text:
Magic was seeping out of me, black and agonizing. I could see it drifting away. The magic that would let me pass the Road to reach home again.
When sixteen-year-old Anya learns that her aunt, Queen of the Faerie Kingdom of Chrior, will soon die, her grief is equaled only by her despair for the future of the kingdom. Her young cousin, Illumina, is unfit to rule, and Anya is determined not to take up the queen's mantle herself.
Convinced that the only solution is to find Prince Zabriel, who long ago disappeared into the human realm of Warckum, and persuade him to take up his rightful crown, Anya journeys into the Warckum Territory to bring him home. But her journey is doomed to be more harrowing than she ever could have imagined .
Product Details
|Publication date:
|Heirs of Chrior , #1
|Sold by:
|NOOK Book
|Sales rank:
|File size:
|Age Range:
|14 - 17 Years
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
I stood at the end of the Road, feeling the frigid breeze and watching the leaves rustle in their dizzying patterns. I had a jerkin and cloak to keep me warm, a long-knife to protect me, but I knew how many souls haunted this place, and it was impossible to feel at ease.
The path and trees were white with snow, but in my mind I saw them red with soldiers' blood. It ran down the trunks like sap and flooded the walk. There was a legacy burned into the core of this place, and the passage of years could not see it forgotten. Fae and human alike were reluctant to set foot here.
It was not my first time traversing the Bloody Road, the site of the historic battle between human and Fae, so some of its mystique was lost on me. But as my legs were stroked by the hands of the lonely and the angry, of those who could not leave this place, a chill seeped into the marrow of my bones. I walked on, passing into the Realm of my people, for though the lonely and the angry of this Road had taken many, they could not capture me. The power of the elements that ran in my blood spared me.
Despite my long journey, my exhaustion fell away once the city came into view. The human world, though fascinating, could be wearying, whereas Chrior, the ancient cradle of Fae magic, was rejuvenating. Nothing had been destroyed to make these homes possible; centuries ago, when the Faerie race had been even closer to the elements, the trees had been manipulated by Earth Fae, the ground had been raised and dropped where necessary, and a city had been constructed while the forest had been allowed to go on living.
Snow shimmered around me, falling and filling my footprints. I dropped my magical shroud and unfolded my membrane wings, which glinted green, gold, and ice-blue like oil in sunlight. Hovering skyward, I let the thin cold air of winter test them as I flew to the Great Redwood, which had long ago parted its trunk for the royal Fae who protected and inhabited it, calling themselves the Redwood Fae. The ancient tree's orangey bark was coated with icicles, but I felt warmth radiating from inside. I ran my fingers over the love-carvings that surrounded the entrance-artistic tributes left by Fae, tiny designs across the surface of a bark that ran deep-and contentment filled my soul. It was good to see the world. It was better to come home.
Far beneath me, on the ground inside the Redwood, the Queen's Court was in session. Revelers with wings in myriad colors feasted and danced, their laughter, music, and conversation bouncing joyously around me.
On her throne of twined roots, Queen Ubiqua presided, and on both sides she was joined by her closest followers: my father, Cyandro, who served as her Lord of the Law; the eight members of her Council, among them my grandfather, the former reigning Prince; and Davic, the young man to whom I had entrusted my heart. Three chairs in addition to my own stood empty, but one most glaringly-the throne that belonged to Ubiqua's husband, who had never occupied it before his death.
I straightened my jerkin and handed my cloak and pack to a member of the royal guard, who would see that they were sent to my quarters. Then I hastened downward, following the spiraling ridge that ran along the inner walls of the tree until at last I came to the floor.
Almost immediately after I pressed into the midst of the Court-a jostling body of heat and fresh-spiced winter scents- arms were flung around my waist from behind, nearly knocking me into another Fae. I craned my head around and saw exactly who I expected to find embracing me. My best friend Ione, her blond waves adorably woven through a headband of scarlet berries, had playfully ambushed me.
"I was hoping you'd be back tonight," she exclaimed, beaming in her modest way. "The entire Court was. May the Queen's reign flourish!"
The cry was echoed by the Faefolk who now surrounded me, and I managed to return Ione's hug before shouts of "Sale!" floated from the crowd. A bark mug was thrust at me, and I happily accepted the drink that ran from our trees and nourished the Faerie kind more powerfully than any food.
Once I'd finished sharing greetings and toasts, I abandoned my empty goblet and approached the Queen. A long queue, monitored by the Queen's Blades in their bedazzling tunics, led to her throne of gnarled and ancient roots. My aunt smiled, kind and patient, as every member of her Court endured the procession to greet her and extend their respects. I drew up beside the line and walked its length, nodding to the Blades I passed.
The Queen's face lit up when I drew near, and I fell to one knee, placing my forefinger upon her earthen perch. When I removed it, a droplet of dew was left in its place among hundreds of others frozen there in her honor, for tonight marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of my aunt's coronation. The droplets were gifts from Water Fae, sparkling amidst leaves and berries from Earth Fae, glowing embers like rubies from Fire Fae, and clearest crystals filled with whispers of fog and cloud from Air Fae. The elemental offerings would dissipate within the week, allowing room for the city's general public and not just the Queen's Court to pay tribute to her.
"Anya! How was your journey?" Queen Ubiqua effused, leaning forward to be heard above the revelry. Having her gaze upon me, as always, was like meeting Time-there was something incomprehensible about her, something infinite. She didn't suffer the same worries I did because her wisdom transcended them.
"Enlightening," I replied, rising, but I could not keep my eyes from drifting toward Davic. It was proper to acknowledge the Queen before the others around her, but it was he who was foremost on my mind. His gray-blue eyes muted the bedlam in the trunk, drawing me in as though nothing existed beyond the landscape of his elegant jaw, the black hair pulled into a ponytail at the nape of his neck, and the parting of his lips, an aphrodisiac in itself. He grinned at me, gripping the arms of his chair like he might propel himself upward at any moment and fly to my side.
"Go to him," Ubiqua laughed, tipping her head in Davic's direction, aware that she no longer held my attention. "You and I can talk later."
In need of no convincing, I hurried to my promised. He'd come to his feet, and he snatched the hand I extended to haul me onto the dais and into his arms. I laughed, wrapping my legs around his waist when he picked me up and holding his face for a lengthy kiss that was continually disrupted by our smiles.
"I almost forgot what you looked like," he teased, pushing our foreheads together. Our pose, somewhat unseemly for a royal and her partner, nevertheless charmed the assembly and drew a few shouts. We both turned scarlet and hid our faces in each other's shoulders, then Davic returned to his seat, taking me with him.
"I missed you, too," I murmured, settling against him and twining our fingers together. Soon I felt the heat of someone's gaze; I turned and exchanged a warm nod with my father, then took his hint that I should move to my own chair. I kept Da-vic's palm snug against mine while I scanned the empty seats, making note of who else was missing-Zabriel, the long absent Prince of Chrior; and my cousin Illumina, the orphaned daughter of Queen Ubiqua's brother.
Leaning close to Davic, I asked, "Where is Illumina?"
Though I could have guessed his answer from his resigned look, I waited for him to confirm it.
"She only stayed for an hour, maybe less. At least she was here for a while. Let's not dwell on her tonight."
I nodded, for Illumina's lack of participation was not unexpected. Quiet, studious and easily overshadowed, she avoided crowds to whatever extent possible. Still, I would have liked for her to be here. Not only was she a niece of the Queen, she was also heir to the throne due to the Prince's defection, and learning to connect with the people was an important part of her future.
Davic and I did not have much opportunity to talk during the festivities, and we were glad when Ubiqua called her Court to a close and we could fly to the branches of the Great Redwood where I made my home. Davic also had an alcove in the mighty tree, though his family had no interest in Court life and lived far on the other side of Chrior. There was only one section of the Redwood that was unoccupied, a place where the branches were dry and dead and could hold little weight. The destruction was viewed as a tragedy and rarely discussed, but from what I understood, a fire had defiled our people's ancient refuge.
My residence was a small place, but practical. Davic walked the perimeter of the main room, focusing on the energy inside himself as he ran his finger along the love-carved indentation to spark and ignite it. Finished, he fell onto the sofa, putting his hands behind his head. The house warmed at once, and I curled up beside him, breathing in his familiar scent, musky with an undercurrent of Tanya flowers, which only grew on this side of the Road. The whole evening I hadn't given a thought to how truly tired I was, but now I relaxed, the heaviness in my limbs a reminder of how little I had slept the past few days.
"Well?" Davic asked after a bit. "How was the human world this time?"
"I made it to Tairmor before you called me back," I replied, offering him a smirk. "You're impatient, Davic."
He brushed my auburn hair behind my shoulder and kissed my forehead. "How long would you have been gone if I hadn't called you?"
"I wanted to see Sheness, the port city. A few more weeks."
His countenance grew wary, lips pursing and eyes slightly widening. He was the worrier of the two of us, and his expression was endearing in its predictability.
"Anya, your father has warned against Fae traveling that far west. He says there's been a resurgence of piracy over the past year."
"I'm aware of my father's warnings." I gave his hair a playful tug, making it difficult for a scowl to emerge. "But pirates surely don't lurk around every corner in Sheness, waiting to attack. They have their business, and I would have had mine. I do know what I'm doing out there. Anyway, it doesn't matter now. I didn't go near the port."
"You're not invincible, you know." He was looking at me sideways, not yet pacified. This was a variance we'd had before-he meant well, but he had a hard time trusting anything if it was beyond Chrior's borders, including me.
I chuckled. "Of course I'm not invincible, but Fae are more powerful than humans, and we have our elements to protect us. Anyone who tried to hurt me would be swept away by a wall of water before they could blink, while I flew away to the rooftops." My point stood even though that wasn't exactly how Fae connections worked. We had to rely on physically present matter that we could move and manipulate rather than conjuring our elements, but for me that matter could include blood and mist as easily as rain or river water, leaving me with a lot of power at my disposal. "Try not to be such a killjoy when everything is, at present, perfect."
He rolled his eyes, but I felt his body relax against mine. I plucked at the fabric of his shirt, nervous about the confession I was about to make. "I was a little worried, though, that something might be wrong when I felt your call."
Davic and I had been promised by a mage, the same mage who had wed my aunt and her husband, and the aura that bound us let us reach out to one another no matter how far apart we were. I'd felt the tug from Davic in Tairmor, the capital of the Warckum Territory, and had started home at once.
He chewed his lip, looking adorable as he made a bid for clemency. "Are you annoyed? I was thinking about you, and next I knew I'd signaled you before I'd even decided whether or not I should. If you're upset with me, I'll say I'm sorry it happened. Really."
"Aww, you'd say whatever I'd like to hear to save your own hide? You're so sweet." I shoved him, not upset in the least. Our bond was still fresh, and it would take time to adapt to its intricacies.
He let out a relieved breath, then played with my hair. His thoughts traveled over his face in what he believed to be a private course, though his ultimate expression told me he had landed on the matter I'd hoped he'd leave alone until the morning at least.
"Do you ever get homesick out there? I mean, you stay away for so long. I just wonder if ..you don't like coming back."
Without fail, this conversation followed my returns and preceded my departures. Unlike me, Davic was content in Chrior, with no interest in journeying. He hadn't even been on his Crossing, the traditional rite of passage for young Fae. Following my Crossing, I'd developed a taste for the human world, a wanderlust that not even my promised's pleading could overcome, and certainly one that he had trouble understanding.
"The fact that I enjoy being in the Territory doesn't mean I don't enjoy being here."
"You spend more time in the human world than you do here." Preempting my response, he added, "I'm not trying to stop you from traveling, but it seems to me that spending time with me and your friends, with your father, is something you just tolerate until you can leave again."
Why couldn't we have a pleasurable reunion and leave it at that?
"It's not being away from you I enjoy, Davic. It's seeing what's out there, what's different about how the humans live. How the politics move and shift." I frowned, lost in thought. "For instance, there's something different about the mood in the Territory right now. I don't know what exactly, but I was seeing more Constabularies and military units. Maybe the Governor is just cracking down on crime. If he keeps it up, my father won't have much to warn about in a few months."
Governor Ivanova, elected conservator and custodian of the Warckum Territory, was known for the strict and swift enforcement of his laws. He was also known as King Ivanova by his detractors, because the governorship had been in his family for so long it was practically an inherited position, with no sign of change on the horizon.
"Then perhaps you should wait for the all-clear before you head out again. All right?" He kissed my forehead, then sought my eyes. At my grudging nod, a tease at last entered his voice. "You know, it sounds like I called you out of potential danger. Doesn't that mean I deserve a thank-you?"
"No, it means you're off the hook for cutting my trip short," I laughed, and he rolled over, trapping me beneath him.
"In that case, I should probably tell you that I didn't do it for me. The Queen asked when you'd be back and seemed disappointed in my answer. She didn't actually tell me to interrupt your travels, but it was clear that was what she wanted."
I pushed myself up on my elbows, Davic scrambling back to accommodate my sudden movement.
"She didn't tell me that."
"It must be urgent." My heart was thumping a little faster as I tried to imagine what could have led Ubiqua to summon me.
Davic shrugged. "I doubt it. She didn't try to talk to you at Court tonight."
"I should still go to her. At once."
Davic's brows shot upward, and he bent closer again.
"Or you could wait." He pressed his lips lightly to my neck, and, against my better judgment, I allowed my mind to cloud with the sensation, slipped my hands into his hair and slid back underneath him, indisposed to argue.
Davic and I slept in longer than we-or rather I-intended. Though he awoke when I rose and we spoke briefly, he was asleep again by the time I left, laying there still dressed from the night before. There was something about him that was angelic. Yes, he frustrated me when our differences came head-to-head, but my trust in him ran deep. He was solid and predictable, like a form of gravity. He would never hurt me, and his arms would always hold me whether my behavior was rational or nonsensical.


text:
National Boss Day
Bosses Day is just around the corner. Show your boss just what they mean to you with a beautiful flower arrangement from GardenHouse Floral & Home. It's always good to get recognition of a job well done, and National Bosses Day is the perfect time to do it. Let GardenHouse Floral & Home help you send flowers to your boss this is Bosses Day.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
In German, "rot" is red.. and that is how my skin looked this morning as I got a small amount of work done today on Flirt. With the Temps way down below freezing (19f/-7c) staying warm and comfy inside was more important than doing work on my boat.. at least to most people.
I am not most people.
While I could not continue to grind away at the internal paint on Flirt's V-berth area, I was able to pull out all the rotted wood from it. With only a 20amp cable running to my Sprite, running both an Angle Grinder and a 1500watt space heater just seemed like a really bad idea. It would also probably not be good for the heater to suck in that much fine glassfibre dust, so I amused myself with ripping out the 52 year old plywood that made up the base of the V-berth.
All glass boats sweat.. unless yours is like the Southern Cross 31 and built with an airex foam core hull.. Flirt is a solid 'glass hull, so she sweats. She also has a leaky forward hatch, and most of her hardware has not been bedded in for years (possibly decades) so any and all wood aboard her is rotten and must come out. As we all know, plywood is especially good at soaking up water and rotting way before you eyes.. hence the need to quite literally rip it all out and start over again.
I still need to grind down the tabbing I left behind, but all I needed to remove the ply was my own two hands, a screwdriver for leverage, and an old beat up hammer (that I found aboard Flirt when I got her home) and after a few boards were pryed free, and a few kicks, it was a matter of just grabbing the wood and pulling.
There is an amazing amount of room up there now.. and I found all the rest of the grinding dust I made.
I also uncovered the Porta-potti the previous owner graciously left behind for me. That will be deep sixed too.
A little more grinding to get everything smooth and I can start glassing in more Carbonfibre before I epoxy in the ribs and stringers that will strengthen Flirt's flexiflyer hull and give me a place to hang the furniture. I am getting closer and closer to doing positive work!


text:
Well, it seems Al-Qaeda has found a new way to fund its operations: they kidnap Europeans and demanding ransom payments. In fact, it's become a global business, according to the New York Times. They also reported that Al-Qaeda usually contracts criminals to nab the targeted individuals on commission to reduce casualties on their side. (via NYT):
Kidnapping Europeans for ransom has become a global business for Al Qaeda, bankrolling its operations across the globe.
While European governments deny paying ransoms, an investigation by The New York Times found that Al Qaeda and its direct affiliates have taken in at least $125 million in revenue from kidnappings since 2008, of which $66 million was paid just in the past year.
In various news releases and statements, the United States Treasury Department has cited ransom amounts that, taken together, put the total at around $165 million over the same period.
These payments were made almost exclusively by European governments, who funnel the money through a network of proxies, sometimes masking it as development aid, according to interviews conducted for this article with former hostages, negotiators, diplomats and government officials in 10 countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The inner workings of the kidnapping business were also revealed in thousands of pages of internal Qaeda documents found by this reporter while on assignment for The Associated Press in northern Mali last year.
In its early years Al Qaeda received most of its money from deep-pocketed donors, but counterterrorism officials now believe the group finances the bulk of its recruitment, training and arms purchases from ransoms paid to free Europeans.
Put more bluntly, Europe has become an inadvertent underwriter of Al Qaeda.


text:
The Advanced Football Development Session takes place during the second week of Easter from Tuesday 18th April to Thursday 20th April from 10am to 2pm each day.
Available to members of girls and boys Football Panels from U13 to U16.
The aim of the week is for players to ''Reach your Potential''.
There will be top class coaches covering all the skills of the game and a mixture of practical and theory sessions on Nutrition/Hydration, Strength and Conditioning, Functional Movement and Lifestyle and many more.
The cost of the session is €35 per child, or €30 per child if more than one family member taking part.
You can register and pay for the Advanced Football session online here:
News and Club Notes >


text:
I don't know when was the last time I talked about perfumes. Many, many posts ago. Today I want to review a very special perfume. Special in a way that I (along with some other bloggers) was a small part of creating them. We helped with choosing the scents. So a while ago I've received a parcel with 5 perfume samples and I had to test and score them from 1 to 10. Honestly, I wasn't too keen on any of the samples so I was crossing my fingers that I got the smelly ones. I didn't know what to expect but I was hoping for the best. And then Walden Natural Perfumes came to life. Made from only the finest natural absolutes, resins and essential oils Walden Perfumes are named after Henry David Thoreau's seminal work Walden. The book - part meditation, part handbook for simple living in natural surroundings - has inspired countless readers and Walden Natural Perfumes are proud to walk in his footsteps.
I wanted to try something fresh and floral, something for spring. I was on the fence which perfume to choose since they all sound so beautiful but Two Eternities and A Little Star-Dust sounded the most appealing. After a much needed chat with Stephan from Love Lula I decided for Two Eternities. And I couldn't have picked a better scent for me!! A Little Star-Dust has a strong and quite sweet scent of Ylang Ylang, which I actually like but not so much as a perfume. Two Eternities* is the one for me. It is described as "a garland of forest flowers including Wild Rose, Jasmine and Iris floating above a fresh citrus base of Bergamot and Sweet Orange Oil". It is exactly that! A beautiful floral scent, it's fresh and slightly sweet, so, So lovely. Mmm I love it. I also really like the packaging. It looks like a proper perfume with heavy glass and a wooden cap. It's a spray perfume and I don't have a lot of those. Natural perfumes most of the time come in a roll-on packaging where the flower and essential oils are blended in an oil base or solid perfume where there are also butters in the blend (or beeswax, something solid). I don't discriminate but I do tend to apply this perfume only on my clothes, not so much on my skin. Why? Because the base is Alcohol which I don't like to apply on my skin. But that is not a deal breaker, not at all. In the base of Grain Ethanol there are all those beautiful ingredients like Jasmine, Wild Rose, Sweet Orange and a few more. The scent is dreamy.
Now you know that I love the scent but does it last on me? Is the staying power any good? When I first started testing it out I was quite disappointed and not that impressed. Since all my other perfumes are oil based or solid, and because I never liked too strong perfumes, I only applied two spritz of it and thought that was plenty. I never wanted to be that person who you can smell a mile away. Not my thing. But there is a difference between conventional and natural perfumes. Two spritz didn't work as I thought they would and not only that I wasn't That person, I couldn't even detect the scent after an hour. So I started using more and that did the trick! Now I apply a few more spritz, like five or even more, and as I said, I apply the perfume on my clothes and the perfume definitely last for a few hours. Awesome! But it's not as long lasting as is A Little Star-Dust. Probably because it's fresher and more light, and the later is more heavy and sweet. But saying this I do still detect the scent on the shirt I wore yesterday.
I've fallen in love with this perfume and I've been wearing it every day. Get your Walden Two Eternities Natural Perfume at Love Lula. If you're not that into fresh and floral scent then check out their other perfumes here.
Happy Friday!
With love,
Jana xx
Happy Friday!
With love,
*sample generously provided


text:
23 February 2018 09:00 until 25 February 2018 13:30
12th Annual Perioperative and Critical Care Echocardiography Workshop
On behalf of the Society of Transesophageal Echocardiography and Dept. of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, PGIMER Chandigarh, the PVRI would like to invite all members to attend the 12th Annual Perioperative and Critical Care Echocardiography Workshop from 23 - 25 February 2018.
- Basic and Advanced Transesophageal Echocardiography
- Basic course on Paediatric and Congenital echocardiography
- Advanced techniques including 3D imaging
- Speckle training and strain imaging
- Focussed assessed trans thoracic echo (FATE) and Focused Intensive Care Echocardiography (FICE)
- Porcine heart dissection
- Hands on course (limited registration available) for 1 week before / after workshop and course certification
- Free paper sessions
- End course exam
Course format
- Basic Course: Getting started with echocardiography (standard views & haemodynamic assessment), Imaging plane stations (small group discussion), porcine heart dissection, focussed transthoracic echocardiographic evaluation.
- Advanced Course: Understanding how TEE demonstrates cardiovascular pathology (Quantification of lesion, paediatric, 3D, strain imaging)
- Hands on one week course: Full day hands on training in OR and certification after exam.
Who should attend this course?
Postegraduate Anesthesia Trainees / Intensivist, Postdoctoral Cardiac Anesthesia Trainees
Course location
D Block, 2nd Floor, Advanced Cardiac Centre, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.


text:
It's been 10 years since the first version of Google SketchUp was released, and there are more people modeling in SketchUp now that we ever could have imagined—over a million of you a week, in fact. That's a pretty humbling number of 3D model makers.
People around the world are modeling everything—from a new design for their kitchen to entire cities in Google Earth. For our small part in this global phenomenon, I'm proud to announce that SketchUp 8, the next major version of our 3D modeling tool, is available for download today. We've added significant new geo-modeling capabilities that leverage Google's vast collection of geo-spatial data to make it quicker, easier and more fun than ever to build models of the world around us.
Head on over to our website for the whole story, or just grab yourself a new build and get back to modeling.
Posted by Posted by John Bacus


text:
WITH genetic researchers building an ever more detailed picture of the role genes play in shaping our lives come ever more complex questions about the right to keep such information private.
Most people who have a genetic predisposition to a particular condition will probably choose to share that knowledge with relatives who may be at risk so they can access screening and, if available, preventive or early treatment.
But what if the original patient wants to keep that information private?
Legislators around the world have grappled with the issue of whether, and under what circumstances, an individual's genetic information can be disclosed without their consent.
In Australia, the Privacy Act was amended in 2006, allowing health care providers to disclose such information without a patient's consent for the purposes of "lessening or preventing a serious threat to the life, health or safety (whether or not the threat is imminent) of … a genetic relative".
The Privacy Commissioner has produced more detailed guidelines — known as Public Interest Determinations — on how and when that can occur.
However, these don't really give clear advice to doctors and other health workers who might find themselves facing this dilemma, as a paper published online by the Journal of Medical Ethics this month sets out.
For starters, that word "serious" is not defined and no examples are given of genetic conditions that would justify this kind of non-consensual disclosure.
Nor is there any guidance on how doctors are to determine who is a genetic relative of the patient or provisions protecting them if they mistakenly communicate the information to somebody who turns out not to be genetically related.
You can imagine the mess that might be created if a doctor disclosed the information to a patient's children not realising they had been conceived using donor sperm.
All in all, the authors, from the University of Canberra's law school, are scathing about the "poorly considered" amendment to the act, saying it "undermines one of the most sacred of all trust relationships existing within modern civil society: that of doctor and patient".
There has been remarkably little public discussion of all this. As this paper makes clear, there was little debate in federal parliament and the Privacy Commissioner's public consultation process attracted few submissions.
This is surprising when you consider how far-reaching the exemption from normal privacy laws has the potential to be.
The guidelines might cope reasonably well in the case of genetic mutations that give those who carry them a very high probability of developing a particular disease. Mutations in the so-called breast cancer genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, spring to mind.
But what are doctors to do if a particular genetic mutation gives somebody, say, a 25% chance of developing type 2 diabetes? Or a 10% chance of schizophrenia?
And, even more fraught, what if the increased risk only occurs under certain environmental circumstances: obesity, for example, or a history of being abused during childhood?
Clearly, it wouldn't be practical or acceptable for doctors to be investigating the body mass index of a person who was not their patient before deciding whether or not to disclose, yet it could be impossible to establish a "serious threat" without that information.
There may well be circumstances where the right of somebody to be informed that they are at risk of a genetic illness trumps the right of a patient to maintain privacy.
But deciding what those circumstances are is no simple matter — in fact, it's becoming more complicated all the time — and the guidelines have yet to grapple with that fact.
Jane McCredie is a Sydney-based science and medicine writer.
Posted 18 March 2013Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.


text:
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) has applied to intervene in a case Microsoft filed against the European Commission in August, claiming that the software giant is trying to protect a technology with little intrinsic value.
The FSFE is already involved in Microsoft's ongoing lawsuit, which the software giant filed in June last year to appeal against the measures imposed by the EC.
The new case that Microsoft filed in August claims that the EC's request that server protocol information can be used in open source projects violates Microsoft's intellectual-property (IP) rights.
"The distribution of source code in which the protocols are implemented would put the intellectual property that makes up the protocols in the public domain," said a Microsoft spokesperson on Friday. "There are a range of different pieces of IP in the protocols, including patents and trade secrets."
But Carlo Piana, a partner at Milan law firm Tamos Piana & Partners, which represents the FSFE, said on Thursday that Microsoft is trying to protect a technology that has little intrinsic value.
"For the secret stuff Microsoft is claiming, the value of this technology is yet to be assessed. Most of what you have [in the server protocols] is an implementation of standard technologies like LDAP, SMB and Kerberos. They have made a mess of it, but that's not necessarily a technological value," said Piana.
Piana compared the value of the information in the server protocols to the value of a key, claiming that the information is merely being used to prevent other firms, such as Samba, from creating systems that can access the information in a Windows server.
"[The server protocols] are just a key Microsoft have hidden under a brick. Of course the key is valuable because it unlocks the door to the loot, but the key has very little value on its own," he said.
Jeremy Allison the co-founder of Samba, the open source file and print server software, said in an interview earlier this year that Samba finds it difficult to maintain interoperability with Windows servers due to frequent changes that Microsoft makes to the protocols.
"They make changes to the protocol all the time," he said. "It is usually some new wrinkle placed on top of things we already have working."
Piana also said that Microsoft's statement that any implementation of the server interoperability information will infringe the software giant's intellectual property was "too general".
"We don't disagree that this might happen, but it must be assessed on a per case basis--you must assess if it is true for each component of the technology," said Piana.
Piana added that a balance must be struck between Microsoft's interest in protecting its IP and the European Commission's interest in promoting competition.
"Even if there are parts of Microsoft's intellectual property that are revealed to the public, it could be reasonable, if you consider the damage that its anti-competitive behavior is causing and could cause in the future to the market," said Piana. "Microsoft cannot say that just because it is suffering some damage, no steps can be taken."
The Microsoft spokesperson was unable to comment on the FSFE's claims.
The European Commission conducted a market test of Microsoft's server interoperability license over the summer to evaluate the "innovative character of the protocols" and check whether the royalties Microsoft proposes to charge are "reasonable". On Thursday it was still analyzing the results of the market test, according to an EC spokesman.
The original antitrust ruling also asked Microsoft to offer a version of Windows without its bundled media player, but PC vendors still have no plans to sell this the altered version of Windows, almost six months after it was released.


text:
Poor Tabby- first her band split up, then her performing troupe fizzled out, and even her brief stint as a counsellor was a failure. Now, she may have finally found her place as a member of Seisaku's black ops division, but her first assignment isn't quite what she was expecting- she's been tasked with setting up her own sentai team! Meanwhile, Kuhn decides to make some quick cash by accepting a guest role on US television series Lost.
HARD GAY mascot 'Mr Elephant' has begun running amok in The World:r2- is there anyone who can stop him?
One: Hideo, the short and spunky hothead!
Two: Seisaku, the cool and calm tech expert!
Three: Tabby, the cheerful and optimistic leader!
The three of us together are…TABBY SENTAI!
Unfortunately, the battle does not go well, and the team are forced to retreat.
Back at the base, Tabby and the others practise their moves.
Touta checks in to see how everything is going, and is none too impressed by what he sees.
Meanwhile, Kuhn visits the island for his guest role on Lost.
Haseo checks in with Phyllo for information on the latest HARD GAY hotspots.
Silabus and Gaspard are delighted when Kuhn brings home a hefty paycheque.
Tabby Sentai goes out on its second mission, but unfortunately the results are as disastrous as before.
Yata checks his appointment book and realises that everyone is too busy for HARD GAY.
Tabby decides to motivate the team by telling them they must work hard to protect the future of her illicit grunty lovechild.
Despite his promises to treat Silabus and Gaspard, Kuhn parts with all his recent earnings in order to learn the art of Hyper Self Pleasure from Pai.
Pai is less than pleased when she overhears Kuhn whispering that she looks like a man from behind.
Touta is pleased to see how much the team has improved since Tabby's pep talk.
Kuhn is forced to come clean and admit that he has already spent all the money.
Silabus tries to keep a lid on his emotions, but Gaspard cannot help but be upset.
Kuhn apologises, and promises to buy Gaspard a pack of dog biscuits the next time he gets paid.
One: Tabby Yellow, a heart of pure love!
Two: Tabby Blue, a mind of great courage!
Three: Tabby Red, a soul of undying justice!
The three of us together are…TABBY SENTAI EXCELLION!
"What the hell is this? I thought I was the main character."
Moody Haseo or upbeat Tabby sentai- who will the viewers vote for?
Next week
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arrive to show off their new look.


text:
The challenge
Aakriti is about four years old when she attends her first reading class. Her class is supposed to learn alphabets for the next few days. Aakriti finds that she is unable to read the alphabets. Soon enough the letters turn into words and words into sentences. Aakriti is now ten and is about to complete primary schooling. However, she still struggles to read. Now imagine the same example being repeated in hundreds of classroom across India. That is the extent of reading crisis that exists across the country.
Research also shows that children who aren't able to pick up their reading skill at an early stage are unlikely to make up for this by the time they finish schooling. This predominantly happens because many school administrators and educationists fail to recognize that reading is a skill, not just a task1.
The Indian education system is also unable to provide adequate cognitive skills to ensure that our students are equipped with analytical skills which are needed as they progressed through their schooling. This was clearly illustrated by India's performance in the 2009+ PISA rankings. The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a test that evaluates the education systems of the world by testing the cognitive and analytical skills of high school students. Students from two of India's most advanced states- Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh participated in the test and ranked 2nd last only beating Kyrgyztan2. PISA considers level 2 as the minimum level of learning that a 15 year old should have and shockingly, 80% of students in both states were at or below level 1 in science3. This clearly indicates that India is not likely to make use of its demographic dividend4 and most students are ill equipped with basic reading, writing and cognitive skills-everything that a school is supposed to provide the students with. This recognition needs to be part of the education system and processes as poor reading abilities have a direct and long lasting impact on students' learning outcomes that are detrimental to their future prospects
One possible solution
Stones 2 Milestones (S2M), a social enterprise based out of Gurgoan has done exactly that and has made it seem possible to identify that 'reading' in fact is a separate discipline and needs to be integrated in the school learning process. S2M was started by two enterprising individuals from Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad who wanted to start an organization that worked on ensuring that children got better at educating themselves. Enter Kavish, a person with significant experience in private equity and Jagriti, an educationist who specialized in content development and had already founded 'Aura' a not-for-profit venture in Baroda. S2M scaled up the efforts of Aura and much more, and now the organization has an all Indian presence covering more than 3000 students.
S2M uses a combination of different approaches to impact the way children learn. Their flagship program is Wings of Words, which is a reading skill development program that is offered to students from age three to seven (grade three) and is woven into the school curriculum. Schools are asked to allocate one class per day for this program and the school teachers are trained to deliver these sessions.
While Wings of Words focuses on reading, iMinds, their analytical thinking program aims to provide skills training and project oriented activities for children.
Apart from these individual programs, S2M also has unique programs for school verticals. They either transform existing schools or build new schools from the ground up. Their partnership with Deepak Fertilizers via Deepak Foundation is an example of the latter.
The partnership
Mr. C.K. Mehta, the chairman of Deepak Group of Companies, a group consisting of two of India's leading fertilizer and chemical companies and Head of Deepak Foundation, the CSR arm of the Deepak Group, has always had the vision to start a school. However, while the foundation had previously worked in health, their work in education was sporadic and needs based. Having witnessed and understood S2M's work in Baroda, they then approached S2M with the idea of starting a school. The foundation already had the land and they embarked on their journey to start a 'Best Practice' school. The idea was to tackle the problem of educational inequity by providing the services that are currently only available in expensive, elite international schools to a mid-income population. This school has been set up in Mira Nair road, Mumbai, despite it not being one of the most advanced areas in Mumbai . This partnership between Deepak Foundation and S2M was a consultancy agreement where both organizations were to jointly set up a school. S2M started this process in 2010 by meeting with the prospective school management and foundation for setting a vision and discussing what this school would look like. From there they went on to conduct a 'Need Analysis' in the community to get their perspectives on expectations from the school and school design. The next step was to actually design the building and constructing the schools systems and processes including induction for the principal along with logistics. S2M's was involved in all the stages but since the school's inception and opening in 2012, they are now focusing on building the capacity of the school and take on the monitoring and handover role. The school began in 2012 and is from kindergarten to class three.
Benefits of the partnership
To the corporate
The Knowledge Partner
Given that Deepak Foundation did not have prior expertise in education, forging a partnership with an organization that had in-depth knowledge of the education sector was an absolute necessity for the company. They found this partner in S2M and given that S2M had existing programs in pedagogy, the process was far more efficient for them. S2M's expertise in training and capacity building also meant that in the long run, this would be a Deepak Foundation run school and they would have the expertise to do it well. It was due to S2M's expertise and experience that the foundation was also able to articulate their vision clearly.
To the social enterprise
Capacity building for the organization
The partnership, which was S2M's first with a corporate foundation and first in terms of setting up a new school, enabled them to build their own capacities in various aspects of this program starting from need assessment, logistics to enable learning, curriculum design to systems and process creation. It has also enabled them to understand the enormity of the effort and customization such projects entail and equipped them to respond accordingly by elevating the skill level and capacity of their s human resource.
Proof of impact
While S2M in the past documented their work, reach and their skills, this partnership and the school built under its auspices stand as the most obvious and powerful evidence of the organizations' impact. This has helped S2M grow in stature and increase in visibility, setting them up to scale their programs in the future and approach other companies.
Lessons Learnt
Shared Vision
Ensuring that both parties have the same interests and objectives in the partnership cannot be overstated. There is a need to understand the 'why' and 'what' clearly. For e.g. Deepak Foundation was clear in their goal of setting a best practice school and that matched S2M's interests in setting up processes and a curriculum that aimed in bringing out the best from a child. Prior to starting this process, S2M came up with a laundry list of questions to enable Deepak Foundation crystallize this vision.
Trust leading to a mature CSR program
While having a shared vision is the beginning, having trust in each other's beliefs and work is equally important. In this case, Deepak Foundation was well aware of and understood the work done by S2M, having observed them in action in Baroda. This trust also enabled them to give S2M complete freedom in the process of designing various aspects of the school. This has then lead to having a mature and sustainable CSR program.
Clarity of process
This is particularly necessary for both partners during the early stages of the discussion. While the corporate here didn't have the clearest picture of the school, they were able to arrive at it by following a clear well-laid process by S2M. Similarly, S2M also benefitted from the clarity in terms of the Foundation's financial commitments and role and responsibilities.
The partnership between Deepak Foundation and Stones 2 Milestones is an example of a successful collaboration between a corporate that is relatively new to the field of education and a social enterprise that had established programs but still growing. Deepak Foundation had the resources to build the school and Stones 2 Milestones had the expertise but more importantly both of them had the same vision; Deepak Foundation to build a world class school and Stones 2 Milestones- change aspects of the education system. This base enabled them to leverage their strengths equally and form a strong partnership. This clearly shows that being flexible in your approach and finding a partner with a clear vision is essential to create impact. The partnership terms also exemplifies how sustainability can be achieved over a long period of time.
- American Federation of Teachers (2004). 'Waiting rarely works: Late bloomers just wilt'. American Educator. Washington D.C. [online] Available here
- Chhapia, H. (2012) Indian students rank 2nd last in global test – The Times of India. [online] Available here
- Pritchett, L. (2012a) Mr Obama, rest easy. Indian students have hit rock bottom .First Post. [online] Available here [Accessed: 20 Aug 2012].
- First Post. (2012) Why is India wasting its biggest and brightest asset? First post. [online] Available here


text:
Dear Refractions Readers:
This photo is from St. James Castle, Kinsale, Ireland.
My next Refractions essay on China trip will be uploaded soon (hopefully). I am pleased to announce that NavPress will be publishing past Refractions essays into a book, so I'll keep you updated on that.
I just spoke at my home church The Village Church. It is on Genesis 2, on a poet named Adam and why we need to be (even if you are not an artist) creating into the void...
William Blake wrote: "There is a Void, outside of Existence, which if enterd into Englobes itself & becomes a Womb… " ( Introduction to Jerusalem)
Indeed, even in Eden there was a void...
Take a listen, if you are interested.
Happy September!
Makoto Fujimura is an internationally-renowned artist, arts advocate, writer and speaker. He founded International Arts Movement in 1991, and Fujimura Institute in 2011.


text:
Distributed Solar: The Democratizaton of Energy
Top Posts & Pages
Category Archives: #climatestrike
What you need to do
Yes, I know, this is from Orsted, a public company which, primarily, builds offshore wind farms. And, as a result, you out there (which is, frankly, an infinitesimal fraction of the world, because, basically, no one follows me), will critique … Continue reading
Posted in #climatestrike, American Solar Energy Society, an uncaring American public, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, bridge to somewhere, clean disruption, climate disruption, climate policy, decentralized electric power generation, destructive economic development, distributed generation, ecological disruption, ecological services, ecomodernism, economics, ecopragmatism, electrical energy storage, emissions, exponential growth, extended producer responsibility, finance, Friedman, South Shore Recycling Cooperative Leave a comment
Ted Rall's "Left, Center and Right: We're All in Denial About Climate Change"
(Friend, fellow congregant, and committee chair Will Rico of First Parish in Needham sent me this highly appropriate link.) Ted Rall argues at Counterpunch that: Those who deny that climate change is real are engaging in what psychologists call "simple … Continue reading
Posted in #climatestrike, #sunrise, #youthvgov, adaptation, agroecology, an uncaring American public, being carbon dioxide, Bill Maher, bridge to somewhere, Buckminster Fuller, capitalism, carbon dioxide, Carbon Worshipers, civilization, clean disruption, climate activism, climate business, climate change, climate disruption, climate economics, climate education, climate grief, climate mitigation, climate policy, consumption, Cult of Carbon, development as anti-ecology, distributed generation, ecological disruption, ecological services, Ecology Action, ecomodernism, ecopragmatism, energy efficiency, First Parish in Needham, FiveThirtyEight, fossil fuel divestment, global blinding, Global Carbon Project, global warming, global weirding, greenhouse gases, greenwashing, Greta Thunberg, investment in wind and solar energy, IPCC, keep fossil fuels in ground, life cycle sustainability analysis, solar democracy, solar domination, solar energy, solar power, solar revolution, zero carbon 1 Comment
"How dare you pretend …!"
"Change is coming, whether you like it or not." Update, 2019-09-24 Some reaction, including some from the fiendishly uncivilized. As Ms Thunberg says, this means this movement is having an impact, and Knowles and 45 are afraid.
Posted in #climatestrike, #sunrise, #youthvgov, American Association for the Advancement of Science, an ignorant American public, an uncaring American public, carbon dioxide, Carbon Worshipers, climate disruption, climate economics, climate grief, ecological disruption, Ecology Action, global warming Leave a comment
Everything counts. Growth must end.
Keep fossil fuels in the ground. Fund restoration of natural processes. Protect natural systems that are left. Stop development of new land tracts, including new lots and subdivisions for housing and commercial development, especially expensive housing. A history of degrowth
Posted in #climatestrike, #sunrise, #youthvgov, afforestation, an ignorant American public, an uncaring American public, being carbon dioxide, bridge to nowhere, clean disruption, climate disruption, décroissance, degrowth, destructive economic development, development as anti-ecology, ecological disruption, ecomodernism, ecopragmatism, fragmentation of ecosystems, global warming, global weirding, keep fossil fuels in ground Leave a comment
Alex Steffen on The Climate Strike
Excerpted from The Nearly Now at Medium, by Alex Steffen. "You're right to strike; you're right to march; you're right to feel your fear and rage and longing for a better world. You are the victims of a terrible intergenerational … Continue reading
Posted in #climatestrike, #sunrise, #youthvgov, Alex Steffen, American Solar Energy Society, an ignorant American public, an uncaring American public, Arctic amplification, Boston Ethical Society, bridge to somewhere, carbon dioxide, climate disruption, climate justice, climate mitigation, ClimateAdam, Ecology Action, global blinding, global warming, global weirding, Greta Thunberg, insurance, Jennifer Francis, Juliana v United States, life cycle sustainability analysis, On being Carbon Dioxide, photovoltaics, science, solar democracy, solar domination, solar energy, solar power, solar revolution, sustainability, sustainable landscaping, wind energy, wind power, zero carbon Leave a comment


text:
Desires – Apple in Agarose
Artist: A
-) 1 Gala apple or whatever you wanna jellify
-) 500mL water
-) 1.8g Agarose or agar agar (this will be have a gel % of 0.35%, higher % will make the jelly more resistant but less transparent and lower % the other way around)
-) 1L glass flask
-) Receptacle with the final desired shape of the jelly
-) Microwave oven
– Agarose (1.8g) is putted in to a glass flask (1L, it has to be made of glass because of the microwave) and added of 500mL of water
– The suspension is heated in a microwave oven at 800 W for 4 min. The bubbling solution is then stirred to remove bubbles (be careful is hot!) and heated again for 1 min. The flask is then cool down for 15 min.
(- Bite the apple)
– Place the apple (object) in the chosen receptacle and fill it with the warm agarose solution
– Let the solution cool down for 4h (better if the final receptacle is placed in water to help the heat dispersion)
– Enjoy the rottening process of whatever you´ve put inside the jelly.
-) The jelly after two days without water shrink and loose it´s transparency, to preserve it is better to have it in water.
-) the addition of preservative (benzoic acid would be the best, but probably also a bit of acetic acid (normal vinegar) would work) in the jelly will avoid the rapid grow of molds and if you´re placing some food inside the jelly this would also degrade in a longer time
-) don´t eat it!
Hängt seit 17. Mai 2012 – 23. Mai 2012


text:
Este producto ha sido discontinuado
DNS (Sistema de Nombre de Dominios) es algo similar a un directorio telefónico online, al cual podemos consultar por el nombre de un dominio (ej: pchogar.donweb-homeip.net) devolviéndonos la dirección IP (ej: 18.104.22.168) asociada.
Thanks to this system, we can use a quick and easy to remeber reference to have acces to different online services and devices connected to the Internet, instead of memorizing IP directions.
The DDNS (Dynamic DNS ) are also similar to an online telephone directory but in this case IPs associated with a domain change at certain intervals.
Small applications called Automatic Client Update together with the DDNS, make us possible to remotely acces to devices and files connected to Internet and located in our house, offce, etc.
The most common use of DDNS is the remote access to IP cameras, DVRs, NAS, routers, computers, tablets, smartphones y any other device connected to the Internet.
If you have a deposit at your house with a client of Automatic Update installed and you wish to acces to it remotely, you will need a hostname (ej: mynotebook.donweb-homeip.net) an as soon as the Internt supplier on your house change the assigned IP, the Automatic Update Clint will be in charge of synchronizing the hostname with the new IP.


text:
Just call or write for the FREE cards. Tell us how many you need, and where to send them. We do require an email for the organization so we can stay in touch with an email (just from us) every few weeks.
The discount card we distribute are free to non-profit groups for their volunteers. We do not require any information from the volunteer to use the card. If they choose to register their email, they will receive an email (just from us) every few weeks with updates and new offers. We distribute the card ONLY through the non-profit organizations.
What a great way to thank all of your supporters.
Write to email@example.com, or call 914-424-8888.
We are glad to design a card. Call John for info (914) 424-8888 or email@example.com
If you know any businesses who would like to offer a discount, please let us know.
We would be glad to help you plan a simple, effective, fundraising effort working with local stores and restaurants.
Would you like to offer a ThankYouForCaring Discount Card as a premium donor incentive? For more information, contact John Higgins
email@example.com (914) 424-8888


text:
3rd Dec, 2007
The industry is still shaking from the earthquake announcement of Vivendi and Activision's merger today, but gamers themselves are going to have a lot of questions too. Both companies hold their fair share of much-loved franchises, several of which have extremely radid fanbases, so worry is going to be high as to what the deal is really going to mean.
It seems accepted human 'wisdom' that any change is a change for the worse, and in gaming anyalteration in the corporate status quo is immediately assumed to spell death for our favourite titles. But is that necessarily true in the case of Activision Blizzard's creation? Probably not. Probably not at all.
Sit down, take a breath, shake the plaster dust off your shoulders, and we'll address your fears.


text:
There are many things your man can eat to immediately give his testosterone levels a kick. Let him take a look at these tips and play his part in a successful conception.
Whilst you might be a bit limited with some of the recommended food on this page, there is no doubting the versatility of this product. There are countless recipes containing eggs and whilst they are rich in cholesterol, this is actually an important requirement to help produce testosterone. They also contain zinc, which also increases testosterone.
Yes, it's that 'wonder food' again. Many doctors and nutritionists have waxed lyrical in recent times about the cancer busting properties of this strange looking vegetable. However, it also has a serious role to play in the reduction of oestrogen (making testosterone more dominate in the male body).
If you really can't stand the taste (it's actually not that bad), you can always add a sauce to it – simple gravy or even a cheese sauce goes down a treat.
Another from the 'tastes awful but is actually quite good for you' collection (why does it always work that way ?). This little monster is packed with indole-3-carbinol. In addition to its antioxidant properties, it (like broccoli) reduces oestrogen whilst boosting testosterone. Now you just need to make it taste nice and your away !!
Whilst no-one really wants to make love to a man reeking of garlic, the allicin found in these little bulbs does help testosterone production. Unfortunately, there is a 'but'…….. Allicin reduces its potency when cooked, so you're going to have to suffer the smell even more, by eating it raw – although, thankfully, just a few shavings are more than enough to obtain a benefit. Of course, parsley is reported to counteract the smell of garlic – although it has never worked for me.
This one really will help you. It's probably the pick of the bunch. Testosterone relies on all of the following : vitamins A,B,C,D,E & K; potassium; zinc; folic acid. The avocado has you covered with all of these in a single serving.
There are many ways to serve this up : sliced in sandwiches; as a holder for a filling (after removing the sizable stone from the middle) or as the main ingredient of guacamole.
Sunflower Seeds
Okay, this looks as though it should belong in a guinea pig food bowl, but don't underestimate the power of these little seeds. Packed with vitamin E, this is known to have a beneficial impact on testosterone levels. Mixed with other seeds they actually serve as a great snack as well.
A male's testicles are not known as 'nuts' for nothing. Tests have revealed that guys who eat monounsaturated fats (as found in peanuts in particular) generally have higher levels of testosterone. Of course, there are many other health benefits of having monounsaturated fats in your diet – being particularly good for the heart.
If chomping on handfuls of nuts is not your thing, then why not re-live your childhood cravings for peanut butter (just don't overdo it fellas).
Have you ever thought about the phrase 'sowing your wild oats' ? Oats release chemicals that help produce additional testosterone in a man. Studies have shown increased libidos in men within two months of introducing oats into their diets.
Looking for more information ?
I hope you found this article helpful. If you and your partner are having problems conceiving a child, please feel free to browse the rest of my site for additional tips. In particular, I would recommend my causes of infertility in men page.


text:
Much of the real fun of an Australia package vacation lies in experiencing the many elements the culture has to offer, and there are few events more quintessentially cultural than Melbourne's annual International Arts festival. This year's festival, scheduled for October 8 through October 23, is set to be a multimedia experience encompassing lightshows, musical compositions, science and emotion, and will be sure to leave no heart unmoved.
A vacation package set in Melbourne around the festival of course requires first class accommodations, and Melbourne can deliver with pride. There are numerous high class, luxurious hotels in the city, many within walking or short transit distance of the festival's grounds. The festival homepage also lists a number of dining establishments ranging from the excitement of low-cost pubs, to the more intimate and sumptuous extravagance of high dining. Foods and wines from all over the world, particularly the legendary local wines and cuisine are all at hand for the taking, meaning guests will neither go hungry or without delight as they take in all that Melbourne's musical legends have to offer.


text:
A recovery in Japan's private-sector capital investment during the mid-1980s brought an end to a difficult period for the country's construction industry.
At that time, use of sophisticated office automation, information, and communications equipment was rapidly increasing, as was demand for buildings that offer their occupants more-pleasant work environments. This spurred a boom in the construction of so-called intelligent buildings. Against this backdrop, the Company presented its proposals for enhancing the functionality and amenity of office buildings in the form of the KI Building in Tokyo, which was completed in 1989. Incorporating the latest technologies, this epochal structure had a significant influence on the design of subsequently constructed office buildings.
In 1988, the completion of a tunnel connecting Honshu with Hokkaido and a bridge linking Honshu with Shikoku increased the geographic coherence of the Japanese archipelago. At the same time, the appreciation of the yen encouraged a growing number of Japanese companies to establish overseas subsidiaries with the goal of boosting their international competitiveness.
Kajima listed its shares on the London Stock Exchange in 1990.
Japan's bubble economy collapsed in 1991, with the country subsequently entering an era of deflation that would last the next two decades. Economic growth halted, and a sense of despair spread through all of Japanese society. The nation's economy began to decline, with adverse effects—including the shrinking of facilities investment, the advancing of deflation and a slump in consumer spending—causing the nation to steadily sink into an era of zero growth. Due to the aftereffects of the collapse, construction demand, which had been active up until the mid-90s, began to steeply decline, particularly in the private sector. It was against this backdrop that Kajima completed the construction of Tokyo East 21, a complex including offices, a hotel and commercial facilities in 1992. In fact, not only did Kajima plan, design and construct this building, but we also handle office/retail leasing for the building as well as running and managing it ourselves. This makes the Tokyo East 21 project a concrete demonstration of Kajima's all-round strengths.
In 1999, the Kajima Technical Research Institute, the first such institution to be established in Japan, marked its 50th anniversary.
The economic environment for businesses continued to be harsh during the first few years of the 21st century, as new issues arose one after another, including a U.S. economic slowdown, stagnation of the Japanese stock market and problems involving the writing off of bad loans held by Japanese banks. From 2004 onward, while the gentle deflationary trend continued against the backdrop of a global economic recovery, facilities investment in the Japanese private sector grew and exports increased. However, although signs of improved corporate profits started to appear, the underlying trend for construction demand continued to be a downward one. It was in these circumstances that Kajima began proactively expanding into the remodeling, environmental, engineering, and other fields, as well as into PFI projects and real estate securitization. At the same time, Kajima committed to improving its profitability through measures including responding to demand for infrastructure development outside Japan. As projects to symbolize these new initiatives, in 2005 Kajima completed two buildings that serve as international sites for the IT industry: AKIHABARA UDX and Akihabara Daibiru Building. In addition, 2007 saw us complete the new Kajima Head Office Building and reconstruct the Kajima Akasaka Annex, thereby consolidating and reallocating our head office functions.
From fall 2008 onward, due to the effects of the financial meltdown triggered by the subprime mortgage crisis, the global economy fell into recession. Japan's economy subsequently plateaued after a period of sustained recovery, partly as a result of the global recession, but also because of the strengthening yen and skyrocketing raw materials prices that led to problems such as increasing uncertainty about corporate profits. This was the background to Kajima's celebration in 2009 of the 170th anniversary of its establishment.
In 2010, a fourth runway and an international terminal were opened at Tokyo International Airport (often called Haneda Airport), with the objective of taking the first step toward making the airport into a hub for Asian air travel. Kajima was a key member of the joint ventures for both projects, and led the construction for this international project. At the same time, we successfully completed the construction of several landmark projects in Singapore, which has been enjoying favorable economic growth. We have completed phase one of the Marine Bay Financial Centre project, which includes a 52-story tower, a 32-story tower and Resorts World Sentosa, an integrated resort covering a vast 320,000 m2 and that includes three hotels, a casino, a theater, and more.
On March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake struck, causing an unprecedented disaster. Immediately after the earthquake, Kajima made concerted efforts as a group for the recovery and restoration of the affected areas, and participated in the disposal of wreckage in the Ishinomaki block of Miyagi prefecture, as well as the planning of decontamination work in Fukushima Prefecture. The disaster made it clear that there is a greater need than ever before for measures such as ensuring structural safety during earthquakes and tsunami, as well as implementing business continuity planning (BCP). Kajima is continuing to push forward with earthquake engineering and other technologies. Furthermore, with the creation of a low-carbon society in mind, we are also steadily working to popularize the use of renewable energy and green building technologies and to realize Zero Energy Buildings (ZEBs). These are designed to reduce the net amount of energy used during their operation to as close as zero as possible through energy saving and the use of renewable energy. In this way, while anticipating future trends over the next hundred years, we are participating in the building of a future society that is safe and that offers a high quality of life.


text:
Raise your hand if you think Fiverr is awesome. It is such a nice opportunity to outsource the work that you need done at a cheap price. Fiverr has changed the Internet marketing world so much that there are a lot of clone sites popping up online. These sites are just as good and you can use them for a variety of tasks. If you want to make money, this resource is a complete gold mine. If you want to outsource more jobs, you will find that our 45 sites like Fiverr will keep you busy for a long, long time. This is arguably the most complete list that you will ever find online courtesy of Marketer's Black Book.
45 Sites Like Fiverr to Use
1. microworkers.com
2. zeerk.com
3. gigbucks.com
4. uphype.com
5. taskarmy.com
6. justafive.com
7. dealerr.com
8. IMGiGz.com
9. Fourerr.com
10. twentyville.com
11. fittytown.com
12. uphype.com
13. gighour.com
14. gigme5.com
15. ffiver.com
16. tenbux.com
17. i-will-do.com
18. gigswood.com
19. tenyt.com
20. magicgig.com
21. nettradr.com
22. myntmarket.com
23. jobsfor10.com
24. dollar3.com
25. fivesquids.co.uk
26. ninerrs.com
27. fiverup.com
28. tenerr.com
29. awesomegig.com
30. jobsfor7.com
31. Fora20.com
32. Dollar3.com
33. Outsourcerr.com
34. Earner.net
35. fiversworld.com
36. bountyit.com
37. peoplestox.com
38. coffeeandpower.com
39. iwilldoitfor.com
40. notjustafive.com
41. joberr.com
42. microgigsite.com
43. SEOClerks.com
44. Gigblasters.com
45. Jobsfor12.com
Show us some love for this butt-kicking list of Fiverr-esque companies that will definitely make you a lot of money. If you want to make money like we do, check out this link and learn one of the ways that we do it.
Good list Ryan. Don't forget Gigtask.com, its been around for over a year and a half and doing well.
Thank you for listing our site.
Nice work Ryan, check out also http://www.hubwit.com is new and different from others. It 's still a beta but already works, it is also possible to sell and buy services with an integrated video chat!
Here the link of the Video Tutorial!
Don't forget taskmitigator.com!! I just started working with them and they have been wonderful…you can set your "gig" rate from $7 to $100, and I believe they even pay members for referring friends and family. Check them out!
Wow.great list! You can also add freelancegigz to your list
Thanks Ryan
I was searching fiverr alike sites through Google and read so many Articles about this topic, But never saw any Article like this. These are amazing alternatives of fiverr, I joined them all and now I am earning a big cash.
Thanks for this post,
Hi there,
We have just launched a similar site http://fiverrup.com to earn $5 to $100. Our site supports video and products that need shipping plus more. Please give it a look and comment on it, we would love some feedback.
Thank you
Fiverrup Team
Hey there! One great website that you forgot to mention is PUNGRA.COM its not like all of the other fiverr clones out there, it takes micro freelancing to a whole new level since it is….drumroll please…..also a SOCIAL NETWORK! Check it out its great 🙂
Hi i found this site that offer Marketplace for SEO services for 5$. there is 1$ sign up bonus this month, yuo can list your gigs there. http://SEO4five.com
That is my sharing. Thanks
great list for similiar site like fiverr.
dont forget about this : Sites Like Fiverr
You can also check out http://www.gigshare.net
http://www.onper.com is my favorite!
This site started recently which looks good the best part is low / no comission depending on the price of the gigs affordablegigs.com
The next big thing is Fiverking!
Check it out: http://www.fiverking.com/
New launched website 😉
P.S.: Nice overview!
http://www.atennerajob.co.uk is a new and upcoming website why not give it a try!


text: The Indigenous people of Québec, Canada have been known since time immemorial for their deep-rooted values of hospitality and sharing. Across the vast expanses of the beautiful landscape of Quebec, 55 Indigenous communities invite visitors to discover an Indigenous experience peppered with the diverse flavours of our regions, nations, and cultures. Come enjoy an authentic and unique experience.


text:
News BriefsTamuz 8, 5772 , 28/06/12
Arabs Torch Barley Fields of Esh Kodesh
Arabs set fire, Thursday evening, to two dunams (half an acre) of barley fields in Esh Kodesh, according to the Tatzpit news agency. Esh Kodesh spokesman Aharon Katzuf told Tatzpit that members of the Binyamin-region Jewish community's first-response team who responded to the fire saw figures fleeing in the direction of the village of Kusra.
Katzuf said it took the army more than an hour to arrive, adding that the incident could have been prevented by a permanent military presence in the area. He said Arab arson damages the fields every year at this time, just ahead of the summer harvest.
Other archived news briefs:Jun 28 2012, 08:23 PM, 6/28/2012


text:
Branding for Landing (9/16/17)
Branding for Landing
- Are you over thinking how to get that job?
- Did you know there are essentially two steps to getting a job?
- What does it take to stand out in the world of work?
Everyone has a personal brand. The question is, does your brand accurately represent who you are? It serves to reason that a strong brand is preferable to a weak one. In this session, Alex Freund, The Landing Expert, shares how to create a strong, compelling brand that will have companies wanting you for the position.
Companies spend millions every year building their brands. They are carefully crafted and vigorously defended. You need to put the same effort into your brand.
Looking at the job search process, hiring managers and human resource officials determine evaluate you quickly and based on few inputs. The good news is you have the opportunity to stand out.
Delivering your brand clearly and consistently is just as important, but first you need to understand what a brand is and isn't. Alex explores "branding" and the art of creating a distinct brand for yourself. He will share which variables are most often used by Human Resources determining whether to call you in for an interview or not.
So whether you want to learn how create your own brand, become known in a new career field, or attract interviews, it may boil down to the quality of your brand.
During this event, you will:
–Look at the concept of brand is (and isn't)
–Explore what it takes to build your awesome brand
–Learn what it takes to be the candidate
–Be taught how to position yourself to hear "Yes. It's you we want."
–Examine determinants of your brand
–Gain valuable insights to landing a job and doing the "happy dance"
- Saturday, September 16th, 2017 – Monthly Meeting
- 8:30am
- FREE! All are welcome.
- Address: St. Gregory the Great Community Parish Center (rear of the parking lot), 4620 Nottingham Way, Hamilton Square, New Jersey, 08690. Directions Website
- September 16 "Branding for Landing" featuring Alex Freund
- October 21 "The Job Seeker's Checklist" featuring Valerie S. Williams
- November 18 Abby Kohut
- December 16 Holiday Potluck Networking
ABOUT the CAREER SUPPORT GROUP (at St. Gregory the Great)
For 10 years, we have been a dynamic support group where job seekers and jobholders connect to move forward in their careers and where participants are willing and committed to providing help to one another in the job search process. We generally meet on the third Saturday of the month at 8:30am. Our meetings are FREE and primarily geared toward professionals. All are welcome including those actively seeking new positions, considering a career change, graduating or re-entering the market, and those who just want to stay abreast of current trends. We are an active, non-denominational group serving the greater Hamilton, Robbinsville, Princeton, Plainsboro, Freehold, the Windsors, the Brunswicks, and surrounding NJ/PA areas. www.careersupportgroup.org
ABOUT Alex Freund
Known as the "Landing Expert," Alex Freund has focused throughout his career on helping people land new positions or promotions. A former director with Fortune 500 companies, such as Honeywell, Sanofi and Tyco International, Alex has been personally involved in the hiring of hundreds of people. During the past eight years as a career and interviewing coach, he has helped more than 600 clients across different industries and job levels succeed in the interviewing process. Prominent in several on- and off-line job-search networking groups, Alex frequently presents and conducts workshops on effective resume development and LinkedIn use in the job search process. In addition, he teaches a career development seminar and he writes a widely published blog specifically designed for job seekers. Alex is a graduate of Cornell University, has lived on three continents and speaks five languages. Alex maintains and publishes The Landing Expert List, a free directory of job-search networking groups via his web site at www.landingexpert.com.


text:
An un-identified category of blue crystals fell in Pattanivoor village in Vavuniya with rain last afternoon.
Regional Epidemiologist Padmanadan Satyalingam of the Vavuniya Epidemiology Division told our news team that on a telephone call he had received he visited the relevant area with PHIs for observation.
Regional Epidemiologist Padmanadan Satyalingam giving further information on the subject stated as follows:
Meanwhile the 10 sluice gates of the paraakrama Samudraya which had been opened yesterday due to the rise of its water level continue to remain open six inches each.
Our reporter said that the 12 sluice gates as well as the Kavudulla reservoir too continued to remain open.
Six of the seven sluice gates the Minneriya Tank were opened yesterday.
The Engineer in charge of the area told our news team that these six sluice gates would remain open today as well.
Seven sluice gates of the Ulhitiya reservoir were opened yesterday.


text:
- This event has passed.
Members can start GCN PD Videos again
June 25, 2017 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
With a few exceptions, the GCN tutorials are annual requirements. The tutorials listed below are every five years.
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drug Awareness — NJ
Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights — NJ
Cyber Bullying
Student-to-Student Hazing and Harassment
Suicide Prevention Video


text:
Service & Repair
We are factory trained to work on your Lexus, we Service, Repair, and modify all Lexus models. We only use factory Lexus parts on our repairs, we know Lexus like the back of our hand. Got an issue bump, squeak, rattle? We know how to fix it, bring your car with confidence knowing we know your car better than anyone.
We have modified countless Lexus vehicles, from installing bigger brakes on your SC430, to full exhaust system. Need more power on your ISF? We have built many high horsepower Lexus vehicles. Just look for the L-Spec sticker the next time you see a Lexus scream past you. Whether you want your Lexus to Handle or stop better, or if you want it to overtake that Porsche next time your on the freeway. If you can think it, we can build it!


text:
Although the UN should grant the Palestinian application for statehood, submitted by President Abbas on Sep. 23, 2011, it will most certainly be vetoed in the Security Council by the U.S., because this is what the Israeli Lobby wants.
Abbas nevertheless made a plea to the UN, by reminding the world the Palestinians have been the victims of injustice since 1948. Although the Palestinians want a comprehensive peace, the last round of negotiations in 2010 broke down within weeks, because Israel disregards UN Resolutions, rejects international law, and continues to settle in parts of occupied Palestine.
Abbas reminded the UN that the late Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian Liberation Organization signed a statement of principle with Israel, in Oslo and at the White House in 1993, but after 18 years, no Palestinian State has yet been created, despite an international consensus for a two-state solution.
Abbas said the absence of an agreement is because Israel systematically confiscates land and constructs settlements along the West Bank and East Jerusalem, while refusing to allow the Palestinians to build. Israel erected an annexation Wall through the West Bank, which separates Palestinian communities. They made Gaza a virtual prison, by imposing a blockade around it. They engaged in ethnic cleansing, by deporting Palestine's elected representatives, and have allowed Jewish settlers to engage in acts of violence against Arabs without consequence.
It has been difficult for the Palestinians, said Abbas, who was personally forced from his home in 1948, with just the cloths on his back, and the things he could carry. Palestinians eventually realized they could never obtain an absolute justice regarding the historical injustice imposed upon them. They instead adopted a path to relative justice. They made major concessions by agreeing to compromise for only 22% of historical Palestine.
Abbas said the Palestinians have repeatedly tried to negotiate with Israel, but it is now futile. After 63 years of suffering, Abbas said, enough is enough, and business as usual cannot continue. Although Abbas said peaceful resistance will continue, as long as the occupation remains, the Palestinians are willing to return to the table, if Israel stops creating new settlements in Palestine.
Abbas said the Palestinians are entitled to an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as their capital. They want a release all political prisoners. They want refugees dealt with in accordance with UN Res 194. In exchange, they will renounce violence and reject terrorism in all forms, including state terrorism, and they will agree not to delegitimize Israel.
Abbas asked the UN: Are you going to permit the world's last occupation to go on forever? Are you going to allow Israel to remain above the law, and let them continue to reject UN Resolutions, and the rulings of the International Court of Justice?
Abbas said it is time for the Palestinian Spring and for the Palestinians to gain independence. Accordingly, Abbas exercised the right of the Palestinian to self-determination and submitted an application for full membership to the Assembly, which he asked the UN to grant immediately, based on the June 4, 1967 borders.


text:
Fifth graders at Washington and Franklin have been working well together on collaborative artwork. Fifth graders at Washington have been designing and creating giant Keith Haring inspired banners for their Spring music concert to be displayed the night of the performance. Pictures of them in action are posted on the classroom Instagram @summitartists. Fifth graders at Franklin in the mural art club have now have had two full sessions of painting under their belts. The wall is already looking super bright and exciting and they are really excited about what it will look like once they finish. Pictures on Instagram!
5th Grade >