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It's a busy day in the emergency department at Markham Stouffville Hospital. But it's not unusual. The hospital sees 52,000 patients a year in its growing community in York Region. The hospital, built almost 20 years ago, was designed for a population of 150,000. The current population is 300,000 and is growing steadily every year. "To say that we are bursting at the seams, is an understatement," says Janet Beed, President and CEO. "We are scheduled for redevelopment but because our new building is at least several years away from being open to patients, our staff are looking at some creative ways to manage in the meantime."
The leadership team at Markham Stouffville Hospital turned to the LEAN methodology, a process that brings together teams to examine current processes and identify opportunities for positive change and improvement. The goal of LEAN is to increase efficiencies and improve patient and staff satisfaction. "Patient care is always enhanced by this process," says Beed. "We look at things from the patient's perspective and find ways to make it better."
The process also supports staff satisfaction and engagement because the team is made up of a variety of staff from the hospital. The strength of the process is that everyone on the team is treated as equals and their ideas are valued. There is no hierarchy, there are no defined roles. LEAN brings together a group of staff committed to making it better for patients and each other. It doesn't matter if you are a doctor, nurse, lab technician or a clerk, your ideas are valued and taken into consideration.
"The staff really came together around this process," says Dr. Andrew Arcand, Chief of the emergency department. "We looked at the way we do everything, from managing patient flows, to supply, to triage, to offloading ambulances. We put everything under the microscope and looked for ways to do things more efficiently and effectively. In the short term, we know we won't have more space, so we have to look at ways to do things better in the current space and with the current resources we have.
Through the LEAN process, the department has held six Kazien events. These weeklong improvement events bring together a team of people who collaboratively identify areas for improvement, trial the improvements and implement those changes that worked well. Through the events, over 50 areas for improvement were identified and put into place.
"Generally, we do things really well here; but we are always looking at ways to do things better. Through the process, we found many areas for improvement. Some were minor adjustments to current processes around things such as the flow of patients and information throughout the department," says Arcand.
Some minor improvements, such as creating visual cues to trigger reassessment and a time card stamp that helps to track the time from when a patient enters the department by ambulance to when they are offloaded, help to improve the overall care provided to patients. The team also identified some larger areas for improvement and went to work implementing their solutions.
Rapid Assessment Zone (RAZ)
The team created a Rapid Assessment Zone (RAZ) to provide quick assessment and treatment for patients who do not require a stretcher. The RAZ enables faster turnaround times for patients who can be cared for in a chair. Patients are assessed by the physician on a stretcher and any follow-up care is provided in the most appropriate location. "We knew that we needed a way to move patients through the department quicker," says Heidi Pedersen, Manager of the emergency department. "The RAZ allows our staff to deal with patients in a more timely fashion, particularly those who do not need to be lying down in a stretcher. Patients want to be seen by a doctor as quickly as possible, and this is one way we can make that happen. The RAZ has resulted in faster turnaround times for patients and a decrease in wait times to a see a physician."
A light went on(and off)
Some of the changes were more subtle than others, but still ended up having a significant impact. "We all know how busy the emergency department can be and we wanted to look at ways to ensure everyone was managed effectively, including our ambulances," says Arcand. A light was installed at the triage desk that flashes when an ambulance is waiting to be offloaded. "It's a little thing, but this visual cue allows our staff to immediately know when an ambulance is waiting. And if there isn't, our staff can spend those extra minutes caring for our patients." The result has been shorter turnaround time for ambulances and an improved relationship between paramedics and staff.
Welcome to theemergency department
"Hello, I'm the emergency department (ED) volunteer. How may I help you?" Not exactly the words you expect to hear when walking into a busy ED, but that's the role of the new volunteer greeter position recently instituted at the hospital. "Coming to the ED can be a difficult and confusing experience for some patients," says Arcand, "and part of that anxiety can be from not understanding the process." The role of the greeter was introduced to provide patients with a central point of contact who can answer their questions and direct them appropriately.
"I am passionate about the ER greeter volunteer role because I enjoy interacting with the patients to prepare them for their triage assessment. It is rewarding to know that both patients and staff have benefited from our services," says Alex Prosser, one of the volunteer hospital greeters. "As the lead volunteer, I also provide standardized training to new volunteers and summer student volunteers." The response from patients has been overwhelmingly positive. "We've heard from our patients that the greeter makes them feel better and not as anxious. The greeter plays an important role in our department," says Arcand.
The response from the staff to all of the improvements has been equally enthusiastic. "Many of our staff has participated in the improvement events," says Pedersen. "By being part of the solution, they have a real sense of ownership over the changes and are always looking for ways to make things better. As Joanne Alfane begins her nursing shift in the department, she glances at the busy patient board. "It's always going to be busy here. But the one, two or 50 improvements that we have made, have really made a big difference and have helped a great deal in taking care of our patients."


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We are going on a fact-finding expedition to find out which plants will actually survive in our yards. Then we will all go out for lunch together. It will be a thoroughly enjoyable day, so come and join us.
Call Karen Rutland for information: 219-4125
Copyright © 2019 The Deercreek Country Club Owner's Association. All Rights Reserved.

subset: commoncrawl


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Customer service targets
As part of our customer service policies and procedures we place targets on certain areas of our service that we deliver to you. These targets are adjusted yearly to make sure that we are continually providing the best customer experience possible. The areas that we target our front line staff on are below:
Customer satisfaction survey
On a monthly basis the customer satisfaction surveys are reviewed and all that have a satisfied outcome are grouped together. The target we set is to acheive an 85% satisfaction rate over the year. As of the first half of 2018 we are at 84%
The expected amount of people who should receive the request to complete the survey is 7147. So far this year (2018) 11554 have received the request.
Call Answering
We strive to answer 80% of all of our inbound calls within 20 seconds. So far this year (2018) we have answered of all calls within 20 seconds and are above target.
Lost calls
As a small contact centre, unanswered (lost) calls are inevitable, however we have set targets to ensure that we are losing as few calls as possible. To ensure that we are answering our calls, we regularly monitor our lost call rate and the busiest times of day. We then have more staff answering calls when we expect to be busy.
We have set our target for lost calls at 10%. This means that of all the calls we receive, we aim to lose no more than 10%. For the first half of 2018 our lost call rate was
Operational targets
As well as our own internal targets we also have targets set out by our co-funder, the European Commission. These relate to the amount of contacts we receive and the amount of cases we handle within our network. These figures increase every year as we see a steady rise in the use of the ECC-Net. We deal with 2 types of contacts, Questions and Complaints
- An Question is any consumer who contacts us to get advice, regardless of where they, or the trader are based.
- A complaint is where we receive a case against a UK trader from one of our counterpart offices from the ECC-Net or where a UK consumer has a complaint against a trader in the EU.
In 2018 we are expected to close no more than 15% of cases without a positive outcome. So far in 2018 we have closed 7% of cases without a positive solution.
Other quality monitoring
As well as numerical targets we also have quality monitoring on the calls and cases we work on. The supervisory team will look at all aspects of the customer service, call structure, Data gathering and legal advice. This is then discussed to outline areas for improvement or commend good work.
To view the full Quality Assurance Report 2017 pease click the link - QAS 2017
How to contact us
Our telephone lines are open Monday-Thursday, 10am-4pm
Telephone Number:
+44(0)1268 886 690
Email Address:
To save duplicate cases being created please only send us one email per issue. If you need to send more please contact us.
Postal Address:
UK European Consumer Centre
Chartered Trading Standards Institute
1 Sylvan Court
Sylvan Way
Southfields Business Park
Please note that the UK European Consumer Centre does not offer a drop-in service.
Fax Number:
+44(0)1268 582 225
Other services are also available to make contacting us as easy as possible, for example Next Generation Text Serviceformerly Text Relay, please use this link for more information.
We have achieved the Customer Service Excellence accreditation. Please click here for further information


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Football win tips
Buy Now
Google Play
Mario Gomez will play again in Stuttgart
Blog for football win tips
Striker Mario Gomez returned to Stuttgart to win the 2007 German title. So far, the 32-year-old German national carries the Wolfsburg team. His contract is until the summer of 2020. DPA reported that the top scorer`s transfer price was three million euros. Mario Gomez started his career in the Stuttgart youth team and debuted for Germany`s national team in 2007. `I`m very happy to come back home where everything started for me, I promised to do everything to keep the team in the elite, ` Gomez commented. Stuttgart, who returned to the First Bundesliga last summer, is on the unenviable 14th position in the standings. Mario Gomez moved to Bayern Munich in 2009, then became a footballer of Fiorentina and Besiktas. Germany`s national team has 31 goals in 71 games.
Blog for football win tips


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Robert E. "Ed" Williams and his wife, Barbara, of Clarkdale, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary Nov. 12. They were married Nov. 12, 1960, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Prescott. Mr. and Mrs. Williams are long-time Verde Valley residents. They will celebrate their Golden Anniversary with their songs, family and friends at a small gathering.
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This forum is shutting down! Please post new discussions at community.naturalcapitalproject.org
MARIANER Member
swolny Member, NatCap StaffHi @MARIANER -It looks like you're using an old version of InVEST (3.2.0) - would you please try the latest version (3.4.0) and let us know if the problem is still happening? If it is still happening, first, you might want to search the forum, since I know that others have had this error in different circumstances, and perhaps their discussions will help you too. If none of that solves your problem, do let us know and we'll be happy to help troubleshoot.~ Stacie
MARIANER MemberHello Stacie, I'm sure that the model was run successfully after installing version 3.4.4, thanks a lot for the fast return =).Post edited by MARIANER on


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On 30 May, Nathan will be playing a solo acoustic show as part of London's Camden Rocks Festival.
Full details of when and where the show will take place are still to be announced, but tickets for the festival are on sale now starting at £33.90 with fees.
To secure your ticket now, please visit See Tickets here.


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text: A long day the usual up at 5 am. get ready for the Marsden. Take Louis up the lane in the Dark. Journey was OK. Mavis was called in for bloods early. But life was not going to be easy. First they had to fit the Canula. NOT an easy task by any means. Eventualy they found a vein and got the red stuff into 4 bottles. And next it was into see the Doctor Most unusual as it was before 9 am.. We slept a bit walked about a bit and passed the time untill 1.30pm called in again. More agro fitting another canula. It was ages before they got that sorted. So More red stuff and Finally the drug. It was the first infusion in 3 months that did not cause a problem. We got home just after 5 pm and not a funny turn all day. Apart from fitting the canula it was a good day. They told us we had about 8 more goes ,we thought we only had 4 left.


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Muazzin Dinner 2012
Alhamdulillah! All thanks to Allah that our Muadhin Dinner was again resounding success. This year saw an increase in Muadhins, our total feed grew from last years 300 to 370 in total this year.We have already started preparing for next years dinner, in sha allah although it will be difficult, but we will try our utmost to do better than we have done this year. Our most sincere thanks go out to all those that have contributed, assisted and sacrificed in way. We look forward to seeing you all at next years event.
Masoud Ahmed


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|Not My Tree
Because the ADHD kitten is aka "Hobbes the Ripper" there is no tree this year. I bought a plastic peel-off the backing stick-on tree, about three feet tall, with stick-on ornaments. I planned to put it on the glass patio door. This plan changed when, as soon as I stuck the tree to the glass Hobbes reached out and began scratching a hole in the tree and peeled an ornament off. Okay, scooch the cat tree back from the window a couple of feet so the little monster can't reach the glass.
He then jumped down, stood on the floor, stretched his long self up the glass of the patio door and started scratching at the base of the tree. I sighed, peeled the tree off and repositioned it above his reach. Hooray! Decor complete.
Christmas shopping? None probably except for food. We are so content with what we have, we can't think of anything we want or need. The things I love about Christmas are the music and spending time with my family. Our older son will come and we will cook dinner together.
So, aside from cooking Christmas dinner and sending my e-cards my Christmas preparations are done and dusted. No stress at all.


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Wendy Bones
Wendy Bones has a tattoo across her chest that reads "May Death Never Stop You." Chest pieces often contain phrases that reflect a strongly held philosophy towards life, and this is no different for her. She got this tattoo after a huge loss in her life felt like a kind of death. She lost her first love, her best friend, and a lot of her identity. Through this struggle she took great comfort in the words "May Death Never Stop You," the title of an album by one of her favourite bands, My Chemical Romance. These words encouraged her to never stop fighting for life, resisting death and despair and rather than roll over and die, she metamorphosed.
Wendy is the co-owner of Meow, a boutique and second-hand clothing store in Uptown Waterloo. Through Meow, Wendy and her partner Melissa give new life to objects that were previously loved or unappreciated as the case may be. They often attend estate sales and pick through the possessions of those who are no longer with us, giving those artifacts new value by choosing, displaying and then re-homing them. It has always struck me as infinitely sad that one's personal effects - a cocktail ring, a dollhouse, a typewriter - imbued with life through being loved (ala The Velveteen Rabbit), might end up mouldering away in a landfill once its owner leaves this world. When a new person reanimates an object, it keeps a piece of its previous owner in the living world.
It's not only through physical objects that they extend lives, but also through collecting stories from those they buy from, sell to, or who just stop in to the store to chat. Vintage and second-hand clothes inspire memories, which in turn inspires the sharing of memories. Wendy is a visual artist and writer, and she incorporates the stories she collects into her work, and puts them back out into the world.
In her personal life, in her chosen career, in her artwork and her writing, Wendy sees an ending not as an impenetrable obstacle, but rather like "a dead end sign . . . you can't go straight, but you can still go left or right, so keep fighting and don't be defeated." And that's the message behind her tattoo - continue to live in the face of loss, even if it feels as though part of you dies, you can fight and come back to life, and keep on fighting.
Books for Tats
Vintage Fashion and Couture: From Poiret to McQueen tells the story of vintage fashion from the 1910s to today through sumptuous photographs of key designs, and stories of the memorable women who have worn them.
Vintage fashion and couture
By Anne Mozley Moyal


text: SheTek Conference promotes the interactions of women doing business and explores the careers and talents of women in music, tv, film, and technology. Of the women's conferences we attended in NYC, SheTek was notable for its diverse group of media professionals and strong women. Who should be given credit for this event? An equally strong woman, L'ay, SheTek's organizer, gathered a group of speakers such as record producers,female figure heads, and women attendees working hard to get to the top of their careers.


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Work in America.
There are several types of work visa that allows you to stay and legally work in the US. Here is a short overview of work visas that you may want to consider.
Specialty Occupation Work Visa
H1B visa are a good fit for people who:
a) Graduated from the US University or college with bachelor or higher degree.
b) Graduated from the foreign University, but they do possess an extensive work experience.
c) Already found the US employer who is going to sponsor them.
Such specialty occupation includes lawyers, doctors, accountants, financial analysts, bankers, teachers, etc.
Click here to read more.
Temporary or Seasonal Work Visa
H2B visa are a good fit for people who:
a) Looking for a seasonal employment in non-agricultural area.
b) Their employer isn't or wasn't able to locate anyone who is able and willing to work at such position.
c) Found the US employer who is willing to sponsor them.
Click here to read more.
Work Visa for Extra-ordinary Skilled People
O-1 visa is a good fit for people who:
a) Are internationally or nationally recognized experts in their field.
b) Looking for or already found the US employer who is going to hire them for temporary period of time.
c) Are able to show their expertise supported by sufficient evidence.
Click here to read more.
Work Visa for Intra-company Transferees or Managers
L1-B and L1-A work visa may be a good fit for people who:
a) Have been working for a parent company for a minimum of one year preceding the year in which applying for L1 visa.
b) Have been working at position that requires a specialized knowledge or at position of the manager/executive.
c) Their current company is expanding and opening another office in the U.S., where they like to be relocated.
Click here to read more.
Now, there are many other work visa types but we tried to highlight the most common and frequent visa out there.
What steps to take next
- Sign Up for our weekly awesome & useful Visa Updates. It's Free & straight to the point so you can stay updated, motivated and supported.
- Leave a reply with any questions that you have about work & life in America!
- Order initial FREE consultation with us! Click here to order your consultation today.
- Get social and share this article with friends who are planning to work in the US.
- Order Work Visa Guide that shows you step by step how to get your own work visa to the US. Click here to purchase it.


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"Next year will be my senior year, which is going to be sad, but I'm very excited for the experiences I'm going to have and the friends I'm going to make. It will be my fourth year on the Emery Girl's soccer team, which started up four years ago. It will also be my fourth year on the Emery High swim team. I'm so happy to be a part of such close teams with the amazing friends I've made over the years and that I've been on the teams with. Although all of these experiences will be fun, I'm the most ecstatic about choosing the college I'll be going to and to start the next step in my life! I'm definitely going to make my senior year the best year yet!"
-Sydney Terwilleger – Emery High School 2019 Graduate
"I think senior year is going to be one of my best high school years yet, so in a way I'm super excited for that! I'm also excited to graduate with the kids I've grown up with and to be able to look back and see how far we've come and all the things we have accomplished. I cannot wait to go to all the school dances one last time, cheer on all the sports teams, and be a part of the wild student sections!"
-Rachel Stout – Carbon High School 2019 Graduate
We are giving away a $20 gift card to Big Dons Pizza, a $10 gift card to Happiness Within Coffee Shop, a gift from Edgy Bling, 2 one day stand up paddle board rentals from Clear Creek Adventures, & 3 sets of 2 movie tickets to Price Theater! Excited yet??!! So much FREE stuff!!
Make sure to fill out this link to enter to win! Any HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT can enter!
If you pay your Senior Session deposit during Senior Week you get $60 off any senior session! Email firstname.lastname@example.com for more info!


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Five ways our plan analytics can help you take action
Lifetime Income ScoreSM
The Lifetime Income Score gives you a single barometer of your employees' median income replacement.
Lifetime Income Data Visualization
Data visualization pinpoints employees' progress toward income replacement, and can help you identify the employees who need help.
Demographic Breakdowns
See participation and deferrals by age, tenure and more – with easy data exports.
Investment Review
Conducting an investment review? You can see how participants are putting your lineup to work by viewing their individual allocations along an age-based glidepath.
Easy data exporting
Interested in seeing a detailed list? You'll see exporting tools that can help you manage the data and take next steps.
IMPORTANT: The projections, or other information generated by the Lifetime Income ScoreSM regarding the likelihood of various investment outcomes, are hypothetical in nature. They do not reflect actual investment results and are not guarantees of future results. The results may vary with each use and over time.


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Voltalia Starts Solar Plant Construction in Egypt
France - French renewable energy company Voltalia has started construction of the 32MW Râ Solar Plant in Egypt, its first solar power project in Africa, the company recently announced.
The Râ Solar Plant is located in the Ben Ban solar park, in the Aswan region of Egypt.
Voltalia, which also has a global presence, made the announcement at the beginning of November 2018 at the Africa Investments Forum in Paris.
The commissioning of the solar plant is scheduled for the second half of 2019, and the project will benefit from a 25-year power sales contract with the state-owned power utility Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC).
With a capacity of 1.8GW, the Ben Ban solar park is one of the world's largest solar complexes.
In line with its commitments to the Paris Agreement in 2015, Egypt expects to bring the total solar installed capacity of the Ben Ban solar park to 2GW. The solar park will also help the country to avoid the emission of 2 million tons of greenhouse gases per year, while improving access to affordable and clean energy in Egypt.
The Râ Solar Plant, developed by Voltalia, will be constructed and managed by the company. The solar plant will be equipped with 93,150 Suntech PV panels a capacity of 345W per panel. The panels will be mounted on single-axis trackers.
At the peak of construction activities, the solar plant project is expected to employ about 150 workers.
Voltalia, which is an international player in the renewable energy sector, produces and sells electricity generated from wind, solar, hydro and biomass power plants and currently owns a total installed capacity of 524 MW globally.
The company has also already announced plans to develop an 800MW portfolio in Egypt in the next 5 to 8 years.
More From Rest of World
Top Stories
- Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund Launches Household Solar Competition
- GROHE Wins Five Awards for Innovation and Ecological Compatibility
- Kenya Starts Enforcing Solar Water Heating Law
- West African Countries Advocate for Clean Energy Powered Mini-Grids
- Access Power Announces US$7m Prize Money for African Renewable Energy Developers


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News articles from March 2010
Jason Isaacs on Lucius Malfoy in 'Deathly Hallows'
17 March 2010 at 12:12 GMT
Jason Isaacs has revealed that he had a hand in constructing Lucius Malfoy's send off in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
"In fact, [Lucius' ending] wasn't planned. It was a decision made about how Lucius should end his bit in the story and we'd been leading up to it for a while and David – the lovely director – came to me and goes "What are we going to do with you that's really great? How are we going to do the ending?" And one day I came up with this thing and he went "gasp Oh that's it! Oh that's it. It'll be great."
You can listen to the whole interview here, courtesy of SS, HPANA, and MuggleNet.
Tags: Deathly Hallows Movies, Jason Isaacs - Comments Off on Jason Isaacs on Lucius Malfoy in 'Deathly Hallows' - Permanent Link
Happy birthday, Harry Melling!
13 March 2010 at 11:51 GMT
The actor who plays Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter films turns 21 todayl
Tags: Harry Melling - Comments Off on Happy birthday, Harry Melling! - Permanent Link
Picture of Hogwarts Express at HP theme park
6 March 2010 at 12:39 GMT
Courtesy of Universal, an image of the Hogwarts Express at the The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. From the official blurb:
The Hogwarts Express arrives at Hogsmeade Station as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter continues to develop at Universal Orlando Resort. As guests enter Hogsmeade, they will be greeted by the iconic, smoke-billowing steam engine, made famous in the Harry Potter books and films for transporting students to a world of magic and wonder. Opening in Spring 2010 only at Universal Orlando Resort, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will feature multiple themed attractions, shops and a restaurant.
Tags: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - 1 Comment - Permanent Link
Rhys Ifans on 'Deathly Hallows' role
5 March 2010 at 12:12 GMT
Rhys Ifans, the actor set to portray Xenophilius Lovegood in the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows films, recently spoke about his role. Ifans humouresly compared the oppurtuninty to appear in the Harry Potter films as, "[like] getting knighted".
"That was great," he said, beaming. "When you're an English actor and you get the 'Harry Potter' call– it's like Batman, you know? You have a phone, you have a normal phone, and then you have one that is made out of wood. That's the 'Potter' people. They call you up [and] you get your wand out, you put your cloak on and off you go. It's a real honor. It's like getting knighted or something."
Read the full interview by clicking here.
Tags: Deathly Hallows Movies, Rhys Ifans - Comments Off on Rhys Ifans on 'Deathly Hallows' role - Permanent Link


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Exclusive Pre-Sale Offer:
- To celebrate the launch of our website, we're giving away a limited number of our bracelets.
- Instead of paying for traditional advertising, we're using that budget to cover the cost of the bracelets and offer them for free instead of 39,99€ (for a limited time, of course).
- There are no hidden costs, we cover the product cost, and you cover the shipping cost of 9,99€.


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In the latest Rent vs. Buy Report from Trulia, they explained that homeownership remains cheaper than renting with a traditional 30-year fixed rate mortgage in the 100 largest metro areas in the United States.
The updated numbers show that the range is an average of 3.5% less expensive in San Jose (CA), all the way up to 50.1% less expensive in Baton Rouge (LA), and 33.1% nationwide!
A study by GoBankingRates looked at the cost of renting vs. owning a home at the state level and concluded that in 39 states, it is actually 'a little' or 'a lot' cheaper to own (represented by the two shades of blue in the map below).
One of the main reasons owning a home has remained significantly cheaper than renting is the fact that interest rates have remained at or near historic lows. Freddie Macreports that the current interest rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage is 3.91%.
Nationally, rates would have to reach 9.1%, a 128% increase over today's average of 4.0%, for renting to be cheaper than buying. Rates haven't been that high since January of 1995, according to Freddie Mac.
Bottom Line
Buying a home makes sense socially and financially. If you are one of the many renters who would like to evaluate your ability to buy this year, let's get together and find you your dream home.
"Buying Remains Cheaper Than Renting in 39 States!": was provided by Art Di Segna, a recognized leader in his field. Art can be contacted via email at firstname.lastname@example.com by phone at (281) 415-5888 or Contact Me on this site. Art has helped hundreds of people move in and around many Houston towns for the last 14+ years.
Thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!
I specialize in working with buyers in the following areas: Houston, Spring, Cypress, Tomball, Magnolia, Conroe, Huntsville, Point Blank, Lake Livingston area, Onalaska, Cape Royale, Cold Spring, Blanchard, Trinity, Woodville Texas.
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Following 12 months of development, the first of Storm Games' new slant-top cabinets has arrived in the UK.
Boasting a 24ins widescreen top screen and lower touchscreen, ticket out capability, a dual hopper and support for a whole raft of money handling peripherals, the new Titan cabinet is designed for use in a variety of venues across the globe.
"The Titan cabinet is a slant-top designed primarily for the UK arcade and bingo sectors, although we already have interest from continental Europe and Africa for the product," said Richard Sheldon, MD of Storm. "This cabinet is a continuation of our desire to have high quality cabinets to suit multiple market sectors.
"A new entry-level casino cabinet will follow in autumn 2014, meaning we will have our own cabinets, designed and produced by Storm Games, for every gaming sector in which we now operate in."


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Desert Tent Kalahari
At La Parenthèse Camping Les Ormes
47210 St Étienne de Villeréal, Lot-et-Garonne, France
- Sleeps 6 (max 6 adults, 5 children)
- Electricity
- Cooking facilities
- Beds Provided
- Bed Linen Not Included
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- Individually styled terrace with vintage French accessories for al fresco dining
- Situated on a large lakeside site with lots of facilities and activities
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About La Parenthèse Camping Les Ormes
At La Parenthèse – Camping Les Ormes **** which Glamping Experience (Glamorous Camping ) suits you best ?
Discover the romantic ambiance of country chic which will transport you into a world without worries – away from the daily drudge that surrounds us.
Well, for as long as your holiday lasts anyway….. The minute you arrive at this wonderful valley dotted by woodlands time lapses – you made a break, ready for your ultimate glamping experience…….
What's in a name ?
Camping Les Ormes is a lovely name for a campsite, but we wanted to add a personal touch, so we have added La Parenthèse.
Entre parenthèse, litteraly means in brackets, but the word parenthèse also means a break, a time away – breaking the daily routine.
La Parenthèse – Camping Les Ormes is situated in the northern part of the Lot et Garonne, touching the Dordogne, the ideal place to get to know the heartlands of the Périgord. Allow yourself to be charmed by this splendid area, where you will find all the good things that France has to offer. Discover the magnificent Bastides and Chateaux, taste the famous wines and enjoy some of the many local arts and crafts.
Dog are welcome - Contact us for having more details !
Glamping Site Facilities
2 large toilet and shower blocks, laundry, tennis court, swimming pool and stylish pool bar as well as a kiddies' pool. Sandy lakeside beach, a petting zoo and an authentic restaurant in an old barn. There's also a kids' café and a Ben & Jerry's fridge bursting with your favourite Phish Food and Chocolate Fudge Brownie flavours.


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Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) Matters!
Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the rate that energy is expended while doing nothing or resting in a normal temperate room, in the post-absorptive state (the digestive system is inactive, which is roughly 12 hours since last food). The consumption of energy in this condition is used only for your vital organs, the heart, lungs and kidneys and the rest of the nervous system, liver, lungs, sex organs, muscles and skin to stay alive.
Your BMR will decrease as your age increases and with the loss of lean body mass. You can increase your bodies muscle mass to result in increases in your BMR, and lead to weight loss and or control. The latest research teams have discovered that suggests aerobic and or cardiovascular exercise can increase resting energy consumption for sometime after its been done
BMR is measured by gas analysis through either direct or indirect calorimetry, though a rough estimation can be acquired through an equation using age, sex, height, and weight.
The researcher Spennewyn discovered that lean tissue or muscle in men and women required approximately 15-16 calories per pound per day just to stay alive. This means once a lean mass was known it could be multiplied by 15-16 to reveal daily caloric needs based on the activity level of the individual. Your Lean Mass is roughly calculated by removing your body fat percentage, away from your weight and an appropriate weight for your age and gender of organ and bone weight.
This method has been used in many health club environments to determine daily caloric needs.
The Calculation!
Body Weight [lb] x 15-16 + (activity* x 3.5).
*Minutes of Moderate Activity per Day.
Using your BMR!
Since you will likely wish to lose weight using your BMR, your target is your BMR minus 500 kcal.
Calculating Your BMR!
If you weigh 14 stones and 4 lb, you multiply 14 (stone) x 14 (lb per stone) to get 200 lb total.
You now estimate you perform 30 mins of moderate activity per day for example.
The equasion is now (200 x 15.5) + (30 x 3.5). In simpler terms 3100 + 105 = 3205 kcal.
You now need to cut your 500 kcal, 3205 – 500 = 2705.
This now makes your target for losing 1 (lb) pound per week using your BMR 2705 kcal.


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What is personal style? A distillation of mood, influences, and wardrobe to create the outward version of your best inner self.
As fashion has democratized, so have our wardrobes. Traditional dress codes for gender, occupation, and occasion no longer apply.
Men wear ruffles, dresses, and heels—N.B.A. stars carry some of the most lusted-after designer bags—and women rock men's suiting and combat boots like a "proper lady" should.
Whether you favor a signature uniform or a daily dose of artistic expression, we hope this year's list of fabulous honorees inspires you to take some risks and be fashionably fearless!
We gathered together a style brain trust from a swath of creative industries—themselves all possessed of effortless style—and asked them, along with V.F.'s executive fashion director, Samira Nasr, to nominate the most fashionable folks who catch their eye.
Pouring their creative juices into their wardrobe means consistently staying true to an aesthetic philosophy
Tracee Ellis Ross
Actress, Los Angeles
Born: Los Angeles.
Favorite wardrobe item: My Tracee Ellis Ross for JC Penney tuxedo.
Favorite scent: Any L'Oeil du Vert oils, particularly my custom scent.
Favorite shoe: For the red carpet, the Christian Louboutin "So Kate" 4.7-inch heels. For real life, black leather Birkenstocks.
Favorite accessory: Jennifer Fisher Baby Samira yellow-gold hoops.
Best 2018 fashion purchases: Dries van Noten men's size-46 burnt-rose suit jacket and Givenchy pointed-toe leather boots in amber.
Style icon: My mom.
Style advice: The whole thing about style is that not everybody's gonna get it, and it doesn't matter. I really just wear what makes my heart sing! I feel like I came out of my mom's womb like, "Where's the beads?!?"
Mark Ronson
Born: London.
Favorite wardrobe item: A rare T-shirt of N.Y.C. 80s freestyle legends Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam.
Favorite designer: Maison Lance by Kyosuke Kunimoto.
Favorite scent: Tsar, by Van Cleef & Arpels. Serge Gainsbourg wore it—I'm trying to pick up some of his animal magnetism.
Favorite accessory: Probably my watch: a 1980s gold A.P. Royal Oak.
Best 2018 fashion purchase: I bought a beautiful blue Tom Ford tux jacket to wear to your Oscar party—I'll send you the receipt.
V.F. Jury on Édouard Louis:
David Adjaye
Born: Dar es Salaam. My parents were Ghanaian diplomats, based in Tanzania when I was born.
Favorite wardrobe items: My Panerai Luminor Marina watch and my long white Balmain shirt.
Favorite designers: Virgil Abloh and Carlo Brandelli.
Favorite accessory: My Ghanaian beads.
Style icon: Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first president.
Style advice: Always mix high fashion with high-street fashion.
Sienna Miller
Born: New York City.
Favorite designers: Nicolas Ghesquière and Savannah Miller.
Favorite places to shop: Portobello Market, Louis Vuitton, and Pip-Squeak Chapeau.
Favorite scent: Eau d'Italie, by Le Sirenuse Positano.
Best 2018 fashion purchase: Patent Prada boots with velvet laces.
Style icons: Jane Birkin, Phoebe Philo, and Camilla Nickerson.
Bold prints, silk and velvet, body-hugging cuts—men are strutting their stuff, letting the dandy flags fly!
Louise Neri
Art curator and gallerist, New York
Born: Hawera, New Zealand.
Favorite wardrobe item: It was a heavy buckskin Alaïa jacket from 1984 that took one year to pay off on a junior's salary. It met a watery demise with Hurricane Sandy, otherwise I would still be wearing it. Now it's a bright-red nylon evening dress by Phoebe Philo for Céline.
Favorite designers: Duro Olowu, Phoebe Philo, Stefano Pilati, and Junya Watanabe—please don't make me choose between them.
Favorite shoe: An architectural pump by Stefano Pilati for YSL from 2009. People still ask.
Favorite accessories: Heirlooms—a gold-and-rubber Patek Philippe Aquanaut, an 18th-century planetary ring, and indigenous Tasmanian mariner-shell necklaces.
Fashion purchase she regrets not making: Fashion purchases not made are not worth regretting.
Style icon: Should I have one? If I must, I would suggest Maharani Gayatri Devi—equally at home in a sari or a man's suit.
V.F. Jury on Timothée Chalamet:
Recently, Mr. Carter has been embracing a more tailored silhouette, with 70s-era shirts, and Gucci and Tom Ford suiting. He's also grown out his hair—a definite step toward a more mature, sexier version of himself, while still having fun with his style.
V.F. Jury on Donald Glover:
Lebron James
In June, James arrived to Game One of the N.B.A. finals in an exquisitely tailored Thom Browne short suit, dress socks hiked up to his calves. That a six-foot-seven-inch generational talent could pull off the Prince George look with such swagger earned pre-game press-conference questions for both the Cavs' and Warriors' head coaches. (They declined to answer.) "I keep in mind that comfort, confidence, and what feels natural play a big part in style," James tells us.
Some people possess style so unique, you know that fashion is just another layer of their artistic expression
Lakeith Stanfield
Actor, Los Angeles
Born: On a small deserted water rock in an apparently boundless universe
in a place named San Bernardino by those who won the war.
Lives: A strange and oftentimes dark sunny place where illusions are cultivated . . . Hollywood.
Favorite wardrobe item: My serpent ring.
Favorite place to shop: Gucci.
Favorite scent: Rain clouds.
Favorite shoe: Gucci loafers.
Best red-carpet moment: [In 2015] I told my stylists I wanted to wear a women's suit [to the LA Film Festival], and they found one. It was brilliant and beautiful, and I was like, "Yes, yes, yes, yes. I have to do this."
Style advice: When it comes to my style, I do what feels right. What people think about you is in their mind, not yours. But I am a little bluebird flapping around.
Jenke Ahmed Tailly
Born: Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
Favorite wardrobe item: A vintage Alaïa coat which Mr. Alaïa gracefully adjusted before gifting it to me.
Favorite designer: Hedi Slimane is heaven for my sense of aesthetic—and he's half African.
Favorite accessory: A scarf from my mother's Saint Laurent treasures.
Best 2018 fashion purchase: A beautiful men's caftan I got in Dakar.
Style icon: My grandfather, Jean Tailly.
Style motto: Style is not about clothes; it's about dreaming.
V.F. Jury on David Hockey:
Lauryn Hill
Eclectic in every sense of the word, Hill layers colors, textures, and one-off pieces, mixing classic-soul 70s and early-80s vibes with a modern twist—plus she styles all her own looks, on- and offstage. A notable high-fashion mash-up from this year's anniversary tour involved a Balenciaga floral over a full tulle skirt.
V.F. Jury on Yayoi Kusama:
"Kusama is the embodiment of her artistic style—a walking spotty canvas." - A.G.
Feminine allure coupled with tailored trousers, a strong shoulder, or body-sculpted leather will kick the door in
Troye Sivan
Singer-songwriter, Los Angeles
Born: Johannesburg, South Africa.
Favorite wardrobe item: Saint Laurent moto boots.
Favorite designers: Valentino, Helmut Lang, and Wales Bonner.
Favorite place to shop: There are amazing vintage spots in L.A. I love Hidden Treasures, Slow Clothing, and American Rag Cie.
Favorite scent: Tacit, by Aesop.
Favorite accessory: A pair of sunglasses that fit my face—which are hard to find!
Best 2018 fashion purchase: An original Beatles Rubber Soul-era tee that I found in Auckland.
Style icons: Mark Ronson, Annie Lennox, and Hedi Slimane.
Style advice: For a long time, I didn't allow myself to wear things that I actually appreciated because I was worried I couldn't pull them off. Push yourself out of your comfort zone and trust your instincts—allow yourself that journey.
Emmanuelle Alt
Born: Paris. I am a pure Parisian!
Favorite designer: Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent.
Favorite place to shop: What Goes Around Comes Around, in New York, has a very good selection of vintage pieces.
Favorite scent: Anything with orange blossom.
Favorite shoe: A pair of black boots from Isabel Marant.
Favorite accessories: A simple belt and my Buccellati ring.
Best 2018 fashion purchase: A red cape, in Marrakech.
Fashion purchase she regrets not making: A beautiful gold medal with a stone in it, from a tiny store in Greece.
Style icon: David Bowie.
Style advice: Never try to be somebody else.
Yassmin Ghandehari
Born in: Tehran.
Favorite designers: Rick Owens, the Row, Céline, Gareth Pugh, Junya Watanabe, and Tramando.
Fashion purchase she regrets not making: Jacquemus oversize straw hat.
Style icon: Farah Pahlavi, Empress of Iran.
The ultimate chameleon, Rihanna embraces color and outlandishness. One day she'll choose a ball gown, like the jaw-dropping yellow Guo Pei number she wore to the 2015 Met Gala, next masculine streetwear with cleavage, then a bejeweled Gucci balaclava. A true style heroine.
Héloïse Letissier
Born: Nantes, France.
Best 2018 fashion purchase: Bandannas—they protect you from cold and hide love bites if needed.
Fashion regrets: Never any regrets—it's O.K.! You'll want to get naked eventually!
Style icon: DiCaprio in Romeo + Juliet.
Mastering international glamour—bold color, a head wrap!—shows sophistication that knows no borders
V.F. Jury on Amal Clooney:
H.R.H. Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex
This year, Meghan Markle's style has evolved into a much sleeker, high-fashion look. She's the most daring of the royal fashion pack, and her signature boatneck cut and monochromatic color choices exhibit classic polish.
V.F. Jury on H.H. Sheikha Moza's Style:
"Moza's wardrobe is the ultimate regal power statement—she is a modern Jacqueline Onassis." - A.G.
Brigitte Macron
Flaunting the old convention that age and hemlines should move in opposing directions, Macron has claimed the sexy above-the-knee look as her signature. "The French have dubbed her `the French Jane Fonda,' and I don't disagree," says Elizabeth Saltzman. Her style is never fussy, the silhouette always clean, and her promotion of French designers is a no-brainer: chances are her skirt suit on any given day is her favorite, Louis Vuitton. A tres respectable go-to.
Making statements with power pieces—a bold coat, a crisp shirt, or knockout gems—requires killer dignity
Hailey Gates
Actress, New York
Born: Los Angeles.
Favorite wardrobe item: A three-piece set by Congolese designer Fanny Mandina. My best friend got married in a bullring, and I wore that.
Favorite designers: Nudie Cohn and Mrs. Prada.
Favorite scents: Jasmine and street meat.
Favorite shoe: Maryam Nassir Zadeh.
Favorite accessory: Dramamine.
Best 2018 fashion purchase: Marshmallow gauze pajamas from Japan.
Fashion purchase she regrets not making: A young designer I met in Russia was making these silver rings with Vladimir Putin's head on them and inscriptions roughly translating to "Putin's disciples."
Style icons: Renata Adler and H.H. Sheikha Moza bint Nasser.
Most stylish city: Kinshasa. There's so much pride in dressing up—there are shrines to designers.
Style motto: Comfort is overrated.
Miuccia Prada
Embracing whimsy and consummate Italian tailoring and texture, Prada has the wardrobe you want to steal, and style that can't be copied. Apart from her impeccable taste and foresight, the designer is applauded for fashion bravery. Her love of color—particularly citrus accents—playful embellishment, and pairings few would dare to try continue to make her personal style as influential as her creations. She is also in touch with her serious side, favoring a below-the-knee hemline and a ladylike buckled pump. Mrs. Prada is the queen of her own game.
Nathalie de Gunzburg
"With her exquisite jewelry collection, de Gunzburg is an unusual colorist of gem tones; such as when she's punctuating a swath of bright-yellow satin with an amethyst-and-ruby JAR necklace." - Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn
Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen
No one has undergone the style evolution of the Olsens, to arrive at the most winnowed-down, minimally exquisite versions of themselves. Ashley has always preferred a tailored silhouette, Mary-Kate is more bohemian, but in their early 20s both favored the heavily layered, multiple-Birkins style that made them fashion catnip. Today, their look echoes an almost Japanese austerity, with simple draping and a monochromatic palette. But they still let expensive accessories do the talking; their vintage jewelry collection is a showstopper.
V.F. Jury on Serena Williams:
"Williams has influenced style on the court, and also off: she paired a Valentino gown with tennis shoes for Harry and Meghan's wedding reception—fearless and original." - Samira Nasr
Whether you honed your instincts in a skate shop, or as an American icon, the cumulative effect is glowing
Jeff Goldblum
Actor, Los Angeles
Born: Pittsburgh.
Favorite shoe: My zebra-printed Saint Laurent creeper-style lace-ups.
Favorite accessory: Tank Louis Cartier watch.
Best 2018 fashion purchase: Rings from Chrome Hearts.
Fashion purchase he regrets not making: The Saint Laurent T-rex intarsia sweater.
Style advice: Don't copy anyone—find your original voice and trust yourself.
Jonah Hill
Hill has long been a student of the style family—genus: streetwear; species: skater boy—but recently he has undergone what's known to the scientific community as a "glow up." Lush camel overcoats over Hello, Dolly! hoodies. Sambas paired with Grateful Dead-inspired tie-dye. Pink hair on top, Sean Wotherspoon's Air Max 1/97 VF SWs on the bottom (corduroy, for texture). Squint and you'll think you're looking at a recent college grad whose parents still have a loose hold on his emergency credit card. But Hill's commitment to the look is as deep as the pockets on his Prada coat. A style star is born.
Ralph Lauren
When it comes to a look that says "effortless preppy-Western classic," there's one man who pulls it off best, and that's the man who invented it. Although Lauren's designs continue to evolve, the pillars of his style really haven't; he's always leaned toward button-downs, denim, leather, and suede, and a cowboy boot for any occasion. Most recently, he loves a hiking boot, which is no surprise—after 50 years influencing American style, there's always room for a new spin.
Opt for poise with panache—confidence and a sense of adventure can lead to exciting style discoveries
V.F. Jury on Richards:
"Mixing strength and sensuality with bold colors and a few ruffles, Richards is a feminine force." - Derek Blasberg
Shanay Jhaveri
Born: Mumbai.
Favorite wardrobe item: White cotton pajamas made by my tailor in India, a version of which I have been wearing since I was two.
Best 2018 fashion purchase: A green quadruple-breasted suit by Haider Ackermann for Berluti.
V.F. Jury on Carla Sozzani:
"Carla and [her late sister Franca], the blonde Italians, broke the mold—very chic, more Italian bohemian." - Lisa Eisner
V.F. Jury on Sarah Paulson:
"Paulson has emerged as this fascinating blend of theater geek and style swan."- D.B.
V.F. Jury on Haider Ackermann:
"Haider has a bedouin elegance; he could almost be from the Sahara." - F.K.
Duro Olowu
Born: Lagos.
Favorite wardrobe item: My vintage French workman's jackets.
Favorite designer: Madame Grès.
Best 2018 fashion purchase: A Wales Bonner suit.
Style icon: David Hammons.
Style advice: For the classics, always get multiples.
Set against a social-media backdrop, these millennials are cool, unfiltered, and updating as we speak
V.F. Jury on Bella Hadid:
"Bella loves street fashion. With boots or high-tops, and lots of Chrome Hearts, she looks more rock star than sexy pretty girl." - L.E.
Eddy de Pretto
Born: Paris.
Favorite place to shop: Les Puces de Saint-Ouen.
Favorite shoe: Adidas Yung-1.
Favorite accessories: My bum bag and ring.
Best 2018 fashion purchase: Andrea Crews cap.
Style icon: The new raver kids from La Station.
V.F. Jury on Yara Shahidi:
Zoë Kravitz
Beauty aside, Kravitz also hit the genetic jackpot style-wise—Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet are rare birds in the fashion flock. The actress has taken that love for vintage, piercings, and edgy layering, and interpreted it anew. With a more refined spin, Kravitz can take a dress code and turn it on its head. "I see her and her family at flea markets and you just fall over—the seas part," says Eisner. "No one looks like them; they're very tribal. Zoë is like the queen of her own tribe."
Watch Jeff Goldblum, Lakeith Stanfield, and more guide you through their Fashion Timelines.
Portraits by Terry Tsiolis and Styled by Samira Nasr. For more information about fashion, visit vf.com/credits.


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Dragon Age 2
Dragon Age 2 seems to expect the player having a lot of faith in it, it starts off with a tutorial and some awkward attempts at emotion with characters you do not know, then throws the player into a city with offhand instructions to "make money". Except for how the story is told there are no hints of a greater purpose or bigger events unfolding, the game rather half-heartedly encourages you to look around on your own until you find something interesting to do. Being heavily story-based it is odd that Bioware designed Dragon Age with such an uninteresting opening, not even sandbox games tend to leave the player without a sense of purpose – but then again, Bioware are known to experiment some with story structure. And to be fair the game does get a lot better after awhile even if the tough moral choices and sense of meaning that made the first Dragon Age great are only really prevalent in the last five hours or so of Dragon Age 2.
Technically, it is like Mass Effect 2 a more refined experience than its predecessor. There are slightly less choices about equipment, abilities and setup but the ones that are there are more unique. The controls are better and the combat has a much better flow to it, in addition the difficulty curve is more even. Not being used to saving manually constantly, I remember having issues with the checkpoint placement in Dragon Age Origins – Dragon Age 2 only automatically saves when you enter a new area but since the difficulty is more manageable and the areas smaller this is no longer a problem.
Something about Dragon Age 2 that I am not sure whether I find interesting or annoying – but that I am sure was completely intentional – is how the gameplay and narrative is woven together regarding the motivations of the characters. It is hard to build a functioning party of characters whose views do not clash, meaning even if you do not care about the outcome of the events in the game yourself you are likely to get rivals among your party members, which in turn affects how the game works. There is also the fact that the main character has a name and a voice this time around and is more of a character than the Origins protagonist was… The game narrative encourages you to establish a character but the gameplay encourages you to be friendly with your party members and you cannot always get both – Andrew Vanden Bossche wrote about this a while ago. But in the end, Dragon Age 2 is a rather adult game tackling questions of racism and intercultural respect, violence, freedom, control and fear – even if problems are sometimes banal it would be doing these subjects a disservice if it allowed for easy solutions and simple compromises. And I also have to wonder if the impact the game had in the end would have been as great if I had not familiarized myself with the environments by running around for hours doing mindless tasks.
After all, I really liked the game and I hope to have opportunity to play through it again, but the question is how good an idea it is to make a game longer with filler content in order to make select few parts of it appear deeper.
2 Comments so far
Johan on March 28th, 2011
On which platform did you play DA2? I'm playing on the PC and the controls are very frustrating. And I have not found a way to customize the mouse buttons. You attack and move with the same mouse button which means that I end up with standing next to an enemy and try to stare him to death while he hits me on the head…
Also the graphics is not what I expected from a AAA single player RPG. I have a powerful high end PC but can not maximize the graphical settings due to crappy performance
and tons of glitches in the textures.
I won't comment the narrative or story because I have not yet finished the game. But from a technical perspective DA2 for the PC feels like a quick console port which is sad. I expected more from BioWare.
Saint on March 28th, 2011
I played it on the 360 and had no big issues with the controls, but there were many cases were enemies would cluster together and targeting a specific one would be difficult. I suppose this would be a bigger issue if you did not primarily use area effect spells like me.
And yes, I agree the graphics are lackluster for a title of this magnitude, even when compared to other large-scale RPGs with heavy customization. I think the first Dragon Age had the same issue (little seems to have been done to improve looks, really) so I did not bother mentioning it, but considering that Mass Effect looked quite good it is a bit odd.


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CollegeWeekLive offers a suite of products, from email marketing to SMS texting solutions, supporting student engagement in familiar and accessible channels.
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16 reviews
"Visiting the Masai tribe and taking place in their dances and house tours."
- Emilygro
Safari enthusiast
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Review (1)
We recently went a 10-day safari throughout Kenya and Tanzania with Big Time Safari Ltd. We had the most amazing time. From Day 1, the staff helped us create the perfect tour package to cover everything we wanted to, and maintained very quick/efficient communication leading up to our arrival.
Our guide Wanjau was amazing and we saw dozens and dozens of animals very up close and personal. Our entire experience was amazing, and even though it was a budget safari, we truly felt we had the best possible experience.I would recommend this company to anyone travelling through Kenya and Tanzania.
|Meet and greet team
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Cultures are not homogeneous entities with universal values. Within each culture are numerous subcultures-subgroups within their own distinct modes of behavior. Any culture as heterogeneous as that of the United States is composed of significant subcultures based on such factors as language, race, nationality, age, and geographical distribution.
Inhabitants of the southwestern United States display lifestyle emphasizing casual dress, outdoor entertaining, water sports and strong evangelical and Baptist values. Of course, Mormons refrain from buying alcohol and tobacco. Orthodox Jews purchase kosher and other traditional foods. As Denver Portuguese Translation consultants point out, understanding that differences like these occur in subcultures that exist in many other countries can result in better translation and localization of products, services and other communication pieces. Insensitivity to cultural nuances has the opposite outcome. For example, the state of Maryland had to pull an advertising campaign including television commercials, brochures and posters that featured photos of Al Capone, a gangster who was imprisoned for federal tax evasion. According to New York Italian Translation workers, the advertising was intended to publicize the state's tax amnesty program and used Capone to show tax evaders what happens to those who get caught. But leaders of the Italian-American community protested that the campaign was an ethnic slur and that it perpetuated the false stereotype of Italian-Americans as mobsters. I believe that you can see how something like this could easily happen in other countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Germany and France that also have diverse populations.


text:
Grocerease is a software platform that is installed and customized for retailers.
We solved all of the problems associated with bringing a store with tens or even hundreds of thousands of SKUs online with ordering for delivery or pickup on site. It automatically updates daily product inventory and connects to POS systems. Easy ordering online enables powerful promotions by making it easy to order promoted items right from their home or office.
Using the Grocerease platform you will:
Build Loyalty
- Differentiate based on something more meaningful and enduring than price
- Offer a level of convenience that less nimble competitors are unable to match
- Create a more personal connection between your customers and your staff by letting customers know who is picking their orders
- Personalize discounts, offers, and/or loyalty benefits based on basket size and individual customer value
Increase Revenues
- Offer a quality, convenience-based, service in addition to your quality products
- Apply your understanding of the individual customer and their cart to present relevant complementary items
- Direct shopper attention to specials and higher margin items
Manage Costs
- Leverage existing store infrastructure and inventory to create a new distribution channel at no increased cost
- Optimize utilization of employees by reducing staff idle time and equipping staff to engage in value-added activities for the customer
- Reduce staffing costs by smoothing out daily peak-trough cycles and increasing customer throughput


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Dolphin Dance
D.Briggs - Dolphin Dance (12inch)
Dolphin Dance is the second release by D. Briggs on the Brooklyn based ''Stray Current'' label. On this limited run of 300 hand-stamped copies Briggs combines driving dance beats with rough analog synth tones to create a set tunes that will move the floor. The title track has also been remixed by WT label owner Willie Burns. On his remix, Burns strips the track down to the bone and drenches it in reverb, giving it a darker mood and a pummeling melody.
|Stray Current: SC002
|in stock
|€ 13,99


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With the day-by-day innovations of the cell phone industry mobile phones are no longer just phones. Likewise, the accessories are too getting advanced with time. Mobile phone cases are no longer just cases but they have enhanced to a different proportion. You can receive calls by touching on the cover, you can give your favorite look to the phone by changing the cases or you can opt to choose for customized cases. With these accessories, discovering a personalized fashion trend is not a problem.
Since every people have a different taste in the pattern and design of mobile cover making a detailed market research will really help you in choosing the correct cell phone case for you. Apart from the pattern and design there are some basic properties which you should keep in mind. Convenience, Fitness, Protection, Cost and Longevity are the key factors for the best case of a mobile phone. A perfect mobile cover is fashioned to support or to hold a mobile phone securely particularly in smartphones.
Selecting from available alternatives
There are different types of pouches available in the market. Among them are pouches, holsters, folio cases, rugs, tough cases, flip covers and drop and shock protection. Holsters are cases of plastic body with rubberized padding and non-exposed stringent corners. Folio cases are a kind of stylish background covers which is made up of artificial leather. Rugged cases are heavy and ponderous. It gives the normal slim phone a look of somewhat like brick.
Tough cases are made up of hard plastic or raisin cover that is almost unbreakable. It holds the mobile phone inside it as a pouch, giving the device complete protection from dust and water. Flip covers plays a stand to your mobile phones. It comes in various sizes and thus it also fits with tablets. Some even has a slot to fix a keyboard within it, which can be used to give a laptop sensation. The Phone Case Place is the website where you can get all these astounding accessories for your mobile phone.
Customized mobile phone covers
If you are looking for any unique gift for your loved ones, one of the latest trends is the customized mobile phone case. It can be customized for one's own fashion as well. You will be given the choice to present your own design which will be implicated onto your desired mobile case. It can prove to be an excellent gift in birthdays or anniversaries for your friends and families especially it is not available in malls or shops on the roadside.
The other importance of such cases is when people buying present for someone, they have to discuss with others to avoid same gifts. Moreover if someone even creates a customize case; it will definitely not clash with the design you provided. These are the benefits you get from a reputed online store like The Phone Case Place which creates unique customized cases. Hence, the enjoyment, the satisfaction and the quality that these kinds of global online phone case providers give is just awesome. It holds a wide variety of cases for almost all mobile devices and tablets.


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Information for Authors
The Journal of Industrial Teacher Education (JITE) is issued four times annually by the National Association of Industrial and Technical Teacher Education (NAITTE). Published manuscripts are high-quality guest articles, refereed articles, "At Issue" essays, "Comments," reviews of books/media and computer hardware and software in an "Under Review" section, and special feature issues that report scholarly inquiry and commentary broadly related to industrial and technical teacher education, military training, and industrial training.
All manuscripts submitted for publication must be accompanied by a cover letter that specifies the section of the Journal for which the manuscript is intended and an abstract that describes the essence of the manuscript in 150 words or less. Manuscripts must conform to guidelines provided in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (1994, 4th ed.) except as mentioned here. Figures and line drawings must be submitted in camera-ready form. If possible, place figures, line drawings, and tables where desired in the text instead of using the APA's "place table here" place holder.
Manuscripts should be submitted on a 3.5" high-density microcomputer diskette and in letter-quality hard copy form. Please be sure to provide six (6) hard copies for refereed manuscripts and three (3) hard copies for "At Issue," "Comments," and "Under Review" articles. The preferred format is Microsoft Word for Windows or Macintosh. Please label the disk with the author name(s), manuscript title, and date of submission. The files on the disk should be clearly identified.
The submission procedures are intended to facilitate editing and producing the Journal. They should not be interpreted as precluding authors without microcomputer capabilities from submitting manuscripts for publication consideration. Authors unable to meet word processing specifications should contact the Editor.
Submit refereed manuscripts (diskette plus six hard copies), "At Issue" and "Comments" articles, and book/media reviews (diskette plus three hard copies) to:
General inquiries about editorial policies of the Journal, proposals for special feature issues, and recommendations for topics and authors for guest articles should be sent to the Editor. In addition, evaluative information about the JITE, such as comments from readers and authors that can be used to assist the editors in improving the Journal, as well as nominations for potential reviewers, should be forwarded to the Editor.
Manuscripts that do not meet submission requirements will be delayed in being reviewed since they will be returned outright to the author. Manuscripts must be the original work of the authors and not have been published, be awaiting publication, or be under publication consideration by another source.
The Journal of Industrial Teacher Education reserves the right to make editorial changes on all manuscripts to improve clarity, conform to style, correct grammar, and fit available space. Detailed information regarding JITE's editorial policy and guidelines is presented in the Journal of Industrial Teacher Education Author's Guide by Patrick W. Miller and Thomas E. Proctor. Copies can be obtained by contacting:
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NAITTE members should forward any changes in their mailing address and report undelivered copies of JITE to:
NAITTE members should encourage libraries and reading rooms at their institutions to subscribe to JITE so that a permanent file of this publication is maintained. Three-year subscriptions to the Journal are available to institutions. Institutional subscription inquiries, changes of address, or problems with delivery should be directed to:
Undelivered copies of JITE resulting from unreported changes of address will not be replaced without charge.
Request for Back Issues of the Journal
Back issues of the Journal of Industrial Teacher Education are available on a limited basis. Please specify the year(s), volume(s), and issue(s) of the specific journal(s) when ordering. Also indicate the quantity desired. The cost for a back issue of the Journal is $7.00 (United States and Canada) and $9.50 (Foreign). There is no charge for shipping.
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The fee for regular yearly membership in NAITTE is $50 for U.S. and $60 for foreign. Student membership is $15 per year. Student membership applications must contain signatures of department chair from the student's institution. The membership year runs from July 1st through June 30th. To receive services listed for a full membership year, membership applications must be received by September 5th. All membership applications received after January 1st will cause membership services to begin on the following July 1st.
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Commercial strata properties such as retail spaces, warehouses, and office spaces require comprehensive commercial insurance for complete protection. These are assets that hold significant value for their owners and damage of any sort can be catastrophic and could potentially lead to bankruptcy. Due to this risk, commercial insurance becomes an imperative investment. Let's begin by understanding the nature of commercial insurance in Canberra and then progress towards understanding the key benefits attached to this investment.
How It Works?
Commercial insurance is designed to help protect the property from both natural and unnatural disasters that take place (i.e. fire, floods, vandalism and other related damage). The goal of the insurance is to help reduce any burden on the owner by offering a safety net. With a customised plan in place, the owner is able to focus on running the business rather than wondering how damage will be budgeted for.
Provides Short and Long Term Safety
The main reason for getting your commercial strata title property protected has a lot to do with short and long term safety with regards to the property owner. There are numerous disasters that can occur such as fires and floods, but also theft of the property itself. If this is the case, insurance is the only resort to gain back some or all of the financial damage that has taken place. Without such cover, all of the risk is taken by the business and this is quite a risky approach to take at the best of times.
The real value of such insurance is to help put together an insurance plan that is comprehensive with regards to what the property owner is in search of. This means focusing on specific protection requirements (i.e. specific assets) or putting together an all-encompassing solution that is better as a whole.
Tax Benefits
With the help of a quality insurance broker, you will be able to find the right plan to suit your needs, offering you peace of mind for your property.
This information may be regarded as general advice. That is, your personal objectives, needs or financial situations were not taken into account when preparing this information. Accordingly, you should consider the appropriateness of any general advice we have given you, having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs before acting on it.


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Online Magazine Monthly July 2003 Issue #8
Cover PageStephen VincentPoems from WalkingInterviewMy e-Conversation With Stephen Vincent by Nnorom AzuonyeEmman Usman ShehuTwo PoemsRobert John HelmsReflections of SpringEsiaba IrobiKingdom of the MadPast IssuesHome
AFRICAN CYCLE (3)He worked the fields.She stayed home. They livedNear Calabar.After lunchhe would return.The other manwas a stranger to the village.He had goneunnoticed, somehow.In the afternoonsHe would enter the house.He would hold her hand.They would embrace.It was somehow natural.One day the husband became suspicious.He came home early.He entered the house quietly.It was no amusement.They were asleep.He left quietly.He returned to he fieldAnd planted grain there.It was early in the season.In the evening he befriended the man,Asked him to come to the field.He also asked his wife.He carried a machete and a spear.When the wife and stranger arrivedThe sun was droppingToward the horizon.The man, as quietly and forcefully as possible,Raised his machete over his head.He told her to lie on here back in the furrow.He told her friend to lie on top of her.She spread her legs, and his legs went between.It was extraordinarily quiet. The sunBegan to disappear. At dusk the husbandRaised the spear.It was a quickAnd sudden blow. The bladeAnd the wood. JustBelow the waist. Their bloodFlowed through the furrow.The next evening the husbandAppeared in the village. He called the eldersTogether. Under a cover of juteHe showed them the heads.His wife and her lover,He explained.He left the heads.He returned to the field.He buried the bodiesAnd harvested fullyAt the end of the season.I was told this story by a womanWho lives close to the village. Each yearThere is a ceremony. The head of the wifeAnd her loverAre carried separately. They are wrappedIn thick woven jute.Continue >>>


text: Families can earn a Tuition Referral Credit up to $400! For each student (K-8) that you refer and who has attended our program for one month, a credit of $100 will be applied to your account. A credit of $25 will be applied for each preschool student referred. Please know: referral money is available to those outside our program! We greatly appreciate the kind word of mouth recommendations. Thank you :)


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The Puppet Maker
Behind the scenes
Punch and Judy Puppets & Videos
Puppets for Other Shows
The Three Little Pigs
The Three Billy Goats Gruff
Little Red Riding Hood
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Jack and the Beanstalk
Props, Accessories & Videos
The Booth Centre
Puppet Shows and Workshops
Contact Miraiker and full price list
Puppets for other stories
Many puppeteers are looking to add to their repertoire but aren't sure where to start; Miraiker offers a complete package for your next show.
Once you've decided the story then talk to Miraiker about what you will need to actually start performing it. It will probably include a variety of puppets along with the props needed to help the story along. You may also need an adaptation to your puppet booth, such as a different cover, scenery or artwork.
If it is a show that Miraiker performs herself then she can also help with a video of how she personally performs it to help you get started and if your work is in schools then you can always get a set of smaller puppets and props so that the children can have a go themselves after your show.
Puppet shows you may want to perform:
Miraiker has produced puppets and props for the following puppets, (click on each story for more information):
The Three little Pigs
The Three Billy Goats Gruff
Little Red Riding Hood
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Jack and the Beanstalk
As she has also performed all of these shows a video link to the relevant one of her performances will be available to you if you buy a story set from her.
If you have another show that you would like her to make for you then she'll be happy to work with you on your own ideas.


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In the past, equity release has developed a bad name for itself, but this is not surprising given the problems with early products launched in the equity release market. However, the industry has responded and its poor reputation is becoming a thing of the past.
A look at some of the factors affecting the income of those in retirement means these types of schemes can no longer be ignored. Inadequate State pensions falling year-on-year in terms of earnings mean it is unlikely any current or future Government will find the money to fully reinstate the historic earnings link. In addition, inadequate private pension provision means only the lucky few have amassed sufficient pension provision to live comfortably in retirement.
Asset-rich or cash-poor?
So what about everyone else? For an ageing population with inadequate pension provision, equity release has a major role to play in filling the income gap. The label 'asset-rich cash-poor' is an apt description of many pensioners who struggle for day-to-day income, but are in possession of a house that could have substantial ' albeit locked-up value. As graph one (on page 24) shows, more than half of the over 60s own a property without a mortgage.
The original concept of equity release was a good one, but with the benefit of hindsight the products sold in the early 1980s just did not match up to customers' requirements.
These early products followed a simple formula ' the precise details are not too important, but in simple terms, customers borrowed money secured against the value of their residential property. The cash borrowed was then immediately invested and the income that investment produced was used to make the capital and interest repayments on the loan. As long as the income generated exceeded the loan repayments, customers would be left with surplus income to be used in whatever way they wished.
This seems very attractive on the face of it, as long as the investment returns exceeded the loan interest. But the problem was this relationship was not guaranteed, no matter how safe it looked on paper. So when investment returns fell faster than the loan interest rate, this surplus income disappeared. In time, the only way to find the loan repayments was to use other sources of capital, or by selling the house ' not the way the customer ever envisaged releasing their equity.
Design changes
The answer came in the form of better product design and, crucially, important and valuable guarantees. At the moment the most popular form of equity release scheme is the roll-up mortgage. These differ from the earlier product designs in a number of key areas.
First, they are not traditional mortgages. Rather than requiring regular interest and capital repayments, the loan simply rolls-up with all capital and interest repaid out of the proceeds of the house sale following the customer's death.
Second, all the cash released is available to the homeowner to use as they wish ' there is no requirement to invest in a particular way, or to rely on the differences between the income generated and interest payable.
Third, many products offer fixed interest rates on the loan ' the homeowner has certainty over how much will need to be repaid, were they to die at any given point in the future.
Finally, such products are provided with 'no negative equity' guarantees. When the homeowner dies, even if the loan plus interest exceeds the current value of the house, there is no burden on the estate. Only the house's value would be repayable.
The other new product was reversionary equity release schemes. This is where the homeowner sells their home to the provider in return for a cash sum and/or an income plus a lease for life. They allow guaranteed continued residence, but their popularity is declining relative to the newer mortgage-based schemes.
These latest schemes have moved the equity release market forwards considerably, but potential equity release customers are older than typical mortgage buyers and, understandably, need additional safeguards, security and peace of mind.
Meeting standards
In 1991, an organisation called Safe Home Income Plans (SHIP) was established. Dedicated entirely to the protection of equity release policyholders and the promotion of safe home income plans, it places certain restrictions on the product providers that form its membership. In order for an equity release product provider to be a member of SHIP, its products must meet a number of basic requirements designed to safeguard the interests of the customer.
Individuals releasing equity through a SHIP-member company can do so safe in the knowledge the product they are buying meets these criteria and their interests will be well served by the company they are dealing with.
In particular, buying a plan from a SHIP member company ensures the customer never loses their home ' whatever happens to the stock market or interest rates. This is a vital assurance for anyone considering equity release. Buying a product that does not conform to these standards could be dangerous for unsuspecting consumers.
There are a number of other borrower safeguards in place now, depending on the type and size of the equity release scheme.
These include the regulation of the provider by the Financial Services Authority (FSA), the requirements of the 1974 Consumer Credit Act and the voluntary Mortgage Code of Practice introduced by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML).
Although equity release may seem to be an ideal solution to the needs of many older people, penetration of such schemes into the market is still very low. One of the reasons for this is a fairly common feeling among older people that their homes serve a dual purpose ' somewhere for them to live and an inheritance for their children and their grandchildren. In many cases, however, their children see things differently.
A few years ago, we commissioned some research to try to understand how attitudes towards inheritance varied between different generations. The results showed a clear shift from one generation to the next (see graph two).
Among the over 60s, one in four felt it was their duty to leave a legacy to the next generation and almost half ' a further 49% ' said they would, 'like to leave something.'
Stepping down a generation to the 40 to 55-year-old age group, only 3% felt their parents had a duty to pass wealth onto them and a mere 6% expressed the view they hoped their parents would leave them something.
This research indicates there is a whole generation very keen to pass on assets to their children, while the majority of those children neither need nor want that wealth, preferring instead that their parents use and enjoy their money while they are still alive and able to. And that is clearly where equity release can fill an important gap.
The equity release market has a clear role to play in satisfying the financial needs of a growing proportion of the population.
While some of the reputation the market has may have been justified by the products of the past, the equity release products of the twenty-first century bear little resemblance to those of the early 1980s. They are now much safer and more closely monitored to ensure they are suitable for the needs of their target market. Older consumers can and should buy with confidence in the valuable guarantees they are being given.
Paul Shallis is product manager at GE Life
sales points
New products come with guarantees of no negative equity.
The SHIP symbol guarantees that the borrower will never lose their home, or have to move out.
The FSA, the Consumer Credit Act and the CML also govern product providers.


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Calling all bargain buyers! This acreage property offers great valley views to the North, a quiet off-road position and an astounding opportunity for a savvy buyer to add value here!
3 bed 2 bath double brick home
Huge 12mx9m double brick garage / workshop
Northerly facing 18.7 acre allotment
Northerly views across the valley
2nd gate access further along Reesville road
Private and quiet location
Substantial acreage properties at this price level are impossible to find! Contact RE/MAX Hinterland today to organise your inspection ASAP.


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I thought everything would magically get better with the new job. Sure the first couple of weeks I was very happy to be here, but now settling in to the daily grind of things, life is back to normal. Normal– tired, depressed, that is my "normal". I often wonder what I've done to deserve this. Did God get mad at me, and this is my punishment? I've been struggling with this since I was a kid. I'm so tired and so frustrated with this life. The feelings I can't even start to explain. I just want to sleep… and cry, and then sleep some more. I'm scared that the rest of my life will be like this. What happens if that is true? If I'm spending the rest of my life feeling like this? How do I get through it? Even if I had lots of people that I could talk to, how do I convey the dark feelings that I can't even tell why occur, to someone who is happy? My favorite line is that if I were a better Christian than I wouldn't be feeling like this. Maybe that's true. Everything is my fault. I'm just tired of being tired. Of wanting to cry and having to fight through the feelings at work. Of putting on a happy face when I don't even want to live. I wish I had my counselor back.
One thought on "same crap, different day"
Hey DJ, I hope and pray that just for today you will feel the love sent your way.
I think of you and E often.
God does not judge…God does not condemn..God is Love. Your heart is hungry…..allow His Holy Spirit to comfort you. I believe in you and know you can work through all this sadness…..Love you, Auntie Lisa


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It is ugly to corrupt human beings. Even more to corrupt youth. The wisest man of the ancient world was indicted precisely on that charge. Moral and intellectual corruption of Athens' golden lads. Thus the people sentenced Socrates to death. His friends would have arranged his escape but the law-abiding philosopher refused – he drank the proffered poison cup and died, an innocent victim of the stupidity and prejudice of Greek democracy. Plus ca change...
Today 'corruption' tends to be associated with offences like bribery, bent politicians, sexual and physical abuse and the like. A wider, more radical application of the term exists, however. The sacred texts of the monotheistic faiths exemplify that.
The Arabic word for 'corruption' in the Qur'an above is fasad. In a personal communication Dr Muhammad Legenhausen, a distinguished Islamic scholar, tells me that it is a technical and legal concept. Literally it means 'rottenness, as in rotten tomatoes'. Generally, it covered crimes like 'highway robbery, rape and pillage'. Heinous crimes of course to which every society has attached the most severe penalties.
As to the New Testament, the word pthora renders corruption. It means physical but also moral decay. The Second Letter of Peter, 2:19, thus speaks of certain 'servants of corruption', malicious persons, 'blots and blemishes' who seek to spread mischief and filth and defilement around them and for whom hell is reserved. (Just look it up. It is a great preaching passage.)
The Qur'anic ayat is in fact about the law of retaliation ordained 'for the children of Israel'. For Christians, the Old Law, superseded, in the sense of being fulfilled, by the New Law brought by Jesus Christ, the Gospel. Nonetheless, it is this 'corruption' concept that mesmerises me. What could its implications be?
An article by Simon Kuper in the FT Magazine got me thinking. Entitled 'How the West had won', it is an unashamed boast about the purported excellence of Western culture. The West gets more and more 'dominant' worldwide, the writer observes. Something reflected in the universal appeal of the English language, books and even Western 'celebrities'. An example he gives of the influence of the latter is that of an Iranian student he met in Isfahan, who first perorated against Britain and America and then went on to inquire earnestly about glorious Western portents like David Beckham and Manchester United.
I should state that I too visited the marvellous city of Isfahan last year. I am happy to report that the young people I met there had the good taste and the intelligence to show interest in art and philosophy, not in footballing nonentities. So, pace Mr Kuper, maybe there is still hope for Iranian youth, insh'allah.
It is all about the Western way of life, says Kuper, which 'implicitly includes democracy.' The West's fabulous cornucopia of goods is being spread across the earth then. The vision is of a glittering, secular, globalised New Jerusalem in which folks in the West are fortunate enough to be already dwelling, until the rest of humanity, such as benighted nations like Russia and China, grow clever enough to enter. Jolly good!
The priest is in a bloody minded mood. Hence, he wishes to be provocative. What if the actual Western way of life was essentially not so admirable but was...something else? What if it was...corruption? Universal, worldwide, radical corruption of peoples, values, cultures and human beings?
A qualification. By that little, overdone geographical expression, 'the West', I do not mean what until recently it used to mean, Christendom. Until Western civilisation held fast to Christianity, despite the falling short and the mishaps common to all earthly enterprises, that civilisation was genuinely great and good. Until the West had a soul, a spiritual and ethical core, it was an agent of wholeness, not of corruption. But the West no longer means that because it has lost its soul.
Britain, America and France. The unholy, secular trinity chiefly embodying Western culture and mores. (Germany, never mind how much it frightens hysterical Brits, is culturally kaput. A mere branch of the Yankee firm. Spain is broke and Italy is a joke.) What do these nations stand for? What values do they affirm? What way of life? What hopes, what ideals?
Mr Kuper naturally flags democracy as the summum bonum of the West. To which the priest is inclined to exclaim, after Madame Roland: 'Democracy, how many crimes are committed in your name!' In truth, democracy is a tattered fig leaf that fails to cover the scarlet sins of its wearers. Because democracy is a political system practised by ruthless empires tainted with robbery, butchery and plunder. Those empires, even if cut down to size, shrunk and minimised, like France and Britain, it could be argued, still spread mischief and corruption on earth, within and without. From Iraq, to Afghanistan and Libya and now, soon, most likely, Syria, some would say...
But the West still draws immigrants from all over the world, an argument goes. If they all want to come here, it can't be that bad, can it?
Maybe the starving of the third world pushing at Europe's porous frontiers proves that the priest is hallucinating. Mr Kuper then is right whilst I am a reactionary old sod. Just possible. Still, I recall the case of a certain Afghan man who was on a plane hijacked into London. Once here he and other passengers were offered asylum. It looked like Eldorado but shortly afterwards the Afghan opted out and went back home. Why? What was wrong with Britain?
'It was an infidel country, it was cold and the food was awful', he declared. Chap must have recognised fasad (and pthora, maybe) when he saw it.