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Red Raspberry Leaf Tea is an herbal tea that should be in the kitchen of every pregnant woman and even those who aren't (it's actually good for everyone).
I should preface this post by saying that I was not a fan of tea, herbal or otherwise prior to learning about Red Raspberry Leaf tea. I have never, ever cared for tea and have never found myself compelled to drink it because every time I've tried it I thought it was nasty. I am also LDS (Mormon) and we don't drink caffeinated teas in general so it wasn't until I became pregnant again that I discovered herbal teas (which are completely acceptable from an LDS perspective). I have to admit that drinking herbal teas still takes some getting used to for me. I am finally starting to actually enjoy the earthy taste of the Red Raspberry Leaf tea (which tastes NOTHING like raspberries, by the way) and it is actually something I am starting to find comforting. I also find it easier for me to drink it iced and with a fresh orange squeezed into it rather than drinking it hot. So, without further adieu please take the time to read about this fascinating herb and all that it can do for you and your family.
History of Red Raspberry Leaf:
Red Raspberry Leaf (RRL) is a pale green leaf produced by the Raspberry plant. The use of Red Raspberry Leaves dates back to ancient Greeks and Romans and has a rich history of being used to treat a wide variety of ailments. Some of the illnesses that they used RRL to treat include: the flu, gum disease, rubella, upset stomach, hangover, diarrhea, fevers, vomiting, menstrual problems, inflammation, etc. The most popular use of Red Raspberry leaves is for pregnancy.
Red Raspberry Leaf Use in Pregnancy:
Many of the complications during pregnancy can be traced back to the mother's diet, which typically lacks in vital nutrients and minerals that she so desperately needs during pregnancy. Women wise to these needs have recommended herbal tonics during the childbearing years for thousands of years to help both mother and baby experience a healthy, normal pregnancy and birth. Herbal tonics are both safe and effective and they help to improve overall health and prevent any major problems from developing. They also boost the supply of vital minerals and vitamins, increase energy and improve uterine tone. It is important that herbal tonics (teas) be used regularly. Like exercise, they provide far less benefit when used sporadically. That is not to say that it won't provide benefit if taken on occasion but to reap the full benefits herbal tonics should be taken at least 5 days a week.
One of the most important herbal tonics to take during pregnancy is Red Raspberry Leaf. This is not tea made from raspberries. It is an herbal tea made from the leaves of the raspberry plant. Red Raspberry is the best known, most widely used and safest of all uterine and pregnancy herbs. Most of the benefits that are attributed to Red Raspberry Leaf tea are traced to the nourishing source of vitamins and minerals found in the plant and to fragrine (an alkaloid which gives tone to muscles of the pelvic region and the uterus itself).
Beneficial Vitamins and Minerals Found in Red Raspberry Leaf:
-Rich concentrations of vitamin C
-Vitamin E
-Easily assimilated calcium and iron
-Manganese and magnesium
-Vitamin A
-Vitamin B complex
-Many minerals including phosphorous and potassium
How Red Raspberry Leaf Helps the Pregnant Mother & Baby:
The increased vitamin A intake, in the form of carotenoids of RRL can aid the women's immune system as well as facilitate healthy skin and bone development for the baby. The Vitamin E helps to promote better circulation in the mother whose blood volume dramatically increases during pregnancy. RRL contains an easily assimilated form of calcium. An increased availability of calcium is necessary in controlling nerve response to pain during childbirth and in aiding bone development in the baby. The presence of fragrine allows the uterus to contract more powerfully and effectively during labor. The high vitamin and mineral content helps to replace those that are lost via blood loss in delivery. The alkaloids that are present will also aid in toning the uterus after birth as it returns back to its usual size.
Other Pregnancy Related Benefits of Red Raspberry Leaf Tea:
-It increases fertility in both men and women (drink for a few months while trying to conceive).
-Prevents miscarriage and postpartum hemorrhage by helping to tone the uterus thus creating a relaxed (atonic) uterus.
-Eases morning sickness
-Reduces pain during labor and after birth: By toning the muscles used during labor and delivery RRL eliminates many of the reasons for a painful delivery and prolonged recovery. It does not, however, counter the pain of pelvic dilation.
-Assists in the production of plentiful breast milk
-Can help make labor faster: RRL works to encourage the uterus to let go and function without tension. It doesn't strengthen contractions but it does allow the uterus to work more efficiently
-Studies show that women taking RRL have a reduced incidence of artificial rupture of membranes, forceps delivery or cesarean
Other Uses for Red Raspberry Leaf:
-Treating the common cold or flu (Treat with a RRL fast. Drink only the tea while your symptoms persist. Once your symptoms are gone return to eating fresh fruits/vegetables.)
-Treating sore throat
-Treating diarrhea (Drink 6 cups a day to treat diarrhea)
-Regulating a menstrual period and decreasing heavy periods (Drink 2-3 cups per day. After 2-3 months you should obtain a regular cycle.)
-Treating Acne: It can act as an astringent on irritated skin by tightening the top layers of skin which effectively reduces secretions, relieves irritation and improves tissue firmness.
-Can be used as a mouth wash to soothe mouth and throat irritations
-Can lower blood sugar in those suffering with diabetes (Those with diabetes must take care not to take RRL in too high of doses or it could actually cause their blood sugar to drop too low).
Possible Side Effects:
Red Raspberry Leaf has been used for thousands of years and is notoriously safe during pregnancy. From the studies that have been done, no side effects were found. Anecdotally, very little side effects have been reported with its use but like all things, side effects are possible and it is not always best for everyone. The following side effects may be possible:
– Mild loosening of stools
– Nausea
– Some doctors recommend not using RRL during the first trimester or limiting yourself to one cup per day. From my own experience, the advice of my midwife and the experience of my friends we have all taken it during the entire pregnancy without any side effects. But again, you are responsible for your own health and if you are concerned seek advice from your caregiver.
Where to Buy It?
Red Raspberry Leaf can be purchased in tincture form (alcohol based), capsule, pre-bagged or in loose leaf form. I recommend loose leaf form because you are most likely to get the best absorption and it is the cheapest form but for those who can't stomach the taste capsule form is a good alternative. You can buy the loose leaf tea from most health food stores or online.
Some Online Sources:
Compleat Mother: Loose Leaf
Frontier Herbs: Loose Leaf, available in Organic and in Regular
StarWest-Botanicals: Capsule Form
Red Raspberry Tea Blends:
Red Raspberry Leaf can also come in a blend with other herbs and these are great. The additional herbs have their own benefits and they also complement and enhance each other. My own midwife has her own special blend that she uses and sells through her herbal store. She sells two kinds, what she calls a Full Time Pregnancy Tea (to be used during entire pregnancy) and a Six Week Tea (a blend you use for the last six weeks). All of these other herbs have their own benefits but this post would be much too lengthy to elaborate on them. You can easily make your own blends by purchasing the herbs separately or you can buy a prepackaged blend. There are many prepackaged blends on the market as well.
You can order from Sherry's store, if you wish, and she can ship it to you. She is based in Oregon and her store is called Naturally Yours. Her phone number is 541-575-1241 and the address is 135 West Main St., John Day OR 97845
Sherry's Full Time Pregnancy Tea:
Organically grown: Nettles, Comfrey, Lemon Grass, Alfalfa and Raspberry Leaf
Last Six Weeks Pregnancy Tea:
Organically grown: Red Raspberry, Partridgeberry, Shepherd's Purse, Spikenard Root, Nettle, Comfrey, Alfalfa, Blessed Thistle, Peach and Peppermint
How to Prepare the Tea:
If you're anything like me and you've never made tea before the whole thing can seem a bit confusing. So I will post directions for those who were in my shoes. If you bought the tea in loose leaf form (meaning you have a bag full of herbs sitting in front of you) you can either make it one cup at a time or make it in a larger quantity. If you're going to drink it hot stick to one cup at a time. If you're like me and prefer it cold it is easiest to make it in a batch. You can sweeten it with honey or sugar if you like or some prefer to squeeze in a fresh lemon or an orange.
If you'll be making one cup batches you will need something to put the tea in. A reusable tea bag works well or you can buy a little tea infuser (they only run a few dollars and you can buy them in kitchen departments or stores).
One Cup Directions:
Boil some water and pour a cup of boiling water into a mug. Let cool for just a moment (so you don't burn the tea leaves) and place 1-2 tsp of the tea into the tea infuser or tea bag. Put the infuser or bag into the hot water and steep (let sit) for 10 minutes. Remove tea infuser or tea bag and you can sweeten the tea if you like (honey or sugar). I prefer omitting the sweetening part and I like using fresh squeezed orange. Some people like lemon.
Batch Directions:
Boil a quart (4 cups) of water in a pan. Once the water is boiling remove it from the stove and add 4-6 tsp of tea directly to the water and stir. Put the lid on the pan and let steep for at least 10 minutes. The longer, the better. Overnight is fine. When you are done steeping you need to strain the water. I use a mesh colander. Take a pitcher, put the colander over it and then pour the liquid/herb combo into the strainer. The herbs will stay in the strainer and the tea will be in the pitcher. I like to fill my pitcher with ice and squeeze fresh oranges into it. You could also sweeten it or use lemon, etc. Put in fridge and enjoy.
How Much Should I Drink?
That is going to depend on who you talk to. Some doctors/midwives recommend a maximum of one cup per day during the first trimester. Others suggest 1-2 cups throughout pregnancy and increasing to a quart (4 cups) a day during the last six to twelve weeks. Personally I did about a cup a day throughout pregnancy and am trying to get a quart in a day now that I am in the last six weeks. Consult your own caregiver, do your own research and do what feels comfortable to you.
Herbal Allies for Pregnancy Problems
Red Raspberry Leaf Tea, Herb & Extract Benefits
Wikipedia – Red Raspberry Leaf
The Benefits of Red Raspberry Leaves
Kegel and Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
I wanted to update everyone and let them know how much I think drinking RRL helped my labor and delivery. I had my son at home and it was about a 9 1/2 hour labor which doesn't seem very short to some people but compared to my 56 hour labor with my daughter it was heaven. But more important than how long labor was, was the fact that labor was amazingly easy. Don't get me wrong, it was hard work and everything but it was completely manageable. I never got to the "wall" where I didn't think I could do it. My contractions and labor progression was steady. In fact, labor could have been much shorter but I sat on a birthing ball for the beginning of labor (rather than walking around and squatting) to try and slow it down to make sure my midwife was there for the birth (she had to drive across the state to make it). I never felt out of it during my contractions and I was able to stay completely present. I actually didn't believe my midwife when she told me it was time to push, I made her check because I couldn't believe I had all ready made it though transition. I had my 11 pound 3 ounce boy at home without a tear and it was a wonderful experience. I believe many things contributed to the success of my pregnancy, labor and delivery but Red Rasbperry Leaf Tea was definitely a vital part of that. You can read the birth story HERE.
I just wanted to update and state that I had my 3rd child in May 2012. He was also born at home, as a water birth. I drank red raspberry leaf tea throughout my pregnancy and had the quickest most effective labor yet! Labor was 2 hours from first contraction until he was born. Still hard to believe coming from the mom who had a 56 hour labor with her first child. I know that the tea helped to contribute to my healthy, complication free pregnancy despite the enormous stress I was under (going through a divorce).
I do really recommend Sherry Dress' teas. She makes them in bulk from organic herbs and she has a few different blends each made for specific stages of pregnancy. She has a Full Time Pregnancy tea, a 6 week tea that you take for the last six weeks and a postpartum breastfeeding tea. Her store is based in Oregon and is called Naturally Yours. You can order by phone at 541-575-1241.


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The Giants likely lost a starting safety for the year against the Jets on Saturday night.
Giants coach Tom Coughlin said Sunday that safety Stevie Brown tore his ACL while returning one of Geno Smith's three interceptions in the first half of the game. Brown was set to start next to Antrel Rolle and was coming off a strong 2012 season that featured eight interceptions and two forced fumbles.
With Brown out, the Giants will likely turn to Ryan Mundy as their starter. Mundy was signed as a free agent this offseason after playing all 64 games for the Steelers over the last four years. The Giants also have Tyler Sash and 2013 fifth-round pick Cooper Taylor at safety.
The Giants haven't announced any cuts officially yet, but linebacker Aaron Curry took to Twitter with a message that made it sound like he'll be looking for a new place of employment.
"We have to understand its a sport and a business, it is NOT an evaluation of personal worth," Curry wrote.
Art Stapleton of the North Jersey Record confirms that the fourth overall pick of the 2009 draft has indeed been cut by the Giants.

subset: commoncrawl


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Japan's 'Faulty' Nuclear Power Plant
A panel of experts appointed by the Japanese government concluded that an earthquake fault found under one of the country's nuclear reactors could be active. The WSJ's Phred Dvorak explains that in the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan is not taking any chances.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
I ... the ... just days after another quake rocked the eastern Japan experts have revealed that ... a nuclear power plant in the West and the country sits directly on top of an earthquake fault ... I'm Deborah con killing joining me now is deputy bureau chief red to black ... again friendly exactly is this nuclear power plant wire officials just I'm discovering now it sits on top of the faults ... only months including prefecture ... her when she swings to scare him ... and today they haven't exactly whose image is mounted sitting on top of defaults ... ALM so let me down a few steps ... and ... to be ... I hadn't realized for a mini me New Year's day is that I read and it's a new reactors in to the plant has an active role running through the compound ... the Japanese sand and the nuclear plant's main and ... defaults burning through Islam is the Don't ... sits ... directly on juries and key in import equipment like that ... so while the time they realize that there is an active faults ... on ... the only real Airlines recently ... that there were faults connected to that active faults running directly under ... and least one reactor ... and so the question why is are those false that are connected ... active or not and that's when they went in ... and to look ... and steady recently ... and if I miss any requests by as I'm ... initiated by the government was and government group I'm appointed group of experts ... so what is it is found to be yes I you know I'm too dangerous I mean what a wedding in July as I wouldn't assume it's not that easy thing to deal with the I pad and nuclear plant that Zarti in existence ... well all of dependence on nuclear ... reactors and even two were shut down rebounds and the error Knight ... operating ... the Christian use the time ... the ... rain on the lines and and the date ... of the line does not foresee anime important nuclear plants that a gravy ... on top of active faults ... so what happened yesterday is the panel of experts say that the ACEO of ... light with a ... strong likelihood that fall ... is in fact that the war will move in conjunction with the act of ... and ... and and making the question is okay it's a business and we do that it ... is an ally right now to say is that I'm ... the Chairman's or adds to shut ... to order the ... and the reaction down but ... aam opinion if the regulator is Ardi said at that time he won't ... allow it to the start ... in fact it was too dangerous so that's why we are right now need to be ... the question is how ... I get to know you can actually were reacting to the commission it's the it's ... okay and just as sad a little bit of background on where I'm Japan's nuclear power stance ... on him when Net and can people expect to see some of the power to come back online ... as a Sydney jury and his back on line you know ... and ... the rest of them are on hold so what happens is that in a nuclear reactors and you can ... have ... that ... periodic examinations at ... the or shut down for ... three months on ... almost twenty year ... projects and found ... that happened after it issued a ... disaster ... I they were shut down New Frontier periodic checks and they were just not allowed to restart again ... of course ... for safety concerns while ... the one intended checked ... to make sure that all being mean at all kinds of safety concerns ... they're a lot of things in play now we have a new nuclear regulator ... guidelines for safety ... are being refinanced ... and Showtime and as you can see now they're all these ... new ... checks on an earthquake ... faults and ... when you're not ... alone ... in agility six twenty nine he said the plant is sitting in seat period so ... it's very difficult to say Gildan is moving he says when the reactors my on line ... at a thanks Fran much credit and hard training us from tempting ...


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Jacob Black~n~pack did a fall anonymous one shot competition. The prompt was: What will future bonfires and the tribal stories around them be like?
Come on baby light my fire
It was anonymous so nobody knew who wrote each story. I posted something small when I noticed that they were not getting a lot of entries. I should have known! Everyone else was clearly putting some intense effort into their entries, and put them in at the last minute. There were some fabulous ones and seven in all by the closing date. I really didn't think my little story had a chance.
I love anonymous competitions. They make it a level playing field. Popular people can't sway the vote with all their fans voting for them. It also means that people, who have never posted something before, can place it anonymously and be judged solely on their words. A number of the entries were either from new writers or broke new ground for old ones.
I posted my story on fanfic too, for those who are not members at JBNP. I kept the wolf identity anonymous too, lol. Insert your own wolf fun. So much fun reading the reviews, where each person thought it was a different character.
I am Australian and we don't do thanksgiving, but if I was thinking about what I am thankful for, then I'd say that I am thankful for all the writers who share their words with us all.


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N. Korea conducts live-fire drill in western sea
North Korea began a live-fire drill near the tensely guarded western border on Monday, hours after notifying the South of its planned drills in a rare move by the communist state, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The North fired several artillery shells in waters north of the Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea starting from 12:15 p.m., the JCS said.
After several rounds of the shells fell south of the NLL, the South Korean military shot dozens of artillery shells with K-9 self-propelled howitzers in response and dispatched F-15K fighter jets near the maritime border.
Residents in the northernmost island of Baengnyeong were evacuated to temporary shelters, military officials said.
The move came after the Southwestern Command of the Korean People's Army faxed South Korean Navy's Second Fleet at 8:00 a.m. to announce the fire drills in seven border regions near the western maritime border later in the day.
"North Korea demanded South Korea control its vessels in seven regions north of the NLL before it holds the live-fire drills," the JCS said. "We have banned vessels from entering the training zone for the safety of residents and sailors."
It is rare that the communist state announces a training zone that encompasses all western border regions ahead a live-fire exercise.
The South Korean military has stepped up its guard against possible clashes, looking into Pyongyang's intention behind the latest provocations.
"We consider that the North's announcement contains hostile intentions," Army Col. Wi Wong-seop, the vice defense ministry spokesman, said in a morning briefing ahead of the drill. "(North Korea) is believed to be creating a crisis situation on the Korean Peninsula by raising tensions near the western maritime border."
Seoul officials have been on high alert as some artillery shells fired by the North fell south of the NLL during a 2010 exercise.
The latest move comes as the North Korean military has been stepping up its rhetoric against annual joint drills between South Korea and the United States, firing a series of missiles and rockets in a show of force in recent weeks.
Pyongyang last week fired two mid-range ballistic missiles capable of striking Japan in the latest provocative launches, drawing condemnation from the U.N. Security Council.
souce by : http://khnews.kheraldm.com/view.php?ud=20140331001039&md=20140331142536_BC&kr=1


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Hepatitis C Reaching Crisis Levels; Requires Coverage for Routine Screenings
Nov 27, 2012, 10:00 ET
Summit on HIV and Viral Hepatitis Charts Priorities to Accelerate Testing, Reduce Disparities in Care
WASHINGTON, Nov. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the countdown to implementation of the Affordable Care Act begins in earnest, experts on the front lines in fighting viral hepatitis and HIV/AIDS issued this harsh assessment regarding escalating levels of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection: unless policymakers require insurers to cover the costs of screening everyone at potential risk for HCV, rates of cirrhosis and liver cancer will continue to rise and become a major drain on the healthcare system.
Responding to the decision by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) to limit HCV screenings to current and former intravenous drug users and other high risk groups, the more than 300 public health leaders attending the 2012 National Summit on HIV and Viral Hepatitis Diagnosis, Prevention and Access to Care in Washington urged policymakers to expand coverage requirements for one time screening to all baby boomers (born from 1945-1965), who are five times more likely than other adults to have HCV. Taking this step would align USPSTF's recommendations with new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that if followed, could identify up to 800,000 undiagnosed cases of HCV at an early stage.
This action is necessary now that chronic HCV infection is reaching crisis levels in the U.S. Today, an estimated 3.2 million Americans are infected, three times the number of people who have HIV. Disproportionately affected are ethnic minorities and especially, Native Americans, African Americans and Latinos, who are infected at significantly higher rates than the general population. However, because most cases of HCV go undiagnosed and untreated with effective therapies, CDC projects that illnesses and deaths due to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of liver cancer, will increase substantially over the next two decades. Although the healthcare costs associated with chronic HCV infection are difficult to determine, estimates for treating advanced liver disease in the affected population run as high as $9 billion annually.
"As the federal government and the states work to implement the remaining provisions of the Affordable Care Act, no workable agenda can ignore the pressing need to expand access to a simple test, used just one time, that will identify more people with HCV and get them treated with effective therapies that can cure their infection," said Veronica Miller, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Forum for Collaborative HIV Research, which convened the summit. "As with HIV, we expect that finding all actively HCV-infected individuals and treating them for their infection – curing them in case of HCV – will profoundly reduce the spread of the virus."
Action Needed to Accelerate HCV Testing, Increase Resources to Fight HCV
In light of new estimates that 75 percent of people living in the U.S. with HCV do not know they are infected, the Forum for Collaborative HIV Research put the nation's viral hepatitis prevention and detection efforts at the top of the summit's agenda, recognizing a national mobilization is needed to expand testing of baby boomers and those with known risks for HCV (current and former injection drug users, chronic hemodialysis patients, people with HIV, children born to HCV-positive mothers, and those who received clotting factor concentrates, blood transfusions or solid organ transplants before improvements in the blood supply).
Towards this end, the summit leaders focused on reimbursement policies that are linked to coverage recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel of private sector experts that determines which preventive services should be incorporated into primary medical care. Agreeing that screening tests for HCV should carry the same importance as those for cholesterol and triglyceride levels, where USPSTF gives an A or B grade and recommends coverage, summit leaders expressed disappointment with USPSTF's draft decision, announced November 26, to assign a B grade only to HCV testing for high risk individuals. For one-time testing of baby boomers, USPSTF proposes a C grade – defined as "offer or provide this service only if other considerations support the offering or providing the service in an individual patient" – meaning that Medicare and private insurers may limit coverage.
In contrast, summit attendees applauded draft USPSTF guidelines issued on November 19, which assigned routine HIV testing with an A grade, its highest recommendation, after concluding that earlier initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is associated with a lower risk for AIDS or death, and that ART reduces sexual transmission of HIV. If the panel ultimately adopts those recommendations, Medicare and most private health insurers will be required to pay for the tests.
"USPSTF's new coverage recommendations have the potential to rapidly expand routine HIV testing and therefore, get immediate attention for the nearly one in five people who don't know they are infected," said John G. Bartlett, MD, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "We urgently need the same coverage recommendations for HCV testing, which has the same potential to alleviate the impact of chronic hepatitis C infection. An increased focus on providing quality care to those at greatest risk for HCV is crucial to overcoming this epidemic and thus, must become a priority issue for the public health community."
Another important priority for the summit leaders is to achieve parity in federal resources for HCV research, public health interventions and public and physician programs with what the National Institutes of Health, CDC and the Health Resources and Services Administration allocate for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. Currently, public funds for HCV and viral hepatitis programs pales in comparison to HIV/AIDS despite a higher morbidity and mortality burden for HCV and the reality that HCV is now curable.
Targeting Those at Greatest Risk
Mobilizing the public health community around early detection of is especially warranted now that HCV is on the rise and occurs disproportionately among ethnic minorities and the medically underserved, which is why summit leaders advocate concentrating resources on reaching those Americans who face significant barriers in access to care.
Based on what is now known about the epidemiology of hepatitis C, those most impacted by the epidemic are Native Americans, blacks and Latinos, who often go undiagnosed and don't get treated with newly available therapies that can cure the majority of HCV infections. According to the latest findings:
- American Indian/Alaska Natives are 2.8 times more likely to develop Hepatitis C, based on 2010 estimates, and AI/AN women are 2.6 times as likely to die from viral hepatitis, as compared to whites.
- Approximately 22 percent of those infected with HCV are African Americans. In addition, blacks are also more likely to be infected with genotype 1, the most difficult type of HCV to treat, and therefore, have high rates of cirrhosis, liver cancer and HVC mortality.
- HCV affects 2.1 percent of the Latino population compared to between 1 percent and 1.5 percent of the general population. Latinos also face substantial barriers to access to medical care, including language and cultural differences and along with blacks, have less desirable treatment outcomes from standard therapy.
Underscoring these findings, John Ward, MD, Director of the CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis, called hepatitis C a large and under-appreciated public health problem where action is needed to provide vulnerable populations greater access to education, screening and testing programs so those who are infected will get appropriate care and treatment.
Confronting the HIV/AIDS Epidemic
While elevating viral hepatitis as a public health priority, the 2012 summit also focuses on the realities of today's HIV/AIDS epidemic, which disproportionately affects men who have sex with men (MSM), minority populations, the poor and the disenfranchised living in discreet geographic regions, especially in urban areas of the Northeast and West Coast and cities and small towns in the South.
Describing the evolving face of HIV/AIDS in the U.S., Kenneth H. Mayer, MD, Director of HIV Prevention at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital and the Medical Research Director of The Fenway Institute in Boston, said: African Americans now represent 46 percent (21,679 cases in 2010) of all new infections but are the least likely to have their virus under control. This is confirmed by new research, which finds that only one in five (21 percent) African Americans achieves viral suppression compared to 26 percent of Latinos and 30 percent of whites.
Besides African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. In 2010, Latinos accounted for 20 percent of all new HIV infections, or 9,653 cases, yet due to such barriers as poverty, lack of insurance, low education, limited access to health care, and language difficulties, nearly four in 10 (38 percent) are tested for HIV late in their illness and diagnosed with AIDS within a year. Recent data also indicate that HIV/AIDS has reached epidemic levels among American Indians and Alaska Natives. Despite their small number within the overall U.S. population, American Indians/Alaska Natives have a 30 percent higher rate of AIDS and HIV infection as compared to the white population when their infection rates are weighted based on their population size.
Complementing the new demographics of HIV/AIDS, Dr. Mayer said the U.S. epidemic is concentrated in specific neighborhoods around the country – the urban areas of the Northeast and West Coast and in the South – and especially in underserved areas known as HIV "hot spots" where transmission rates are as high as the most HIV-infected areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Citing new evidence from the HIV Prevention Trials Network's (HPTN) 064 Women's HIV Seroincidence Study (ISIS), Dr. Mayer said black women living in six HIV "hot spots" have a five-fold higher incidence rate of HIV than the overall rate of infection among black women estimated by the CDC. Besides living in poor and disenfranchised neighborhoods, the ISIS study attributed these higher rates of HIV in at-risk women to substance abuse, food insecurity, and contact with partners who either did not know or did not disclose their HIV status. The six cities where the hot spots are located are Atlanta, Baltimore, Newark, New York City, Raleigh-Durham, and Washington, DC.
In the HPTN061 study, 12 percent of 1,553 black MSM from Boston, Harlem NYC, Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Atlanta were newly diagnosed HIV positive. The previously undiagnosed positive men were younger, more likely to be unemployed and present with STI's. Study authors attribute the very high rate of undiagnosed HIV and STI infection to structural, behavioral and biologic factors, such as poverty, unemployment, local environment, unprotected receptive anal sex)
"What we are finding is that the HIV epidemic today is concentrated among the disenfranchised and socially marginalized living in underserved communities," said Dr. Mayer. "If we are to reverse the tide of this epidemic, we must focus on the root causes of HIV disparities in at-risk communities, including stigma, poverty, STI prevalence, incarceration, and limited social mobility."
Closing the Gaps in Testing and Treatment
High rates of undiagnosed and untreated viral hepatitis and HIV exist side-by-side with unprecedented drug discovery, which has produced a robust arsenal of new therapies and scientifically-proven interventions that achieve a virologic cure of hepatitis C and suppress viral load in the case of HIV. Thus, closing this divide is the "end game" for both the viral hepatitis and HIV/AIDS communities.
Summarizing the state of the science on HIV/AIDS, Dr. Bartlett said that new treatment guidelines could be a "game changer" if fully implemented, by accelerating the use of ART in everyone diagnosed with HIV.
The HHS Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents, which Dr. Bartlett chairs, also recommended ART for all pregnant women with HIV regardless of their CD4 count as well as those who are co-infected with the hepatitis B virus, have HIV-associated nephropathy or have a history of an AIDS-defining illness. Moreover, the new guidelines calls for the use of ART to prevent transmission of HIV from an infected individual to a sexual partner, a strategy known as treatment as prevention.
"After years of debate on when to initiate antiretroviral therapy, there is now scientific consensus that ART is an important strategy for reducing HIV transmission and should be made available to everyone, regardless of their CD4 count.," said Dr. Bartlett. "Based on what we know today, it can be argued that all patients diagnosed with HIV infection are candidates for ART."
Because testing is considered the single most important strategy for curbing the HIV and HCV epidemics, summit leaders welcomed the meaningful changes now taking place under the Affordable Care Act to expand preventive care but agreed much can be learned from new approaches and experiments that are expanding screening and detection efforts in local communities. One successful community-based approach is social networking, which enlists HIV-positive and high-risk HIV negative persons in communities of color to identify and recruit high risk individuals from their social, sexual, or drug-using networks. Other successful strategies include telemedicine support to clinical providers in managing viral hepatitis, the use of health system navigators in community and HIV clinics, mobile street vans that deliver medical and supportive services to patients in inner city neighborhoods, and transitional care management to retain ex-offenders in care.
About the Forum for Collaborative HIV Research
Now part of the University of California (UC), Berkeley School of Public Health and based in Washington, DC, the Forum was founded in 1997 as the outgrowth of the Keystone Center's report "The Keystone National Policy Dialogue on Establishment of Studies to Optimize Medical Management of HIV Infection," which called for an ongoing collaboration among stakeholders to address emerging issues in HIV/AIDS and set the research strategy. Representing government, industry, patient advocates, healthcare providers, foundations and academia, the Forum is a public/private partnership that is guided by an Executive Committee that sets the research agenda. The Forum organizes roundtables and issues reports on a range of global HIV/AIDS issues, including treatment-related toxicities, immune-based therapies, health services research, co-infections, prevention, and the transference of research results into care. Forum recommendations have changed how clinical trials are conducted, accelerated the delivery of new classes of drugs, heightened awareness of TB/HIV co-infection, and helped to spur national momentum toward universal testing for HIV. http://www.hivforum.org
SOURCE Forum for Collaborative HIV Research


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Rockies release 2013 Spring Training schedule
The final exhibition game of the Spring will be against the Seattle Mariners at a location to be determined.
The schedule features 16 home games, including a March 6 exhibition against Team USA, which will be competing in the World Baseball Classic. That will be a 7:10 p.m. MT start, the first of five night games the Rockies will host.
The other night games are March 8 vs. Kansas City, March 18 vs. Cincinnati, March 23 vs. San Diego and March 25 vs. Cleveland. The Rockies will play two night games on the road, March 15 at the Cincinnati Reds and March 26 at the Los Angeles Dodgers, both starting at 7:05 p.m. MT.
There are four scheduled days off and one split-squad date, March 22, when the Rockies host the Giants and travel to play the Rangers. The final home game is March 28 against Milwaukee, in a preview of the April 1 regular-season opener at Miller Park.
Individual game tickets for all games at Salt River Fields will go on sale beginning at 10 a.m. MT on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. Tickets can be purchased at the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick center field ticket office, the Coors Field Ticket Office, all Dugout Store locations, online at coloradorockies.com or by calling 888-490-0383 or 480-362-WINS (9467).
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian community members and D-backs and Rockies season ticket holders may purchase season ticket plans for Spring Training games at Salt River Fields exclusively between Dec. 17-19. Season ticket plans for the Rockies' 16 home games at Salt River Fields and all 33 Cactus League games at Salt River Fields featuring the D-backs and Rockies will go on sale to the public beginning Dec. 20.


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Current version: R6.2 beta 15
<now released>
(Synology link until it is published)
Changes since R6.1
- Fixed AAC decoding on QNAP with 64-bit ARM processors.
- Warning on corrupted database file, shown when accessing web config.
- Standalone builds for ARM64 and ARMv7 are now available.
- Compiler and toolchain updates.
Changes in beta 2
- Fixed QPKG regression causing failure to install correctly on QNAP devices with ARM processors
- Fixed QNAP TS-231P black images bug
Changes in beta 3
- Introduced Synology package.
Changes in beta 4
- Synology bug fixes.
- Changed the location of configuration data on Synology - out of space warnings/errors should be gone.
Changes in beta 5
- Reverted ARM 32bit (Raspberry Pi) and x86 builds to older toolchains for better compatibility with old Linux versions.
- Back to single 32-bit ARM build as the performance differences between the two versions served before were insignificant.
- Synology DS214 should be now supported properly.
Changes in beta 6
- Unchecking "Detect & Catalog New Tracks" now properly prevents startup rescan
Changes in beta 7
- Fixed incorrect values in updateID field returned to UPnP browser
- Fixed incorrect behaviors when Asset gets restarted in mid-browsing-session
- Fixed blank browsing output sent to all clients after a client sends a malformed search query
- Search speed optimisations
Changes in beta 8
- Fixed internal caches not being cleared with 'rescan all', causing wrong browse results until next Asset restart
- Fixed unexpected shutdown of entire Asset application in certain circumstances.
Changes in beta 9
- Attempted fix for incomplete scan on QNAP TS-231P2.
- Updated Synology app manifest.
Changes in beta 10
- More attempted fix for incomplete scan on QNAP TS-231P2.
Changes in beta 11
- Refined fix for incomplete scan on QNAP TS-231P2.
- Changed app data location on Synology to hide it from the File Station
no user action needed, old data will be moved to the new location
- Suppressed dc:creator values of Unkonwn, matching Windows version of Asset
Changes in beta 12
- Fixed missing option to set transcoded MP3 bitrate in the web interface
Changes in beta 13
- Fixed album art not showing with some control points.
- Fixed [ForceToSINGLE] not working in control point overrides.
Changes in beta 14
- Made LG TV hammering workaround present in default control point overrides.
- Fixed control point overrides [SimpleBrowse] produciong blank output instead of a flat track list.
- Fixed non working control point blacklist/whitelist.
Changes in beta 15
- Made multiple artists sent as artist1;artist2;...
- Added upstream art to 'top artists' entry.
- Fixed not giving out correctly object.container.person.musicArtist for artist listing.
Registered users
Installing a beta/trial version on top of a registered install retains the registered status.
QNAP TS-231P black images bug info
To make the bug go away, do a "rescan all" cycle to purge image cache.
Synology configuration data location
Due to an error on my end, upgrading beta 3 to newer eats the configuration. You can copy it to the new location prior to update manually - the proper location is now /volume1/AssetUPnP-Data ( contains usual .dBpoweramp folder ), old location was symlinked from /var/packages/Asset/etc . Replace /volume1 with another volume if installed in a non default location.
This is a one-time bug. Beta 3 deletes configuration prior to upgrade thinking that it's being uninstalled. This will not occur again with future updates.
LG TV workarounds
If you use non default control point overrides, your settings will not be altered with beta 14 LG fixes.
In order to add LG TV fix, add these lines to your control point overrides:Code:=WebOS [SimpleBrowse]


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Reduce your biggest life expense: Taxes0
Cleveland, Ohio (Oct. 23, 2013) — Taxes account for the most expensive burden you'll experience in your lifetime, says engineer-turned-independent financial planning coach Rao K. Garuda.
In addition to federal, state, city and death taxes, there are 59 other varieties. Relatively few taxes, however, account for the bulk of the burden on citizens, says Garuda, whose clients include retirees, people planning for retirement, physicians, business owners and other professionals.
He thinks his fellow Americans deserve a shot at keeping more of their money.
"When I came to the United States, I had less than $10 in my pocket, but I had an excellent education as an engineer. When I married a physician, I realized how expensive it is to make a good living here," says Garuda, (www.aca-incorp.com), who quickly applied his analytical engineering mind to understanding the complicated tax system.
"Since this country has given me so much, I wanted to repay my fellow Americans with strategies for keeping more of their own money."
Garuda identifies some of the most expensive and common tax hurdles affecting Americans and offers advice on troubleshooting our tax system.
• Problem: The IRA tax: great on the front end, terrible down the road.
– Solution: An IRA is tax-deferred, which means it will accumulate value over time. But when you withdraw from it, you will be heavily penalized with high taxes. That's why you should convert this asset to a Roth IRA, which allows your money to grow tax-free. Since the money put in was already taxed you don't have to pay any taxes when you take it out, and, overall, you'll save a significant amount of money.
• Problem: Too many people don't take advantage of creating tax-free income via insurance products.
– Solution: From a financial perspective, retirees and professional planners run into a significant issue: seniors, blessed with good health, who outlive their money. But with certain insurance products, retirees can create tax-free income while covering the later years of retirement – and protect their wealth if they become severely ill. There are certain insurance products tied to the stock market that can help people accumulate assets in the long run. Many of these products offer a tremendous upside for potential without the downside of increased risk.
• Problem: Missed opportunities – people who don't take advantage of free money in a 401k.
– Solution: Perhaps the company you work for is, like many others, bureaucratic to the point of being impractical. Your employer may not have done the best job communicating details about benefits such as matching 401k contributions, or you may not have taken the time to learn them. Now's the time; this is free money! If your employer is offering a 50 percent match on your first 6 percent of contributions to the 401k, you should be contributing at least 6 percent. Educate yourself on your company's plan so you can take full advantage.
Rao K. Garuda, CLU, ChFC, is president and CEO of Associated Concepts Agency, Inc. – "The Missing Piece" of financial planning — founded in 1978, and a popular speaker at seminars and conferences for financial industry professionals.
He came to the United States from India 35 years ago with a degree in engineering and, after marrying a physician, realized he had to learn how to reduce the couple's taxes. Disappointed in the financial advice he received from professionals, he went to business school and developed expertise in tax reduction, and protecting money from stock market losses.
Rao is a founding member of First Financial Resources, a national organization with over 75 partners in the USA; a life member of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), and a life member of MDRT's Top of the Table for 21 consecutive years.


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Regular readers of the "Naturalist's Corner" may recall that last year we set a new record for the annual GSMBE with 116 species. We shattered the old record of 109. Well this year we didn't quite reach 116, but we still bested the old record winding up with 113 species.
While last year was record-breaking, this year may have actually been a better representation of what this expedition is all about.
Last year the weather, especially on Saturday, created pretty tough birding conditions. But we were finding birds, thanks largely to the expertise of Alsop and Pyeritz, so we marched on though damp and chilly — to a deluge at Kituwah (formerly Ferguson Fields), adding to the list.
This year the weather was almost everything one headed outside could ask for — unless you were a birder and could do with a little less wind — with clear skies and mild temperatures. And we were also getting good numbers of species. The difference was, with the good weather we lingered longer at stops. And that patience paid off with outstanding views of different species.
At Collins Creek Picnic Area in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, most in the group were treated to up close and personal views of a beautiful "fire-throat" — blackburnian warbler. And at one overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway we had an orange variant scarlet tanager and a "normal" scarlet tanager together in the same view, plus a very cooperative chestnut-sided warbler. During the day, many people also got outstanding looks at indigo bunting, blue grosbeak and orchard oriole.
When the GSMBE began, the area we now know as Kituwah (the mothertown of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) was a dairy farm known as Ferguson Fields or Governor's Island. In that old state there were sludge ponds and a greater extent of wetlands that often produced a number of shorebirds.
There has always been a running battle at Kituwah/Ferguson Fields between man and nature. The area, which is adjacent the Tuckasegee river, historically harbored a lot of wetlands — the move to agriculture was a move to dry the property. If it weren't for beavers, that move would have likely been accomplished years ago. But beavers are nothing if not tenacious (and maybe OCD). And, largely thanks to beavers, there remains a small wetlands on the property.
This year, it looked like the farmers had won. Beaver dams were gone and the canal from the wetlands to the Tuck was basically dry. But nature abhors a vacuum, and there in the middle of what could best be described as a puddle was one greater yellowlegs, two (at least) solitary sandpipers and four western sandpipers.
Sunday was a teaser with some great early finds, like Tennessee warbler, bay-breasted warbler and Swainson's warbler. And for those committed "second-day" birders, outstanding looks at a Kentucky warbler.
But the day died and we wound up short of the 116 record. As we called it quits and were walking back to our cars, I mentioned to George that I thought it was pretty cool that we got such great views of some great birds. And, in his understated way, he reminded me that, that was what the GSMBE was all about: "We've always encouraged beginning birders, to try and show people what's out ther, to get them interested."


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The Transit Coalition eNewsletter, Wed., Oct. 31, 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Volume 3, Issue 44
Gasoline prices are on a vehement race to the top, as oil reaches near inflation-adjusted highs. A sagging dollar, production shutdowns in Mexico and political tensions are mostly to blame. The increases of recent weeks are reflected on the price for fuel, as Californians must pay $3.16 for a gallon of it. In fact, more increases are on the way, since currently purchased oil will not come to consumers until the springtime.
Fare evasion takes center stage once again at Metro. A study revealed that 5% of Metro Rail passengers do not pay the proper fare. The figures are slightly higher than those provided by the county Sheriff Department, which acts, among other things, as fare inspectors. This in turn has again prompted calls to install gates at stations, even as Metro is rolling out with the TAP program, which could come as early as late 2008. One Los Angeles Daily News editorial recommended increased patrols that would catch fare evaders and, in turn, increase safety.
Ousted Los Angeles City transportation chief Gloria Jeff quietly received a $95,000 settlement from city coffers for her wrongful termination. The matter left City Councilmembers fuming, since it was not allowed to vote on the matter. The development left a sour taste with the Los Angeles Times editorial board, which disapproved the peculiar methods that were used.
Was the new parking system at Dodger Stadium a success? Despite grumbling by the fans who now must shell out $15 to park, the system has notably reduced delays within and outside the ballpark. Indeed, access has been a major issue with most new ballparks. In the case of the San Diego Padres, they hired a transportation consultant who mapped out a plan well before Petco Park was built. Other franchises are also looking towards demand management techniques to control traffic and reduce delays.
Plenty of good tidings are given to LA/Ontario Airport, which is poised to grow thanks to increased hostility towards growth at LAX. The San Bernardino Associated Governments and SCAG recently announced it would fund a study for a Gold Line connection to said airport. Los Angeles World Airports executive director Gina Marie Lindsay outlined incentives that would make the airport more attractive to both passengers and airlines. The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin pretty much expressed the same thought.
Want to read more. See our complete newsletter!


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You still have time to order things and have them arrive at your doorstep in time for Seders!
So here goes: Hostess gifts, Round 2!
Passover Gift - Option 1. Monogrammed Soaps from Pottery Barn $39.00
I love these, and would be thrilled if someone gave me these as a gift!
Passover Gift - Option 2. SurEvolution Frangipani Server Set $39.00
I actually have given these to someone when I ate by them on a Friday night! She loved them and still uses them!
Passover Gift - Option 3 Georg Jensen Season Candleholder $110.00
This candelabra would look really cool as a centerpiece!
Passover Gift - Option 4. Diptyque Bais Noir Candle $68.00
I cant believe that people spend $68.00 on a candle but this brand has a cult following! If your hostess loves candles she may flip for these.
Passover Gift - Option 5 .Luciano Pitcher By Match Pewter $305.00
I love this pewter pitcher precisely because it is being used as a vase. It has that old world elegance.
Passover Gift - Option 6. Pear Salt Cellar by The Clay Company $28.00
I cant live without my Maldon Sea Salt… and I use little salt bowls to hold it! Salt tastes so much better when you crush it with your fingers right over a dish… Its healthier too. Sea salt is much better for you than table salt.
Passover Gift - Option 7. Set of Four Agate Coasters $60.00
I love this set of coasters. They are colorful, naturally beautiful and you will help prevent ring stains! Your host will thank you!
Passover Gift - Option 8. Claus Porto Soaps $19.00
I bought these soaps so many times! Once for myself, once for a Chanuka grab bag and once for a giveaway on my other blog Sketch42! Obviously, I adore them!
Passover Gift - Option 9. Style & Substance: The Best of Elle Decor $30.00
A coffee table book is a great gift for a hostess! Find out your hostess's interests and you can find a chic book on the topic!
Passover Gift - Option 10 PortoMarinica Teapot, Sugar Pot and Creamer $260.00
This set is beyond beautiful! The crisp white porcelain is offset by the modern geometrics of the pattern! Any hostess would be lucky to have this!


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HARARE, Zimbabwe, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai charged the presidential election was rigged by his rival, President Robert Mugabe, a charge Mugabe's party denies.
Tsvangirai, during a news conference, called Wednesday's polling a "huge farce" and declared it "null and void" as an observer group said up to a million people were barred from casting ballots, the BBC reported Thursday.
Mugabe's Zanu-PF party, which has begun claiming victory, denied the accusations and said voting went smoothly.
The head of the African Union observer mission, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, said his initial assessment indicated the vote was free and fair. Other regional observers also praised the peaceful nature of the election, the first presidential balloting held in Zimbabwe since 2008 when violence erupted.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has five days to declare a winner.
Speaking at the Movement for Democratic Change headquarters in Harare, Tsvangirai said, "Our conclusion is that this has been a huge farce. The credibility of this election has been marred by administrative and legal violations which affected the legitimacy of its outcome."
"It's a sham election that does not reflect the will of the people," he said.
Monitors from the Zimbabwe Election Support Network earlier said the poll was "seriously compromised."
In a statement, the network said potential voters were turned away from 82 percent of polling stations in urban areas, where support for Tsvangirai is strong. The percentage of voters denied ballot access in areas considered Mugabe strongholds was lower.
Zanu-PF spokesman Psychology Maziwisa denied many voters were deliberately barred from registering. He admitted to some irregularities, stressing the two main parties were both affected.
"You've got to bear in mind that that was partly due to the fact that resources were not being made available by the finance minister who is Tendai Biti, who comes from the Movement for Democratic Change party," Maziwisa told the BBC.
"If you look at the Zimbabwean situation you can only come to one conclusion," Maziwisa said. "And that is that over the last four years we've made a lot of effort to make this environment in Zimbabwe as conducive as it possibly can [be] for an election that is free and fair."
Mugabe, 89, pledged to step down after more than three decades in power if he loses to Tsvangirai.
Mugabe and Tsvangirai have shared governance since 2009 through an agreement brokered to end the deadly violence that broke out following a disputed presidential election in 2008.
A presidential candidate must garner more than 50 percent of the vote to be declared the winner. If no candidate reaches that threshold, a runoff will be held Sept. 11.


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Play now free mobile games on m.igroflot.ru
Hidden Object Hunt
The beautiful hidden object game Apothecarium - Renaissance of Evil is back with the second chapter of the mystic journey. Strange things have been found underneath the city. Things that might hold the key for unbelievable good or unspeakable evil. In each level you need to find some objects from the huge pile of stuff that is cluttering the space. While some of the things you have to find are easy to find you will run into problems from time to time to find everything. But worry not, you can always choose to use a magic hint that will get you back into the game in no time. Play Apothecarium Chapter II now for free and enjoy the fantastic graphics, a dense atmosphere, the exciting story line and of course the challenging puzzles!
Hidden Object Games
Farm Day
A typical farm is for sure not the tidiest place. But the farm in this classic hidden object game is a complete mess. The owner is not only looking for tools but also for his animals and it is your job to find and collect them as fast as possible. While your time is limited you can add a few seconds to your time bank if you happen to find a clock. Also make sure to grab any gold coins you come by. These coins help to build your farm or to buy some cool extras. Play Farm Day now for free and enjoy your day the countryside!
Puzzle Games
Greedy Sheriffs
Help the Greedy Sheriffs to solve puzzles and collect the diamonds in this brilliant adventure game. Your objective is to enable every sheriff to plunder a beautiful gem and to set the shortest and most efficient path through a level . The fewer moves you use and the closer you get to the optimal path, the more stars you will earn. Sometimes you will have to make clever use of plates that lift or lower stones and sometimes you have to bear in mind, that some fields can only be passed once before they start to crumble. Play Greedy Sheriffs now online and absolutely free and find out, if you can collect all the stars!
Puzzle Games, Skill
Tulis Farm
Tuli really needs your help in building and expanding her farm. She lost a lot of important stuff all over the farm. Please help her in finding all of them. You have to be quick and very watchful. Tuli really did leave a big mess behind.
Merry Township
Find the displayed items and click on them as fast as you can in this classic hidden objects style game. Be extra quick to get extra points!
Hidden Object Games
Create your own tasty marble cheesecakes! Use all kind of kitchen utilities to mix, cook and bake! What are you waiting for? Enjoy the sweet taste of fresh-baked cake!
Skill, Games for Girls
The beautiful hidden object game Apothecarium - Renaissance of Evil takes you on an exciting journey. At mysterious locations like the planetarium you have to find the some things from a huge pile of stuff that is cluttering the space. While some of the things are easy to find you will run into problems from time to time to find everything. But worry not, you can always choose to use a magic hint that will get you back into the game in no time. And you will need those hints sooner or later, as the further your journey takes you the more objects you have to find. Play Apothecarium now for free and enjoy the fantastic graphics, the wonderful music and of course the challenging puzzles!
Puzzle Games
Secrets of the Carpets
Go on an epic adventure and find the secrets that are hidden below the carpets in this free online puzzle game. Collect the gems to unlock the next level and try to pick up as many stars as possible on your way. If you roll up any carpet you will most likely find something interesting that can help you to solve the level - or block your way to the diamond if you don't pay enough attention. While the puzzles get more and more complex you will come along items like the magic wand, that can remove objects from a carpet or keys and buttons that open up the lock that protects the diamonds. Play Secrets of the Carpet now and make your way through this beautiful adventure!
Puzzle Games, Classic Games, Skill


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Newly acquired Cedeno makes Padres debut
SAN DIEGO -- Newcomer Ronny Cedeno was in the Padres' starting lineup on Wednesday, playing shortstop and batting seventh, and the nine-year Major League veteran said he actually felt a little nervous about making his first start with his new team.
The finale vs. the Orioles marked Cedeno's first game in the Major Leagues since July 19. At the time, he was with the Astros before being designated for assignment on July 22.
The Padres signed Cedeno on Friday and he played two games for Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore -- where he was 1-for-8 with a double, a run scored and two walks -- before being added to the Major League roster on Tuesday.
In 51 games for the Astros this season, Cedeno hit .220 with six doubles and 12 runs scored.
"It was tough year for me," Cedeno said. "Now I'm excited to be here with great teammates, great coaches. I feel good and happy to be here."
Cedeno adds some needed stability to the Padres at shortstop after Everth Cabrera was suspended for 50 games on Monday for violating MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Cabrera will miss the remainder of the season.
"Ronny is a steady and dependable shortstop who knows how to play the game," said Padres manager Bud Black. "Hopefully he can play his game, both defensively and offensively."
Cedeno, who has played primarily at shortstop throughout his nine-year career, has spent time with the Mets, Pirates, Mariners and Cubs. He is a lifetime .245 hitter, with 38 homers, 230 RBIs and 253 runs.


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Tools and Materials You Need for this Intonation Project
• Strobe tuner
• String action gauge
• Fretboard radius gauges
• Truss rod wrench
• Small screwdriver for truss rod cover
• Bone saddle blank
• 14" radius block
• Self-adhesive 80-, 400-, and 600-grit sandpaper
• Ultra-fine #0000 steel wool
• Miniature carbide files
• Gauged nut slotting files
• Mechanical pencil
• Vise
• Low-tack painter's masking tape
• String winder and cutter
• Fresh strings
• Small towel or protective cloth
• Lemon oil or commercial fretboard lubricant
Recently, a storied late-'90s Taylor 914 showed up at my shop. The first time I worked on this guitar was back in the '90s after I moved my repair operation to Nashville's Music Row. At the time it was built, this was one of Taylor's premium Grand Auditorium models.
This particular 914 has a fascinating history. It belongs to one of my first customers, Nathan Paul Chapman, who is a two-time Grammy-winning producer and guitarist. Chapman has produced records for many top artists, including Taylor Swift, Lionel Richie, Shania Twain, Sara Evans, The Band Perry, and the Invite. This was Nathan's first "real" acoustic guitar, and he used it as his workhorse for Taylor Swift's 2006 multi-platinum, self-titled debut. Not on a few songs, but throughout the entire album.
Over the years, this 914 has logged many miles and been featured on countless sessions, and generally has had the living daylights played out of it. When Chapman noticed the guitar wasn't performing as well as it once did, he brought it in to see if we could coax it back into tip-top shape. To have the guitar return to my bench after over a decade was cool, but I knew it would need some work.
Getting the Lay of the Land
Before I do anything, I ask my clients several important questions to help me dial in the guitar to the player. Since technique differs from one guitarist to another, this background information is crucial for properly setting up a guitar after I've completed any repairs or modifications.
These are the questions I ask: What tuning do you use? Do you use a flatpick? If so, what size and thickness? How hard do you pick and strum the guitar, and do you play with a light, medium, or heavy fretting-hand touch? If you play fingerstyle, do you attack the strings with your nails, fingerpicks, or fingertips? What styles of music do you play? What gauge strings do you use? Do you use a capo?
Though I was familiar with Chapman's playing, I ran these questions by him to be sure I understood how he planned to use this 914. Armed with the information he gave me, I was ready to start work on the guitar.
The Video
Watch John and Andy take the 914 through the entire process on video below, or click to the next page for detailed step-by-step instructions and photos.


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Ivanka Trump lobbied aggressively for an increased child tax credit, so the passage of the GOP tax plan may have been something of a personal political victory for her. But her victory lap was less successful.
The first daughter told Fox & Friends Thursday that she's "really looking forward to doing a lot of traveling in April when people realize the effect that this has. ... The vast majority will be [doing their taxes] on a single postcard."
Numerous critics pointed out that she'll be a little early, since most people won't be signing their tax forms for 2018 until April 2019, and that the postcard is more of a metaphor than an actual tax-filing document.
Trump also said that she thinks the tax bill, combined with the administration's deregulation efforts, will "ultimately eliminate" the country's $20 trillion national debt.
Watch the video below:


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Product Description
Britain's best-selling homes magazine
Ideal Home is Britain's best-selling interiors magazine and has been empowering home-owners to make the most of their properties for over 80 years.
Every issue of Ideal Home contains fabulous real homes plus kitchen and bathroom makeovers, with easy ways for readers to get the look. Original and innovative decorating features show how to use colour successfully, create moodboards, tackle problem areas and find cash-clever buys. Savvy Shopper buyer's guides help readers make an informed choice when choosing key appliances, the latest techology, and large pieces of furniture. Simple Solutions make everyday life easier - from low-maintenance garden ideas to recipes and time-saving tips.


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Hinged lid for convenient access to stored photos
Protect your photo and negative collections in standard photo-sized storage boxes. Place photos or negatives in polyester or acid-free paper envelopes (see page 50) for extra protection against dust and fingerprints. Choose the 4 x 5" size to hold 35mm and 120mm film strips, and 4 x 5" negatives, prints or postcards; the 5 x 7" size will store negatives, prints and postcards; and the 8 x 10" size boxes hold prints, negatives, and contact sheets. Hinged lid closes snugly to protect against light and pollutants. Boxes are 40 and 60 pt. board, and are metal edged for extra durability during storage and handling. All boards are acid/lignin-free and buffered (pH 8.5), and have passed the P.A.T. test for longevity and safety for storage of photographic materials.
Hollinger Metal Edge Inc
9401 Northeast Dr.
Fredericksburg, VA 22408
Phone: 800-634-0491
Phone: 540-898-7300
Fax: 800-947-8814


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April 5, 2016: Further to AAVSO Alert Notice 536, close monitoring of the cataclysmic variable SS Cyg is urgently requested. Immediate notification of the beginning of the anticipated outburst is crucial and is requested.
The success of the multiwavelength (radio and optical) observing campaign on SS Cyg underway depends on immediate reporting of outburst behavior to trigger multi-site radio observations.
October 31, 2012: The cataclysmic variable SS Cyg is beginning to decline from what appears to be a narrow outburst, and was at visual magnitude 9.1 on 2012 October 30, according to observations in the AAVSO International Database.


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This is especially important because the Obama administration could have given Republicans the perfect opportunity to signal an ideological re-emphasis. The White House is surprisingly uncool when it comes to toking up: A Reuters piece that Charles C. W. Cooke noted on the Corner last week reports that the victories are largely symbolic. Ken Sabet, former assistant to Obama's drug czar, said that state leaders "are facing an uphill battle with implementing this, in the face of . . . presidential opposition and in the face of federal enforcement opposition." In other words, the Obama administration cares more about maintaining the concentration of federal power than preventing thousands of bored college students from getting arrested for doing exactly what the president did when he was a bored college student.
For the GOP, this is more than just an opening; it's a magical messaging moment, which, to paraphrase Rahm Emanuel, conservatives shouldn't let go to waste. "This is a classic example of where they can walk the walk," says Tim Lynch of the Cato Institute. This isn't really a drug-legalization issue; it's a states' rights issue and a limited-powers issue. All conservatives have to agree on is that the federal government might have better things to do with its freshly printed money than try to enforce a nigh-unenforceable law that local voters and leaders think was a bad idea in the first place.
That's how Clarence Thomas sees it, too.


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Report reveals how the UDC won and lost 2019 General Elections
Opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) was poised to win the 2019 General Elections until a month before the polls.
According to the African report, In On Africa (ION), an African-focused research and consulting firm based in Johannesburg, South Africa, which researched and compiled a review of the General Elections of Botswana held in October 2019, dubbed 'Botswana Elections review 2019' – UDC lost at the eleventh hour. "At the conclusion of the fieldwork research, early in September 2019, it seemed as though UDC was poised to win the elections when considering respondents more positive view of the opposition," the contentious report released this week posits.
The study found that the UDC edged past the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in both how positively the public perceives the parties as well as the extent to which the electorate was willing to trust these parties. Though it was bound to be an extremely close contest, it continues to highlight that the results of the study "raised questions as to what might have tilted the balance" to end up being in favour of the BDP rather than the UDC.
However, it highlights that one must equally remain cognisant of the electoral system, where the seats in parliament fail to effectively capture the true nature of the contest even though BDP triumphed. "The outcome once again showed that Botswana's ruling party remains the preferred political entity. What might not be as striking is that the change within the BDP and UDC signify the evolution of Botswana politics," it further says.
It also acknowledges that the new face of BDP President Mokgweetsi Masisi coupled with the full force of the opposition has fostered an electorate that appears to be divided between these two main contenders. "Overall, the pre-election sentiment saw the UDC edging past the BDP, although voting patterns in which a portion of the electorate would vote according to the 50-year-old status quo remains an additional layer of consideration that holds the potential to render the UDC's edge moot," ION report states.
Considering the outcome of the 2019 elections, it further observes that one might be inclined to disagree with the preceding section's argument that the elections were truly tight. However the study contends that there proved to be a higher impetus on keeping the BDP in power than there was to remove the BDP from power which, in turn, could be seen as a potential factor edging the BDP above UDC, despite the latter's relatively positive public image.
Then again, the option of 'building a better government and stronger country' might also be seen as a positive indication on the UDC's support. This, however, is a sentiment shared by the opposition as well as Masisi due to the latter being seen as a force of change within the BDP, the African report asserts. "On the side of voting de-motivators, further detriment is directed at the UDC. Despite their pursuit to cater for the interests and needs of all Batswana, a noteworthy portion of the electorate were discouraged due to 'none of the parties representing their interests' and the sentiment that 'all parties are equally bad,' ION states.
The study also observes that the presence of these sentiments suggests that the UDC is not the all-inclusive party they were thought to be, or that their campaigns proved not to have appealed as wholly as was the goal. "A key consideration is also the President of the UDC's controversial conduct during the 2019 Presidential Debate. It can be argued that Boko's actions, among other factors, during this debate might have been enough to slightly tip the scales in the BDP's favour," the research study points out.
2019 elections presented a departure from a strong personality cult
According to the report, more than 50 years after its independence, Botswana politics is finally showing true transformation, slowly edging itself into contemporary domestic politics. It explains that "whether Masisi's appointment was coincidental or the result of some grand scheme by BDP stalwarts such as the late Sir Ketumile Masire and the former President Festus Mogae, or even a ploy between Khama and Masisi, the key takeaway from this event is that Botswana's 2019 election has initiated a departure from strong personality politics vested in the Khama legacy, towards a higher emphasis on service delivery and policy discourse."
Purpose of the Botswana elections review 2019 report
The report is a culmination of in-depth research that IOA has conducted over the past six months focusing on Botswana's 2019 General Elections. The report has two primary objectives: 1) to provide the readers with expert insight into the developments leading up to and directly following the elections that took place in October 2019; 2) to serve as a sample of IOA's political analysis that IOA's team regularly conducts across the African continent.
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SPEDU brings yet another big project in selibe-phikwe area
Shiellah Moribame-Moakofi
SPEDU, Botswana's investment promotion vehicle in the SPEDU Region has brought yet another immense project which will be situated adjacent to the town of Selebi Phikwe, dubbed "Selebi Phikwe Citrus Project."
Commenting on the plan for the project,Manager Agribusiness- Maiba Samunzala, said the Selebi Phikwe Citrus Project is envisaged to become a model citrus development in Southern Africa and a flagship project in Botswana.
"This will be one of the largest flat units of citrus plantation in Southern Africa occupying one thousand two hundred hectares (1200ha) of land. This project has come at a very crucial time when our Government is seriously exploring means to create jobs. Such a project will therefore stimulate the town and restore economic activity within the SPEDU Region," he said.
In line with Government's efforts of diversifying the economy away from over reliance on the mineral sector, SPEDU's critical role is to facilitate inward investment and economic diversification in the Region.
SPEDU started facilitating the project in May 2018 where engagements began between SPEDU itself, Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) and the investors. It has been a long journey which involved a number of negotiations which was done with due caution without compromise to both parties. This deal brings the number of SPEDU's total projects to 70 in various sectors which are at different stages of development. Amongst these projects, forty-five (45) are at advanced stages of development.
Twenty-six (26) are citizen-owned companies in Information Technology (IT), Manufacturing, Agriculture and Construction;
Four (4) Government projects in Infrastructure Development and Agriculture;
Eight (8) Foreign-owned companies in Agriculture; and
Seven (7) Joint ventures in Manufacturing and Agriculture.
For his part, SPEDU Chief Executive Officer, Dr Mokubung Mokubung added that the project will be sitting on the Mmadinare Multi-Cooperative Society's land, leased for a period of 33 years with an automatic renewal clause for a further 50 years. Dr Mokubung further indicated: "It was our responsibility that we ensure that clear steps are followed to allow for subleasing of the piece of land.
"A decision was further taken to approve a water quota and a reduced water tariff for this project. This decision was made considering the contribution envisaged from this project to the economy of Botswana. This project therefore will draw water from Letsibogo dam with an approved water allocation to the Project of 8 million cubic meters. Electricity supply will be from Botswana Power Corporation, while back-up generators will be present for pump stations as well as the pack house.
The development will be on a 1,500 hectare site, with 1,200 hectares of citrus orchards to be developed between 2020 and 2025 in two phases of development", Mokubung added. The Selebi Phikwe Citrus (Pty) Ltd shortened as "SPC", is foreign owned by South African (RSA) citizens. The RSA owners will manage the project with their highly experienced citrus growers personnel, with strong established track records in the industry, cumulatively spanning more than 50 years.
The location of the project was chosen on geo-political, economic and climatological merits including amongst others: Botswana's stable political environment, amidst a mature democracy and a strong independent judiciary; Favourable business conditions, including attractive taxation and foreign exchange regulations, and a stable local currency with low annual inflation; Attractive long-term investment incentives; Good technical and agricultural conditions; and Adequate infrastructure and logistical access to markets.
Informed by the climactic factors particular to the site, the orchards will be planted with a range of citrus cultivars, including mandarins, Valencia oranges, seedless lemons and grapefruit. Although it will be one of the largest single citrus developments ever undertaken in Southern Africa, the development will only represent a maximum of 1.2% of the Southern African citrus plantings, all of which are mainly oriented towards overseas citrus demand markets. It is therefore not expected to have any destabilising effect on prices or industry dynamics.
The SPC project is being established at one of the most lucrative places in Botswana, as the SPEDU Region is strategically located even in the broader Sothern African Development Community (SADC) region.
The town of Selebi Phikwe is surrounded by 52 villages and rural settlements, and is located approximately 400 kilometers north of the capital city Gaborone. Selebi Phikwe serves as the commercial capital of the SPEDU Region. The town is home for 49,411 people, making up approximately a quarter of the entire population of the Region.
The Selebi Phikwe Citrus Project is forecast to create 1000 sustainable job opportunities at full capacity, with creation of both forward and backward linkages with other sectors. This Project would bring about growth and diversification of the agro industry, with spin-off effects that will generate other value chain business opportunities. The other benefits which would be brought by the Project include, increased level of exports, increased export revenue, technological and skills transfer, and import substitution.
Some of the areas in the SPEDU land pockets serves as a Special Economic Zone with the intention to support industrialisation through the economic sectors of Tourism, Manufacturing and Agro-Business in diversifying the economy.
This is in recognition of the inherent comparative advantages of the region evidenced by availability of ample surface and underground water resources. It is also the home of five of the country's major dams, the Thune Dam, the Letsibogo Dam, the Lotsane Dam, the Dikabeya Dam and the Dikgatlhong Dam.
The region also boasts highly fertile soils and a climate conducive for agricultural, especially horticulture production. The availability of land for industrialisation in Selebi Phikwe and the region, infrastructure resources, abundant natural attractions, flora and fauna, natural resources such as granite, sandstone, marble and silica sands open up opportunity for industrialization.
Church in the doghouse
Just like in politics, numbers matter in the church. As much as the COVID-19 pandemic has put so many commercial entities in the red, the church in Botswana has not escaped the wrath either. These glaring similarities between the church and world have pushed the former beyond limits and now there is a bone to pick with government.
Just last week, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi met with men of the cloth, a jaw-jaw that precipitated a decision to increase the number of congregants per church service from 75 to 100 in line with the State of Emergency powers and COVID-19 regulations. The decision by the President is an indication that he has a foot in both camps – that is the church and COVID-19 Presidential Task Team.
But the church is still not satisfied, with some leaders expressing hard feelings over the bunch that met the President. From the latest decisions, it seems the government will open churches to their full capacity in a pi's eye. In any case this position is expressed in black and white through various press statements from the Task team and individual ministries. Government is hell-bent on containing the possible spread of the coronavirus.
For some churches, such as the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) they have leaned on the Hobson choice – taking what is offered or nothing at all – and they have chosen the latter. The ZCC has also adopted a hush up as per the instruction of its leader, Bishop Lekganyane.
A statistical generalisation in Botswana when it comes to church capacities demonstrates thus; St Peters Roman Catholic in Gabane, has a church capacity of 600. In main mall, Christ the King Cathedral Roman Catholic has a capacity of 1300, and in Gaborone West they have close to 1200 capacity.
Eloyi Christian Church in Selibe Phikwe boasts of a 1000 strong membership. On a normal service, The City Angeles Church in Tlokweng has 1500 people attending one service. For Spiritual Healing in Gaborone more than 800 people normally attend in between services; and as for Naledi Church of God in Palapye it has 700 people while Cornelius Apostolic Church has an average attendance of 2000 people in one service. The figures continue to pour in, Olive Church in Metsimotlhabe has more than 2500 members; while Royal Assembly in Gaborone has more than 800 attendees for a normal service. Their membership stands at 1200.
Speaking to this publication, Bishop Raphael Habibo of Assemblies of God confirmed that the 100 per service as recently prescribed is not enough. He pointed out that it would have been better had they been allowed a 200 or 300 ceiling looking at the capacity of various churches around the country.
"We are not in a position to take care of the needs of our people. In terms of counselling, ministering and standing with them during challenging times and financially. We have hired different people in church. When services are stopped it means we are not making enough money to pay these people. We hear the government's cry but we need to come up with ways of living with this," he said.
From Bishop Habibo's interjection, it is evident that the church has an itching palm for purposes of paying salaries, rent, and general welfare issues. In essence the church is saying the 100 capacity command remains in the clouds, it is far from addressing the realities they face.
From the figures shared, it is evident that the church has a Midas touch but the Presidential Task Team on COVID-19 remains in the driver's seat hence the church's itching palm may be satisfied in a coon's age!
While some church leaders agree that the churches do not need to be opened to the brim, they still shoot down the 100 members cap. They argue that they have enough space to adhere to COVID-19 protocols should their numbers be increased to 200 or 300.
The church says it is not only money that will ensure that they keep head above the water. There is a claim that by limiting the number of people may attend church services, emotional strain and depression are taking a toll on citizens. Faith thought leaders also attempt to link emerging worries such as Gender Based Violence and suicides to restrained spiritual interactions. While there is yet to be empirical data to full-proof these assertions as gospel truth, the church's campaign for more numbers remains just a grasp at straws.
The church is also worried that certain decisions by the Presidential Task team appear to swim against the tide. They cite opening of borders, buses loading full capacity, tourism industry's leisure travels, and a litany of decisions only explained by the idiom, smoke and mirrors.
"A lot of people have been stressed and depressed by this season. Having to live with the fear of the chance of contacting the virus or a loved one or colleague being positive is too much. It is at this point that we need to have a closer relationship with God to pray; to be in church and as we sing, we create an atmosphere of hope. People lost their jobs, businesses and for some it will take months if not years to recover.
We have even seen a rise in gender based violence – I would even think it's indirectly connected to this pandemic. An affected mind facing a situation that is heavy and can't take it anymore will just lose it and misbehave," said the President of Royal Assembly Ministries, Boago Ramogapi.
"I wish the government could do "Capacity Seating" while still adhering to COVID-19 regulations of masks and distance between seats. In that case, a building that normally seats 1000 people will be able to take 500 people – there will still be space between the people and strict compliance on masks and sanitising," he said.
He further highlighted that challenges arose amid the pandemic within the church and the main one was that many people were losing themselves and feeling helpless because they do not have the opportunity to go to church – a place that has an atmosphere to encounter, inspire and vibe peace of mind.
"On top of that, let's understand that churches are run by the free will offerings of the congregants. Most of the time the offerings are taken when people have congregated. Discussing with some Pastors I discovered that many churches have had serious financial challenges – those renting places of worship, staff members to pay salaries and their usual outreaches to the less privileged were affected. We have banking online platforms to make transactions but they have not yet penetrated that much on the church sphere where people send their contributions to the church accounts," he said.
When quizzed on the stand of the Ministry regarding the opening of churches, the Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs, Anna Mokgethi said;
"There is no silence at all. My Ministry has been engaged with faith leaders on the issue of increasing the number of attendees at church services. They have made their submissions to the Ministry on a number of occasions and we agreed on the submissions to be made to the Task Force team. Consultations are ongoing.
At yesterday's COVID-19 Task Force meeting it was agreed that consultations should be concluded and submissions should be presented this coming Monday and a final decision be made."But from the black and white issued by various Government agencies, capacity seating for churches will come in a month of Sundays!
Inside Botswana's ambitious decent work programme
In an effort to address the mounting challenges of unemployment and labour issues in Botswana, government has introduced the Decent Work Programme that will help the country achieve its decent work ambitions by the year 2024.
Botswana's unemployment rate has been high at around 20% over the years as a result of the slow growth of employment opportunities. Youth and women are the most affected, however, the ratio of female to male youth unemployment has since had a significant decline from 165% in 2008 to 139% in the past three years, reflecting improvements in employment opportunities for women. The youth unemployment rate hovered around 35% over the last years.
In their Decent Work Country report, the Ministry of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development strives to contribute to Botswana's progress towards the achievement of full and productive employment and decent for all. The report prioritizes sustainable employment creation in which, government aims to reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.
By 20230, the Decent Work Report aspires for sustainable food production systems and implementation of resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaption to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
It has been suggested that Botswana should move to adopt measures to ensure that proper functioning of food commodity markets and their derivatives and facilitate timely access to market information, including on food reserves, in order to help limit extreme food price volatility.
Furthermore, the country aims to ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education hence increasing the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
Gender disparity has always been a challenge in Botswana. According to the report, there are aspirations to eliminate gender disparities in education and ensuring equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations.
As the country moves towards the digital space, technology is anticipated to play a bigger role in developing the economy. In the next ten years, Botswana says it would have enhanced the use of technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women. In a more tangible approach, there will be the adoption and strengthening of sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and women at all levels.
Achieving higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors has also been a target outlined on the report, as well as promoting development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, formalization and growth of micro-small and medium sized enterprises, including through access to financial services.
Furthermore, the report says Botswana will work to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and other forms of exploitation.
"Botswana will take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and the use of child soldiers which is to be ended by 2025 in all its forms."
Meanwhile, the slow growth in employment opportunities in Botswana is said to be due to the fact that the supply of skills from the education sector does not match the needs of the job market. The skills mismatch has led to an oversupply of certain skills in the job market, resulting in high graduate unemployment, even though other skills are in short supply.
The report highlighted that there is a need to develop an adequately skills workforce, which is responsive to the labour market demands. "The growing rate of unemployment of the youth, specifically graduates, indicates the critical need for improving the coordination, planning, quality as well as management of human resource development. Government aims to address this challenge by implementing the National Human Resource Development Strategy, which stipulates the formulation of HRD Sector Plans, aimed at matching of skills with the labour market and the needs of the economy," the Decent Work report reads.
Meanwhile, government has introduced Labour Market Information System that collects, analyses, monitors and captures labour market information such as labour indicators, data, labour demand and supply forecasts and any other labour market data.
In other words, it is a system that collects statistical and non-statistical information concerning labour market actors and their environment, as well as information concerning labour market institutions, policies and regulations that serves the needs of users and has been collected through the application of accepted methodologies and practice to the largest possible extent.
Government further says the labour market information is key to all players: policy makers use it for decision making purposes, students and their parents for informed career choices, researchers amongst others.
The availability of reliable, comprehensive, cost effective and up-to date labour market information is a necessary condition for effective human resource planning and its implementation. Such information is not only required by government and its agencies, but also by employers for their personnel planning decisions.
Individuals also need information on the state of the labour market to make their training and career choices. As a result of this, knowledge of how the labour market functions become integral to an understanding of the key economic issues of time.


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