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An extension of the World Wide Web, Semantic Web enables people to share content beyond the boundaries of applications and websites.
Programs based on Semantic web can configure appliances. So, if you answer your phone, you won't have to turn down the music system's volume, it'll do so on its own.
Of course, the invention of the World Wide Web has redefined information sharing. In fact, we can't even imagine life without this platform anymore. So just imagine if there's some thing better and beyond the World Wide Web, what would it mean for us.
Well, there is something already – called the Semantic Web.
What's the idea?
It was the inventor of the World Wide Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee who first envisioned the creation of the Semantic web. In a nutshell, the Semantic Web is about machines talking to machines. Understand this: Humans are capable of using the Web to carry out tasks such as finding the German word for horse. However, a computer cannot accomplish the same task without human direction because web pages are designed to be read by people, not machines. The semantic web is a vision of information that is understandable by computers or that they can perform more of the tedious work involved in finding combining and acting upon information on the web.
If information about music, cars, tickets etc were stored in Resource Description Format files (language for describing information and resources on the web) intelligent web applications could collect information from many different sources, combine information, and present it to users in a meaningful way. Thus, information like car prices from different resellers, plane schedules, information about books (price pages, edition year) can be compiled by the computer itself for us. We won't have to read through multiple links and sift for the information need.
e-frauds a thing of past:
An important feature of this more developed Web is digital signatures which are encrypted blocks of data that computers can use to verify if particular information has been provided by a specific trusted source. You want to be quite sure that a statement sent to your accounting program that you owe money to an online retailer is not forgery generated by miscreants.
Next steps of the Semantic Web>>
Once the Semantic moves out of industry and commercial bounds it will spill out of the virtual realm and extend into the physical space for home users. Universal Resource Identifier (URI) can point to anything, including physical entities. This will change the rules of automation of home appliances that requires careful configuration for them to work together. Imagine you get a call, and your stereo volume goes down automatically when you answer the phone! Instead of having to program each specific appliance one could program such a function once and for all to cover every device that has a volume control – the TV, the DVD player, and even the media players on your laptop.
Building blocks for this extension >>
The building blocks for this extension are already in place: RDF, OWL, micro formats are a few of them. But experts say it will take some time to annotate the world's information and then to capture personal information in the right way. Some IT companies are already actively trying to implement the Semantic Web. We are getting close, but we are probably few years off still before the big promise of the Semantic Web is fulfilled.


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Grazie e a presto! NTFC Band
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subset: commoncrawl


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Embattled Healthcare Bill Faces Biggest Test Yet with Republican Defectors
The Republican plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has survived a damning report from the Congressional Budget Office, bipartisan opposition, criticism from virtually every corner of the healthcare industry, and even dueling powerpoint presentations.
Even though several members of that chamber have openly decried the American Health Care Act (AHCA), Donald Trump and GOP leaders remained confident this week that it was on track to pass.
At a rally in Nashville, Trump vowed to "repeal and replace horrible and disastrous Obamacare". "It's gonna be great. It's gonna be great," the president said of the replacement plan. "And then we get on to tax reductions, which I like."
In the frenetic push to keep their longstanding promise to repeal the ACA, Republicans and White House officials are moving aggressively to court conservative support.
But they must also reassure an increasingly worried public, after a Congressional Budget Office report estimated that 14 million Americans would lose health insurance in the first year under the plan, and 24 million would be uninsured by 2026.
A Fox News poll found that a majority of respondents (54%) opposed or strongly opposed the Republican healthcare plan compared with just 34% who said they favored or supported it. Asked why they opposed the bill, 67% said it was because the legislation would make "too many changes" to Obamacare.
The House speaker, Paul Ryan, eventually conceded that changes would have to be made to the AHCA, while conservatives opposed to it maintained they had enough votes to block its passage if such changes were not substantial.
The Republican plan would eliminate the current requirement that Americans purchase healthcare or face a fine, but keep popular provisions including a requirement that insurers cover the sick and allow young people to stay on their parents' insurance.
On Thursday, the House budget committee passed the bill in a 19-17 vote. Three conservative members of the Freedom Caucus opposed it. By Friday one of the three, Alabama representative Gary Palmer, said he had changed his mind.
Palmer was among a dozen members of the conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC) invited to the White House to discuss their concerns with the president. After the meeting, Trump bragged: "Every single person sitting in this room is now a yes."
The ACA, known to many as Obamacare, was on its "last dying feet", he said.
Great meeting with the @RepublicanStudy Committee this morning at the @WhiteHouse! pic.twitter.com/8Y2UoHoYaY— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2017
North Carolina's Mark Walker, chair of the RSC, said Trump won support by agreeing to allow states to impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients and to "block grant" federal funding for the welfare program, as opposed to the "per capita cap" policy currently in the bill, which would give states a set amount of money per person.
Asked how he would respond to constituents and colleagues who call the Republican bill "Obamacare-lite", he replied: "You're looking at some of the top conservatives in the House. We stand united today to move this forward for the American people."
Republican leaders are still trying to shore up support. The chair of the Freedom Caucus, North Carolina's Mark Meadows, said he "definitely" had enough votes to derail a bill without substantial structural changes.
Meanwhile, Democrats are seeking to turn the issue to their political advantage after years of being attacked.
Trump has promised that any replacement plan would have "insurance for everybody". The CBO report made clear the plan will not do that.
Democrats are hammering that point at press conferences and rallies across the country. This week, Connecticut senator Chris Murphy offered a powerpoint presentation in response to one given by Ryan after the plan was first unveiled.
Several fiscal hawks and conservative advocacy groups are opposed to the AHCA, arguing that it retains too much of the ACA and does not do enough to lower the cost of premiums.
On Wednesday, hundreds of conservatives braved freezing temperatures for a "day of action" on Capitol Hill. At the event, organized by the grassroots groups FreedomWorks and Tea Party Patriots, activists waved signs that read "repeal Obamacare" and "keep your promise" and cheered when Republican lawmakers took the stage to trash the replacement plan.
"Failure is not an option," the Texas senator Ted Cruz said, to applause. "If Republicans take this opportunity and blow it, we will rightly be considered a laughingstock."
The bill also faces criticism from moderate Republicans, especially those from states that chose to expand eligibility for Medicaid under the ACA, and from influential organizations representing doctors, hospitals, insurers and patients.
Oregon representative Greg Walden, chair of the House energy and commerce committee, which approved the bill on a party-line vote, dismissed the opinions of such groups, which include the AARP, the American Hospital Association and the American Medical Association, as part of a "medical-industrial complex".
The bill next goes to the House rules committee, which will consider changes. Ryan has said he hopes to bring the bill to the floor for a full House vote next week. Republicans will need 216 votes, if all Democrats oppose as expected.
Republicans do not have much room to tinker with the legislation. If conservatives win too many concessions, the plan is unlikely to pass the Senate, where Republicans have raised a number of objections already.
The president himself has acknowledged the difficulty of drafting a bill that will pass muster on all sides.
"You do something for one side and the other side doesn't like it," he said.


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Mistress Lea orders her slave to lick the soles of her boots which are full of mud. When there not is more mud, Mistress Lea adds some and the slave must lick again and again.
Keywords: Foot Domination, Foot Domination Clips, suede boots, muddy boots, dirty soles, mud eating, humiliation, dirty boots


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Many people across California are just beginning to pick up the pieces of their lives after November's outbreak of multiple devastating fires. If you're looking for a way to help that combines supporting those who have been impacted with enjoying a special experience with your friends and neighbors here in L.A., these benefit concerts and events are one way to have a good time while supporting a good cause.
The California Wildfires Benefit Concerthttps://www.instagram.com/p/BosKx69FtBJ/
Goldenvoice presents this concert event, headlined by Father John Misty. Other performers include HAIM, Jeff Bhasker, Jonathan Wilson, Lucius, Mac DeMarco, Nate Ruess, Rivers Cuomo, Rostam, Tim Heidecker, Weyes Blood, and other special guests. Funds from ticket sales and a special charity auction for front-row seats will all be donated to the Southern California Disaster Relief Fund created by the United Way of Greater Los Angeles.
December 18 at 8 p.m. Theater at the Ace Hotel, 929 S. Broadway, downtown; tickets $59.50-$199.50.
Love in L.A. Benefit for the Victims of the Woolsey Firehttps://www.instagram.com/p/Bn9RnXtg2u1/
Inglewood local Tiffany Gouché brings her soul and R&B sounds to this concert, alongside Asaishn and March McKinnis. Asaishn has long been a go-to songwriter and producer for the likes of Ludacris, Jennifer Lopez, Drake, Lil Wayne, and Pitbull, she had a mainstream break-out moment as a performer when Dr. Dre brought her on to guest on Compton's "Just Another Day." December 12 at 8 p.m. The Echo, 1822 W. Sunset Blvd., Echo Park; tickets $15-$20.
Friends.Giving: An Intimate Night of Music for Wildfire Reliefhttps://www.instagram.com/p/BorR7EohdEP/
Organized by ALT 98.7 and Spaceland, this all-ages night will feature a number of local musicians including Nicholas Petricca of Walk the Moon, Keith William Jeffrey of Atlas Genius, Bad Suns, Grandson, the Griswolds, Morgxn, Your Smith, and others. Proceeds will be donated to the California Community Foundation Wildfire Relief Fund and the Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation. December 10 at 6:30 p.m. The Regent Theater, 448 S. Main St., downtown; tickets $25-$32.50.
Center for Disaster Philanthropy California Wildfires Benefithttps://www.instagram.com/p/BjfeFIzAi9w/
Head to the Hi Hat for a night of music from local bands Quote Unquote, Mooncult, Strange Parade, and more still to be announced. This event encourages attendees to donate at least $10; all money raised will be passed along to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy's emergency fund for victims of fires across the state. December 11 at 8 p.m. Hi Hat 5043 York Blvd., Highland Park; $10 suggested donation.
Woolsey Fire Comedy Benefit Showhttps://www.instagram.com/p/BqyF2CxhA1H/
If you're looking for laughs, a group of local comedians is staging a benefit variety show at the Pig n' Whistle pub. Acts including Kym Kral, Madison Shepard, Haley Hepworth, and more will perform sketch, improv, and stand up comedy, with some live music mixed in, too. Proceeds from tickets will be donated, and the show will hold a drive for donations of food, household goods, and other items, to be delivered to the victims. December 12 at 9 p.m. Pig n' Whistle, 6714 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood.
RELATED: How Does California Clean Up After a Disaster Like the Woolsey Fire?
Stay on top of the latest in L.A. food and culture. Sign up for our newsletters today.


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Coop's Place
1109 Decatur Street
New Orleans, LA
When we were looking for places to eat in New Orleans we were warned against the French Quarter restaurants for being generally high-priced and too tourist-centric. However, there were a few diamonds in the rough, including Coop's Place. For Southern cooking in the vicinity of the French quarter this is one of your best options. Coop's, with less than a dozen rickety table and a retro bar, probably qualifies as a hole in the wall. Coop's also has a pretty strict seating policy – no reservations allowed – you just tell the hostess your party size. The host then continuously scans the line (which often snakes around the block) and when one of the tables in the tiny place opens up with your group size– you're in (even if that 2-top that just got a table arrived a half hour later than your 4-top)!
The menu at Coop's is pretty extensive and has touches of both Cajun and Creole cooking. A posted menu board also lists some daily specials including Shrimp Etouffee and Alligator. M couldn't decide among the options – so he was really pleased that there was a sample platter featuring some Southern Favorites ($12.95) – Jambalaya, Gumbo, Red Beans & Rice, and some BBQ shrimp and pasta. M was especially a fan of the jambalaya and gumbo, both of which were extremely flavorful and full of spice. The BBQ shrimp was also good, but could not measure up to the other offerings.


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Dear our beloved Customers,
Happy Lunar New Year! We are so eager to this special occasion that Vietnamese called Tet Holiday. It's time we share the peaceful time among Family members and friends and wish for a joyful, healthy, prosperous New Year.
YoloTheme wants to inform that we will be OFF the office from 26th January 2017 to 2nd February 2017 to celebrate the most important holiday of the year, so support process will be delayed longer than usual.
If you get late response or support, please sympathize with it and be understanding for this inconvenience. If you encounter any trouble or have any question, please submit a ticket in our forum and we will deal with them as soon as we are back the office.
It is a pleasure doing business with you, thank you for all the trust and work on us, we are looking forward to a New Year filled with plenty of work and opportunities from you, once again wishing you a Happy and Prosperous New Year!
Kind Regards,


text: Le 06/11/2011 03:48, e_vera@... a écrit : > I'm new to this mailing list thing, so forgive me if I am doing anything > wrong. > > > To the guy who is having trouble with his Trinity installation. From what > I've gathered on IRC and a post on the announcements mailing list it seems > that the mirrors haven't synced up. The issue seems to be related to Tim's > connection troubles around the time of release. The server was also (I > believe?) brought down to all the traffic gained from slashdot. I'm not > entirely sure on this, since I'm just someone on the same boat as you. > > > I did get around that specific problem by finding a different mirror > though, and downloading the .repo file from mangafrance: > http://trinity.mangafrance.com/f15/ but it's pointless because since the > mirrors haven't synced fully (From what I've gathered, I'm not sure?) > you'll get too many missing dependencies to install anything. > > > It's hilarious since I Jumped to Fedora 15 the moment I saw trinity was > available for it. Which is pretty funny! lol Hello, it looks like all the "rpm" directory is not synchronized at all on the Trinity mirrors: there are just empty directories ... If you cannot wait some more days, you can still modify the ".repo" file you downloaded to change the URLs inside, and point to mangafrance directly... but this is not an official repository . (see lines "baseurl=xxx" in .repo file) Francois


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58 & 90 min.
Watch trailer
Format: null
Told in amazing archival footage only, showing the turbulent life of the jewish Sam Waagenaar, a bon-vivant, who many times changed the course of his life in the 20th century.
Successfully moving from being a publicity manager for MGM in the thirties, actor in Hollywood, to operetta singer in France and war correspondent, finally ending up as a photographer travelling the world after the war. The film is based on Waagenaar's unpublished autobiography. With a voice-over he reflects on his life, and on a tendency towards optimism that was severely tested more than once.
A life filled with surprising turns by a bon-vivant who loved travelling and who – apparently without planning in advance – successfully rolled from one job to another. In the 1930s and 1940s, he was publicity manager for MGM, operetta singer in France and correspondent and actor in Hollywood. As war correspondent, he was present at the liberation of Paris and Auschwitz. From those years on, he developed in photography and from 1946 he travelled the whole world as a journalist/photographer.


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Think tank tells Mayor of London: Make transport fairer with fare and zones review
A new report by the think tank Centre for London calls on the Mayor to review fare structures and fare freeze, zones and concessions to make the capital's transport system fairer.
The report, Fair access: Towards a transport system for everyone, develops a new framework to examine transport fairness in relation to how affordable, connected and accessible the transport network is to different groups.
It finds that low connectivity and affordability of public transport in different parts of the capital impact the ability of Londoners on low incomes to travel for work, education, healthcare or personal reasons.
While there are both rich and poor areas with good and bad connectivity in London, nearly half (46 per cent) of the most deprived Londoners face the challenge of poor transport connections.
In some parts of outer London, and pockets of inner London such as north Peckham and north Kensington, the combination of high housing and transport costs and low wages squeezes disposable incomes. Neighbourhoods with average monthly residual incomes below £850 per household are particularly concentrated in parts of Havering, Enfield, Haringey and Brent, and are less common in south London.
Even in better-connected areas, access to transport can depend on income: A Savanta ComRes poll commissioned for the research found that only 38 per cent of people with a monthly take-home income of £1,000 or less use the Tube and Overground at least once a week, compared to 61 per cent of people with a monthly take-home income of over £2,000.
At the same time, poorer Londoners spend a higher percentage of their income on transport costs. Londoners with a monthly take-home income of £1,000 or less spend an average of £90 a month – or 13 per cent of their income – on transport, compared to £176 – or 5 per cent of income – for those with a monthly take-home income of over £2,000.
The report also found that the Mayor's TfL fares freeze has not helped all Londoners equally: while single fares have been frozen since 2016, the cost of Travelcards and oyster caps for regular commuters have risen every year – in 2020 the cost of a weekly Zones 1-6 Travelcard will have risen by nearly 12 per cent since 2016.
While there are concessions and discounts to help people with low incomes, such as benefits claimants and jobseekers, the report calls on the mayor to review fare structures and concessionary fares, as well as transport planning processes, to improve affordability and further support disadvantaged groups.
It recommends that zone boundaries should be kept under review to ensure they reflect the shifting geographies of poverty and affordability. This could include reviewing zones for stations that are in low-affordability areas such as Becontree in Barking and Dagenham, or Seven Sisters, South Tottenham and Tottenham Hale in Haringey.
Finally, to address the embedded inequalities in London's transport system, the report calls on the Mayor to re-evaluate how decisions are made about transport investment across the city, to place greater emphasis on the travel needs of disadvantaged Londoners, while providing better transport infrastructure for areas of low connectivity.
Silviya Barrett, Research Manager at Centre for London said:
"Public transport has a huge impact on Londoners' lives connecting them to each other as well as to places of work, education, healthcare, and culture.
"But the capital's transport system doesn't offer the same benefits to everyone.
"Poorer Londoners struggle with high transport costs. Parts of the city – especially on the outskirts – are poorly served by public transport and have a higher reliance on cars. Large parts of the network remain inaccessible to disabled and older Londoners.
"The Mayor and Transport for London may have limited powers over Londoners' incomes or life circumstances, but there is much they can do to make transport truly inclusive.
"Reviewing fare structures and zones is one place to start, but ensuring that equity is a central consideration in all transport planning and investment decisions would create fairer access for everyone."
Matt Winfield, London Director, Sustrans, said:
'We know that the poorest communities in London are worst affected by the impacts of car use – from poor air quality to a higher likelihood of being injured on London's streets.
"The entrenched issue of transport inequality is highlighted in detail by this important report and Sustrans welcomes the focus on outer London and a rethink of zoning and fare structures.'
Graeme Cooke, Director of Inclusive Growth, Barking and Dagenham Council said:
"We fully support the findings of this report as it resonates with calls we have made over the past few years to rezone our underground stations.
"The council launched a campaign in 2016 to have all three Dagenham tube stations re-designated in Zone 4, as part of a holistic plan to improve transport links and grow our borough.
"We fully support the recommendations in the report as it will benefit a large number of our residents."
Bharat Mehta, Chief Executive of Trust for London, an organisation tackling poverty and inequality in London and funder of the report, said:
"We welcome Centre for London's vital new report, exploring the significant barriers which many Londoners face when accessing London's transport system and calling on the Mayor of London to do more to remove them.
"High housing, childcare and transport costs are the three main outliers making London unaffordable to low paid workers so taking action to allow London's transport network to be more inclusive, affordable and accessible is crucial to alleviating this problem.
"The Mayor should make a point of taking this report's recommendations on board to create fairer access for everyone."
Cllr Richard Livingstone, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and the Climate Emergency, Southwark Council said:
"Southwark Council is proud to support this research into the important issue of equity in London's transport system.
"We know that movement is an important factor in determining health and wellbeing, but too many people in London still face barriers to accessing public transport. Improving affordability, accessibility and connectivity in transport is vital to ensure everyone can benefit from the opportunities our world-class city offers."
Notes to Editors:
About the data and research
- 'Poor connectivity' defined as the lowest PTAL 1a and 1b. Our analysis found that 46 per cent of the people living in the most deprived quintile (as measured by the Index of Multiple Deprivation) live in areas with the lowest PTAL 1a and 1b, compared to 64 per cent of the people in the least deprived quintile. PTAL is a measure of connectivity by public transport, taking into account the number of tube and rail stations and bus stops within a reasonable walking distance and the frequency of services from those stations or bus stops.
- Low connectivity can limit access to employment opportunities. It is estimated that inner London residents can access up to 2.5 million jobs by travelling up to 45 minutes on public transport, compared to between
250,000 and 500,000 jobs for outer London residents. (GLA Economics, Economic Evidence Base for London 2016).
- Savanta ComRes interviewed 1,011 London residents between 15th and 18th of July 2019. Data is representative of all London residents by age, gender and region. Savanta ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Data tables are available on the Savanta ComRes website: https://www.comresglobal.com/


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Problem The elevator can be on first floor or second floor The elevator can be either openned or closed. The elevator can go up or down. But when it goes up or down, the door has to be closed. The door can open or close, but it cannot open when it is already openned or close when it is already closed. Write a function that takes a list of actions with :done indicating the end, and return if this sequence is legal or not.
programming kata
Problem Implement a unit converter that uses the given the following metric (def metric {:meter 1 :km 1000 :cm 1⁄100 :mm [1⁄10 :cm]}) The converter should anwser questions like: How many meters are there in 10 km and 20 cm? Solution (defn convert context descriptor) (convert metric [1 :meter]) (convert metric [3 :km 10 :meter])
Problem This coding adventure comes from Advend Of Code Day 2 Solution Github
Problem Here is a list of students' exam scores. Write a function to sort them based on given criteria. Like Math first, then Physics and then chemistry and then English. (def exam-scores [{:math 78 :physics 80 :english 97 :chemistry 65} {:math 78 :physics 80 :english 66 :chemistry 65} {:math 78 :physics 54 :english 97 :chemistry 65} {:math 78 :physics 80 :english 97 :chemistry 61} {:math 100 :physics 89 :english 47 :chemistry 85} {:math 98 :physics 80 :english 79 :chemistry 65}]) Solution (defn rank scores & criteria) Note The sort-by in Clojure is very powerful, the idea is to reduce each row into one value that we know how to sort, like numbers, strings or lists.
Problem This coding adventure comes from Advend Of Code Day 1 Solution Github


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"Powerful Tools For Reaching Your Employment Goals"
Igniting the Power Within program offers certification workshops on Essential Skills and Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) for First Nations and Metis employment counsellors in Manitoba. These tools help people reach employment goals.
"Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory."
Contact Us
Workplace Education Manitoba
1000 Waverley Street, Winnipeg, MB R3T 0P3
Fax: (204) 272-5031
© 2022 Igniting The Power Within


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Approximately every four years CapTrust prepares an asset allocation simulation for the Diocese of Marquette concerning our investments in the National Catholic Investment Pool (NCIP). The U.P. Catholic Foundation (UPCF) also uses the NCIP. In Q1 2018 CapTrust completed an asset allocation simulation using five different allocations. Foundation Treasurer, Timothy Thomas, worked with the Diocesan Spending Committee and with CapTrust to come up with the five different asset allocation scenarios that could be used for current investments.
"In talking with fiscal managers throughout the state of Michigan, I came to know that some foundations similar to the UPCF utilized a more "aggressive" asset allocation; therefore, I asked that some more aggressive asset allocation scenarios be utilized in the simulation prepared by CapTrust," said Thomas.
After reviewing the simulation analysis, the Diocesan Spending Committee found an asset allocation that was within risk tolerance, but with a potential for larger returns than the allocation being utilized since the inception of the UPCF. The Spending Committee recommended this asset allocation to the UPCF for consideration. The UPCF Board agreed that this asset allocation was a good fit for the funds in the UPCF and approved a change in asset allocation. Consequently, the asset allocation is in the process of changing in 2018. See below for the change:
Current Asset Allocation Target
Equities: 60%
Fixed Income: 40%
Asset Allocation Target Going Forward
Equities: 65%
Fixed Income: 30%
Real Estate: 5%


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Asessippi Ski Area & Resort experienced a gradual opening this season. Last week during the mid week, only a few runs opened, but by Sunday there were 12 runs groomed and open with more scheduled to open this week.
Get Amped is the traditional freestyle comp to kick off the season. This year 32 competitors enjoyed the mild temperatures and fantastic park features. New this season is the Robin's Run handle tow, which was a big hit with this group.
The resort is now open daily over the holidays, except on Christmas day, please see their website for hours of operations and snow conditions.
Asessippi Ski Area & Resort is located just west of Inglis, near the Manitoba/Saskatchewan border.
Photo: Manitoba skier Vinny Berg placed first in the Get Amped ski competition. Photo courtesy of Asessippi
SnowOnline Editor: Lori Knowles


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R1, R1s and R1T models. Lightweighted with extreme downforce. Full-carbon and high safety, low running cost.
The first road car created by Praga since 1947.
Designed for experienced and demanding drivers and professionals.
(No longer available)
Cross-country rally truck that combines the tradition of unstoppable off-road trucks with the speed and agility of the brand's racing cars.
Praga Alfa is our new multipurpose aircraft.
Maxi race line offers the best racing experience for senior, junior, shifter and DD2 categories.
The top product for young drivers.
The Kart that starts your career.
Entry level kart with high performance.
Full range of services to the kart operators. Aimed at go-kart rental centres and amusement parks.
Real karting fun comes with professional racing karts.


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ENG 499 - Tutorial - Capstone
Campus: Springfield
Intended to supplement, not supplant, regular course offerings. Students interested in a tutorial must secure the consent of the faculty member concerned before registration and submit any required documentation to him or her. Course Information: May be repeated.
Special Instructions:
Requires Instructor Approval
Option 1Number of Required Visit(s): 0
Course Level: Graduate
Credit: 3


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Specialized Commercial Cleaning Equipment
Commercial properties, especially restaurants, call for specialized cleaning equipment in order to quickly and efficiently clean large spaces. With numerous types of cleaning equipment in the market, it is usually hard to know what to choose. This post looks at some of the common types of commercial cleaning tools along with their benefits.
Pressure Washers
These are machines that use high-powered steam of water to get rid of stains and dirt. They are especially ideal for cleaning concrete regions such as walls, patios, and walkways. They can ideally be used to clean cars, Lorries, and caravans. Pressure washers come in various shapes and sizes. They are additionally ideal for d-greasing commercial kitchens.
These are large machines with a rotatory sweeping head located underneath the front of the machine. A sweeper is controlled by a driver who sits on a commercial sweeper and use a driving wheel to steer the device. These are especially useful for cleaning vast outdoor areas like the pavement outside a huge commercial place or on roads.
Carpet Cleaners
These cleaners have the ability to remove stubborn stains from almost any carpet area. They are quite essential when it comes to cleaning as they are one of the best devices to remove hard to budge stains without the need to replace the carpets.
Scrubbers are designed to clean stains from hard floored regions. They are ideal for use in huge commercial buildings that have wood or marble flooring. They come in either sit on form or handheld form. The type to choose depends on the size of the region you need to clean.
A polisher is another essential equipment when it comes to commercial cleaning. A polisher is able to turn a dirty hard floor it a brand new in a timely fashion. Polishers are usually used in institutions such as universities, schools, museums and hospitals. Sit on polishers are perfect for larger spaces while handheld polishers are used on relatively small areas.
Vacuum Cleaners
As we all know, a vacuum cleaner removes dust and dirt from both carpeted and hard floors. Commercial vacuum cleaners are usually more powerful than household vacuum cleaners. They are ideally packed with numerous features that allow you to reach and clean unreachable areas. There's also wet vacuum cleaners that are used to suck up water. Others come with a dry and wet function to allow you to switch between your preferred modes easily.


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So as many of you know if you can recall I was very anti Obama and I posted very openly about my concerns about him during his Presidency. Now we have Trump in office. This most recent election as in elections past I have felt that the choices were pretty slim pickings. I prefer Trump over Obama but In my humble opinion I hate the thought that this country can't do any better. I do not think we have had a decent President since Reagan and can we please pretend that Jimmy Carter was never in the lineup? However, it is inevitable that whoever holds the position is going to fail and will never please everyone. So whatever our issue is with any President as long as they are President we must suck it up. That does not mean we can't have an opinion and unfortunately when there are opinions there are vain arguments and much disrespect. I just hope that whatever my opinion in the future I can avoid arguments and be respectful.
However, I mention how whoever is in office will fail and never please everyone all the time. With that said, I refer to 1 Samuel Chapters 8 & 9. The Lord was the King over Israel was rejected by the people. The Israelites chose a man (Samuel) over God. Why? Because man is fallen from the day Adam was sent out of the garden. If the Lord who is perfect is not good enough then no one will satisfy. We fail ourselves and yet we expect others to uphold our standards. When we do not get what we want from the Lord we step outside of His will and take what we want despite the consequences and then whine later because of them. So here we are today and we see history repeating itself as we say, "God Bless America."
We are very fortunate that we do not have Presidents in office until the day they die or are ran out of office while there is rioting in the streets. And there are many people who are still alive today who saw the affects of Hitler and his Nazi regime. And I personally for one feel very fortunate to not have been born in North Korea and have a raving lunatic as my leader.
With all of this said, although there are many scriptures verses I could refer to, I will just refer to what I believe is of the utmost importance. In Luke chapter 23 Jesus was sent to the Roman Ruler Pontious Pilate because a multitude of people brought Jesus to him with false accusations in hopes that He would be executed. As I mentioned and want to make clear Pontious Pilate was a ruler. He failed miserably as a leader because he passed the buck to Herod who was responsible for Galilee. Herod treated Jesus with cruelty by mocking Him along with the people and then placed a robe on Him which was A symbol of the mocking. Now, here we have yet another ruler who has failed miserable. Jesus was the Only One Who was without sin yet He was treated as though He had committed horrible crimes. So much that also in Luke Chapter 23 the people chose a murderer the be freed over Jesus. Now I realize that it was prophesied that those events would happen but Pontious Pilate and Herod both made choices that neither one of them had to. If it had not been them it would have been others.
Here's the thing……although rulers come and go and no matter how good or bad their acceptance rating is society as a whole which equally includes any leader will continue its vicious cycle until the Lord returns. Even though the Israelites rejected the Lord as King in 1 Samuel 8 & 9 and had Jesus crucified in Luke 23 there is hope! The Lord is on the throne. With every fallen leader in scripture the bad turned into good and the truth prevailed! The greatest triumph was when Jesus arose on the third day! Now as we wait Jesus prepares a place for us until the Lord returns from the clouds to set His foot on the Mount of Olives and everyone will see. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and the people will be satisfied. Revelation Chapter 21 All things will be made new! There will be no more tears, no more pain nor death! And we shall see a land like no other!
Do not put your hope in man! Trust in the Lord and you will not be disappointed even when you have evil rulers. There are stories in the Bible (It is not fiction!) of cruel leaders but those who were of the Lord submitted to their authority and what seemed to be doom was only temporary and became beautiful testimonies of the Lords faithfulness ! Not to mention we are instructed to submit to governing authorities in Romans Chapter 13.


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Welcome to the Behavioural Pharmacology Laboratory (also known as the Drug Abuse Lab). We are located at Victoria University of Wellington under the leadership of Professor Susan Schenk.
We are interested in studying the factors that contribute to the initiation, maintenance and relapse to drug abuse. Most of our work has measured the effects of MDMA. The questions of interest are:
1. Are some individuals more susceptible to drug abuse than others? What are the factors that predispose some individuals to drug abuse? Are these factors genetic or environmental or both?
2. Is there a "switch" from drug use to drug abuse and, if so, what is the nature of the "switch"? Is there a way to reverse the process using drug therapies?
3. What are the factors that control relapse to drug abuse? Can the risk of relapse be decreased using drug therapies?
Please explore our website to learn about how our research is helping to answer some of these questions.


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Whatever Dean and Sam Winchester's ending may be, they will still meet that same fate when Supernatural signs off in November, even though the road to the series ender was impacted by the global coronavirus outbreak.
In August, star Jensen Ackles shared during a Zoom conversation that the show's last two episodes underwent some tweaks, given that they were now being filmed during unprecedented times. "There have been some adjustments made from the scripts that we were going to shoot in March to the scripts that we're shooting now," Ackles said. "We've had to accommodate a pandemic."
While COVID-19-related restrictions did result in some changes to the game plan, in the end, they "didn't affect the core parts" of the final installments, co-showrunner Andrew Dabb recently told TVLine. "We're still doing everything we wanted to do from a character, plot [and] mythology standpoint."
"In some cases, we had to simplify the [pathways] to get there," Dabb continued. "For example, for the finale, we had a big, super extravagant thing planned for that episode, and it wasn't feasible. But we found an alternative to get to the same place, plot-wise and, more importantly, emotionally, that worked great. So it's about being adaptable. We had to do some rewriting, but nothing that changed fundamentally what the show is or where it was going."
So whether Dean and Sam live to hunt another day or wind up reuniting with their loved ones in Heaven or what have you, "the storyline [for the series finale] is unchanged," Dabb reiterated. "Like I said, some of the scene work is different. There aren't as many bad guys in a scene as we would normally have because of COVID restrictions. But in terms of plot, in terms of character, nothing is fundamentally different."
Supernatural's delayed final seven episodes begin airing on Thursday, Oct. 8 at 8/7c on The CW. The series finale is slated for Thursday, Nov. 19 at 9 pm, following a retrospective special at 8 pm. The show's leading men reflected on the emotional final day of filming last Thursday, with Jensen Ackles sharing some photos from set and Jared Padalecki writing, "My head is spinning and my emotions are stratospheric."
Supernatural fans, hit the comments with your hopes for the show's swan song!


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Maffio, Farruko, Akon and Ky-Mani Marley collaborate for 'Celebration' single.
One of reggaetons well-known music producers Maffio has teamed up with Farruko, Akon and Ky-Mani Marley for his most personal production yet, 'Celebration'.
The song was inspired by Maffio's late sister Katherine Mendoza, who tragically lost her life in a fire. This feel-good, reggae melody and it's Spanglish lyrics celebrates life and those we've lost.
For the first time Maffio Co-Directed the music video alongside friend Javier Romero-Director and Executive producer at Black Flamingo Films.
In the music video Maffio uses red carnations, his sister's favorite flower, as a symbol of reincarnation. 'Celebration' is a reflection for us to START living life because we've only got one life to live. Like the song says
"Live love and be strong
Memories gonna live on
Not here but not gone
No, life still goes on"
Check out our EXCLUSIVE BTS of the making of the video.
"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves memories no one can steal" -unknown


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Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Currumbin on the Gold Coast, Queensland. The non-profit Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS) is owned by the National Trust of Queensland, with all of their profits being reinvested into animal care at the sanctuary and throughout Australia. I wanted to visit an animal preserve that helps to protect the Australian environment and the animals that live within it. It's important for me to support an ethical company with conscious practices, which also educates visitors about Australian native animals and their protection in the wild. With the largest collection of Australian native animals, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is the perfect place for me to get a glimpse of what Australia has to offer.
Being one of the original Gold Coast tourism attractions, they are known for their wild lorikeet bird feeding, Air Asia Free Flight Bird Show, and housing one of the largest salt-water crocodiles on the Australian mainland. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary went above my expectations. Their partnership with Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Center shows their commitment to Australia. They house one of the busiest wildlife hospitals run by volunteers in Australia and treat animals brought in by the public for free. A visit to the hospital is also included in the admission to the sanctuary. CWS is not only impressive, but the most natural attraction on the Gold Coast and is Advanced Ecotourism Certified.
CWS is also the perfect start to Australia's Green Cauldron-lush volcanic landscape. The World Heritage rainforest, waterfalls, and rock pools are within a protected coastal forest. Not only that, CWS is just 200 metres from the famous Currumbin Beach and Elephant Rock where you can get one of the best coastline views of dazzling Surfers Paradise and chillin' Collangatta. There really isn't a better place to be on the Gold Coast.
Throughout my day at Currumbin, I was thrilled to see for the first time Tamar Wallabies, Koalas, Dingoes, Kangaroos, Wombats, Rock Wallabies and Brolgas, yet the elusive Tasmanian Devil wouldn't come out of hiding. I enjoyed visiting the Kangaroos and holding a Koalas. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. Like a child in a candy store, I was ecstatic to see multiple baby Joeys in the pouches of some mama Roos. The Kangaroos were just as curious about me and my GoPro as I was about them. With all of the kangaroos being born at the sanctuary, they are extremely friendly and affectionate. It has always been my dream to visit Australia; becoming close friends with some Kangaroos just sealed the deal for me and made Australia real.
While visiting with the Kangaroos, I asked one of the zoo keepers what the main differences between Kangaroos and Wallabies are. Instead of telling me, he showed me. The keeper went out of his way to take me in a Wallaby exhibit where entry is only permitted with a staff member. Wallabies are secretive animals and don't like all the attention from visitors. I was able to see two different Wallaby species: Rock Wallabies and Swamp Wallabies in the exhibit, while talking intensely with the keeper. I appreciate the one-on-one attention you get at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and the intimacy of the park.
I don't know if I would have had such an experience if I visited a busy commercial zoo. CSW was the perfect place for me to experience real Australia in the heart of the Gold Coast. As a teacher, I give a gold star of approval for Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and hope others can experience Currumbin the way I experienced it. Authentic, natural, and one of a kind.


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You are in:
Excelerate announce contract wins
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service choose Excelerate Technology communications solutions for new mobile command vehicles.
Bedfordshire FRS
Excelerate Technology Group will supply, integrate and support advanced communications solutions and services for a new incident command vehicle.
Wayne Stringer, Technical Support Manager at Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, who has chaired the working group dealing with incident command and defining the requirements for the new command vehicle, commented: 'We looked at a wide variety of existing vehicles, used by fire and rescue services around the country, to ensure we had fully researched the capabilities of the current market. This helped us to design a command vehicle that would be sure to meet our Service's current and future operational needs. The working group included members of our workshops, working alongside our emergency response and IT departments; and this helped to clarify the direction we needed to take, both in terms of fire and rescue scenarios and other emergencies. We also looked at the specific requirements for the vehicle, and how it would best support us at the wide range of incidents we attend, and thus improve our capabilities.
'Once all of the research had been completed. a technical specification was produced, clearly defining our requirements in the form of a tender document. This ensured that during a lengthy tender process, the Service had a clear direction and idea of the demands required to provide the vehicle.
'The key driver for the vehicle is based around interoperability and the ability to display a variety of relevant information to the large screen in the briefing area.'
The tender was issued earlier this year and was won by Excelerate Technology Group and Bott Ltd. The vehicle will be based on a Mercedes long wheelbase, high roof chassis and will have the full range of communications solutions provided by Excelerate Technology Group:
· Mobile satellite broadband based on the highly robust Enhanced Resilience Satellite Network, designed specifically for the emergency services and available exclusively from Excelerate;
· Wireless dual thermal rapid response and body-worn cameras (using the COFDM standard) for use in a wide variety of situations providing real-time video and situational awareness from around incident grounds and aerial platforms;
· The Digital Dashboard Management Interface (DDMI), a unique solution developed by Excelerate's Research and Development department enabling emergency responders to concentrate on their primary roles by simplifying their use of technology and systems for optimising command and communications efficiency across the incident ground and between multiple agencies.
The service will also benefit from MESH communications capability, extending and enhancing wireless coverage across incident grounds, and the addition of GPS positioning for improved monitoring and management of personnel and fire fighting assets.
The new mobile command vehicle is due to be delivered to the Service around September 2013.
Devon and Somerset FRS
The tender for the three new command vehicles was issued earlier this year and awarded to Browns Coachworks Ltd of Northern Ireland - with Excelerate Technology Group chosen as communications solutions supplier.
The three new vehicles, intended to help support improved operational response for a wide variety of different types of incident, will be based throughout the large Devon and Somerset operational area, with one based at Western Command (around Plymouth), another at Central Command (around the Barnstable area) and the third in Somerset Command (around the Taunton area). The acquisition follows a successful earlier procurement of major communications upgrades, also from Excelerate Technology Group, for an Enhanced Logistical Support vehicle prior to the 2012 Olympics.
Steve Purchall, a station manager working in the Response and Resilience department of Devon and Somerset FRS, who has been closely involved with the specification and procurement of the new command vehicles, said: 'We learnt a lot from the upgrading of our older command vehicle with new technologies prior to the Olympics, IT-wise, training-wise and operationally. We are now much more aware of what the various technologies can do and what we want from the IT. We know these solutions deliver great benefits.'
After acceptance testing and training the new mobile command vehicles are expected to go on the run by the end of 2013.
Commenting on the tender, Nicola Savage, the company's sales and marketing director, said: 'We are absolutely delighted to be working in partnership with Browns Coachworks Ltd and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service to support the introduction of these three new mobile command vehicles featuring cutting edge satellite broadband and incident ground management applications for improved operational performance.'


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Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg walked back any discussion of imposing a mileage tax on American drivers to help pay for an upcoming multi-trillion dollar infrastructure plan from President Joe Biden.
Buttigieg told CNN on Monday of the mileage tax,
"That's not part of the conversation about this infrastructure bill. Just want to make sure that's really clear. But you will be hearing a lot more details in the coming days about how we envision to be able to fund this."
The comments are an apparent reversal from just last week, when CNBC reported Buttigieg said a mileage tax was on the table, and said it "showed a lot of promise."
A mileage tax is the notion that drivers would pay a tax based on the number of miles they drive.
While Buttigieg has also ruled out any gas tax increase, he has not ruled out another idea he talked about last week.
That is the idea of reviving Obama-era "Build America Bonds," which are a special class of municipal bonds where the interest costs are subsidized by the U.S. Treasury.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says no gas or mileage tax is in President Biden's infrastructure plan https://t.co/dMXZGkmic9
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) March 29, 2021
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RELATED: The Left's Big Lie About School Choice
How To Pay For It?
President Joe Biden will unveil his infrastructure proposal on Wednesday. The package comes in two legislative parts.
The first part deals with the country's roads, bridges, building electric vehicle infrastructure, and other physical infrastructure.
The second part, which will be apparently be introduced in April, will not focus on infrastructure, but rather things like universal pre-K and free community college.
The question now is how to pay for it.
Yahoo reports that Biden's plan could cost as much as $4 trillion, with $3.5 trillion in tax hikes.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said hinted at tax hikes when answering a question about how to pay for the plan.
"But he, of course, believes that investing in our infrastructure, continuing to create good-paying union jobs is front and center, but he also believes that we have an opportunity to rebalance, to take — to address our tax code that is out of date, and — and some could pay more in our country that are not currently."
President Joe Biden's infrastructure plan may include $4 trillion in spending and $3 trillion in increased taxes, according to a report released Monday. https://t.co/ydYKJ6ZdGb
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) March 30, 2021
RELATED: Report: Matt Gaetz May Retire From Congress Early, Pursue Job With Newsmax
Moving The Money Around
According to a USA Today report, the non-partisan Congressional Research Service says, traditionally, fuel taxes have provided 85% to 95% of money in the Highway Trust Fund.
However, since 2008, The Congressional Budget Office says that Congress has transferred $157 billion from the general treasury to the Highway Trust Fund to cover shortfalls for authorized programs.
Biden's "infrastructure" plan is now up to $4T, includes tax hikes.
He's literally printing money hand over fist and discouraging investment in wealth creation.
This bill will spell disaster for generations to come if passed. It's shocking it's even a proposal.
— Will Ricciardella (@WillRicci) March 30, 2021
RELATED: Left Vs. Right On "Voting Rights" Bills – Explained
How Is Infrastructure Bill Being Received By GOP?
A massive, big-government spending package is not exciting Republicans at all.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) predicted that no Republicans will vote to raise taxes.
"I think the Trojan horse will be called infrastructure, but inside the Trojan horse will be all the tax increases," McConnell said. He added that he did not "expect any enthusiasm on our side for a tax increase."
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) said, "I would not anticipate that it would be well received." However, the report from The Hill states that as a moderate Republican, Collins may be someone Democrats may try to bring to their side.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) said, "Raising taxes is not gonna help anybody in our country." Sen. John Barasso (R-WY) commented that the tax increase the Democrats are considering "would be the most significant tax raising piece of legislation in the last 28 years."
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Read this Next on ThePoliticalInsider.comJoe Scarborough Claims People Fighting Against Mask Mandates Aren't Following Jesus – 'Lunatics'


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A Dayton barbecue restaurant has added a weekday to its expanded hours and has launched a happy hour on its patio.
>> Competition crowns 'Best Chef in Dayton'
Texas Beef & Cattle Company at 1101 W. Third St. in Dayton, which had been open Thursday through Sunday only, is adding Wednesday hours starting today, Oct. 10, according to the restaurant's founder, James Nuñez.
>> Daytonian of the Week: James Nuñez, Texas Beef and Cattle BBQ founder (October 2017)
The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
"We've had dozens of requests from downtowners to be open during lunch on more work days," Nuñez said. "We've also gotten requests from the community to be open for dinner another day."
>> Miamisburg restaurant padlocked in legal dispute with creditor
Texas Beef & Cattle also now hosts a happy hour on its patio from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday with special pricing on long-neck beers and its house-ground, mesquite-smoked grilled burgers made from brisket, chuck and sirloin, and smoked-then-grilled jumbo chicken wings, Nuñez said.
>> Dayton BBQ restaurant hosts grand opening today (June 2016)
The restaurant's new hours are: Wednesday 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Thursday 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
>> BRAND NEW, STILL EMPTY: The 'ghost' IHOP in Vandalia sits vacant 8 months after it was built
Texas Beef & Cattle Co. specializes in Texas-style mesquite-smoked brisket, pulled pork, sausage, chicken and more.
Nuñez, a Texas native, has been making barbecue for more than three decades and uses mesquite wood that comes from his family's ranch in Texas.
About the Author


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This Video Of Sunggyu And Wendy's Arm Wrestle Match Will Make Your Heart Flutter
Sunggyu and Wendy shared a cute moment when they came face-to-face with one another for an arm wrestling match.
On the latest episode of Channel A's music variety show, Singderella not only did INFINITE's Sunggyu made his debut appearance as MC, but Red Velvet made a guest star appearance.
In one segment of the show, where teams must be determined, Sunggyu and Wendy ended up competing with one another through arm wrestling in order get dibs on the players. The scene caused a lot of viewer's hearts to flutter due to Sunggyu's suave mannerism towards Wendy's cute attempt at arm wrestling.
Sunggyu looks so confident about himself as the match starts and Wendy can already be seen struggling.
Watch his cute little smirk as he tries to not laugh at Wendy's struggle.
Finally, Sunggyu decides to take Wendy out of her misery by ending the match with a swift flick of his hand.
At the end of their match, where Sunggyu undoubtedly wins, Wendy further enhances their cute moment, by checking Sunggyu's hand and making sure she didn't injure him cause of her nails. This little moment caused an uproar of teasing amongst the other cast members.
Check out the adorable scene below!


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The composer-bandleader's annual Thanksgiving run at this Danny Meyer establishment acquires some foodie synergy with the local premiere of "The Thompson Fields," her Americana-tinged tribute to the environmentally attuned farmers of her native Minnesota. Schneider specializes in buoyant big-band music with classical aspirations, and she's ably aided and abetted by the likes of Frank Kimbrough (piano), Donny McCaslin (tenor sax), and Alex Morris (flugelhorn).
Tue., Nov. 22, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m., 2011


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A girl friend is a special person in your life, and every moment you spend together and the rare treats are what define the overall experience you have. You can make your relationship more enjoyable and full of fun by choosing unique treats such as a trip on a yacht. Taking your girl friend on a yacht can spark your relationship up with some adventure. Many people dream of having an adventure on a yacht but they may think that it is out of their reach. Here are things you need to know about hiring a yacht for a girlfriend expedition.
Hiring yacht may not be that Expensive
One thing that may hold you back from hiring a yacht is because you think of it as being out of your financial reach. However, this is not always the case. There are packages designed to allow you meet your budget expectations.
You do not have to put a dent on your finances because you can choose from a series of packages and find one that fits your budget. After all, you do not have to spend weeks— a day or few hours' trip is just enough.
Cruising on a yacht can reduce Stress
The daily stressors can make your life and relationship dull. You do not have to soothe yourself with a bathtub bath while you could be out there having fun. By just looking at deep waters or even a small pond, you can reduce the stress in your body and relax your body and soul. You can imagine what a yacht charter could do for you and your girl friend.
It can help cement your Relationship
Taking a break and spending some time with your girlfriend not only relaxes your body and mind but also cements your relationship while giving you the energy reserves you need for the next day's work. It is vital for people to find time to relax and unwind so they rejuvenate their body and mind.
Today, yacht trips for fiancés are becoming more fashionable as young people in relationships discover ways to spruce up their experiences. More and more women are willing and ready to give their men the chance to show them how truly they love them.
Something special like a yacht trip makes it all for a memorable experience. The daily life experiences can make you very busy that you do not have time for your special one. There are just a lot of things you have to do in this busy life, and if you do not strike a balance, you might feel overwhelmed.


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Home Page
Stop Animal
Exploitation NOW!
Media Coverage
A research dog at the University of Wisconsin-Madison suffered and
died after it was denied sufficient veterinary care, according federal
inspection reports that detailed numerous problems with the care of
research animals at the university.
The inspector, Dawn Barksdale of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, highlighted more than a dozen violations of animal protection regulations in inspection reports dated between April and July 2005. Barksdale found a rhesus macaque with its arm stuck in its cage, and a building housing cows and sheep infested with birds and covered with their droppings.
In August, the UW agreed to pay $6,875 to the USDA to settle alleged violations in 2005 and 2004, admitting no wrongdoing. The fine did not cover the death of the dog, which the UW reported to the agency.
The problems were detailed in reports obtained by the group Stop Animal Exploitation Now, which filed a Freedom of Information Act request. The group, which recently released the reports to The Capital Times, said the UW was among the research universities with the highest number of violations last year.
Barksdale's 2005 reports came after federal inspectors in 2004 found nine violations, including failure to adhere to protocols regarding blood collection, drug use, blood tests and euthanasia.
The fine also covered an August 2004 incident, previously reported in the media, in which three marmosets died when their cage was sent through the cage washer.
The agency also noted that a rabbit died in February 2005 when it was not removed from its cage before the cage was washed. This information, as well as the 2004 allegations and fine paid by the university, was covered in a letter from the USDA to the university, released by the UW at the request of The Capital Times.
Rick Lane, associate director of the Research Animal Resources Center at UW-Madison, said the university has taken corrective steps in light of the complaints, not all of which the university agreed with.
Barksdale noted comments from animal care staff that repairs for research animal facilities are a "low priority" for the university's physical plant staff. A physical plant official disputed that assessment, and Lane said the university will make sure future problems are dealt with more quickly.
According to Barksdale's report, the dog had been found with vomit in its kennel five times between March and May 2005. On May 19 of that year, the research staff found the dog to have abnormal kidney values, but neither the principal investigator nor the attending veterinarian were notified. The dog continued to vomit, did not eat and appeared dehydrated and thin, but there was no record that a veterinarian or research staffer was called.
On July 4 of that year, records show the dog was in distress: vomiting, emaciated and panting heavily, then lethargic. Again, there was no record of a veterinarian being called. The next day, the dog was found dead in its kennel.
In a letter reporting the incident to the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, four top UW officials said the animal died of kidney disease, but "regrettably, inadequate communication between care staff, veterinary staff and investigative staff contributed to the incident."
In a letter of response, the agency agreed with those findings, and neither fined nor reprimanded the university, instead commending it for its actions to report the problems and take steps to prevent their recurrence.
Lane said the laboratory in question has put in place new safeguards, such as conducting a physical exam of all new dogs within 30 days of arrival, and notifying staff at the earliest possible time when medical problems are identified.
Michael Budkie, executive director of Stop Animal Exploitation Now, said the incident reflects poorly on the university's quality control.
"They're using seriously, if not critically ill, animals in research. That will make many of the results in research essentially meaningless," Budkie said. "It also appears their staff is borderline incompetent."
The reports also alleged:
• Barksdale found a rhesus macaque with its arm stuck in its cage. She noted that the animal care staff was trying to release it, and had called the lead technician, who "applied lube and started to manipulate the arm in an attempt to free the animal. The arm was obviously swollen and within a few seconds of manipulation, the animal began to vocalize. The lead technician persisted in manipulating the arm until the USDA inspector asked him to stop and call for assistance from the attending veterinarian."
The attending vet anesthetized the animal and used bolt cutters to release the arm, according to the report.
A subsequent check of the records found the macaque got its arm stuck on five previous occasions. Although the veterinary staff was treating the animal for swelling or trauma to the arm, "the attending veterinarian was unaware of the persistence of the problem and no plans had been discussed to address the problem."
Lane said the animal was subsequently moved to a cage with smaller
• Animal care staff told inspectors they were not sure who was in charge of deworming sheep, noting that it only occurred "whenever a research staff employee brought medication to the facility." It was supposed to happen three times a year, but records showed it only happened once a year.
Lane said the problem may have been one of record keeping, but he
said he's not sure.
• Several rooms containing dogs were smeared with feces and had not
been cleaned as scheduled. One room had not been cleaned for a month.
• In a building housing cows and sheep, the ceiling covering had large holes through which the roof could be seen. It was "heavily infested with birds. Layers of bird droppings were observed on fence rails, feeders and waterers. This is not conducive to the health and well-being of the animals," Barksdale wrote.
Lane said the roof was fixed in June 2005.
• In a building with 15 rhesus macaques, there were pipes with exposed insulation and peeling paint near cages, and an "automatic flush system" that had not been working for a month, "resulting in increased amounts of fecal material in the pans under the animal enclosures."
Lane said the university replaced valves in drain flushers, and replaced the programmable controller.
The university is looking at alternatives to paint, Lane said. The
rooms are high-pressure cleaned with sanitizing agents on a regular
basis, leading to peeling paint, he noted.
• In her report, Barksdale wrote: "Animal care staff has indicated that animal facilities are a low priority for physical plant work, having to wait for excessive periods of time for requested repairs."
Lane said a Research Animal Resources Center staffer was reassigned to serve as a liaison to the university's physical plant. "We knew there was a need to have better coordination," Lane said.
Faramarz Vakili, associate director of the physical plant, said he was shocked to hear about Barksdale's complaint.
"By far, that's our top priority," he said of maintenance for animal facilities. At times, his department may not know about complaints, he noted.
"If someone calls and says this cage needs to be cleaned, this door needs to be taken care of, this wall needs to be painted, we jump on it."
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What Makes Us Different
Our Director, Roshi Al Fusho Rapaport, has been practicing almost 50 years and has decades of teaching experience. Trained by some of the greatest masters of our time, he has worked with thousands worldwide and is considered an expert in Zen koan analysis and practice. Roshi received Dharma Transmission in the White Plum Asangha, and is a Certified Breathwork Facilitator as well as a master of the Zen Dialogue method. In addition, our Assistant Teachers have training in psychotherapy, mindfulness meditation and yoga, which creates a well-rounded group of instructors.
Open Mind Zen training is designed to touch every aspect of your life, and includes methods which can help in your work, relationships and meditation. We are a lay practice, which means there are no priests or monks, just lay people practicing together to discover clarity and joy.
Our methods provide structure and support in the form of regular group meetings, private sessions with an experienced teacher and connecting via Skype for those at a distance. Our teachers are always available for counseling when necessary.


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Talk:David J. Rothkopf
The following was removed from the main page of this article by CMD Staff for further review:
David J. Rothkopf is currently CEO of Intellibridge. He joined Intellibridge following two years (1996-1998) as Managing Director of Kissinger Associates, Inc. Rothkopf was also "co-founder and president of The Newmarket Company LLC. He has served as an adjunct professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service."[1] Rothkopf is a neo-conservative and has strong links to Israel -- having been a college roomate with Michael B. Oren, the (2012) Israeli ambassador to the US.[2]
- "Immediately prior to joining Kissinger Associates, Rothkopf served as Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, where he led the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration. While at Commerce, he developed and chaired the Administration's Big Emerging Markets Initiative, a program cited by President William Jefferson Clinton as among the U.S. government's most important foreign policy priorities. The program focused Commerce Department and other U.S. government resources on developing and enhancing trading relationships with ten of the fastest growing markets in the world (including China, India, ASEAN, South Korea, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Poland and Turkey)." [5]
- "Rothkopf has written extensively on international trade and prior to joining the government, held a variety of senior positions in the private sector, including chairman and ceo of International Media Partners. His book, The Price of Peace: Emergency Economic Intervention and U.S. Foreign Policy, was published by the Carnegie Endowment in May 1998. "[3]
- "Rothkopf holds a B.A. from Columbia College and attended the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism."[4]
- "David J. Rothkopf, is chairman and ceo of The Rothkopf Group, which specializes in providing high-level advisory and consulting services on international themes for corporations and governments worldwide. Additionally, Mr. Rothkopf serves as President and CEO of Garten Rothkopf, LLC, an international advisory firm specializing in emerging markets investing and risk management related services. The special focus of the company is enhancing market value of a select group of companies the firm has identified as the rising stars of the emerging world.
- Mr. Rothkopf has had a distinguished career in business, government and the media and is well-known as an expert on international affairs, international economics and international security issues. He is the co-founder and former ceo of two companies: International Media Partners (publishers of CEO Magazine and Emerging Markets Newspapers, of which he was also editor) and Intellibridge Corporation (pioneer in the field of open-source intelligence gathering and analysis).
- "Mr. Rothkopf is also a visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace where he has recently completed his most recent book, entitled Running the World: The Inside Story of the National Security Council and the Architects of American Power, a behind-the-scenes history of how foreign policy is made in the White House. He has now begun work on his next book, The Superclass, due out in 2008 from Farrar, Straus & Giroux, which will look at global elites and how they are shaping globalization and being shaped by it. Additionally, at Carnegie, Mr. Rothkopf chairs the Carnegie Economic Strategy Roundtable as well as studies focusing on America's role in the world. He also serves as he has for the past 3 years as chairman of the National Strategic Investment Dialogue, an organization of leading institutional investors from across the US. He is also an adjunct professor of international affairs at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.
- "Mr. Rothkopf served as Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce of the U.S. for International Trade during the first Clinton Administration and concluded his term in the government with an extended period serving as Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade where he directed the activities of the International Trade Administration. Subsequently, he served in the private sector as Managing Director of Kissinger Associates, the consulting firm chaired by former U.S. Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger. After Kissinger and Associates, Mr. Rothkopf was chairman, ceo and co-founder of Intellibridge Corporation, a leading provider of international analysis and open-source intelligence for the U.S. national security community and selected corporations.
- "Mr. Rothkopf is the author of over 150 articles on international economic and security themes and is the author, co-author or editor of five books. His articles have appeared in The New York Times, the Washington Post, the Financial Times, the International Herald Tribune, USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, the Miami Herald, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, International Economy, Blueprint, and many other publications. He has taught or lectured at over a dozen universities. He has also appeared often as a commentator on international issues on both television and radio.
- "Mr. Rothkopf also speaks worldwide and is well-known as an event moderator and conductor of scenario exercises. He is a member of the Chairman's Advisory Council at the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Health Advisory Board of the Johns Hopkins/Bloomberg School of Public Health, and of the Center for Global Development. He was educated at Columbia College of Columbia University." [5]
Planting Israeli propaganda
Rothkopf seems to have strong links to the Israeli establishment, even having been a former room mate with the (2012) current Israeli ambassador to the US. On 8 October 2012, Rothkopf wrote a story, a "bombshell", about the advanced stages of joint US-Israeli planning for a bombing campaign against Iran. It transpires that the story was in all likelihood an Israeli plant.[2]
- Former member, Independent Task Force on Columbia
- Member, Council on Foreign Relations Task Force on Latin America [6]
- Member, Council on Foreign Relations
- Non-Resident Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Advisory Group, Center for Global Development
- Foreign Policy – CEO and Editor-at-Large
End Page Excerpt
From the World Economic Forum
David Rothkopf, Chief Executive Officer, Intellibridge Corporation, USA
Personal Profile: Co-Creator & Coordinating Producer, Flashpoint OMNI TV series; Publisher, Special Publications, VP & Marketing Director & V.P. & Managing Editor, Institutional Investor; Co-Founder, Chairman & Chief Exec., Int'l Media Partners; 1993, Deputy Undersecretary of Commerce for Int'l Trade Policy and Dev., Clinton Admin. & Chair, Big Emerging Markets Initiative; Coordinator, Haiti Economic Recovery Initiative, the White House; 1996, Managing Director, Kissinger Associates; currently, Chairman, Chief Executive & Co-Founder, Intellibridge Corp. Adjunct Professor of Int'l Affairs, Columbia University. Advisory Board Member, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Member, Council on Foreign Relations. Author of over 150 articles and author/editor of six books on international foreign policy, security and economic themes.


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As of 2015, Dutch life insurers will have to put in place transitional rules ahead of the Solvency II implementation in 2016, but is the insurance industry ready for it yet?
From January 2015 on, the transitional regime (overgangsregime) ahead of Solvency II as introduced by the Dutch minister of Finance Jeroen Dijsselbloem will be effective in the Netherlands, in order to prepare the Dutch life insurance sector for the implementation of Solvency II in January 2016.
Initially, the key difference for Dutch insurers will be in the volume of reporting to regulators. The Besluit prudentiële regels Wft, the legal specifications of the transitional regime, requires insurers to file an annual report for the year 2014, as well as two quarterly reports for Q2 and Q3 of 2015, based on Solvency II criteria to the Dutch National Bank (DNB). The Dutch association of insurers (VvV) has already expressed its support for the measures: "The introduction of the transitional regime will enable a smooth changeover to the actual introduction of Solvency I," comments Rudi Buis, spokesperson for the VvV.
Besides the logistical challenge, the key question remains whether Dutch life insurers will be able to comply with the solvency requirements. An EIOPA (European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority) stress test conducted at the end of 2014 monitored the ability of European life insurers to comply with the Solvency Capital Requirements (SCR) which are an element of Solvency II. Several insurers, including Dutch names, failed to achieve the minimum SCR of 100%.
Their shortcomings should be understood in context. Since the 2008 crisis the Dutch life insurance sector has faced a number of challenges, starting from the collapse of returns on investments as a result of the overall market meltdown. While the industry has managed to recover returns on investments throughout 2009, the introduction of tax-efficient bank saving products in 2008 caused a sharp decline of sales from €8bn in 2006 to €4bn in 2011.
The reversal in cash flow has put a spotlight on the growing importance of boosting returns on investments. Yet the EIOPA report highlights that Dutch insurers are relatively susceptible to challenges presented due to a persistent low interest environment. This is partly due to a duration mismatch between long term insurance obligations and short term investments.
The implication of the EIOPA report is that Dutch life insurers' asset allocation strategies remain overly reliant on fixed income. Indeed, according to EIOPA, as of 2013, 53.9% of their portfolios consisted of sovereign bonds and 25.3% corporate bonds. Between 2009 and 2014, government bond holdings among life insurers have increased from €65bn to €104bn according to DNB.
Jan Sijbrand (pictured) executive director and chairman for prudential supervision at the Dutch Central Bank (DNB) endorses this concern. In a recent interview with Dutch paper Het Financieele Dagblad he describes his communication with insurers: "Their initial response is that we have already reached a trough and that the situation will improve. We don't think that is the case."
Yet the relationship with the regulator is far from straightforward, as recent conflict between DNB and insurer Delta Lloyd illustrates. In 2012, Delta Lloyd reduced its interest rate risk hedges just days before DNB introduced a fixed rate for calculating insurance liabilities with terms exceeding 20 years, which would have resulted in substantial losses for Delta Lloyd. DNB fined Delta Lloyd, alleging that the insurer acted based on confidential information, thereby making improper gains.
Consequently, it handed out a €20m fine and demanded the dismissal of Delta Lloyd's CFO. While the outcome of this specific dispute is uncertain, it suggests that Dutch life insurers face a challenging limbo of complying with local regulations as well as pan-European solvency requirements.


text: Poverty Issues Page ContentOn this page: Infographic Text Version Embed CodeInfographic Text Version Note: This is a text version of the graphic above.Poverty Issues in Dallas County"There's more at risk for Dallas than just the well-being of its citizens who are trapped by poverty. Such high rates of persistent poverty will eventually push the best employers away from the city. That could send the city into a decline that everyone, rich or poor, will feel."I've said before we life in this barbell economic system in Dallas. We've got 18 billionaires — and let's not even talk about half-billionaires and quarter-billionaire. We have a ton of those. And then 39% of our population are asset poor? That's a big, big issue." — Mike Rawlings, mayor of DallasLocationPoverty in Dallas County is no longer isolated to certain communities in the county. In 1980, poverty was largely in the black community in south Dallas. In 2010, however, poverty is spread throughout Dallas County, though it is still more prevalent in the black and Hispanic communities.Poverty in Dallas has persisted in the face of enormous growth, right in the heart of a metropolitan area that has been among the nation's most prosperous and fastest growing.From 2000-2012, there was a 5% growth in the total population of Dallas. In the same timeframe, there was a 41% growth in the poor population of Dallas.Poverty By City Poverty Rank(worst to best)Poverty(center city)Unemployment Rank(worst to best)Metro-AreaUnemployment Rate2012 PopulationDetroit 138.3%178.3705,848Philadelphia 226.8%157.01,483,115Memphis 326.7%98.8631,734Dallas 423.9%25.61,187,486Dallas residents are more likely to be impoverished than those in any of America's biggest cities except in Detroit, Memphis and Philadelphia.Dallas Population Living in Poverty1 in 4 in Dallas1 in 3 Hispanics and blacks1 in 10 whites HispanicThe Hispanic population has increased by 22%. The number in poverty has more than doubled at 52%. BlackThe black population has remained stable, increasing by 1%, but the number in poverty has increased by 28%. WhiteThe non-Hispanic white population has decreased by 11%, but poverty has increased by 29%.Minimum vs. Living Wage$8.80 per hour = poverty line for a single adult earner with two children.$23.07 per hour = living wage for a single adult earner with two children. Typical Costs of Livingfood: $536housing: $894child care: $717transportation: $712There are 189,600 unemployed workers in Dallas.The unemployment rate in Dallas in 6%."A staggering 127,000 people across Dallas, Collin, Rockwall and southern Denton counties are employed but still live below the federal poverty line." — as reported by the United Way of Metropolitan DallasEducation Level32.8% of the population did not graduate high school.22.3% of the population graduated high school.14.6% of the population has attended at least some college.4.7% of the population has earned a bachelor's degree or other advanced degree.Employment Status6.2% work full time, year round.26% work less than full time.41.1% do not work.PovertyThe current poverty level is 15%.22% of kids under age 18 are living in poverty.The asset poverty rate is 39%.Embed CodeWant to share our "Poverty Issues in Dallas County" infographic on your website or blog? Just use the code below or share it with your webmaster.


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Anna Marie Stauss – Creator of the Toockie Organic Cleaning Cloth – "Greening is a lifestyle choice"
I'm Anna Marie Stauss, founder and CEO of Sinko Corp. I believe that greening is a lifestyle choice to do as little damage as possible to our world and humanity as a whole. This sound big and possibly over whelming but as an individual one can create a ripple in the pond by making small changes in the choices made throughout the day to affect the ordinary. For example, every time we buy something no matter how small we are voting for it and sending a message to the market place engine called "demand", so choose products that speak your intentions.
I got started on my green business after watching a TV program on how young woman in India are sold, used up and disposed of. I had an idea for a green product I loved and a business model for production similar to the one my mother was part of in the Azores as a young woman, but did not act on it until that moment. I decided I had to do something that would change the business as usual approach to product development. Today, I'm working with a nonprofit in India that feeds over 200 children and am providing jobs to over 200 woman in the community. I believe that the products we purchase/use should benefit those who make, those who sell, and those who use them to create a positive change in humanity and to our planet.
I choose to sell my product on Greenhome.com because I wanted to enter a retail space whose intentions aligned with mine. In my home I have long since replaced plastic scrubs, microfiber, and sponges I used to clean. Now, I use my Toockies to clean everything and everyone (6 kids) in my home, then I toss them in the wash with any color/temperature or add to the dish washer and reuse. This one small greening step has saved me money, time, landfill space, and saved me from bringing more chemicals in to my family life.
My company buys only organic cotton therefore reducing the amount of chemicals added to local soil, water, and air. Further, our artisans work from home so we do not have to burn gasoline to fire up generators for factories like many of the other local industries. The best green advise I can offer others is to start making the small choices when shopping; read the label and think about what you are voting on and what you are bringing into your life.
Other products I really like from Greenhome.com are: Ecover (dishwasher tablets), Recycled Mixing Bowls, Nursery Gentle Cleaner and the Herbal Insect Repellent. The biggest change in this sector since I started is the "demand" more people are choosing green products and the Market is responding. I really do think green products make a difference because they improve our quality of life internally and externally. I think there is a lot more that needs to be done in terms of making potential customers aware of the green products that now exist and to drive demand for more green products. Many consumers fear that going green is an expensive effort or that green products don't work as well. They don't see how they are in fact very economical and in many cases out perform competitors!! Many green products are designed to be reused, or to be used in minimum quantities that save consumer's time, money and health. The green product that I would invent that does not yet exist is one that provides energy by transforming potential energy without waste.


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I was shocked when I saw this - a huge garbage mountain was right next to the gorgeous rice fields. The smell nearly made me threw up. Aside to the trash mountain is a small slum built by paper boxes, where people pick up recycling materials from the trash for a living.
For sure this is not somewhere tourists usually visit, yet it shocked me when I realised I had been enjoying the beautiful side of the country only. Behind the scenes are indeed people working, and let's not forget about them. Travelling does not mean to consume the country.
Let's not travel to see the beautiful side of the country merely. Travel with a cause to create positive values. Travel and think how could we empower as individuals


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Romanian Senators on Tuesday approved a measure that would pave the way for the constitution to be changed to explicitly state that marriage is a union of a man and a woman.
Senators voted 107-13 with seven abstentions to allow a referendum that could change the constitution, which currently states that marriage is a union between "spouses."
The vote comes after Parliament's Chamber of Deputies last year overwhelmingly approved the same measure.
The vote comes after 3 million Romanians signed a petition demanding that the constitution be changed to redefine marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
The Senate's vote was the last step before organizing the referendum that could be held as early as October 7.
The government is expected to set a date for the ballot over the coming days.
Under Romanian law, the constitution can be changed after a proposal by the president, the government, a quarter of all lawmakers or at least 500,000 citizens.
Parliament must endorse such requests, which must then be approved in a nationwide referendum to come into force.
Romania's civil code of rules for relations between citizens already bans same-sex civil partnerships.
The Romanian Orthodox Church supports the Coalition for Family civil groups who gathered 3 million signatures in 2016 to hold a referendum to amend the constitutional wording to an union strictly between "a man and a woman", from the existing, gender neutral, "spouses".
The support offered by the Romanian Orthodox Church comes in the spirit of Christian teachings and of the fundamental Romanian values regarding family, the protection and raising of children.
The Romanian Orthodox Church is 'neither the initiator nor the organizer of this action,' reads a press release issued last year by the Church.
Photo: Cuvântul Ortodox


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Buenos Aires is one of the most exciting cities in the world. What makes it more bearable is that, if you need to relax a bit, you're just a short hop across the River Plate to Colonia del Sacramento in adjacent Uruguay. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Colonia, as it is known to Porteños (residents of Buenos Aires), is a small city of some 27,000 souls and 17th century walls to protect the inhabitants from incursions by the Argentinians or the Brazilians. Until 1828, Uruguay was a football kicked around between Spain and Portugal.
In our 2006 trip to Colonia via a Colonia Express ferry, Martine found the place to be one of the highlights of our vacation. The town is eminently walkable, with old cobblestones being the rule rather than the exception. The town has a handful of small museums that are fun to visit in the Barrio Historico. M favorite was the tile museum with its small collection of ceramic tiles.
Now that I have seen Colonia and read W. H Hudson's idyllic The Purple Land (1885), I would like to spend some more time in Uruguay. In Colonia, we met a British couple that traveled to Fray Bentos because of memories of the canned meat that originated there and was exported to Europe. Also, I would very much like to see the capital, Montevideo.


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Saturday, March 14, 2009Toshiba slashing utility bills with domestic fuel cells
As the world's supply of fossil fuels shrinks, it's heartening to see one company pressing ahead with serious plans for alternative ways to power our homes.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009Big Brother software tracks humans in live video
The marvelously named Pacific-Rim Symposium on Image and Video Technology, which kicked off this morning here in Tokyo, is home to many wondrous devices, but few as likely to alter our lives as a piece of software from Toshiba.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008Crazy or crazy smart? Toshiba boss bets house on standard DVD
Anyone familiar with the conservative nature of big Japanese business will tell you that Toshiba's decision to drop HD DVD like a hot brick was almost unseemly in its haste, even though the firm had little choice.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008Panasonic Blu-ray boss says HD DVD death was suicide
One of the marketing bigwigs behind Blu-ray has gone public with an astonishing claim that Toshiba has only itself to blame for the flop that was HD DVD.
Monday, February 25, 2008Shoppers to Toshiba: You shouldn't have bothered
Even though we've heard of some fantastic customer service for Japanese early adopters of the failed HD DVD format, it seems not everyone's happy with the brave face being put on by Toshiba.
Friday, February 22, 2008Honest / insane retailer swaps old HD DVD for new Blu-ray gear
Amid the rush to wring the last few pennies out of HD DVD's rancid and yellowing corpse, at least one retailer has had the decency to front up and look after its unfortunate customers.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008Sharp retail practices surround HD DVD downfall
After yesterday's Toshiba HD DVD pullout there are still a few loose ends that need to be tied up, so we took to the streets of Tokyo to see how electronics retailers are handling the HD DVD wake in Toshiba's hometown.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007Toshiba's Cell-packing SpursEngine impressive in the flesh
Toshiba has been showing off its new, powerful SpursEngine processor at the CEATEC 2007 electronics show just outside Tokyo and we were there to take a look.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007Technology fostering community of translators and comic fans
In one of the most innovative and open-minded approaches to intellectual property we've seen in a long time, Toshiba is helping Japanese comic-book artists bring their work to the rest of the world through some pretty clever technology.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007Toshiba SDHC cards pumped up to 32GB
Users of SD cards might be keen to hear that Toshiba Japan has just revealed the world's first 32GB SDHC card and that it will be available from January next year.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007Sony puts Cell processor in next-gen supercomputer
There has been plenty of talk about the power of the Cell processor at the heart of Sony's PlayStation 3 since the chip project began in 2000, but precious little in the way of end results until today, when Sony announced a prototype computer board using the powerhouse processor.
Thursday, July 19, 2007Normal-size phones set for fuel cells and touchscreens
The Wireless Japan exhibition near Tokyo this week has seen plenty of demonstrations of existing and future technologies, but there's one that we're still not sure how to categorize – fuel cells.
Thursday, June 21, 2007Toshiba NAND memory breakthrough to yield smaller mobiles
The latest memory-chip development, announced today in Japan and the US by Toshiba, is a breakthrough in chip architecture that should lead to mobile phones with more compact designs and even more memory for file storage.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007Toshiba HD DVD/HDD recorders slim down, add features
If there's one sure thing about the so-called HD TV format war between Blu-ray and HD DVD it's that none of us should be rushing out to buy either right now. The latest high-definition recorders from Toshiba Japan underline that in heavy red ink.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007Toshiba redefines the ultra-light laptop PC
Just a day after revealing the first rewritable HD DVD drive for laptop PCs, Toshiba Japan today unveiled a range of lightweight, rugged laptops that weigh as little as 768g, with a battery life as long as 12.5 hours and plenty more besides.
Thursday, July 27, 2006Toshiba RD-A1 HD DVD recorder launches in Tokyo
Toshiba's ass-kicking RD-A1 HD DVD recorder with a 1TB hard drive went on sale this morning, after a delay of a few weeks natch, for the wallet-kicking sum of ¥398,000, or about US$3,400.
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