text:
A view of Shu'fat refugee camp from Issawiyeh. Although within the municipal boundaries of Jerusalem, the camp has a separate 'security barrier' surrounding it and cutting it off from the rest of the city.
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) filed a petition with the Israeli High Court on Tuesday 25 March, demanding the immediate resumption of water supply in four East-Jerusalem neighborhoods that have been facing acutely irregular water supply since the beginning of this month. Together with residents from the neighborhoods of Shu'fat refugee camp, Ras Hamis, Ras Shehada and Hashalom, ACRI asked the Israeli Ministry of Infrastructure to find and implement a long-term solution for the water issues these neighborhoods have coped with for several years now.
Water supplies have been failing since Tuesday 4 March, when about 45,000 people living in East-Jerusalem woke up without running water. Faucets remained completely dry until the following Friday morning, when the water supply was partially restored, although with poor pressure. Three weeks later, the water supply has yet to return to what it was before 4 March.
"Nobody knows why the problem has deteriorated so severely since the beginning of the month," Ronit Sela told the Palestine Monitor. Sela, director of the Human Rights in East-Jerusalem project of ACRI, added that the petition is directed at four governmental bodies: the Ministry of Infrastructure, the National Water Authority, the Jerusalem Municipality and its water utility Hagihon. "None of these, nor other Israeli authorities, are taking any responsibility. Meanwhile some families have no water at all, while most of them have to do with very irregular supply or very low pressure," she said.
Self-service in Shu'fat refugee camp
The refugees of Shu'fat are unfortunately used to the phenomenon of insufficient water supply, but it is rare that residents have to go without water for so long. "According to the refugees this problem started when the Israeli occupation forces finished the wall and the checkpoint," Khalil Abu Khadijeh, who works for Grassroots Jerusalem, a platform for social, urban and human rights activists and organizations in Jerusalem, told the Palestine Monitor.
The problems of the irregular water supply and drops in water pressure are mainly due to failing and outdated infrastructure. The infrastructure, initially built to sustain about 10,000 residents, now has to provide water for more than 25,000. The Jerusalem municipal water utility Hagihon is not able to carry out regular maintenance work at Shu'fat's side of the wall, allegedly due to security concerns.
The Palestine Monitor talked to Omar Serhan, resident of the camp and head of the Palestine Child Center in Shu'fat. Serhan described the water supply as "self-service"; most families are left up to their own means to connect to the central water pipe in the camp. "Because we don't get water in a regular way, we are forced to steal it. But we can't get enough water for all residents and the supply is very unreliable," Serhan explained. During the day, only the schools, health facilities and UNRWA buildings are getting water, the rest of the camp receives water at night, but only for about 1 or 2 hours and at very low pressure.
Shimshon Yeshayahu, Public Inquiries Manager for Hagihon, stated in a message to the Palestine Monitor that the problem with the water supply in Shu'fat refugee camp is an issue that stems from the Israeli Water Authority. He said Hagihon has approached the Israeli Water Authority several times to stress the urgent need of governmental intervention. Yeshayahu added that Hagihon is currently supplying water to the camp on a humanitarian basis, as Hagihon does not have registered consumers in the camp and people there are not paying for the water services. He warned that severe water shortages during the next summer are most probable.
On 25 March Haaretz reported that Hagihon has installed an extra line and tap at the entrance of the camp and is increasing the diameter of a water pipe near the checkpoint. But those measures won't be sufficient.
No services
The Shu'fat refugee camp was established in 1965 in northern Jerusalem. It replaced the closed Mascar camp in the Old City and is the only West Bank UNRWA refugee camp that lies inside Jerusalem's municipal borders. Residents are entitled to blue Jerusalem IDs, enabling them to move relatively free, and also are supposed to have access to the social services offered by Jerusalem.
Although Shu'fat is situated inside Jerusalem, it has been surrounded by it's own special 'separation wall' for the last eight years. There's only one road to get in the camp from the Palestinian side of the wall, and there's an army checkpoint at the only remaining road leading to the rest of Jerusalem. According to UNRWA, the camp mainly struggles with overcrowding, an insufficient sewage network and overburdened infrastructure. The official number of registered refugees in the camp stands at almost 11,000, but the numbers are more likely to be above 20,000.
As the refugee camp lies inside the municipal borders of Jerusalem, the municipality is supposed to govern the camp as any other part of the city. It is thus not only the duty of the municipality to confront the problems regarding insufficient water supplies, but also to take care of the sewage network, collect garbage, uphold law and order, maintain and construct sufficient infrastructure and roads, issue building and other permits and confront all other problems the refugee camp faces.
Not one of these services is actually provided. Israeli interference in the camp is limited to "Israeli checkpoints controlling entry and exit to the camp and Border Police incursions into the camp," according to a 2006 report from Israeli NGO Ir Amim.
Omar Serhan summed up the main problems the camp is facing, next to the water issue. "The camp is overcrowded because people want to live here in order to get a blue Jerusalem ID. Students and workers who have to go to Jerusalem everyday have to leave more than an hour in advance because of the checkpoint. Ambulances face problems getting in and out,because they have to wait for a police escort to get in, which sometimes takes too long. There is no police station inside the camp, which implies problems are arranged with the mediation of elders. There is only one UNRWA health center in the whole camp. Finally, as the municipality hasn't collected garbage since the first intifada in 1987, UNRWA has put up a system of garbage collection, [but] because they only have 12 employees, we have established our own complementary system."
UNRWA claims to remove 15 tons of garbage per day, while the remaining large quantities of garbage either pile up in street corners or are burnt by camp residents, putting residents' health at risk. According to UNRWA, the Israeli police's performance in upholding law and order in the camp are "substandard," creating a security vacuum in which criminal activity can take place openly.
The image Serhan sketched is grim. He said that people here feel left alone. "Not one government is taking care of us, not the Israeli, nor the PA," he concluded.
Back to Top


text:
We are on a quest to bring every eligible child's wish to life, because wishes are an important part of a child's treatment journey. Wishes provide kids hope when they need it most, and research shows they have effects on children's overall well-being and health outcomes.In fact, wishes have proven physical and emotional benefits that can give children with critical illnesses a higher chance of survival. When a wish is granted, a child replaces fear with confidence, sadness with joy and anxiety with hope.
We've known anecdotally about the transformational power of a wish, and now a first-of-its-kind study from Nationwide Children's Hospital (NCH) is opening the door to possibilities of medical and financial benefits.
A team of researchers, led by Anup Patel, MD, director of the Complex Epilepsy Clinic at NCH, examined quality of life and health care utilization among patients who received a wish and a control group who did not. The study found patients who were granted a wish were more likely to have fewer unplanned hospital and emergency department visits.
Watch the video below to hear Dr. Patel talk about the true power of a wish and learn more about the study here.
When children are battling a critical illness, so much of normal childhood is taken away from them — it is exhausting, both emotionally and physically. A Wish is something that gives kids the opportunity to look outside their illness — it restores a sense of childhood back to the child and normalcy back to the family.
Research shows, and physicians agree, wishes can help improve a child's quality of life and produce better health outcomes. Members of the Make-A-Wish Medical Advisory Committee share the life-changing impact wishes have — beyond just medicine — on their patients and their families.
It isn't always necessary to cure in order to heal.
Share this quote
James B. Fahner, MD, FAAP Make-A-Wish Medical Advisory Council Member
In 2015, Make-A-Wish Israel conducted a study to measure how wish-granting experiences influence medical outcomes of children with critical illnesses. The results revealed wishes not only increased hope, they also improved the children's physical and emotional health. The wishes made the impossible, possible — helping children replace fear with confidence, sadness with joy and anxiety with hope.
Learn more about how Make-A-Wish is helping children improve their emotional health more visibly and successfully than any other organization.
We don't grant wishes for short-term smiles. We grant wishes to positively impact long-term health results*.
Make-A-Wish was the subject of a study to measure how wish-granting experiences influence the medical outcomes of children with cancer. Sixty-six children were evaluated using three different verified, respected, widely used assessment tools. The tools quantify hope, positive emotions, health-related quality of life and anxiety.
"It is possible that wishing enabled these children to dream about that seemed unobtainable, out of reach, and thus created an experience of achieving the impossible," researchers wrote.
And if the impossible can happen once, kids can believe in their ability to live with or even overcome their illnesses. That's the real purpose of a wish.
*Shoshani, A. Mifano, K. Czamanski-Cohen, J. (2015). The effects of the Make a Wish intervention on psychiatric symptoms and health-related quality of life of children with cancer: a randomized controlled trial. Quality of Life Research, 25(5), 1209-1218. doi 10.1007/s11136-015-1148-7
2011 study reports wishes empower kids
Make-A-Wish accepts referrals from:
Greater Bay Area chapter
Michigan chapter
Connecticut chapter
Stay in Touch!
Sign up to receive email from Make-A-Wish.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Cultural historian Siân Evans has just published a book entitled Life Below Stairs, about the lives of the cooks, butlers, housekeepers, footmen, ladies' maids and governesses who kept country houses running smoothly in the Victorian and Edwardian periods.
A wide social chasm separated servants from their employers, but a clear place in the hierarchy and a certain degree of security could make being 'in service' an attractive proposition.
The book describes how the different servant roles were defined and how the work was divided up, so that the mechanism of the country house could provide a seemingly effortless way of life.
For special events, such as royal visits, the system would be stretched to the limit. In July 1894, for instance, the Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, visited Penrhyn Castle, Gwynedd, together with 35 other house guests, who all brought their own servants with them.
Over the four days of the house party, over 1,150 meals were provided, including 89 dishes for the Prince of Wales – a known gourmand – and the other main guests.
The whole occasion seems to have been a triumph, testament to the specialised skills and organisational capacity of the staff – although there must have been a few sighs of relief – and perhaps even the odd nervous breakdown – afterwards.


text:
Walk In Bathtub Installation in Wittmann, Arizona
Independent Home Products, LLC has been installing walk-in tubs in Wittmann, Arizona for years. Designed and manufactured in our own Long Island, NY factory, walk-in tubs installed in Wittmann by Independent Home Products, LLC are designed with safety, functionality, and style in mind. We take pride in assisting with helping people remain independent in their own homes for as long as possible. One simple way to help a loved one remain in their Wittmann home is installing a walk in bathtub. Our tubs fit into any standard bathtub space and are installed quickly and professionally by our Wittmann walk in bathtub installation team.
Call for a FREE Quote
Benefits of Installing a Walk in Tub in your Wittmann Home
Safety – Decrease your risk of falls in your Wittmann bathroom. Walk-in tubs by Independent Home Products, LLC have a low entry threshold and well-placed grab bars.
Therapeutic – Excellent for folks after stroke, back problems, leg or hip issues, diabetes, and poor circulation. Patients with diabetes know the importance of keeping their feet clean. Unfortunately, this becomes difficult when mobility is limited. Let Independent Home Products, LLC install a therapeutic walk-in bathtub in your Wittmann home and gain peace of mind that your diabetes can be managed a little more easily.
Comfort – Our Wittmann walk in bathtubs have elevated seats and convenient grab bars
Beauty – High gloss finish and gleaming stainless fixtures
Ease – Independent Home Products, LLC walk in tubs have a nonporous surface is that easy to clean and resists mildew
Quality – Water tight doors are guaranteed not to leak. All walk-in tubs installed in Wittmann come with a lifetime warranty on all parts and labor.
Wittmann Walk In Tubs At A Fair Price
Walk in tubs vary greatly in terms of quality and price. Independent Home Products, LLC will help you choose the best tub for your unique needs and your budget. We take great pride in our honesty and integrity. We offer fair pricing to install a walk in bathtub in your Wittmann home. We are here to make this process as simple and affordable as possible.
Quick, Cost-Effective Walk-in Tub Installation
Our Wittmann remodeling experts have been installing walk in tubs throughout AZ for years. They fit into a standard bathtub (or even shower stall) opening and the plumbing is similar to that of a standard tub. Because our tubs are designed and manufactured right here in the USA, our turnaround time is quick and we're able to keep our costs down. We'll transfer those savings to you.
The Acrylic Difference
Independent Home Products, LLC proudly installs Acrylic walk in tubs throughout AZ. We love acrylic walk ins over fiberglass tubs for many reasons, including:
- Nonporous surface
- Mildew resistant
- Scratch-resistant
- High gloss, easy to clean finish
- Strong and durable
- Many colors and styles to choose from
Call for FREE Walk In Bathtub Installation Quote
(888) 365-3855
★★★★★ - "Getting an Independent Home Walk-in Bathtub was an easy move. I enjoyed talking with the sales rep. He was very nice. We liked the people that put in the tub. They were very nice when they came. They did everything very professionally. They were in and out sooner than we thought they were going to be (they came at eight o'clock and they were gone before one o'clock). We love our tub. It's nice to know that even though I couldn't get a shower through Independent, the young gentleman installer was a remodeler with a license so I could get him to come and do it."
Gladys in Peoria, AZ2016-09-12
★★★★★ - "The nice young man who sold me the bath tub asked me if I would write to him and tell him of my experiences. Well I have had no wild experiences yet but I seem to have a lot less pain and I certainly sleep much better. I used to wake up with cramps in my legs but they seem to have disappeared"."
★★★★★ - "Someone owes me a dinner, I have been preachin to my brother to buy the same tub and he finally did it last week. He tried mine twice and said he really liked the massage on the small back"."
Wm. C2014-10-16
★★★★★ - "My husband says you have ruined his vacations because he doesn't have his walk-in tub when we go somewhere"."
★★★★★ - "We were a bit miffed at first when your installers were an hour late. They said they got lost. But they were cheerful and very friendly and got to work. Nine hours later, we both were amazed by your quality of workmanship and how beautiful our bathroom looked with the new bathtub. We sincerely thank you."
Sally & Henry2014-10-16
★★★★★ - "So far in the last 3 weeks, my brother and his wife both tried our tub. My neighbor across the street used it. My uncle tried it twice, and our granddaughter who is only 9 used it. We have decided to start charging everyone who wants to try it. My husband says the new name is Buck-a-Bath. We love it and are happy with your company." Susan & Herbert"
Anonymous, Walk In Bathtub Installation in Chandler, AZ2014-10-08
★★★★★ - "Sorry this letter is late; you asked us a month ago if we would tell our story. We had some troubles and were too busy to write. Your tub is great and we look forward to using it all the time. Our oldest daughter and her babies now live with us and she loves to use our tub to bathe the little ones. She says it is easier for her without having to get down on the floor." Emma"
Anonymous, Walk In Bathtub Installation in Peoria, AZ2014-10-08
★★★★★ - "Always responsive and professional. Thanks, Independent Homes!"
★★★★★ - "The Independent Home Walk-in bathtub that I got for my mom was good. She used it a couple of times although she didn't end up getting the model she wanted, one with a curved door and had more design to it. Instead, she got the latest model of the tub. But everything went smoothly. Their salesman explained everything and their installers were professionals and did their job in a timely manner."
Robert in Phoenix, AZ2016-09-12
★★★★★ - "I have been using our new SafeLife bath tub every day for almost 3 months. It sure helps me feel so much better, that hydrotherapy seems to make my aches and pains fade away. Is it supposed to happen like that?""
★★★★★ - "I guess we were a very hard sale but we hated to spend so much money just to have a nice bath. But we soon discovered you were right. It has changed our life. Every time we had a pain, we would run for the pill bottle. Now we run for a warm bath with all those bubbles. We are glad we bought it." Naomi & Severn"
Anonymous, Walk In Tubs in Litchfield, AZ2014-10-08


text:
Get Started
Why FVTC?
Local & National
Learn More
Fox Valley Technical College has partnered with Credentials Inc. to provide a fast and secure online transcript ordering service that is available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
A $7.50 fee will apply to each official and unofficial transcript that is processed online via Credentials Inc. (additional charges will apply for rush orders and alternate mailing options). A $10.00 fee will apply to each official and unofficial transcript that is processed by submitting other college/university transcript forms (FVTC does not have paper transcript order forms - Credentials Inc. is the preferred ordering method).
Please Note: Free unofficial transcripts can be printed through your MyFVTC Account. Log in using your FVTC student ID and password. Select the Academic Records tile, then View Unofficial Transcript.
There are two options for ordering your FVTC transcript online.
1. Use Your MyFVTC Account
Log into your MyFVTC account using your student ID and password. Select the Academic Records tile, then Request Official Transcript.
MyFVTC Account
2. Order Directly From Credentials Inc.
If you do not have your ID and/or password, you may submit your order directly to Credentials Inc. Please note that you will need to complete identity authorization steps with Credentials Inc., which may delay the processing of your transcript.
Credentials Inc.
If you do not have access to the Internet to place your order, you may call Credentials Inc. to speak with a representative at 1-847-716-3005. Hours of operation are 7 a.m.-7 p.m. CST, Monday through Thursday and 7 a.m.-5 p.m. CST on Friday.
Use the link below to review the status of your order with Credentials Inc.
Check Order Status


text:
A fly may act as a mechanical vector of diseases such as Hepatitis A, which means the fly carries the infective organism on its feet or mouth parts and contaminates food or water which a person then consumes. A biological vector actually develops an infective organism in its body and passes it along to its host, usually through its saliva. A fly can be a biological vector, as in the transmission of leishmaniasis by the sandfly.
We are physicians, hospitals and communities working together to help you live better.


text:
Editor's Note: Caitlin Fitz Gerald writes about international affairs and civil-military relations at Gunpowder & Lead. She is currently turning Carl von Clausewitz's On War into an illustrated children's book. You can find her on Twitter at caidid.
By Caitlin Fitz Gerald – Special to CNN
When protests began in Bahrain last February, they were met with ruthless crackdowns and sectarian abuses, and more than a year later, the relationship between protest action and government response has not visibly changed. People are still taking to the streets in protest, and the regime is still responding with force, arrests, reported torture, and well-coordinated media propaganda. The most recent focal points have been the hunger strike of Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, founder of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights who was arrested in the early days of the protests, and Formula One's controversial decision to go ahead with the Bahrain Grand Prix this past weekend.
Recently, there have been some excellent pieces exploring events in Bahrain, among them Gregg Carlstrom's evocatively titled "In the Kingdom of Tear Gas" which concludes that "the reality is that street protests, after simmering in outlying villages for months, have begun to heat up in the capital of Manama"; and "The Crackdown" in which Kelly McEvers explores the factors that may have doomed the protests from the outset, pronouncing that "If any Arab Spring revolt can be pronounced a failure thus far, this is it." With these excellent articles and the additional attention on Bahrain due to the Grand Prix, there has finally been a sharper focus on what has been perhaps the most neglected theater of the Arab uprisings of the last year and a half in terms of western media coverage.
The regime in Bahrain has developed a standard playbook in response to the ongoing troubles. On the domestic front, they put down protests wherever they arise. For this, they use regular security forces and the more irregular National Security Agency, intelligence agents empowered to make arrests and not subject to the same oversights as regular security forces. Common tactics include arrests, beatings, and clouds of tear gas, and reports of extreme torture and abuse are widespread.
Externally, the Bahraini government seeks to control the media message in any way possible. In addition to keeping major western public relations firms on their payroll, the al-Khalifas have declined visas to many news outlets - others, such as al Jazeera, were banned even before the current troubles - and tightly control the access of those journalists who are allowed in.
For example, those in the country to cover the F1 event this weekend were kept to strict paths of travel and required to mark cameras with fluorescent orange stickers to ensure that they didn't stray from the race in their coverage. Additionally, as anyone who has criticized Bahrain on Twitter or on a blog with an open comments section can attest, the regime uses social media aggressively, with an army of accounts seeking out and responding vociferously to any critiques, not just those related to the F1 event.
The regime wanted to use the Grand Prix to show that everything is 'normal' in Bahrain, and put all its efforts into making sure that it happened, that it was not disrupted, and that the focus of the world was on the race itself and not the ongoing problems in the country. The opposition responded with the largest, most widespread protests of recent months, staging mass demonstrations and lighting tire fires that could be seen from the track to serve as visual reminders to race-watchers that all is not calm in Bahrain. Reports from this weekend indicate a number of violent clashes between protesters and security forces, a number of arrests and injuries, and one death.
The race itself finished without incident, albeit with many empty seats, waffling from corporate sponsors, and the occasional plume of smoke visible in the distance. While the government is declaring the event a success, it is doubtful that they are entirely pleased with the amount of attention - not to mention renewed energy - it has brought to the opposition.
The regime in Bahrain has frequently blamed unrest on foreign interlopers, by which they mean Shia-ruled Iran, but the only foreign intervention in Bahrain's internal affairs actually in evidence is that of Saudi Arabia, and that involvement came at the behest of Bahrain's ruling al-Khalifas. This relationship bears looking at, as there have been reports in recent months of a potential merger between the countries, whose ruling families share dovetailing interests and parallel concerns, and there is little doubt that this relationship impacts U.S. policy toward Bahrain.
Bahrain is a Shia-majority country ruled by a Sunni dynasty. In recent years, there have been small steps toward reforms that would allow more popular power, mixed with other steps designed to decrease the Shia majority – for example, granting citizenship to large numbers of Sunni workers brought in from abroad. This blending of approaches is due to differences of opinion within the ruling family itself as well as simple fear of being overthrown (often conveniently masked as caution against Iranian designs).
Ironically, while there has been no evidence of an Iranian hand behind the protests of Bahrain's Shia population - even the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, commissioned last fall by the regime itself and presented publicly as a way of moving forward, could find not one scrap of evidence - the crackdowns have provided Iran with the opportunity to loudly pledge solidarity with their oppressed co-religionists, rhetorically through their state-run media if not materially.
Saudi Arabia is a Sunni-majority country ruled by a Sunni monarchy, but with a large Eastern Province, which houses both the country's oil deposits and a large Shia population, and which neighbors Bahrain. The Saudi regime has historically given little respect to the concerns of the Shia of the Eastern Province and responded forcefully to any sign of unrest. Madawi al-Rasheed, in her recent Boston Review piece on why there has been no popular uprising in Saudi Arabia, provides an excellent nutshell encapsulation of this dynamic: "using its classic strategies—anti-Shia religious rhetoric, a powerful and Western-trained security force, and economic handouts—the regime crushed any signs of an uprising."
The al-Khalifas fear the majority they rule. The Saudis fear that the uprising in Bahrain could spread to their own Shia community. While the two regimes are friendly, the Saudi intercession in Bahrain was more about sending a message to and preventing possible unrest among their own citizenry – and doing what they felt would minimize potential benefits to their rival Iran – than about support for the Bahraini monarchy, as would be any closer political allegiances into which they might enter.
They either have not considered that aiding in the oppression of Bahrain's Shia could actually serve as a spur to more action from their own dissatisfied residents or, more likely, are simply relying on their historical preference for swift, ruthless suppression and gambling that quelling the uprising in Bahrain will have more of a quieting effect in the Eastern Province, and the quicker the better.
In addition to a religious sect and an Iranian bogeyman, these two monarchies share an elevated position in United States foreign policy. Saudi Arabia has long been an anchor in the region for the U.S., and Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet. U.S. interests in the two countries heavily favor stability, often at the cost of freedoms. While U.S. diplomacy encourages reforms and peaceful resolutions, it is not yet clear how far public protests or the subsequent suppression would have to go before the U.S. would take the sort of steps it did in Libya, or the sort of less stringent steps it has taken in Syria, or even Egypt.
The U.S. approach could prove to be dangerously short-sighted. As long as the opposition continues to protest, and the regime continues to crack down, that cornerstone stability is nowhere to be found and the U.S. is in an awkward position regarding oft lauded ideals of democracy promotion and human rights. This does not even take into account possible repercussions were the opposition ever to actually overthrow the al-Khalifas.
With the U.S. having made no movement to counter the impunity of the current regime, a new regime is unlikely to have friendly feelings toward the U.S., which would create a range of strategic problems, first and foremost among them potentially having to either clear the Fifth Fleet out in a hurry or go to war with the new government. In the U.S. reliance on Bahrain as a strategic foothold in the Gulf, depending on the eternal survival of a status quo built on majority disenfranchisement and widespread abuse is foolish.
The U.S. position is also questionable as it relates to Iran. While Iran is not behind the movement in Bahrain, it can benefit from instability plaguing its rivals and would surely seize on any opportunity that might arise from it to increase its influence in the region, something the U.S. purports to oppose. An opposition movement that started out as a peaceful voice for democratic reforms is increasingly radicalizing, creating an opening for Iran to potentially start providing material support. In the event of an overthrow of the current government, Iran would also be well-positioned to receive favorable treatment from the new government. The Bahraini protest movement did not need to be a sectarian battleground, but the government response has ensured that it has become an increasingly contentious one.
The protests in Bahrain continue, despite often brutal suppression, and have even picked up steam under the spotlight drawn to the country by the Grand Prix. The intersecting interests of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the U.S., and Iran are highlighted by the state of affairs there, as are the potential pitfalls of current policies: U.S. and Saudi efforts to counter Iranian influence could well enhance it; Saudi repression in Bahrain could inspire unrest at home; and the al-Khalifas' efforts to cling to power have already long since turned peaceful demonstrations for reform into widespread – if not yet universal – calls for their overthrow. Thus far the U.S. policy has amounted to 'let's cross our fingers and hope the al-Khalifas and the Saudis can make this all go away soon.' But it is not going away. Even if we are willing to admit that U.S. interests don't necessarily include democratic reform and human rights for the people of Bahrain, it would behoove us to start seriously considering alternatives before all parties are hopelessly trapped by the tangle of interests at play.
The views expressed in this article are solely those of Caitlin Fitz Gerald.
The current regime are in power for one reason, shear force, brutality, massacre, and slaughter of innocent people. 95% of the citizens hate them for what and who thry are!!!! The best part of it is how the hypocrite world rulers who are so concerned with human lives are so silent have not said a single word about it!!!! Why do think that is? Why are they so concerned about Syria, Iran, etc. but condone all these criminal acts by these criminals?
Throughout the region, it is the Shi'as causing all the problems. They used to be called Shi'tes. I wonder why they changed the name?
Shi'tes and Shias are the same exact thing. But I agree with you they cause all the problems in the middle east. You know there was a shia majority country that had a sunni king but they overthrew him for 'democracy" its called Iran.
It is very obviouse that media in the US is controlled heavilly by the Jews and Syria being the main focus and the old enemy of Israel. Perhaps.the Saudi king
"When protests began in Bahrain last February, they were met with ruthless crackdowns and sectarian abuses..." – and it worked! So it is important lessons for the future: do not listen to liberals and act ruthlessly before it is too late! Do not wait for the pandemic decease to spread!
What does not seize to amaze is that Syria is on the verge of bring invaded (to protect Israel), Iraq was invaded (free oil for US) as was Libya (so Europe could get free oil too!!), but Saudi, Bahrain and Kuwait are not touched or even pretend – pressured for their brutal regimes (since they are US allies). This double standard MUST be addressed. Therefore, is it the norm that a US ally can brutalize its people, but it is a crime against humanity if you are NOT a US ally.
You call Bahrain police treatment to the people prutal,I never heared you say anything about Syria where 50 to 100 die every day and some days it is more than that meanwhile to total count of the people killed in Bahrain is about 60 people and they where more violent than the syrians,I do not understand this hypocracy is it because Asad is actually killing Suni Muslims.
Currently in the entire world of celebration and enjoyment the Hookahs consist of grow to be very famous. Anywhere yourself shift oneself can look at a parlor of Bongs. Nevertheless they are not simply just used for eating entertaining within just some sites Cigarette smoking Pipes are far too used towards make a specific nutritious and thoroughly fit again.
pipe à tabac http://lindnerpipes.com
wh0cd13817 buy levitra
There is no franchise charge that is collected by the Outcomes! The real sale of travel totaled $2.5 million, or ten.5twenty five of the total income. Being on-line means I don't truly even have to be house.


text: I am a native Houstonian and have been surfing Galveston and Surfside since high school. For the past 10 years I've been riding a 7'5" Haut shaped like a longboard. Although the board is great and much better than the gun I tried to ride in HS, I am almost 50 years old now and have started missing more waves than I wanted. For my birthday got a brand new Walden 9' and took it to Surfside on Saturday. I had the wife and kids with me so I went to the public beach past the beach houses (~3 miles east of 332) rather than the jetty. Conditions were waist high on sets, nice swell, and some wind out of the east. Perfect, I thought. However, all I could manage was a few short rides. The outside (second sand bar) was barely breaking with just a bit of foam on top for about 30 feet then it would die. I was hoping the longboard would take me on into the inside, but it just went flat. The inside was dumpy and closing out, and although I could get on, I couldn't get the board turned across the face. Am I doing something wrong?. Wrong conditions for a longboard? Is the 9' that much different than my 7'5"? When paddling for a swell on the outside it felt like a tank. Just couldn't get it moving. Appreciate any tips. Thanks, Steve


text:
Continuing our recent discussion about ensuring your company's visibility in Google searches: at the end of April, Google made changes to its search algorithm – and those changes are affecting many websites, but both positively and negatively.
Fortunately, Google provides ongoing tips in its Webmaster Central blog to help companies put forth "the best user experience" – especially useful for those who can't invest in regular, professional oversight of their websites (Google makes an estimated 500 changes annually to its search algorithm to combat those attempting to 'trick' the search engine into giving their sites higher organic rankings, via keyword stuffing, paying for links, and an assortment of other shady practices).
Google: "Focus on Building Useful Sites with Compelling Content"
The algorithm change is further reinforcement for the advice B2B marketing and PR firms like ours have been hammering home with clients for a while now: the gains that can be made by generating and sharing content.
Content on your site should be useful and educational versus commercial.
Content should be fresh and original, and, generated and posted continuously.
Blogs are one of the most expedient ways to keep website content fresh, given that much of the content on most sites is evergreen (for a reason).
Original content enhances your organic rankings – but that's not the only reason to create it. The same information you develop for your site surely has multiple other uses – for existing customers, as sales support material, as the basis for a webinar, published article or white paper, or e-mail blast, etc.
To keep your site ranked as high as possible, Google offers these further tips:
- Keep track of algorithm changes on the Webmaster Central blog.
- Make sure you're aware of your top keywords and keyword phrases – how people search for your product or service – and how these may change over time.
If you've never generated a list of potential keywords and run a traffic report, do so. Now! Google makes this relatively easy to do yourself with its traffic tool. And make a point to rerun the report at least quarterly, to stay abreast of and leverage those search terms in your online marketing.
Knowledge of keywords can be incorporated back into your standing site content (content optimization being one step of the SEO process) and can be a springboard for new marketing ideas.
While you're at it, set up a Google Alerts for your key terms, seek and follow the online conversation and get involved in pertinent blogs, forums, etc.
Doing so will set you up for interaction with members of your industry and prospective customers — those people searching for and talking about your area of expertise.
- Use social media. Share links to your site content on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, SlideShare, etc. Get professional help to at least get you started on these platforms (if you're not there already). Learn how other B2B companies are using social media.
- Google advises companies to go beyond the search engine requirements and drive traffic to your site in other ways, such as through ads special promotions and the like. Many B2B companies have no trouble with this tip – but may not be using "drive site traffic" as a clear objective.
With so many tools available at the touch of a button, there's no reason your company can't step up its online visibility even in small increments.


text:
United Kingdom
United States
World English Go to Usborne.com
Usborne Quicklinks
Quicklinks for internet-linked books
Click on the links to visit the recommended websites.
Websites to visit
Website 1
Find out about the Big Bang and try a timeline challenge.
Website 2
Join an alien on a journey through our Solar System.
Website 3
Visit NASA's kids' website for games, activities and the latest space news.
Website 4
Explore a virtual home to find items that NASA inspired or helped improve.
Website 5
More space games, animations, projects and facts.
Website 6
Build the Milky Way, whip up a batch of comets or see what's happening in the night sky. (Choose an activity, for example "Galaxies Galore…" or "Comets", and for night sky information click on "Tonight's Sky".)
Website 7
Browse incredible pictures of planets, stars and galaxies taken by the Hubble space telescope.
Website 8
Find hundreds of facts about space.
Website 9
Meet some space scientists and find out why Pluto isn't a planet any more and why the Moon doesn't fall down.
Website 10
Take a guided tour of the ISS with an astronaut.
Website 11
Add a module to the ISS - and other fun activities! To try the module activity, click on "Mission Game 4".
Website 12
Learn how to spot familiar constellations with an online tutorial. (Click on "A Guide to Star Hopping".)
Website 13
Investigate space with lots of online activities, quizzes and ideas for things to make and do. (Scroll down and click on topics that interest you.)
Children, make sure you follow these three simple rules when using the internet:
For more tips, see Internet safety for children.
Adults - we recommend that children are supervised while on the internet. The content of a website may change at any time and Usborne Publishing is not responsible for content on sites other than its own.
For more on internet safety, see Internet advice for adults.
Websites with interactive content may not work on your tablet or smartphone, but you can view them on a computer. Find out more…
See inside
See inside space
"A great introduction designed to stimulate further learning."
Publishing News
Katie Daynes has written oodles of books for Usborne, from lifting the flaps on germs and poo, through things to spot in the sea and at school, to the life stories of Nelson Mandela and Marie Antoinette. She wrote My First Chess Book after being taught by her son, Joe Birks, who became the British Under 9 Chess Champion in 2017. She now lives in Yorkshire with her architect husband, two inquisitive children and a hamster called Toffee. When she's not writing books, Katie likes walking on the blustery moors, meeting friends for coffee and playing competitive board games.
Helps young readers explore the furthest reaches of our universe, learning how it began and our place among the stars.
Warwick Books Newsletter
Fun comic-style illustrations and flaps to lift and open make this internet-linked title interactive and informative.
TBK Magazine
A colourful jaunt through the Universe, life, matter, elements and experimentation.
The Irish Times
The snippets of information on each flap encourage children to delve deeper. With over 50 embedded flaps to lift, this sturdy board book will provide many hours of happy and informative browsing.
Parents in Touch
This book is a keeper and one that can be returned to time and time again. Every time we read it, I also learn something new!
Toppsta Reader Review
Another fantastic lift-the-flap book from Usborne. This book contains over 50 flaps for children to explore. The information is presented is both in depth and short making it engaging but not daunting. Each set of double pages contains one topic, making it a great book to dip in and out of.
Toppsta Reader Review
A really good book for children that are learning about space.
Nicky, 20th November 2016
Websites do occasionally experience problems. If a link isn't working we recommend leaving it a while and trying again. If the site is still down the following day please report the problem using our contact form. We will fix the problem as soon as possible, or find an alternative link.
If this is the first time you have used Usborne Quicklinks and you can't see ANY links, you may need to adjust your web browser settings. To find out how to do this, see Help & Advice.
The links in Usborne Quicklinks may vary slightly from those described in your book because when a website closes down, or we find a better site, we update the links in Quicklinks. (If we remove any of your favourite sites let us know!)
To view and print out files in .pdf format, you need the free Adobe Reader software. Download Adobe Reader.
Sound files should play on a computer, tablet or smartphone. If you have difficulty, make sure you have the most up-to-date version of your web browser, or on a desktop computer, download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player (see Technical help).
To hear midi files, you need a free program such as Windows Media Player, Real Player or Quicktime. Make sure your speakers are switched on! For more about these programs, see Technical help.
© Copyright 2020 Usborne Publishing. Web design & Development by Semantic


text:
Macaw wrote:Hahahahahaha Shou that is utterly awesome.
However you've translated my old version of the list. Having the separate section for grabs is confusing because most of the 'all fours' moves are grabs too, and also the neutral joystick command is pretty important otherwise people are gonna be wondering why a lot of the stuff isnt working.
I used the usual Japanese fighting notation for neutral which is 5. The moves for when they are hunched over I noted are after those moves so I think people will get it after they get over the fact that there are so many moves!
Unfortunately, I just got a call from Try this morning saying that GOTH is performing pretty damn bad so they want to switch it out!


text:
Red Wine
Making red wine is relatively simple in theory. However, it does require great skill and care. As with all wine, the basic concept is the conversion of the sugary must from the grapes into alcohol. As 99% of the actual grape juice is clear, red wine requires maceration to attain its colour.
Maceration is the process where the harvested grapes are crushed and moved to thermo-regulated vats. Here tannins, flavour compounds and colouring agents that come from the skin, seeds and stems of the grape dissolve and integrate themselves in the juice giving it flavour and colour while the juices ferment to produce wine. The depth of the colour depends on the grape variety and the length of maceration.
The world's most prolific red grape varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah (also known as Shiraz) as well as Nebbiolo in Italy and Tempranillo in Spain, but there are many others. Each grape has its own flavour and characteristics and often you will encounter blends which bring together the properties of different grapes to create a wine which is much greater than the sum of its parts.
Historically, the best red wines in the world come from the regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhône Valley in France, Piedmont and Tuscany in Italy and Rioja in Spain. Today, this holds true for the traditionalist, but the New World reds certainly have their following of connoisseurs.
Red wines tend to fall in to 5 categories: 'Light and fruity', 'medium-bodied and fruity', 'full-bodied and fruity', 'complex and tannic' and 'complex and elegant'.
Light and fruity reds are generally considered as easy-drinking wines. They have a tendency to be crisp with light tannins and notes of soft fruits and flowers. Beaujolais, generic Burgundies, Zinfandels and Valpolicellas of Italy fall into this category amongst others. Generally they go well with simple foods in particular charcuterie, quiche and pizza. Serve at 12-14°C.
Medium-bodied and fruity red wines have stronger tannins and a heavier feel on the tongue with aromas of red fruits and hints of spice. They tend to not have been aged in oak. These wines include Bergerac, generic Bordeaux, Côte du Rhône, Chianti from Italy and Penedès from Spain. They would drink well alongside meat dishes in a sauce, smaller game, pâté and roasted meats. Serve at 15-17°C.
Full-bodied and fruity reds tend to have high alcohol content and plenty of tannins, partly due to maturation in oak barrels, which will soften with age to produce exceptional wine. These wines are complex and bear strong aromas of ripe, dark fruits and spice. Key examples here are wines from Saint-Emilion and Pomerol as well as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Cahors, Rioja, and Shiraz wines from Australia. Wines as complex and deep as these go well with rich and fatty dishes for example grilled/roasted red meat, duck confit, foie gras and game. Serve at 15-17°C.
Complex and tannic reds tend to be more expensive. Their heavy tannins will age and produce firm wines with great finesse. Red and black fruits and spicy undertones are prominent with vanilla and toasty notes as new oak is likely to have been used. Full flavours and beautiful finishes are common in this bracket. Here you will find all the famous sub-regions of Bordeaux as well as Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, Barolo from Italy and a few new world Cabernet Sauvignons. These powerful reds go well with rich but not too fatty dishes such as game and roast lamb; they also partner well with truffles. Serve at 15-17°C.
Complex and elegant red wines. This select and elite group is reserved for the best of Burgundy. All from the Pinot Noir variety, these exceptional wines are very rare and highly priced, sometimes phenomenally expensive. These are complex wines with aromas of red and black berries, floral notes with hints of game and undergrowth (sous-bois in French). They are silky on the palate with a long and memorable finish. Wines from Chambolle-Musigny, Morey-St-Denis, Gevrey-Chambertin, Beaune and of course Vosne-Romanée are amongst the great Burgundies in this category. Dishes should be chosen well with these special wines and will be different for each. Usually slow-cooked food and roasts make good matches. Serve at 16-17°C.
Vriesenhof, Paradyskloof Pinot Noir, Stellenbosch, 2014
The nose is complex and is typical of a Pinot Noir with earthy, forest floor scents, mushrooms and a mineral edge.
Details Colour Red Wine Grape Variety Pinot Noir Country South Africa£14.36 As low as: £12.64Add to Basket
Please wait...We are updating Shopping Basket.
Vriesenhof, Paradyskloof Chardonnay, 2014
An elegant Chardonnay with fresh aromas of lemon and lime and a touch of minerality.
Details Colour White Wine Grape Variety Chardonnay Country South Africa
Vriesenhof, Paradyskloof Grenache, Stellenbosch, 2012
This South African Grenache is a red wine with small quantities of Malbec and Shiraz. Cherry and raspberry on the nose and palate with a long, spicy finish.
Details Colour Red Wine Grape Variety Grenache Country South Africa£11.56 As low as: £10.17
Out of stock
Vriesenhof, Paradyskloof Pinotage, Stellenbosch, 2012
South Africa's trademark grape variety has produced a delicious and unpretentious wine from Stellenbosch.
Details Colour Red Wine Grape Variety Pinotage Country South Africa£11.49 As low as: £10.11
Out of stock
Vriesenhof, Paradyskloof Pinot Noir, Stellenbosch, 2011
The nose is complex and typically Pinot Noir with earthy, forest floor scents, mushrooms and a mineral edge. The palate continues both the earthy and mineral theme as well as exhibiting fruit flavours of plums, cherries and dried apricot with mushroom and a spicy leather finish making this a nicely complex red wine.
Details Colour Red Wine Grape Variety Pinot Noir Country South Africa£15.39 As low as: £14.47
Out of stock
Vriesenhof, Paradyskloof Chardonnay, 2011
An elegant Chardonnay with fresh aromas of lemon and lime and a touch of minerality.
Details Colour White Wine Grape Variety Chardonnay Country South Africa
Vriesenhof, Paradyskloof Pinot Noir, Stellenbosch, 2012
The nose is complex and typically Pinot Noir with earthy, forest floor scents, mushrooms and a mineral edge.
Details Colour Red Wine Grape Variety Pinot Noir Country South Africa£16.51 As low as: £14.53
Out of stock
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac, 1996
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac, 1996, is a full bodied Bordeaux exuding sweet black fruits, with hints of tobacco, spice and oak, a degree of minerality and ripe tannins.
Details Colour Red Wine Grape Variety Bordeaux Blend Red Country France£108.49 As low as: £101.98
Out of stock
Currently Shopping by
Narrow Your Search
- Recommended by
- Appellation
- Area
- Body
- Bottle Size
- Country
- Colour
- Cardinal's Rating
- Region
- Sub Region
- Vintage
- Stock Filter
- Rating Filter
- Price
- Grape Variety
- Producer / Vineyard
- Two Hands (6)
- Vietti (1)
- Torbreck (4)
- Domaine Saint Préfert (1)
- Grand Puy Lacoste (1)
- Kay Brothers Amery Vineyards (7)
- Maison Nicolas Potel (8)
- Paul Avril Clos des Papes (2)
- Paul Jaboulet (1)
- Le Clos du Caillou (1)
- Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA (1)
- Burge Family Winemakers (1)
- Château Brane Cantenac (2)
- Château Clinet (1)
- Château Ducru Beaucaillou (3)
- Château Grand Corbin Despagne (1)
- Château Grand Puy Lacoste 'Lacoste Borie' (2)
- Château Gruaud Larose (4)
- Château Haut Condissas (3)
- Château Haut Bailly (1)
- Château Haut Brion (3)
- Château Latour (2)
- Château Leoville Poyferre (1)
- Château Les Gravières (1)
- Château Lynch Bages (1)
- Chateau Rauzan Segla (3)
- Château Sociando Mallet (1)
- Château Teyssier (1)
- Château Trebiac (1)
- Craneford (2)
- d'Arenberg (4)
- Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe (2)
- Azienda Giribaldi Mario (2)
- Ghislaine Barthod 1er cru Les Chatelots (1)
- Domaine Henri Gouges (1)
- Robert Mondavi (2)
- Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (1)
- Château Margaux (1)
- Château Palmer (2)
- Domaine du Colombier (1)
- Domaine Ponsot (1)
- Tenuta San Guido (3)
- Château La Croix St Georges (1)
- Château Cissac (2)
- Château St Jean (1)
- Les Galets du Haut, Louis Bernard (1)
- Angelo Veglio (2)
- Château Bonnet (2)
- Château Monbrison (1)
- Château Bernadotte (6)
- Dutschke (1)
- Château Lafite Rothschild (6)
- Château Feytit Clinet (1)
- Chateau Cos d'Estournel (1)
- Château Mouton Rothschild (7)
- Château Martet (2)
- Château Puy Castera (4)
- Château Le Tertre Rôteboeuf (3)
- Domaine Raspail Ay (4)
- Lucia Raimondi (1)
- Silvano Bolmida (3)
- Vina Tondonia (1)
- Château Haut Bages Libéral (1)
- Jean Pierre Large (3)
- Clotilde Davenne (1)
- Mont Tauch (2)
- Vriesenhof (7)
- Claudie Jobard (1)
- Jean Paul Brun (2)
- Château Senejac (1)
- Château Grand Puy Ducasse (1)
- Château Tour du Pas St Georges (1)
- Château Gloria (1)
- Château L'Enclos (1)
- Château Nénin (1)
- Château Cantenac Brown (1)
- Domaine de Courcel (1)
- Château Clos Fourtet (1)
- Château La Fleur Chaigneau (1)
- Château Montlandrie (1)
- Fattoria di Piazzano (1)
- Michel & Stephane Ogier (1)
- Château Léoville Barton (1)
- Château Méaume (1)
- Château Les Ormes de Pez (1)
- Tardieu Laurent (1)
- Château Kirwan (1)
- Château Smith Haut Lafitte (2)
- Château La Croix de Gay (1)
- Château Tour Haut Caussan (1)
- Château Malescot St. Exupery (1)
- Château La Dominique (2)
- Château Fleur Cardinale (1)
- Faustino (1)
- Torres (1)
- Château La Closerie Du Grand Poujeaux (1)
- Château Langoa Barton (1)
- Château Segonzac (1)
- Château Cantemerle (1)
- Vieux Château Certan (1)
- Château d'Angludet (1)
- Château Berliquet (1)
- Domaine Clair Dau (1)
- Château de Terrefort-Quancard (1)
- Sutter Home (1)
- Château Faurie de Souchard (1)
- Château Haut Marbuzet (1)
- Château Durfort Vivens (2)
- Château La Grave a Pomerol Trigant de Boisset (1)
- Château Léoville Las Cases (1)
- Couvent des Jacobins (1)
- Château Bouzet (1)
- Château Charmail (2)
- Charles Thomas (2)
- Château Talbot (1)
- Château Lagrange (1)
- Château Marquis de Terme (1)
- Château Vieux Sarpe (1)
- Château La Croix Toulifaut (1)
- Massandra (2)
- Château Giscours (1)
- Château Clerc Milon (1)
- Château La Croix (1)
- Domaine de la Romanée Conti (1)
- Château La Fleur-Pétrus (1)
- Château du Domaine de L'Eglise (1)
- Château Bouscaut (1)
Need more options? Use our Advanced Wine Search


text: Click below and take a virtual tour of our property. You can check out our casino, bars, peek into the resaurants, and even see a hotel room. To see a hotel room, you'll need to "walk" out the back door on the lower level and go straight across the parking lot.


text:
Making Personalization Pervasive
It's no surprise that producing mass quantities of a communication brings the cost per unit down. But relevancy drops too. You end up with generic communications that are ignored. To help alleviate this issue, we're making communications more relevant for every recipient, producing only the amounts needed, so the sender incurs lower costs while generating less waste. It's mass communication translated into mass customization.
Innovation in Action
Xerox Ignite™ educator support system makes personalized classroom instruction practical.
Expanding technology and innovation into our classrooms is key for our economic growth and prosperity for future generations. Teachers lack the support tools and technology for managing data and using data analytics to help personalize instruction in the classroom. Ignite, currently being piloted in K-6 grade classrooms, transforms hand-marked student work on paper today (and tablets tomorrow) into the digital domain, manages the data and provides real-time feedback that helps educators and parents understand what to do with the data to address individual student needs.
Medication Management
Medication works best if it is taken properly. Insurance companies estimate there is a $290 billion cost associated with people not adhering to their doctors' orders. Xerox is working on a "smart" medication system to help patients more easily manage their daily pill regimen (including vitamins and over the counter meds), and help coordinate information between doctors, specialists, pharmacists and patients.
Learn more about "smart" medication and other Xerox healthcare research around the world ›


text:
Refine by...Clear All
Snowman Polar Bear Christmas Figures & Characters
An outdoor Christmas display can be many things. For some customers, they can be as simple as hanging up a few lights, whilst for others, they're about having as much fun as possible. Whether you're in the first or second camp, we're confident that our range of Outdoor Christmas Figures will make the perfect additions to your decorations this year.
Our outdoor figures feature a range of colourful Christmas characters, from Penguins to Santa Claus, and come in two varieties - Acrylic and, new for this year, Rattan. Both types feature LED lighting which is both extraordinarily bright as well as extremely energy efficient when compared to standard light bulbs – resulting in a lightshow that really shines without burning out your bank balance. So, whether used as part of a much larger display or just by themselves, these outdoor figures are certain to brighten up any garden or home.
If you'd like to know more about our extensive range of colourful Outdoor Christmas Figures, please give our sales team a call or come down to our showroom located in Windlesham, Surrey to see them for yourself.
2 Snowman Polar Bear Christmas Figures & Characters
Paloma the 150cm Christmas Polar Bear
The Winter Workshop Code: W16809


text:
USAID's Kristen Madler recently interviewed energy officials visiting the United States from Afghanistan—Abdul Razique Samadi, chief executive officer of Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), the Afghan utility company; Mirwais Alami, DABS chief commercial officer; and Gene Lin, program manager for USAID/Afghanistan's Power Transmission Expansion and Connectivity Project (PTEC)—to get an update on the current energy situation.
But first a little background.
The energy network in Afghanistan is made up of nine isolated systems, which deliver electricity to only about a quarter of Afghan households, according to the World Bank. This percentage varies widely from zero in rural areas to as high as 90 in urban areas. Increasing Afghanistan's energy supply and expanding the energy grid to underserved areas is a national priority. Without low-cost, reliable grid power, population centers either go without power or rely on limited amounts of high-cost and unsustainable diesel-generated power. Afghanistan's current energy supply consists of 77 percent imported power, 21 percent hydro power and 2 percent diesel-generated power.
Many donors are contributing to Afghanistan's energy sector, including USAID, the U.S. Department of Defense, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank. From 2002 to 2011, USAID provided close to $2 billion of energy sector assistance and has plans to spend at least $500 million over the next five years. The results of those efforts are starting to build.
For example, prior to 2009, a limited number of households in Kabul were receiving power for about four hours every other day with frequent outages. In 2009, ADB completed a 220-kilovolt transmission line that initially delivered 125 megawatts of power from Uzbekistan. Although this did not meet Kabul's full electricity demands, it did usher in a wave of strong economic growth. That received a boost in 2012 when a USAID project more than doubled the transmission line's power, providing energy to residences and commercial establishments 24 hours a day. This has led to increased sales of electrical appliances, longer work hours at commercial establishments, and extended class times in schools.
In 2002, only 6 percent of Afghans had access to reliable electricity. Today, 18 percent do, including more than 2 million people in Kabul who now benefit from electric power 24 hours a day. In addition to building hydroelectric and solar facilities, USAID has helped put the Afghan national power company, DABS, on a path to become fully self-sustaining. DABS collected $220 million from the sale of electricity in 2012, an increase of 67 percent from 2010.
Question: There has been much progress in the energy sector in Afghanistan over the last few years. Please talk about how it has evolved.
Alami: DABS is responsible for generation, transmission and distribution and has been working closely with donors in all three of these areas. USAID is increasing generation at Kajaki Hydro Power Plant down in Kandahar and Helmand, and the World Bank is rehabilitating Naghlu Hydro Power Plant. ADB is providing new power with the 500-kilovolt transmission line from Turkmenistan. ADB and USAID are connecting NEPS with SEPS (see box below), and the U.S. military is extending NEPS down to Gardez and Khost. In terms of distribution, we connected 100,000 to150,000 new households with digital meters in Kabul over the past two years. We will continue to connect households as the transmission lines are expanded and expect to reach 80 percent of the population in cities along the transmission lines.
During USAID's commercialization project in Kabul from 2009 to 2012, we increased cash collections [for electricity bills] by 60 percent, decreased commercial losses from 50 to 38 percent, and increased our cost recovery by 20 percent. This cost recovery project is a signature project for us. We look forward to USAID's follow-on commercialization project that will complete the system in Kabul this year and then roll it out to four other major cities: Herat, Mazar-e Sharif, Jalalabad and Kandahar. For the past five years, DABS had been receiving subsidies from the government to pay for imported power. This year, with our increased revenue collections, DABS no longer needs these subsidies.
Samadi: In fact, for the first time in 70 years, DABS is now able to give money back to the government—$25 million last year to help fund the national budget. We are able to provide most customers connected to the grid with continuous electricity 24 hours a day. Before the transmission line delivering imported power was completed in 2009, limited power was available for only four hours a day. We are working on Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with our neighbors to secure our imported power. This includes seasonal summer hydro power which is available at a very low cost.
Next year, DABS will support implementation of large projects funded by USAID and ADB to expand the power grid. We will start the NEPS to SEPS transmission line that will provide low cost power to cities south of Kabul including Kandahar. We are also implementing small micro-hydro projects for people not connected to the grid. Our public relations department will inform people of our projects in order to gain their support during implementation. In terms of human resources, we have put the right people in right positions, based on merit. We will need to expand commercialization to other provinces and continue to increase our revenues. There is still a long way for us to go, but still we will continue to move forward.
Question: Can you describe some of the challenges in bringing more energy to Afghanistan?
Lin: The quickest way to provide more energy to Afghanistan is through new transmission lines delivering more imported power. ADB's new 500-kilovolt transmission line will deliver power from Turkmenistan to NEPS, and Kabul and is scheduled for completion within the next five to six years. This is being supported by USAID and other donors that are funding expansion of NEPS to distribute this power. Security during implementation of energy projects will be one challenge as the state of Afghanistan after drawdown of the International Security Assistance Force in 2014 is unknown.
Afghans have seen the benefits of low-cost grid power in 2009 when it was introduced in Kabul and resulted in an economic boom and migration into the city. Power infrastructure has typically never been attacked or destroyed by anti-government elements as power benefits everyone. Under PTEC, a media campaign has been established that will make citizens aware of the construction activities in their area and the project benefits in order to gain support.
The amount of power that can be imported is limited and will not be able to meet Afghanistan's full power demand. Afghanistan will need to develop its vast gas and hydro power resources. Transmission lines under design today will need to accommodate these future power supplies and coordination among the different donor projects is a challenge. Another challenge is development of hydro power plants that will take 10 to 15 years and will require trans-boundary water agreements with neighboring countries, environmental impact statements, resettlement in inundated areas, and availability of funding.
Question: What has been USAID's role in mobile payments?
Lin: There are over 2 million electricity consumers throughout Afghanistan. In order to pay electricity bills, customers are required to make payments at local banks or at DABS headquarters where they typically wait in line for hours. DABS approached USAID to help design an efficient electronic payment system. Working closely with the Association of Mobile Money Operators of Afghanistan (AMMOA), USAID teamed up with DABS to start a pilot project in Kabul with Etisalat, who has approximately 20 percent of the cell phone market. Etisalat registered 100,000 DABS customers and the system went live in the summer of 2013. Payment of electric bills through mobile money takes only minutes.
Very few Afghans currently are using this new system and a main challenge will be to build confidence among customers that using the system is safe, secure and time saving. It is expected that over time with outreach to citizens, the system will be widely used.
Question: What are you most excited about in the future of the energy sector in Afghanistan?
Samadi: There is excitement in the sense that we will put an entire infrastructure in place over the next few years that will result in big changes for Afghanistan. In 2009, when low-cost grid power was introduced for the first time in Kabul, we witnessed tremendous economic growth. We would expect the same thing to happen in other cities where the grid will be expanded. People will support us as they see we are supporting them. We're all working towards this goal.
Afghanistan is important strategically in connecting Central Asia with South Asia. It is very important for Afghanistan to create a conductive environment that will allow for transport and trade of regional electricity. We will need strong infrastructure in place to do this. Without it, we will not be able to meet the needs of our neighboring countries. With this infrastructure in place, we will also have the ability to share our surplus power as Afghan hydro power resources are developed.
Lin: Afghanistan has never had adequate low-cost, reliable electricity. This has prevented the country from advancing. The energy sector work being implemented now will increase power supply and deliver grid power into new areas. Delivery of low-cost grid power will be followed by economic growth, which puts people to work and reduces conflict. The International Security Assistance Forces realized this and has delivery of power in Helmand and Kandahar as one of their highest objectives to stop the fighting. The systems that we are putting into place now will plot the course for Afghanistan over the next 25 to 50 years and it is exciting to be part of this.
This interview was edited for length and clarity.


text:
|Thread Tools
|Display Modes
Of the most hated sports teams, how can the Philadelphia Eagles rank #6 compared to the others that are just out of jealousy because they have won championships within the last twenty years? The Eagles haven't won a championship in 50 years. I credit ESPN for going out of it's way to make sure they can get a cheap story of bad fan behavior from Philadelphia, while letting other cities (such as NY, Chicago, Boston, Washington) off the hook.
They aren't very scholarly since the "Oh Well" solo is Danny Kirwan, not Peter Green. "Love That Burns" would have been a "scholars" best choice.
This is very cool!! I've noticed the past two years on Sirius/XM's Tom Petty show that he has played a lot of Peter Green FM or Mayall/Green songs. His 2006 30th anniversary concert from his documentary DVD featured a dead-on cover of "Oh Well" (the Boston Tea Party 2/70 version with the extra solo).
peter green
the original 59' peter green les paul
peter green in action during old fleetwood mac days
i'm supposed to be doing my 2000 word history essay but i kinda got sidetracked while listening to peter green on john mayall and the bluesbreakers and fleetwood mac, so this shall be a tribute post!
NOT! just gonna go about praising his tone actually. alright fine some brief history of the man (and his guitar) first. peter green got noticed in the music scene after replacing eric clapton in the john mayall and the bluesbreakers band. after playing on a record he moved on to form fleetwood mac, which i'm sure a few of you have heard of. what many don't know about fleetwood mac is that it used to be a blues/rock band, before it defected to pop music when peter green left the band after being diagnosed with schizophrenia due to abuse of LSD.
many cite him as one of the pioneers of blues rock because of his "darker blues" playing style and holy grail les paul tone, though never reaching quite the commercial success of eric clapton and jimmy page. and what's the secret to peter green's tone? well its quite obvious isn't it, knowing my blog...
notice the pickups
his guitar!! actually, the pickups on his guitar. but then again, this subject has been on debate by guitar people all over for a long time, and the world still isn't too sure what it is that gives him his brilliant tone. some say its in the fingers, but i'm just gonna go with his pickups, which are wired out-of-phase (whatever that means) that give his tone the mojo!
peter green used a gibson les paul which he modified in 1967, having the neck pickup rewired and reversed. also, peter green used to be gary moore's mentor, and sold him his gibson later on. so in many gary moore albums, you actually hear his guitar, but gary moore's tone is NOTHING and i repeat NOWHERE near to peter green's. i guess the amps and effects play a role as well. gary moore later sold the guitar for 1.2 million dollars, not sure to who.
download the john mayall and the blues breakers album - a hard road. there are a few tracks where his guitar tone (and playing) really stand out. tracks i'd suggest are dust my blues and so many roads. keep in mind this is british blues, which to some might seem boring/bland. oh and this album has lotsa harmonica stuff as well!
if you're interested, you can get a replica version of the PG (praveen ganesh luls) les paul, pre-aged and with the modified pickups from Vintage guitars. do check out the review as well. the wear doesn't look 100% authentic but what do you expect from a 400 quid made in china guitar? the only downside is they have hardly any dealers outside of england, bummer.
For all that it is one of his staples, Black Magic Woman is actually a 1970 cover of a 1968 Fleetwood Mac rendition written by Peter Green. A medley with Gabor Szabo's 1966 Gypsy Queen, Santana's version works in exotic Hungarian rhythms with folk and latin strains. The album Abraxas, on which Black Magic Woman appeared, went to #1 and quadruple platinum, largely on the strength of the song.
It is possible, however obliquely, that the song was partly responsible for Peter Green leaving Fleetwood Mac. After it was released, Green reputedly befriended some people who were actually into black magic. In an interview with Cameron Crowe of Rolling Stone magazine, Christine McVie said these were the people who turned him on to acid, which led to Green leaving Fleetwood Mac.
I still say Munich is a Fleetwood Mac fairytale to explain the actions of a band leader who didn't want to be in a famous rock band, with a lot of phonies (agents, producers, managers). Peter saw through all that b.s. at the time. While his drug abuse at the time led to his mental breakdown (three-four years later), Peter Green was playing at the top of his game the day he left Fleetwood Mac. Green even came back to replace Jeremy Spencer later winter/early spring U.S. tour 1971. That infamous Fillmore East concert is legendary from those who attended.
Last edited by slipkid; 06-15-2010 at 11:51 PM..
The irony of this blog post is that Peter Green's special "tone" wasn't heard until he formed Fleetwood Mac. While the blogger lists examples of tone (he does give credit to playing, barely), from John Mayall's "A Hard Road", it's still a factory stock '59 Les Paul. At the very least, the neck pickup was missing.
If this blogger ever heard "Fleetwood Mac" (the original 1968 album), he would never call British blues "boring or bland". I would also recommend the "Live In Boston" Volumes 1 and 2 from the Boston Tea Party, recorded 2/70. It also wouldn't hurt to do a few Peter Green Fleetwood Mac hits on Youtube.
To set the record straight, a great example of Peter Green's flipped magnet tone is the studio "Black Magic Woman" guitar solo.
I tried to respond directly to this person's blog last night, but I don't have the proper account. If someone could help me send this post to him? Thanks.
Review of the Fleetwood Mac CD Heroes Are Hard To Find
Thursday June 17th 2010, 9:04 am
Fleetwood Mac have been a heavy hitters in the Rock genre for quite a while now and Heroes Are Hard To Find is an excellent illustration as to why.
Heroes Are Hard To Find is a pleasantly varied, mix of 11 tracks that are very well written and brilliantly performed songs by these clearly talented musicians. With many of the songs displaying a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Seemingly drawing from what I can only imagine are their own personal experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions of love, heartbreak, pain, failed relationships and unattainable romance. Theyre all here.
Listen to Heroes Are Hard To Find and I believe youll find theres not much to dis-like about it. The songs are inspired, the production is simply outstanding, and this is clearly the work of a group of musicians in top form. So much so that if youre even mildly into Rock music youll enjoy this CD.
While the entire CD is outstanding the truly standout tunes are track 2 Coming Home, track 9 Prove Your Love, and track 11 Safe Horbour.
My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 1 Heroes Are Hard To Find. Outstanding!
Heroes Are Hard To Find Release Notes:
Fleetwood Mac originally released Heroes Are Hard To Find on October 25, 1990 on the Reprise label.
CD Track List Follows:
1. Heroes Are Hard To Find 2. Coming Home 3. Angel 4. Bermuda Triangle 5. Come A Little Bit Closer 6. Shes Changing Me 7. Bad Loser 8. Silver Heels 9. Prove Your Love 10. Born Enchanter 11. Safe Horbour
Fleetwood Mac: Bob Welch (vocals, guitar, vibraphone); Christine McVie (vocals, keyboards, Arp string synthesizer); John McVie (bass); Mick Fleetwood (drums, percussion). Additional personnel: Pete Kleinow (pedal steel guitar). Recorded at Angel City Sound, Los Angeles, California in July 1974.
fleetwood mac fans owe a great deal of love to bob welch. welch kept the mac afloat during the early 1970s, while success was elusive. he came in after peter green and jeremy spencer, two of the three main dudes of the band, left (green left for a solo career; spencer left to join the questionable Children of God.) im sure most mac fans probably cant name any songs whatsoever on the three albums during welchs era; though one welch song, later re-recorded, became a monster hit for welch as a solo artist (sentimental lady, a song that sounds more like a commercial, maybe selling some feminine hygiene product perhaps )
anyway, welch went solo just before the mac hit it big. nicely, though, christine mcvie and mick fleetwood make appearances on his solo album french kiss, which includes the revamped sentimental lady as well as our song du jour, ebony eyes. he did quite well, had a few other minor hits, and then sort of fell off the radar. he continued to make music of course, including an experimental bop album, but he hasnt yet achieved the same success as he had with french kiss.
ebony eyes is a sweet little rocker with a menacing guitar hook. i was about 12 when this came out, and it definitely screams seventh grade to me whenever i hear it. sure, seventh grade was a delightful year; i had a teacher who was prepared to dislike me intensely because my Middlebro gave him a run for his money three years prior. (oh, the fun of having to prove myself to a teacher who i believed in my infinite tween heart was an idiot. but this would be the first of many times when i would get one of Middlebros former teachers and they would either be pleasantly surprised at what a nice young lady and good student i was or, in the case of chemistry and physics classes, the teachers were incredulous at how i was dumb as a post in the hard sciences, especially after following my smarty-pants brothers. sigh. it stinks being the youngest sometimes.)
anyway, when i wasnt trying to be the best girl in the whole world for that teacher, i was one of the many, the proud young ladies getting attacked in the locker area. yes, this was a time when boys ran around snapping your bra as well as your rainbow suspenders, which were in vogue then.
yes, virginia, these suspenders were all the rage once.
im not certain my back ever recovered from it all.
so as you can see, ebony eyes gave me hope. it spoke to me: one day, i believed, id find men who were interested in more than just pawing at my clothes men who will actually look at and in my eyes (once they werent obscured by humungous 1970s era glasses.) men who will like me just because im me.
lets just say it took awhile.
Written on June 23, 2010 at 12:00 am by Tori Norskog
Rock legend makes a come back in Virginia City
When he sat down at the Pioneer Bar after he got off work at the Virginia City Cafe, Dave Walker immediately ordered a non-alcoholic beer.
The bartender, Rosy, brought him his drink and then changed the song playing to one of, what he thought was, Savoy Browns songs. Savoy Brown is the band Walker spent the majority of his career with and is most well-known for being a part of.
Once the song came on, Walker stopped Rosy at once, barking Thats not me, thats a wanker!
Rosy eventually found a Savoy Brown song, one of their hits called Street Corner Talking, and said, I was in my 20s when this song came out. I was in college when I first heard this song.
Walker looked down humbly and giggled.
It turns out Im still fairly well known in my generation. I was unaware of this, he said.
Aware or not, after more than 50 years of performing, Walker is still very well-known and continues to do what he is best at.
I feel more at home doing that (performing) than I do anything else, it comes naturally to me, Walker said. For years and years before and after Savoy Brown I denied my musical self because I thought I wasnt valid.
But now, he is accepting his validity and talent and making a come back.
His current band, the Dave Walker Band, has been invited to play on the main stage at the Rockin the Rivers music festival with the Doobie Brothers in August.
This performance will come just after the Dave Walker Band releases their first album, called Crazy All the Time.
While Walker has played in 13 countries with legends like Black Sabbath and Fleetwood Mac, he said the Dave Walker Band is his favorite band he has ever worked with.
We are equal. We have musical integrity. We play the best we can all the time, Walker said.
He also said his current band includes the best musicians he has ever played with, and his band mates are just as enthusiastic about playing with him.
He is an exceptional singer. There is something about the way he sings that I cant pinpoint. Hes world class. Hes a rock singer with subtlety, said base player Eddie Tsuru.
Walker moved to Montana from New Mexico in 1998 to escape a bad marriage. When he first got here, he tried to make a home in Bozeman, but didnt like it much.
Then, three years ago, he went through Virginia City and thought: This is more like it, and he has been there ever since. His fortune in finding Virginia City still astounds him.
We kinda live in paradise, Walker said.
When he moved to Virginia City he began to resuscitate his music career. He recorded his solo album Walking Underwater, which got him introduced to his now band members Jimmy Lewis who plays the guitar, Eddie Tsuru who plays the bass, Chris Cundy who plays keyboards and Mike Gillan who plays the drums.
The Dave Walker Band plays an eclectic range of genres including blues, R and B, funk, country and classic rock.
He has been able to be himself with his current band, Walker said. He is an eccentric, enigmatic personality who is not afraid to go a little nuts and speak his mind, which is a characteristic his band mates value in him.
They turn me loose, Walker said. Fleetwood Mac was afraid to turn me loose, so not much creatively happened.
His current band, however, appreciates his opinion and what he brings to the table.
Tsuru, whose first concert was seeing Savoy Brown, said one of his favorite parts about working with Walker is the stories he shares. Walker, 65, was born and spent most of his younger years in England, where he got the opportunity to meet a lot of musicians who would become legends.
He is connected to all the great rock stars from England, Tsuru said. His drinking buddy was John Bonham from Led Zeppelin. He had breakfast with Richard Blackmore from Deep Purple. I found a picture of him sandwiched between John Lennon and David Bowie.
One of Walkers favorite memories is a show back in 1991 with Savoy Brown in Budapest, Hungary, when the country was still behind the Iron Curtain.
The promoter of the show was excited about the concert because she thought they were going to get nearly 750 people, and then 2,200 ended up attending, Walker said.
That was when music was an international language, he said. We were playing in this communist country and were able to communicate. Performers can do more good in terms of crossing international barriers in an hour and a half than most politicians can do in 20 years. Thats maybe the coolest thing about what I do.
Another musical experience he recalled was when he was 18 and played a four concert series where the Beatles opened for his band at the time, The Redcaps.
During the first show of the series, he said he received the best compliment of his life. George Harrison told him he liked his suit.
Such experiences have contributed to his well-established career, which is still blossoming.
Dave is making a comeback in a big way, Tsuru said.
The Dave Walker Band will be playing Aug. 15 at the Rockin the Rivers festival which will be near Three Forks in the Jefferson River Canyon.
This Friday the Dave Walker Band is playing a show near Livingston.
I am in awe and obliged to them (my band) for their effort. They are the best of the best, the best musicians I have worked with, Walker said.
Alejandro Escovedo talks about songs on his album:
Street Songs
I really love this song. First of all, it's very different than anything else on the record. I wanted to write a song very much like David Bowie's song "I'm Afraid of Americans." So I started writing that riff [hums riff], which reminded me very much of early Fleetwood Mac, when it was Jeremy Spencer, Peter Green and Danny Kirwan, so it was a real guitar-heavy thing. The lyrics really came from the residency that I did at the Continental Club in South Austin  I did two months there before we made the record. We'd bring three new songs every Tuesday night, present them to the audience acoustically, and then bring the band out and show the audience how we could arrange things. So those lyrics became about that part of town in Austin. Then as I was traveling ... I met someone who became part of that song also. There were all these parts I had a lot to draw from. It became a little like "Walk on the Wild Side."
Among God's creations, two, the dog and the guitar, have taken all the sizes and all the shapes in order not to be separated from the man.---Andres Segovia
Last edited by chiliD; 06-29-2010 at 12:38 PM..
The second track from "Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac", play it now if you own it ("Merry Go Round")! That's is "THE TONE"! It's thin, and honky, there is no John Mayall song with Peter Green that has that tone.
BTW, why are you defending that blog? The guy was completely clueless. You of all people should've known that, or at least I thought you did. Now I wonder.
I wasn't defending anything....I'm more of a prosecutor.
Just yankin' yo' chain. I was just being "full o' crap". Just trying to get a response. "Let's see what happens if I jab with this stick" kinda thing.
Like the Monty Python skit: "Uh....I'd like to have an argument please...."
"No it isn't"
"Yes it is"
"No it isn't"
Among God's creations, two, the dog and the guitar, have taken all the sizes and all the shapes in order not to be separated from the man.---Andres Segovia
|Thread Tools
|Display Modes
Linear Mode
|Fleetwood Mac Signed Photo Jacket Display Stevie Nicks, Buckingham & McVie â ...
|Fleetwood Mac Signed Guitar Buckingham McVie Fleetwood Autographed Strat -Nicks
|Fleetwood Mac Signed Guitar Lindsey Buckingham Autographed Strat. (Nicks, McVee)
|Fleetwood Mac Vintage Jacket 70s/80s Rock Band From England.
|SIGNED - Mick Fleetwood "Mac" Drumhead 12" + Pic


text: It is a pure css3 menu very comprehensive and easy to customize. CSS3 Dropdown Mega Menu is an item that is very useful for many sites such as e-commerce websites. This is the menu I was looking to offer all products in an accessible and intuitive. It is well documented and the code is commented to be changed quickly.


text:
I'm trying to set up an high availability architecture using merge replication. I have 3 databases, and I'm trying to keep them all up to date with merge replication.
So far I've manage to create one publisher and 2 subscribers, and all works fine...except when the publisher goes down.
So I thought about creating one more publisher and make the other databases also subscribe to it. I can do the publication normally, but when I create the local subscription, even though the GUI says it went successfully, the new subscription does not appear under "Local Subscriptions" folder.
Is this possible? or is it a limitation of sql server? (if it is possible...what may be wrong in my setup?)


text:
Heidi Montag – who famously underwent a staggering 10 plastic surgery procedures in one day (a breast enlargement, among them) — unveiled her post-surgery bikini bod last weekend in Las Vegas.
Though the 23-year-old Hills star — whose breasts are now a size "E" or "F" and legally cannot undergo any more surgery — was all smiles as she showed off her new assets, several plastic surgeons tell UsMagazine.com she faces a slew of post-surgery woes.
"The excessive weight of the implants in these extreme augmentations almost always leads to chronic lower back pain and significant drooping of the breasts," says New Jersey-based Dr. Lyle M. Back. "Often, the entire balance of the spine can be thrown off, resulting in chronic neck strain, painful shoulders and even a stooping posture."
PHOTOS: Stars of the Hills — then and now
San Francisco plastic surgeon Dr. Joel Beck thinks she also may have trouble breastfeeding. "If the breasts are too big, the baby can't latch on to get a mother's milk," he says.
As Montag ages, he adds, "the implants will thin the [skin] tissues and require a breast lift."
The implants are so oversized, they could even "erode through the skin and be exposed, mandating [their] removal," adds Dr. Beck.
PHOTOS: Heidi and Spencer's wedding album
But her second nose job could have "the most potential consequences," warns Dr. Mark Berman, president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. He tells Us that Montag may lose the ability to breathe through her nose if her nostrils have been "narrowed too much."
(Her only major non-threatening surgery? Her back scooping — which, according to Dr. Berman, refers to "liposuction around the hips and flanks to narrow the waist." "Since only fat would be removed, other than the general discomfort from the initial healing phase … she should be able to do any physical activity she could previously do," Dr. Berman says. [Montag has been photographed doing yoga, but she has said she can't jog anymore because she'll injure her new breasts.])
Not only does she face physical ramifications – but psychological ones as well.
PHOTOS: Heidi and other stars who wear too-tight bikinis
"There's a lot of pressure to look a certain way in Hollywood," admits Dr. Larry Fan, a Harvard-trained leader in aesthetic plastic surgery. "It's just not emotionally healthy to want to change so many things about your appearance at all once. I am most concerned about Heidi's emotional health and sense of body image."
For access to all our exclusive celebrity videos and interviews – Subscribe on YouTube!


text:
2 search results
Forestry and Woodland Ecosystems
Forestry and Woodland Ecosystems examines current management practices for forestry and woodlands. Special emphasis is given to management as it relates to ecological requirements and how these practices impact the environment.This binder does not contain all...
- Grade Range: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Postsecondary
Scope and Sequence: Forestry and Woodland Ecosystems
CTE TEKS - Implemented 2017-2018, adopted in 2015Forestry and Woodland Ecosystems course scope and sequence within the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Career Cluster® summarizes the content to be taught, and one possible order for teaching the units of instruction. A brief...
- Resource ID: 19282
- Grade Range: 10, 11, 12


text:
Our 20 Favorite Posts from 2 Years of Serious Eats: Drinks
The best stuff we've sipped lately.
Serious Eats has been around awhile, but Drinks is just a toddler—we launched it on February 24th, 2011—two years ago yesterday! And what fun we've had, brainstorming wacky milkshakes and visiting breweries, tasting a jillion sodas (yes, a jillion), and interviewing top bartenders around the country.
In honor of the 2nd birthday of the site, we wanted to share some of our favorite posts from the past two years, from the wacky and fun to the seriously eye-opening. Check 'em all out in the slideshow.
Cheers to many more years! Thanks for sippin' along with us!
About the Author: Maggie Hoffman is the editor of Serious Eats: Drinks. She lives in San Francisco. You can follow her on Twitter @maggiejane.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


text:
One S owners are not the only one receiving a Christmas gift from HTC. Motorola also has surprisingly started rolling out the Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update for the DROID RAZR and RAZR MAXX.
The 320MB+ update automatically started rolling out for some DROID RAZR owners since yesterday. The Jelly Bean update for the DROID RAZR/RAZR MAXX brings with it the usual Jelly Bean goodness including Project Butter for a super-smooth Android experience, enhanced speech-to-text, enhanced notification bar along with an improvement in stability and battery life. Motorola's own OEM skin is pretty light and does not really interfere much with the stock Holo theme so
Motorola only recently updated DROID RAZR HD, RAZR HD MAXX and RAZR M to Jelly Bean. Even DROID RAZR owners are going to be surprised that the Jelly Bean update has landed so quickly for their handset. With the Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update rolling out to RAZR/MAXX owners, the device is now officially two Android OS updates ahead compared to a Nexus handset – the Verizon branded Galaxy Nexus.
Via – Android Central


text:
Puerto Rico to raise $3 billion in bond saleMarch 11, 2014: 12:44 PM ET
Puerto Rico plans to sell $3 billion in bonds Tuesday, as the Caribbean island struggles to shore up its finances.
The sale of tax-free, general obligation bonds would be the first in two years for Puerto Rico and comes after the three main credit rating agencies cut the commonwealth's rating to junk in February.
The final price has yet to be announced, but analysts say the bonds will come with an 8% coupon, or interest rate. The price will be discounted to produce a yield of between 8.625% and 8.875%. Bond yields rise when prices fall.
If the auction is successful, it would rank as the largest tax-free debt sale ever, according to Alan Schankel, a municipal bond analyst at Janney Montgomery Scott.
Schankel said preliminary reports suggest the offering was oversubscribed, meaning demand is robust. That should mean that the interest rate Puerto Rico will pay on the bonds will be towards the lower end of the range, he added.
Puerto Rico seems to be targeting institutional investors, including hedge funds. The bonds have a minimum denomination of $100,000, compared with the typical municipal bond, which comes in $5,000 increments.
Related: Is Puerto Rico the next Detroit?
The sale is important because it could provide much needed liquidity for the financially stretched commonwealth, which is saddled with nearly $72 billion in debt.
Puerto Rico has been struggling to pay its debts following years of weak economic growth. There has been widespread speculation that Puerto Rico could declare bankruptcy. Those concerns sent yields on Puerto Rican bonds to nearly 10% late last year.
But the government has taken steps to get its finances in order, including controversial cuts to public pensions. San Juan plans to reduce spending by $170 million this year and hopes to have a balanced budget by 2015, according to Standard & Poor's.
What's more, the bonds are structured in such a way that Puerto Rico will not have to make any principal payments on the loan for eight years, according to Schankel.
Still, Puerto Rican bonds are considered highly speculative. In a preliminary statement released last week, the government outlined several risk factors associated with its debt.
Risk number one: "The Commonwealth may be unable to honor its obligations to pay debt service on the bonds."
So while the bond sale is a step in the right direction, it's clear that Puerto Rico is not out of the woods yet.