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Top 3 Canadians in Connecticut at National Prep Showcase
The National Prep Showcase in New Haven, Connecticut is an annual trip for the NPH scouting team. A vital component in recruiting is ensuring that prospects have been seen and evaluated in different settings and against different levels of competition.
Khem Birch (Notre Dame/ UNLV), Duane Notice (St. Thomas More/ South Carolina), Marial Shayok (Blair Academy/Virginia), Eddie Ekiyor (New Hampton/Carleton) along with several others have had takeover performances in this event.
Several Canadians scatter at American Prep programs and on many occasion the canucks have led the way for their teams. This year the number has been fewer than previous years as exposure and competition on Canadian soil have taken off with prep school infrastructure expanding from coast to coast.
Now for the next wave…
The buzz around Simi Shittu is resurfacing with expectation to decide on a school for next year before his likely one and done year.
He affirmed in post-game interview that talks with UNC is still alive but there is clear indication that Vanderbilt will be the likely home.
If he decides on Vanderbilt, NCAA experts are saying that this could be Vandy's best recruiting class of all time.
The 6'10 developing wing had some spectacular plays at the National Prep Showcase this weekend in his first game of the season.
Vermont Academy lost their first game of the season yet from an individual performance Shittu finished with 25 points and 15 rebounds.
Noah Kirkwood displayed to everyone in that packed gym at Albertus Magnus College why he's a Top 10 Canadian, why Harvard is so excited to have him and why he's a potential NBA guy.
Standing between 6'6 and 6'7 and moving to the point has aided in the transition to his position at the next level and as a pro. Coach John Carroll at Northfield Mount Hermon has placed trust in Kirkwood with the ball in his hands and Kirkwood isn't letting anyone down.
On the contrary, Kirkwood has been setting the table for teammates and allowing everyone to eat. With an improved three ball and great ability to create for others off the dribble, he's a threat at all times.
Last year at Ashbury College, back home in Ontario, was his first dose at PG and this year he's fully taken on the role. No longer to be labelled a forward, although if needed to play the position is comfortable doing so. He's played a small forward role with Team Canada can adapt to the needs of the team.
Canadian Freshman Danilo Djuricic is off to a great start at Harvard and incoming Kirkwood will be a potent addition.
BC Big Man Fardaws Aimaq
British Columbia big man, Fardaws Aimaq is an unknown who is quickly making a name for himself and building his recruitment.
Pepperdine and San Fran are turning up their efforts and are likely next to pull the trigger and offer Aimaq.
Mercer and Radford is who Aimaq has visited yet the list of interested schools include Northeastern, Pepperdine, USF, UNC Wilmington, Elon; and likely a new swarm after the showing this weekend.
In the first game at the NPS he finished with 15 points, 6 rebounds against Scotland Campus (PA) and in the second against Fork Union, 16 points and 13 rebounds. Even
It's not every day you come across traditional post players; Aimaq is just that.
"I offer more than most bigs I've seen, who normally just set screens, rebound and protect the rim. I can do all of that, but I'm also skilled so my teammates trust getting the ball into to me to score in the paint and trust that if it's not there for me, it'll come back to them where they want it."
The big man's most underrated skill is in the passing department. He has the vision and feel, seeing where his teammates are in instances where he's double teamed.
Depending on the level he ends up at, Aimaq has the potential to earn all-rookie honors.
As is, he's ready to make an impact in college yet he is dedicated toward trimming down further.
Aimaq has cut off 10 pounds since the summer and has goals off getting down 10 more to 245.
Generally speaking, most kids from British Columbia end up staying close to home or at home; with Aimaq it doesn't matter to whom.
"Best fit, that's what its about. I don't care where it is."
Next up on the prep scene the entire country focuses and locks in at the nation's capital in Ottawa, where the National Preparatory Association of Canada brings in all 13 teams from across the country. NCAA and USports coaches will be in attendance recruiting..
Join us at Notre Dame high school in Ottawa or follow us on the live stream right here on NorthPoleHoops.com

subset: commoncrawl


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I'd like to eat Matt Yglesias' lunch. He's been writing about copyright a fair amount lately, and I've written a little on the subject myself, and I'm beginning to suspect he wouldn't mind.
Last week, for example, Yglesias belittled the damage of online piracy with this rationale:
Even when copyright infringement does lead to real loss of revenue to copyright owners, it's not as if the money vanishes into a black hole. Suppose Joe Downloader uses Bit Torrent to get a free copy of Beggars Banquet …, and then goes out to eat some pizza. In this case, the Rolling Stones' loss is the pizzeria's gain and Joe gets to listen to a classic album. It's at least not obvious that we should regard this, on balance, as harmful.
That's quite a line of argument, and I don't think Yglesias has really taken it as far as it could go. So let me take it from him, as it were, and go further. If I were to visit the Slate cafeteria, sit in Yglesias' chair, and eat his lunch, it's not as if the money that I failed to spend on a lunch of my own would vanish into a black hole. No! The economy will not suffer! Yglesias, after all, will have paid for the lunch I ate, and the money that I didn't spend would still be in my pocket or my checking account or whatever. So I could take that money and spend it on, say, the new Shins album. Now I can afford vinyl! Flourish, Keynesian multipliers, flourish!
Oh, but Caleb, you will say. A lunch is different than an electronic copy of a work of art. And I would answer, Yes, that's true, but that's a separate issue, which I'll get to in a moment. The rationale quoted above depends in no way on the nature of what is taken. It's merely a claim that the economy-boosting spending potential of a thief is not necessarily impaired by his theft, and it can justify, or at least minimize the harm of, the theft of anything, abstract or concrete. It depends in no way on the nature of what is taken. Let's try taking Yglesias' laptop, for example. Here we go. … Great! Now I have a new laptop. And the money that I was going to spend upgrading mine, I'm now free to spend on a new bicycle! Somebody in Portland will hand-make it, probably. A hipster has been given a job! Yglesias' laptop is my new bicycle! The Internet is so much fun.
Now let's consider the nature of what's being taken more carefully. As Yglesias himself put it, in a different post,
If I steal your car then you don't have a car anymore, whereas if I duplicate a digital media file we both end up with it.
By about two centuries, Immanuel Kant anticipated this point. As I explained in a review-essay on copyright that appeared in the National a couple of years ago, Kant addressed this quandary in the 1780s:
It turns out that Kant didn't think that an author could mount a strong legal case against piracy based on property rights in words. After all, even after pirates copied an author's words, the author himself still had them. It was better for an author to argue that his book was not an object but an exercise of his powers, which "he can concede, it is true, to others, but never alienate". In other words, … a pirated book was not to be understood as property that had been stolen; it was rather a speech act that had been compromised. The business arrangement that an author made with an editor might make it look as if words could be traded like watches or pork bellies, but it just wasn't so.
Alas, Kant's concern for the moral rights of authors represents a path that American law, at least, did not take. Unlike Kant, we don't worry so much today about protecting the authenticity and moral integrity of a speech act; we focus on the money the author is or isn't making. Perhaps we should worry about integrity, though. If I find an essay of mine reprinted without permission on a link-whoring site, I do feel rage. I know I should be above it; I know that the economic damage to me is zero or near-zero. But I don't like it that my work is being exploited by dubious strangers.
Let me suggest an analogy. Suppose I were to start claiming that I'd been awarded a Purple Heart. (The truth is that I have never even served in the military.) I wouldn't be taking anyone else's Purple Heart away. The award is felt to be valuable, but it doesn't have a clear price, and probably no one could prove that I had gained money by my false claim. Nonetheless most people would be likely to agree that by such a lie I would be harming soldiers who had rightfully earned the award. This example may seem too heavy, morally speaking, as I'm willing to admit, but I think it does prove at least this much: Whether it is right to take a thing from a person does not depend on whether it is abstract, and does not depend on whether the original owner is thereby deprived of his possession. A lighter example: sneaking into a half-empty movie theater through the exit. True, it's not a felony, but it is wrong. If they catch you, they do call your parents.
Since this is America, let me try once more to talk about the theft of art in terms of money. As Kant and Yglesias have observed, it won't quite do to define the property being stolen as merely a set of words (or bits). A good enough definition, perhaps: What you're stealing is the particular copy that might have been sold to you. Yglesias notes that it isn't correct to assume that every act of piracy "represents a lost sale." But it doesn't represent nothing, either. You pirated the work because you wanted it, so it did have some value to you.
Attacking from another angle, Yglesias suggests that illegal piracy reduces "deadwight loss," an economic term of art for the value lost to the market when prices aren't set merely by the intersection of supply and demand curves. If the government subsidizes corn, the resulting increase in corn-syrup-sweetened colas drunk is a deadweight loss. If the government grants Farrar Straus a monopoly on the sale of Elizabeth Bishop's poems, fans of hers who can't afford the monopoly price will have to forgo buying a collection—and the pleasure they won't have is another deadweight loss. This sounds like math, but if I've understood correctly (and I might not have, not being an economist), it's little more than a restatement of copyright's definition. As Yglesias himself concedes, "the whole point of copyright is that the owner of the rights … has a monopoly on sales." Uh, yeah. That is the idea. To say you approve of copyright infringement because it reduces deadweight loss, therefore, is a little like saying you approve of tax evasion because it reduces the market-distorting appropriation of citizens' money by the government.
According to the Constitution, the purpose of copyright is "to promote the progress of Science and useful Arts." For that purpose I'm willing to not only eat Yglesias' lunch but cash his paycheck, too. Jeffrey Rosen of the New Republic recently suggested that "There is certainly a price below which authors and journalists won't produce good work in the first place." Sure, answered Yglesias, and "the price is almost certainly negative." In other words, Yglesias thinks that writing, music, film, and television can prosper as hobbies—that in the copyright-free future, people might even pay for the privilege of writing and creating. Corporate bean counters of Slate! Did you read this? You have on your hands an economics experiment begging to happen. Mail me a fraction of Yglesias' paycheck, increasing the fraction from week to week. If he's wrong, we'll eventually cleave the heart of the mystery that is the "price below which authors and journalists won't produce good work." If he's right, though, he'll never blink. He might even start paying you.
For my part, I promise to spend whatever you send with the purest market efficiency.


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Presentation of Eoc at Purdue University, West Lafayette Indiana, in the afternoon Session of the 7th Annual Geotechnical Society Workshop:
Sustainable, Stable and Equitable Communities: Near and Far
Friday, April 24, 2009
Purdue University, School of Civil Engineering
7th Annual Geotechnical Society Workshop
Stewart Center,
Room 214 State Street,
West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S.A.
Speakers include :
John Mundell , President, Mundell & Associates: "Running an Earth Science and Environmental Engineering Company with a Social Mission"
Bernard Amadei , Founder of Engineers Without Borders – USA: "Engineering with a Human Face"
"The talk will focus on the experience of the author in starting, developing and running a consulting engineering business with a commitment to the local and global needs of the poor. The company is part of the Economy of Communion in Freedom, a worldwide network of over 750 small to medium-size businesses in over 50 countries that pool their profits together for targeted support and relief projects for the poor around the world. In 2007, over 5000 poor throughout the world were provided with food, shelter, work and educational opportunities through the Economy of Communion (or 'EoC'). Mr. Mundell will describe the project, the business philosophy behind its mission, and specific activities carried out by his company including the running of a worldwide EoC International Internship Program for college-age students, whose purpose it is to provide students with a 'hands-on' experience that teaches them how to run businesses ethically and with a social mission, while providing technical training in their area of interest ."
Bernard Amadei , Founder of Engineers Without Borders – USA:
"Engineering with a Human Face" -"The lecture will present the challenges and opportunities associated with providing solutions to the basic needs of about 5 billion people whose job is to stay alive by the end of the day. Addresssing today's developing world problems requires the education of a new generation of globalized engineers working hand-in-hand with local communities, governments, and international development organizations and an engineering profession willing to interact with other disciplines ."


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Tourism Solomons has advised all passengers entering the Solomons Islands via air and sea ports and other points of entry from those countries where coronavirus has been detected will be subject to assessment by immigration and health officials upon arrival with immediate effect.
The decision to assess inbound visitors follows a meeting between the Solomon Islands Government, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) and Solomon Airlines which met with representatives from the High Commissions of several countries to update and clarify the country's stance on its efforts to contain the spread of the virus.
Under the ruling any person who has been in a country where there is a confirmed case of the coronavirus 14 days prior to arriving in the Solomon Islands will be subject to assessment and may be allowed to enter the Solomon Islands.
However, if showing symptoms or unwell, they may be subject to detention or placed in quarantine until they are shown to be free from infection.
Tourism Solomons CEO, Josefa 'Jo' Tuamoto said the assessment decision built on action already taken by local medical authorities which are working closely with their immigration and customs counterparts, training them on how to recognise cases of 2019-nCoV.
"Incoming visitors are also being provided with guidance on what to do if they think they have the infection," he said.
To date no cases of the virus had been detected in the Solomon Islands.


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Safari for Mac
Safari is included with your Mac.
- To keep Safari up to date, install the latest macOS updates. The most recent version of macOS includes the most recent version of Safari.
- If you deleted Safari and don't have a backup, reinstall macOS to put Safari back in your Applications folder. Reinstalling macOS doesn't remove data from your computer. Before reinstalling, you might want to use Spotlight to search for Safari. If you find it, but it's no longer in your Dock, just drag it to the Dock to add it back.
Safari for Windows
Apple no longer offers Safari updates for Windows. Safari 5.1.7 for Windows was the last version made for Windows, and it is now outdated.


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Can You Get Cavities with Veneers?
From a professional photo shoot to flashing your smile at a work function, feeling comfortable with your teeth is vital to your self-confidence, which is the feeling of freedom that comes with expressing yourself. That's why porcelain veneers are so popular in cosmetic dentistry.
These thin, glass-like applications are applied to the front of teeth using dental cement and can take cracked, chipped, or otherwise damaged teeth and transform them into pearly whites that are fit for the Hollywood big screen!
A common question that arises is this: Can I get cavities with veneers? While the short answer is yes, let us provide a more in-depth answer.
The Purpose of Veneers
While veneers do cause teeth to appear flawless and healthy, they are essentially facades. In other words, veneers cover up imperfections; they don't fix them. The purpose of veneers is to improve the aesthetics of your teeth, which they do that job to perfection.
In fact, veneers are simply adhered to organic material (your teeth) that is vulnerable to decay. So, while the veneer itself will not degrade over time, there is still a chance that the tooth it's adhered to will. The teeth themselves are just as susceptible to cavities as they were before veneers.
How to Prevent Cavities with Veneers
You may assume that a special dental hygiene routine is required to care for teeth with porcelain veneers, but we have good news—your routine can remain unchanged.
That's right: as long as you are maintaining consistent, healthy dental habits, you'll be doing your part to prevent cavities, veneers or not. So, what does a proper dental hygiene routine (say that five times fast) look like?
A proper dental hygiene routine looks something like this:
- Brush your teeth! Sure, everyone knows brushing is important, but the nuance of the process is often overlooked. Your brushing process should take at least two minutes and you should use a soft-bristle brush. If you find yourself rushing through this process, try setting a timer. You'll soon form a healthy habit.
- Floss. This task often feels arduous, resulting in it being neglected. We're here to encourage you to reverse that trend. Flossing removes the tiny bits of food that find their way between your teeth, settle there, and contribute to tooth decay. Flossing once a day can help remove these stubborn morsels and keep your smile shining bright and healthy!
- Go to the dentist. Regular visits to your friendly neighborhood dentist are one of the most important steps toward keeping your teeth healthy and preventing cavities. From catching issues before they develop to rectifying any problems that may exist without your knowledge, your dentist is the best resource your teeth have. Who knew!
Our Final Thoughts
Porcelain veneers are popular for many reasons. Porcelain veneers are a simple solution to a common problem because they are durable and tend to last for years on end. Porcelain veneers are a fantastic way to drastically improve the aesthetics of your smile.
Veneers are designed for a specific purpose and they fulfill that purpose very effectively. If you are looking to take your smile and self-confidence to the next level, or simply have more questions about porcelain veneers and other dentistry-related topics, reach out to a dentist with bountiful experience and an unmatched reputation. They'll be more than happy to guide you in the direction that's best for you!


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It wasn't likely any other team was threatening to beat that on the open market.history, scooping $590 million.Walker earned a bachelor's degree in Athletic Training from Marietta College and a master's degree in Higher Education from Arizona State University.I look at these past years, I feel like I've made http://www.onlinesalestarsauthentics.com/Ben_Bishop_Jersey_Adidas jumps.
Let's check on how Premier League participants Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham and Liverpool.One of the best ways to admire its spectacular geologic formations and waterfalls is on two wheels by following its course on the Crooked River Canyon Scenic Bikeway.It is built for two, but easy enough to scale up.Jongkind also consulted with innovators like Romeo Jozak, whose three-year spell as the Croatian FA's technical director played a major role in the nation's World Cup final appearance last year.
The chart below illustrates the lap times of our test car, along with selected competitor vehicles and the year in which each participated in Lightning Lap.PERSONAL: Hometown is West Monroe, La…led West Monroe High School to three Class 5A state football titles, as a freshman, sophomore and senior…graduated from LSU in December 2005 with degree in general studies…former junior tennis champion in Louisiana, and is also an excellent golfer…a Bengals leader in community service, working through his BigWhit 77 Foundation…Teams aren't going to be caught off guard by him.Monahan should be good to go for Game 1 of the http://www.steelersofficialsstores.com/Cameron_Sutton_Jersey_Cheap playoffs after missing the last two games of the season.
The foundation gives priority to clinical research projects and new emerging technologies that focus on understanding the cause, development and prevention of human transplantation diseases, including organ injury and rejection, viral infection and late graft deterioration.The Care Mobile is a 40-foot vehicle built specifically for the delivery of pediatric health care to children in under-served communities in our region.The 25-year-old southpaw sits with an unimpressive 6 ERA and 1 WHIP with a 62 K:BB over 65 innings this season for Toronto.Egg McMuffins were added to the national menu in 1975 after being created by owner and operator Herb Peterson, who ran the Santa Barbara McDonald's in California.
Joseph Poellot Getty Images First run: Montana established himself as one of the greatest QBs of all time in his career with the San Francisco 49ers, winning four Super Bowls and two MVPs.Teyvion Kirk had 18 points, six rebounds and five steals for the Bobcats .It was a three-month grind, but the Canes surged their way up the Eastern Conference standings and put themselves square in the playoff mix.Pittsburgh's magic number to clinch the playoffs is down to 2.Premier League.
U16 Euro Championship B.It's easy to at least see why Washington Nationals fans hate Bryce Harper Authentic Ben Bishop Jersey now.Premier League.Mattia Perin must start.
Martin received a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology from Arizona State University and is a Conditioning and Strength Coaching Specialist .We were just scrimmaging, we had three different Cameron Sutton Jersey scrimmages, Beilein said.He is in his last 7 games with a 1 GAA and .941 SVPT.After more than two decades of house prices rising, the UK is becoming a country of renters with more and more people shut out of the market.It's a great group and we have been through a lot, so to have that time celebrating together was special.Despite what an ex-partner might have said a decade ago, Alex Rodriguez insists he never owned portraits of himself as a centaur.
A sunroof is unavailable on the QF, and paint colors other than Rosso Alfa-a bright red-cost extra.Those drop to 34 and 40 without the star American.The event begins at 11 a.m.Started in a win vs.


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"In this bright future you can't forget your past." – Bob Marley
Week Ahead
29 January – 3 February
Dear Friends, we are at the end of January and many of us are wondering where the first year of the month went! January has been a busy month at SECTION27 and February will be no different.
Monday, 29 January
Mpumalanga Field Researcher Sifiso Nkala will be attending the inaugural meeting of the Msukaligwa Municipality AIDS council secretariat in his capacity as civil society chairperson. The intention of the meeting is to prepare a written report for the first Msukaligwa Municipality AIDS council meeting which will take place on 08 February 2018.
Researcher Patrick Mdletshe will be attending a meeting with KwaZulu-Natal MEC of Health Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo. The MEC will be updating civil society on the latest developments on the issues of Addington hospital oncology problems and the state of the implementation of the National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB and STI in the province.
Tuesday, 30 January
The Life Esidimeni arbitration resumes at the Emoyeni Conference Centre in Johannesburg. On Tuesday the MEC for Finance in Gauteng, Barbara Creecy, and Premier David Makhura will be testifying. On Wednesday the hearings will end with MEC for Health Gwen Ramokgopa and Minister Aaron Motsoaledi. Legal argument will be heard the following week. SECTION27 represents more than 70 families who lost their loved ones as a result of the Life Esidimeni Marathon Project.
Communications officer, Ntsiki Mpulo will attend a planning meeting for the inaugural Human Rights Festival to be held on the 23 to 25 March 2018. She will join peer organisations in the Human rights; Democracy and Constitutionalism sectors to discuss the details of the festival which will take place at Constitutional Hill.
Limpopo Field Researcher Solanga Milambo will meet with partners in Johannesburg to discuss the advocacy and training around the 2018 School Governing Body Election Campaigns. The election of the SGBs is important as these bodies play a crucial role in the governance structures of schools.
Wednesday, 31 January 2018
Solanga Milambo and Patrick Mdletshe will attend the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) civil society meeting in Pretoria. The meeting will be consulting civil society in the run-up to the COP 18 regional meeting and will be attended by all SANAC sectors and Provincial Chairpersons.
Sifiso Nkala will be attending a Treatment Action Campaign reporting and planning meeting in Mpumalanga.
SECTION27 will be represented in an Eastern Cape Local Aids Council meeting by Bheki Maqephula who coordinates our National Strategic Plan (on HIV) work in the province. The meeting will be held in Maluti, a rural sub-district of the greater Alfred Nzo district municipality, where teenage pregnancies and child marriages are prevalent. The meeting will give SECTION27 a platform to engage with the Local AIDS Councils on our Sexual Reproductive and Health Rights programme.
Thursday 1 February
The legal and advocacy team in the Michael Komape case will be in Polokwane to present the heads of argument in the Rosina Komape vs The Department of Education case to be heard in the Polokwane High Court on the 1st and 2nd of February. Michael Komape was the 5 year old boy who fell into a pit toilet at school and died in 2014.
Friday, 2 February
Sifiso Nkala will attend a Treatment Action Campaign Mpumalanga, strategic meeting to discuss the findings at health facilities in the kwaNdebele area (kwaMhlanga, Tweefontein, Kwaggafontein). There are reports of no patient toilets, inadequate infrastructure and shortage of staff.
Huge Congrats to our senior advocate and all-round Education guru Faranaaz Veriava who has passed her doctorate. The topic of her thesis is The Contribution of the Courts and of Civil Society to the Development of a Transformative Constitutionalist Narrative for the Right to Basic Education. It discusses and analyses whether or not the education litigation initiated by civil society organisations, together with the education jurisprudence of the courts, and the interplay between the two, have contributed to the development of an approach to the right to basic education in section 29(1)(a) of the Constitution that is capable of transforming the quality of basic education in South Africa's historically disadvantaged schools. We are incredibly proud of her!


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Fall is my favourite season weather-wise. I love the look of changing orange, red and yellow leaves, and the crisp cool air. This post celebrates my love of fall!
A Pretty Photo Series
I'm a big fan of photography, and Silver Oak Hollow has a beautiful wall hanging that displays real photos of colourful fall trees out for free on the FabFree Fallen Leaves & Frost Hunt. The hint to find this beautiful work of art is, "look for the rainbow above the group gifts." Well, this one shouldn't be too hard to find. 😉 Thank you Silver Oak Hollow for the lovely decor gift!
Lovin' Fall
Although we are well into the fall season, I still love this cute "hello fall" frame at Noveny. This is their lastest FabFree group gift, and the group is free to join. Just pay the vendor 1L with your group tag active and it will refund your linden back to get the gift.
Red is the Season
I love being a red head- we are just so fiery and our hair matches the fall season so well. This beautiful hair is another gift on the Midnight Madness board at Moon. The Moon group costs 99L and the board changes every night.
Until next time, FabFree!
Caroline is Wearing…
Clothes & Accessories
Dress – Starlight Apparel Hazel Sweater Dress
Heels – [WellMade] Diva Heels (Available @ Orsy Event)
Hair – Moon Anatra (Midnight Madness Board Prize/ Groups Costs 99L to Join)
Mesh Body – Belleza Freya V6
Mesh Head – Lelutka Lilly 3.1 – EvoX
Head Skin – Glam Affair Joy – Honey
Skin – 7 Deadly S[K]ins Blaze (Group Gift/ Group is Temporarily Free to Join) Previously blogged here.
Eyes – Lelutka Lilly 3.1
Lipstick – Poema Arabella blush (5L on the FabFree Fallen Leaves & Frost Hunt) Previously blogged here.
Blush – Poema Sexy Mami Lipstick – The Browns (5L on the FabFree Fallen Leaves & Frost Hunt) Previously blogged here.
Nails – Belleza Freya V6
Photo Location – Luane's World
Furniture & Decor
Wall Hanging with Photographs – Silver Oak Hollow Autumn Wall Hanging (Free on the FabFree Fallen Leaves & Frost Hunt)
Frame – Noveny Hello Fall Frame (Free FabFree Group Gift/ Group is Free to Join)


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- Ton/Tons
- 1000
- Ton/Tons
Portable Cold Storage
Control Atmosphere Cold Storage :
Control Atmosphere cold storage mainly used for long-term storage of perishable fruits. In this type of cold storage, apart from temperature concentration of oxygen, carbon dioxide, ethylene and nitrogen is maintain as per the requirement of the storage material. This type of CA storage mainly used for the storage of apples, pears, lemon, lichee, mango and other perishable fruits. We also provide ultra law oxygen cold storage for long-term storage of fruits.
Temperature Controlled Cold Storage :
This type of cold storage is mainly used for storage of grains, dry fruits, spices and non desperate produce. In this type of storage, constant pre- determine temperature is maintained throughout the room.
High Humidity Cold Storage :
This type of cold storage is mainly used for storage of fresh vegetables. In this type of storage, constant pre- determine temperature with high humidity is maintained throughout the room. Natural Vegetables & Fruits Storage Pvt. Ltd. provide total storage solutions for roots vegetables like onions, garlics, carrots, process potatoes etc. in this type of storage a part from temperature humidity, carbon dioxide air circulations within the products is maintain automatically at pre define level. This type of storage system is very useful for the control of sugar level in the product like potatoes which is highly demand by process industries.
Modified Atmosphere Cold Storage :
This type of cold storage is mainly used for storage of fresh fruits and vegetables. In this type of storage, constant pre - determine temperature with certain gases like carbon dioxide, ethylene etc. constantly maintained.
- kandla PORT
- 5000 Per Year
- 1 Months
- All India
Plot No.3,4,5, Jagnath Plot Corner, Dr.Radha Krushna Road, Opp. Rajkumar College, Rajkot, Rajkot, Gujarat, 382729, India
Phone :+918037303365


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Stolen smartphone nearly recovered
Staff Writer
Athens Banner-Herald
A 19-year-old Watkinsville woman traced her stolen iPhone to an apartment complex on South Pope Street, but she and an Athens-Clarke County police officer assisting in the search for the phone could not pinpoint its exact location, according to an Athens-Clarke County Police Department report.
The woman reported that her phone was stolen Saturday night while she was the Boar's Head lounge in downtown Athens, and that by 2 a.m. Sunday she had traced it to the apartment complex. Neither she nor the officer could isolate the trace to a single apartment.


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Cloud Computing
What is Cloud Computing? The courses and programs listed below will help you break it down. Starting off with the basics and getting more in to the advanced stages as you progress, you will learn how Cloud computing will eventually revolutionize and define what the modern IT system is currently. Starting off with virtualization - where you learn the ability to increase computing efficiency. Democratization of computing – bringing enterprise scale infrastructure to small and medium businesses. Scalability and fast provisioning – bringing web scale IT at a rapid pace. Commoditization of infrastructure – enabling IT to focus on the strategic aspects of its role. Enrol in one of the key courses and programs below to help you get started.
in Cloud Computingsee available courses Class Based Courses
in Cloud Computingsee available classes


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Yet Another Wow Place
Hello Enthusiasts –
Just a short time ago, I posted about Downtown's Newest Wow Place. And in that post, I made the point that Downtown had gone a little while without opening places that compelled me to write about them. Which isn't a bad thing, because Downtown can't succeed if all it does is open new, shiny baubles. But it does affect how much I blog which, let's face it, is what's really important here.
Yet, here we are, a few short weeks later, and another place has emerged that is compelling me to write about it. A place that's in a somewhat random/tough-to-make-work location, but has the potential to rival The Edison or Seven Grand as longstanding "worth the effort" spots.
It's called – I always feel like there should be some text version of a drum roll when I get to naming these spots, but since there's not… it's called Ebanos Crossing.
As somebody whose pesky day job includes lots of messaging and branding work, I'm not sure I would have picked that particular name for this particular place – it's apparently named after a river crossing at the Rio Grande where bootleggers would bring booze over during Prohibition. (Needless plug: if you ever want to read a great book about Prohibition, read this one.) Anyway, given that they're going for some sort of Prohibition-esque vibe, I guess I get it … but Ebanos Crossing sounds a little less than compelling.
No matter, because the place is pretty awesome. It really does give off a dark, lounge-y, "something illicit (in a good way) might be going on here" vibe, yet it's not 'clubby' or offputting. They just got the balance right.
As always, Eater is helpful with the pictures. So here are a couple of them. The one with the red rocks in the foreground is the entrance – I think that's all part of the "Ebanos Crossing" motif. Whatever, it looks pretty cool:
The fellow Enthusiast who was with me said "it kind of reminds me of a mini-Edison", and he was right. Historic space with lots of exposed piping and whatnot, but still somehow modern and inviting. And the music, played by an actual DJ at all times, is really good, too.
Now, sometimes places that put this much emphasis on the visual "wow" factor decide they can phone it in for the food and drink. (I'm looking at you, Perch) Not this place. I only tried the churros (what can I say? I already had dinner and it was all that sounded good), but they were delicious. But, as loyal readers of this little vanity project know, I'm going to judge a place like this by the cocktails, and they were de-LIC-ious. A little tequila/mezcal forward for my taste (I will admit that it's a little strange to call a place Ebanos Crossing and have a decided Latin flair to the menu, but then decorate it like this … but I digress), but still interesting and creative and expertly done – even the non-tequila ones. Which is not surprising, because the head bartender was at one of New York's iconic cocktail bars, Death & Co., and then opened up Mayahuel which I haven't been to, but is supposedly the place that taught Manhattan how to drink tequila. Places like Seven Grand, Doheny/Cana, the Edison, and the Varnish have set the bar high in Downtown for cocktails, and these guys have cleared it.
It's at the corner of 2nd & Hill, which mildly worries me – lots of things have died there, and it's at the end of the 2nd Street tunnel, meaning you don't really just happen upon it. But if any place is cool enough to be a magnet no matter where it is, it's this place.
It just soft opened, so go now before you're waiting in one of those pesky lines that have cropped up around Downtown in the last couple years. I predict this place will have one soon – just tell them your loyal Enthusiast sent you (except don't be all rude to the doorman and don't be surprised when he answers "who?").
Oh, and one last thing: their website says they are a "revelry of sexiness and culture." What else do you need?
Happy travels.
200 S. Hill St. (2nd & Hill)


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|Cnr R24 & Koro Koro Street
|1620 Rustenburg ZA +27-112309999
|Branch Type:
|GDS - Code:
|Mo. - Fr.
|08:00 - 17:00
Sixt car rental in Rustenburg is ideally located in the city. You will find the branch inside the large Nissan and Renault dealership, on the corner of R24 and Koro Koro Street. You can rent a car in Rustenburg between the hours of 8am and 5pm Monday to Friday. Car hire in Rustenburg is available for a range of modern vehicles from Chevrolet, Nissan, Ford, Mercedes and Toyota. With Sixt, you have the option to pay in advance or upon arrival at the branch. Whichever method you use for booking, there are no rebooking or cancellation fees. It is recommended that you book online before you travel, as drivers will qualify for free mileage, no credit card fees, a range of insurance options are included and extras such as Sat Nav can be booked to aid travel throughout the city.
Rustenburg lies close to two major settlements, including Phokeng, and can be accessed by major highways. In the city itself are many cultural attractions including the Rustenburg Museum, the Voortrekker statue and many historic churches. By far the most popular attraction in the area is the abundance of major nature reserves located close to the city. Car hire in Rustenburg from Sixt gives visitors the perfect opportunity to visit Kgaswane Nature Reserve located in the mountain peaks above the city and to see the picturesque Buffelspoort Dam.
Opening Hours
|Mo. - Fr.
|08:00 - 17:00
Contacts / Lost & Found
|Cnr R24 & Koro Koro Street
|1620 Rustenburg
|Phone no.
Location Plan - How to Find us
Traveling on the R24 North towards the Rustenburg CBD, look out for the Nissan & Renault Dealership on the right. Enter the dealership and look for the First Car Rental signs.


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How to Cook Steak
Cooking steak can be intimidating, especially because there's no one "right way" to do it. Learn these methods for cooking steak, and decide which option is best for you. Here are four ways to cook the perfect steaks: on the grill, in the oven, on the stove, or cooked sous vide.
How to Cook Steak 4 Different Ways
1. How to Cook Steak on the Grill
We won't get into the fiery debate between charcoal versus gas grills here — we've covered that in depth. But for certain, great grilling can be had with either charcoal or gas.
We've also covered how to pick the best steak for grilling. The good news is, the perfect steak doesn't need to be the most expensive. If breaking the bank isn't part of your barbeque plan, consider less spendy sirloin, hanger, flank steak, and skirt steaks.
Choose cuts that are at least 1-inch thick. If the steak is too thin, the interior gets cooked well-done before the exterior can develop the crave-worthy crust. If you can, choose steaks of even thickness so they'll be done at the same time. Also, meat near the bone will take a little longer to cook.
Marinades and Rubs. The ideal steak marinade combines acid, fat, and seasonings. The acid creates a tangy flavor foundation and tenderizes the meat; the fat adds flavor, seals in juices, helps keep the meat from sticking to the grill, and promotes caramelization; and the seasonings complete the flavor profile. Here's a breakdown of The Best Steak Marinade in Existence.
Rubs are another way to go. These simple seasoning mixtures infuse grilled steaks with exciting flavors. The best rubs enhance the natural smoky flavors of the grilled meat without overwhelming it. Add a little oil, vinegar, or other liquid to the mix, and you have a wet rub. Let rubbed meats sit for anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight. Now that you've prepped your meat, learn step-by-step how to cook steak on the grill:
- If your steak was marinating, wipe off the wet marinade with a paper towel, then set it down on the hot grill and leave it alone for several minutes without turning.
- After a few minutes, the meat will release its grip on the grill, and you can turn it without tearing the meat; If you start to turn it, and it's still gripping the grill, just give it another minute.
- Sear steaks over high, direct heat, then move them to indirect heat to finish cooking. That's the most common method. But if you like to live dangerously, do it in reverse: start with indirect cooking, with the lid on, and then finish with a quick, high-heat sear. You'll get the same results: a juicy steak with a crisp, caramelized crust.
- Once your steak is done to your liking, remove it to a plate and let it sit for at least 5 minutes before serving or slicing.
Some Favorite Grilled Steak Recipes:
2. How to Cook Steak in the Oven
Broiling steak in the oven gives you grill-like results in the kitchen. Broiling is like grilling turned on its head, with the high heat coming from above the meat instead of below it. Both grilling and broiling are fast and easy. Here's how to broil in 5 easy steps.
1. Before turning on the broiler, remove thawed steaks from the refrigerator and let them rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Then pat the steaks dry with paper towels and season the meat as you like.
2. Trim excess fat from the meat to avoid grease flare-ups. Make a few vertical cuts along the edges of the steak to keep it from curling under the broiler.
3. Situate the top oven rack to just below the broiler coils. Turn the oven on to broil. Allow it to preheat for 5 minutes.
4. Place steaks on a broiling pan—or if you don't have a broiling pan, make one: line a shallow baking sheet with foil and set a flat rack on top of it. But do not use a glass baking pan under the broiler — it will break under the high heat.
5. Slide the steaks under the glowing coils. The distance between the top of the steaks and the heat source should be between 3 and 5 inches. If the top rack position is too close to the coils, lower the rack to the second position.
6. Keep an eye on the steaks. Once the crust is nicely browned, grab a couple pot holders and pull out the broiling pan. Flip the steaks and cook the other side until done. Broiling cooks food fast. So once you've turned the steaks, let them cook another minute or so, and then check for doneness with an instant read thermometer.
7. If the outside is nicely crusted but the inside is too raw for your liking, turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees F and roast until done. Remove and let the meat rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Related: The Best Cutting Boards for Meat
3. How to Cook Steak Stovetop-to-Oven
If you're cooking your steaks in the oven, take a tip from restaurant chefs start by searing the meat on the stovetop, then finish up in a super-hot oven. This stovetop-to-oven process results in a steak with a deeply caramelized crust and a tender and perfectly cooked interior.
Oven Roasted Steak with Red Wine Pan Sauce
Servings: 2
- 2 (6 ounce) filet mignon steaks
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2 tablespoons butter
1. Bring the steaks to room temperature. Rub the steaks with 1/4 teaspoon oil per side and generously season with salt and pepper.
2. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C) (a very hot oven produces a juicy interior). Place a 10-inch ovenproof skillet or cast-iron skillet in the oven as it preheats. When oven reaches 500 degrees F (260 degrees C), use a baking mitt to remove the pan from oven. Be careful! The pan and the handle will be extremely hot. Place the pan on the stovetop and turn the heat to high.
3. Immediately place steaks in the middle of the hot, dry pan. Cook 1 to 2 minutes without moving; turn steaks with tongs, and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Transfer the pan with the seared steaks to the hot oven. Roast in the center of the oven until the steaks are cooked to your liking, about 3 to 5 minutes. (See below for info on how to determine doneness.)
5. Transfer the cooked steaks to a warm platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil.
Give it a rest. Before slicing or serving, let the meat sit for 5 to 10 minutes. The steak will continue to cook (the temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after being removed from the oven) and the juices will redistribute throughout the meat.
6. While the steaks are resting, place the skillet over medium heat. Add ½ cup dry red wine to the skillet and bring to a boil. As the wine boils, use a wooden spoon to scrap any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Let the liquid boil until reduced to approximately 1/3 cup. Remove pan from heat. Add the butter, swirling the pan to incorporate it into the sauce.
7. Serve the steaks whole or slice thin and fan onto individual serving plates. Pour the sauce over the steaks just before serving.
4. How to Cook Steak Sous Vide
There's another way to get juicy steaks on the stovetop. It's a technique called sous vide (pronounced sou-VEED). It starts with the same searing technique as above. but instead of going from skillet into a very hot oven, the steak gets sealed in a plastic bag and goes into a hot water bath to finish cooking. Interested? Watch this video for all the details:
VIDEO: Sous Vide New York Strip Steaks
Chef John's technique doesn't require expensive sous vide equipment -- all you need is a heavy pot and a cooking thermometer. See how it's done!
How to Test Your Steak for Doneness
For the most accurate results, use a meat thermometer to test for doneness:
- Rare -- 125 degrees F (52 degrees C)
- Medium Rare -- 130 degrees F (54 degrees C)
- Medium -- 140 degrees F (60 degrees C)
- Medium Well -- 150 degrees F (65 degrees C)
- Well done -- 160 degrees F (70 degrees C)
You can also use your fist. Admittedly, this method is more art than science, but it will give you a general idea of doneness. First, make your hand into a fist. You'll notice there's a fleshy, roughly triangular patch of skin between your folded-up thumb and pointer finger. Touch that flap of skin and compare it to the steak. Here's the deal:
- Very loose non-fist -- Rare
- Tight fist -- Well done
- A grip halfway between loose and tight -- Medium
See? Not science. But close enough for grill-work.
- How to Grill Steak
- What Is Salisbury Steak?
- Browse our entire collection of Beef Steak Recipes.


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Completely Present: What it means in caring for the dying
By Dr. Tom Bishop, PsyD and Joshua Wienczkowski
Dignity therapy, according to Dr. Bishop, revolves around a singular question – what is one thing I need to know about you in order to better take care of you? It's through this, we as providers help patients and their families build legacy and how they can accomplish this once disease has been diagnosed, he discusses. The notion of being curious opens the door to understanding how patients perceive their situation; it helps us figure out what control and sense of self mean to a person; how their role in life can be preserved; help them maintain pride; instill a sense of hopefulness with autonomy and control, acceptance, resilience, and a fighting spirit.
When working with terminally ill patients, Dr. Bishop is always asking himself,
What do they do to help ease the situation? Are they moving from a focus on disease to the present (mindfulness), and if not, how do I get them there? What are their coping skills? How do they tackle this disease? What does normalcy look like? Do they have or need spiritual comfort, whatever that may mean to them?
In a study from The Lancet Oncology on dignity therapy, 326 terminally ill patients were introduced to dignity therapy in end of life care, and they found improvement in quality of life, impact on changing how families valued them, and helped relieve sadness and depression. However, the study showed it did not lead to improvement in stress levels. Essentially, dignity therapy in end of life care helps coping with the illness, but it's still dying and still hurts. Stress doesn't change, but the understanding of it does, according to Bishop.
Reflecting on nearly two decades of helping care for patients in end of life, Dr. Bishop notes a commonality that seems to stem from the very core of the human condition that everyone attempts to find meaning. He goes on to describe an innate drive in everyone to find some meaning in the process of searching for meaning. It doesn't relieve the conflict and inner turmoil of facing one's own death, he says, but it can help bring sense of meaning to a life nearing its end, or maybe being more accepting there's no rational explanation of the suffering.
When talking with patients, there's informational and formational communication. In formational, info I've taken in via a new research study, let's say, can start to impact how I might practice. Transformational is to the level you might consider mortality in a different way. You want to give information when talking with patients in end of life care, and perhaps impact the way they live and think, but hopefully you'll change their life and time left through connecting as people in death and dying, and vice versa.
To really appreciate these kinds of conversations, Dr. Bishop recalls a story about Mrs. C, a young woman in her 30's who was dying quickly from cancer, but her husband simply couldn't grasp what was happening.
We had to be honest with him, but also respect his defenses. I had to wait for the right time to ask what if. I would ask him to simply look out the window and look at it for just a minute and see how he felt about it, the what if. I was planting a seed. It had to start with not a notion of him just accepting she was dying, but being honest, and respecting his guardedness and finding the opportunity to simply ask the question of what if. He could tolerate that for only a moment, but he couldn't tolerate that she was going to pass. I had to meet him where he was at.
Recounting the days in home visits leading up to her death, Dr. Bishop described an anger that lingered in their house, but it was anger from two perspectives. He was angry their current situation was even happening, an opportunity of life and love robbed from their hands too soon. She was angry she didn't have control, and didn't want to spend their final days in appointments. In that, both were coming to terms they weren't going to be seeking more care. While Mr. C begged his wife to go to more doctors appointments, to try 4th and 5th line treatments, or a new clinical trial at a big university, Mrs. C simply wanted to spend their remaining time together at a park, wrapped in each others arms as the inevitability of death crept closer like the faithfulness of the sun slowly slipping behind the horizon each day at dusk.
I was working with their daughter, who was struggling with the adjustment, and you just have this sixth sense. In slow motion, I can remember the neighbor coming out into the yard, and the sirens echoing through the neighborhood as the ambulance approached. She had JUST passed away. Her husband was hysterical, yelling "You have to do something! You have to do something!" Even though he had come to terms with Hospice and letting go; even though we had peered out the window and wondered what if, taking small doses in at a time; in that moment, and knowing their spirituality, and attempting to console him by saying things, I was at a loss for words. I tried to dictate their understanding of what was actually happening, and then the daughter began to say "she's in a better place" and using the language important to them. He just needed to be held, so that's what I did. I was present, which was more to them than any word I could have offered.
In death and dying, Dr. Bishop offers, being prepared, seeing it coming, having a plan, and then being COMPLETELY PRESENT are the most valuable things one can do for a patient and their family. Being curious and discovering where they're at is the only way to understanding the core of a person and how they define their own human condition. Comfort with discomfort, he says, is a door through which we can truly appreciate the power of simply being present. Although words may fail when we desire to use them, offering open arms in even the darkest hour is light that can weave comfort with the thread that binds us all, our human condition.
Dr. Bishop is a Clinical Psychologist with the ETSU Family Medicine program in Johnson City, TN and has interests in primary care, rural and organizational health, faith and medicine, positive psychology in medical care, sports psychology, and neuropsychology. Joshua Wienczkowski is a medical student preparing to start Family Medicine residency at ETSU in Kingsport, TN.


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Greetings, Stampers! What a crazy couple of days it has been, hardly any time to blog at all! I finally had time last night to finish a project I started a few days ago.
This project was designed for this weeks Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge. This is a great, simple sketch which leaves lots of room for interpretation.
The butterflies were made in a couple of steps. First, I cut them using the Big Shot and the Beautiful Butterflies Die. Next, they were embossed using the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder. Finally, they were adorned with ribbon and a brad from the Everyday Enchantment Ribbon and Brad Pack.
Stampin' Up! Products Used:
Stamp Sets: Sincere Salutations
Card Stock: Very Vanilla, Pool Party, Lucky Limeade
Designer Series Paper: Everyday Enchantment
Ink Pads: Lucky Limeade
Tools: Big Shot, Beautiful Butterflies Die, Vintage Wallpaper and Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folders, Little Leaves Sizzlit, Boho Blossoms and Scallop Edge Border Punches
Accessories: Everyday Enchantment Ribbon and Brad Pack, Lucky Limeade Ruffled Ribbon, Pearls
The Everyday Enchantment Designer Paper and Everyday Enchantment Ribbon and Brad Bundle are products that can be earned free with a $50 purchase in Stampin' Up's current Sale-A-Bration Catalog. Contact me to request a copy. Click here to see the Sale-A-Bration Catalog now.
Click here to shop Stampin' Up!
Thanks for visiting!


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BEIJING – It was her third public appearance by the side of North Korea's new leader Kim Jong Un. This time the "mystery woman" was wearing a striking yellow polka-dot dress, with a chic Chanel-style white tweed jacket and matching ivory toe-open high heels, in state television footage of a recent visit by Kim to a preschool in Pyongyang.
Her appearance in public again – she is thought to be the same woman who recently appeared with Kim at a Disney-inspired concert – was a rare spectacle, stirring up speculation that changes are coming to the isolated nation.
The "mystery woman," coupled with the surprise announcement by the country's official news media on Monday that North Korea's veteran army chief was relieved of all his posts, apparently due to illness, also stoked suspicion. It was the first major purge under the seven-month-old regime of Kim Jong Un, who inherited leadership of the authoritarian regime after his father died last December.
The intriguing combination of fashion display and military purge is fueling debate among North Korea watchers in Beijing and Seoul on whether or not the moves signal a new policy direction from the Pyongyang regime. Some argue the 29-year-old new leader may be trying to remove old guards from his regime who could stand in the way of a reform program to revitalize the impoverished country.
A wife, a sister?
But back to the mystery woman: who is she?
There has been no official confirmation of the identity of the glamorous woman who appeared at Kim's side at three recent public events. She first attracted global curiosity when she was shown watching a July 7 cultural performance with Kim that featured Minnie Mouse and other Disney characters, the theme song from "Rocky 4"and groups of female singers dressed in mini-skirts, high-heeled shoes and off-the-shoulder tops.
Other top officials who watched the show included Kim's uncle Jan Song-Taek, widely seen as the power behind the throne. The concert itself, shown to the public by North Korean TV, tended to play up Kim's reputation as avid fan of Western pop culture. He was reportedly fond of American basketball when he was studying in Switzerland during the 1990s, wore Nike sneakers and drove Harley Davidson motorcycles.
Some South Korean observers said that the woman could be Kim's sister, Kim Yeo-Jong. But his sister later appeared on state TV during a mourning event for Kim Jong Il, their father, and she looked unmistakably slimmer and different from the "mystery woman."
Others pointed to a popular singer Hyon Song Wol, with hits like "I Love Pyongyang" and "Excellent Horse-like Lady."
But more recent reports from Seoul say that she is Kim's wife. She is reported to be a 27-year-old graduate from Kim Il-Sung University. So far, however, there hasn't been any official confirmation from North Korea on the woman's identity.
The buzz about the glamorous "mystery woman" comes amid increasing reports, noted in South Korea and China's blogosphere, of more entertainment and choices in the daily lives of the North Koreans.
Visitors to the isolated country report more women wearing fashionable outfits, young men using hair gels in the style of South Korean actors and private markets in Pyongyang operating more flexible hours.
Kim has lifted the ban on women wearing trousers in public which has proved extremely popular. North Korean TV has also shown images of Kim visiting amusement parks and fast food restaurants that sell pizza, hamburgers and French fries, Western delights once banned in the country.
High-heel shoes rank second among the 10 most popular consumer items for North Korean women, according to an analysis by the Samsung Economic Research Institute.
Close eye from China
North Korea watchers in China are keeping a close eye on developments for any signs of real change in the "Hermit Kingdom."
The idea of "opening up" the long reclusive country should be encouraged, according to a commentary in China's state-run Global Times newspaper.
"Northeast Asia's geopolitical development should encourage North Korea's opening up instead of repeatedly creating tensions that will only intensify Pyongyang's caution and vigilance," argued Global Times commentator Shen Renping.
In one sign of economic change, there have been reports that 20,000 workers from North Korea will be sent to China to work in manufacturing sectors. According to Chinese analysts, Kim is set to declare a comprehensive economic reform program "in August or September."
Referring to the recent ouster of Kim's former mentor and North Korean army chief Ri Yong Ho, a Chinese North Korea expert told AP Television that Kim was signaling "North Korea is going to slowly change the policy of putting the military first" and to experiment with "economic reform."
The Chinese scholar Wang Junsheng called on the international community to "wait for the next steps" and to give Kim "time and a comfortable environment."
However, another leading Chinese foreign policy scholar urged caution in drawing any conclusions about a North Korean reform program.
"I think North Korea has changed a lot already since Kim Jong Il died. But in terms of policy and diplomacy, I see little indication of change," Professor Shi Yinhong, who teaches international relations at Beijing's Renmin University, told NBC News.
Referring to North Korea's nuclear and security policies, Shi Yinhong cautioned that "it is too early tell" whether North Korea will change.
"I see no substantial indication of opening up…Bringing some women along is very normal and doesn't have much critical meaning," he added.
Researcher Tianzhou Ye contributed to this report in Beijing.


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OUR WORK/Radisson Hotel Group
Radisson Hotel Group
Event Horizons: A blueprint for success
In April, Radisson Hotel Group launched its new meetings and events offering – Radisson Meetings – with the help of FT Longitude and the Financial Times, at IMEX in Munich, where FT Longitude COO James Watson, presented the key findings.
Part of an ambitious plan to become the market leader and their customer's primary choice for meetings and events, Radisson Hotel Group commissioned FT Longitude and FT Marketing Services to create and help execute a comprehensive thought leadership campaign, examining how leading event planners are delivering events.
Read the full report here.
Project deliverables
event planners responded to the global survey
in-depth interviews with subject-matter experts
a range of content outputs designed in the client's branding
The research programme informed a comprehensive content plan, centered around a flagship key findings report. The bundle of content is completed by a detailed infographic, a collection of smaller micrographics for social media, and a series of video Q&As with event industry experts.
The client has benefitted through a wide impact on social media, building on the buzz created around the launch event at IMEX. This broad mix of mediums helps ensure the campaign is visual, appealing and conveys the desired message effectively. The campaign is a flagship example of how thought leadership can aid the launch – or relaunch – of a brand through an effective B2B content strategy.
Book your free strategy call
We'll help you to navigate and overcome any challenges you currently face and learn how to get more out of your content.Book a Strategy Call
Activation through FT channels
To aid amplification, Radisson Meetings and FT Longitude developed content for a custom BrandSuite on the Financial Times' website – accessing an engaged, senior business audience.
The content hub itself hosted all the content produced by FT Longitude, the FT and Radisson Hotel Group, and continues to perform highly. The BrandSuite hub is advertised across FT.com, using advanced audience segmentation to effectively hit the client's target readership, delivering great ROI based on lead generation and brand awareness.
Explore our guide to developing your thought leadership strategy for your go-to resource for on planing, developing and executing a strategy.
Do you need advice on activating your thought leadership? Speak to our experts now:Speak to an expert


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It's been an eventful year for MIC with the arrival of a new director, 25th anniversary, record numbers and a very successful conference being some of 2004's highlights. It's time to slow down a bit for the upcoming holiday seasons, take a deep breath and extend a cordial Merry Christmas to all of our guests, users, partners and colleagues.
2004 has been a prosperous, active and inspiring year for Norwegian music. The activity has reached unsurpassed heights with new artists making strong debuts, established performers delivering solid and successful releases, sales figures picking up and international attention increasing. Artistic and commercial highlights have been many, and the scene's level confidence and ambitions seems to be growing significantly.
For MIC it has been a year to remember. Not only was 2004 the year of our 25th anniversary, we have also been blessed with the arrival of Svein Bjřrkĺs - our new and energetic director. In late May, MIC hosted a very successful conference in Bergen that generated enthusiasm and lively debate among the international attendees. 2004 was also the year in which all previous records were broken for MIC's web-sites. In November, Ballade.no clocked in more than 2,2 million hits while mic.no and Ballade.no's combined number of unique users ended at more than 136 000. All time high!
2005 will represent a number of challenges for MIC. A revision of the centres organisational structure is on its way, being effective as of 1 January (more on this next year). In August, MIC will welcome its users and guests in a brand new facility at the refurbished and re-designed National Library. The relocation will represent a vast improvement of our facilities, and we also believe that the new aesthetic surroundings will inspire us at MIC to come up with some new thoughts and initiatives.
It's been a busy autumn, and the upcoming holiday season is a welcome break for the MIC staff. As the MIC crew retreats for some well deserved R&R, the Music Information Centre Norway will be closed until Monday January 3. Mic.no/english will not be updated until January 5 as yours truly is off for some long awaited skiing in the western parts of Norway (snow conditions permitting). If all bones are intact early next year, expect a thorough presentation of upcoming releases, tours and key players for 2005.
From all of us at MIC: Merry Christmas and a happy new year. See ya'll in 2005!
Tomas Lauvland Pettersen
Editor mic.no/english
Information Executive Officer


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Is Your Drug Plan the Best One for You?
It's that time of the year. Drug insurance companies in the U.S. are making changes to their formularies — the list of drugs that your insurance company will pay for. Those formularies change from year to year so you need to be alert to changes that may impact your drug costs.
One insurance company adds several MS drugs
As I checked my coverage list for 2017 I was surprised to read that UnitedHealthcare, one of the nation's top three health insurers, plans to add several multiple sclerosis drugs to its coverage. According to the pharmaceutical newsletter FiercePharma, "some drugs — such as multiple sclerosis treatments from Novartis, Sanofi and Biogen — will get a boost. Seven MS drugs that were previously excluded — as was Biogen's Plegridy — or otherwise restricted will be freely available. These include Biogen's Tecfidera, Novartis's Gilenya and Sanofi's Aubagio, three of the new generation of oral treatments."
On the other side of the coin…
UnitedHealthcare and some other insurance companies are also reducing the number of drugs they'll cover for some other medical problems. These include the insulin drug Lantus and Neupogen, which fights inflections. FiercePharma reports that the reasoning behind these changes appears to be two-fold. First, more biosimilar drugs are coming onto the market. These are FDA-approved drugs that are highly similar to the original drug but they're made from living organisms. So, they're less expensive.
Second, some insurance companies seem to feel that some drugs (such as the painkiller OxyContin) are being over-prescribed due to aggressive marketing by the drug makers.
Finding the best drug plan
If your drug insurance is private you'll probably have to go to the web sites of individual insurance companies to compare formularies and your out-of-pocket costs. Medicare patients, however, can enter their state and their drug names to compare plans on the Medicare web site. There's a short window for Medicare patients to change their drug plans: Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, so now's the time to begin your research.
MS Society starts campaign to get patients their meds
At about the time that I was reading about the UHC changes, an email dropped into my inbox from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in the U.S. It's launching a campaign called "Make MS Medications Available." The MS Society is hoping to rally MS patients, drug companies, benefit managers, healthcare providers, lawmakers, and others to support recommendations that, the group says, would give MS patients affordable meds, easy to access to them and the information they need to make good medication choices. The full plan is outlined in a 15-page document, ending with several specific recommendations for each stakeholder.
Much of this campaign is aimed at elected officials, and it includes asking candidates running in the upcoming November elections to take a pledge to ensure that "access to life-changing medications is affordable, simple and transparent."
As is written on the MS Society web site: "Each of us has an important role in making sure people get the medications they need to live their best lives."
How true. I hope you'll do what you can to support the "Make MS Medications Available" program.
(You can read more of my columns on my personal website: www.themswire.com)
Note: Multiple Sclerosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Multiple Sclerosis News Today, or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis.


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Autoinflammatory diseases are diverse: they are caused by different genes, present at various stages in life, and cause a variety of symptoms. Even in patients with the same disease, such as familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), attacks may differ widely; some can have severe abdominal pain while others develop headaches. As a result, measuring disease activity–how active the disease is and how severely the patient is affected–has been quite difficult.
Tag Archives: TRAPS
What the heck are autoinflammatory diseases?
Autoinflammatory diseases are a relatively new category of illnesses caused by disorders of one arm of the immune system. Many of these diseases are characterized by recurrent fevers, rash, chest and abdominal pain, and evidence of systemic inflammation on blood tests; these manifestations often mimic infectious or other illnesses, and it may take several years for the diagnosis to be made.
Most autoinflammatory diseases are genetic (inherited), start in childhood, and persist throughout adult life. These diseases are often present in several members of a family. Other autoinflammatory diseases appear to be acquired, perhaps due to the interplay of genetic and environmental factors, and can present at any time during childhood or adulthood.
The list of autoinflammatory diseases continues to grow every month. Here is a list of the autoinflammatory diseases as they stand so far:
- Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF)
- TNF receptor associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS)
- Hyperimmunoglobulin-D syndrome (Hyper-IgD syndrome, HIDS, also known as mevalonate kinase deficiency, MVK)
- Cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS):
- Familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome (FCAS, also known as familial cold urticaria)
- Muckle-Wells syndrome
- Neonatal onset multisystem inflammatory disease (NOMID, also known as CINCA)
- Deficiency of the interleukin-1-receptor antagonist (DIRA)
- Deficiency of the interleukin-36-receptor antagonist (DITRA)
- Periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis and adenitis (PFAPA)
- Blau syndrome
- Pyogenic sterile arthritis, Pyoderma gangrenosum, Acne (PAPA)
- Synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis syndrome (SAPHO)
- Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD)
- Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS)
- Behcet's disease
- Schnitzler's syndrome
- Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO, also known as chronic non bacterial osteomyelitis (CNO))
- Deficiency of adenosine deaminase 2 (DADA2)
- STING-associated vasculopathy of infancy (SAVI)
Your child with frequent fevers: is it autoinflammatory?
When I was little, I used to get a lot of fevers. With my fevers, I would develop pain in one or both of my ears, and I felt so drained that I just wanted to be left alone to watch TV (or play Atari). If my fever spiked in the middle of the night, my parents would soak me in a tub of lukewarm water to lower my temperature (how I hated those baths!). On the following day, I would visit my pediatrician, who would invariably diagnose me with an ear infection. He prescribed a delicious bubble-gum flavored antibiotic that my parents kept at the top shelf in the refrigerator (out of my reach so I wouldn't overdose). I'm not sure if it was the taste or the active ingredient, but this antibiotic always made me feel better. After what seemed like the millionth episode of fever, my pediatrician recommended that I get tubes in my ears, and the episodes of fever and ear pain subsided.
Recurrent infections, like those I had when I was a child, are the most common cause of frequent fevers in children. Usually, these infections are due to viruses, such as the ones that cause the common cold. Children with colds often develop symptoms attributable to the virus, including a runny nose, nasal congestion, or cough. Multiple infections, one after the other, are especially common in children attending daycare or school, where they trade viruses like I used to trade baseball cards with my friends. When I see these the worried parents of these children in my office, I have to remind them that it is normal for a child to have 9-12 colds every year. Fortunately, these children continue to grow and gain weight without difficulty, and they are healthy between episodes. "As your child grows," I tell the parents, "her immune system will become better at fighting infections, and the frequency and severity of fevers will diminish." Aside from stressing the importance of hand washing among all family members, there is not much that can (or needs) to be done about these episodes.
However, if the episodes do not clearly match the above description, other diagnoses should be considered. In this post, I will provide some tips that may help parents and physicians recognize a rare cause of fever in children: autoinflammatory diseases. The most common autoinflammatory disease in children is called PFAPA, which stands for Periodic Fevers, Aphthous stomatitis (canker sores or oral ulcers), Pharyngitis (sore throat) and Adenitis (enlarged glands in the neck). This disease usually presents in children less than 5 years of age, and causes episodes of fevers in addition to the features that make up the name of the disease (oral ulcers, sore throat, enlarged glands in the neck). The fever usually lasts about 4 days, and it recurs at regular intervals, usually every month. What is unique about PFAPA is that parents can usually predict when the child is "due" to get ill. The episodes of fever are so regular as to be predictable. This regularity is rare in most other diseases. PFAPA is commonly misdiagnosed as frequent Strep infections, and testing for Strep throat is usually negative. Patients do not readily respond to antibiotics, although their symptoms can disappear with one dose of steroids.
Another clue that the child may have an autoinflammatory disease is that all of the episodes of fever look alike. For example, if the child always develops abdominal and joint pain with the fevers, then he may have familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). If, in addition to fever, she always develops a painful rash, muscle pain, and red eyes, then she may have TNF-receptor associated periodic fever (TRAPS). If he develops fevers, rashes, and joint pain after exposure to cold weather, then the child may have familial cold-induced autoinflammatory syndrome (FCAS).
The length and frequency of fever, associated symptoms, and age at which the fevers began can help differentiate between these (and other) autoinflammatory diseases. Thus, it is very helpful to keep a fever diary, specifying the characteristics of each episode. Because many of these autoinflammatory diseases are inherited (genetic), there is often a history of other family members having similar symptoms. In addition, it is important to note that some autoinflammatory diseases are more common in people of certain ethnic backgrounds, such as FMF in Sephardic Jews, Turks, and Armenians.
In addition to autoinflammatory diseases, there are some features of recurrent fevers that should warrant a closer look by a child's pediatrician. These include prolonged episodes of fever (more than one week), recurrent fever without symptoms attributable to a viral infection, difficulty growing or gaining weight, or if the child does not return to his baseline between episodes. Other causes of fever that should be considered in these instances include:
- Immunodeficiencies: problems in the immune system that makes the child more susceptible to infections
- Anatomic and metabolic abnormalities: abnormalities in certain organs that make them more prone to infections (like my ears), or diseases such as cystic fibrosis
- Inflammatory bowel disease: inflammation of the intestines
- Cancer: such as leukemia or lymphoma
With this knowledge, parents and pediatricians alike can help distinguish between the majority of children that develop recurrent fevers because of frequent viruses, from causes which may require additional workup or treatment.


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During the month of June each year the LGBTQ community celebrates Pride Month across the globe. The recognition of pride within this community is a phenomenon representative of the great gains in equality and human rights made by this population.
As recently as 1973, the American Psychological Association considered such individuals to be suffering a challenging psychological disorder which would be expected to block any potential for healthy psychological functionality.
Today, the APA recognizes the potential for fulfilling, satisfying, and healthy life experiences for each member of the LGBTQ community. There is no suggestion of any degree of disordered behavior inherent in LGBTQ individuals. Same sex marriage is legal in multiple countries across the globe, including the United States. Gender questioning, gender transitioning, and bisexuality are openly acknowledged and supported by psychological practitioners, families (hopefully) and communities alike.
Indeed, every June this group has much to be proud of. However, there continues to be great challenges to emotional and behavioral health in our communities on an individual level.
The personal recognition of gender and sexual orientation questioning can begin as early as childhood. As an individual reaches adolescence, gender and sexual orientation become an intensified challenge for most young people experiencing a natural curiosity and potential interest in sexual interaction.
Psychologists continue to disagree as to determination of gender identity and sexual orientation. While many professionals support biological causation, others suggest one's perception of early life experience as the defining factor. Perhaps it lies in a combination of both. Either way, it is clearly not a personal choice any more than heterosexuality is a choice. Our sexuality is solidified early in childhood.
Regardless of the individual's age, when an individual begins to question his or her sexuality or gender, the personal process can be devastating for many people. Often times such feelings are repressed over long periods of time as the individual struggles to conform to expectations and norms. Nonetheless, the individual remains motivated to explore, and perhaps act upon, such feelings. Sexuality remains a basic, natural, healthy human drive which continues to seek satisfaction. The degree of such drives vary greatly for each individual.
The struggle for personal acceptance of what may be considered alternative sexuality is a personal challenge often kept hidden from others. The common social supporters are absent. The person is left to face sexual questioning by him or herself. It can be a struggle as two (or more) differing personal identities compete for satisfaction and personal acceptance by the individual.
This can be a time when professional intervention can offer unconditional support and acceptance which is viewed as unavailable in other facets of the individual's life. This, however, requires great courage on the person's part as they take the step to share their struggle with the professional who they may fear will only confirm negative perceptions of their alternative desires.
The "coming out" process can be difficult and often psychologically damaging. It is a highly private emotional process wherein the individual personally acknowledges the questions confronting his/her sexual and/or gender identity. Support from accepting individuals is highly contributory to healthy outcomes and acceptance. While our sexuality and gender identity are a natural, innate part of who we are, our personal comfort and emotional wellbeing often present overwhelming challenges.
William Gibson is an Associate Professor of Psychology and the Director of the Graduate School of Marriage and Family Therapy, Brandman University. He is also on the board of directors of Bainbridge Youth Services (www.askBYS.org).


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- Airline off the hook: "Couple drops lawsuit claiming United is liable for beating by drunken husband" [ABA Journal, earlier]
- Why is seemingly every bill that moves through Congress these days given a silly sonorous name? To put opponents on the defensive? Should it do so? [Massie]
- With police payouts in the lead, Chicago lays out more money in lawsuits than Los Angeles, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Dallas put together (but NYC still #1 by far) [Chicago Reader]
- Who's behind the website Asbestos.com? Bill Childs does some digging [TortsProf]
- When not busy carrying out a mortgage fraud scheme from behind bars at a federal prison, inmate Montgomery Carl Akers is also a prolific filer of lawsuits, appeals and grievances [Doyle/McClatchy]
- Alcohol policy expert Philip Cook on Amethyst Initiative (reducing drinking age) [guestblogging at Volokh]
- Must Los Angeles put career criminals on public payroll as part of "anti-gang" efforts? [Patterico]
- Some "local food" advocates have their differences with food-poisoning lawyer Bill Marler [BarfBlog, which, yes, is a food-poisoning policy blog]; Marler for his part is not impressed by uninjured Vermont inmates' "entrails in the chicken" pro se suit [his blog; more from Bill Childs and in comments; update: judge dismisses suit]
4 Comments
Am I missing something on that Marler post? He doesn't seem to actually say anything that's wrong with the prisoners' case. Just says it makes him cringe and then pastes in the entire story. Not the greatest case ever, but nothing obviously egregious about it either, from the facts as recited. It's not up there with most of the others under your "prisoners" tag, is it?
Yes, you are missing something. Seeking millions of dollars of damages from emotional distress (no physical injury) from seeing chicken entrails smells like chicken entrails to me.
As I noted in my blog comments as well, they didn't seek millions of dollars. At trial they requested $100,000 and one plaintiff alleged physical injury, though he conceded on cross-examination that his injury might have been psychosomatic.
A fair number of states permit recovery for emotional distress in such a setting, too, though I don't know about Vermont.
Again, not the strongest case in the world, and the court dismissed the case, but not on a conclusion that they didn't receive "something other than chicken meat," but that they failed to carry the burden of showing harm. Since they were proceeding pro se, that's not particularly shocking.
[…] …just to pay Cook County's outlays on lawsuits and settlements? Earlier here. […]


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Baykeeper is celebrating a new victory to stop pollution in San Francisco Bay. We recently reached an agreement with a polluting industrial facility, Asphalt Shingle Recyclers, to keep contaminated rainy-season runoff from flowing off its Oakland property into Bay tributaries.
Asphalt Shingle Recyclers, LLC, recycles concrete, asphalt shingles, and other construction debris. The facility discharges storm water into a ditch outside its northern perimeter that empties into East Creek Slough. The slough connects to San Leandro Bay, an inlet of San Francisco Bay.
Baykeeper's investigation found the company's own reports showed high levels of total suspended solids (a measure of small particles, including industrial waste) in the storm water runoff leaving the facility. The company's reports also indicated that they had failed to test for heavy metals as required under the laws regulating industrial storm water runoff.
When our team met with the owner, the company was very cooperative in devising a plan to keep these toxics out of the Bay, agreeing to improve basic pollution controls and filter rain water flowing off the site.
Baykeeper was particularly concerned about this facility's runoff because asphalt shingles are a source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, a toxic chemical that tends to accumulate in wildlife as the pollutant moves up the food chain. The company has agreed to regularly test its runoff for PAHs as part of its legally binding agreement with Baykeeper.
To help compensate for past pollution, Asphalt Shingle Recyclers will provide $20,000 to the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment to support other nonprofits' projects restoring San Francisco Bay.
This settlement marks the 38th victory so far in Baykeeper's Bay-Safe Industry campaign, which targets the widespread illegal practice of releasing polluted runoff into San Francisco Bay. Eighteen industrial facilities have already reduced their pollution to below EPA levels of concern or have completely stopped polluting. We will continue to work with the remaining 20 industrial facilities, including Asphalt Shingle Recyclers, to implement effective controls to protect San Francisco Bay from pollution.


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Early Synagogues in the Galilee
Early Synagogues in the Galilee is part of the Tentative list of Israel in order to qualify for inclusion in the World Heritage List.
The Early Synagogues in the Galilee were the first buildings to represent a monotheistic religion. In Galilee, about 50 remains of synagogues from late antiquity, the period from the fourth to the seventh century, have been found. Most notable are the remains of the synagogues in Bar'am, Korazim, and Capernaum.
Map of Early Synagogues in the GalileeLoad map
The coordinates shown for all tentative sites were produced as a community effort. They are not official and may change on inscription.
Community Reviews
Ilya Burlak
On my travels around Israel in November of 2019, I stopped by Bet Alpha National Park, which ended up one of my favorite ancient sites in the country (including many places that are already inscribed as WH sites).
Bet Alpha must be the smallest of all national parks in Israel - it is basically a single room of the ancient synagogue headlined by the primitive yet evocative mosaics on the floor. The 15-minute interpretive video – which started as soon as I entered the room, since I was the only visitor at the time – is a lighthearted dramatization of the origin of the mosaics, mixed int with an overview of the synagogue architectural features. It is definitely worth the time to see and listen to; as the explanations cover different parts of the mosaic, those components are lighted on the floor. After the movie ended, I had a few minutes to look over the mosaic and the remains of columns and supports under the full lighting.
The cost of the entry is but a few dollars, and if you have the "orange card" Israel Pass (which allows entry to almost every national park once within the space of two weeks) there is no additional cost. No guidance is needed for the visit, which in my case lasted less than half an hour.
The rest of the synagogues on this tentative submission are clustered near Tzfat or by the northern shore of Lake Kinneret. I was close by only on intraday basis and did not find time to stop by them, but I assume that if you are staying in the area, you can cover most if not all of them in a matter of less than a day.
Read more from Ilya Burlak here.
Back in 2018, I visited a great many sites in the Galilee region of Israel. While many were just the usual pilgrimage sites, I intended to visit a few destinations a bit off the beaten track. One of which was the ancient ruins of the town and synagogue of Korazim. It ended up being one of my favorite little places in Israel.
Korazim is not on the normal tourist circuit by the shores of the Sea of Galilee. The site lies in the hills above Capernaum and Tabgha, about a 15 minute drive away. I took private transport to get there, and as we approached, the basalt rocks were especially eye-catching. The contrast between the green sloping fields and the black outcroppings was strangely beautiful, and along with the stormy weather and lack of people, made for a unique aura even before entering. The parking lot was empty aside from a couple of other private cars. A short walk down the trail would show what all that black rock came to be used for: construction. Every block of the ancient town, said to date from the 4th century CE, was made of the same rock that protrudes from the ground all around.
While only foundations of most buildings remain, the old synagogue still stands, albeit not without damage. Many intricate basalt carvings used to decorate the building now lie on the floor or on pedestals, including the pediment of the facade. The structure still, however, forms an enclosed space, and on that lonely stormy afternoon, one could feel the solemnity of the venue, in contrast to crowded Capernaum which we visited later that day. The small range and span of the ruins also gave a more intimate, small-town feel that I greatly enjoyed.
Since Capernaum is greatly covered by reviews on this site and other serial sites, I will no longer cover it here, as there is nothing to add other than my opinion of it being rather crowded and the modern church being rather sad and inappropriate. Although I do think the synagogue in Capernaum is probably more impressive, it doesn't give off the same tranquil, mysterious, and holy aura that Korazim does. As for the 5 other synagogues, I did not have the time to visit them in the 4 days I had in the Galilee, but if they're anything like Korazim, I think they would justify an inscription based on the preservation of the ancient synagogues that show the fusion of Roman architecture and Jewish tradition.
Of the 7 synagogues mentioned in the UNESCO T List description (Meron, Gush Halav, Navorin, Bar Am, Bet Alfa, Korazim and Capernaum) we visited Bet Alfa and Capernaum.
The one at Capernaum, as described in my review of the "Sea of Galilee and its Ancient Sites" is slightly overwhelmed by the Christian nature of the site. The sign on the Synagogue walls points to the fact that you are looking at "The Late 4th century White Synagogue built upon the remains of Synagogue of Jesus". The significance of the latter arises particularly from a statement in the Gospels that Christ performed a Miracle in it (see Mark 1 21-28). The much later "White synagogue" is quite an elaborate (and partially reconstructed) structure with Corinthian columns
I will concentrate this review on the site at Beit Alfa. This isn't so much about a "building" but consists primarily of a remarkably well preserved mosaic from around the early 6th C CE in "naïf" style. The mosaic was only discovered in 1928 when the local kibbutzniks were digging a water channel to drain thw swamps of the area. The site is situated around 15 minutes by road from Beit She'an and in my view is very well worth taking in. It is another Israeli National Park, so your entry pass will get you in – or else it will cost 22 NIS for a visit which will take around 30-45 minutes.
The mosaic is completely covered by a climate-controlled structure and a visit consists of a periodically shown ("on demand" in our case as there were no other visitors when we arrived) AV presentation which is viewed/heard from a raised walkway which surrounds the mosaic plus a period of "personal" viewing whose length will depend on the queue of visitors for another "showing". The mosaic fully covers what would have been the main hall of the synagogue and consists of several panels (28 x 14 mtr).
We thought that the AV was well done – and well ahead of what one might have expected at what is, after all, a fairly small park even in Israeli national terms. It dramatized the decision of the local congregation to upgrade their mosaic floor, find the money, search for a mosaic artist and determine/agree the designs/scenes. In so doing it provided a "hook" on which to hang the introduction of a range of relevant aspects such as the social background of the villagers (this was no "grand" structure by the rich), and the beliefs about what should/should not be portrayed (somewhat surprisingly the Zodiac panel includes pagan symbols), as well describing each of the panels. Photography is allowed, but the light and relatively low viewing height above the mosaics make it difficult fully to capture the designs and colour (not helped by the very small display "area" Els allows us! My photo shows the "Binding of Isaac" and, above it, the Zodiac.
It is true the Galilee is crowded with early synagogues (Peki'in, Gush Halav, Meron, Amud, Baram, Navoria - just to name a few). The most impressive site I've been to is probably Capernaum near the Sea of Galilee also known for being the site of Petrus' house. The synagogue resembles a well preserved Roman temple and is also beautifully located near the shore. Another impressive building is the one in nearby Korazim. Synagogues with original mosaics are Beth Alpha, Hamat Tiberias, Maruth and Seppharis. These show the strong Roman influence on the Jewish culture of the time by combining Roman gods in the depiction of Biblical scenes. I haven't been to Maruth but the other three are impressive and probably unique. I think this nomination could fill a gap and be justified.
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