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Sports are fun to keep yourself occupied, fit, and in the game. However, when you think of sports, which ones are you the most scared of? Which of all the sports in the world do you think is the hardest to learn and play?
Professional athletes are trained to mold their bodies for the sport and play them with zeal and passion. But which of the available sports in the world are considered dangerous and the most difficult?
This article will walk you through a list of all the most challenging sports in the world that you might want to think twice before playing.
There are hundreds and thousands of different types of sports in the world. Some involve solo playing, some are played in teams, and some are in groups of two or four.
Despite so many different types of sports worldwide, a handful is challenging to master and play.
We have listed out the top 13 hardest sports to play below:
When it comes to the most demanding sport in the lot, it has to be boxing. More than the rules and regulations, it is the safety. Players get inside the ring, putting their safety at stake. Since it’s a combat sport, it involves fisting, fighting, throwing punches, etc.
Although the sport has millions of fans worldwide, it is not for the faint-hearted. From muscular physical fitness to stamina, there is a lot involved. Most players are often injured inside the ring; some of them even need to be hospitalized for receiving a solid punch.
2. Ice Hockey
Hockey is a very technical game that requires a lot of patience and hard work. Shift the entire game onto a piece of ice, and the difficulty increases by 100 folds. The professionals not only have to combat the chilly cold inside the rink, but the players also have to keep their stamina moving from one end to the other.
The slippery ice and the players’ footwear are hazardous in this game. Even the slightest loss of balance will take them and other players to tumble. Lack of coordination can lead to injuries.
3. Aussie Rules
Commonly known as footy in Australia, Aussie Rules is another popular yet dangerous sport that one should be aware of. Like Rugby, Aussie Rules is a contact sport involving a lot of roughhousing, kicks, and sideburns.
The game is played on an oval-shaped field, and the players must take the ball from one end to the other without getting tackled by the opponents. Developing the required skills for this sport takes years, sometimes more. Since most of the players involved in this game are huge, coming in contact with them often results in accidental injuries.
4. Water Polo
Although not the most dangerous game in the world, Water Polo deserves to be on this list. The entire sport is played on the water between two teams, who compete to score the top goals for their team. It is more or less a contact sport, so many risks are involved in the game.
More than the risks of injuries, most players run out of energy by the end of the game. Since you have to swerve through the water, there are very high chances of being out of breath by the end of the game. Since it’s impossible to continue the game for hours, it is divided into quarters, after which the players take a break before resuming.
When you think of football, you don’t necessarily think of the dangers and consequences of the sport. The most significant danger with the sport is constant sprinting. Not only does it drain all the energy from the players, but it also leads to risks of cardiopulmonary collapse in several cases.
Besides that, since football is a contact sport, it involves the players coming in contact with each other while trying to get the ball to themselves to score. Most players accidentally get injured during the game as well.
We have placed Basketball in the middle of the list because of the mid-range danger and threat that come with this sport. Besides the accidental slip and break, the game is very fast-paced. The players have limited time to score the maximum points for their team to make the big win.
Running through the court is also physically taxing, draining all the energy out of the player’s body. Besides, many people accidentally hurt themselves when jumping high and straining their muscles to score a basket.
Rugby is hands down the most dangerous contact sport in the world that involves a lot of stamina and physical movement. The players not only have to protect themselves from getting tackled by ten other players, but they also need to run the expanse of the oval field.
In this game, the primary objective is to prevent the other team from doing a touchdown. Hence, tackling, accidental blocking, etc., are common in the sport.
If the name of the sport wasn’t a giveaway, Wrestling is another sport that deserves a special mention in this list. Besides the risks of muscle strain, injuries, and broken bones, wrestling also requires a lot of focus and physical strength.
Watching a wrestling match from the outside might seem fun and engaging, but it comes with many risks for the players involved in the process.
9. Martial Arts
Martial arts are listed as one of the most strenuous sports in the world because of the technicalities involved. Although they are mainly used for self-defense, the sport also consists of a lot of flexibility and physical strength in the player.
Becoming a martial artist takes years, especially if you are learning it from somewhere official. Building a solid physique that represents the authenticity of the game is what makes all the difference.
When you watch gymnastics in front of you or on the television, everything is happening with a lot of flair and poise. However, it is regarded as one of the hardest sports to play globally because it requires a lot of control and balance.
Becoming a professional gymnast isn’t a walk in the park. It requires the person to be highly agile and flexible. Also, gymnasts must prioritize their physical strength since the sport involves balancing, jumping, and hanging.
Although not dangerous, tennis is undoubtedly a brutal sport to master. It isn’t just about throwing a ball in the air and then hitting it from one side of the court to the other. It involves a lot of agility in the players, especially for ones who want to make it big in this career.
The players have to master multiple qualities, including focus and strength. As a tennis player, you must be quick on your feet and proactive enough to gauge and hit the ball back to your opponent. Mastering that swiftness takes time.
12. Bull Riding
Although a very unconventional sport, Bull Riding is another one that deserves a special mention. Not only is it a demanding sport, but it is also one of the most dangerous. Most players risk their lives to make it big in this sport, so you have to put a lot at stake.
From polishing one’s skills to expertise, there are a lot of factors at play when it comes to bull riding. Also, even the slightest lack of focus can take the player down, putting their life at risk.
Many people have a misconception about golf, thinking it’s a rich man’s sport. Although most rich people indulge in this sport, it also involves a lot of skills and expertise. From working on your aiming skills to your precision and strength, there’s a lot that a player has to master to win big on a golf field.
Being able to swing the ball yards away on the golf field is something you need time to master. The best way to practice golf is to play it. The more you play this sport, the better you understand it’s in and outs.
Which of these sports have you played? Despite being some of the hardest sports in the world, most have millions and billions of fans. So, if you are interested in the sport and want to make it big in this field, we’d recommend you train yourself to become the best version of yourself. |
Online casino players are not only interested in the quality of their games, but also in the types of promotions and bonuses offered by casinos. Wanting to get the most game-play for their buck, players increasingly choose web casinos that have generous sign-in and loyalty bonuses, and that have games like penny slots that let them stretch their dollars as far as possible.
The economy in the world is still shaky, and gas prices are high, so players are less likely to get in their car and drive to a land casino when they can go online from the comfort of their own home and get 100 plays at a penny slot machine for only a dollar. Flying out to somewhere for the weekend isn’t an option for a lot of people these days, and even for those for whom it is, taking the money they save on airfares and hotel rooms and enjoying their favorite games with it instead is becoming more popular. Kickoffbet
Another factor increasing the popularity of online gambling is the widespread adoption of mobile handheld devices. There aren’t as many gambling apps as there are in other countries, but the apps that do exist increase the freedom that people have to play their favorite games wherever they happen to be.
There is no question that poker is one of the biggest games for online casinos enthusiasts, and college students flock to the game in droves. In fact, the World Series of Poker, which draws millions of viewers, has a number of players who got their first taste of competitive poker by playing online. For those with the skills, the moxie, and the bankroll, online poker can be a lucrative sideline.
Bonuses on slots online are another big draw to players and those elsewhere. Progressive slots tournaments are immensely exciting, as jackpots build up alongside the international excitement. Plus it’s a game that’s based on luck, so it gives the brain a break from thought-intensive games like poker and blackjack.
And speaking of blackjack, it too is one of the favorite games of players. As hot as it is in land-based casinos, it is just as hot online. Skill and luck are involved, and the game is fast-paced and exciting. Additionally, millions of people all over the world are discovering the excitement of online craps games. In fact, for those intimidated by all the hoopla that surrounds live craps tables, the online version is preferable, because you have the excitement, without the noise and the intimidation factor. Plus house edges on some craps bets are the lowest in the casino!
People in general may love their poker and slots, but there is no doubt that other games are coming on strong with players too. There are some high bonuses available out there, and these are a big part of what draws American players through the virtual doors of online casinos. |
Winding from Bologna to Florence, an age-old Roman military path unravels through extraordinary terrain, revealing the intricate dance of history and the surrounding landscape over a captivating six-day trek. Step into the enchanting realm of the Via degli Dei, the renowned Road of the Gods. Join this captivating journey, where each stride unravels a tapestry of diverse legends, weaving together the threads of history and the natural world into an unforgettable adventure.
Commencing our expedition in Bologna in Piazza Maggiore, we navigate the ancient "Flaminia militare" Roman road whose traces linger beneath our feet. Along this path, we encounter mountains bearing names inspired by Roman deities, Roman amphitheaters, military cemeteries quietly enshrined within the woods, and fossils of prehistoric shells seamlessly embedded in the rock.
Our journey ends amidst the cradle of the Renaissance, in Piazza della Signoria in Florence, a coveted destination. Emerging from the captivating beauty of nature, we find ourselves compelled to marvel at the unparalleled mastery exhibited by the human hand. |
St. Louis Public Library now has automatic renewal service for all cardholders.
Materials will be automatically renewed 24 hours before the due date, up to three times in a row. Renewals will only be made on items that do not have a hold or have not reached their renewal limit.
Patrons will receive an email renewal notice that lists the titles renewed and their new due date, it will also include all titles that did not renew with their due date. Email notices will only be sent to patrons who have a current email on file.
Call 314-241-2288 with questions about automatic renewal. |
Building A Smarter and Safer World
Embedded IoT Security Software
Protecting Devices and Data with Blockchain
For More Efficient, Agile Edge Computing
SMARTAXIOM Security Software
We are partnering across the IoT ecosystem to secure devices, transactions and edge networks for Enterprises connecting smart things to make operations more efficient.
To save infrastructure costs and improve performance, Enterprise IoT is moving from centralized computing to distributed edge computing.
SmartAxiom’s edge-oriented software based on blockchain technology decentralizes IoT security: device identification and authentication, as well as data integrity and privacy.
More than 100 billion smart devices to be connected by 2025 producing more than 200 trillion gigabytes of data.
“If every IoT device could be an entry point for hackers, what happens when you add tens of thousands of Internet-connected devices to your corporate network? We’re excited to be working with SmartAxiom because their mission is to solve this problem by making IoT safer.”
Niraj Kadakia, IBM Global Business Development & Sales Executive, Embedded Analytics
SMARTAXIOM – Security from Device to Edge to Cloud
SMARTAXIOM : Decentralized Edge Security
Today’s centralized, keyed trust solutions were not designed to be cost effective, responsive or inherently secure at IoT scale. SmartAxiom’s software leverages blockchain peer-to-peer (P2P) technology to secure edge computing by solving these problems. |
At SmartCapitalMind, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.
Fixed asset tracking is a process used by businesses and organizations to keep tabs on all long-term, or fixed, assets. Companies use fixed asset tracking as part of their accounting process and for theft prevention, depreciation purposes and inventory control. Trying to best keep track of fixed assets means identifying those assets, determining what system to use in tracking them, and keeping asset information in the tracking system up to date at all times. Making sure all employees within a company are familiar with the system also can ensure that information about fixed assets stays current.
Identifying everything that requires fixed asset tracking can be the first challenge. Perhaps the easiest way of doing this is to begin tracking all assets as they come into the company, starting with Day 1 of business, if not before. Adding a new fixed asset’s information to a tracking system before the asset leaves the purchaser’s hands is recommended. This ensures that an asset doesn’t disappear before its presence has even been acknowledged.
Fixed asset tracking also involves picking a system to use for the tracking, whether it’s a simple computer software program, a barcode system or a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag system. Such systems can simplify tracking by setting up a depreciation schedule and producing reports and information necessary to accounting processes. The best tracking system for a particular company will be one designed to handle the amount of fixed assets being tracked, whether a large quantity or small.
One key to successful tracking of fixed assets is keeping information on assets up to date. For example, if a truck is listed as a company asset but is totaled in an auto accident, it is no longer an asset. It should be removed from the tracking system. Failure to do so could lead to the vehicle continuing to be counted as a taxable asset. If the company is large enough and communication breaks down, the lack of up-to-date tracking information could lead to other problems if, for example, an employee thinks he will be able to use the company vehicle for a work-related trip, unaware that it is no longer available.
An easy way to be sure tracking of fixed assets is at its best is to involve the company’s employees. If an employee is going to use a company asset, make sure he or she can’t take it without officially checking it out in his or her name. Establish consequences for failing to officially check in the asset when done with it, and emphasize the importance of pointing out any problems with the asset as soon as they are noticed. Otherwise, the tracking system might inaccurately reflect who last had the car and where it was, and that defeats a significant purpose of fixed asset tracking efforts. |
How does a doorbell camera work in Oceanside?
Online ordering and daily shipments have become commonplace for many residents. You love the ease of having packages delivered at your main entry, but there is a downside. Those boxes sitting in the open are temptations to potential crooks. Porch piracy is a real issue, but you are able to do something about it by installing a doorbell camera with your home security system. These surveillance instruments are fantastic tools to deter porch pirates, but they provide a lot more.
Take a second to find out how they work and why they’re sure to be an essential facet of your smart home.
Perks of a Oceanside video doorbell
Available in wireless and wired options, video doorbells give you an array of sophisticated features, and the technology keeps improving. You can now customize detection zones, speak to whoever’s on your porch, and get immediate updates whenever a package is dropped off.
The best way to see how a Oceanside video doorbell camera works is to look at the various benefits it gives you. Think about these features:
- Active deterrents: You can’t find this on all models, but there are some smart video doorbells that are proactive in deterring theft with visual and audible warnings. This is a fantastic way to let thieves know someone is watching.
- All-encompassing camera view: You need to see the whole picture, and that should include the faces of visitors at your entry and items on the walkway below. Cameras with 180-degree x 180-degree field of vision provide a complete perspective.
- Crystal-clear footage at any hour: What’s the purpose of having a doorbell camera if the images are blurry and difficult to see? Top models will provide incredible night vision and high dynamic range (HDR) resolution.
- Package delivery notifications: Would you like to know when a package is dropped off? You are able to receive immediate notifications from video doorbells that can reveal the difference between visitors and packages.
- Speak with the visitor at your door: Is a person standing at your door? Reciprocal audio gives you the chance to inquire about why they’re there. You could even utilize this handy feature to deter people hanging around your walkway.
- Prevent false alarms: Top doorbell cameras will even give you the chance to customize detection zones. Restricting the space to be monitored will let you reduce false alarms caused by walkers, cars, or animals.
- Convenient access to video: A video doorbell integrated into your smart home offers you the option to see real-time and saved video directly from your phone’s security app.
Video doorbells keep you connected like you’ve never been before, as you may engage with them right from your phone, no matter where you are. They’ll notify you when something or someone arrives, provide visuals of what’s occurring, and even let you speak with whoever’s at your door. These components have turned into difference-makers in terms of safety and convenience.
Request a doorbell camera with your Oceanside smart home
Defend your home against package theft and keep an eye on what’s occurring at your entrance 24/7 with a Oceanside doorbell camera. Vivint’s innovative models provide all the latest features, like active theft protection, 180-degree viewing, and package notifications. Call
(760) 304-1641 today to start designing your smart home. |
In Ocala, FL, burglary (Florida Statute 810.02) is a property crime that involves breaking a home, structure, or conveyance. The intent is to commit a criminal offense. There are many instances where people confuse this with theft or robbery, but the difference is that burglary happens on the victim’s property. Being charged with this felony means you need a professional Burglary defense lawyer in Ocala, FL.
Burglary is a serious offense that leads to pretty severe punishments. So you won’t just get probation or pay a fine. There’s a huge chance of you going to prison. If you want to ensure that you’re well represented in court, hire an attorney to form the best Burglary Defenses in Ocala, FL, with the help of Smith & Eulo.
Learn more about burglary in Ocala, FL
When a person enters or remains in another person’s dwelling intending to commit a criminal offense, it’s considered a burglary. And in Florida, it’s already a felony, so you can be charged with severe penalties. These may include long-term imprisonment and probation. At the same time, you will be ordered to pay steep fines.
If you or a loved one is currently being charged with a burglary offense, it’s in your best interest to find a Burglary defense attorney in Ocala, FL. Having these charges on your record can result in difficulties, especially in applying for a loan, finding a job, and obtaining higher education. As you can see, it can prevent you from achieving many things.
With the stiff penalties that come with a burglary charge, working with an Ocala, FL, Burglary Defense Lawyer is the best course of action.
Types of burglary
Burglary of dwelling
Burglary of a dwelling is one of the most common types of burglary. It’s when someone breaks into another person’s home with the intent to commit a crime. It’s a term used for permanent or temporary inhabitation.
Burglary of structure
This type of burglary targets a structure other than a dwelling, such as an office or a store. The penalties for this are the same as those for burglary of a residence.
Burglary of conveyance
It happens when someone breaks into another person’s vehicle with the intent to commit a crime. The types of vehicles include a sleeping car, ship, railroad vehicle, motor vehicle, aircraft, vessel, or ship.
Penalties for a burglary charge
The consequences a person accused of burglary may face depend on the circumstances of the offense. The building or structure where the crime occurred, the weapon used to commit the criminal act, and how the crime was perpetrated are some of the most important and carefully studied variables.
Burglary can be three types: first-degree, second-degree, and third-degree.
First-degree felony for burglary
A burglary can be considered a first-degree felony if the accused or defendant:
- Commits assault or battery
- Is armed with a dangerous weapon or explosives within the dwelling, structure, or conveyance
- The defendant entered the unoccupied dwelling or structure and used a motor vehicle as an instrumentality, which resulted in damage to the dwelling or structure.
Once charged with first-degree burglary, penalties may be up to life imprisonment.
Second-degree felony for burglary
A second-degree felony is given when the defendant doesn’t commit an assault or battery, the defendant didn’t carry a dangerous weapon, and when the defendant enters or remains in a:
- Dwelling and there’s either a person or not another person at the time the offender enters or remains.
- Structure, and there’s either a person or not another person at the time the offender enters or remains
- Conveyance, and there’s either a person or not another person at the time the offender enters or remains
A second-degree burglary charge has penalties of up to 15 years in prison and 15 years of probation. Additionally, there’s a fine of $10,000.
Third-degree felony for burglary
A burglary is considered a third-degree felony if the defendant:
- Enters a structure, and there’s no person in the structure at the time they entered or remained
- Enters a conveyance, and there’s no person in the conveyance at the time they entered or remained
A third-degree felony charge means a penalty of up to five years in prison and five years probation with a $5,000 fine.
The common defenses against a burglary charge
With a competent lawyer’s help, they can form a strong defense case that will either lessen the charges or dismiss the case. So you shouldn’t enter a plea if you haven’t talked to a criminal defense attorney first.
Some of the common defenses that a qualified and experienced lawyer can form are the following:
- Alibi is a defense that argues the defendant wasn’t at the crime scene when it occurred. The lawyer will need to provide enough evidence to back up this claim. It can be in video footage, pictures, or witness statements
- Consent as a defense against burglary claims that the dwelling, structure, or conveyance owner agreed or consented for the defendant to enter or remain
- Lack of proof in terms of the accused or defendant’s identity
- The defendant entered the conveyance or dwelling without the intention to do a criminal act. It doesn’t apply to closed businesses
- The defendant had a legitimate presence in the conveyance or dwelling. An example is if the defendant is a repairman, postman, and more
- The defendant was falsely accused of committing the crime. This happens more often than people realize
- Inadequate withdrawal of permission to be present
- Implied permission
The attorney must develop a strategy when it comes to defending you. They can use any common defenses above as long as there’s enough evidence to prove them.
Burglary is a felony that can result in severe punishment. Protect your rights & hire an experienced lawyer
Hiring a lawyer is every person’s right; you must exercise it by hiring a skilled lawyer who knows how to handle your case.
If you or your loved one find themselves in a situation where you are being accused of Burglary? Call us right away at 352 505-9810 to speak with a qualified legal professional or fill out the contact form on this page. We’re available 24/7, we offer free initial consultation and payment plans. In addition to our Ocala office, we have offices in the following cities across the state of Florida:
*Additional Orlando Florida & Orange County Legal Resources |
The DL03 sub-ohm disposable vape is a breakthrough device that will transform how you view disposable vapes. DL03 uses an external 18650 battery as a power source to ensure that the device has more stable and sufficient energy. 20w output and 0.6Ω resistance bring a lot of plump vapor and silky DL vaping experience. 1% nic-salt brings a perfect throat hit, while the 15ml e-juice capacity can satisfy users for long-lasting vaping.
There are 7 flavors to choose from on DL03, including Mango juice, Strawberry ice cream, Lemon candy, Mix berries, Strawberry kiwi, Cranberry grape and Watermelon ice. In order to enhance the taste of the vape juice and prevent leaking, the cotton coils on the DL03 have been presoaked. While releasing rich flavors, the mesh coils of the DL03 deliver a textured vaping experience. It's possible to count on the DL03 disposable vape for its high level of performance throughout the day.
Durable 18650 battery delivers steady power
20w output with 0.6Ω resistance for soft DL vaping
15ml capacity e-juice for long-lasting vaping
A mesh coil of high quality brings silky mouthfeel
Pre-filled cotton coil pod anti-leaking
Battery: 18650(Not included)
Resistance: 0.6Ω Mesh coil |
General Hospital (GH) spoilers reveal Mac Scorpio (John J. York) and Cody Bell (Josh Kelly) might be spending more time together in the coming months. These two have taken an interest in their newfound friendship, even with only one-half of them knowing the truth about their connection. Mac just can’t shake the feeling that Cody could benefit from his guidance, and he has a strong urge to be the person who is there for him to provide it.
Still, the more time they get to link up, the more it’s going to eat Cody up inside that he lied to Mac, who is really his biological father. Is there ever going to be a clean way for Cody to tell Mac the truth without facing massive and possibly permanent repercussions?
General Hospital Spoilers — Mac Scorpio’s Instincts Know Better
Although Cody told everyone right away when he got the results of the paternity test that Mac wasn’t his father, Mac hasn’t been able to shake the disappointment of that news. Likewise, he hasn’t stopped feeling a connection to Cody that keeps him wanting to stay invested and involved in his life. Mac hasn’t slowed down to explore why that is, probably because he can’t come up with a rational explanation for it. Is he longing for a son he doesn’t have? That might be what he’s telling himself.
GH Spoilers – Hint Mac Scorpio Could Think the Worst Of Cody Bell
Cody would love to go back and do things over, but that’s easy to say now that the necklace has allegedly been lost in the fire Holly Sutton (Emma Samms) supposedly started. Without any fortune in sight, there’s no reason for Cody to hang onto the narrative that Leopold Taub (Chip Lucia) was his father.
In fact, that only taints his reputation more, and certainly more than it would for people to know Mac is his dad. It doesn’t get much better than that. Cody now understands all the hype around Mac and how fantastic of a guy he really is. If he came clean now and told Mac he lied, and most importantly why he lied, he’s not sure Mac would be able to look at him without disappointment and disdain.
General Hospital Spoilers — Cody Bell Will Crack
Cody might be worried about what Mac will think of him and how it’ll make him feel that Cody chose the necklace and Taub’s fortune over the chance to know his father, but eventually he’s going to be more concerned with being honest with his dad than he is about his past mistakes and what they could cost him.
Cody is willing to do the hard work to earn Mac’s respect back should he lose it, but he’s not going to be willing to go through his life pretending Mac isn’t his dad for much longer — not when he’s longing for that connection so much. Stay tuned for more General Hospital news, updates, and spoilers to see what happens next for this father and son. |
On Tuesday, January 8, 2019, Augusta (Gussie) Hemminger passed away peacefully at home at the age of 96 years.
Gussie was born April 4, 1922, in Thalberg, MB. She leaves to mourn her sisters Pauline Brewin and Lynda Kalupar as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents Herman and Rosina, brothers Herman, Christian, Joseph, August, and Albert and sister Holdina Mohr.
Gussie had a zest for adventure. She moved to Winnipeg as a young woman and then her travels took her to Toronto, Bermuda and San Francisco before retiring and moving back to Winnipeg. Gussie always had a strong faith and a great love for her family. She spent many hours capturing memories with her video camera at every family gathering.
Funeral Service will be held on Monday, January 14 at 11:00 a.m. at Thalberg Trinity Lutheran Church with viewing one hour prior to the service. Pastor Daren Gallivan will officiate. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.
The family would like to thank the staff at Lion’s Personal Care Home for the care they provided Gussie these last few years.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Gussie’s memory may be made to Thalberg Trinity Lutheran Church or a charity of your choice.Print This Obituary & Condolences |
IMPORTANT: This article applies only to specific products and/or operating systems. Check the Applicable Products and Categories section of this article before starting these steps.
The camera might turn on automatically if the LCD screen is opened and the camera is placed too near magnetic devices.
Make sure to close the LCD screen facing inwards (see the image below) when not in use.
- This camera is equipped with a magnetic sensor. The camera may turn on if it is placed too close to a magnet or a device with an internal magnet. Take care not to place the camera near any magnetic devices. |
It’s been a great 2019 for TERRI GREEN and “project”. She kicked off with the #1 Uk Soul single ‘Night to Remember’; the band then topped multiple radio charts in the soul scene at #1, even earning Terri an Independent Soul Music artist Grammy nomination.
The album ‘What a Feeling’ hit the #1 Spot in the UK Soul chart in September and as Terri B (house diva!) she’s currently doing great things with the revamped Weather Girls on their single Cheek To Cheek’.
In all this Ms G has been working with sax man/producer Toddi Reed (Torsten Abrolat) and together they’ve just remxied the title track to ‘What a Feeling’ as a “discolovers” mix … and that’s exactly what it is. But why have one new mix when you can have a few? So right now you can enjoy ‘Feeling’ in mixes from Fontaine Burnett and Frank Star. Whatever you go for, feet will be tapping and heads a nodding right through the upcoming Festive Season! |
Spatial Analysis software is available to professional practitioners and academic researchers for commercial and non-commercial use. A variety of different Space Syntax softwares are available for spatial analysis.
UCL and Space Syntax Limited have developed a “Space Syntax Online Training Platform” to facilitate the dissemination of Space Syntax principles, methodologies and software.
The comprehensive handbook ‘Space Syntax Methodology‘, authored by Kinda Al-Sayed et al (2014), which is used in teaching at UCL offers an introduction and step-by-step tutorials for newbies to learn the techniques and methods of Space Syntax analysis based on depthmapX.
Space Syntax Limited also provide training for individuals and organisations in the use of their evidence-informed tools and techniques.
Between the laptop & the pencil (2011) provides an illustrated introduction to Space Syntax software use.
DepthmapX is a an open source, multi-platform software platform to perform a set of spatial network analyses designed to understand social processes within the built environment. It works at a variety of scales from building through small urban to whole cities or states. At each scale, the aim of the software is to produce a map of open space elements, connect them via some relationship (for example, intervisibility or overlap) and then perform graph analysis of the resulting network. The objective of the analysis is to derive variables which may have social or experiential significance.
Qgis Space Syntax Toolkit
The Qgis Space Syntax Toolkit is a QGIS plug-in for spatial network and statistical analysis. It provides a front-end for the depthmapX software within QGIS, offering user friendly space syntax analysis workflows in a GIS environment and a seamless spatial network analysis. Furthermore, it includes tools for urban data management and analysis, namely land use, entrances, frontages, pedestrian movement, road centre lines, and service areas.
Originally developed by Jorge Gil at the Space Syntax Laboratory, The Bartlett, UCL, the plugin includes contributions from:
- Space Syntax Limited – Ioanna Kovolou, Abhimanyu Acharya, Stephen Law, Laurens Versluis |
In my opinion, as soon as Halloween is over it is full speed ahead with the Christmas season and holiday parties are one of my favorite things about this type of year. Before Rent the Runway I used to pick up half a dozen dresses per season for work parties, swim parties, family parties, and Christmas itself but it really does add up. This black silk dress my mom and I got together in 2008 and it has been one of the best long-term purchases I have ever made. I love the detailing at the neck, the ruching on the front, and the fact that it is black and goes with everything! There is only one problem – what to wear under a slinky dress with a low back. For the last handful of years I have tried almost everything imaginable and finally I have found a solution!
I received the Super Skinny Backless & Demi Bra from Almost Skin and it is the perfect solution for this black silk dress. I have tried a similar product in the past which was fine but in flash photography when the bra is nude and the dress is black … yeah, you get the picture. I was so excited to try this bra on in bright flash and see that we were all good! My favorite holiday dress has founds its’ perfect partner in this reusable adhesive bra! Paired with dark lips, dainty earrings, and a large cocktail ring I am good to go for any party this season!
I am so exited about this bra that I am actually excited for it to get cold so I can wear this dress!
Ps. You can find Almost Skin’s full line of backless bras here. |
Dr. Michael Byrne
( BACK )
Dr. Michael Byrne is a Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology at Vancouver General Hospital and UBC. He is the director of the UBC Interventional Endoscopy Fellowship at VGH.
He is a graduate of Cambridge and Liverpool Universities and worked in the UK and Ireland from 1992 to 2001. In 2002 he completed an Interventional Endoscopy Fellowship at Duke University Medical Center, North Carolina, concentrating on therapeutic ERCP and Endoscopic Ultrasound. He subsequently worked on staff as a GI attending at Duke until his move to Vancouver in 2003.
His main clinical interests are in the field of ERCP, Endoscopic Ultrasound, interventional endoscopy, pancreaticobiliary disease, colon cancer screening, and IBD.
Dr. Byrne has an extensive research and publication track record both in the basic science and clinical aspects of gastroenterology, with over 80 peer-reviewed publications and over 100 abstracts, and he has delivered many talks to national and international societies.
Book your appointment today. No referral required. Receive rapid access to world class specialists, leading diagnostic centres and our state-of-art surgical facility: Cambie Surgery Centre.Book Now |
Last modified: July 6, 2020
It does not apply to information: collected by the Company offline or through any other means, including on any other website operated by the Company or any third party; or any third party, including through any application or content that may link to or be accessible from or on the Spexster Platform.
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Spexster Platform is not intended for children under the age of 13. You must be at least 13 years old or older to use the Site and the Services. We will not knowingly collect information from children under the age of 13. If Company learns that we have collected or received personal information from a person under 13, we will delete that information. Additionally, no one under the age 18 may provide any personal information to or on Spexster Platform without the permission of your parent or guardian. If you are a minor under the age of 18, you will need the permission of your parent or guardian prior to using the Spexster Platform to use and access the Site and the Services or to provide any information about yourself to us, including your name, address, telephone number, email address, or any other information. If you believe we might have any information from or about children under the age of 13, please contact us at [email protected].
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We collect several types of information from and about users of the Spexster Platform, including information: by which you may be personally identified, such as name, e-mail address, telephone number or any other identifier by which you may be contacted online or offline ("personal information"); that is about you but individually does not identify you; and about your internet connection, the equipment you use to access our Website, and usage details.
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If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you. If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact us at our email: [email protected].
The Company is committed to subjecting all personal data received from European Union member countries, United Kingdom, and Switzerland, respectively, in reliance on the Privacy Shield Framework, to the Framework’s applicable Principles. To learn more about the Privacy Shield Frameworks, visit the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Privacy Shield List. [https://www.privacyshield.gov/list]
The Company is responsible for the processing of personal data it receives, under the Privacy Shield Framework, and subsequently transfers to a third party acting as an agent on its behalf. The Company complies with the Privacy Shield Principles for all onward transfers of personal data from the EU, UK, and Switzerland, including the onward transfer liability provisions
With respect to personal data received or transferred pursuant to the Privacy Shield Frameworks, Spexster is subject to the regulatory enforcement powers of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. In certain situations, Spexster may be required to disclose personal data in response to lawful requests by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements. |
The Haunting of Hill House (Compact Disc)
Available to Order - shipping times vary
Past the rusted gates and untrimmed hedges, Hill House broods and waits. Four seekers have come to the ugly, abandoned old mansion: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of the psychic phenomenon called haunting; Theodora, his lovely and lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a lonely, homeless girl well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the adventurous future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable noises and self-closing doors, but Hill House is gathering its powers and will soon choose one of them to make its own. This classic horror novel has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. |
Are you looking for a spa hotel in the Dolomites
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Ryans Premium Football Cards
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Located at 2655 Fourwinds Drive in Rockford, IL. The store carries a large comprehensive selection of sports cards and related collectibles offerings for basketball, football, baseball and hockey. Drop by to see for yourself.
If you've shopped at Ryans Premium Football Cards, tell us what you think of the store. |
Amid rising COVID-19 cases, many hospitals have been reporting an increase in the number of patients suffering from fever for the last few weeks.
News reports are coming from across the country that the cases of viral fever have spiked from Ilam in the east to Kailali in the west.
According to Dr. Dinesh Kafle, director at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), many patients suffering from fever have been visiting the hospital on a daily basis for the past few weeks.
There is a steady rise in the number of COVID-19 patients and now the hospital is also getting overwhelmed by the viral fever patients, said Dr. Kafle.
People need to get tested on time to contain the spread of viral fever, too, added Dr. Kafle.
According to Dr. Yogendra Man Shakya, head of general practice department of the TUTH, most fever patients are aged 20-40 years.
“Consultation with physician is very important to find the cause of fever. Self-medication may be harmful, so one should visit the hospital to know the exact cause of fever and other symptoms,” advised Dr. Shakya.
Around 30 to 40 patients of fever are visiting the hospital daily and of them about six are testing positive for COVID-19, said Dr. Shakya.
Patients testing negative for COVID-19 are suffering from other viral or bacterial infections, said Dr. Shakya.
Kanti Children’s Hospital has also seen an increase in the number of patients suffering from viral infection.
The number of children visiting the hospital with viral fever is increasing day by day, said Dr. Anil Shrestha, consultant pediatrician at Kanti Children’s Hospital.
There may be various reasons for fever, but in some sample tested at the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL), we have found adenovirus to be the cause of fever among children, said Dr. Shrestha.
Though the virus is common among school going children, many children aged below 10 years are suffering. If children are infected with influenza, they may have fever in the range of 99-100 degree. But the adenovirus may cause fever ranging from 102-103 degree, said Dr. Shrestha.
According to Dr. Shrestha, around 400 children visit the hospital in OPD and 150 in emergency departments on a daily basis and many of them are showing similar symptoms including fever.
Patients have a range of symptoms, including fever, vomiting, body pain, common cold, sore throat, diarrhea, acute bronchitis, conjunctivitis, and in severe cases pneumonia, informed Dr. Shrestha.
According to doctors, the virus can spread through contact with droplets from the nose and throat of an infected person during coughing or sneezing, or by touching hands, an object, or surface with the virus on it and then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes before hand washing.
The viral fever is easily transmittable. In order to stay away from it, we need to follow all the safety health protocols including practicing good hygiene, washing hands with soap, covering the face while sneezing, social distancing and wearing masks, among others, suggested Dr. Shrestha.
According to Our Parbat Correspondent, the number of patients with viral fever has been increasing at the District Hospital, with around 100 patients visiting the hospital daily.
Source The Rising Nepal |
ABOUT SPRINGSIDE PARK CONSERVANCY
The Springside Conservancy is a coalition of institutions that have for several decades operated out ofor are involved in the ongoing activity and stewardship of Springside Park, including the HebertArboretum, Springside Greenhouse Group, the Friends of Springside, and Morningside Initiative.These volunteer organizations have worked for many years supporting activities which enhance thepark and serve the community. Collectively contributing many thousands of hours in services rangingfrom maintaining and physically improving the park to providing educational and cultural programs forthe public. These organizations have a keen perspective on the importance of this building to the park and the parks unique importance to Pittsfield.
President Springside Park Conservancy
To maintain integrity of the borders and designated activities in Springside Park.
To define suitable usage of Park attributes in accordance with the expressed intent of the original donors.
To assist potential and current users of Springside Park and proposed developers of specific projects to enhance the maintainability and function of the park in conjunction with City commissions.
To eliminate nonconforming or unauthorized usage of the park properties or assist in obtaining proper authorization through established city agencies.
To assure conformance to local, State and Federal laws and regulations.
To assist in publicizing Springside Park to enable the general public to be informed of potential changes and current advantages.
To seek stronger recognition by the City of Pittsfield of Springside Park’s needs through such channels as the Master Plan and future Capital expenditure decisions.
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adding your own content and make changes to the font. Feel free to drag and drop me anywhere you like on your page. |
Review Summary: Shite Light/Shite Heat
Metallica have made an admirable effort in alienating their huge fan base since the release of 1996’s Load
. In the interim, people have sighed and groaned through Reload
(nothing more than a glorified b-sides album to some), the fun but hey-we’ve-still-got-it feel of Garage, Inc.
, the faux-classical mores of S&M
and last but…well, yes, least of all, the under-cooked insanity that was St. Anger
. Even 2008’s Death Magnetic
was a vapid and transparent attempt at recapturing something from their past.
The news that Lou Reed and Metallica were to collaborate was met with no small dose of trepidation. The combination of Metallica’s aforementioned troubles mixed with the fact that Reed is a mere blip on the Relevance Radar was a stark early warning to many. The release of the album’s second track “The View” as a preview of things to come was met with howls of derision and accusations of the whole project being some kind of elaborate prank.
presents a set of songs inspired by German expressionist Frank Wedekind's early 20th century plays “Earth Spirit” and “Pandora's Box”. The plays, originally published in 1904 and set in Germany, Paris and London in the 1890s, whirl between the points of view of Lulu, a prostitute locked in a vicious cycle of desire and abuse, and the people who fall desperately in love with her. The narrative concludes as Lulu meets the one and only Jack The Ripper.
The biggest question Lulu
asks of us is this: during the writing, rehearsal, recording and production of the LP, was there a point where any of those involved thought that what they were creating was not 100% acceptable? When Reed presented Metallica with lyric sheets replete with lines about gobbling down on “coloured man’s dicks” and “I’m a woman who likes men” did nobody think to say “Hey, Lou…cut it out.” When a group like Metallica with years of expertise and a number of classic records to their name recorded little more than incomplete jams and jarringly repetitious riffs where were those involved with quality control? Why was Lars Ulrich allowed to run free with drum patterns that make AC/DC sound like Dream Theater?
It’s not as if drugs or alcohol can be blamed anymore. Perhaps if this album was released in the late 80s or early 90s…but it wasn’t. It’s 2011 and this is now the acceptable face of Lou Reed and Metallica’s efforts. Despite people’s wariness there was a sense, at least in this reviewer’s opinion, that the majority of those in the know actually wanted this to work.
If you haven’t guessed already, it does anything but “work.” Opener “Brandenburg Gate” has Hetfield howling about a “small-town girl” like some insane Billy Joel karaoke bonanza over a sloppy riff. The beginning of the song finds Reed name-checking a number of horror icons, although in a very odd way; “I would cut my legs and tits off/when I think of Boris Karloff.” Metallica’s arrival on this LP is announced in typical clattering fashion, but their playing is repetitive and out of tune. “Pumping Blood” is memorable only for Reed muttering the title over and over as if he was rudely woken up and shoved in front of a live microphone. Ulrich’s drumming is intrusive and bad throughout the track. “Pumping Blood” contains the only evidence of acknowledgement between the collaborators. “Come on, James!” orders Reed…but nothing is forthcoming. “Mistress Dread” hints at something better; a fast, frantic riff. Four minutes later, it’s the same riff with absolutely no deviation. It’s also hampered by the fact that Reed’s vocals are so slow and out of time he might be issuing his pleas and demands from another time zone altogether. “Cheat On Me” takes five and a half minutes for anything of note to occur. “Little Dog” is a cure for insomnia and “Junior Dad”, at a soul-destroying 20 minutes long, is perhaps one of the most pointless songs committed to record in a long, long time.
The average song length on Lulu
is a whopping eight minutes 42 seconds. Although we can immediately discount the idea of this record appealing to the casual fan, when it proves testing to dedicated followers of either act it becomes a worry. In a war between art and endurance, Lulu
ensures a resounding first round knockout victory for endurance.
Are there any positives? “The View” is perhaps best track on the record. Reed delivers his lines with some conviction and the instrumentation is halfway inventive, particularly in the latter part of the song. The work is immediately undone by Hetfield’s repeated insistence that he is indeed “the table” (coming to a meme near you very soon, no doubt). “Iced Honey” begins with a neat little “1, 2, 3, 4” count for Reed and a Metallica riff with enough swing to hark back to a demo of their Load
efforts. That’s the problem though. It sounds like a demo. Following the trend prevalent throughout the LP, the music doesn’t deviate and Hetfield’s backing vocals veer from caterwaul to cacophony in off-putting fashion. In the same song Reed invites the listener to consider the idea of being jam “poured on a charbroiled piece of lamb.” “Frustration” contains the most powerful example of Metallica’s work on the record but Lars’ insistence on placing fragmented drum solos throughout the album reaches its unwelcome crescendo here. “Dragon” bears some form of promise, but the same riff is hammered out again and again and again. Reed spends the entirety of “Dragon” telling us how he’s “oblivious to caring.” Yeah, we know that feeling, Lou.
seems ready made to dispense the notion of repeated listens as the sense of disappointment it creates almost immediately eliminates any idea that it’s a “grower.” Maybe history will judge it less harshly, but as of this moment the project is a total failure. Prepare yourself for the inevitable comments from Ulrich about how we “don’t get it.” Perhaps he might have a point, but any message contained within Lulu
is lost in the whirl of discordant guitar work, Reed’s mutterings and the complete sense of abject disappointment that surrounds the entire album.
The fallout from this could have dire consequences. A lot of people, already placing Metallica at the best seat in the house at the Last Chance Saloon, have now called last orders. Metallica aren’t young Turks, of course, but a band concerned with releasing new records semi-regularly and touring more often than their contemporaries must have one eye on their reputation and something to prove. It’s genuinely difficult to guess what their next move will be. As for Reed, his legacy, whatever that means in his case, is cemented and this will have no real effect on him. Was there an alternative, a better to way to do this? Yes, there was. Have Metallica record their own work and Lou Reed record his own too. In essence: as you were, gentlemen. |
There is a lot of oil in the Bakken Formation – estimated to be as much as 16 billion m3 (100 billion barrels) in Saskatchewan alone – but it is both difficult and expensive to access.
SRC’s Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) researchers and scientists are working on projects focused on advancing the most cost-effective techniques to bolster petroleum production from the Bakken reserves in southeast Saskatchewan.
challenges of recovering oil in the bakken
The Bakken Formation is a natural geological phenomenon estimated to be 350 million years old. The oil is contained largely in siltstone and sandstone middle-member sections in the formation. Presently, the primary recovery factor remains quite low because the extremely tight nature of the Bakken Formation locks in the oil.
However, recent advances in horizontal multi-stage fracturing technology have boosted the Bakken Formation’s oil production. In this new system, the formation is mechanically fractured at isolated intervals along a horizontal well using fracture fluids under pressure. This exposes more of the hard-to-access resources. The practice pinpoints the area to be treated, away from surface and groundwater zones.
enhanced waterflooding and gas flooding
The methods being deployed by SRC’s EOR team to access the oil remaining after primary production are enhanced waterflooding and gas flooding using different gases, such as CO2, produced gas and N2. CO2 flooding may prove to be particularly well suited for the Bakken, since it tends to reach miscible flooding conditions at favorably low injection pressure.
It is hoped the EOR techniques being evaluated in studying the Bakken reservoir will soon fill in the technical gaps and become an important platform for developing world-class tight oil reservoirs. |
Debt Financing Advantages and Disadvantages That Business Owners Must Know
A debt is when a person borrows money from an outside source and makes a promise to return the principal amount plus the agreed percentage of interest. This term has been marked as negative action in our society. However, startup companies often find that they must be in debt to finance their operations.
Given that some companies are already big, their balance sheets can typically include some level of debt. Debt can sometimes be called a “leverage” in finance. The most popular source of debt financing is banks. But it can also be issued by a family member, friends, or a private company.
Maintain ownership: You will be obligated to make the agreed-upon payments on time, especially when you borrow money from a bank or another lender. However, that will be the end of your obligation. After, you will retain the right to run your business whichever way you want without outside interference.
Tax deductions: This is one of the reasons people are attracted to debt financing. In most of the cases, the interest and principal payments on business loans are noted as business expenses. Therefore, they can be deducted from the business income at tax time. One way to think about it is as if the government is your business partner. In this case, they have a 30 percent ownership stake or depending on what your agreed business tax rate is.
Lower interest rate: Examine the impact of the tax deduction on the interest rate of the bank. If the bank is charging you 10 percent for your loan and the government taxes you 30 percent, then it would be an advantage to take a loan that you can deduct.
Repayment: The sole obligation that you have to the lender is to make your payments. But you will still have to make those payments regardless if your business will fail. The lenders will have a claim of the repayment before any equity investors if ever you are forced into bankruptcy.
High rates: Even if you already have calculated the discounted interest rate from your tax deductions, you might still have to face a high-interest rate. This is because it depends on the variations of the macroeconomic conditions, your business credit rating, your personal credit history, and your history with the bank.
Impacts on your credit rating: You might get used to getting debt financing whenever your firm needs money, which is a practice known as “levering up,” but each loan that you make will be noted on your credit report and affect your credit rating. The more that you borrow, the higher the risk it will be for the lender. So, you will be paying a higher interest rate on each of the subsequent loans.
Cash and collateral: If you plan to use the loan to invest in an important asset, you will have to make sure that your business will have sufficient cash flow by the due date of your repayment. Most likely, you will be asked to put up collateral to protect the lender if ever you failed to make a payment.
Equity financing: This process involves selling the shares of your company to interested investors or putting up your own money into the company.
Mezzanine financing: This type of debt offers businesses an unsecured debt, in which there is no collateral required. But in return, they will give you a high-interest rate, usually around 20 to 30 percent range. Also, the lender has the right to convert the debt into equity in the company if the company fails to pay.
Photo Sources: Electronicsb2b, Indonesiaforeigninvestments, Menafn |
Cloudpond Version 4.0 includes four S3 Salesforce panels to choose from! Just choose one for your Lightning Page Layout; your users will store their files and attachments inside AWS S3 from the Salesforce platform.
You can choose from the new Cloudpond File Migration Panel or the new Cloudpond Salesforce S3 Panel. In addition, the standard Cloudpond Panel is available or a special Read Only Panel,
Cloudpond S3 Connector for Salesforce is a great solution to store Salesforce files in S3 and it works great in Communities or on Salesforce Mobile. We offer a 30 day free trial as well. Cloudpond S3 Connector for Salesforce is only available in the Salesforce Appexchange. Be sure to try it out, Storing your Salesforce files in S3 has never been so easy! |
On Monday afternoon, Peter Ariz from CanesInSight.com reported that Miami Hurricanes LB Darrion Owens would likely transfer from the program.
Miami LB Darrion Owens will be transferring, sources say. He is eligible to play elsewhere immediately since he graduated in December. Houston is a possible landing spot.— Peter Ariz (@PeterAriz) January 1, 2018
The University of Miami confirmed this report with a press release on Tuesday morning.
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami announced Tuesday that linebacker Darrion Owens has decided to leave the football program.
“Darrion and I talked, and he informed me that he feels his best opportunity to get the most playing time would be at another school,” head coach Mark Richt said. “Darrion has been a great representative of our program. We appreciate all the hard work he has put in and we wish him all the best in his future plans.”
“I would like to thank Coach Richt, the coaching staff, my teammates and all of the Hurricane fans for their support,” Owens said. “I’m proud to have earned my degree from the University of Miami and I look forward to this next chapter in my football career.”
Owens, a redshirt junior from Orange Park, played in all 13 games for the Hurricanes this past season, recording 35 tackles, including 4.5 for loss.
A redshirt junior, Owens could graduate and be immediately eligible at his next school.
Formerly a 4-star recruit from Jacksonville (FL) Oakleaf HS, Owens had a decent, if unspectacular, career at Miami. He played in 32 games over 4 years, collecting 79 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 4 PBU, and 1 forced fumble in that time.
Owens played in just 2 games during the 2015 season before tearing his ACL and missing the rest of the year. He took at medical redshirt due to that injury, which is how he played in parts of 4 seasons yet retains eligibility, for those wondering.
Owens had his best statistical season in 2017, finishing with 35 tackles and 4.0 TFL in 12 games. He was a good rotation player in the linebacking corps, and one could make the argument he was actually better this season than Zach McCloud at the SAM LB position.
Owens’ departure will hurt the depth at LB a bit, and force the younger players at the position to step up into game action next season.
We wish Darrion Owens the best in hie future endeavors. |
£499.00 inc. UK Tax
The price below is for hubs only.
We can also do them as a wheel set however! To give you an idea – a build with our Gravalloy Wide rims and Sapim Race spokes would come to £799.
We can also go Stayer-carbon, Enve carbon… whatever, we are happy to advise and listen if you have wild ideas. That would be ace.
Just get in touch. Ping us an email [email protected]
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This Au Jus is made from the rich drippings of prime rib and is a luscious and savory sauce that elevates standing roast to a new level of deliciousness. This recipe showcases the secrets of creating the perfect textured gravy with the aromatic flavor of beef broth and a splash of red wine.
This post contains affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure here.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Flavorful: This sauce is rich in flavor, capturing the essence of the meat’s juices and any seasonings used during cooking.
- Aromatic: It’s infused with the aromas of the roast’s herbs and spices, adding depth to its taste.
- Moisture and Juiciness: Au jus helps enhance the meat’s moisture, making each bite of prime rib even more succulent.
- Enhances Your Dish: The sauce adds another layer of taste to the dish, complementing the meat’s natural flavors.
What is Au Jus?
It’s a flavorful and savory sauce that is traditionally served with prime rib or standing rib roast. The term “au jus” is a French culinary phrase that translates to “with juice” or “with its own juices.” It’s made from the natural juices that are released by the meat as it cooks, from there you can add additional seasoning, broth, and wine.
How to Thicken
Flour is the key to thickening the sauce. Typically au jus, is thinner than standard homemade gravy, but I still use flour to keep it from being runny.
What type of Broth to Use
Since we are pairing this with beef, beef broth works best and will also help give it the rich dark color we are going for. But any broth will work including chicken broth, vegetable broth, or even water.
Do You Have to Use Wine
Using wine in the sauce can enhance the flavor and complexity of the sauce, adding depth and richness that complements the natural juices of the meat. Red wine is a popular choice for rich and bold flavor. Varieties like cabernet sauvignon, merlot, or pinot noir can be used.
Choose a wine that you enjoy drinking since the flavor will be concentrated in the sauce. Avoid using wine that is overly sweet or too tannic, because these conflict with the flavor.
You do not have to use wine in the sauce. It can be a flavorful addition to au jus, but it is not a mandatory ingredient. The key components of the sauce are the meat drippings and a flavorful liquid, which can be achieved using broth or even water as an alternative to wine.
I don’t strain my sauce but a lot of people prefer to! I remove the cooked herbs (thyme and rosemary) and add the remaining drippings to the sauce. We love a nice thick sauce.
Straining will remove any solids or impurities, resulting in a smooth and velvety sauce. A lot of people strain to help skim off the fat as well. We like to keep the flavor from the fat in the sauce. You will need a mesh strainer or cheesecloth to do this.
How to Prevent Separation
Prime rib is loaded with fat (that’s why it tastes so good!) so separation is completely normal, especially if you refrigerate leftover sauce and reheat it later. I wouldn’t get too caught up in separation. If it bothers you, here are some tips to try to reduce the amount of separation.
- When deglazing the pan with the wine and broth, be sure to incorporate the liquid thoroughly into the drippings and browned bits on the bottom of the pan. This helps disperse the flavors and prevents them from separating during cooking.
- Stir and whisk the sauce really well while it’s cooking. This can help combine the fat and liquid, preventing them from separating as they cool.
- Simmer the au jus gently over medium-low heat, rather than boiling it vigorously. Gentle simmering allows the fat and liquid to combine more harmoniously.
- Serve the au jus shortly after making it. Avoid letting it sit for an extended period, as separation can occur as the sauce cools.
- You can also use a fat separator. Fat is the major cause of separation. A fat separator is a kitchen tool that helps separate fat from liquids, allowing you to pour off the sauce while leaving behind excess fat.
Can You Make it Without Drippings
Yes, you can make any gravy without drippings. My Yellow Gravy Without Drippings will show you how. From here you can also add wine or additional spices for flavor.
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Smoked Paprika
- Cayenne Pepper
- Celery Seed
- Red Pepper Flakes
How to Store
It will last tightly covered and sealed in the fridge for 3-4 days.
How to Reheat
Reheat on the stove at low heat until warm.
You can also use the microwave and reheat in short intervals until warm.
The sauce will likely have thickened and in the fridge, it’s normal; gentle reheating will help recombine the components.
Portion the au jus into freezer-safe containers or resealable freezer bags. Leave some space at the top of the containers or bags to allow for expansion as the au jus freezes. You can freeze it for up to 3 months.
Defrost in the fridge overnight.
Pair With These Recipes
More Sauce Recipes
Prime Rib Au Jus
- If you cooked your meat with fresh herbs, remove the cooked herbs and any large pieces of fat or other chunks of food from the drippings.
- Heat the drippings in a pan on the stove at medium heat. I use the same cast iron skillet I cooked the prime rib in.
- Add in the flour and stir. Continuously stir the mixture to avoid clumping until the flour is incorporated.
- Reduce the meat to medium-low. Pour in the broth and wine. Stir and continue to cook for several minutes until the sauce thickens. Strain the mixture using a mesh strainer or cheesecloth if desired.Taste repeatedly to ensure the sauce meets your taste. Add salt, pepper, or other spices as needed. |
Here’s Aunt Betty as a younger girl.
Here are the 15 Whitmore children and their parents. My grandmother, Helen, is third from the left.
(Update! According to my mother, this was a celebration for my grandmother’s 40th birthday. See her comment below.)
I love the fact that she still had her War Ration Book (I’ve never seen one before,) but I love even more that she was 4 feet 11 inches and 98 pounds. I looked up the house address too. It’s still there.
When you have 15 children, it’s not hard for gatherings to get this big. My copy is blurry, but I think that’s my grandfather George second from the right, standing next to my Great-Grandmother. My grandma is in the first standing row, six (!) from the left. She’s wearing a dark colored dress.
More of the 15. Not so well composed, as some of them are hidden.
This is a really fabulous photo of Aunt Betty.
As is this. That’s Aunt Joanne standing next to Aunt Betty.
(Update! The problem with having 14 great aunts and uncles is you might have trouble with their names. Mom says this is Aunt Margaret, not Aunt Joanne.)
This is a picture of my grandmother and grandfather I’ve never seen before. I particularly love my grandmother’s coat, which I’m willing to bet she made.
A Jantzen Swimsuit!
This is the shirt Aunt Betty is wearing in a really fun photo of (nearly) all the Whitmore girls. I’ve looked at that picture for years as it’s in my Aunt’s kitchen, so it was funny to see the shirt neatly folded among the memorabilia.
Then I hit gold! Aunt Betty’s autograph book. This is from a friend of Aunt Betty’s and I laughed at the saying.
From Uncle Harold.
My grandfather! I was surprised to see him in this book because it was from 1936 and I didn’t realize he was around then. My grandparents didn’t marry until 1941.
Aunt Mary. (Who is amusingly wicked in her entry)
Because Aunt Betty loved ice cream, there was an ice cream shop.
This is Uncle Jack, who was married to Aunt Lucretia (the one from the autograph book).
Aunt Virginia (married to Uncle Harold), Aunt Janet (who was stubbornly looking away from the camera) Aunt Joanne, Aunt Mary.
I waited around until Aunt Janet didn’t notice me taking the picture.
A nice poem about the Whitmore Family. |
Lizzie has 5 new stencil designs releasing today at stencilgirlproducts.com. There are 3 new "Mid-century Madness" designs and "Crazy Dazey", each in large 9x12 stencils, as well as one 6x6 design, "Orbitz".
This collection was inspired by her childhood in the 60’s & 70’s where she was surrounded by the combination of abstract and floral patterns.
This era saw patterns galore. "They were on the wallpapers that adorned the walls, the clothes that I wore, the furniture I sat on, to the plates I ate from. It was an assault of the senses with a mixture of colours, shapes and botanicals that encompasses the force of modernism. Crazy Dazey is a mélange of all of those childhood memories," says Lizzie.
Lizzie designed Orbitz to tribute some of her favorite space themed shows of that era.
In these 3 mid-century modern designs, Lizzie captures not only the patterns of her youth, but the interlocking shapes is representative of the close family bond encouraged by her parents and still felt among Lizzie and her siblings to this day. |
The Role of Trust Signals in Conversion Rate Optimization: A Comprehensive Guide
Trust signals play a crucial role in conversion rate optimization by helping to build trust with your audience and increase the chances of them taking the desired action. Trust is everything when it comes to online business. Customers need to trust a business before they can make a purchase or engage with the brand. In today's digital age, where customers have a plethora of options, building trust and credibility online is more important than ever.
Understanding trust signals is the first step towards leveraging them for conversion rate optimization. Trust signals are symbols, icons, messages, and design elements used on web pages to build trust, reduce perceived risk, and increase feelings of security for users interacting with an online business. Trust signals can be anything from security badges, customer reviews, social proof, to testimonials, and more. The key is to find the right trust signals that resonate with your audience and build credibility for your brand.
- Trust signals are crucial for building trust and credibility with your audience, which is essential for conversion rate optimization.
- Understanding trust signals and how they impact user experience is critical for leveraging them effectively.
- Leveraging social proof, reviews, and other trust signals can help optimize conversion rates and build credibility and trust online.
Understanding Trust Signals
The Psychology of Trust in Online Transactions
In the world of e-commerce, building trust with potential customers is crucial for success. Trust signals are elements on a website that help establish credibility and trust with visitors. These signals can take many forms, from customer reviews to security badges, and can significantly impact a customer's decision to make a purchase.
The psychology of trust in online transactions is complex and multifaceted. It involves a range of factors, including perceived credibility, perceived risk, and social proof. Customers are more likely to trust a website that appears credible, has positive reviews, and offers clear and transparent policies.
Types of Trust Signals
There are several types of trust signals that e-commerce businesses can use to establish trust with their customers.
Social proof is a powerful trust signal that can significantly impact a customer's decision to make a purchase. It involves using social cues to show that other people have made the same decision and are happy with the results. Social proof can take many forms, including customer reviews, ratings, and testimonials.
Credibility is another important trust signal that can influence a customer's decision to make a purchase. It involves demonstrating that a website is trustworthy and reliable. Credibility can be established through several means, including clear and transparent policies, professional design, and security badges.
Trust Badges and Trustmarks
Trust badges and trustmarks are symbols that are displayed on a website to indicate that it is trustworthy and secure. These symbols can take many forms, including security seals, SSL certificates, and payment logos. Trust badges and trustmarks can help establish credibility and reduce perceived risk, which can increase the likelihood of a customer making a purchase.
In summary, trust signals are essential for building trust and credibility with potential customers in the world of e-commerce. By using social proof, credibility, and trust badges, businesses can create a positive and trustworthy online experience that encourages customers to make a purchase.
Trust Signals and User Experience
Trust signals play a crucial role in optimizing the conversion rate of a website. They help to build trust with the audience and increase the chances of them taking the desired action. In addition to building trust, user experience is another critical factor that can impact the conversion rate. A website that provides a positive user experience can help to build trust and increase the chances of a user converting.
Website Design and Layout
Website design and layout are critical components of user experience. A well-designed website with an attractive layout can help to build trust and increase the chances of a user converting. A website that is cluttered, difficult to navigate, or unattractive can have the opposite effect. It can make users feel uneasy and lead to a higher bounce rate.
Navigation and User Journey
Navigation and user journey are other critical components of user experience. A website that is easy to navigate and provides a clear user journey can help to build trust and increase the chances of a user converting. A website that is difficult to navigate or does not provide a clear user journey can make users feel frustrated and lead to a higher bounce rate.
Content Quality and Transparency
Content quality and transparency are other critical components of user experience. A website that provides high-quality content that is relevant, informative, and engaging can help to build trust and increase the chances of a user converting. A website that provides low-quality content or is not transparent can have the opposite effect. It can make users feel uneasy and lead to a higher bounce rate.
In conclusion, user experience and trust signals are critical components of conversion rate optimization. A website that provides a positive user experience and builds trust with the audience can help to increase the chances of a user converting. By focusing on website design and layout, navigation and user journey, and content quality and transparency, website owners can optimize their conversion rates and achieve their business goals.
Leveraging Social Proof and Reviews
Social proof and reviews are powerful trust signals that can significantly impact a website's conversion rate. By leveraging social proof and reviews, businesses can improve their credibility and build trust with potential customers.
Customer Testimonials and Case Studies
Customer testimonials and case studies are effective social proof tools that can help businesses build trust with potential customers. According to a blog post by RevPartners, "authentic and detailed reviews from satisfied customers act as social proof and can significantly impact conversions."
When it comes to customer testimonials, it's important to feature them prominently on the website and ensure they are authentic and detailed. Case studies are also effective social proof tools that can showcase how a business has helped other customers achieve success. By highlighting success stories, businesses can demonstrate their expertise and build credibility with potential customers.
Ratings and Reviews Impact
Ratings and reviews are another important trust signal that can impact a website's conversion rate. According to a blog post by SiteTuners, "reviews and ratings are powerful forms of social proof, as they provide potential customers with an unbiased assessment of a product or service."
It's important to feature ratings and reviews prominently on the website and ensure they are authentic. Businesses should also respond to negative reviews in a professional and courteous manner, as this can demonstrate their commitment to customer satisfaction.
In conclusion, leveraging social proof and reviews can significantly impact a website's conversion rate. By featuring customer testimonials, case studies, and ratings and reviews prominently on the website, businesses can build trust with potential customers and improve their credibility.
Optimizing Conversion Rates with Trust Signals
Trust signals are an essential component of conversion rate optimization. By using trust signals effectively, companies can build a reputation for reliability and trustworthiness that will help to attract and retain customers for years to come. Here are two key strategies for optimizing conversion rates with trust signals.
Effective Placement of Trust Seals
Trust seals are one of the most common types of trust signals used by online businesses. They are third-party certifications that indicate that a website is secure, trustworthy, and reliable. Trust seals can be placed in various locations on a website, such as the homepage, checkout page, and product pages.
To optimize conversion rates with trust seals, it's essential to place them in a prominent location where visitors are most likely to see them. According to a study by Baymard Institute, the most effective location for trust seals is the checkout page. Placing trust seals in this location can increase conversion rates by up to 30%.
A/B Testing and Conversion Metrics
A/B testing is a powerful method for optimizing conversion rates with trust signals. It involves creating two versions of a webpage and testing them against each other to see which one performs better. A/B testing can be used to test different types of trust signals, such as trust seals, customer reviews, and security badges.
To conduct an effective A/B test, it's essential to track conversion metrics such as click-through rates, bounce rates, and conversion rates. These metrics can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of different trust signals and help to identify areas for improvement.
In conclusion, optimizing conversion rates with trust signals requires careful planning and execution. By using effective placement strategies and conducting A/B testing, businesses can increase their conversion rates and build a reputation for reliability and trustworthiness.
Building Credibility and Trust Online
Building credibility and trust online is crucial for businesses to convert website visitors into customers. Trust signals are elements on a website that help build trust and credibility with the audience. In today's digital world, online businesses are constantly trying to find new and innovative ways to optimize their conversion rates and boost their bottom line. Here are some trust signals that can help build credibility and trust online.
Privacy Policies and Secure Payment Options
Secure payment options are another crucial trust signal. Customers want to know that their payment information is safe and secure. Offering secure payment options such as PayPal or credit card payments with SSL encryption can help build trust with customers. Displaying trust badges such as Norton Secured or McAfee Secure can also help assure customers that their payment information is secure.
Certifications and Endorsements
Certifications and endorsements are another way to build credibility and trust online. Certifications such as ISO 9001 or Better Business Bureau Accreditation can help demonstrate that a business is committed to providing quality products and services. Endorsements from reputable sources such as industry experts or well-known publications can also help build credibility and trust.
In conclusion, building credibility and trust online is essential for businesses to convert website visitors into customers. Trust signals such as privacy policies, secure payment options, certifications, and endorsements can help build credibility and trust with the audience. By implementing these trust signals, businesses can improve their conversion rates and boost their bottom line.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do trust signals impact customer decision-making in online transactions?
Trust signals are an essential part of building trust with customers in online transactions. They can influence customer decision-making by providing reassurance that the business is legitimate, reliable, and trustworthy. Trust signals such as security badges, SSL certificates, and customer reviews can help customers feel more confident in their decision to purchase from a particular website. This, in turn, can lead to higher conversion rates and more sales for the business.
Why are customer reviews and testimonials important for improving conversions?
Customer reviews and testimonials are one of the most powerful trust signals for improving conversions. They provide social proof that the business is legitimate and trustworthy, and they offer insights into the quality of the products or services being offered. Positive reviews can help build credibility and trust with potential customers, while negative reviews can provide valuable feedback for improving the business. By displaying customer reviews prominently on their website, businesses can increase the likelihood of conversions and build a loyal customer base.
What role does social proof play in enhancing the credibility of an online business?
Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people rely on the actions and opinions of others to make decisions. In the context of online business, social proof can be used to enhance the credibility of a business and increase conversions. Social proof can take many forms, including customer reviews, testimonials, social media shares, and endorsements from influencers or industry experts. By leveraging social proof, businesses can build trust with potential customers and increase their credibility, which can lead to higher conversion rates and more sales. |
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AC/DC-Play Drums with The Best of AC/DC (Online Access Included) - Product Information
The Best of AC/DC play-along set includes a music book with the drum score to 13 of AC/DC's best hits and online audio access recordings which allow you to play along with full "soundalike" backing tracks. The book features authentic arrangements of songs such as "Back in Black" and "You Shook Me All Night Long" with lyrics and the melody line in standard notation. In addition to backing tracks to all the songs, the online files also feature full performance tracks so you can hear what it's supposed to sound like before you play it yourself.
Videos and Sound Clips
No multimedia for this product. |
"Dear Emily & team. A big thank you, We can not express enough our thanks to you for all the care and compassion you gave to us and our beloved cat, we are truly grateful. Love and best wishes."
"Dear Emily & team, Thank you so much for the love and compassion you showed, we had the privilege to share an extra year or two with our doggy due to your phenomenal work."
"We just want to say a massive thank you for being so amazing, we are forever grateful"
"Thank you for all the support & care you gave to us"
"Thank you so much for all you kindness and understanding" |
You see the glass half full, while your spouse sees it half empty. One of your friends recovers almost immediately after a setback, while another is depressed for weeks. One child intuitively understands other people, while another misses basic social signals. Why are people so very different?
Read or download this article |
How’s it going Pandas! At time of writing, Singapore has just announced measures to return to lockdown-like conditions for another month.
Here at 88 Bamboo, we wish that you and your family remain in good health and good spirits wherever you are. Bars have been closed but that doesn’t mean we cannot virtually connect and continue sharing a dram together!
The Isle of Islay is famous for its rich, peat-spoke saturated, briny and iodine-y whiskies. But even amongst its eight nine working whisky distilleries, their single malts vary by distillery from robust and smoky expressions to gently smoky expressions on the other. This is because most Islay distilleries continue to use traditional malting methods that rely on peat, infusing a smoky character in their malt. They also source water that has run through peat moors that have a slightly vegetal peaty character.
That said, whiskies from the more northern parts of Islay (such as Bunnahabhain) tend to be lighter flavoured, party because the water they could find is less peaty and there are fewer peatlands available to harvest.
Today, I’d like to try a limited edition bottle from Bunnahabhain (with only 1,650 worldwide) that two of my friends have been giving me rave reviews about.
Region: Islay, Scotland
Distributor: Original Bottling (OB)
Classification: Scotch Whisky
Style: Single Malt
Cask: Ex-Whisky Hogsheads, Portuguese Port Pipe
Age: 11 Years Old
Behind the Label
Brief introduction to Bunnahabhain
Bunnahabhain (‘Boo-nah-ha-vin’) Distillery is the Northern-most distillery, and this should provide you a hint as to its flavour style.
The Margadale River is where Bunnahabhain sources its water from (Image Source: David Webb – Wikimedia Commons)
The name ‘Bunnahabhain’ is derived from the Gaelic phrase ‘mouth of the river’. The distillery was founded by William Robertson and two Greenless brothers in 1881 and is situated by- you might have guessed - the mouthof the Margadale River which empties itself into the Sound of Islay.
The distillery produces one of the most easy-to-drink Islay single malts with its sweet, very lightly-peated profile and smooth texture.
Each year, the distillery produces 2.5 million litres of newmake spirit. A portion of this would be stored in 21,000 casks for maturation in the distillery’s warehouse, and would become the classic Bunnahabhain single malt. The remainder would be used to create blended malt whiskies (alongside spirits from other distilleries).
Our favourite story amongst distilleries
Bunnahabhain Distillery isn’t a distillery that constantly waxes lyrical about its unique origin or ingredients. However, it has one of my favourite anecdotes amongst the Scottish distilleries I’ve surveyed, about how a certain old vintage bottle came to be.
As the story goes, in the cold winter of 2012, one Bunnahabhain worker who was tidying up the cellar was moving a dusty old batch of ledger books dating from the early 1960s. He decided to flip open to view the dated ledgers out of curiosity, but noticed an entry for an extra batch of whisky he did not account for.
Feeling slightly embarrassed, he referred to the stated storage location of that batch of whisky and began searching. His investigation took him to a faraway corner of the facility where he discovered a single forgotten cask of whisky that had been aged for over 40 years.
A single forgotten cask of 1972 whisky.
The happy discovery yielded 750 bottles of Bunnahabhain 40 Years Old, to the delight of fans all around the world.
The Bunnahabhain 40 was said to be a rare example of what an unpeated Islay whisky is truly capable of (Image Source: Master of Malt)
We are not reviewing the Bunnahabhain 40 today. One dram of this stuff probably costs as much as 2 bottles of very good 21 year old Scotch. I just thought this story was a great one to share.
Today we shall share a dram of Bunnahabhain Distillery’s first ever port wine-finished single malt!
This expression had been matured for 9 years in ex-whisky hogshead-casks, then finished for another 2 years in Portugese Port “Pipe” casks.
Let's dive into tasting it.
In the glass, this is very red, the colour of old lacquered oak or dark red pomegranate seeds.
On the nose, very expressive aromas of hot mulled wine. There is a component baked raspberry tart or strawberry jam notes, covered by another layer of mild cinnamon and star anise. Letting it sit for just about a minute was a terrific decision because there is more to it – it gets nuttier with sugar-dusted crushed almonds and lashings of milk chocolate.
The milk chocolate aroma is quite distinctive, reminding me of unwrapping a chocolate Neapolitan square – the type of chocolate that one mind find two pieces in a luxury hotel minibar. This isn’t quite dark chocolate but more similar to sweet melty creamy milk chocolate. (You should remember these addictive things. The sort of chocolate squares where their packaging may be personalised to promote businesses of all types, from restaurants, hotels, cruise ships to banks.)
As a child I have once polished off a dozen of these things while sitting at the lobby of the Hilton without any adult noticing. For trade mark reasons we shall not reproduce Hilton-branded Neapolitans (Image Source: Whitakers Chocolates)
On the palate, there are substantial dominant notes of the same milk chocolate Neapolitans. This is sweet, moderately rich, full-on milkiness coupled with slightly woody earthy notes of chocolates. There is a little caramel component. I do not get much fruit or juiciness- perhaps just some dried red raisins.
Although I am drinking this at 55.3% ABV, the heat from the alcohol is not very pronounced. This is quite unlike typical supermarket Scotches (such as a Johnnie Walker) where the alcohol burn is significantly more pronounced even though the ABV is lower. This is quite smooth with a manageable amount of heat.
I decided to add a teaspoon of water. This really tones done on the milk chocolate flavours. Now the chocolate turns into lightly caramel, butterscotch toffee flavours, with a slight coconut flavour. Sweetness is subdued. I mentioned almond earlier- some sugar-dusted almonds continue to make itself known, although it’s subdued now.
Adding water really increases the complexity of this, almost like fanning out a stack of cards to reveal each layer of flavour. There is a lot more going on. The milk chocolate Neapolitans take a backseat now.
The finish is long and smooth with the richness of the chocolate slowly fading. There is very subtle sooty peatiness – and I’m saying really subtle – one might argue it isn’t there or just slight medicinal notes.
I am glad I procured this bottle. This is quite unlike Bunnahabhain’s other releases that tend to be much lighter and fruitier. This one is actually richer, distinctively milk-chocolatey with darker flavours.
There is greater complexity when water is added. But I actually prefer drinking this one neat because I do somewhat miss the chocolatey flavours that take a backseat when water is added. This is also quite drinkable and so smooth despite the 55.3% ABV, and I would recommend trying this neat before anything else.
(Image Source: Ritter Sport USA)
All that talk about chocolate really got me craving for some chocolate and raisins. It is imperative that you try this Port-matured expression together some Ritter Sport hazelnut raisin milk chocolate. You may or may not choose to pair this with some exercise, that’s completely optional.
Pair this port-matured expression together some hazelnut raisin milk chocolate. |
THE SOURCES FOR STRATEGYSTREET.COM: Do you face intense competition? For over 30 years we observed the evolution of more than 100 industries, many hostile. We put their facts into frameworks applicable to all industries and found patterns. Strategystreet.com proposes decision guidelines resulting from these thousands of observations and their patterns. This website supports leadership decisions on segments, products, prices and costs of companies facing very competitive marketplaces. |
Performance Friction 332 compound racing brake pads - ideal for sprints and medium distance racing (stock rear calipers)
PFC’s 332 compound has similar characteristics to the old 06 compound and its biggest attribute is the smooth torque and excellent release behavior. The 332 compound is ultra smooth and developed to reduce wheel locking at the end of a stop. Drivers who trail brake into corners will appreciate the smooth release of these pads. 332 is a sprint and medium distance friction compound.
The mission of Performance Friction is to provide the optimal pad compound for each application that they make. Rather than the “shotgun” method of developing every pad in every compound, PFC builds the correct pad to suit the venue it is designed for.
- Improved initial bite
- Ultimate modulation and release
- Reduced wheel locking
- Superior disk conditioning
- Ideal for sprint and medium distance |
Description [onder voorbehoud]
In het eerste jaar van elk bachelorprogramma Geesteswetenschappen wordt 5 ects ingeruimd voor een facultair kerncurriculum. Een kerncurriculum biedt een introductie in een wetenschapsgebied dat centraal staat binnen de geesteswetenschappen. Voor studenten van opleidingen verbonden aan het Leiden Institute of Area Studies is het kerncurriculum Area Studies verplicht.
An Introduction to Area Studies
All scholarly work in the social sciences and humanities necessarily focuses on one or more socio-historic area, be that Europe, the USA, China, Iran or elsewhere. However, it is also important for scholars to be self-reflexive about the importance of their own situatedness in a particular place and tradition: no research is done in an ideal, value-free vacuum. Even the most conventional, mainstream disciplines are rooted in particular (often European) experiences.
Based around the question, ‘where is here?’, this course explores the various dynamics of interaction between the location of a scholar and the location of her subject matter. It seeks to encourage students to consider the status of knowledge produced in different fields and places, and to think creatively about how these might be related to one another in constructive ways. It draws particularly on the comparative and interdisciplinary nature of Area Studies to prepare students to develop their own intellectual and political strategies for dealing with identity and difference in their academic work, in whatever field that might be. The course draws on case studies from around the world and from different historical periods; it uses multiple media types (including film and literature); and it draws on a range of different multi-disciplinary themes (eg. empire, identity, migration etc.)
Concept day/time: Tuesday 15-17h
Mode of instruction
Students in the course are graded according to their performance in the following segments, in the following proportions:
Mid-term Exam (40% of the total grade for those who attend regularly; 44,44% for those who do not attend regularly)
Date: Thurs 28 October 9-11 Location: To be announced
Final Exam (50% of the total grade for those who attend regularly; 55,55% for those who do not attend regularly)
Date: Thurs 23 December 9-11 Location: Universitair SportCentrum
Attendance/Participation (10% of your total grade if you attend regularly)
In order to pass the course, the average of the score on the mid-term and final exams must be a passing grade.
Students whose average score on the two exams is less than a passing grade must pass the combined resit (hertentamen) in order to pass the course. The score on the combined resit replaces the previous score on the mid-term and final combined.
Lectures are held every week, with the exception of the midterm exam week. Weekly lectures will cover both issues discussed in the readings, and issues outside of the readings. Attendance at lectures is expected and will be checked. Please be sure to sign the weekly attendance form or you will be counted as absent!
Students who attend lectures regularly will be rewarded by having their attendance grade count as 10% of their overall mark.
The course site on Blackboard offers important course information as well as a place for discussion of course contents and practical issues. Please be sure to consult the blackboard site regularly.
All course readings and other learning materials can be found on the course Blackboard Site.
Please refer questions about course practicalities or contents to the teaching assistant, Marije Klein |
Matt and Amanda were married on Saturday!
These two love the north shore, the outdoors, and historic architecture. So naturally, they chose Duluth, Minnesota, for their destination wedding. Incidentally, they also chose it for their north shore engagement session. Amanda knows every corner of this neck of the woods, and picked all the locations for the wedding portraits. Perhaps it is this kinship that led this normally temperamental location to deliver gorgeous weather for the entire day, allowing the guests to dance the night away on the veranda…it was like Lake Superior wanted to show off her best qualities to the visitors.
The entire day took place at the gorgeous Kitchi Gammi Club, and Matt and Amanda did a fantastic job marrying modern simplicity and vintage details. From her knockout of a gown, to an invitation suite that featured handwriting you would see on blueprints, to dried violets on the cupcakes, every little detail had such thought behind it. My favorite, of course, was the signature drink called “Liquid Luck”. Any time I get to photograph a Harry Potter fan’s wedding, I’m a happy camper!
We shared the storytelling with videographer Nick, owner of Make Your Memory, so naturally we all had a blast driving around Duluth and shooting in all the corners of the mansion with this crazy fun group! Keep scrolling to see our favorites from the day! |
We wanted to focus on the infamous men's fanny pack, which is very much back in fashion, but most of the content is about women. Women wear them well, but I also see more and more men rock this hated and loved item every day. That's why we decided to create a small men's fanny pack guide so you can go shopping for one with confidence!
Fanny Packs for men: Everything You Should Know About
The death of the men's fanny pack was mainly due to the fact that it was cheap to make, and thus used as a marketing tool for many companies. But what made it completely die was when dad's started to wear it to the beach and other public places!
What type of fanny pack should I buy?
- Big fanny pack. The big men's fanny pack is more of a practical item for men than a fashion statement. Because it has a larger and thicker strap, it's very comfortable to wear, even when it's heavy. Its size makes it easy to put a lot of stuff in it, like sunscreen, an extra t-shirt, a vape, and a lot more.
- Small fanny pack. These men's fanny packs are more common, and some of them can be very small. We feel that these are more of a fashion statement, although they can be very practical.
- Shoulder fanny pack. This is the evolution of the original men's fanny pack, which simply cannot be worn around the waist. We don't consider this is a shoulder bag because of its size. We think this kind of men's fanny bag is much more comfortable to wear than other men's fanny packs, but it often has limited storage space.
How can I wear a fanny pack?
In most street-style pictures of men wearing men's fanny packs, you'll see them wearing it tightly over the chest. Wearing it loose makes it a lot easier to sling around on the back, which we think looks sleek!
Lately, we've seen more and more men just wearing it around the waist, like it was designed. Less men wear it this way, and it'll make you stand out instead of looking like someone who just bought it because you've seen it worn on some celebrity.
What are the different types of fanny packs?
- Streetwear men's fanny pack. This type of men's fanny pack is most often characterized by bright colours, sometimes funky designs and big logos and brand names. We think this is the most popular of the three, but also the coolest! Wear this type of men's fanny pack with a hoodie or sweatshirt and try to match the colours of your outfit with your men's fanny pack.
- Urban men's fanny pack. This type of men's fanny pack is characterized by a more subtle and practical design. They usually are smaller brand names and have logos on them, sometimes more pockets than you can count, and they tend to feel more durable and firm. You can wear these men's fanny packs with your favourite street-wear as well as your urban workwear. It's quite a versatile accessory that we would recommend for first-timers who want their first men's fanny pack.
- Practical fanny pack. This type of men's fanny pack is usually made of leather, with no noticable logo and a minimal design with very few pockets. It's usually worn over more dressy, yet relaxed clothes, like a shirt and suit pants.
Men's fanny packs are now everywhere. We love to run errands or travel and have easy access to our phones and wallets. Styles have come a long way since the '80s, and there are many beautiful choices to choose from.
Portable, trendy, convenient. There's a reason why the men's fanny pack has so many fans. This timeless accessory is as practical as it's stylish. Whether it's a night out or a trek through the woods, a men's fanny pack can help keep the essentials of your life.
Photo by ConvertKit on Unsplash |
Sometimes, it’s so hard to choose what to buy for a new year gift? Thinking of something that you don’t need to know what size they wear, what is their favorite color, or what they love to eat! If you don’t have any gift idea, fragrance will be your best choice. Whether you’re planning to let the notes lead the way or want to lean into more of a general vibe rather than a specific scent, we’ve got plenty of perfume gift options for you ahead. These are thoughtful and personal and will help them feel like their best self for years to come.
Gucci Bloom Eau De Parfum
For a white floral fragrance that feels modern, the Gucci Bloom Eau De Parfum is a no-fail option. It’s created to smell like a verdant garden in full bloom with notes of rangoon creeper, tuberose, and jasmine bud.
Narciso Rodriguez For Her Eau de Parfum
With notes of pink florals, orange blossom, amber, soft musk, and vanilla, the Narciso Rodriguez For Her Eau de Parfum is complex and intoxicating. It’s the ideal signature scent for someone who’s glamorous and elegant.
Jo Malone London™ Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne
Just like the name implies, one whiff of the Jo Malone London™ Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne will take you straight to a woody, seaside escape, with the smell of fresh, salty air intermingling with the woody earthiness of sage.
BYREDO Gypsy Water Eau de Parfum
For a light scent that isn’t floral-based, the BYREDO Gypsy Water Eau de Parfum is woody and smoky — and the ultimate luxe pick. Featuring key notes of bergamot, lemon, pepper, incense, and pine needles, it easily conjures up fresh soil, deep forests, and campfires. In other words, it’s a perfect match for someone who’s free-spirited or outdoorsy — but still enjoys the finer things in life.
Le Labo Santal 33 Eau de Parfum
For a true unisex fragrance that’s rich and bold, the Le Labo Santal 33 Eau de Parfum is smoky and spicy thanks to the notes of cardamom, leather, and sandalwood. It’s a fan favorite!
Chanel Chance Eau Tendre Eau de Toilette Fragrance
Part fruity, part floral, the Chanel Chance Eau Tendre Eau de Toilette Fragrance is a true classic. The notes of citron, jasmine, and teakwood combine to create a scent that’s bright, while still remaining soft and subtle.
The magic of smell will make the one you love who receive your gift will appreciate what they get. It’s something they’ll wear every day, and each whiff will bring back the memory of the time you presented it to them. Don’t waste your time, go grab and wrap it now! |
Development near airport leads IDA talk
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, November 12, 2003
A strategy for developing the area surrounding the Suffolk Executive Airport was the primary topic of discussion at Wednesday’s meeting of the Suffolk Industrial Development Authority.
Councilman Bobby Ralph told IDA members that council members had been &uot;getting pressure&uot; about the pace of development around the airport in the wake of infrastructure improvements that have been made.
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&uot;The business community seems to feel we are dragging our feet out there,&uot; Ralph said.
Among the improvements that have been made to the area are the extension of a potable water main, the completion of the Southwest bypass and plans call for construction of a sewer pump station. The land has also been rezoned.
&uot;If the airport is there, let’s take full advantage of it,&uot; Ralph said.
Finance Director Christine Ledford noted that she and Public Works Director Eric Nielsen are members of an airport commission that will be addressing development issues. She suggested the IDA appoint representatives to the commission.
IDA members generally agreed that it’s a prime area for development.
&uot;We’ve got a great asset out there in the airport,&uot; IDA Chairman John Harrell said. &uot;I think the question is how we get some development.&uot;
City Manager Steve Herbert told IDA members that it makes a
lot of sense to begin now to put together a comprehensive look and suggested that city staff make a presentation at a future IDA meeting. IDA members Dwight Nixon, Vernon Williams and the Rev. Isaac Baker agreed to sit on the committee.
In other business:
nTom O’Grady, director of the department of Economic Development, reported that New Dominion Pictures had fulfilled all of its obligations under its Development Agreement with the IDA and recommended IDA members sign a deed of release with New Dominion. A motion was made and carried.
nAfter an executive session, Authority members voted to sell 1.19 acres of property it owns off Virginia Ham Drive to Tony Collins of Access Development. The property is adjacent to property Collins owns that he plans to develop into office and warehouse space and possible mini-storage.
nDowntown Development Director Elizabeth McCoury announced that renovation of the Professional Building is progressing on schedule and that the school board is expected to move in on Dec. 19.
nMcCoury also noted that representatives of the Virginia Preservation Alliance will be in Suffolk Sunday afternoon to take a walking tour of downtown.
The IDA’s next meeting will be on Dec. 10. |
Little Star. One-Of-A-Kind doll from Soft Sculptures Gallery. Artist Tanya Abaimova
|This doll is in a private collection.
|Little Star is a One-Of-A-Kind teddy bear. He is an artist-crafted collectible, not a toy suitable for children.
Little Star comes with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by the artist.
His face is fully sculpted from polymer clay, flocked and has hand-painted features.
Little Star is 4" standing.
Little Star has hand-painted Little Star glass eyes. He has movable head and limbs, fully cotter pin jointed.
Little Star has been weighted for pleasant substantial feel.
Little Star's coat is velvet. The paws are made of suede fabric.
Little Star is firmly filled with a premium Polyfill.
Little Star has been created and handled with love in a non-smoking environment.
|Your questions or comments about Little Star are most welcome!
|comments powered by Disqus |
We organize special trips to other spots for those who want to see and surf other places around West Crete during their vacations. During the summer season there are special conditions in West Crete which may interest you. If you are an expert and want to do wave riding in side-on shore to off-shore conditions, or push your level in freestyle to the next level, there will be days of special interest. If you are interested in traditional surfing we can also organize surf trips to several beaches in West Crete. We choose the right place with perfect waves, ideal to your level every time, to max out your fun in the water. Let our experience be your guide and you will have unforgettable moments in the water.
Some of the spots are :
Agia Marina (windsurf, surf)
Kissamos – Kasteli (windsurf, surf)
Paleochora (windsurf, surf)
Stay in contact with us to get informed of what can work during your vacations. Maybe the local weather has extra gifts for you.
Don’t be confused, our stations on Elafonisi and Falasarna work 100% in the summer season (May to October). The organized trips are our addition to your addiction! More fun in the menu! |
Sustonable Eco Stone Collection brings warmth and serenity to any project that aspires to have an eco-style. Its natural palette transports us to raw environments, soils, rocks, mountains, and skies. Still intact, far from any human footprint. Sustonable Eco Stone Collection is designed to tell the most beautiful story: the earth lives happily ever after.
Are you looking for beauty, simplicity, and sustainability? Keep reading to be delighted by The Eco Stone Collection from Sustonable.
Its earthy brownish colour has given the name to this design. Its natural forms provide light and serenity to any application: wall panels for creating a cozy corner in your living room; as a worktop to bold your kitchen concept, even as a part of an auxiliary table to have THE “call to attention” detail… Let Earthy Calacatta talk for you and spread eco-style around.
Its clean lines utter an artistic finish to this pattern. The grey colour offers a delicate image, composing an immediate relaxed environment. Clean Statuary is like connecting the dots for pure design.
Our first pattern, Sustainable Calacatta reminds us why we do what we do: sustainable decorative surfaces for those who want to change and leave a better world behind. Its bold veins show powerfully around the design. Why do you not use it as striking detail in a room or a piece of furniture?
This design brings a memory of the summer starry nights, the profound black base with the little lighter dots reminds the sky at night. Such an elegant pattern will certainly provide a high dose of sobriety to any atmosphere.
Subtle Marquina is a perfect and delicate solution for those who love dark stones. With a definite presence and smooth pattern, it won’t go unnoticed. Perfect for a smart bathroom or an opulent kitchen.
Cocoa Empire is one of the most captivating designs. It is a playful game of the traditional Brown Emperor Stone. Sustonable introduces a remake of this stone composed of off-white and grey veining while conserving the brown and grey background tones. It is a mesmerising design when it is applied to an entire room. The pattern captivates even the most lost in thought person.
Willing to see more designs? Keep following us to know about the Vogue Collection…
Interested? Drop us an email at [email protected] |
Sutherland Garage Repairs
Sutherland Garage Repairs have been providing garage door repairs, garage door openers and garage door service & maintenance to the Sutherland Shire for over 15 years.
We cater for both automatic and manually operated garage doors regardless of the material the door is made from, or the brand of door or opener you have previously purchased.
Our experienced technicians stock the most commonly used repair parts and openers to help reduce turn around time when you need it done fast!
Garage Door Repairs
Sutherland Garage Repairs provide garage door repair services for Garage Roller Doors, Tilting Garage Doors and Overhead Garage Doors.
Our service technicians carry the most commonly used repair parts to help ensure a quick turn around for your job.
With a fleet of mobile repair vans roaming the Shire we can get to you quickly.
Garage Door Openers
Sutherland Garage Repairs supply and install garage door openers to suit all garage door types and all types of garage door openers.
We carry a stock of commonly used openers at all times to minimise delays when ordering replacement openers and parts.
We support all major brands and models of garage door openers.
Garage Door Springs
Garage Door Springs are one of the most important and yet one of the most overlooked components of your automatic garage door.
Maintaining, tensioning and replacing the springs when needed is essential to having a reliable and smooth opening garage door.
Sutherland Garage Repairs supply and install garage door springs for all door types. |
OUCO Marine/Offshore Foldable and telescopic boom compound marine cranes would be the type of effortless cranes with foldable and telescopic booms compound, which make full use of the cranes' strengths and flexibility when loading and unloading goods. OUCO Marine group can design the foldable cranes based on API-2C regulations and rules.
In every type of environment, we bring together engineering, operational expertise and field-proven solutions with a foundation of safety and risk management that helps you control costs and achieve lasting success.
Our pedestal-mounted, slew-bearing crane with a cylinder-luffing knuckle boom was designed for offshore applications on all types of vessels where space is at a premium and load accuracy is significant.
The crane can perform external lifts over the side of the vessel or can be used for internal lifts on the deck. The low center of gravity ensures control and reliability, the box construction absorbs shocks caused by load impact, and the boom design minimizes pendulum action for stability during adverse weather conditions.
• Self-contained with integrated electro-hydraulic power pack
• Precise stepless speed control
• Easy maintenance
• 360 degree continuous slewing
• Emergency lowering Optional features:
• Star-delta starter for low starting currents
• Limit switches for slewing and hoisting
• External power pack
• Portable radio electric remote control unit
• Different pedestal heights
• SUS fitting
• Enclosed operator cabin
• Designed for extremely low temperatures (Arctic climate)
• Personnel handling
• Load monitoring system
• Other features available upon request
|Max. Working Radius
|Min. Working Radius
Packing & Shipping
Our company provides professional packaging and transportation for the products.
With years of experience, the OUCO Marine Group has its own designing team and manufacturing factory, excellent European management who has 47 years of experience on offshore business, which also provides after sales services overseas.
Our production line covers marine and offshore knuckle boom crane, telescopic crane, stiff boom crane, non-standard steel structure, more environmental-friendly operations and also truck crane with the range from 15t to 150t.Port industry which includes cranes, hoppers and grabs.
OUCO Machinery can build any type of handling equipment, according to our own design, but also according to provided designs.
We build products according to any certification requested by the client and are able to build them for working in, and under extreme heavy circumstances for working tempertures of - 40C accordingly.
Our company has modern production factory and experienced production workers.Modern operation technology and strict supervision system guarantee the quality of products.
Once Cooperation Be Friends Forever
Our company participates in various exhibitions every year and presents our products to partners and customers around the world.
We have our own factory and welcome friends from all over the world to visit us.Once Cooperation Be Friends Forever.
1. Q:Can this type work in hazardous environment?
A:Sure! We can customize for you, acid proof or explosion proof, no problem for that.
2. Q:Can you provide the serious lifting tools?
A:Sure, we can provide any lift tools such as lift sling belt, lift clamp, grab, magnet or other specials as your requirement!
3. Q:How can we install the crane?
A:Our senior engineer can be your side to do the installation guide service and training. Moreover, our best sales can visit your country.
4. Q:Safety device
A:Overload limiter, Limit Switch (lifting and traveling), Interlock protection device. |
Mandatory COVID-19 vaccination Find out about the occupation groups and answers to regularly requested questions. COVID-19 Read up-to-date details about COVID-19 for health professionals, aged care and community care providers, enterprise, industry, local government and the Aboriginal sector. Read about staying wholesome, psychological health and accessing the right care and support.
Adam Steventon displays on what we will study from the successes and failures in using knowledge… Health Foundation response to the publication of the Health and Social Care Select Committee’s… It’s really important as a result of folks out there are affected by lung cancer. But with objective, pioneering policy, pace and public participation, we will do that.
The National Clinical Care Commission, a federal advisory committee, has launched its last report outlining evidence-based, actionable suggestions to improve federal diabetes consciousness, prevention, and remedy applications. In some individuals, an unusual genetic sample or change can lead to a less-than-optimum stage of health. People may inherit genes from their mother and father that improve their risk for certain health conditions. It is more durable to define mental health than bodily health as a result of many psychological diagnoses depend upon an individual’s perception of their expertise. Good health is central to handling stress and residing a longer, extra lively life.
Having a second set of eyes on your health knowledge can give you peace of thoughts. With new sharing options, the Health app lets you do just that by offering powerful new ways to stay related to your loved ones and supply useful data to healthcare suppliers. Regular exercise, balanced vitamin, and enough relaxation all contribute to good health.
The Health app can incorporate data from tens of 1000’s of third-party apps that are designed to advertise more healthy habits — every thing from nutrition to meditation to health. When you share your information, you might have complete management over what you share and the folks and institutions you share with. You can receive important notifications about your loved ones’ health and consider issues like their activity, mobility information, heart rate information, and developments within the Sharing tab.
Our response to the publication of the Health and Social Care Select Committee’s report, Clearing the backlog brought on by the pandemic. Expert-approved health education resources for PreK by way of 12th grade. After a certain age, most adults encounter nagging and sometimes embarrassing memory lapses. While recurring or worsening reminiscence Health issues at all times must be checked out, everyday lapses—like recalling names, finding everyday items, and remembering appointments, errands, and even on-line passwords—can be managed with some easy methods.
A daring venture to help establish new treatments and cures for diseases. A new science company proposed by President Joseph Biden as part of NIH to drive biomedical breakthroughs and provide transformative options for all sufferers. The “vampire hormone” can act like a dose of sunset, tricking your body into feeling like it’s time to sleep. |
July 31, 2014
Do I get downhearted? Yes I do. You think it’s easy, living on the red pill?
It appears to be not the well-adjusted individual but the individual who experiences subjective distress who is more likely to process self-relevant information in a relatively unbiased and balanced fashion.
If it’s well-adjustedness you want for yourself, and a minimum of subjective distress, take the blue pill. We gloomsters are right about pretty much everything, but we”re not very happy.
And of course most people do take the blue pill. Optimism”which is usually cockeyed, according to Taylor, Brown, and me”is the species default. Anthropologist Lionel Tiger wrote a book about it, subtitled: The Biology of Hope. Realism is maladaptive.
It is also antisocial. Who wants to hear you say that the emperor has no clothes, when everyone else they know”including all the cool people!“says otherwise? My friend Jared Taylor, proprietor of the race-realist (there you go) website American Renaissance, is fond of saying that: “Most people don”t want to have unpopular opinions.” He’s right. So was the poet who said: “Human kind cannot bear very much reality.”
It’s the antisocial aspect that gets us red-pillers down. Try to imagine what it’s like. (I”m assuming, gentle reader, that like most of humanity, you are on the blue pill.) What’s it like, being on the red pill? Like strolling through a lunatic asylum with no locks on the doors.
Random example: The other day I got into a conversation with a liberal lady who was ranting about the evil of “white supremacy.” I pointed out that (a) it is rather easy to move domicile from one country to another”I have done it several times”and that (b) there are a hundred or more nations under black, brown, or yellow supremacy, so that (c) a person who complains about the evil of white supremacy while continuing to live under it and forcing his loved ones to do likewise is either (1) a lying poseur or (2) a moral criminal.
The lady called me a “fascist.”
Then the upside of depressive realism kicks in. Crazy as the social and political worlds undoubtedly are, looking at things realistically, reason still holds its fort. Mathematics, the homeland of reason; science, the mostly-well-behaved offspring of math; and technology, the child of pure science, continue to produce wonders and enlarge our understanding.
I spent some time 40 years ago writing early mainframe computer systems for banks. Now, sitting in my living room with a laptop, scrolling through my bank accounts, making payments and transfers, I know what magic it all is, and what prodigies of careful reasoning lie behind it. Not everything is lunacy. |
The Right Insurance for High-Net-Worth Individuals
Executives, business owners, and other high-net-worth individuals face specific challenges, including a higher risk of lawsuits or claims. Your insurance plan should include adequate liability coverage to protect against financial losses associated with lawsuits, including the legal costs to defend against the claim or pay out damages if necessary. It should also protect against whatever unexpected situations life may bring, including physical injuries and illnesses, property damage, theft, and vandalism.
At Tango, Tango & Tango, Inc., your success is our priority, and you and your assets deserve nothing less than the best protection available. Working with our independent agency can be more beneficial than purchasing directly from an insurance company, as we have access to multiple highly rated insurance companies, and we take the time to evaluate your specific situation, identify the right coverage, and offer you a suitable policy to match your needs.
Common Types of Insurance for High-Net-Worth Individuals
The types of coverage you need will vary greatly based on the assets you own. Every high-net-worth insurance plan must be customized to meet the specific needs of the individual or family.
Click on the types of insurance coverages below that are relevant to you, and contact our team at Tango, Tango & Tango, Inc. to design your tailored insurance package. |
|Name of Event
|Solar Hijri Date
|Tasua and Ashura
|August 7 and 8
|Mordad 16 and 17
|Anniversary of Islamic Revolution Victory of Iran
|Oil Nationalization Day
Iranian holidays are divided into four main categories: national holidays, Islamic holidays, Christmas holidays, and primary and distinctive Persian holidays. Events here refer to the well-known holidays listed in Iranian calendars. It is also crucial to note that although though these days are considered off in Iran, they are peak season, which means that all of the hotels and stores are open. We will now discuss these Persian holidays in more depth. These unique occasions are as follows:
Ancient Persian Events in Iran
Persian culture, which dates back thousands of years, is renowned for its rich diversity and many Persian holidays. These celebrations have their origins in Zoroastrianism, which dates back as far as the second millennium BC and maybe much earlier. All around the nation, traditional Persian festivities are being practiced in full vigor. Some of the most significant Persian holidays are listed below:
Nowruz (March 21st)
Today, Iranians and some of their neighbors in the region celebrate Nowruz, one of the oldest Persian holidays! Legendary accounts link the Nowruz holiday to Jamshid, the fourth ruler in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh. This urban legend originated in the Indo-Iranian period! The ancient Iranian literature, Avesta, also refers to Jamshid as “Yima.” This narrative claims that Jam had a goddess who, on Ahura Mazda’s orders, launched a battle against the devil that resulted in hunger and drought. However, after the devil is destroyed, those people experience happiness and blessings once more, which keeps every tree green.
People commemorate this wonderful day by planting trees and refer to it as “No-Ruz,” which means “New Year” or “New Day.” Nowruz has five days of official Persian holidays, but for those who attend school (teachers and students), these vacation days extend to 13 to 17 days.
Sizdah-Bedar (April 2nd)
A joyful finish is required for Nowruz’s grand celebration to be complete. People thus venture outside on the final day of this holiday to honor the Sizdah Bedar custom and create the greatest Nowruz memories. A picnic in the great outdoors with friends is one of Sizdah Bedar‘s traditions, as is tying a knot with some grass to make wishes come true.
Families picnicking are a common sight, and this day is especially beloved in each community. You get the chance to spend beautiful moments with your loved ones from dawn to evening, ending the Nowruz celebrations.
The official calendar of Iran recognizes this Persian holiday as Nature Day and qualifies as one of the national holidays. To have fun together, people leave their houses.
The phrase “Sizdah Bedar,” which most people mistakenly think means “to eliminate the thirteenth’s omen,” really means “valley,” according to Persian dictionaries. So 13 Bedar means we visit the valley on the thirteenth!
Tying grass into a knot is among Sizdah Bedar’s most well-known customs. Iranians have a long-standing tradition of tying a certain vegetable after making a wish during this Persian holiday. People think that by figuring out the greens, they may fulfill their dreams and get rid of their issues.
One of the most significant subjects among the goals and aspirations is the riches of young girls and boys. The girls giggle, “Sizdah Bedar, another year, with a baby and a husband,” as they knit grass in the hopes of finding a good bride on this day.
Asar al-Baqie by Abureyhan Biruni, the Sunni Book of Moluk-el-Arz and Anbia by Hamzeh Esfahani, and the Avesta from the Zoroastrian Bible are all texts that originate from the Kiomars era (the first man on the earth from Persian mythological point of view).According to folklore, Mashie and Mashiane, a girl and a boy, were the bride and groom in the first union. They clasped hands and knotted a grass branch together as a symbol. Then, to alter the practice of marriage throughout history, the ancient Iranians did the same.
Yalda Night (December 20th)
Despite being frequently observed now, Yalda Night (Shabe Yalda)t was one of the most important nights in ancient Iran. The importance of Yalda Night and the day on which it appeared in the official Persian calendar would require a lengthy explanation if we were to share it with you.
The first Dariush on the recognized Persian calendar appears to be when this old festival initially began, though. It is a long-standing practice in Iran to celebrate holidays and engage in nightlife during this particular night. They still have a significant role in Iranian young people’s lifestyles today despite time passing; they have not lost any of their significance.
Shabe Chelle is a different term for Yalda, which implies birth. When the last day of fall, December 20, comes to an end and the first day of winter, December 21, dawns, it is referred to as Yalda. Iranian households typically prepare substantial banquets on Yalda Night.
Additionally, a variety of fruits are served, the most popular of which is big watermelon. Other prevalent customs of this old Persian holiday include eating food, sharing stories from the elders with the younger generation and other family members, and praising the Hafez Divan.
Experience the richness of Iranian culture through its fall festivities and traditions. If you’d like to know more about it, go to this page and read about it.
Chaharshanbe Suri (March)
On the final Wednesday night of the year, one of the customary Iranian rites known as Chaharshanbe Suri is performed. On the final Wednesday of the year, Iranians kindle a fire and leap over it to greet spring. The exact date of this Persian holiday is unknown. The past year’s pus and filth should not be transferred to Nowruz, according to ancient Iranians. The New Year ought to begin fresh. To eliminate these toxins from their daily lives, there were not even enough water supplies available. They, therefore, utilized the element of fire. They burnt firewood to get rid of unnecessary items and clean their homes since they believed that the light was a representation of cleanliness.
Because the event was held on the final Wednesday of the year, the tragic Wednesday that followed was significant for ancient Iranians. This ceremony persisted with the introduction of Islam. Because setting anything on fire in Islam is necessary to totally eradicate impurities and because fire is a part of Islam’s concept of cleanliness. The Arabs, on the other hand, thought Wednesday was an absurd day and burned it to the ground to rid it of its unpleasantness.
We are well aware that lighting a fire and spending the night by it is the Charshanbe Suri people’s most significant ritual. The ritual is typically carried out by family members, who then gather to have fun. In the past, a large fire was started in one of the city’s neighborhoods. Until dawn, the fire was still burning. Jumping over the fire while chanting “My yellow is yours; your red is mine” is one of the fundamental Charshanbe Suri rites. In actuality, it is a type of prayer in which the light is asked to provide happiness and warmth to individuals rather than to remove their illnesses, problems, and sufferings.
Islamic Events and Festivals
As a Shiite Muslim nation, Iran holds religious festivals with distinctive traditions in several regions of the country. Events related to Islam play a big part in this. According to the Arabic lunar calendar, these religious events are observed. These are some of the instances:
Tasua and Ashura
Muharram is the name of the first day of the Islamic calendar’s twelfth month (Hijri Qamari). The biggest tragedy and repression involving the Prophet’s family ever recorded in the history of the Islamic world occurred during one of the months that Muslims are barred from celebrating. In the past, Ashura has been one of the occasions that have garnered the most interest.
In addition to playing a significant role and having a significant social and historical influence, Ashura has evolved into a distinct culture. The Ashura incidents in 61 Hijri Qamari are what gave this day its notoriety among Shi’as. The important events of Karbala occurred on the ninth and tenth days of Muharram al-Haram. It has increased the prominence of these two days.
After this period, Imam Hussein, the third Shia Imam, and 72 of his companions were killed in Karbala during a battle with the Yazidi army while suffering from thirst. This sorrow is not only a regular grieving; it is also the most significant grief that occurs this month. In every region of the world, millions of people grieve his passing with diverse races. To perpetuate the remembrance of this terrible event, all ethnic groups in Iran, representing various traditions, edify Tasua and Ashura sorrow in their own unique ways without compromising particular rites.
On the official Iranian calendar, Tasua and Ashura by Hosseini are wrong by two days. Wearing black mourning attire and decorating mosques and other spaces with black flags are the first steps in this public grieving. Grief rituals are performed on various dates after Ashura and even to the conclusion of the Safar month. A few of the customs include candle-lit supper service to strangers in Mashhad, chaining, mournful song singing, and mass grieving. Each of these is lovely and unique in its own way. The cultural setting and social traditions influence how the services are delivered in different ways.
In the ninth month of Hijri Qamari, there is a religious celebration called Ramadan. Muslims all across the globe think the Holy Book (Qur’an) visited the Prophet during Ramadan. Muslims have a clear mandate to fast this month from the Quran. The Arabic term for Ramadan literally means “heat”. The greatest and most auspicious month in Islam is generally thought of as Ramadan. As well as being called God’s Party Month, this period. The night of Ghadr is one of Ramadan, which Muslims see as the most significant night of the year, hence it is worth mentioning(Ramedan In Iran).
Eid al-Fitr, one of the two most significant Islamic holidays, is mentioned in several hadiths and traditions. After the first day of Ramadan, the Muslims who observed a fast during which they forbade themselves from eating, drinking, and engaging in a variety of other activities, seek their recompense from God.
Due to the removal of fasting, eating, and drinking on this day, the first Shawwal lunar day is known as Eid al-Fitr. Fitr, which is Arabic for “eating and drinking,” is the last day of Ramadan when those who had been fasting begin to eat again after sunset.
One of the biggest and most important Muslim holidays is Eid al-Qadeer. Along with Eid al-Qorban, this grand Eid is very significant to several groups in Iranian culture.
On the day of Eid al-Qadeer, people from various cities observe distinct traditions, which may include paying respects to Sadaat (the family members of the Prophet of Islam) and their ancestors. Families from the Sadaat community also get ready for the day in their houses. They offer their visitors presents on the day of Eid al-Qadeer that are regarded as blessings and that individuals keep to themselves.
Christian Events and Festivals
Iran has practiced Christianity since the early days of the faith before Islam ever emerged. Under Iran’s prior state religions, originally Zoroastrianism in ancient Persia, Sunni Islam in the Middle Ages following the Arab invasion, and Shia Islam since the Safavid conversion in the 15th century, the Christian faith has always made up a minority in that country. The following are two instances of Gregorian-based holidays observed in Iran:
Christmas in Iran
Christian celebrations of Christmas have been in Iran for a very long time before the advent of Islam. Christmas Eve is now merrier than ever among Iranian Armenians and Assyrians. Around 350000 descendants of Armenians and Assyrians made up a sizeable portion of the Christian population in this primarily Islamic nation, and they lived in quiet, modest neighborhoods in places like Tehran and Isfahan. Iran has long been considered the safest country in the Middle East because there, people respect Christians and their religion and join them in celebrating their joyous occasions.
Iranian Christians are either Assyrians who adhere to the Assyrian Church of East or Armenians who follows the Armenian Orthodox Church. While most Christians commemorate the Nativity on December 35, Armenians celebrate Christmas on January 6 together with Epiphany. The warmth and joy of this joyous occasion, however, pierce the winter’s chill in the last month of the year and suffuses practically everyone(Christmas in Iran).
Much earlier before the actual holiday, anticipation for Valentine’s Day builds. Young Iranian couples like picking out the nicest present for their sweetheart. Consequently, several firms attempt to maximize this occasion. For typical Valentine’s Day presents like chocolate, flowers, or even jewelry, many of them have large deals.
However, every young couple that celebrates Valentine’s Day gives presents to each other. Iran offers a wide range of Valentine’s Day presents, from inexpensive items like jewelry and luxury automobiles to more expensive items like flowers and chocolate. But many also like giving Teddy Bears as gifts. It may be a tiny stuffed animal or an enormous toy.
The young people of contemporary Iran like being current on world affairs. Most of them participate in western holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Maybe this event seems extravagant and out of the ordinary to some people, including Iranian parents. However, it does not prohibit the young Iranian generation not to be delighted about this day.
Some have attempted to replace Valentine’s Day in recent years with an old celebration called Sepandar Mazgan due to the present Iranian generation’s interest in that holiday. They declared it to be “Iranian Love Day.” Many people welcomed this change, but it was also a reason for some others to extend the day of love celebrations.
National Holidays in Iran
The Iranian revolution gave rise to several Persian holidays:
Anniversary of Islamic Revolution Victory of Iran (February 11th)
On Bahman 22, 1357, the Islamic Movement of the Iranian people under Imam Khomeini came to a decisive point. On this day, the Islamic Republic was created, ending the 2500-year reign of oppression over the 50-year Pahlavi dictatorship in Iran and putting an end to the sufferings of the Muslim people.
Imam Khomeini and the top clerics launched a ferocious uprising in 1341, which marked the beginning of the Iranian Islamic Movement. They rebelled against the statute establishing state and provincial organizations as well as the “White Revolution of the Shah and the Nation,” as Mohammad Reza Shah dubbed it. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who in a momentous referendum approved them, offered six measures. Imam Khomeini and the authorities in Qom decreed public mourning during Nowruz in 1342.
Participating in the 22nd Bahman triumph procession often signifies reaffirming one’s commitment to Imam Khomeini and the revolution’s goals.
Oil Nationalization Day (March 20th)
The oil sector celebrated its nationalization day on November 29 as a result of Dr. Mossadegh’s efforts. This Persian event marks a turning moment in the struggle of the Iranian people to protect their national assets along this border from foreign invaders on the political, economic, and historical fronts.
The first oil well in Iran was found more than a century ago by an English business near the Soleiman Mosque in the province of Khuzestan. At the time, the Iranian government was unaware of this significant development. However, these travelers were fully aware of the riches they had found in Iran. By entering into brutal contracts for the extraction, production, and sale of Iranian crude oil, they laid the groundwork for their colonial foundations in Iran. For years, foreign corporations pillaged the riches of the Iranian people, while the Iranian government at the time did nothing to protect the people’s rights.
Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh, who was Iran’s prime minister at the time and a champion of the road to nationalize Iranian oil, started a key movement that served as the foundation of the “oil-free” economy in the nation. He was re-elected to parliament in the 14th legislative elections in Shahrivar 1320 and the end of Reza Khan’s reign. Iranians must manage and use their nation’s oil resources, Mossadegh has emphasized repeatedly in his drive for the nationalization of the oil sector.
An article on the nationalization of the oil industry was finally proposed in the National Assembly on the 24th of Esfand 1329 and accepted on the 29th of Esfand, the same year, thanks to the efforts of Dr. Mossadegh and his associates.
What Are the Famous Festivals in Iran?
The yearly festivities that take place in Iran include Jashan e Sadeh, the Zoroastrian Midwinter Festival in January, Chahar Shanbeh Suri in March, and Nowruz, the Zoroastrian New Year in the months of March and April(Persian culture).
Can You Name Some Festivals Which are Celebrated in Iran?
The most significant ancient Persian holidays in Iran are Yalda, Nowruz, and Sadeh, among a wide variety of other festivals and festivities. Iran’s equivalent of Festival is Jashn. Every Jashn is fundamentally a sacred event.
How Many Holidays are there in Iran?
There are 26 public holidays registered in Iran.
What 2 Calendars are used in Iran?
Their own solar calendar displays the Persian New Year. The most accurate calendar in the world is used for this Persian holiday, which is based on the spinning of the globe. Arabs created the lunar calendar used by Iranians. They should adhere to it during their religious occasions, such as Ramadan and the martyrdom of their religious leaders and prophets, as they are Muslims. |
Our New Office in NORWAY
August 13, 2021
New beginnings! We're beyond excited to announce that we have opened a new office in Bergen, Norway to accommodate our growth in the Nordics, especially Norway.
Rumi Kislu has been onboarded as a Vice President at Tarento and he will be heading Tarento in Norway! With close to 20 years of experience in the IT industry, Rumi has played the roles of an enterprise architect, CTO and a business owner in his career so far. We are glad and super excited that Rumi chose to be a part of Tarento and in our journey towards a better tomorrow.
We have been having a constant flow of work from Norway for years and with Rumi Kislu’s joining as Vice President - Tarento Norway, we look to consolidate and grow in a more organized manner. This is in line with our commitment to expand our presence across the world to contribute towards a better world and a better tomorrow.
Our new office is located at Marineholmen in Bergen.
Come say hi to us at our new office and join us for a cup of coffee! |
ONLINE REPORTING IN REAL-TIME.
A CRM platform developed in-house and taylor-made based on different customer needs. It offers significant benefits to customers, who can securely access and download data from desktop and mobile devices to analyse ongoing business performance.
The collected data becomes valuable and understandable information. Our CSMs provide customised Weekly & Monthly Reports with detailed analysis of business, highlights & lowlights, competition, price control, display trends, the share of shelf, and KPIs.
REAL TIME REPORTING
Our CRM platform is the right tool for executing and measuring marketing campaigns. In addition, it allows you to analyse all your entered information and share it with your internal organisation in real-time.
Our platform provides real-time access to collected data and measures the progress of activities, thanks to a 24-hour Web Dashboard system. This allows immediate performance optimisation, enabling corrective action where necessary.
THERE’S MORE TO IT THAN YOU THINK
Interactive and customised dashboards are created, allowing easy reading and immediate availability of information for sharing within the client company.
The reporting system provides for sharing with the customer via dedicated and customized web platforms.
Sharing strategies with the customer to direct business choices and increase efficiency and productivity. |
XDR technology is the natural evolution of antivirus solutions to be able to detect and respond to threats where an antivirus is not sufficient. Currently, antiviruses are limited to their knowledge bases to detect malware. Further, they cannot detect if a virus that has not been catalogued by the antivirus solution infects your environment or if the threat extends beyond malware (e.g. insiders, cybercriminals or other malicious actors), where it isn’t necessary to analyse a binary but rather a complete behaviour.
XDR technology is installed on endpoints (and other sources of network activity, like firewalls) to collect all logs and send it to a centralised platform, where it is converted into telemetry, which is analysed by the XDR to identify whether it corresponds to a threat or not.
It should be noted that XDR is the direct extension of EDR technology. The difference between the two is that the capabilities of an XDR extend beyond endpoints to further enrich both the telemetry it collects and the threat response capabilities.
In the context of managed security services, third-party management of XDR solutions is referred to as MDR (Managed Detection and Response). An MDR service may include proactive searching for security incidents, a process known as Threat Hunting.
Cybersecurity services related to XDR
Threat Hunting: A managed service that concentrates on containing threats and detecting suspicious activity on the network before they can cause damage. This service utilizes telemetry data from EDR and XDR technologies and adheres to the methodology outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework.
- More information: Threat Hunting
Incident response: It is a reactive managed incident response service. This service is activated when there is a security incident and aims to identify and contain a malicious actor and recover activity.
- More information: Incident response |
Lee PrecisionSix Pack Pro Kit 38 Special Steel Works With Most Handgun Cases Works With 357 Mag
Lee PrecisionSix Pack Pro Kit 38 Special Steel Works With Most Handgun Cases Works With 357 Mag is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Couldn't load pickup availability
- Reload multiple calibers: This Lee Precision Six Pack Pro Kit is versatile and allows you to reload both .38 Special and .357 Magnum cartridges. No need for separate kits for different calibers.
- Easy and efficient: With its six stations and automatic indexing, this progressive press makes the reloading process simple and hassle-free. It has just one moving part and never requires adjustment, saving you time and effort.
- Durable and reliable: Made with steel construction and featuring a massive 28.4mm ram, this press is built to last. Its all-steel linkage ensures stability, while the automatic case ejector and priming system add to its reliability.
The Lee Precision Six Pack Pro Kit 38 Special Steel - the ultimate companion for all your reloading needs! This exceptional kit is designed to work seamlessly with most handgun cases and even the mighty 357 Magnum. Get ready to experience the convenience and efficiency of this progressive press kit that will revolutionize your reloading game.
With the Lee Precision Six Pack Pro Kit, you'll have everything you need right at your fingertips. This comprehensive kit includes a six-pack progressive press, auto drum powder measure, shell plate, universal case feed magazine, and Lee Breech Lock Dies. The carbide full-length sizing die, powder-through expanding die, and bullet seating die ensure precise and consistent reloading every time.
What sets this kit apart is its innovative design. The simple and reliable automatic indexing system features just one moving part, making it incredibly easy to replace and requiring no tools. You'll never have to worry about constant adjustments or complicated setups. The massive 28.4mm ram, supported by 82mm of solid steel, provides unmatched strength and stability, even for the largest magnum rifle cases.
Say goodbye to tedious manual priming! The Lee Precision Six Pack Pro Kit boasts a simple, reliable, and safe automatic priming system that works flawlessly with any brand or size of primer. With primes at the bottom of the stroke, all six stations are available for your operations, ensuring smooth and efficient reloading.
Reloading has never been this effortless. The automatic case inserter works with any case and can be manually fed through the convenient loading port. No more hassle of replacing turrets or tool heads during use. Plus, the automatic case ejector swiftly whisks away your completed round to the ammo bin, leaving you with more time to focus on your shooting adventures.
Crafted with durability in mind, this pro kit features a sturdy steel construction and utilizes the same all-steel linkage found on the classic cast 50 BMG press. The included combination tool rack and bin bracket keep your workspace organized and efficient. And with the free ammo bin, you'll have a dedicated spot to store your completed rounds.
Get ready to take your reloading to the next level with the Lee Precision Six Pack Pro Kit 38 Special Steel. Its unmatched performance, reliability, and ease of use make it a must-have for any avid reloader. So why wait? Upgrade your reloading setup today and experience the difference for yourself!
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The Importance of Clearing Blocks to Treatment in Cancer Survivors
What you will learn
- Describe AE (Aggressive Energy) Drains and Seven Dragons blocks to treatment and their indications
- Identify their presence in a patient’s presentation
- Apply the treatment protocols in clinical practice.
Five Elements blocks to treatment are amongst the most fascinating interventions I have observed in 25 years of acupuncture research. Associated with blockages in the patient’s Qi, they can have profound negative effects on a patient’s physical and psychological health. These phenomena may be a common presentation amongst cancer survivors; clearing blocks has the potential to facilitate profound change in a cancer survivor’s wellbeing.
Useful treatment options, they can be considered by any acupuncturist, whether they are working within a Five Element or other theoretical framework.
This course was originally presented as a lecture during our annual International Oncology Acupuncture Symposium in 2023 with the theme Supporting Cancer Survivors. You can also access it as part of the complete recording package for the symposium. Click here to explore this valuable collection and enhance your learning experience.
This course is approved by:
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Tea & Tequila
Silver Rainbow Link Chain Bracelet
Molten Silver Bezel-Set Crystal Gemstone Bracelet
Handmade in Mexico.
Size: Adjustable, 24cm.
Molten Silver encased natural gemstones, formed into a beautiful chain necklace by Mexican artisans.
Gemstones: Rose Quartz, Clear Quartz, Citrine, Amethyst, Pink Agate, Jade, Blue Agate.
Please note the selection and types of gemstones used vary by piece, making each piece unique, one-of-a-kind and truly artisanal.
Owing to the adjustable closure, the necklace can either be worn as a choker or as a high necklace.
With proper care, you can extend the life and enjoyment of your jewellery. Please be mindful of acidic substances as they can damage your plated pieces. Avoid exposing them to water, perfume, or hand sanitisers. Similarly, strong sunlight and heat can also damage your jewellery, causing the gemstones to lose their colour & shine.
For the best cleaning results, we recommend using a soft cotton cloth to polish your pieces. |
Cherry BlossomLoose Leaf Tea | Green
Grassy Japanese Sencha green tea lightly infused with sweet candied cherry.
Mildly grassy & cherry
Savor fleeting moments
Estate grade hand-picked green tea, natural cherry flavor, and blossoms
BLEND NO. 7417
Our loose leaf is packed in tins that are recyclable and can be disposed of in your blue bin. Our tins are also food-safe and can be repurposed for many things including spices and other dried ingredients. Learn More about sustainability at TEALEAVES.
Shipping & Delivery
Our Shipping and Delivery Policies for the US:
Free Standard Shipping on orders over $75.00 to the Contiguous USA. Our Standard Shipping time is 5-10 business days. Our Express Shipping time is 3-5 business days.
Fluffy puffs of pink petals draw dreamy eyes skyward. Soft sweetness pervades the air while earthly cares drift way on clouds of delicate delight.
About This Blend
MAKE THE PERFECT CUP OF TEA |
Danilo Herrera, MD, is a board-certified physician of obstetrics and gynecology who brings more than 30 years of experience to his practice at Bay Area Physicians for Women in Mobile, Alabama.
A native of Costa Rica native, Dr. Herrera was inspired to follow in his father’s footsteps and become an OB/GYN.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from Saint Francis College in San Jose, Costa Rica. After adding his master’s degree at the University of Costa Rica School of Medicine in San Jose, then moved to Miami, Florida, to complete his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Dr. Herrera is proud to provide comprehensive care to women through each stage of their lives. He prioritizes building strong doctor-patient relationships to empower women to take charge of their own health and well-being.
Dr. Herrera is a fellow with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). He is also a member of the American Medical Association, the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Costa Rica, and several other professional organizations.
When he’s not in the office, Dr. Herrera enjoys cycling, tennis, and chess.
Dr. Danilo Herrera, MD
3715 Dauphin Street Suite 3B
Mobile, AL 36608 |
TikTok Could Soon Introduce An-Free Subscription Plan
Updated: Dec 18, 2023
TikTok is exploring new ways to earn revenue beyond ads, commissions and in-app purchases.
The short-form video giant is reportedly testing a new subscription plan that lets you pay a monthly fee to have an ad-free viewing experience.
The subscription option was first uncovered by Android Authority in the code of the latest version of the app. Test users would be asked to choose from two plans upon launching the app: Standard and Ad-Free.
Standard is essentially the free TikTok experience that you're enjoying today, which shows you personalised ads based on your activity on the app. Ad-Free, meanwhile, is the new option that removes all ads from the app for US$4.99 per month.
TikTok later confirmed to TechCrunch that it is indeed testing the new ad-free subscription option in a limited capacity. The test is said to be currently limited to a single English-speaking market outside the U.S. The ByteDance-owned social media service, however, noted that the tests aren't indicative of a full launch in the future. That means, as of writing, it's yet uncertain whether TikTok could eventually have an ad-free option.
Similar to content-driven services like YouTube, TikTok largely relies on ads for revenue. It has a number of revenue-sharing mechanisms for creators and provides brands the option to promote products or services on the app. These brands can, for example, use TikTok For Business to run different types of ads, ranging from in-feed videos, brand takeovers, hashtag challenges and custom stickers, among so many others.
If TikTok does eventually launch an ad-free subscription, it would join the likes of YouTube and X, which was formerly Twitter, in providing you with such an option. YouTube Premium is a subscription option that provides you ad-free access and uninterrupted viewing to content across YouTube. X Premium similarly lets you enjoy an ad-free experience on X, while giving you access to tools that let you monetise your content.
TikTok is reportedly testing a new subscription plan that lets you pay a monthly fee to have an ad-free viewing experience.
The short-form video giant said the option is being tested in a limited capacity in a single English-speaking market outside the U.S.
The tests, however, aren't indicative of a full launch of the option in the future. |
I enjoy a good keynote, especially if it “delivers”. To my mind, a keynote should be informative, inspirational and entertaining. All too often, however, keynotes by so-called “visionary” speakers leave me feeling both uninspired and uninformed. I am left with having been entertained, which is all very well, but unless it’s an after-dinner speech I’m also left feeling cheated. So these days, where there is a choice between attending a celebrity speaker’s talk or that of an “ordinary” teacher who is doing great stuff in his or her classroom, I will almost always choose the latter. In fact, I have developed a kind of rubric that I follow when deciding whether or not to attend a celebrity presentation. It consists of a number of questions, which I’ve written up below. Feel free to use them if you think they are useful. Some of these questions cannot be answered until you have attended a talk given by the person in question. But you will know for next time.
A spot-on summary of most celebrity speakers' ideas, in my experience! Photo by Joe Hall https://www.flickr.com/photos/joebeone/
Do they have anything substantive to say? I’ve attended too many talks where a summary of the lecture would accurately be given as:
“There’s a problem in education and somebody needs to do something about it.”
What I’d like to know is: what is the problem, and what do you think ought to be done about it? After all, you’re being paid to talk to us as the expert.
cross-posted at www.ictineducation.org
Terry Freedman is an independent educational ICT consultant with over 35 years of experience in education. He publishes the ICT in Education website and the newsletter “Digital Education." |
Vivo has recently announced that the Vivo Y91 now comes with 64GB storage. Price remains the same at PHP9,999.
The handset was actually launched last November 2018. They have doubled the internal storage to 64GB, but retained its price of PHP9,999.
The Vivo Y91 (aka vivo 1817) comes with a 6.2-inch HD display with a dew drop notch and a 1520 x 720 resolution. It is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 processor with an Adreno 505 GPU, 3GB RAM, and 32GB of expandable storage.
Related: Vivo Y91 now available in the Philippines; Features Snapdragon 439, dual cameras, 4,030 mAh battery
As for its cameras, the phone has a 13MP + 2MP dual rear module at the back and an 8MP shooter in front. It also has a large 4,030 mAh battery that can easily last a day or two of usage.
Completing the spec sheet are a rear fingerprint scanner, face unlock a microUSB port, and FunTouch OS 4.5 on top of Android Oreo.
Price and Availability
The Vivo Y91 64GB has an official price of PHP9,999. It is available in Ocean Blue and Starry Black, and is now out in Vivo stores and kiosks, and in partner retailers nationwide.
Vivo Y91 specs:
|VIVO Y91 (vivo 1817)
|6.2-inch HD+ IPS Display (1520 x 720, 271 ppi)
|2.0GHz Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 Processor
|Adreno 505 GPU
|32GB Storage, MicroSD Slot
|13MP + 2MP Dual Rear Cameras, LED Flash
|8MP Front Camera, f/2.0
|4G LTE, Dual SIM
|GPS, AGPS, GLONASS
|Fingerprint Scanner (Rear), Face Unlock, MicroUSB Port, FM Radio
|FunTouch OS 4.5, Android 8.1 Oreo
|Ocean Blue, Starry Black
|4,030 mAh Battery |
India is planning to launch the 5G in country with the help of network giants like Reliance, Vodafone, Ariel and BSNL. But reports say that China has already planned the foundation for 6G in its country and take a step forward on the way to launch this before any country think about 6G to launch. The Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology has initiated the project preparation and development in future for 6G.
The expert says that the speed of 6G will be 1 TB (terabyte)/ second!! Considering the 5G network’s speed will be 1 GB/seconds, it means 6G speed will be 8000 time faster than 5G in terms of Gigabits, 1 GByte = 1000 GBits.
The 5G Network still being come in existence in the world’s most of the countries and there few countries who is still using 4G or even 3G network, and it will be a bit early if the 6G be launch in any country. But the tendency to go forward in science and technology pushes us to go for 6G as soon as possible.
Report says that China has set up the working sections into two parts to conduct the research about 6G. Both the groups will perform their responsibility in different sectors of technology and management related works in different companies and research units.
5G’s bandwidth capacity lies in high radio frequencies. The higher radio spectrum carries more data; this approach is basically working behind the 6G. Spectrum will reach very high frequency level of GHZ or even THZ. How for 6G will be faster than 5G is not yet assumed, but we can guess that it will use ultra-frequencies of radio spectrum.
In terms of frequent use, for example: Live streaming in the highest definition requires 56 gigabits of data per hour. Through the network you will be able to download over 142 hours of high-quality content in each second.
The Network of 5G is still in its way to grow in some countries and in some countries like China the plan has started for 6G, and the expert says it will take 10 years to spread the network in new era and implementation will be completed in 2030.
But we should not be so excited because the researchers still working on it to remove significant Hindrances to achieve 6G. The speeds would need sustainable development in science and technology, computer science, chip design and use of energy. We have to think about regular ways to fulfill all these devices without the risk of burning the environment. |
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Charting a crisis: Bolstering business continuity with organisational change management
How to adjust business continuity plans during the COVID-19 crisis .
October 20, 2020 | By: Paul Burton and Kelly O’Neill
Navigating the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented. Our first and foremost priorities are ensuring we’re supporting our people, technical consultants, contractors and clients across the globe. As a full-stack technology and talent partner, we want to share our experience and offer support in how to alleviate the uncertainty around workplace services support as many businesses shift to a primarily remote workforce for an indefinite period of time.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has challenged companies to manage their enterprises in newfound ways. In the short term, they’re facing enormous scope changes to their business plans; in the long term, they must adapt and continue to make progress on their original goals.
Expected change can be hard enough in ordinary circumstances. Leading forced change management for an organisation, all while being virtual, can be even harder. Depending on the magnitude of your working environments, you may feel that you’re not equipped to manage this dynamic, uncertain change—but you’re further along than you think.
While many companies have an organisational change management (OCM) programme around technical aspects, focusing and evolving your contingency plans and business continuity best practices around your people will help you navigate this new working culture—and keep productivity up and running.
Build a framework for communication and business continuity
Most organisations will be expected to perform as they were prior to the pandemic but will have to do it differently through virtual and remote management. If you had a business continuity plan in place, you’ll need to make sure it covers all the needs of the business. This includes understanding how to make decisions with uncertainty—what is the best approach to maintain focus on execution, collaborate and communicate remotely and keep the business going?
To do this, organisations need to ensure their business strategy incorporates crisis management, disaster recovery and risk management in order to adapt and get back on track to true business efforts. And fueling that productivity may look differently than before—such as building new progress dashboards or utilising new collaboration tools. Keep in mind that change initiatives aren’t all the same, so the approach should be flexible and scalable to match the needs of the business. This means making sure you’re implementing OCM activities that provide the most value and desired outcomes. Using structured change management approaches will help build change awareness as your people become more comfortable with new ways of working, such as:
- Serving as extensions of, and connections between, project teams and impacted team members
- Implementing feedback channels to gauge communications effectiveness, adoption, areas of resistance and areas of acceptance
- Enabling and increasing the use of virtual/remote demonstrations, training, coaching and continuous improvement with the use of collaborative tools Providing sustained support at the peer level
Creating a structured communications approach for remote work that supports people will help them remain efficient in their roles without distractions. This includes best practice methods to ensure people and customers are aware of the current situation, how it impacts them, and the new processes and procedures required to do their jobs. Fear of the unknown and uncertainty is a big aspect of people unable to remain productive, and any ad hoc approaches to manage people that aren’t engaged or prepared won’t be effective. Organisations that can clearly and consistently communicate will be able to help calm fears and ultimately sustain business continuity.
Understand how your people will be impacted
Many project plans are often centered around technology—not people or process. Historically, crisis concerns have primarily revolved around protecting telecommunications, broadband networks, servers and data for companies to continue to operate securely. Now, there’s a need for organisations to focus on connecting their people to each other and leveraging facilitation skills to foster communications.
In an OCM framework, best practice methods and procedures are used to determine the impact change has on stakeholders, and how to manage that impact to ensure effectiveness. What’s sometimes missing is the ability to tap into how stakeholders ‘experience’ the change. For example, OCM helps manage people challenges and new methods to enable them to stay productive on the job. Targeted communications can help address challenges with social distancing, working in a remote environment or managing virtual meetings and conference calls. Therefore, it’s important to execute a communication strategy that quickly shifts people into a remote model that they’re previously not accustomed to, in a way that still supports them.
It’s also critical to increase ways for people to provide feedback and escalate issues or concerns in a virtual or remote environment. Not having a feedback loop can slow change adoption immensely, or even cause it to fail. Targeted training can be provided to ensure people are aware of the tools and techniques available to provide feedback in a remote environment and stay connected with team members and managers. In addition, prioritising communication lines will provide you a more holistic view across teams, as well as help to lift productivity dips that inevitably occur during transition states.
Setting guidelines and expectations for virtual work will help keep people focused and productive during times of uncertainty. Many people have never had to host or participate in virtual meetings before—they may not be sure how to act or may not be confident in using virtual technology or collaboration tools right away. Providing empowering training and development to your company, such as virtual team management coaching and collaboration management, can help people pivot, adopt new ways of working and operate productively.
Paul Burton serves as a practice architect for TEKsystems Global Services. He has more than 25 years of experience in organizational change and project management, focusing on end-user adoption to ensure users understand new solutions that can positively impact their jobs.
Kelly O’Neill is an enterprise services practice architect for TEKsystems Global Services. With over 20 years of experience, she is an expert in business transformation, architecture and solution services, and strategy and engagement management. |
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Israel on Friday that it risks destroying an eventual possibility for peace unless it acts swiftly to improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza for Palestinian civilians as it intensifies its war against Hamas.
In a blunt call for Israel to pause military operations in the territory to allow for the immediate and increased delivery of assistance, Blinken said the current situation would drive Palestinians toward further radicalism and effectively end prospects for any eventual resumption of peace talks to end the conflict.
“There will be no partners for peace if they're consumed by humanitarian catastrophe and alienated by any perceived indifference to their plight," Blinken said, even as the call for a temporary pause without the release by Hamas of Israeli hostages was swiftly rejected by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said Israel would be “going with full steam ahead."
The comments to reporters in Tel Aviv, following meetings with Netanyahu and other senior officials, amounted to some of the Biden administration's strongest warnings to Israel since the brutal Oct 7 rampage by Hamas that killed more than 1,400 civilians and soldiers.
But the remarks were also tempered by Blinken's continued support for Israel's “right and obligation to defend itself, defend its people and take the steps necessary to try to ensure that this never happens again.”
He described being moved by additional video he'd been shown in Israel by the Hamas militants who carried out the attacks, including a father killed in front of his young children.
“It is striking, and in some ways shocking, that the brutality of the slaughter has receded so quickly in the memories of so many, but not in Israel and not in America,” he said.
At the same time, he said he was also shaken by images of dead and wounded Palestinian children in Gaza.
“When I see that, I see my own children. How can we not?” he said, adding “Hamas doesn't care one second or iota for the welfare and well-being of the Palestinian people.”
Blinken and other US officials have echoed Biden's call Wednesday for a “pause” in the fighting to allow for the release of hostages, underscoring the increasingly divergent views between the allies.
A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter, said Friday that the US believes that a “fairly significant pause" will need to be put in place to allow for the release of the more than 200 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Israel has insisted that the hostage release must precede any pause.
Blinken's Middle East trip came as US concerns escalated that the conflict in Gaza could spiral throughout the region. The leader of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group stoked fears that the war could widen by promising more attacks along the Lebanon border.
Blinken also said it was imperative for Israel, regional countries, the US and others to begin considering what the future of Gaza will look like if and when Hamas is destroyed. “There cannot and must not be a return to the pre-October 7 status quo,” he said.
In his first public speech since the war began, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said his group had “entered the battle” with the past weeks' unprecedented cross-border fighting. “We will not be limited to this,” he said, suggesting escalation was possible. Still, Nasrallah stopped short of announcing that Hezbollah is fully engaging in the war.
He said the idea of Hamas remaining responsible for the governance Gaza, thereby posing a continued threat to Israel, was “unacceptable." But he also said that Israel could not re-occupy Gaza.
“Within those parameters we will continue to have discussions in the region and our partners about what should follow once Hamas is defeated," Blinken said.
But the complexity of the situation — and of Blinken's push for Israel to consider a pause — was laid bare on Friday when Netanyahu, after leaving the meeting with the American official, ruled out the possibility of a cease-fire “that doesn't include a return of our hostages,” referring to some 240 people Hamas abducted during its attack.
To assist Israel in locating those hostages, the US is flying MQ-9 drones over Gaza to gather intelligence and help locate where those people are being held, a US official said on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing operations.
Since the attacks, families of the hostages have increased pressure on the Israeli and US governments to find them and bring them home before Israel carries through with any large-scale ground operations. The drone use was first reported by Reuters. |
Hailing the Supreme Court's verdict upholding the government's decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution as "historic", Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Monday that it is not just a legal judgment, but a "beacon of hope" and a testament to the collective resolve to build a stronger and more united India.
The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the government's decision to abrogate Article 370, which bestowed a special status on the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and said steps should be taken to conduct the election to the Union Territory's Assembly by September 30 next year.
The apex court also directed that statehood to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir be restored at the earliest.
In a post on X, Modi said the Supreme Court verdict on the abrogation of Article 370 is "historic" and constitutionally upholds the decision taken by Parliament on August 5, 2019.
"It is a resounding declaration of hope, progress and unity for our sisters and brothers in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. The court, in its profound wisdom, has fortified the very essence of unity that we, as Indians, hold dear and cherish above all else," he said.
"I want to assure the resilient people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh that our commitment to fulfilling your dreams remains unwavering," the prime minister added.
"We are determined to ensure that the fruits of progress not only reach you but also extend their benefits to the most vulnerable and marginalised sections of our society who suffered due to Article 370," he asserted.
The verdict is not just a legal judgment, it is a beacon of hope, a promise for a brighter future and a testament to the collective resolve to build a stronger, more united India, the prime minister said on the microblogging platform, using the hashtag "NayaJammuKashmir".
Writing the judgment for himself and Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant, Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud said Article 370 was a temporary provision in the Constitution and the president had the power to revoke it.
The court also upheld the validity of the decision to carve out the Union Territory of Ladakh from Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019. On that day, the government abrogated the provisions of Article 370 and bifurcated the state into the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The erstwhile state does not have internal sovereignty different from the other states, the CJI said. |
A lot has happened in TV4's schedule lately. Last spring, Kulturnyheterna reported that the hit show "Best in Test" will be transferred to its competitor TV4, and since then the company has continued to rearrange.
"Let's dance" and "Talang", which usually provide weekend entertainment, are paused. The same applies to "Wild kids", and the long-running "Biggest loser" as well as the garden program "Karl Fredrik på Österlen".
In Ystads Allehanda, Karl Fredrik Gustafsson clarifies that it is precisely a break that is at stake. According to the profile, the idea is to take new steps and resume filming next year.
KulturNyheter is looking for TV4. |
The Armed Forces of Ukraine claim that the commander leading the Black Sea Fleet died in the attack on the command of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in the southern Crimea, which Russia unilaterally annexed. However, there is a view that the Black Sea Fleet will maintain its offensive capabilities, and there are concerns about retaliation against the Ukrainian side.
Ukrainian forces claim on the 25th that 22 cadres, including the commander leading the Black Sea Fleet, were killed in the 34nd attack on the command of the Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet in the southern Crimean military port city of Sevastopol.
There has been no official reaction from the Russian side to this, but the Russian media has negatively reported that it is "false information" according to an official from the Ministry of Defense.
The American think tank "War Research Institute" said on the 25th that there is no confirmation of the death of the commander, but pointed out that "if the death is reported, it will cause major confusion in the command and control of the Russian Black Sea Fleet."
On the other hand, the British Ministry of Defense said on the 26th that the attacks on the Russian Black Sea Fleet are intensifying, and pointed out that "the physical damage caused by the attack on the command center is large but local, and the Black Sea Fleet maintains its core mission capability such as cruise missile attacks and surveillance and surveillance."
On top of that, he said, "The attack of the Ukrainian army is likely to force Russia to take a reactionary stance," and expressed the view that there are concerns about retaliation by Russia in response to the series of attacks. |
Jo joined Skills Active as the education evaluator and researcher in 2022. Her background is in adult education and her interest in evaluation began because she wanted to learn more about how effectively learning solutions were meeting objectives. Whilst working as a senior advisor for New Zealand Defence College, Jo studied part time for a post-graduate diploma in Social Sector Research and Evaluation. She has also worked as a performance auditor and principal advisor, Research within a government organisation.
Jo has lived in Aotearoa for 17 years after emigrating from the UK in 2005 and now calls Pinehaven home. Outside of work, Jo enjoys travelling, playing acoustic music with a few local musicians, the arts generally, and walking a very energetic young border collie. |
Amazon Dreaming: Journey out of mind was first performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2005. It is based on an initiation ceremony in the Amazon with 'ayahuasqueros', the jungle shamans, who use a sacred plant, 'ayahuasca' or 'the vine of the dead' to facilitate an encounter with the experience of personal death.
The archetypal encounter with death is a thread running through most rituals of initiation. As a visionary experience it involves a shift in consciousness which may be induced - as in the Amazon - by psychotropic plants, or by facing extreme danger, or simply by an unwavering awareness of the dreamtime. 'Amazon dreaming' uses this unwavering awareness to evoke a group dreamfield in which the vision of the self before birth and after death can be glimpsed by the everyday personality. The performance presents this mythic encounter as poetic meditation.
The journey is often experienced as a literal separation from the physical body and entry into a totally different realm of being. The shaman energetically guides the process, using healing rituals and songs or 'icaros' inspired by the plant spirits and invites guidance also from the invisible world.
'Amazon dreaming' is a contemporary interpretation of the ayahuasquero's art, part ritual part theatre, and in part the spontaneous unfolding of sacred space itself. The art of the shaman/actor/magician is to surf the unseen energy, carrying the audience out of the labyrinth of everyday mind, beyond the invisible walls of time, to glimpse another reality. Ultimately for both actor and audience this is an exploration of the limitations and the vast potential of the human mind.
The show interweaves original recordings of shamans in the amazon singing songs of plant magic with the hypnotic night sounds of the forest itself, to carry the mind effortlessly into another world. A cathedral of space grows out of an endless note: the lowest string of a Stradivarius cello, rich with centuries of playing, is stretched through time, activating with its endless spectrum of harmonics the vibrations of the human energy field.
All healing happens in infinity. The shaman addresses himself to levels of reality unperceived by the ordinary mind to realign energy patterns in the global matrix. Everyone else is waiting for eternity, and the shamans are saying, 'How about tonight? Tonight is a good night to step outside of time.' -Alberto Villoldo: 'Shaman, Healer, Sage'
Special thanks to Francesco Sammartini for his recordings of 'Icaros', |
Tennessee Performing Arts Center | Nashville, Tennessee
We love a good pop concert, more so when we see that Ben Folds will be back on tour for fall, 2023! Can you picture that crowd? Singing, dancing on a Wednesday evening to those memorable songs this September? It's going to be unforgettable! Ben Folds are everywhere right now! We know you're on the edge of your seat now! For your chance to witness Ben Folds for yourself along at the premier arena Tennessee, Bristol has to offer……the stunning Paramount Center For The Performing Arts on Wednesday 13th September 2023, then book your tickets today! Via the 'get tickets' button after scrolling upwards!
Are you ready for the hottest night of musical thrills to come to Bristol, Tennessee this 2023? Then if you haven’t already gotten your tickets to see Ben Folds at the world famous Paramount Center For The Performing Arts, you can’t afford to wait. This concert brings one of the hottest artists of the year to the stage for a performance that you won’t want to miss. If you’re a fan of the genre, or are just looking to watch a new type of music, then this is the show that should not be missed! Tickets are already flying off the shelves but you still have an opportunity to get your tickets for the show. All you have to do is click the Buy Tickets button below and order your tickets today while supplies last! But don’t delay, because these tickets are selling out at record speed. |
City staff have yet to come up with an alternative for where to put an overnight tent city, where homeless people could sleep outdoors, since council rejected staff’s first idea in August of using the front lawn of city hall. There is now what the city is calling a “temporary encampment” at the former Co-op lot on Greig Ave.
Because indoor shelter spaces in Terrace don’t meet demand, the city isn’t allowed to prevent outdoor camping in specific public spaces, like parks and residential areas, without a designated overnight place for people to go. That means homeless people in Terrace can now decide where to go for themselves and if they stay in one place for long enough, case law suggests the city won’t be able to move them, as shown by the City of Prince George’s failed attempts at removing the so-called Moccasin Flats encampments there.
Pointing to a lack of public support for the city hall idea, council asked for another proposal by end of 2022, and for staff to ensure a plan for overnight camping before spring 2023 in case of an increase in homelessness.
In September, the city elected to continue the “status quo” suggesting the problem would die down over the winter as staff sought a more palatable solution. People living outside are otherwise dealt with on a “case by case” basis and moved around by bylaw officers when complaints arise.
At a council meeting on Monday Dec. 12, Linda Stevens, the social program development coordinator for the city, said there have been delays in consultation to do with where to put the tent city, adding that the number of people camping outside hasn’t gone down as much as expected this winter.
That, combined with growing homelessness observed in Terrace over the spring and summer, means bylaw enforcement capacity needs to be evaluated.
When asked by newly-minted Terrace Mayor Sean Bujtas whether an overnight-only spot where people are expected to pack up and leave in the morning is still the plan, Stevens suggested that might not be doable.
“In other communities, even with that in place, they’re still having some challenges with encampments setting up and not moving on… In northern communities where we have the cold weather it seems that case law in particular is starting to put real pressure on what can and can’t happen around encampments.”
While an overnight-only spot would work in the summertime, Bujtas said that changes when temperatures drop, adding that it’s never been the plan to set up a space for people to camp permanently “up until this point.”
“To ask somebody to pack up and move their tent in the middle of the winter seems quite inhumane to me.”
When Coun. Chris Apps asked where they’re at in coming up with solutions Stevens said they need to ‘back it up a bit’ and reevaluate because things have changed since August.
“The ground has shifted so now we’re trying to come up with a plan on shifting ground.”
Stevens added they need a clear answer from BC Housing about whether the province would cover costs of outdoor sheltering, like sanitation and supplies that has “so far not been forthcoming”.
Warning of a “slippery slope” as time goes on, Apps again asked for a timeline.
Stevens didn’t commit to a date but hinted at “more clarity” by the springtime, with one factor being the Ksan Society moving its shelter from downtown to the old Elks Hall site on Tetrault on the southside.
“The expectation is that there will be increased capacity. What that looks like is still not completely clear.”
The shelter move was planned for December but has been delayed until at least January, having secured money from the province for needed renovations, according to the Ksan Society.
Do you have a comment about this story? email: |
With interest rates so low on CD’s, I am considering a rollover of an existing IRA from a maturing CD to a church. This is a new situation for the church. What is needed to authorize a church to become a custodian of individual IRA’s?
SAVAGE SAYS:? WHOA!!!? And I put that in bold and caps because there is no such thing as a church becoming a custodian for an IRA. This sounds like a true rip-off!? Leave your money in the low interest rate CD, which is FDIC-insured, at your bank. Then if you don’t use all your money before you die, and you don’t have anyone else to leave your money to, you can write a will leaving the balance to the church. DO NOT MOVE YOUR MONEY OUT OF THE BANK!! |
My 90 year old mother gave us $50K a short while ago to both my kids for paying for their college educations in which I told her I feel better if we pay her back over the course of the next 4 years because she may need it for her assisted living facility. Where would you put the money? I am currently automatically putting $750 monthly into etrade and right now, the money is just accumulating there not knowing whether I should do bonds or stocks or a combination of both and specifically in what you’d advise. I would like to automatically do this and thereby not having to go it and do it myself each month.
SAVAGE SAYS: That was a VERY generous gift from your mother, and it is lovely that you feel obligated to repay her. I don’t know how much she has in the way of assets, and hope that it will be enough to carry her through life even if she lives a long time. You are better putting that money aside, and not repaying her, and waiting to see what happens. If she runs out of assets, she might qualify for Medicaid — and still be able to life in that nice facility. If, instead, they insist that after her money runs out she must move to a state Medicaid-funded nursing home, you can pay for the current place using the money you saved to repay her. (After her death there is a 5 year look-back period at any “gifts” she gave away, if she uses Medicaid to pay for her care.)
In the meantime, this is officially “chicken” money — not to be risked. So leave it in teh money market account at eTrade, or in a bank MM deposit account. You don’t want to risk losing any of it. If it remains yours after her death, then you can? consider risker investments like stocks. |
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$25.00 Additional Puppy Viewing Request
$25.00 For Each Additional Puppy You Want To View During Visit
- 15 min15 minutes
- 25 US dollars$25
- Texas Teacups
You must indicate in the notes which puppy numbers you want to see. We can show you puppies by breed, size, sex or price limit if you have one. Let us know what is important to you because we do not want to bring a breed that you are not interested in or tiny expensive puppies if you wanted a larger lower priced puppy. IMPORTANT! Internet Discounted Price is only available to customers that submitted an application for a specific discounted puppy before coming. Sorry, no exceptions will be made. If you did NOT submit an application on a specific puppy number. The only price you will be quoted and allowed to pay is the starting price. Yes, you need to submit an application for each puppy you would like to purchase if you would like to purchase it at the internet discounted price. If you are more than 15 minutes late, we will need to reschedule you for another day or time if we have another appointment immediately after yours. A confirmation text will be sent to the cell phone number you listed the morning of your appointment to confirm. You MUST respond to the message to confirm your appointment. You can do so as early as 5:00 am and no later than 9:00 am or we will not bring the puppy you requested. Please send a text to confirm you are coming with your first & last name and puppy number to 972-989-5266 or 972-203-0000 https://www.texasteacups.com/how-to-purchase-or-adopt-a-puppy ^ Click Open & Read Before Coming ^
Cancellations must be made at least 2 hours in advance. However, if you have paid for a private viewing fee or express fee for a same day appointment, this fee will not be refunded. No Show Appointments will be limited to 1 puppy on next appointment. Please be kind enough to cancel in advance if you cannot keep your appointment.
Teacup and Toy Pets Boutique Puppies & Designer Pet Supplies - Payment Plans Available, Stonewall Road, Wylie, TX, USA |
The sheriff of the state’s largest county is peeved with the Texas Department of State Health Services, the agency that runs the state’s mental health hospitals.
The agency is not offering the care that it is required to provide, the Harris County sheriff, Adrian Garcia, said. Given proper treatment, the sheriff argues, some patients would not be committing the crimes of which they are accused. Instead, they end up in Harris County’s jails, where they are a health care and financial burden to the county.
Sheriff Garcia has allies, and might even get some help. The state agency is being reviewed by the Legislature’s Sunset Advisory Commission, which will hold hearings later this month on a report from its staff that calls the system a mess. “Resolving the current crisis in the state mental health hospital system requires action, starting now,” the first recommendation states.
The report is remarkably clear, as these things go, detailing changes in organization and programs that would reboot the agency. It has floundered since undergoing a reorganization ordered by lawmakers who were trying to create “a truly integrated health services organization” in 2003.
“The state mental health hospital system is dealing with enormous pressure from increased commitments from the courts, and the review found that a lack of communication and collaboration between DSHS and the judiciary only exacerbates the problem,” the staff analysts wrote. They added that out-of-date facilities, “critical shortages” of clinical staff and the agency’s struggles with organization and new legislative initiatives have added to the troubles. The agency did not offer much resistance in its formal response, saying the report “captures the challenges we face” and that agency officials “understand and support the intent and direction of the recommendations.”
In other words, the system is not working. The recommendations include increasing staff for the hospitals and expanding capacity by contracting with local providers whenever possible.
That is not revolutionary thinking. “Several of the recommendations in this report simply reflect a need for the agency to simply do its job better,” the analysts wrote.
Harris County has a list of about 900 people — frequent fliers, they call them — who were in and out of jail at least five times in 2011 and 2012. Some had 30 or more visits, the sheriff said.
From that list, 538 had been diagnosed with mental health issues that required treatment, according to the sheriff. He points out a couple of issues.
First, they are more expensive to jail. He contends that they get the care they need while locked up that is as good as or better than what they receive in state programs that are supposed to care for them. But it is expensive. The average jail inmate costs taxpayers less than $70 a day, Garcia said. The average inmate in need of mental health treatment costs $300 per day.
Second, the jails are not the best place for this care. It is less costly to treat these patients — those who commit crimes and those who do not — in the state mental hospitals that, unlike jails, were built for the job.
On any given day, Harris County has 9,000 people in its custody, Garcia said. “A third of them are receiving some degree of psychotropic medication,” he said. “Imagine the care they could be otherwise getting outside the jail. If they got that treatment, if they had access to that treatment, they would in all likelihood not come to me to begin with.”
Last year, lawmakers approved a pilot program — proposed in legislation from state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, and a former state district judge — intended to get treatment for inmates as they check out of Harris County’s detention centers. The hope is that the treatment will effectively turn unintentional criminals — people whose crimes are tied to their mental illnesses — into non-criminals.
“I firmly believe that the majority of people who are in my custody who are in this mental illness category are coming here largely because of their illness and not necessarily because of their actions,” Garcia said.
“Here is an agency that has the money and can’t do it,” he added. “I cannot explain why, with all those calls for action, why they are unable to get it right.” |
In its ruling dated 17 October 2023, the Conseil d’État dismissed the appeal lodged by Ryanair and Airport Marketing Services (the “Appellants”) against the decision of the Bordeaux Administrative Court of Appeal of 29 March 20221. The Appellants were seeking the annulment of the Poitiers Administrative Court’s ruling of 15 December 2020, which had rejected their application for the recognition and enforcement of arbitration awards rendered in 2011 and 2012 by the LCIA in their dispute against the Syndicat mixte des aéroports de Charente (“SMAC”).
The Conseil d’État confirmed the previous courts’ position that the forced enforcement of an arbitration award involving a French public legal entity and a foreign legal entity cannot be authorised if it is contrary to public policy. It recalled that legal entities governed by public law in France may not derogate from the rules governing the jurisdiction of national courts by resorting to arbitration, unless otherwise provided by national legislation or an international agreement.
The Conseil d’État also examined the provisions of the 1958 New York Convention and the 1961 European Convention on International Commercial Arbitration, and concluded that the dispute was not arbitrable. It rejected the Appellants’ argument that the contract that French public entity would have entered into for international purposes justified derogating from the principle that public entities are prohibited from resorting to arbitration.
Finally, the Conseil d’État ruled that the arbitration agreement concluded between SMAC and the Appellants did not fall within the scope of the European Convention on International Commercial Arbitration, since the Appellants had their registered offices in Ireland, which is not a party to that convention.
As a result, the Conseil d’État dismissed the appeal lodged by the Appellants and ordered each of them to pay the SMAC the sum of 1,500 euros under article L. 761-1 of the Code of Administrative Justice. |
VISION OF A SHOWER GOLD COINS
I was meditating about a year ago. I wont do it again. Ive always practiced relaxation and any vision I did see ive dismissed it as imagination. This time was different. I was really meditating for about 20 minutes. I saw eyes looking at me, and the next thing I knew, as plain as day Jesus walked through a door opening towards me.He was holding his right hand up and crossing his fingers. I immediately felt terrible shame and he instantly covered his face with a cloud , and I felt better. to his left was an old man all dressed in white like a pope. He was smiling at me and showing me at least 2 gold leaves or spades pinned to his chest. I was about 8 feet away. no one spoke a word the whole time. I wanted to come closer to determine the gold pins and in an instant I was standing upon who I thought was Jesus . I was looking down and could actually see the quality of this robe with extreme clarity. He then raised his right forearm to show me a row of 10 or 12 gold buttons on it. I saw them, then immediately I was completely just showered with all these golden coins!! although the feeling of it was just so awesome. I actually tried to will them back for fear I was being tempted by something else. Lastly there was this golden rod or tube like object about 10 inches in length. ,and 2 inches in diameter spinning about chest and head level about an arms length away. Spinning way to fast to touch it.After that I felt like I was being led out of that area by someone on my left. I stopped to look back and I saw a hallway with a couple old fashioned church like windows.The whole thing was just unbelievable and I cant stop thinking about it. |
It’s Sunday, 05 November 2017.
Nobody applauds when the announcer declares the 2017 International Quilt Festival over.
Queen Becky gives us a lesson in how to fold the quilts,
how to roll and twist the tissue paper,
and where to place it to prevent creases when the quilts are folded.
She is an excellent teacher from whom I learn an awful lot.
The quilts and all who had a hand in creating them are treated with respect.
A clean sheet is placed between the quilts and the floor,
and everyone who touches the quilts wears clean, white gloves.
Sean and David Rusidill (Caroline’s amazingly polite and fun to be with sons), Judy Jochen,
and Shannon Timberlake join in the take down and store effort.
The Engineer (Andy) takes quilts off the walls, and
Linda Moore and Peggy Thomas (sisters) fold and box quilts as they come down.
Caroline Rudisill checks quilts off the inventory list
as they go into the boxes.
It would not have happened with out Peggy Thomas
and Tari Vickery,
both seen here in The 70273 Project Interactive Booth
where people took home 1000 block kits,
left financial donations, and made Friendship Blocks.
Peggy Thomas and Tari Vickery (The 70273 Project Ambassadors)
– what would I . . . what would The 70273 Project . . . do without them?
Mary Green, Ambassador for The 70273 Project
(seen here in front of her beautiful Middling made with beads)
worked in the Interactive Booth, as did . . .
Cindy Cavallo, Ambassador
Caroline Rudisill, Ambassador
Frances Alford, Ambassador
and folks whose photos must be on somebody else’s phone:
Elaine Smith, Ambassador
Linda Moore, Ambassador
Judy Jochen, Ambassador,
Thank you all for making the effort not just to get to the Festival,
but to share your time with The 70273 Project. I am grateful beyond description.
Thank you to Queen Becky, who hung The 70273 Project quilts
in the Special Exhibit, making us look so good . . .
to Rose (she teaches special education) who helped hang quilts in the Interactive Booth . . .
to Becky who, because of health issues, wasn’t able to be at the Festival,
but for months and months before the Festival, donned her best patience and wit
to guide me through the process,
even taking the time to call me on the phone
with the good news that The 70273 Project had been selected
as a Special Exhibit when she could’ve just sent an email.
to Deann who was on-site, always calm and patient and thorough in her answers and instructions,
to Terri, whose laugh never faded throughout the entire five days
to the people back home who assembled The Go Block Bags
(all 1000 bags were taken!) . . .
to all y’all who weren’t there in person,
but were most definitely there in spirit – sharing posts,
telling others, sending encouraging, appreciative message, emails, and comments –
and to The Engineer . . . Andy
the man who has unwaveringly honored
our vision and vow of togetherness
for 44 years now . . .
It definitely takes a village, and we have a village made of the kindest,
most compassionate, smiling, big-hearted people I ever dreamed existed.
All good things must come to an end, and the International Quilt Festival is no exception.
Looking at the photos of empty walls now, I see visual foreshadowing . . .
We get home and take our elder Corgi Phoebe up the mountain on Wednesday,
cooking all her favorite foods and putting them in front of her,
sitting on the floor with her, petting her, talking to her, loving her.
She wants to go outside every 2 minutes or so as though she can’t make up her mind.
She stands over her water bowl as though it’s familiar,
but she’s forgotten what she’s supposed to do with it.
A business trip on Thursday, and on Friday, it’s time to make The Hard Decision.
As we wait on Jeff (our vet, friend, and well, extended family member),
a man comes in and walks right over to Phoebe who would ordinarily
be glad to see him because she has always known that everybody wants to pet her.
This man does want to pet her,
but today Phoebe doesn’t even raise her head
or look up at him.
We are ushered not into the usual exam room,
but into a more spacious room with colorful padded chairs.
There’s even a doggie bed . . . pink.
I know why we are here
– shoot, I’m the one who called Jeff and told him why we wanted to come –
and yet I am unable to let go of the hope,
that Jeff will enter to announce that an IV of fluids
and maybe 2 weeks of antibiotics and our Phoebe will be good as new.
That’s not what happens.
I sit on the floor with Phoebe.
She stands near the door,
and I ask her to move
for fear someone will smack her hard
when they don’t see her standing there.
She makes laps around the room,
walking in circles that take her
in front of the examining table,
in front of Andy,
in front of me,
then back by the examining table.
Around and around and around she goes.
Jeff takes her out to put the catheter in,
and when he brings her back,
she’s content to lay on the bed she’s been avoiding.
We all sit on the floor now.
As Jeff administers the sedative/anti-anxiety drug,
I tell stories that start with “Remember when . . . “.
As Jeff administers the narcotic,
we each lay a hand on Phoebe
and send steady streams of love to her
through our touch.
The precious four-legged soul called Phoebe
who gifted us with her presence
breathes her last breath
to the sound of laughter and love.
From the high of the Special Exhibit at IQF
to the lows of witnessing the life of a member of our family come to a close,
life is a roller coaster, and we have been in the front seat. |
It helps to think of the English language as a horse. Even with all the tools we have to harness and tame it—usage dictionaries, manuals of style, thesauruses—it often manages to buck us off and run wild. You’d think it would be easier. Words fill up the space around you, they cover surfaces and fill pages, they infiltrate your life. But it never seems as though we have full control over their eccentricities.
For many, the National Spelling Bee is the ultimate field of battle, upon which man (well, children no more advanced than eighth grade) is pitted against the language-monster it has created. Those of us who are enthusiasts of spelling bees relish the tenuous nature of it all. Every spring at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C., spellers take turns standing in front of a microphone, trying to pluck a spoken word out of the air and make it tangible by selecting from the twenty-six letters in our language and arranging them in a precise order. Watching the bee on television, you can see kids essentially become possessed by a word; they say it, they rinse it around their mouth, they try to draw it in the air with their finger. It is all to conquer the word, to unlock its secret and step grandly upon its slain form in victory. People have fainted in the attempt.
If you were to picture the person who pronounces those words, Jacques Bailly might well be the man your mind comes up with. When I met him in his gabled office in the classics department building at the University of Vermont, he was wearing glasses and a Merriam-Webster baseball cap. Every surface was covered in papers or books—we moved a pile from a chair so I could sit down and shifted other items around so we could squeeze my travel Scrabble game onto a flat plane. We played as we talked. Dr. Bailly was mild-mannered, like a superhero, and gave the impression of a child prodigy all grown up.
I. “THE POOR KID FROM ILLINOIS WHO’S NEVER SEEN NOR HEARD OF A MUUMUU HAS NO CHANCE.”
[We draw tiles from the bag to see who goes first; it’s me.]
THE BELIEVER: So how does one become the official pronouncer for the National Spelling Bee?
JACQUES BAILLY: You just have to be lucky. I became the pronouncer by being the associate pronouncer for ten or eleven years, and I became associate pronouncer by writing to them and saying,“I won the bee in 1980.You may not remember me, but since then, I’ve learned Latin and Greek and a lot more French and German and a little bit of Arabic, and you might want someone on your staff who has that knowledge. If you do, I’m here and I’m interested.” [I open the Scrabble game with “winged,” which earns me twelve points.]
BLVR: Do you find the level of competition has changed since you competed?
JB: That’s kind of hard to say. I think it’s a problem with the accuracy of my perceptions. Teaching, I hear a lot of things like, “Kids can’t spell anymore” or “In my time, we knew the difference between ‘there,’ ‘their,’ and ‘they’re,’ and ‘to’ and ‘too,’ and now kids don’t, even when they get to college.” But in the end, it’s like one of those Escher paintings where it looks like the staircase is always going down but it never really can go down. It’s got to be something like that, because I don’t feel like we’re in a period of massive national decline. I think that the spelling bee itself is probably more competitive, although the word lists aren’t any harder. They did get much harder. By about ’90–’91, they were impossibly difficult.
BLVR: In terms of the lengths of the words or the obscure origin?
JB: Well, length isn’t really a factor in spelling a word. You throw me a thirty-letter word and I can spell it with just about as much ease as a ten-letter word or a five-letter word. The real problem in spelling bees is making them gradually more difficult. Here, let me give you a little spelling test. Spell the word “geeldikkop.” It’s from Afrikaans. It’s a South African sheep disease. You want to take a stab?
BLVR: Say it again?
BLVR: It sounds like a woman’s name. G-a-l-e-d-i-tk-o-p?
JB: No, it’s g-e-e-l-d-i-k-k-o-p. Did you have any clue beforehand?
JB: You can’t have any clue, you’ve never heard of the word, nobody’s ever heard of the word. Nobody ever uses the word. That was a word in the bee. As far as I’m concerned, there are two types of words in spelling bees. There’s the kind of word that you know if you’ve seen it because it’s weird—you know the word ‘muumuu’?
BLVR: Sure. M-u-u-m-u-u.
JB: Yeah. Do you think you could spell that if you had never seen it?
BLVR: Probably not.
JB: If you knew something about Hawaiian words, you’d probably have a good chance. A really good spelling champion will look at all the Hawaiian words together and will figure out that there’s only a certain number of sounds, there’s only a certain way to spell each sound, and that it’s really not that hard. But isolated Hawaiian words in the language are very hard for the ordinary person. The poor kid from Illinois who’s in the eighth grade who’s never seen nor heard of a muumuu has no chance. If I give that same kid a word like, I don’t know, “noosphere,” that kid has an excellent chance, because they can ask a few questions, they can root around and figure out that it’s n-o-o-s-p-h-er-e because the ‘n-o’ is like in ‘noetic,’ which maybe they know from some spelling list. And ‘sphere’—you can figure that out.They’re both from the Greek, there’s gonna be an ‘o’ in the middle. It’s a system. You can learn that system, you can manipulate it, you can understand it.
[Dr. Bailly plays “aired,” running vertical to meet the end of my word. He calls it “not a very good one.”]
BLVR: Do you have a favorite word?
JB: A favorite word. Ever since I’ve been a child, this question—what’s your favorite color? What’s your favorite… whatever? Sometimes I do have an answer. I don’t know. Favorite word.There’s a favorite kind of word. I like words, for spelling bees, that a kid’ll hear and say, “Okay, that’s kinda like this word and kinda like that word.” I like words that are not technical, one-off words that they’ll probably never run into in their life. I mean, how many times have you ever seen a ronquil?
BLVR: Only two or three times.
JB: Really? I mean, ronquil. It’s a kind of fish. Who doesn’t know “ronquil”? Well, I could care less about ronquils. There are lots of bullfighting terms in the spelling bee. Now, I personally think that bullfighting words are among the most useless words in the English language. And heraldic words are equally useless. I love heraldry; I think heraldry’s great fun. Bullfighting I could care less about. The point is, my favorite words are the words you’re liable to see again. Gullible. Loquacious. Logorrhea.
JB: Oleaginous. My favorite words tend to be the Greek and Latin ones because I think that the kids who learn those learn a lot more than just that one word.
II. “I HAVE WON THE SPELLING BEE, SO HOWEVER I SPELL A WORD NOW IS CORRECT.
[Dr. Bailly strategically places three letters on the board, conveniently located on a triple word score, which earns him thirty-two points.]
BLVR:There are musicians who, after they learn theory, can’t listen to music for pleasure. Has being immersed in this spelling culture changed the way you see language at all?
JB: Oh yeah, I don’t care about spelling as much anymore. I really don’t. I always tell this story about a good friend of mine in college. We both took this art history class, and he just loved art. We would talk about art all the time, and he was an artist—he painted and knew a lot about art. And I didn’t know anything about it. I’d been to museums, but my idea of a museum when I was little was, “Let’s go count how many clocks there are ’cause this is so damn boring.” I really felt like he taught me about art in that class. When it came down to looking at our grades, I had an A and he had a B minus. I’d read his papers and I thought that they were very good. But he couldn’t spell at all. So I think that what happened was, when the T.A. or professor read his paper, they kept seeing these misspelled words and thinking, “This kid’s stupid! This kid can’t spell! Stupid!” He wasn’t in control of that perception of himself.
BLVR: So the communication of his ideas was bogged down by his inability to spell?
JB: I think that was the root of it, because he knew a lot more about art than I ever did. In some sense, I find it less important, but I’m also realistic about its importance. It’s just like dialect—you don’t want to let people form their own mistaken opinions about you if you can help it. Spelling correctly is one way to help it. You don’t want to give away that you use “ain’t” and “like” and “gonna” all the time if you’re going on a job interview. You want to control that. When you get the job, you might just go back to your normal persona and say “ain’t,” “gonna,” and “like,” but you want to control how other people perceive you. I think spelling really helps that, because your written language is how you come through. Anyone can use spell check and look up words and get them all right, theoretically. But if you have to think about that too much, you don’t think about the other things that are a lot more important, like the content.
BLVR: So it’s more that a weakness in spelling masks what someone is trying to say, rather than misspelling actually being a sign of failure?
JB: There’s an intelligence to creative spelling. If I weren’t the official pronouncer at the National Spelling Bee, I might join that Simplified Spelling Society that’s trying to reform English spelling. Just for a lark, because I think they have a point. I’m not gonna join it because it’s a hopeless point; they’re never gonna get through. But it really would be nice if the technology of our language were simpler to use, if spelling accurately reflected pronunciation. It would be more user-friendly, and I think we’d be a better society for it. I’m learning Chinese now, and I don’t understand why they haven’t just tossed their characters and tossed Pinyin and figured out a really coherent, consistent, accurate way to represent their language. I know the answer: it’s because of tradition. It’s because they like those characters. I love the characters; they’re so much fun. They’re damnably hard. It would just make a lot of sense to simplify it. After I won the spelling bee, I started saying, “I have spelling license.” Any time I misspelled a word, I said I had spelling license.“I have won the spelling bee, so however I spell a word now is correct.” It was a joke at the time and I don’t mean it seriously, but I do think that it’s given me a perspective that spelling has a real importance. It’s not just a stupid human trick.
BLVR: Do you see correct spelling as a measure of intelligence at all, or is it just a measure of being able to perform this specific skill?
JB:That’s kind of a difficult one. I think that it is a particular type of intelligence, but I don’t think of intelligence as one coherent thing that is always together and always the same. It’s pretty clear to me that there is such a thing as areas of intelligence, and those are parts of what comes together as the things you can do with your mind, which, taken in aggregate, give you something you can measure. I do believe that SATs and all those intelligence tests are measuring something. I just don’t think that it’s a something that is crisply defined. I haven’t seen somebody—any of these kids—who I don’t think is intelligent. But if you look at their records, it’s not as though winning the spelling bee tells you that they’re going to go to Caltech, Harvard, MIT, or what have you. They’ll probably go to a good college—they’re likely to.
BLVR: It could also say something about their drive to—
JB: Yeah, there’s a lot of that, too. I had a cousin who got all A’s in school, but it wasn’t just because she was intelligent. It’s because she wanted to. I know people who get all A’s in school and they don’t even try. Intelligence is a slippery thing. It’s not like winning the spelling bee means that you are going to go far in math, or you are going to be excellent at learning a foreign language or some skill that could really get you far in life. Knowing how to spell will get you a very good secretarial position. The president doesn’t need to know how to spell. As Dan Quayle showed, you can have a very high office and not know how to spell. Spelling is a weird skill.
[Dr. Bailly puts a ‘ch’ in front of ‘aired,’ which earns him twenty-six points because of a double word score.]
III. “THE SPELLING BEE IS LIKE CARROT CAKE.”
BLVR: What effect do you think the ESPN broadcast has had on the bee?
JB: It adds to the tension, but the kids love it.They are counting the seconds ’til they know they’ll be on the broadcast. They know exactly when that broadcast starts and they know whether they have a chance of getting on it and they love that. I don’t know of any kid who’s said,“Oh my god, I just can’t stand the pressure of being on TV.” It is a very funny combo. I always tell my students,“Hey, I’m on ESPN this weekend.”
BLVR: I noticed they allowed the home-schooled kids to name their “schools” on the ESPN broadcast.
BLVR:Yeah, the boy who finished third last year apparently attended “The Pure Brains Academy.”
JB: [Laughs] Well, you know, the spelling bee is just tailor-made for home schoolers.You’re sitting at home trying to figure out a way to get your kid to learn all this language—the spelling bee is like a carrot. It’s like a carrot cake.You know,“Hey, at the end of the year, we get to go to this contest with all these other kids.”There’s studying material on the web that they can use. I’m really surprised they don’t do better than they do.
[Dr. Bailly is pondering his next move, muttering the curse of every Scrabble player:“I have great letters, but nowhere to put them.”]
BLVR: Has the documentary Spellbound hindered or helped the bee’s image?
JB: Oh, Spellbound has been great. It’s a better movie than we could ever possibly produce for ourselves. It presents, I think, lots of truths about the bee. One big thing is just how incredibly diverse the bee is, and it might be because you have 250 newspapers who have 250 different publics and you tend to get a little bit of this, a little bit of that. But you go to that bee and there in those photos, you see every different stripe and spot and hairstyle and what-have-you. It’s really kind of inspiring.
BLVR: I think my favorite fact from Spellbound is that Neil’s grandfather in India would have fed, like, five thousand people if Neil had won the bee.
JB: Oh, he would have! I had a friend and her father— I think he was a doctor or something—once a year, they went out and fed the whole village. And it’s literally, you know, a thousand people. I believe he would have done that. The sub-continental Indian community in the U.S. is very active in spelling bees. They have their own spelling bee, just for that community.
BLVR: Really? In English?
JB: Yeah. They’re disproportionately represented. I haven’t really checked it and nobody keeps those figures, but we see a lot of the really, really good spellers from India.
BLVR: Do you think a lot of people see the spelling bee as some fulfillment of the American Dream?
JB: I think they do, they start to. I mean, it’s pretty clear that a degree from Yale is a little bit more of a fulfillment of that. Or, you know, a job. But by eighth grade, that’s what their kids can do. And it’s on a national scale in their new country. You see an awful lot of kids whose parents are immigrants and I think it gives them an edge because they still have that contact with another language, and I think that really helps, because it’s all about language and all about broadening your view of language. That’s how you win the spelling bee, unless you have a photographic memory, and then you just have to picture it.We had one kid who did that. He got a word and then he missed it, and he insisted it wasn’t in the dictionary. Paige took him and showed him that it was in the addenda, and he said,“Oh. There’s an addenda?” And he had memorized the whole dictionary—he quoted back to us passages from the dictionary. He had it all memorized.
BLVR: Wow. I can’t even fathom being able to do that.
JB: Yeah. Being able to look it up, in your head? And in theory, we all could do that, because—don’t you ever have these flashes of memory, where you remember something you didn’t think you remembered? It’s all in your head somewhere. How do you get to it?
[At this point, Dr. Bailly notices that I’ve played ‘revile,’ though I hadn’t written down the score. It is thirteen points.]
IV. “‘FAHRVERGNUGEN’ IS NOT A HARD WORD TO SPELL.”
BLVR: The thing that I identify the spelling bee with most closely in my mind is Miss America.There’s something about both of them that seems unique to this country. Do you see that at all?
JB: I do see it in the sense that deciding who the most beautiful person is, or the most accomplished, is really kind of an artificial, strange enterprise that you can’t do. But it’s interesting. Spelling bees are strange, because if we really wanted to find the best speller, we’d sit them all down and give them a hundred-word written test, and the kid who missed the least words would be the champion. It’d be very simple and very easy. But we don’t want necessarily the best speller.They want a kid who can stand up there in front of everybody, keep their cool, and spell it right.We want there to be luck in it, we want there to be drama, and it’s just a lot more fun to have it as a spelling bee.
BLVR:Are there spelling bees in other countries?
JB: No. Not even in Britain.Although the BBC is running a spelling bee and I think they’re gonna send someone to Washington this year.The British have kept up a tradition of aristocratic spelling, which holds that there are certain accepted ways to spell a word instead of just one.There are certain accepted ways that betray education.And there are ways that betray lack of education. Noah Webster wasn’t the one who codified a standard way of spelling, but he did a lot for that in the U.S. Before that—there were dictionaries, and there was a big effort at standardizing spelling. I think the U.S. really glommed onto this notion of standardized spelling because it’s terribly democratic. There’s only one way to spell a word and everybody spells it the same way.
[I put down “jaunt.” Fourteen points.]
JB: Jaunt. Nice word.“Jaunty” is a word, isn’t it?
[He uses it to attach to another word he’s spelled ending in ‘y’, gaining him twenty-four points. I counter meekly with a seven-pointer.]
JB: And also, the word “bee” was first used in that sense in 1876. Before that, there had been quilting and sewing and other sorts of bees that were community efforts to do something. No other language that I know of has a spelling bee per se. England could. Spanish speaking nations could not. France could not. Germany could not. Because you just don’t misspell words in German. They are very easy to spell. If you know German, you hear a word and you know how to spell it. “Fahrvergnugen” is not a hard word to spell in German. It’s only hard because we don’t speak enough German to recognize that system. In France, you couldn’t have a spelling bee because it’s obvious how to spell a word. It’s not obvious how to end the word in French. So you have a big national dictée and people who get only ten errors are just wonderful. Do you know about this?
JB: They dictate a paragraph or a page of prose and you write it down. It’s just, you know, you write that down word-for-word and the declension and conjugation of the words is quite difficult, whether there’s apostrophes or silent letters and such. It sounds like spelling, but it’s not because it changes in form. Spelling bees don’t really get into that much; every once in a while, we’ll have a word like “agenda,” which is technically a plural, but in English, it’s used as a singular. So you just couldn’t have a spelling bee in another language.
[Dr. Bailly easily bested me in Scrabble, by the way, 313–258. His victory was not in spelling difficult, obscure words; rather, he merely took advantage of the double and triple word scores I left open to him.] |
Slotegrator, a leading software and business solution provider, is pleased to announce the appointment of Hmayak Manukyan as Head of Sales.
“I’m very excited to join the Slotegrator team at this stage in the company’s business development. This year promises to be challenging, as the company will be targeting new regions such as Africa, Latin America, and Asia, but I’m looking forward to the rewards those challenges will bring. One of my goals as Head of Sales is to grow our sales team, and we’re planning to add more than 15 sales managers to the team by the end of the year,” says Hmayak about his plans at Slotegrator.
Manukyan has extensive experience in the fields of sales and project management in the gambling industry. With a proven track record of overseeing the entire sales cycle from attracting and managing leads to arranging meetings, presenting company capabilities, developing proposals, and negotiating and closing deals, Manukyan is a welcome addition to the Slotegrator team.
Yuriy Filipchenko, managing director, commented on the appointment:
“We are delighted to welcome Hmayak to the Slotegrator team. Currently, the company is going through an interesting period – in 2022, we are aimed at strong growth. Hmayak, with his extensive experience in reputable iGaming companies, is the perfect fit to strengthen our team. His appointment will contribute to the expansion of our products’ presence in the global market.
Since 2012, Slotegrator has been one of the iGaming industry’s leading software and business solution providers for online casino and sportsbook operators.
The company’s main focus is a software development and support for online casino platforms, as well as the integration of game content and payment systems. Slotegrator also provides a complete turnkey platform solution.
The company works with licensed game developers and offers a vast portfolio of casino content: slots, live casino games, poker, virtual sports, table games, lotteries, casual games, and data feeds for betting.
Slotegrator also provides consulting services in gambling license acquisition and business incorporation. |
Sam Acho signed a multiyear deal with ESPN last month but is delivering the takes of a savvy 10-year pundit who knows how to get a reaction. This morning on Get Up he apparently advocated for Andy Dalton to be the starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears this year. Which may happen based on Matt Nagy's very public commitment not to rush the generational talent of Justin Fields. It's not what I've said but not entirely crazy.
What is nuts, though, is pretending that an Dalton-led Bears team could sniff the Lombardi Trophy. Footage of Acho saying that the Midway Monsters are "ready to win a Super Bowl" has yet to find its way onto the internet — and for good reason because some stuff is simply too shocking and irresponsible for consumption — but the show's account helpfully posted Jeff Saturday's reaction to such silliness.
Saturday helpfully ticked through several of the countless reasons Fields gives the Bears more hope to shock the world and win the franchise's first Super Bowl since that 1985 team you never hear about locally. Simply put, Fields is incredibly gifted physically and has proven time and time again to be tough as nails mentally.
On the other hand, Acho points out that Peyton Manning wasn't very good as a rookie. And that Patrick Mahomes didn't play his first year out of Texas Tech. And that Dalton has a higher completion percentage than Alex Smith in his career.
The cumulative effect of this back and forth was the full-on breaking of Jeff Darlington's brain. He endeavored to sit there and not get involved but simply couldn't take it anymore. A very human reaction to the general silliness going on at ESPN's Seaport studios.
It's saying a lot but this is one of those clips that genuinely cause me to wonder what we're all doing in this rat race of sports content. How did we get here? How long is this model sustainable? And what is the point of Andy Dalton and Super Bowl confidence being joined together in the same sentence? |
How A Roth IRA Works: A Simple Guide For Retirement Savings
Many people believe they don’t have enough money to save for retirement, but a Roth IRA is specifically designed so that you can contribute whatever you can afford, even if it’s only $50 per month. The Best roth ira investments offers many advantages, such as tax-free growth and withdrawal of contributions (not investment gains), and is an important part of a retirement plan.
What is a Roth IRA?
A Roth IRA is a special type of individual retirement account, or IRA. There are several types of IRAs, including the traditional IRA and the SEP-IRA.
A Roth IRA also has several important features:
Contributions to a Roth IRA may be made on an after-tax basis, meaning that you contribute with money that you have already paid taxes on. This distinguishes the Roth from other types of IRAs, which allow tax-deductible contributions; with those accounts, you contribute with money for which no taxes have been paid. Your investments grow tax-free and can be withdrawn tax-free, assuming certain conditions are met.
How does a Roth IRA work?
Any U.S. citizen or resident with earned income can contribute to a Roth IRA, subject to income limits. You can generally make contributions up to the due date of your tax return, including any extension; this is a major advantage of the Roth compared with other types of IRAs, which have set annual contribution limits or require that you make contributions during the calendar year in which you turn 70½. When you open an account at a bank, brokerage firm or mutual fund company, they’ll provide step-by-step instructions for how to contribute. Most companies that offer IRAs also offer Roth IRAs. Contributions to a Roth IRA must be made in cash.
The money you contribute to your Roth IRA is invested in the manner of your choosing, and all investments (including mutual funds, stocks, bonds and CDs) are eligible for Roth IRAs. Withdrawals of contributions can be taken at any time for any reason without penalty or tax. However, if you take a withdrawal that isn’t a return of contributions (such as investment earnings or withdrawals before age 59½), the withdrawal amount will be taxed as income and may also be subject to a 10% penalty.
What are the pros and cons of a Roth IRA?
The major disadvantages (in descending order) of Roth IRAs include:
Some people don’t understand how a Roth IRA works, and end up contributing too little money to their account. This is especially true in early years, when contributions can be significantly lower than they will be later. Without sufficient contributions, your earnings on the funds will not be tax-free. A Roth IRA is an excellent vehicle for retirement saving because you can contribute whatever amount you can afford, even if it’s less than the maximum allowed by law. |
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…and the government is panicking.
The Irish government has voiced fear that the upcoming referendum on the position of women and the family in the Irish constitution may be hijacked by the so-called “far-right.” Elements of the referendum will have implications for immigration, and this will prove pivotal.
The two referenda are scheduled to take place on March 8th 2024, International Women’s Day. It will alter article 41 of the Irish constitution to widen the legal definition of the family unit, and to replace article 41.2 which recognises the role of women in the home, to a generalised, and gender neutral, alternative.
The government’s concern that the far-right may “threaten the outcome” of this referendum indicates a not-so-democratic presumption on their part; that they are implementing the referendum based on presumption they will win, not because they want to poll the Irish people.
On the face of it, this referendum appears to be no less than legislative virtue signalling. So why is it that the Irish government is concerned about the meddlesome intervention of dissenting voices?
Immigration has, within the span of the last year, become the most prominent issue in Irish politics, a fact the government is all-too-vexed to acknowledge. With 74% of Irish people believing that the country has taken in too many immigrants, the coalition government is both fearful and agitated that the political consequences of their policy mismanagement will come back to bite them.
Fine Gael TD, Neale Richmond, has admitted that the upcoming referendum is, in part, designed to facilitate a larger eligibility scope for immigration applications. On the topic of the referendum, Richmond commented: “This has serious consequences, particularly when we think of immigration law and proving that someone is a family member…or family reunification. This will allow that to be accommodated as well.”
As such, by the government’s own design, and not those of far-right boogeymen, has the upcoming referendum been painted as one in which the issue of immigration may come to the forefront of the Irish electorate.
The government has time and time again condemned the introduction of culture wars type political rhetoric into the Irish setting, but are wont to neglect that they themselves are responsible for their own political nightmares. This referendum is, by nature, one in which the progressive feminist supporters of mass-migration sitting in Leinster House are embattling themselves against those whose convictions and beliefs they consider anathema to very principles of utopian civil society.
The government is fearful that political dissidents may get a leg-up on them in this upcoming referendum given their history of political failures to amend the Irish constitution. 54% of Irish people voted no to the first Nice referendum, furthermore 53% voted no to the first Lisbon referendum. In both cases, the Irish government used the excuse of low voter turnout to conduct a successful second referendum. Furthermore, Ireland voted against immigration in the 2004 citizenship referendum, which sought to prevent immigrants from obtaining Irish citizenship through anchor babies and the exploitation of legislative loop-holes.
In an RTÉ interview, Simon Harris stated that the referendum was necessary to modernise the Irish constitution and to remove gendered, sexist language, stating in no uncertain terms that “this is not a referendum for which the outcome, in any way shape or form can be taken for granted.” Furthermore, Harris requested the support of all parties in Dáil Éireann to pull together and provide a united front in favour of the referendum.
Minister Simon Harris has called on all parties to "pull together" ahead of next years referendum on women's duties in the home, while Labour's Aodhán Ó Ríordáin warns of a potential lack of energy due to wording | Listen to RTÉ's Your Politics Podcast: https://t.co/wZcAKEp2Bs pic.twitter.com/qXjL4rhcKj— RTÉ News (@rtenews) December 28, 2023
Labour TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, in the same interview, warned that the referendum may, given the lack of political energy in civil society groups or NGOs at the current time, become a referendum on a different topic altogether.
In fact, so concerned is the Irish government with facing the political consequences of their failures, that on the same referendum ballot was originally planned a referendum to allow Irish citizens overseas to vote in Presidential elections. Following Conor McGregor’s outspoken criticisms of the government, and proposition to run for office, however, the government have canned the ballot as the idea no longer benefits their political interests.
At a time when a government Minister refers to a lax border policy which, in effect facilitates mass-migration, as “the new normal”, there can be no doubt that the upcoming referendum is fundamentally about immigration.
If the function of referenda in a democratic society is to have the public engage, and decide on a specific policy which will have far-reaching implications on their society, then the Irish government’s conduct by its very nature undermines the democratic principles which they use to virtue-shield themselves from political criticism.
Government campaigning in favour of the referendum, and the brazen comments made by Roderic O’Gorman and Simon Harris about ensuring its passage into law indicate a not-so democratic presumption on their part that either a) they will win implicitly, or b) they will use all the political tools available to them, ranging from civil society groups to NGOs, to ensure that the referendum is passed. In such a scenario, the government’s admission is clear – Irish democracy is a farce. |
The couple shared a touching moment during their royal wedding that hinted at the future family plans they had.
With Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s first child due to arrive next month, lets see how this started and how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex might have hinted at a family from the very beginning.
During the ceremony on their big wedding day, when the Dean of Windsor spoke of marriage, he said it is the “foundation of family life in which children are born and nurtured”, at which moment Prince Harry looked lovingly at his bride and smiled.
At that point we might have figured out what kind of plans the royal couple would have when it came to children.
In past interviews Meghan has said that motherhood has always been on her “bucket list”, while Harry has always talked about how he would love to have children. So it came as no surprise that only a few months after the royal wedding Kensington Palace made an announcement that the Duchess was expecting.
The topic has also been discussed by the couple during their engagement interview. “You know, I think one step at a time, and hopefully we’ll start a family in the near future,” Harry said.
During the preparations for the royal wedding, Meghan also hinted at beginning her own family. Two months before the big day, Meghan was on a trip to Belfast, where she was shown an innovative range for newborns: “I’m sure at some point we’ll need the whole (lot).”
It was in an interview in 2016, that she said becoming a mother was on her “bucket list”.
“I can’t wait to start a family, but in due time,” she said then.
Before he even met Meghan, in 2015 Prince Harry talked about how seeing his brother’s family grow had made him broody.
“Of course I would love to have kids right now but there’s a process that one has to go through…” he said at the time.
“Hopefully I’m doing all right by myself. It would be great to have someone else next to me to share the pressure, but you know, time will come and whatever happens, happens.”
It will be great for Harry to finally have his own children, as he has been surrounded by them in the past.
He is already godfather to five or six of his friends’ children, and also more recently to Zara and Mike Tindall’s youngest daughter Lena.
“I think the key to that is to be able to grow up, but also be able to stay in touch with your childhood side,” Harry added of being good at the role.
The Duke has is known to be able to handle children, being the cool Uncle they look up to. Meghan is also pretty great with kids, regularly impressing onlookers with her affectionate nature when meeting children on royal engagements.
During a walkabout in New Zealand, a two-year-old Catalina Rivera crept through the railings and ran to Harry and Meghan in Rotorua, New Zealand, and in turn she was rewarded with a hug from the duchess.
The former actress, who shot to fame playing paralegal Rachel Zane in the US drama Suits, already has two “fairy god-daughters”.
In an Instagram post, the pre-duchess Meghan described the children of her close friend Benita Litt as such in a 2016 post on her since deleted, and the girls – Remi and Rylan – were among her bridesmaids at her wedding.
During a visit to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Kensington Palace the-then US president had a chance to hang out with Prince George and his uncle.
Mrs Obama said about Harry: “I have to say the most precious thing if you haven’t already fallen in love with him, is to see him with his nephew.”
Meghan has given Harry the best endorsement, telling a well-wisher during a royal visit to Merseyside in January he will make “a fantastic father”. |
Will Prostitution Be Legalised in India?
Legalising the oldest profession i is a complex matter
Is India on the way to legalise prostitution?
A recent judgment of the Supreme Court of India has sparked off debates on this old issue where views are sharply divided.
The directions read out by the Apex Court Bench comprising Justice L Nageswara Rao, BR Gavai and AS Bopanna were in response to a panel for sex workers set up by the Court in 2011 to basically deal with the issues of: Prevention of Trafficking; rehabilitation of sex workers who wish to leave sex work; and conditions conducive for sex workers who wish to live in dignity in accordance with the provisions of Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
The panel had submitted a comprehensive report in response to which the Union Government informed the court in 2016 that it would come with legislation. The latest directions of the Supreme Court were issued because of the inordinate delay in providing that legislation, and will hold good till the legislation comes out.
Highlights of the latest SC order are:
Any sex worker who is victim of sexual assault should be provided will all facilities available to a survivor of sexual assault
A survey of all ITPA Protective Homes be conducted to ensure that cases of adult women, who are detained against their will can be reviewed and processed in a time-bound manner
Police should treat all sex workers with dignity, and should not abuse or subject them to violence or coerce them into any sexual activity
The Press Council of India should be urged to issue appropriate guidelines for the media not to reveal the identities of sex workers during arrests, raid and rescue operations
No child of sex worker should be separated from the mother merely on the ground that she is in the sex trade, tests can be conducted to find out if they were their own children or trafficked for sex trade
Many organisations in India have been demanding that India should legalise prostitution since it is called the oldest profession in the world. The staid argument, repeated in literature and films ad nauseam is that if sex workers were not there, crime in the county would go up multiple times, specially domestic violence.
The popular response to the recent film Gangubai Kathiyavadi gave rise to apprehensions that the government is on way to give recognition to sex trade as legal legal.
Dr.Kiran Aggarwal, a paediatrician and social activist who has worked with sex workers for several years said, "I am all for giving the sex workers human rights and protecting them from the police brutalities, but legalising them will have unexpected repercussions, and every politician would start running brothels."
She argued that it is well-known that in India most girls enter the profession as minors and under adverse circumstances. They cannot be classified as having given their consent as adults as defined by the Supreme Court.
However, the Covid pandemic changed the scenario completely and she knew of many girls who joined the profession willingly. She revealed that many young women "were used for surrogacy" and the late Sushma Swaraj during her tenure as foreign minister had brought about many changes in the Law, making the resultant illegal adoptions difficult.
As for removing children from the brothels, Dr.Kiran Aggarwal argued that she knew that the sex workers' children were forced to watch porn films when they were under the bed, while their mothers attended to the customers.
Shashank Shekhar, a Supreme Court advocate, activist and former member of the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said he found nothing new in the latest SC judgement.
They have only strengthened certain rights of sex workers but this does not look like a step towards recognising prostitution in India. As for the order on not taking away the children from sex workers he said, "I don't find this makes much sense. Don't we send our children away for studies or jobs? The basic criteria should be the 'best interest of the child' as defined under the Juvenile Justice Act."
Questioning this logic of the Supreme Court, Amod Kanth, founder general secretary of Prayas JAC said India will see a new era with the Supreme Court recognising sex work as a 'profession'.
As for the children with whom Prayas Juvenile Aid Centre (JAC) has been working with for 34 years, he recalled his experience of raiding the red light area as DCP Crime when they had rescued 111 children (79 girls and 33 boys) of which 90 per cent were found kidnapped or trafficked who had no parents there. Kanth asserted that the SC's new order will impede even the basic procedure of investigation as laid down under Cr.PC; and under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000/2015 to safeguard the children found in brothels.
Savitha, vice president of Society for Participatory Integrated Develooment (SPID), who has been working with sex workers in Delhi for over 34 years, and runs a day care-and-residential centre to support their children says that there is no indication in the SC order that commercial sexwork will be legalised in India. If it was so they would not have been strengthening the provisions of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. "The new order only stresses the already existing provisions that an 18-year-old adult can indulge in sexwork but cannot own a brothel. It tells the police to take action when complaints are lodged by sex workers. The judgement is being twisted to take on a meaning that it does not have," she said.
After working with the Devdasis community in Karnataka Savitha came to Delhi in 1989 and started working for the welfare of sex workers at GB Road in Delhi. "With my experience of 30 years I can tell you that no girl comes to this profession by choice. Hence all the talk of legalising it in India is not fair to women. You know once a girl leaves her home in this country, she is not welcome back much less if she has been taken to a 'kotha' (brothel). It is very difficult for her to start a new life even after she is rescued".
Cover Photograph: GB Road in Delhi - Danish Pandit |
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Most of the statues in Riz’s Museum were everyday folk. Artwork unknown to the world, with titles substituted for numbers on the description plaques, but I knew them all, and so did my father.
Ruth the Beggar on her knees looking up with imploring eyes. The emaciated children in tattered vestments. Marcus the Musician who plays on street corners with an open violin case full of passersby’s pennies. All of them homeless sojourners we took in. All with stories that must not be forgotten.
But they are not always in this timeless stance. They are just as animated as you and I, but only at night, after all the visitors are gone, after they have given all that they can.
All elements, statues, sculptures, and paintings function as one system, one forest interconnected by the roots.
The museum sustains. Fulfills souls with spiritual oxygen. So in exchange for participating in gifting life, life is given.
Transformed to stone through cloudy mist by morning light and back to flesh in a billow of fire by night.
My father, the caretaker, brought them here. To this magical place. In exchange for home. It’s much easier to paint a picture of a house than to construct one…
At twilight, the sunset’s flames illuminate through stained glass and set aglow the fire of life in the midst of darkness’s onslaught. Doors open. Paintings become transparent. A world awaits within the walls, beyond the frames. True home, only once accessible through imagination, becomes manifest.
Basically, we ran a mystical form of Habitat for Humanity. I was given the task of painting some of the houses. Not because I’m the best artist, but because I wanted to help. I wanted these people to have exactly what they wanted after a life of hardship. This was my service work.
I was tasked with creating Ruth’s house. She was the newest addition to our collection, our family. I was nearly done with all the rooms, but the garden was taking some time. She requested a swing and an array of flowers, some of which I had never heard of before. It still astounded me that blotches of blue I called primroses and dabs of pink that would be dahlias would soon be someone’s reality.
My brother was working on a playground for the children, but this one had slides made of rainbows and clouds instead of sandboxes.
Everything was well, until one day it was not. A new group came in with my father. He always saw the potential, saw the goodness in people, but something felt off to me. A gaggle of guys from the city sauntered around as he explained the magic of this mountain museum. They paid him no attention, and never met his gaze.
“Troublemakers,” I thought, but my conscience instantly rebuked me. Of course, it’s not wise to judge a book by its cover.
Yet the following evenings, my initial instincts proved right. Fight after fight with the other inhabitants. Disturbance after disturbance. Disruption of our peaceful haven.
A bug in the system, toxin in the roots, a poison in the museum. The museum’s pure balance did not react well with incendiary hearts.
As the orange flames streamed in through the stained glass, they missed the marks, everywhere catching fire.
Hearts ablaze with fright, the protocol seared into our minds…one minute before all oxygen is cut off…
Breathless, we scramble to the closest exit and watch our precious mountain museum alight with unwanted luminescence. Then, the light dies and the silent night overtakes us. A death and sudden revival. All will be preserved and intact.
Ruth and the children shake, and the band of villains disappear into the mountain mist. The museum would spit them out again if they dared to come back, unless they had a change of heart, of course.
Tonight, we decide to sleep beneath the caress of starlight, on our Hushabye Mountain as our haven restores itself. The ballad resonates in the whispers of the trees, “the winds of night so softly are sighing, soon they will fly your troubles to sea.”
We slept with hope in our hearts. |
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The United Kingdom’s widely successful Red Nose Day charity campaign will come to the United States for the first time on Thursday, May 21 at 8 p.m. EST. Airing on NBC, the three-hour event will feature some of today’s biggest celebrities wearing a red nose (in reference to clowns) to get a laugh and raise funds for organizations, such as The Global Fund and the National Urban League, in the United States and abroad.
The Scene participated in a conference call with actor and comedian Jack Black, who recently made a trip to Uganda to visit a project Red Nose Day organization to discuss the event. Richard Curtis, the movie director and creator of Red Nose Day, also answered questions on the call.
On what drives Richard Curtis to work in fundraising
Richard Curtis: “I think that there are two things. I've never lost the belief because of things that I've seen, like Jack has seen in Uganda, that tiny bits of money can make a huge amount of difference. So it's massively tempting when you think, ‘Well if I can do this, I'll raise $1000,’ you think, ‘Well it’s $1000; that's 250 malaria nets.’ I can never get that out of my mind, that it's an unbelievable reward for quite a simple action. And then the length of it really is because it was surprisingly successful. It was like having a child, and then you have to manage it. We made $15 million, I think, on the first one, and then $27 million on the second one, and I didn't know how to walk away. So I'm just trying to be a responsible adult. But I do hugely believe in the effect that just the generosity of one human to another can— the difference that can make.”
On how the kids in Uganda responded to wearing the red nose
Jack Black: “We had some fun with the red nose. Everyone wanted a chance to try it on. There was a flurry of red nose activity. You know it's as old as comedy, that red nose, and yet it still has some magic in it, unlike the pie to the face, which really seems to have faded over the decades. The red nose still somehow has survived the years of ridicule.”
On the thought process behind bringing Red Nose Day to the U.S.
RC: “Well, as you know it's an obvious thing to me because there is—this is such a country of great comedy. I mean, just at the moment there's just so much extraordinary . . . comedy coming . . . out of the country, so many great films. And it's an amazingly generous country. I did this first Idol Gives Back, and I think we raised $50 million or something from the public in a couple of hours. So it always seemed like a very natural thing to do. It's just taken me this long to get around to it. And in a way, you know, just the particular people at NBC at the moment I mentioned it to them were really, really keen. So it all came out perfectly. But it doesn't seem to me there's any reason, in terms of compassion and humor, that America shouldn't be exactly the same as the U.K.
On the part of the trip that most affected Jack Black
JB: “You know, it was spending time with these kids and these parents and just seeing how amazing they were as people that really moved me the most. If I had gone over there and just seen a bunch of victims that didn't have any hope, it wouldn't have been as powerful to me as seeing these kids that were so funny and talented and brilliant. And I just was most blown away by the tragedy of the potential, you know, and these amazing people that I could see growing up and having amazing contributions to the world.”
On how kids and teenagers can get involved with Red Nose Day
RC: “We've got, you know, a huge number of movie stars from Anna Kendrick to Chris Pine involved. We've got Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins from “Pitch Perfect.” We've got Michelle Rodriguez from “Fast and Furious.” We've got a lovely sketch with the Voice and with Will Ferrell. So I think that, you know, it would be an odd child who wouldn't love something during the course for the night.”
On how jokes and films motivate people to give to charity
RC: “It's the little appeal films which are full of sort of grace in humor in their own way, that make the money, and I think the comedy that makes people stay watching. That'd be my sentiment.” |
China has drafted a plan to reduce methane emissions and the United States has pledged to help, but climate campaigners say the country’s biggest methane culprits—coal mines and livestock—have yet to be addressed.
“China is a major emitter of methane, and its plan is seen as significant progress toward keeping global warming within the 2015 Paris Agreement goal,” reports Bloomberg.
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“It comes a year after the nation agreed in a joint declaration with the U.S. to outline its strategy for cutting methane releases, which are heavily tied to coal mining operations and agricultural activities in the country.”
But the plan—unexpectedly announced by China’s climate negotiator Xie Zhenhua during a Global Methane Pledge meeting at Egypt’s COP 27—will focus on cutting methane emissions along the oil and gas supply chain and those generated by agriculture and urban waste, reports Voice of America (VOA). Xie said his country would also work to improve its methane monitoring systems, but he made no mention of coal.
Analysis shows 38% of China’s methane emissions come from coal mining, while 24% come from livestock, 16% from rice paddies, 7% from landfills, 5% from wastewater management, 2% from oil and gas systems, and 8% from “other sources.”
China’s methane draft—currently awaiting legislative approval—is the outcome of a “flurry of diplomacy” with the U.S. last year, which led the two countries to promise joint action on methane reductions, grid decarbonization, illegal deforestation, circular economy measures, and “enhanced climate actions,” during the COP 26 climate summit in Glasgow.
Xie cited the several months spent in dialogue with his American counterpart, John Kerry, as he announced the draft, describing the U.S. climate envoy as his “very good friend” who had encouraged him to “come out and share with you our thoughts on methane reduction.”
Kerry, for his part, praised China for “engaging on this really critical topic.” He also confirmed America’s willingness to help China through the technical challenges of reining in its methane emissions, reports Bloomberg.
One of those challenges is monitoring emissions. The technology for monitoring from space “is still being improved upon and developed upon,” Scot Miller, assistant professor of environmental health and engineering at Johns Hopkins University, told VOA.
“One real area for collaboration is to put scientific expertise together to figure out how we can make the most of these satellite observations and how we can continue to help advance this technology by leaps and bounds.”
He added that China’s abandoned coal mines are an urgent matter, with recent studies showing they leak more methane than active mines.
“Currently, the most effective way to seal coal mines and prevent methane from leaking is to slowly flood them, but local media report that China does not have a mechanism or policies for handling abandoned mines,” VOA writes.
So far, China has declined to commit to the Global Methane Pledge, launched last year at COP 26, or the Joint Declaration from Energy Importers and Exporters on Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Fossil Fuels, launched in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, during COP 27. The Methane Pledge commits signatories to collectively reduce global methane emissions 30% below 2020 levels by 2030, but it has been criticized as being insufficient without a concomitant and rapid phaseout of coal. The latest Joint Declaration is seen as a “paper tiger” that adds nothing new to methane reduction efforts, according to Climate Action Network-Europe and Environmental Action Germany.
But a China that gets serious about tackling livestock emissions would be something significant, said Ben Lilliston, director of rural and climate strategies for the Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy Institute. As the world’s biggest meat producer and consumer, the country has “a critically important role” to play.
“It will be very difficult to reach the 30% by 2030 goal outlined in the Global Methane Pledge, without China’s active participation,” Lilliston said. |
British Columbia’s Ministry of Health elaborated on the latest social gathering restrictions announced on Nov. 7, saying that people can only interact with their household members and a maximum of six others.
The “six-person” limitation applies to people of all ages and to all indoor and outdoor gatherings.
Some questions were raised over the definition of “immediate household,” and the Ministry later gave more details on the website, stating that a household refers to a “group of people who live in the same dwelling.” People living in an apartment or a house are considered members of the same household, while a rental suite built in a home is seen as a separate household.
Several provinces, however, are taking steps to ease the restrictions.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney also refused to go into lockdown, instead urging the need to strike a balance.
“A lockdown would be devastating. It would inflict untold damage on the economic, social, and mental health of millions of Albertans. Our objective is not to bring COVID cases down to zero—it’s to manage the spread carefully so that we can protect both peoples’ lives AND livelihoods,” Kenney wrote in the post. |
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In an odd back-and-forth on her attendance, Kamala Harris said Saturday she would, in fact, go to a criminal justice forum in South Carolina, despite very publicly announcing she would boycott the event due to a sponsoring group’s decision to give an award to President Trump, Fox News reported.
On Friday, the Democratic candidate announced that she would “skip” the 2019 Second Step Presidential Justice Forum at Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina after the 20/20 Bipartisan Justice Center awarded President Donald Trump for his efforts to pass sweeping criminal justice reform legislation.
President Trump responded to the California Senator on Twitter Saturday and called Harris a “badly failing presidential candidate.”
“Badly failing presidential candidate @KamalaHarris will not go to a very wonderful largely African American event today because yesterday I recieved (sic) a major award, at the same event, for being able to produce & sign into law major Criminal Justice Reform legislation, which will greatly help the African American community (and all other communities), and which was unable to get done in past administrations despite a tremendous desire for it,” the President wrote.
“This and best unemployment numbers EVER is more than Kamala will EVER be able to do for African Americans!” he proclaimed.
But by midday, Harris had come around, with a campaign announcement that she would, in fact, be attending the forum, with her campaign claiming that she successfully pressured the group that awarded the president to be dropped as a sponsor, as per Fox News. (Continued Below)
“After Senator Kamala Harris stood up and objected to their group awarding Trump and excluding HBCU students from participating, the 20/20 Bipartisan Justice Center was removed as a sponsor for the criminal justice forum at Benedict College,” the Harris campaign said in a statement Saturday. “After their removal, Harris announced she will join students, Mayor Steve Benjamin and the broader Columbia community on campus at Benedict to discuss critical issues for the country’s justice system.”
Harris, at the event, put her irritation with President Trump on display and vented, “I just couldn’t believe that Donald Trump would be given an award as it relates to criminal justice reform.”
While reading off of her notes, she added, “I mean let’s be clear. This is someone who has disrespected the voices, who have been present for decades, about the need for reform of this system.” (Video Below)
The organization on Friday awarded the president for his administration’s work to pass the First Step Act, which grants early release to thousands of nonviolent offenders who are currently serving time in federal prisons, Fox News reported.
Kamala Harris’ official remarks:
Let’s face it, nobody is falling for Democrats’ worn out “race card” anymore.
— Lindsey Michelle🇺🇸 Ⓜ️🅰️G🅰️ (@PoliticalLinz) October 26, 2019
President Trump’s official tweets: |
The U.S. Navy’s new hypersonic rocket is moving closer to flight testing as the service works to speed up its deployment. Last week, in collaboration with the U.S. Army, the navy conducted a static fire test of the first stage of its newly developed 34.5” common hypersonic missile, which will be fielded by both services.
The live fire test follows previous trials of the rocket’s first and second stages in May and August. The static fire test marked the first time that the first stage rocket included a thrust vector control system, used for maneuvering in flight.
“We are on schedule for the upcoming flight test of the full common hypersonic missile. Our partners across government, industry, and academia are continuing the excellent work that is essential to providing a hypersonic capability to our warfighters as quickly as possible,” said Vice Adm. Johnny R. Wolfe Jr, Director, Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs, the lead designer for the program.
Hypersonic weapons are capable of flying at speeds greater than five times the speed of sound, are highly maneuverable and operate at varying altitudes. This makes them far more difficult to intercept with a missile defense system.
Russia and China are rapidly weaponizing and fielding hypersonic capabilities, giving them an advantage “that must be addressed,” the Navy said in a statement. Russia put a nuclear-capable hypersonic glide body into service on an ICBM in 2019, and the People’s Liberation Army deployed both a hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile and a hypersonic glide body in 2019. China has begun testing a hypersonic glide body designed for “fractional orbital bombardment,” a trajectory that orbits the Earth the long way around in order to reach the target from an unexpected direction.
The service’s tests are part of its efforts to develop a Navy-designed common hypersonic missile that both the Navy and Army will field. The missile consists of the first stage rocket (part of a new submarine-compatible missile booster) combined with the Common Hypersonic Glide Body (CHGB), a maneuverable reentry vehicle that can travel long horizontal distances at extreme speed.
“This test continues to build momentum to deliver hypersonics capability for our warfighters in support of the National Defense Strategy,” said LTG L. Neil Thurgood, Director of Hypersonics, Directed Energy, Space and Rapid Acquisition. “Fielding hypersonic weapons is one of the highest priority modernization areas the Department of Defense is pursuing to ensure our continued battlefield dominance, and the joint team did a tremendous job executing this test and keeping us on schedule.” |
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