text:
As some of you may or may not know, I practice a martial art called Wing Chun Kung Fu. One of the key components of Wing Chun Kung Fu is a focus on sensitivity and speed over strength. To master both of these, one has to be relaxed. It requires zero muscle tension.
Sometimes when I go to class, I will get into discussions with Sifu about things going on outside in other areas of my life. I remember telling him proudly that I had gotten into a steady workout routine, which involved weightlifting and cardio. He congratulated me on sticking to it.
Later in class, we were doing a drill that really worked our sensitivity skills. Sifu came by to see how my partner and I were doing. He interjected a few pointers to us both, but then to me specifically he said, "Remember to not be so tense. I know that's hard for you, what with all the weightlifting stuff you're doing." Then he moved on.
His input left me a little bummed out. He had known me for years, knew how out of shape I was and how unhappy I was about it. Now I was finally committed, and he made me feel like I was inhibiting my progression as a martial artist. Was he saying that getting fit was a BAD thing? That didn't even make any sense!
I started to think about it: his main criticism was related to the fact that when you do a bicep curl, your muscles have to tense up to do the work. Tensing up is exactly what you struggle to NOT do in Wing Chun because that will inhibit your sensitivity to the other person's movements. It will also decrease your reaction time and lead to faster muscle soreness, because the muscles are constantly clenched.
The sad thing is, my Sifu is not the first person to believe this myth. To see where it goes wrong, let's look at the structure of a bicep curl.
Your arms start hanging down at your sides, with a weight in each hand. Then you curl your arm upward in an arc until motion is no longer possible, at which point you lower the weights back down. The point at which your muscles experience the most tension is when they pass through the halfway point of this arc, meaning they are NOT at full tension for the majority of the curl. In other words even during your workout, you don't spend the majority of the time being tense.
Another point that destroys the "weightlifting means you are always tense" myth is the fact that most of my day is NOT SPENT WEIGHTLIFTING. I have an office job; it's not like I walk around for eight hours a day with my fists clenched as tight as I can.
Last but not least, my fitness routine also includes martial arts training. Therefore, I am counteracting any possible "slow down" that lifting causes by working in a setting where I need to be fast. Since I do martial arts training more than I lift, then any possible adverse effects should be nullified.
As for weightlifting and more muscle mass reducing your speed, there is so much evidence to the contrary that we hardly even need to spend any time on it. Look at any marathon runner with their massively muscled-up legs. Could any of them break running records if muscle slowed you down? Of course not. In the world of Wing Chun Kung Fu, martial arts and sports, all you need to do is look at the blinding speed of muscled men like Bruce Lee and Mike Tyson to realize one simple fact: MUSCLE IS NOT YOUR ENEMY.


text:
The sleepy town of Cambridge seems an unlikely place to be heralded as the future of drum & bass - but these sonic souljahs are Kings of the Jungle right now. With Hospital's own Nu:Tone as their figurehead (his massive remix of Roni Size blowing up right now), the Cambridge collective have taken the scene by storm - with releases on a number of top labels - and across the board DJ support.
This EP features 4 exclusive tracks showcasing their individual styles. BELIEVE! MILLIE'S THEME is pure summer soul of the kind of quality we've come to expect from Nu:Tone, with rolling subs and funk breaks underpinning an addictive rhodes hook. Commix switch things up with some dub styles on the flip - ROOTS TRAIN has been destroying soundsystems like the Upsetter on an angry drum mission. On the second slate TOGETHER has become one of the most talked about tunes on dub, with it's epic drop turning heads - and moving feet! Rounding things off in style Commix return with THE WURLY TUNE - a deeper excursion with haunting vintage keys and warm fx in the mix.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Vail Daily letter: Vote 'yes' twice
There are a couple of ballot questions in the upcoming election for the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District.
At the direction of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the state of Colorado has recently enacted regulations that place strict limits on the discharge of nitrogen and phosphorus into rivers and streams. Those two nutrients damage the aquatic habitat, stimulating the growth of algae.
Compliance with these regulations is not optional and will require extensive improvements to the existing wastewater plants in Vail, Avon and Edwards.
The district's two ballot questions will enable it to pursue the least expensive alternative for paying for the $25 million it will take to make the upgrades.
The first ballot question asks for your permission to use a general obligation bond — which has the lowest interest rates — of the options that are available to pay for the upgrade.
The second asks your permission for the ability to spend this bond issue to upgrade the plants and also to pursue state grants that will further reduce the expense. Voting "yes" does not waive your TABOR rights to vote on any future tax increases. That provision will remain intact.
This increase in expense will be seen first in 2017 and the owner of a home valued at $500,000 will see a property tax increase of $2.11 because an existing tax will expire in 2016.
Should the questions fail to achieve voter approval the district's likely option will be to raise monthly service rates to back the loan. The interest rates for this type of loan will result in a higher overall borrowing cost to the taxpayers.
So, paradoxically, a "no" vote will result in more public money being spent to fund the improvements while a "yes" vote will provide the most cost-effective funding.
I'm voting "yes."
Rick Pylman


text: Come join the Society of St. Andrew in harvesting sweet potatoes to feed the hungry! The remaining three Saturdays in October, you are invited to bring your whole family to glean sweet potatoes in Harnett, Johnson, and southern Wake counties, from 8:30 AM – 1 PM. The goal is 100,000 pounds (300,000 servings). The LORD… Continue Reading→


text:
If you missed out Pork Ribs or Crispy Duck in Ubud or not planning to go that far just for food, no worries, you can always visit Warung Jerami.
Warung Jerami is located in trendy Seminyak area and served authentic Balinese food & International cuisine as well.
The restaurant has 2 unique set ups, first is a contemporary indoor dining with Balinese architecture influences and the other is the casual outdoor cafe style set up.
Beautifully decorated Outdoor Cafe Style
Signature Food: Succulent BBQ Pork Ribs & Balinese Crispy Duck
Dessert: Fried Ice Cream with Pineapple
We ordered both of their signature dishes, BBQ Pork Ribs & Crispy Duck. The food is artfully presented making it ideal to take nice pictures.
The BBQ Pork Ribs are fork tender and succulent, though not a customary food in Bali, but somehow Balinese managed to excel in cooking succulent Pork Ribs making this dish much sought after for tourists visiting Bali.
The crispy duck is a uniquely Balinese cuisine apart from the famous Babi Guling. The duck is marinated for couple hours with mix spices allowing the flavors to penetrate through the duck. Then they boil the meat till tender and deep fry till crispy golden brown and pairs with sambal terasi (chili paste), fried garlic, pickled onions and prawn crackers.
For dessert we ordered a fried strawberry ice cream to end our meal at Warung Jerami.
Rating: 8/10
Warung Jerami
Jl. Kunti 1, Seminyak, Bali 80361 Indonesia


text:
Signed copies of Green Design by Marcus Fairs
Looking for Christmas gifts? How about a personalised signed copy of Green Design by Dezeen editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs?
Green Design, which costs £20 plus postage and packaging, presents 140 projects that address environmental and social sustainability across architecture, product design, interiors, lighting, homeware, furniture, textiles and transport design.The 253-page book includes a foreword by British designer Tom Dixon.
Click here to order your personalised signed copy or copies and fill in the details on the email form that pops up. If you don't see the pop up form, please send us your name, address, delivery addresses (if different) and details of who the book(s) should be dedicated to.
We'll then email you a request for payment via PayPal for £20 plus £6 post and packing (UK) or £10 post and packing (EU). We regret that due to high postage costs we cannot mail books to other destinations.
Once we receive payment, your book will be dispatched by Royal Mail within seven days.
You can also buy signed copies of Twenty-First Century Design by Marcus Fairs.
Further details from publisher Carlton Books:
Gree Design
From vast architectural projects to modest one-off pieces of salvaged furniture, "Green Design" shows how the design world is responding to the environmental challenges of the twenty-first century. Emerging trends in green design are covered, such as recycling and ethical sourcing.
Also considered is the parallel issue of social sustainability, where the welfare of factory workers is given equal importance to environmental issues, and the idea of Cradle to Cradle enterprises, where a product can be reused over several product histories or unending 'loops'.
By showcasing existing green innovations as well as visionary projects that will be built in the coming years, including the world's first zero-carbon city, "Green Design" paints a future where technology and ethics merge.
About the Author
Lecturer, entrepreneur, curator and award-winning journalist Marcus Fairs, formerly founding editor of icon magazine, is editor of online design magazine Dezeen. He has appeared on BBC TV, notably in his documentary about Philippe Starck (2003) and Home (2006). In autumn 2007 Marcus devised and curated the Trash Luxe exhibition of recycled design at Liberty's London. He lives in London, England.


text:
What's So Great About Panama?
A fellow reader writes:
"You mysteriously refer to 'the advantages of Panama' without explaining. For those of us considering other countries that may be cheaper (and cheaper certainly helps to solve a lot of problems right now), what are those advantages?"
Panama is the world's top retirement, business, tax, and offshore haven right now because it boasts:
- Affordable First World Health Care
Panama's health-care facilities, built to U.S. standards while the U.S. was running the Panama Canal, are the best in Central America. You'll find nearly every health-care service you could need at a fraction the cost and with a level of personal service (remember house calls?) you may have forgotten ever existed.
Generous Incentives for Investors
The World's Best Program of Discounts and Other Benefits for Retirees
As a Panama pensionado, you save on almost everything, from in-country airfares, hotel stays, and restaurant meals to prescription drugs, even closing costs when buying a home.
Real-world Infrastructure
This is being put to the test…and failing in places. Still, especially when considered within the context of the region, Panama's infrastructure is of the real-world, as opposed to the developing-world, variety…and it's being improved all the time. This country boasts great roads, high-speed Internet access, cable TV, reliable electricity, drinkable water, and edible fruits and vegetables.
Great Shopping
Thanks to its position as one of the world's premier trading centers (and its Canal), you can find anything you might want in this country–everything from Benetton and Burberry to the latest electronic gadgets and any American comfort food you could name.
One of the World's Biggest International Banking Centers
One of the World's Few Remaining Offshore Havens
Serious Tax Advantages for the Foreign Resident
Residents pay tax in Panama only on money earned in Panama. When it comes to taxation, this is as good as it gets for the foreign resident or retiree.Furthermore, Panama boasts other tax pluses, including a 20-year property tax exemption on new construction.
A U.S. Dollar-based Economy (since 1904)Americans face no currency-exchange risk.
A Stable Political System
A Safe and Secure Environment
Panama is one of the safest places in Central America. There are poor areas and a definite division between the "haves" and the "have-nots," but there is little violent crime. I feel safer walking the streets of Panama City, even alone, than I do the streets of Baltimore, Maryland, where I grew up.Panamanians are friendly and welcome foreigners, both as tourists and as residents. And, after eight decades of American involvement in the running of the Panama Canal, they're well-accustomed to Americans among them.
The family circle is important in Panama, much more so than in the United States, as is religion.
A Natural Wonderland
The world doesn't know it yet, but Panama is a natural wonderland. Its expansive rainforests are among the richest and most complex on the planet. It's the only country where jaguars and pumas prowl only a short drive from the capital. It's also the only country where you could spend the morning diving in the Caribbean, then the afternoon swimming in the Pacific.Panama's vast, road-less jungles are home to more than 940 recorded bird species and 105 endangered species, including the Central American tapir, the American crocodile (my son's favorite), the scarlet macaw, and many species of eagle.
Off Panama's shores are some of the best diving, surfing, boating, deep-sea fishing, and snorkeling anywhere.
A Fast-growing Economy and a Bright Economic Outlook
"Despite slowdowns and meltdowns elsewhere," I wrote earlier this week, "Panama's economy continues to fire on all cylinders, expanding quicker than most any other in the world. It's all thanks to the continued surge in construction, transport, and commerce. The Panama Canal expansion project is in full swing…a new highway is being built between the country's two main cities, Panama and Colon…and downtown in the capital is being completely reconfigured with a new, widened central thoroughfare, a city bypass system, and a broad, grassy stretch of parkland along the bay."You can't appreciate the rate at which this country is growing unless you come and spend time here yourself. Don't come to Panama City for peace and quiet right now. This place is on fire."
"I'm perplexed," one reader wrote in response. I've read elsewhere how the Panama economy is expected to slow by 50% next year. Am I missing something?"
First, let's get our bearings.
Panama's was one of the fastest-growing economies in the world in 2007, with real growth rising to 11.2%. This following an average growth rate of nearly 8% a year in 2004, 2005, and 2006. The canal, the ports, and the Colon Free Zone benefited greatly from regional and international trade expansion during this period. The construction industry boomed, and the financial sector expanded. Unemployment fell to an unprecedented low.
OK…that's recent history. What about right now, as world markets are melting down and global economies are shrinking?
As we explained earlier this week, Panama's growth continues.
That is not to say this country is going to see a growth rate of better than 11% again this year. Projections are for 8%.
Only 8%. At a time, again, when most markets are contracting. In the context of the current climate, 8% growth is tremendous.
Looking ahead, pundits are calling for maybe 5% growth in 2009. Some doomsdayers are citing this as the end of the Panama boom.
That's silly. How long could any market keep up a growth rate of better than 8%? After five years expanding at that pace, Panama will see "only" 5% growth in year six of this run.
Only 5%. Poor Panama…
Kathleen Peddicord


text:
I have a thing with both accent tables and chairs. Every time we walk by a piece of cool furniture in a vintage shop, or even in a store window–I exclaim, "OH we NEED those!"
Neal asks me if they'll live with the 80 other accent tables that I've decided *need* to come home with us and reminds me we have no square footage for such things as matching vintage accent chairs, but a girl can dream, right?
Accent chairs are an essential component of one's home. They provide extra seating when guests are over, they can fill up an empty corner to become a reading nook–they're the perfect place to sit in the morning to put on one's shoes.
While we don't have room for two accent chairs, we are in need of some sort of additional seating in the living room, so I've been scouring the internet for accent chairs lately, in the hopes we might be able to squeeze on in somewhere. Here are some top contenders for my very favorite accent chairs.
1. Blush Swivel Chair
2. Tayabas Cane Side Chair
3. Leather Sling Chair
4. Boho Wicker & Metal Chair
5. Modern Side Chair
6. Upholstered Robins Chair
7. Interior Define/ The Everygirl "Rose" Chair
8. Mid Century Leather Chair
9. "Alpha" gold side chair
10. Blue Peacock Chair
11. Chic "Luella" Stool
12. Woven Lounge Chair
Which one is your favorite? Where do you like to shop for furniture? I'd love your recommendations!
Main image via


text:
The ordering procedure is very straightforward. Following that, you'll be offered to cover your order. As soon as your order is finished, you will get a notification with a URL to your work via email.
The Battle Over Buy Essay Writing Service and How to Win It
As a consequence, thesis writing for students of all calibers has come to be very simple. When students face an extremely complex writing assignment, a number of them put away other projects to concentrate on it and to complete it independently. They turn to our company to make their college life a bit easier.
Academic process is quite a responsible period. Speak to us to receive your assignment completed immediately! Research papers also incorporate writing a proposal.
Buy Essay Writing Service Options
It unique essay writing service is possible to ask our writers to examine historical facts, political problems, or another topic you demand. Any probable topics are covered with the most suitable man who has all of the knowledge required to supply the job. Expository essay employs formal language to talk about someone or something.
The table below explains the various advanced writer selection options which you have. Before you place your order for an academic essay writer, you are going to be given yet another opportunity to test it and be sure everything is as it ought to be. There's no difference what kind of an essay you are searching for as we are experts in all them.
The Meaning of Buy Essay Writing Service
If you spend money on an essay, you should get the very best result. Rather than getting worried about a worst case scenario (where you're sure you won't be in a position to deliver the excellent essay in time), you must try to find a professional writing service from where you can purchase an essay. Do several sketches before you get started creating your very first observation essay.
Choosing a low-cost essay writing service isn't always a brilliant idea. For the reason, you're able to blindly trust our writers to supply you with an extensively customized essay within hrs of your purchase. Men and women utilize custom essays to make sure they have https://www.privatewriting.com/privatewriting-best-essay-writing-service a wholly distinctive paper they can use for their own education.
As stated earlier, essays have a broad application today. Don't be concerned about the way in which the essay will turn out. It is possible to purchase essay or a succinct story.
What Everybody Dislikes About Buy Essay Writing Service and Why
Nowadays lots of students face the issue of time lacking. The aim to compose a correct paper demands lots of hard work and commitment. When hunting for somebody to compose your composition, obtaining some body who's an expert work on it's essential.
To make sure that paper is delivered in time, our Customer Support is always in contact with the customer. Order now and you'll be surprised.
One of the easiest strategies to choose which service is appropriate for you is to earn a checklist of what's really important to you. As a result of our professional support, you can purchase essay service products for reasonable rates, without so much as leaving your chair. As a great bonus to your purchase, you stand to find some services at no cost.
The 5-Minute Rule for Buy Essay Writing Service
In the event you forgot something, speak to the writer who's handling your essay and make adjustments. Before you commence crafting your work you want to understand common writing problems to prevent a wide range of mistakes when writing. Understanding how the Ultius essay ordering process works will make sure you are both informed and conscious of what's happening at every step along the purchase.
When it has to do with academic papers, at times it can not be possible to fulfill all deadlines and stick to high academic standards. Moreover, excellent dissertation writing https://cedar.buffalo.edu/~icons/Icons/?for=service-essay&ur=4 services always offer completely free plagiarism checks of the completed samples to guarantee the content is unique. You should understand that every academic paper is quite a complicated procedure, which includes a good deal of stages and levels.
You'll be surrounded by writing professionals throughout the plan of order placement, and once you choose to purchase essay and pick an allocated writer, things will get even more exciting. However close your deadlines are our expert writers are there and prepared to offer you the very best possible help to make sure that you get that grade that you want. The academic level is the total degree of competency the writer needs to need to complete your purchase.
They can be very helpful in providing information for your custom writing piece regardless of the complexity of your assignment. Each writer is extraordinarily educated, uses English as a first language and includes special qualifications in some specific fields. Our professional writers are extensively trained and experienced, and we'll assign an individual with the correct degree of expertise for your particular school assignment.
The Ideal Approach to Buy Essay Writing Service
Customized essay papers, on the flip side, are different. Buying essays should not lead to a headache. Our customized essay writing service ensures you will get your money back if you don't get your high-quality paper in time, or we will provide you with a complete refund.
Several the papers will most likely be drafted all yourself and perform your very own special confidential generating appear. Nobody could ever learn about the order you placed with us, so nobody can prove you didn't compose the paper. You will be whoever owns a special paper and nobody will find out you got it from us.
Buy Essay Writing Service Help!
No matter if you'll learn quite a few of businesses promoting up assistance with scholastic papers, searching for an absolutely ok an individual actually isn't a pretty straightforward challenge. Somebody handles health. Because the majority of people do not know the basic and suitable structure and correct format to follow.


text:
Administrative Information
Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright for unpublished works is protected until 70 years after the death of the creator. Items in the collection created by Ralph Irving Lloyd will enter the public domain in 2039. All commercially produced slides are in the public domain. For information on securing rights to publish or reproduce, please see the Brooklyn Historical Society Reproduction Rights Policy.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date (if known); Ralph Irving Lloyd lantern slides, V1981.015, Box number, Object ID number; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Other Finding Aids
Item level description and digital versions of images from the collection are available for searching via the image database in the library. Please consult library staff for more information.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Eugene T. Fleming Jr., 1981.
Processing Information note
Fully processed to the item level.


text:
Chinese Prez pledges billions of dollars for new Silk Road, 'snubs' absentee India
The Chinese President, who is positioning himself as a global leader and chief advocate for free trade, seemed to have snubbed India when he said the belt and road initiative respected "territorial integrity".
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday pledged to pump billions of dollars into the new Silk Road initiative as he described his signature foreign policy push as inclusive, one that should not be held hostage to old rivalries and power games.
China is hosting at least 29 heads of state, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, for a two-day "Belt and Road" conference which India has chosen to give a miss.
All of India's neighbours, except Bhutan, sent high-level delegations to the event, with Sri Lanka represented by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Xi pledged a major funding boost to the ambitious project, including an extra 100 billion yuan ($14.50 billion) into the existing Silk Road Fund, 380 billion yuan in loans from two policy banks and 60 billion yuan in aid to developing countries and international bodies in countries along the new trade routes. Xi said China would encourage financial institutions to expand their overseas yuan fund businesses to the tune of 300 billion yuan. He did not give a time frame for the new loans, aid and funding pledged on Sunday.
"We should build an open platform of cooperation and uphold and grow an open world economy," Xi said in his inaugural address to the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) as he also highlighted the importance of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the reason New Delhi has stayed away from Beijing's most important diplomatic event of the year.
The Chinese President, who is positioning himself as a global leader and chief advocate for free trade, seemed to have snubbed India when he said the belt and road initiative respected "territorial integrity".
"All countries should respect each other's sovereignty, dignity and territorial integrity, each other's development paths and social systems, and each other's core interests and major concerns," Xi told the gathering at the sprawling China Convention Centre.
The CPEC, a cluster of road, rail and energy projects, will connect Pakistan's southern Gwadar port city on the Arabian Sea and Kashgar in China's far-western western Xinjiang province.
India has reservations about the project as it passes through Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir, which New Delhi says challenges its sovereignty by lending legitimacy to Pakistan's claim over the territory.
"...No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity," ministry of external affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay said on Saturday night.
If there was any doubt about the importance of the CPEC in the One Belt, One Road plan, or Belt Road Initiative (BRI), it was put rest in a policy document released and distributed on the side lines of the BRF.
"The corridor (CPEC) is a flagship program of the BRI. The governments of both China and Pakistan attach great importance to it and have actively started preparation for long-term plans," the document titled 'Building the Belt and Road: Concept, Practice and China's contribution' said with a rare mention of "flagship" in a Chinese official document.
The other BRI projects mentioned in the document were not bestowed the honour.
Xi described CPEC as a "multi-dimensional infrastructure network".
"What we hope to create is a big family of harmonious co-existence," he said. "In advancing the Belt and Road, we will not retread the old path of games between foes. Instead we will create a new model of cooperation and mutual benefit."
In his speech at the inaugural BRF session, Pakistan Prime Minister Sharif said the CPEC was a "core" project of the BRI.
"In fact, it has been rightly called its flagship because it aims to connect the neighbourhoods of East and West Asia. CPEC makes Pakistan both a conduit and destination for cross-regional investment and trade," Sharif said.
He indicated what the Chinese have been saying – India is welcome to join the CPEC.
"Let me make it very clear that CPEC is an economic undertaking open to all countries in the region. It has no geographical boundaries," he said.
"It must not be politicised. In implementing this Corridor, we are not striving to merely leverage geography for economic prosperity, we are also trying to build a peaceful, connected and caring neighbourhood. It is time we transcend our differences, resolve conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy, and leave a legacy of peace for future generations," Sharif said.
Sharif added: "Unprecedented economic, social and cultural benefits will accrue from the CPEC – not just for the people of Pakistan, but also for the people of the entire region…It is producing new entrepreneurs, creating new jobs and businesses, and attracting international investment."
Under the BRI, China plans to revive ancient trade routes from Asia to Europe and Africa involves a network of rail, road and sea links.
The initiative is said to have won the support of more than 100 countries and international organisations, of which at least 40 have signed cooperation agreements with China. Nepal is the latest country to jump on to the bandwagon. It signed a deal with China on Friday.
The Gawadar port found a mention as Xi shared details of the projects undertaken to connect member countries.
"Some regions along the ancient Silk Road used to be a land of milk and honey. Yet today, these places are often associated with conflict, turbulence, crisis and challenge. Such state of affairs should not be allowed to continue," he said.
Several texts describe India as the land of milk and honey but the description is used for other countries as well.
China's plan to revive ancient trade routes from Asia to Europe and Africa involves a network of rail, road and sea links.
On the surface, the BRI floated by Xi in 2013 is based on three principles broadly explained as – Gong Shang (negotiate/talk), Gong Jian (construct/build) and Gong Xiang (share good results).
Its stated aims include improved infrastructure, trade, capital flow and people-to-people exchanges.
But, diplomats privately say all the lofty talk is towards one end – increase China's influence in South Asia and world and play on India's disadvantages in the region.
Many Chinese academics are of the view that India not joining BRI has little to do with its reservations about CPEC. They say New Delhi is wary of China's growing global clout and doesn't want to play second fiddle to Beijing.
"India's concerns about BRI are not due to its concerns about CPEC. It is about whether India would like to help China to build a new world order and regional order," Hu Shisheng, a South Asia expert at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said.
For Indian strategists and nationalists, BRI was Beijing's grand strategy to build a China-dominated world order. Indian strategists, he said, would like New Delhi to support the West- (the US) dominated system.
"India's absence at the Forum only showed that India doesn't like China's status in today's world, doesn't accept China's high-profile in the international arena," Long Xingchun, director of the Center for Indian Studies at China West Normal University, said.
International relations scholar Dai Yonghong said he was unable to understand India's position on the BRI, especially its refusal to officially acknowledge it. It indicated India's unease with China's rise.
"But the fact is that so far the Indian government hasn't officially positively responded to the BRI due to the so-called concerns over the CPEC," Dai said.
New Delhi was part of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar (BCIM)-Economic Corridor, which were part of the BRI but there was no positive official response to the forum, Dai said.
Dai didn't mention that the BCIM-EC predated the BRI and when the investment bank was set up, founding members –including India, weren't aware of its links to the bigger Silk Road plan.
(With agency inputs)
Personalise your news feed. Follow trending topics


text:
Karat® established their eco-friendly line Karat Earth® in 2008. Since then the company, its employees, and new products live by being more environmentally conscious. Our plant-based line offers quality products that are made from renewable resources such as PLA and Bagasse.
Select Karat Earth products are BPI®, SFI, CMA™ and Cedar Grove® Accepted.
Karat® is also committed to maximizing energy efficiency through materials and our manufacturing process by energy saving LED lighting system and environmentally friendly heating and air conditioning system. We research and develop new materials, products and technologies that reduce the company's carbon footprint.
Karat® promises to recycle by maximizing the use of paper materials, sending cardboard and carton boxes to recycling centers, and melting excess plastic to create more products.
We strive to help everyone be more environmentally friendly by providing Karat Earth® products.


text:
- January 14, 2016
Looking forward, looking back
It's a new year, and yup! you've guessed it: I've got some goals. The goal spanning my personal and professional life is to learn more about art history in hopes of developing this into a lifelong habit. As I continue to deepen my understanding of art and design history, decisions I make in my professional work will become more informed. I always loved my art history classes in school. They were a departure from my other classes since the coursework didn't require me to solve anything, just study visual patterns over the course of history. I found that whenever I had an art history class on my schedule, my concurrent creative work got a lot better. The subject matter covered in my art history classes varied quite a bit, but always gave me an existing art movement or piece of art to relate to in a fresh way and take into other aspects of my work. Even if I didn't particularly like an artifact or era, it brought something of value to my work.
A new perspective
So many aspects of our visual culture have deep ties to art history. Many are easy to overlook, but when I make note of them, they alter my perspective. Recently I watched the 1985 movie, Brazil, and immediately recognized the filmmakers' use of retro futurism in the movie set design. Even the credits were set in Futura to play off the movement. While the movie itself was arguably intended to be as era- and location-agnostic as possible, having this base visual knowledge helped me recognize a wider theme of industrialization and the tension between past and future. This changed the way I digested the movie giving it significantly more meaning. Recognizing art history in everyday life, especially as a designer, is an invaluable tool we can use to communicate meaning and give our visual work greater substance.
History as context
In the context of a design project, we can probably all agree that research is an important step of the design process, typically happening both before and during design. Research helps designers make informed decisions, in the context of the project, that align with the client's and users' needs. Research based only on the context of the project, though, is narrow. This narrowness can lead to predictable designs, retreading old ground. Aside from project-focused research, it's important for a designer to have a wide range of design history to pull from when making decisions.
A wider historical foundation can help when it comes time to start designing, since that foundation gives me a larger catalog of inspiration and helps make deeper connections. Not to mention that viewing something in real life as opposed to on a screen can usually pull me out of a design rut.
History as a skill
Trends repeat themselves. A deeper art history knowledge can provide the foresight hindsight to separate the ephemeral from the substance, inherently helping me create more meaningful work. When experiencing something I only loosely understand the reference to, I have a tendency to research more about it. Could we better use our history to challenge the people we are designing for, raising the bar for ourselves, our users, and our industry? At a minimum, I anticipate that learning more history will challenge me to become a more well-rounded designer.
So how do I plan to immerse myself in the history of art this year? I'll go to more museums than last year, each vastly different from the next. I'll go to a huge art museum that I've somehow never crossed off my list (the Guggenheim), a museum I've visited frequently but not recently (the Philadelphia Museum of Art), and a museum in another city and/or country. I'll go to museums relevant to my more specific interests (The American Visionary Art Museum), and museums that have little-or-nothing to do with my work (perhaps the Insectarium). The list goes on. I'll read. I'll crack open my old art history books for a refresher. I'll watch some movies I've never seen, probably making my way through some of The Criterion Collection to start. My hope is that it will all help give me more perspective as I create anything: design, illustration, or writing. I'm excited for what I'll learn.


text:
Life is interaction. No organism exists in and of itself or could survive without interacting with its environment. Human beings are, of course, no exception to this rule. In fact, as we are a social animal, we are more dependent on interaction than just for the basic necessities of survival. Much of our interactions happen at an implicit level.
How babies know
The phrase "implicit relational knowing" was first used to describe the way babies "know" how to watch and respond to their mothers. This is an implicit learning process, as opposed to cognitive learning. By extension, the phrase also refers to the way we implicitly update our database of experiences throughout life.
This is a new model of how human beings learn, make meaning and act. It is consistent with the "bottom-up" orientation brought about by the neuroscience findings of the past two decades. This is in contrast to the old, "top-down" cognitive models.
In therapy
This model directly applies to clinical practice. Logic alone is usually not enough to bring about therapeutic change. What makes therapy effective is that it provides an experience that moves people to change.
The healing experience is intersubjective. That is, the therapist is aware of not being an all-knowing, objective observer. The therapist is a fellow human being, subject to the vagaries of the human condition. As the implicit relational knowing of client and therapist intersect, there is the opportunity to explore ways of relating and making meaning.
While explanations can be a useful part of the therapeutic process, much of the learning occurs at an implicit level. How this learning is integrated has more to do with mindfulness than with didactic explanations divorced from the experiential feel of experience.
To become more mindful, it helps to have an open mind. But it also helps to direct our attention in specific directions. Not in a dogmatic way, expecting observation to confirm our biases. But as a starting point for an active inquiry. Directing our attention in specific directions gives us entry points to start engaging with what we observe.
This is the spirit in which I suggest that we navigate the complexities of the Relational Implicit through the following entry points :
– embodied experience: the Somatic Implicit;
– intersubjective experience: the Shared Implicit;
– the myths and self-evident truths that bind us together: the Collective Implicit.
In addition to the links above, you can read more about these three concepts in the article on Polarized Mind & Relational Implicit.


text:
Land Rover Dispatch 44 – Back onto the floor of the Great African Rift Valley
A note from Ross Holgate's adventure diary:
Chapter 2 of the Land Rover supported expedition and it's great to be on the move again, the three expedition Landies – two Discovery 4's and the big Landy Defender 130 mothership. Driving on the right hand side of the road, dodging trucks, pedestrians and livestock – the Landies loaded up with life saving mosquito nets for distribution to mums with children under the age of five, Rite to Sight spectacles for the poor sighted and LifeStraws for safe drinking water.
We drop down the escarpment into Africa's Great Rift Valley – that great tear in the earth's crust that extends from the Danakil Plains of Ethiopia on the Red Sea to below Gorongosa in Mozambique. We've got two new expedition volunteers: cheerful KZN boy Brad Hansen who runs his own safari company in Tanzania has flown in to assist with the humanitarian work, and American photo-journalist Mark Lakin who's going to document Chapter 2 of our Rift Valley odyssey.
Our first destination is Lake Ziway. It has five islands which include Debre Sina, Galila, Bird Island and Tullu Gudo, home to a monastery said to have housed the Ark of the Covenant around the ninth century. Ziway, known for its birds and hippos, is one of the eight Ethiopian Rift Valley lakes that stretch like a necklace of jewels from below Addis Ababa to the border with Kenya. As is the tradition on this expedition, we will continue to add iconic sipfills of Rift Valley water to the symbolic calabash.
As always there's that wonderful feeling, the excitement of the unknown. This Southern part of Ethiopia leading down into the Omo Valley and Lake Turkana can be wild and unpredictable – We'll keep you posted…


text:
|Greek and Roman Mythology > The Camenae
The Camenae
it also some other deities, principally nymphs of fountains.
Egeria was one of them, whose fountain and grotto are still
shown. It was said that Numa, the second king of Rome, was
favored by this nymph with secret interviews, in which she taught
him those lessons of wisdom and of law which he embodied in the
institutions of his rising nation. After the death of Numa the
nymph pined away and was changed into a fountain.
Byron, in Childe Harold, Canto IV., thus alludes to Egeria and
her grotto:
"Here didst thou dwell in this enchanted cover,
Egeria! All thy heavenly bosom beating
For the far footsteps of thy mortal lover;
The purple midnight veiled that mystic meeting
With her most starry canopy."
Tennyson, also, in his Palace of Art, gives us a glimpse of the
royal lover expecting the interview.
"Holding one hand against his ear,
To list a footfall ere he saw
The wood-nymph, stayed the Tuscan king to hear
Of wisdom and of law."


text:
Just over a decade ago, a Westside venue for world-class performing arts was wishful thinking for Dale Franzen, a former opera singer whose ties to the world of the arts run deep. Today, she's the artistic director overseeing programming for The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage, which recently announced its stellar fifth anniversary season.
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre ("Hamlet"), pop chanteuse Madeleine Peyroux, folk-rocker Richard Thompson, The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, the world premiere of an opera based on an Isabel Allende story, Hal Holbrooke's "Mark Twain" and Rickie Lee Jones, plus jazz, comedy and dance are just a few of the artistic offerings on tap at The Broad beginning in September.
And Franzen will see her dream take wing, or rather add one as ground is broken on a new building at the Broad's home base, the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center on Santa Monica Boulevard between 10th and 11th streets.
The new East Wing will include a 165-seat music hall, joining the 499-seat Broad Stage and the 99-seat Edye Second Space — a smaller black box theater, and it plays a central part in Franzen's vision for the next five years, with the Broad as a laboratory for cutting edge creations, as well as a home for adventurous international offerings.
Everyone who lived through it has their "where were you when the verdicts came down" story about April 29, 1992, the day when the Simi Valley jury found four white LAPD officers not guilty of beating black motorist Rodney King, a beating caught on videotape and shown relentlessly on the era's version of viral — TV.
Now retired, then I was a producer at Santa Monica public radio station KCRW, and we broke into programming for round the clock coverage of the riots, fires, looting, mayhem and killings that took place over the next few days. Out of the ashes, we created "Which Way, LA?" with Warren Olney, a program I was privileged to produce for its first five years. It's still going strong with a highly awarded reputation for fostering civil civic dialogue for 20 years.
Birthed out of the riots, "Which Way, LA?" is focusing on them this week with daily special one-hour programs at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. (89.9 FM; aggregated here www.kcrw.com/lariots) covering such issues as the LAPD, racial demographics and economic changes, the effort to rebuild, and today's program discussing the role of culture with Anna Deveare Smith ("Twilight: Los Angeles 1992"), John Singleton ("Boyz n the Hood"), poems by Wanda Coleman and more. The series winds up tomorrow with an overview of then and now, including an interview with Rodney King, and features a number of guest experts who appeared in the program's earliest days and throughout its history.
Anna Deveare Smith's groundbreaking documentary theatre play "Twilight: Los Angeles 1992" is being revived at The Skylight Theatre in Los Feliz. The original 1994 production featured Smith as all 40 characters in a script based on the words of real people whom she interviewed — 175 in all — about their experience of the riots. This new production features 25 multi-ethnic actors from the Katselas Theatre Company performing all the roles. It's a short run, but this was one of the most important works to come out of the riots and this staging sounds promising; just three more opportunities to see it, Friday and Saturday night at 8 p.m. or Sunday at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.katselastheatre.com.
The Company of Angels downtown offers "L.A. Views V: April 29, 1992," eight short plays set during the riots that "dig through the ashes" to offer accounts of a time whose impact is still being assessed. A wide range of L.A.-based multicultural writers and actors bring a diversity of perspectives, from business owners to newscasters to people trapped in the darkness of it all, that shed light on the legacy of 4/29/1992. Opens tonight, with weekend performances through May 27. For more information, visit companyofangels.org.
Opera grand and small
Puccini lovers are in luck. Perhaps his most popular opera, "La Boheme" takes to the stage at L.A. Opera beginning May 12 for six performances only, in the much-loved Herbert Ross production. The tragic romance adds sweet and local notes with husband-and-wife team Stephen Costello and soprano Ailyn Pérez performing Rodolfo and Mimi, and the role of Musetta being shared by two sopranos from L.A. Opera's Domingo-Thornton Young Artist Program: Janai Brugger, a 2012 winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (May 12, 20 and 23), and Valentina Fleer (May 26, 31 and June 2). For tickets, go to www.laopera.com
And if you have champagne taste on a beer budget, Puccini's "Tosca" will be performed by the Vineyard Touring Opera Company on Saturday, April 28 at 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Santa Monica Bay Woman's Club — a double treat as the building is a local hidden treasure. Tickets start as low as $5 for seniors, but if you like champagne, they're serving it with $50 VIP tickets — www.vtopera.org.
Finally, props to Santa Monica Repertory. Their ambition is to create a regional theatre along the lines of Berkeley Rep. Without a home (yet) their productions have received positive notice: last summer's "The Tempest" at Annenberg Beach House, and the current staging of "Proof," at the Church in Ocean Park. Upcoming events will help them build their dream: staged readings of a new play called "Rubber Room" about high school bullying and the educational system, weekends in May at Miles Playhouse; and a six play reading series, first Saturdays monthly, beginning in June at the Santa Monica Public Library. Maybe in five years — or 20 — we'll be celebrating their anniversary — www.santamonicarep.org.
Sarah Spitz is a former freelance arts producer for NPR and former staff producer at public radio station KCRW-Santa Monica. She reviews theatre for LAOpeningNights.com.


text:
There are two housing crises in Britain. One of them is obvious and familiar: the walloping shortfall in supply. Households are forming at roughly twice the rate at which new homes are being built. In England alone, 650,000 homes are classed as overcrowded. Many other people are desperate to move into their own places, but find themselves stuck. Yet the new homes the government says we need – 5.8m by 2033 – threaten to mash our landscapes and overload the environment.
The other crisis is scarcely mentioned. I stumbled across it while researching last week's column, buried on page 33 of a government document about another issue. It's growing even faster than the first crisis – at a rate that's hard to comprehend. Yet you'll seldom hear a squeak about it in the press, in parliament, in government departments or even in the voluntary sector. Given its political sensitivity, perhaps that's not surprising.
The issue is surplus housing – the remarkable growth of space that people don't need. Between 2003 and 2008 (the latest available figures), there was a 45% increase in the number of under-occupied homes in England. The definition of under-occupied varies, but it usually means that households have at least two bedrooms more than they require. This category now accounts for over half the homes in which single people live, and almost a quarter of those used by larger households. Nearly 8m homes – 37% of the total housing stock – are officially under-occupied.
The only occasions on which you'll hear politicians talk about this is when they're referring to public housing. Many local authorities are trying to encourage their tenants to move into smaller homes. But public and social housing account for only 11% of the problem. The government reports that the rise in under-occupation "is entirely due to a large increase within the owner-occupied sector". Nearly half of England's private homeowners are now knocking around in more space than they need.
Why is this happening? I've spent the past few days wading through official figures to try to find out. None of the most obvious explanations appear to fit.
Though the proportion of homes occupied by just one person rose sharply between 1961 and 2001, there has been no increase since then. The formation of single households can't account for the growth in under-occupancy between 2003 and 2008. The proportion of couples without children has also remained stable since 2001. Fertility rates have increased over this period – from 1.63 babies per woman in 2001 to 1.96 in 2009 – so a general absence of children doesn't explain it either. Nor can it be blamed on the elderly: except through devastating war, no population can age by 45% in six years. The divorce rate fell in 2008 to its lowest level since 1979. Marriage has declined, but cohabitation has risen. The overall rate of household formation rose only slightly during the period in which under-occupancy has boomed.
This appears to leave just one likely explanation: money. My guess, though I can find no research or figures either to support or disprove it, is that the richest third of the population has discovered that it can spread its wings. A report by the International Longevity Centre comes to the same conclusion: "Wealth … is the key factor in whether or not we choose to occupy more housing space than is essential."
While most houses are privately owned, the total housing stock is a common resource. Either we ensure that it is used wisely and fairly, or we allow its distribution to become the starkest expression of inequality. The UK appears to have chosen the second option. We have allowed the market, and the market alone, to decide who gets what – which means that families in desperate need of bigger homes are crammed together in squalid conditions, while those who have more space than they know what to do with face neither economic nor social pressure to downsize.
The only answer anyone is prepared to mention is more building: let the rich occupy as much space they wish, and solve the problem by dumping it on the environment, which means – of course – on everyone. I think there's a better way.
While reducing under-occupancy can't solve the crisis of provision by itself, and there will still be a need for new construction, a better distribution of the housing we've built already would help to relieve the pressure on both people and places. First, we need to see the problem. I suggest a new concept: housing footprints. Your housing footprint is the number of bedrooms divided by the number of people in the household. Like ecological footprints, it reminds us that the resource is finite, and that, if some people take more than they need, others are left with less than they need.
The next step is to reverse the UK's daft fiscal incentive to under-occupy your home. If you live by yourself, regardless of the size of your property, you get a 25% council tax discount. The rest of us, in other words, subsidise wealthy single people who want to keep their spare rooms empty. Those who use more than their fair share should pay for the privilege, with a big tax penalty for under-occupation. If it prompts them either to take in a lodger or to move into a smaller home in a lower tax band, so much the better.
I would also like to see an expansion of the Homeshare scheme, which could address several growing problems at once. Instead of paying rent, lodgers – who are vetted and checked by the charity that runs the project – help elderly homeowners with shopping, cleaning, cooking, gardening or driving. Typically they agree to spend 10 hours a week helping out, and to sleep in the house for at least six nights out of seven. This helps older people to stay in their own homes and lead an independent life, gives them companionship and security and relieves some of the pressure on social services and carers. It provides homes for people who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford them.
But we can't solve this problem unless we start to discuss it. It needs to be researched, debated, fought over. It needs to turn political. I can understand why neither the government nor the opposition dares to think about it: none of the major parties wants to pick a fight with wealthy householders. So it's up to us to give them no choice, by turning under-occupation into an issue they can't avoid. It cannot be left to the market, as the market works for the rich.
A fully referenced version of this article can be found on George Monbiot's website


text: The Police in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region are searching for the Headmaster of Cape Three Point Catholic Primary for allegedly defiling a 12-year-old pupil of the school. Charles Cromwell, believed to be in his 50s, was said to have lured the girl (name withheld) to his house after school on Monday, October 22, 2018 and defiled her several times after which he gave her five cedis. It took the vigilance of two colleagues from the same school to expose the headmaster. "We spotted the girl heading towards the headmaster's house so we questioned her and she told us the Headmaster had requested her to go there," one of the witnesses told Connect FM's Omanbapa morning show host, Nhyiraba Paa Kwesi Simpson. "We clandestinely followed the girl till she entered the headmaster's room. We peeped through the window and witnessed all the action before we raised alarm," another revealed. A complaint was lodged with the police later in the evening. On Tuesday morning, the Police stormed the headmaster's house to arrest him but he had bolted at the time the Police arrived at the house. The victim, who has since narrated her ordeal to the police, has been given medical forms to go for examination manhunt for the runaway headmaster has commenced. By Nhyiraba Paa Kwesi Simpson|Connect FM| 3news.com| Ghana]]>


text:
Mountain rock climbing is a sport that requires a particular set of abilities that test your endurance both physically and mentally. Mauna Loa (4,169 m or thirteen,678 ft) is the most important mountain on Earth when it comes to base space (about 2,000 sq mi or 5,200 km2) and quantity (about 18,000 cu mi or 75,000 km3). It meanders alongside the North and eastern facet of the mountain for roughly 3.5 miles (5.6 km) until reaching the highest.
For more than 35 years, The Mountain has supplied enriching youth summer camp applications filled with recreation, journey, schooling and creativity. Mountain individuals. On both sides of the highway had been concrete slabs, cracked pavement, and weeds – all that is left of probably the most well-known of the Japanese internment camps (or 'focus camps', as they have been recognized on the time): Manzanar.
Mountains typically function geographic features that define natural borders of nations. There are three predominant forms of mountains: volcanic , fold , and block 15 All three sorts are fashioned from plate tectonics : when portions of the Earth's crust move, crumple, and dive.
Bear in mind, in the old tales generally folks by no means get out of the darkish wood to return home; they perish, typically violently. A number of days later, after I headed north in the mid-afternoon heat, I discovered another part of the historical past of the Owens Valley.
The islands of Hawaii had been formed by undersea volcanoes, and the islands seen above water at present are the remaining volcano tops. The valley connects greater than 1,500 sq. miles of wildlife habitat unfold between the Santa Cruz Mountains to the west and the Diablo Range to the east.


text:
The Russian and U.S. presidents, Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama, signed on Thursday a new treaty on the reduction of strategic offensive weapons to replace the START 1 treaty, which expired in December 2009.
The document is expected to bring Moscow and Washington to a new level of cooperation in the areas of nuclear disarmament and arms control.
"Together we start on that path and prove the benefits of cooperation. Today is an important milestone for nuclear security and non-proliferation and for U.S.-Russian relations," Obama said at the signing ceremony in Prague.
The new strategic arms pact stipulates that the number of nuclear warheads is to be reduced to 1,550 on each side, while the number of deployed and non-deployed delivery vehicles must not exceed 800 on each side.
Under the deal, which will be valid for 10 years unless superseded by another agreement, strategic offensive weapons will not be based on the territory of any third country.
Speaking after the signing of the documents, both presidents emphasized the importance of the document for nuclear security and for Russian-U.S. relations and pledged to work with lawmakers to ensure timely ratification of the documents by both sides.
The presidents met before the signing ceremony for wide-ranging discussions that included sanctions against Iran, arms control, non-proliferation and missile defense.
At the news conference, Medvedev said Iran's intransigence over its nuclear program may cause the UN Security Council to revise its approach.
"Unfortunately, Tehran is not responding to a number of constructive compromise proposals and we cannot close our eyes to this. Therefore, I do not rule out that the Security Council will have to revisit this issue," Medvedev said.
The Russian president reiterated, though, that sanctions against Iran must be "intelligent" and Moscow would aim both at convincing Tehran to act in accordance with international law and at protecting Russia's national interests.
Obama reaffirmed that the United States would not tolerate any actions by Iran that could spark an arms race in the Middle East.
"That is why United States and Russia are forming a coalition of nations insisting that the Islamic republic of Iran faces consequences because they continually failed to meet their obligations," Obama said.
"We are working together in the UN Security Council to pass strong sanctions on Iran and we will not tolerate actions that flout NPT [the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] risking arms race in the vital region," he added.
Both presidents also pledged to continue dialogue on missile defense to remove the disagreements that remain between Moscow and Washington over U.S. missile shield plans.
Medvedev proposed cooperation with the United States in creating a global missile defense system.
"We are interested in cooperating on this issue as closely as possible with our American partners," Medvedev said.
"We offered the United States our services in establishing a global missile defense system. We need to think about this," he added.
Russia has said it would have the right to withdraw from the new treaty if a quantitative and qualitative increase in U.S. strategic missile defense significantly harmed the effectiveness of Russia's strategic nuclear forces.
Obama said missile defense could be an important component of protecting the United States and its allies from the threat of a missile attack.
But he insisted that U.S. missile plans will harm neither Russia's interests nor the existing balance of forces.
"We also want to make clear that the approach that we have taken is in no way intended to change the strategic balance between the United States and Russia," Obama said.
The new arms cut deal has no restrictions on the development of a missile defense system; however, it does link strategic offensive weapons to defensive ones.
In February, Bulgaria and Romania said they were in talks with Obama's administration on deploying elements of the U.S. missile shield on their territories from 2015.
The move came after Obama scrapped last September plans by the Bush administration to deploy missile-defense elements in the Czech Republic and Poland due to a reassessment of the threat from Iran. Russia fiercely opposed the plans as a threat to its national security.
The treaty must be ratified by both houses of the Russian parliament and the U.S. Senate and will come into force after the sides exchange instruments of ratification.
The treaty could run into opposition from lawmakers, particularly in Washington, but Obama was bullish on its prospects.
"I feel confident that we are going to be able to get it ratified," Obama said.
Medvedev said Russia and the United States should submit the new disarmament treaty for ratification simultaneously and vowed that there would be no delays on Moscow's part.
"In our history, especially if we take the Soviet era, there were cases when one state ratified a treaty while the other said 'sorry, the circumstances have changed.' We must not allow this," the president said, reflecting Russian doubts over support for the treaty in the U.S. Senate.
Russian and U.S. senators will hold meetings on April 20-21 to discuss the ratification of the new treaty.
Russian officials praised the treaty for increasing Russia's security and advancing bilateral cooperation to a new level.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the pact reflects new positive trends in the Russian-U.S. relations and does not harm interests on either side.
"This treaty is based strictly on a parity principle. It does not contain unilateral commitments related to certain mechanisms or limitations," Ryabkov said.
The Russian diplomat said the treaty allows Russia to use ICBMs that will be decommissioned under the treaty as carrier rockets for spacecraft.
"According to our plans, we will decommission [some ICBMs] to fit the reduction ceilings and will convert them for space launches. It is a very cost effective measure," Ryabkov said.
Viktor Zavarzin, head of the State Duma Defense Committee, said the new treaty would strengthen Russia's national security because it ensures strategic balance of forces and for the first time cuts strategic offensive arsenals on both sides to unprecedentedly low levels.
"The treaty certainly strengthens our positions in terms of Russia's vital national security interests," Zavarzin said on Thursday.
The Russian lawmaker added that the new document would serve as an example for other nuclear powers to join the strategic arms reduction process.
PRAGUE, April 8 (RIA Novosti)


text:
Supported Projects
ZIM - Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand
ZIM is a funding program for small and medium sized enterprises (SME) with business operations in Germany that want to develop new or significantly improve existing products, processes or technical services. As the cooperation partner of an SME, public and private non-profit research and technology organisations (RTO) are also eligible.
Our current projects
Development of bio polymer based matrix substances produced by
rapid manufacturing processes to be used in fiber reinforced materials.
Development of capsulated ionized fluids to
create intrinsic lubrication of polymers.


text:
Professor Catriona McKinnon
Professor of Political Theory
BA (Hons) Philosophy (UCL), MA Philosophy (UCL), PhD Philosophy (UCL)
I am a political theorist working on climate justice and climate ethics. My research in these areas adopts a broadly liberal approach which reflects my other research interests in contemporary liberal political philosophy (especially Rawls), and the theory and practice of toleration. In my work, I take seriously what we owe to future people in the face of the climate crisis. Although most of my work has been in 'pure' political philosophy, I am increasingly engaged in transdisciplinary work on climate justice in order to better inform climate policy. Before coming to Exeter I was the Director of the Leverhulme Doctoral Programme in Climate Justice, and Director of the Centre for Climate and Justice, both at the University of Reading.
Research group links
Research interests
My current research is in environmental ethics, with a particular focus on its intergenerational dimensions. My live projects include work (with Stephen Gardiner) on the ethics, justice and legitimacy of geoengineering; the articulation and defence of a new international crime ('postericide') committed by conduct that puts humanity at risk of extinction; and explorations of important, but overlooked, barriers to biodiversity renewal and action on climate change. My research lies in the domain of normative political theory, and has been clustered around three interconnected themes: liberal justice and justification; the theory and practice of toleration; and climate justice.
My books include Liberalism and the Defence of Political Constructivism (2002), Toleration: A Critical Introduction (2006), Climate Change and Future Justice (2011), and the textbook Issues in Political Theory (now in its fourth edition).
I have held seventeen research grants from (inter alia) the Leverhulme Trust, AHRC, and the British Academy.
My introductory book on Climate Change and Political Theory (Polity Press) is in press (for 2022) and I am writing a monograph titled Endangering Humanity: An International Crime (MIT Press), as well as working on projects related to the ethics of geoengineering, and new domains of intergenerational injustice, with Steve Gardiner (University of Washington).
Research supervision
I welcome proposals from political theorists, philosophers, and ethicists on topics related to climate change, the theory and practice of toleration, liberal political philosophy, and geoengineering.
External impact and engagement
Political theorists are vital to improve policymaking and quality of public debate about it. This demands more than simply defending principles and values in themselves, notwithstanding the difficulty and importance of these tasks. It also demands taking second (third, fourth) best policy proposals seriously and evaluating them with the help of other disciplines, without losing sight of the principles and values that anchor the evaluations.
Alongside my purely academic research, for the last two years I have been a member of a multidisciplinary, international academic working group (convened by the Forum for Climate Engineering Assessment) to write a report on the international governance of solar radiation management, which is a type of geoengineering that proposes to mask global warming by spraying reflectiuve particles into the stratosphere. This report has now been published, and is being taken forward by the Carnegie Climate Geoengineering Governance Initiative in its work to stimulate global policymakers (especially in the UN system) to start addressing the SRM governance vacuum.
Another recent policy-facing initiative I have been involved in concerns support for communities facing displacement by climate impacts. As part of a small group at the University of Reading I have developed a new analytical framework for thinking about claims-making by such communities. We are seeking funding to undertake fieldwork as part of this project. We discussed our work at a high level roundtable at Lambeth Palace in January 2019.
Modules taught
- POL2050 - Political Philosophy
- POL3259 - Climate Justice
I was educated in the Philosophy department at University College London. Under the supervision of Professor Jo Wolff and Professor Veronique Munoz-Darde, my PhD explored the importance of self-respect and its social bases in the political philosophy of John Rawls. Before completing my PhD I took up a Lectureship in the Politics department at Exeter in 1997. At that time, the department numbered only fifteen staff and my colleague Dr Bice Maiguashca and I were two of only three women in the department. In 2000 I moved to the Politics department at the University of York, and then to the Politics department at the University of Reading in 2004. I became a Reader in Political Theory at Reading in 2008 and was promoted to Professor in 2010. Coming full circle, I joined the department of Politics at Exeter in 2019.
My present work explores the questions of justice and ethics raised by climate change. It is relentlessly hard to face the realities of the global climate crisis. That said, the other academics and students with whom I engage in thinking about these things are extraordinarily interesting, solidaristic, and cheerful. I think we all keep each other going.
When I am switched off from work I like being silly with my kids, drinking wine with friends, walking my two dogs, riding my horse, and listening to my husband's gorgeous music.


text:
We surveyed some of the leading financiers, investors and other experts in the cleantech and sustainability space, seeking their thoughts on what trends we are likely to see in 2018 when it comes to sustainable financing. Here's some of the broad range of what they had to say.
New financing models coming as securitization takes off


text:
We begin with EUR/USD — the currency pair that keeps making head-lines. We skip the usual charts which the reader can easily find elsewhere and cut to the chase, that is to the specialty of this site — the ability to tell a martingale or a "casino" (or fair game) from the market in which you can profit in a sustainable way.
In this report we focus on the period from 00:00 2002-08-20 to 00:00 2008-02-01 (New York time).
Trend predictability
In this figure we look for obvious arbitrage opportunities on the time scale of up to two days — and conclude that these are rather difficult to reliably locate in this particular currency pair. The hatched red band shows the range of statistical noise (namely its expectation plus minus its RMS deviation). Statistical noise was obtained by simulating 20 independent time series of the length corresponding to that of the EUR/USD series under study, each one constructed to reproduce the measured distribution of returns in EUR/USD for the time period under study (including the fat tails!), but completely devoid of correlations. From these, the expectation and RMS or the autocorrelation amplitude in each time lag bin were calculated. Market's long-term bias in one direction (in favor of EUR over USD) is seen in the overall positiveness of the Monte Carlo autocorrelation. The level of noise (width of the red band) is dangerously high making it hard to draw reliable conclusions. However, if one is to trust that there is a negative signal for the range of lags from -30 to -14 hours, and a positive one from -14 and up to -6, then the strategy would be to bet on a reversal of the preceding trend which took place during time t-30 through t-14, if supported by dynamics of the past 14 hours. Or in other words if the market went against you 30 to 14 hours ago and changed direction in your favor about 14 hours ago, you are better off betting on such a trend to continue — that's the dangerously noisy message of this particular autocorrelation.
Even if you can not use this pattern in your favour, not having it against you is part of a smart survival strategy.
24-hour cycle
The striking feature of this plot is the 24 hour cycle of bullish and bearish action, clearly seen as the maxima of the correlation are cleanly located at multiples of the 24 hour lag: 24, 48, 72, 96, 120 hours and so on. Therefore, smart trend following means something more than following a trend that existed in near past. It means following a trend that existed this time of the day yesterday, the day before yesterday, and so on — that gives you better than average chance of winning! Conversely, buying because the currency went up 12 hours ago (or selling because it went down 12 hours ago), all the rest being equal, is the least recommended strategy. (See why the sub-sample correlation feature is not in itself a prediction strategy.)
Note that whether this pattern is equally strong in all time zones is a question that requires a separate study.
Market memory
The memory effect seen in the previous figure has a certain life time. This figure shows this life time. The effect definitely persists for as long as 1000 hours or well over a month of trading time. It seems that the bullish memories (more pleasant in case of EURUSD) last somewhat longer as one can see more yellow boxes sticking out on the tail at large lag.
We conclude that EUR/USD for the period 2002-2008 is fairly "efficient" (in the EMH sense) with limited potential in the short term (days). Intelligent trend-following may be a possibility. Long term prospects of this currency pair are the subject of fundamental analysis and are outside the scope of this article. Cross-correlations with other markets are to be discussed in up-coming articles.


text:
The special education programs at the University of Central Missouri offer high quality programs at an affordable cost. We develop highly trained professionals who provide specially designed instruction and services to children and youth with special needs. Our graduates are:
A major in Elementary Education (grades 1-6) with a Special Education Minor in Cross-Categorical Special Education is also available and can be easily completed in your four-year program of study.
The need for highly qualified special education teachers is increasing as never before. The last two decades has been a period of critical shortage of special education teachers across the United States. It is estimated that the United States will need an additional 15,000 teachers per year over the next several years to meet the needs of the ever-growing population of special needs children entering America's schools. Anyone pursuing a career in this area of professional preparation will have little difficulty finding rewarding employment after graduation.
UCM offers an array of programs that will meet the needs of just about anyone considering entering the special education profession. The minor supplements a Bachelor of Science in Education degree, allowing you to be a more comprehensively prepared educator.
You will receive a world-class education in a personalized program at UCM. Upper-division courses generally have 12-20 students per class, and you will have a faculty advisor who knows you and YOUR needs. All of your instructors will have terminal degrees and substantial experience working with special needs children in a variety of settings. Your instructors are nationally and internationally recognized for their contributions to their profession and they will become your mentors and role models.
UCM is the longest continuously CAEP accredited public institution in Missouri
The program is nationally recognized by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), the leading advocacy organization for special education in the country.


text:
Many individuals know that college and universities must comply with the requirements of Title IX. However, individuals may not be as familiar with the Clery Act and its similar requirements. Some maintain that the Clery Act and its obligations are even more powerful than Title IX. https://www.campussafetymagazine.com/university/clery-act-has-prompted-positive-changes-in-campus-public-safety/ (last visited November 17, 2018). The Clery Act, which was passed in the 1960's and has been amended several times since, requires that any college or university that participates in federal financial aid programs must keep and disclose information about crime on or near their campuses. The Department of Education monitors compliance with the Clery Act. An institution found to be in violation of the Act can be fined or suspended from participating in federal student financial aid programs. In 2013, there were changes made to the Clery Act by the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act ("VAWA"), which require that training cover state law definitions of sexual assault, stalking, and relationship violence. According to the Clery Center, the VAWA amendments to the Clery Act enlarge the rights given to campus survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. https://www.clerycenter.org/vawa-dfsca-ferpa (last visited November 17, 2018). The expanded legislation also outlines the role of law enforcement, the kinds of crimes required for reporting, and stipulates the need for violence prevention programming. Colleges and universities must provide detailed date concerning alleged incidents of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking. For example, the fifty-eight page 2017 Annual Security Report for the Indiana University South Bend and Elkhart states that, "all community members, including students, faculty, staff, and guests, are encouraged to accurately and promptly report all criminal or suspicious actions and any potential emergencies to the Indiana University Police Department (IUPD) or appropriate law enforcement agency, including when the victim of a crime elects to, or is unable to, make such a report." https://protect.iu.edu/doc/police-safety/asr/asr-iusb-2017.pdf (last visited November 17, 2018). As required by law or policy, an incident report may be forwarded to others including: the office of Vice President and General Counsel, the Title IX Coordinator, Human Resources, Academic Affairs, Office of Insurance, Office of Housing and Residence Life, Office of Student Conduct, and the Dean of Students. In addition to the institution's annual report, the Clery Act also requires that colleges and universities timely notify the campus community of a security or safety threat on or near campus. This is usually done through text or email blasts to the campus network. According to the Department of Justice, "[t]he Clery Act also promotes transparency and ongoing communication about campus crimes and other threats to health and safety and empowers members to take a more active role in their own safety and security." https://www.justice.gov/archives/ovw/page/file/910306/download (last visited November 17, 2018). Even if an allegation of sexual violence did not occur in the context of an educational program or activity on campus, the institution may have an obligation to process the compliant. In many instances, a student facing a Title IX or Clery Act allegation on or off campus may not understand his or her rights or the obligations or requirements of the college or university in those circumstances. Despite this lack of information, a student may be asked by the university or law enforcement to make quick and critical decisions that could significantly impact his or her career at the university or even his or her physical freedom. Knowing your student rights and your constitutional rights are critical when facing a Title IX or Clery Act investigation. If you are a student facing a Title IX or sexual assault allegation, contact the attorneys at Keffer Hirschauer LLP today. We stand ready to provide our clients with trusted representation and accurate information regarding the law and its application to their individualized history. Act now and contact us today at (317) 857-0160.
Title IX, the Clery Act, and Allegations of Sexual Assault On or Off Campus
November 27, 2018
By Keffer Hirschauer LLP


text:
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
A Bumper Crop
As part of my scheme to quit spending precious weekend time at the supermarket, I have been trying out having vege boxes delivered. I chose this company, as they deliver right to your doorstep, and we've been getting a seasonal fruit and vegetable box. The produce is all organic, and locally grown - another win! Though this means you don't know what you will end up getting, which is an exciting surprise, but can also be a bit challenging when you end up with an abundance of silverbeet that you're just not that into.
Luckily I have plenty of foodie resources for inspiration, such as this magazine from Mr Jamie Oliver. Lots of delish ideas are within these pages! I think I love the design of his publications as much as the recipes.
2 comments:
Awesome post, I had OOO0BY (out of our own backyard) boxes delivered when I was in Auckland, NZ - they were fantastic and like yours full of surprises and some interesting things to give a go - like bamboo shoots and atrichokes! Loved it - they came with recipe ideas and a breakdown of the growers. Most was organic and locally sourced. Now we are back on our own block I havent brought fruit and vege for a year ... maybe a friendly organic neighbour might be happy to pass produce your way out of their backyard!ReplyDelete
I'd love to get bamboo shoots and artichokes - very exotic! That's a great idea having recipe ideas included with the box. Your own block sounds like a dream come true! As does not having to buy fruit and veges ever! We have a feijoa tree outside our apartment so that's about as close as I get to harvesting my own produce!ReplyDelete


text:
Create an Account - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about.
The City's overall strategy for this area is to leverage the momentum created by the DART light rail station and adjacent transit-oriented development (TOD) to make Downtown Garland an active focal point for the community. The Downtown TIA offers the potential for:


text:
Rules Toolset: Quality Control
The Rules Toolset© is completed with the third core-module called, Quality Control, which is a sophisticated self-learning computer system. In this Quality Control system, for example, each time that a new genetic variation/biomarker input combination is recognized by input variables, formula definition and output result, the specific combinations are registered to serve as benchmark, confirmation points necessary for results.
Quality Control is an optional module.


text:
A.S. Face 0075: John Johnson
My name is John I was Diagnosed with AS in August of this year. I am 44 now and been living with this disease for 16 years. Back in late 2003 I was in so much pain that I could not walk for over 3 months I had filed for BK and left my job after 17 years under tons of stress. I would go to my local County Hospital thinking that I might have cancer all the test came back normal. I must have been in the ER at least 7 times in a 3 mouth period the staff in the ER was tired of seeing me and they thought I was a drug addict trying to get Pain killers. Well when I got medical from my spouses work then I got answers. If only one person reads this and finds out that they have AS that would be the greatest thing ever.
Moreno Valley, California United States of America
6 Responses to "A.S. Face 0075: John Johnson"
Dear John,
Thank you for sharing your story with us. It breaks my heart to know we are treated as drug seekers even after diagnoses. I agree if this site helps one person to having a better quality of life, then all the hard work was worth it!
Sincerely Cookie
Update 03/11/2012. Still in lots of pain. I am glad that I got diagnosed back on Augest 19 2011. I tested negative for the HLA-B27 protein but my Rhemy told me that 20-30% of AS patients test Negative. I will keep on fighting this Disease.
hI John, I am newly diagnosed. I have 5 horses & have not been able to ride for the last 3 yrs. I am hoping with diagnosis, treatment & pt I may be able to get back in the saddle again. Your horse is beautiful 🙂 Do you ride, do you have any tips if you do? Thanks 🙂
John, love the photo with the horse. They will add my story soon I guess. I just got diagnosed after 14 years of just dealing with the back pain and keeping it somewhat under control with Ativan, chiropractic and massage. Lots !!!! That's what I seemed to spend all my money on was trying to buy health for myself even with insurance. How are you doing now?
Hi still in lots of pain. It's good to finely know what I have. They say that mostly men get AS but I don't believe that I think it's Equal. My Rhemy wants me to start taking Enbrel but I don't like the side effects. How are you handling ur AS?


text:
The University of Houston College of Education ranks among the best in the nation at preparing undergraduate students to serve as elementary school teachers, according to a new report released Thursday.
The college ranks in the nation's top 1 percent of undergraduate programs that prepare elementary school teachers, based on the analysis from the National Council on Teacher Quality. The nonpartisan nonprofit, headquartered in Washington, D.C., evaluated 875 public and private undergraduate teacher-preparation programs for its 2016 review.
"I am continually proud of our faculty, staff and students for their commitment to strong teaching," said Robert McPherson, dean of the UH College of Education. "We at the College believe in high standards, meaningful instruction and practical experience as we prepare our teaching candidates for one of the most important jobs in the world."
The UH College of Education received high marks from the council for its selective admissions criteria, its high-quality student-teaching program and its focus on strong classroom management skills. The college also met the requirements for using research-based strategies to train teacher candidates to teach young children to read.
"No evaluation system is perfect, but we at the college are always working to improve and to ensure our teachers are well prepared to enter today's diverse classrooms," said McPherson, who has served as dean since 2011.
The UH College of Education has been at the forefront of promoting rigorous and relevant teacher training. It recently became the first in Texas to be accredited under the more stringent standards set by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. The college also is participating in the $34 million teacher-preparation transformation project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
In addition, the college has partnered with the Houston Independent School District as part of a program to improve diversity, selectivity and consistency in teacher education. The Teach Forward Houston effort recruits students in the top 20 percent of their high school class to the college; those who later return to HISD to teach can receive tuition reimbursement through the district.
The UH College of Education graduated roughly 300 teacher candidates in 2016.


text:
I remember the village like it was yesterday. There are few things more beautiful than the chatter of happy children, the smell of roasted peanuts, and a clear, starlit sky.
The maidan was bustling with activity as the crowd poured in. They spread coir mats, ate noisily and fought to sit in the first row. Masterji took his place behind a big black screen and pulled us out of the dark box. Dramatically, one by one. In minutes, the loud bustle was reduced to pindrop silence.
We took our places in front of the screen and patiently wait for the strings around our limbs to tighten. He cleared his throat loudly and began, bringing his audience to a trance. They leaned forward, watching with widened eyes, as he effortlessly spun story after story with the slightest tug of a string. That evening, even the crickets seemed to respect the silence. The quiet interrupted only by the sound of gasps, sighs, laughter and finally, a loud, roaring applause.
And we performed, surrendering control of every limb in our body to him. We spoke, cried, laughed and danced when we were told to. For two long hours, their eyes would follow our every move. We'd stay quiet, smiling that ridiculous smile that was plastered on us, until we were returned to the box again. Usual routine. We'd travel from village to village to perform. For as long as I can remember, our evenings began with that familiar, eager silence and ended in a loud, roaring applause.
Uncle can you teach me? A little girl quipped after the performance while Masterji packed his stuff. Masterji was amused. He took a liking to the girl instantly. They sat on the field that evening as the crowd shrunk into the night. He lit a lamp, pulled us out of our box and held us between his fingers. Just some paint, wood and sequins held together with old cloth, he said with pride. Her eyes widened. She reached for me and held my strings gently between her fingers. My arms moved. She looked at him in amazement. He laughed. Tell me a story, he humoured her. Rani thought for a moment, and began her story. Masterji picked us up and brought it to life as she spoke, mirroring her thoughts with skilful precision.
Time flew that evening. When her mother stormed onto the field to drag a teary Rani home for dinner, Masterji picked me up and handed me to her. For you, he said, without thinking twice. I looked at Masterji in disbelief. I felt betrayed. Her eyes lit up as she reached for me, holding me tight between her palms as she walked home. I strained to look back at Masterji, watching, as the only life I knew was being packed into a small box, and disappearing into the horizon.
That month, Rani was the envy of every child in the village. She would beam with pride when the children came home to see me, as each remarked on how lucky she was. They would follow her around the village, begging for a story. And she would spend hours telling them. Marvelling at how her thoughts became tangible right before her eyes. Sometimes, she'd forget she was the one telling the story, watching with widened eyes as the story unfolded before her.
Rani grew up before I knew it. Perhaps even before she knew it. I remember her wedding day. She got dressed in the room, looking confused and shocked. She'd never met him before. He lives in the city, big man. Amma told her as she painted her face with foundation and powder. Rani had tears in her eyes when she left the room. She looked suffocated, drowned in her heavy saree, jewellery and make up. Helpless. She looked like a mere puppet. Simply some paint and sequins, held together with cloth.
Her things were packed into a small suitcase and sent to the city. She wondered why they would send her away to live with a stranger without a second thought. She felt betrayed. She strained to look out of the window as the bus pulled away. Watching, as the only life she knew, was being packed into a small suitcase and disappearing into the horizon.
He was very quiet and seemed much older than her. She moved into a small, cold house with his parents and him. Like a dark box that would have the lid on it for days together. Every now and then, the lid would be opened. He would take her out to parties like a trophy, his arm securely around her, beaming with pride when his friends remarked on how lucky he was. It was tiring. She could feel their eyes follow her every move. But she would stay quiet, keeping that ridiculous smile plastered to her face for hours, until it was time to go back home.
At home, they hardly spoke to her. She toiled away in the kitchen, cooking and cleaning through the day. She smiled, spoke, ate and slept when she was told to. Her arms and legs tied securely to invisible strings. They were tugged at recklessly. Her in-laws, her husband, society, even her conscience, each one pulling her in different directions. Day after day, year after year.
Some days, she would open the suitcase and hold me in her palm. Looking at me with resignation as tears filled her eyes. I looked back at her, helplessly. She never touched my strings again, but she would hold me close to her chest, looking into the distance with glassy eyes for hours. She missed the village. I don't blame her.
I too, remember the village like it was yesterday. There are few things more beautiful than the chatter of happy children, the smell of roasted peanuts, and a clear, starlit sky.


text:
Donating A Car is Not as Easy as it Sounds
When donating your car to charity, there are two things that you want to ensure happens:
- The charity gets the full benefit of your vehicle donation.
- You get full taxable value for your donation from the IRS (if you itemize your tax deductions).
And in order to do so, it's not as simple as driving up to your favorite local charity, handing them the keys, and having them hand you the receipt with a tax deductible $ amount on it. Here are the steps you will need to take to ensure that both of the above happens. Note that the same rules apply to boat donations and airplane donations as well (although it might be a lot harder to 'drop the plane off' at the local charity).
1. Avoid the Rif-Raf
There are hundreds, maybe thousands of for-profit companies who will gladly take your donated vehicle and keep most of the proceeds for themselves. Avoid the middleman in order to benefit a true charity, not a for-profit business. Step 1 is really that simple.
2. Find the Right Charity to Donate your Vehicle to
The charity that you donate your car to must be a 501(c)(3). If you're unsure whether or not the charity is a 501(c)(3), you can check out Charity Navigator or view a complete list of approved IRS charitable organizations, or Publication 78. You should also take a look at the Better Business Bureau Charity guide if you're looking for ideas on who to donate to.
Then contact your charity of choice and see if they take vehicle donations and what they do with the vehicles.
3. Drop your Vehicle Off
If possible, tow or drive the vehicle to the charity or the auction site for the charity. It may cost you some money to get it there, but it's simply the right thing to do. Maximizing your own benefit jeopardizes the good will behind the donation in the first place.
4. Get a Receipt when the Charitable Organization Sells your Donated Vehicle
To avoid an IRS audit or cover yourself in the event of one, you'll need more than a good faith estimate. When your donor recipient sells the vehicle (usually at auction), then you will need to gather a receipt of how much they made in the sale. This is how much you can deduct in your taxes. Keep the donation receipt in case you get audited by the IRS.
5. Use Fair Market Value (FMV) for your Car Donation when Possible
There are certain cases when you can used Fair Market Value, or FMV, for your donation. This is usually a higher value than you will be able to get elsewhere. To find fair market value, use Kelly Blue Book (KBB) or NADA. Here is when you can use fair market value:
- when the charity keeps and uses the vehicle, versus selling it.
- when the charity makes improvements to the car prior to selling it.
- when the car is sold at a discounted price to a person with a low income.
- if the car is worth less than $500.
Whether the car is sold at auction, used by the charity, or less than $500, you should always get a receipt and hold onto it.
6. Tax Forms for Car Donations
Making the IRS happy goes beyond just getting a receipt and deducting your donation. You have to include the right forms. And according to form 8283, if the value of your vehicle donation is over $5,000, you'll need an appraisal. Here are the forms you'll need to include with your tax return: IRS noncash charitable donation form 8283, form 1098C, and form 8453. If you're having issues, I'd recommend checking out my picks for the best tax software to help guide you.
Note that in order to claim a vehicle tax deduction, you will need to forego the standard deduction and itemize your taxes for the tax year that you donate. Only about 1-in-1o filers are currently doing this.
7. Feel Good About your Deed
Donating a vehicle can result in a huge benefit for a worthwhile charity and for your taxes as you lower your taxable income (which could potentially push you into a lower tax bracket). This is one of those cases where everyone wins if you do things the right way to maximize the benefits for both parties. Car donation FTW!
Car Donation Discussion:
- Have you ever donated a vehicle?
- Was it easier/more difficult than expected? Any lessons learned?
- Did you have to tow it in?
Join 10,000+ readers & get new articles by email, for free.
Thanks! Check your inbox (& spam folder) in a minute for your welcome email!
Oops... Please try again.