednesday 29 June, 2016 by Paul Smithson Phillips.
Nice light Daniel.
Re: No RegretsPosted on Sunday 26 June, 2016 by Seung Won Jung.
I can feel the man's life...good!
Re: Looking Up Thru Antelope CanyonPosted on Thursday 23 June, 2016 by Richard Olson.
Well done!
Re: Sunset LightningPosted on Thursday 23 June, 2016 by Seung Won Jung.
Visible lightening...nice shot...
Get 11 Issues of Outdoor Photographer for only $14.97!
That's 77% off the cover price!
That's 77% off the cover price!


text:
Community Gardens are growing in popularity across the nation. This new craze may be attributed to a number of unique advantages including the opportunity for community involvement and service, growing healthy, organic, delicious produce, and educating adults and children on the importance of a healthy lifestyle.
Dancing Moose children are delighted to see how seeds germinate and grow into plants. They enjoy watering plants and learning how they develop to produce beautiful fruits and vegetables. The best part of the process is the pure enjoyment that comes from eating the organic produce that promotes healthy growth and development.
These are all reasons that the Dancing Moose Community Garden was organized, and it continues to delight children and their families as they participate in the plant growing process. This is one of the important aspects of the Dancing Moose commitment to children's healthy lifestyles.
PROBAR, a corporate leader of healthy food, is a partner in the Dancing Moose Garden and has a passion and belief for real, whole foods. Not only is PROBAR committed to real, quality whole foods for their product, they are committed to help provide that to their employees and those in the community as well. The partnership with the community garden has proved successful in sharing PROBAR'S passion for high quality, organic and delicious food.
Stacy grew up on a small farm in southern Idaho. Her love for the outdoors led her to graduate with her Environmental Science Degree from Southern Oregon University. Along the way, Stacy recognized a love for teaching and pursued her AMS credential from the Montessori Education Center of the Rockies in Boulder, Colorado. Stacy pursued her teaching career in Utah at Little Miner's Montessori and Dancing Moose while enjoying the beautiful skiing, mountain biking and gardening Utah has to offer.
Dancing Moose approached Stacy in the fall of 2010 to be an integral part in developing and designing a community garden. Stacy was thrilled at the prospect of combining her two loves: gardening and teaching. She jumped on board and spent countless volunteer hours building the framework of the garden and advising fellow gardeners on best practices using her Master Gardener credential. She has created a Montessori Garden Curriculum for students at Dancing Moose, and is thrilled to see the excitement of children as they plant, care, harvest, eat and enjoy organic food. Stacy continues as the Garden Director of Dancing Moose Community Garden and offers free garden workshops and advice to members.
Read the garden bylaws, fill out the garden application and submit the $50 annual fee to the front desk of Dancing Moose. Applications can also be emailed to Stacy Perkins at . Applications are subject to a lottery system for plots available. If your application is not chosen in the lottery than your application fee will be refunded and your name will be added to a wait list.
4 x 12 foot raised bed garden plot Garden Benefits include:
Workdays will be every third Saturday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm following workshops. Families are invited to work together.
Children have flourished in their Immersion classrooms that were initiated in the fall of 2011, and our upcoming academic year will continue full time Spanish and Mandarin Immersion as part of a Dual Language classrooms. Two teachers will alternate teaching core curriculum in each language, providing the perfect opportunity for children to excel in both languages as they learn from a teacher whose first language is English and a second teacher whose first language is Spanish or Mandarin. Ample research indicates that cognitive advantages occur beyond language acquisition to excelling in critical and creative thinking skills across multiple subject areas.
The majority of children in the Kindergarten Dual language classroom speak English as a first language. The primary academic goal will be to support Kindergarten core objectives in English and supplement activities in Spanish or Mandarin on a daily basis. Children will work on class activities in both their second language and English; one teacher will speak in English and the other will speak primarily Spanish or Mandarin in the classroom; language arts and mathematics instructional materials will be available in both English and the second language.
Dancing Moose is not introducing a new concept with its Dual Language classroom, but it is certainly taking advantage of the momentum of quality programs around the country that are capitalizing on children's enhanced creativity and analytical thinking in a Dual Language program. Virginia P. Collier and Wayne P. Thomas, noted researchers in Dual Language programs, have documented that children exposed to a second language learn at a more rapid rate. Bilingual researcher Ellen Bialystok of York University in Toronto stated that "several studies have linked bilingualism to improved working memory, which is associated with reading and math skills."
In research conducted at Nanjing University in China, bilingual seven-year-old children outperformed their monolingual peers on two working memory tests—one requiring them to recall and rearrange a series of numbers and the other to retrace a pattern of hops made my an animated frog on a computer screen. Researchers say that the best way to become proficient in a second language is to start young and practice often (Scientific American Mind, July/August, 2011).
Kindergarten is an ideal time for children to begin to experience the advantages of Dual Language instruction, and we look forward to continuing our Dual Language Classrooms at Dancing Moose this fall.


text:
This event has ended.
German Boy
Author: Col. Wolfgang Samuel
Book Signing Series
Author: Col. Wolfgang Samuel
Saturday, December 15, 2012
12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Boeing Aviation Hangar
Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
Several times a month, authors of aviation- and space-related books are at the National Air and Space Museum's two locations to sign books and meet the public. Books are available to purchase at the Museum Store.
Autographed books make great mementos of your visit and terrific gifts for friends.
Directions to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
Udvar-Hazy Center Floorplan


text:
I had a very long, narrow block shape that I thought lent itself to some interesting partial-block designs. In fact, once I started working on this block, I started thinking of it almost as if you're looking at the night sky through a narrow skylight! That's why I'm calling this block "A Piece of Sky." Some of those half-square triangles are on the small side, both other than that, this block is really quite easy to make. Head over to the Free Spirit blog for the full tutorial.
And on top of all this blocky goodness, I also get to giveaway a charm pack of Free Spirit's Designer Essentials prints. Just to give you an idea of what you can do with a charm pack like this, Faith made this beautiful quilt for Spring Quilt Market entirely from Free Spirit Designer Essentials:
To win the Designer Essentials charm pack, just leave a comment on this post. I'll draw a winner on Monday. Good luck!