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The last fortnight witnessed the most coherent manifestation of what's being touted as the new cold war between the US and China that is likely to define the course of events in the Indo-Pacific region in the short and long terms. The biggest development came in the form of US Vice President Mike Pence's announcement that Washington would join Canberra in upgrading the Lombrum military base on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. Speaking on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Port Moresby, Pence emphasised Washington's aim 'to protect sovereignty and maritime rights in the Pacific islands', providing the first tangible enshrinement of the Trump administration's Indo-Pacific strategy.
Additionally, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the US signed a deal to fund a massive multi-billion dollar electricity and internet cable rollout initiative in PNG. Both these developments are being seen as part of a US-led pushback against China's attempts to create debt traps in the Pacific region through its Belt and Road initiative. On another note, Tonga and Vanuatu signed memorandums of understanding with China to join the BRI, joining ranks with Samoa, Fiji, Niue and PNG.
US-China rivalry was at full display at the APEC summit, where Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mike Pence outlined 'opposing visions' for the world-order; while Xi spoke of the importance of global cooperation, Pence stated that the US wouldn't back down on trade negotiations until China 'changes it ways'. For the first time in APEC's history, its members couldn't agree on a joint statement due to Beijing's objection to the phrase 'unfair trade practices' which it took to be directed to itself. Tensions were also rife after Chinese officials barged their way into PNG's Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato's office to negotiate the phrasing the final communique.
In another part of the Indo-Pacific, geopolitical manoeuvring is dictating the course of events. While last month's elections turned the tide in New Delhi's favour with the ousting of the pro-China Abdulla Yameen from presidency, Maldives's new president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has quickly moved towards a rapprochement with India. At the time of writing, senior Maldivian cabinet ministers are in New Delhi, seeking to get India to invest in key infrastructure projects, lend budgetary support and agree to a more favourable currency swap agreement, stressing that the island-nation's 'India-first policy' is back on track. India has offered a US$1 billion in loans to Maldives and has agreed to help make up its budget deficit. It's also reported that Maldives is likely to pull out of its free trade agreement with China. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first visit to Male earlier in the fortnight, signifying the warming up of bilateral ties. In other news, India and Singapore have signed an intelligence-sharing agreement to bolster bilateral defence ties.
Closer home, Shinzo Abe became the first Japanese prime minister to visit Darwin to honour those who died during its bombing in the Second World War. Abe and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison are said to have discussed closer defence ties during the Japanese leader's two-day visit. Calling Darwin the 'nexus that connects the Indian and Pacific Oceans', Abe emphasised that the city was 'a crucial place for the stability and the prosperity to the whole of the Indo-Pacific'.
On another note, Indian President Ram Nath Kovind became New Delhi's first head of state to visit Australia, signalling an unprecedented momentum in bilateral ties. The presidential visit coincided with the Australian government's release of an India economic strategy, based on the recommendations from former DFAT secretary Peter Varghese's landmark report unveiled earlier this year. The strategy includes a memorandum of understanding between Austrade and Invest India, increasing the number of direct flights between the two nations and deepening cooperation across a number of sectors.
Significance for Australia
Policy-makers in Canberra are likely to have breathed a sigh of relief after the last fortnight's developments. More than anything, this month's events have shown that the US government's policy is shaped not by its meteoric president but by an informed national security community which appreciates its alliance commitments. Moreover, this administration has a concrete plan to action its national security strategy outlined in December 2017. US's announcement of joining Australia in expanding the Manus island base is a welcome development and is more significant for what it symbolises- that Washington is here to stay, despite Donald Trump's go-it-alone proclivities. Canberra recognises the need for a committed US presence in its backyard if it is to prevent the Chinese juggernaut. China's bullying tactics as evident at APEC are only going to add to Canberra's resolve to intensify its pivot towards the Pacific nations.
On the other hand, the deepening geopolitical competition between the US and China is cause for real worry in Canberra. Nonetheless, Vice President Pence's insistence on a free, fair and open Indo-Pacific region and the US resolve to protect it, will be seen favourably Down Under. While some say that a new cold war 'isn't here yet', they concur that the geopolitical fault lines drawn at the APEC summit signifies 'another worrying step toward a serious rift in the global economy and geopolitics.'
On another note, developments between the Maldives and India are also very favourable from Canberra's perspective as they offer hope for democratic pushbacks against China's debt traps in vulnerable nations. Tonga and Vanuatu's caving into Chinese pressure on the BRI are extremely worrisome for Australia.
Finally, policymakers in Canberra would be satisfied with the current pace and trajectory of Australia-India relations. The Morrison government's endorsement of Varghese's report has been greeted with much enthusiasm both in Australia and India; while Canberra looks for an economic partner as an alternative to China, India sees much potential in Australia as a strategic and economic partner.


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6 Steps You Should Take Now To Prepare For Seasonal Ecommerce Spikes14th September, 2017 by Kelly Kirkham
Black Friday is coming. Is your site ready for the chaos? Last year, 40% of UK eCommerce sites experienced downtime during seasonal peaks. Being unable to handle the incoming flood of excited holiday shoppers means putting a lot of revenue at risk. Last year, the Black Friday to Cyber Monday online shopping frenzy brought in over $12.8 billion dollars.
If your site goes down, customers won't wait around for long. They're also far less likely to return in the future as a result of this. 79% of customers say they are unlikely to purchase from sites with unsatisfactory performance (KissMetrics). Optimal site performance keeps customers coming back time and time again.
Your marketing team has sent out the promotions, the warehouse team is stocked up. Customer service is ready and waiting. The ability to scale your technology to the challenge should not be the weakest link in your chain.
Ready to prep for the busiest time of the year?
Here are 6 steps your tech team can take now to prepare for traffic spikes:
Get mobile ready
Black Friday was traditionally a boon for brick-and-mortar stores where customers would line up outside for hours to take advantage of doorcrasher deals. But consumers are starting to blur the line between in-store and online shopping. 83% of consumers use their smartphone while they are shopping to look up prices, reviews and competitors.
This means that over half of your site traffic is likely coming from mobile devices. It's worth checking how your site performs on different devices and over a mobile data connection to optimize conversion from these visitors.
- Using a tool like BrowserStack, confirm that your site is responsive and loads properly on mobile browsers.
- Implement digital wallets like PayPal or Apple Pay to make it easy for customers to check out.
- Keep designs optimized and first load time quick to make sure customers browsing on a mobile connection have a good experience.
Plan to scale horizontally
Unfortunately, there's no option to "turn it up to 11" when it comes to vertically scaling servers. Operating at near-full capacity comes with a set of risks, especially if your business is seasonal. While it might be more cost efficient in the short term, if volume spikes suddenly, it will be a real hassle to scale.
Containerization is a great way to accommodate future scaling needs, which is important if you might need to deploy more resources quickly. By hosting microservices within a container, you can scale horizontally simply by deploying a new container image. They deploy and spin up almost instantly, without requiring additional installation packages to be run. Containers also work effectively with load balancers to ensure no server is overwhelmed.
Containerization allows developers to operate with just-in-time scaling, knowing that every deployment will execute quickly and accurately.
Setting up containers takes time and forward planning. However, the alternative is a few frantic late nights when things get busy. You don't want to be in the position where you are updating architecture to accommodate volume during Cyber Monday.
Embrace regional redundancy
The further away a customer physically is from your server, the slower response time they will see when browsing your site. Waiting to load images from a server halfway across the world will put off even the most dedicated shoppers.
You have a few options to improve delivery for your global customers. Probably the least efficient option is to set up multiple servers on different continents. The biggest problem with this method is the overhead costs in maintenance and deployment.
A better way is to use a content delivery network, or CDN. A CDN provider offers Points of Presence (PoP) all over the world where they locally cache resources for your site. Customers will access your site through the closest PoP to them. For example, a customer in London will connect to the UK PoP instead of bouncing to a server located in the US. This speeds up delivery substantially.
You can also avoid any content delivery problems by choosing the right infrastructure provider, who has the capacity to deliver quickly to a worldwide audience. A provider with global data centers and a high performance network like 100TB can eliminate congested routes and deliver your service as quickly as possible to multiple locations.
Reduce server load
When the going gets tough, the tough get efficient. It's much easier to manage sudden increases in customer volume if each visitor is handled as efficiently as possible.
HTTP caching allows the browser to store local copies of resources for faster retrieval. Instead of downloading everything from the server on each page refresh, the browser can serve up local copies of stored resources like images and stylesheets. Cache headers can be attached to resources to tell the server when they need to refresh their stored local copies to ensure nothing is shown out of date.
Ecommerce stores are heavy on images, which can put a heavy load on servers. Compressing content as much as possible, while still maintaining quality, will save bandwidth for everyone. Consider delivering content using gzip compression, and following image optimization best practices.
Create a Performance Dashboard
Setting up tracking systems before the storm hits can help your team keep an eye on things, as well as evaluate past performance.
Geckoboard, a DIY dashboard software for business metrics, has an in-depth blog post on eight metrics ecommerce companies should track over the holidays. Here are three must-track metrics for developers to have up on their wall at all times..
Uptime – if we're trying to avoid downtime, the first thing to do is know if we actually have any downtime. While you could hire someone to just refresh the page time and time again and record the results, a service like Pingboard will do this automatically for you. They can also provide degraded service analysis, like search downtime, regional load issues or slow page loading.
Page Load Time – An increase in page load time can be your first sign that something is about to go horribly wrong. Customers hate slow loading too. Even a 1-second delay in page response can result in a 7% reduction in conversions, according to KissMetrics.
Volume – Keep an eye on the flow of traffic so you don't get caught off guard when volume creeps up. Having a historical view of traffic spikes can help you plan for future promotions and holiday surges.
Setting up a dashboard before the busy period sticks will keep you laser focused on the metrics that matter.
Make a plan for the bad times
If the worst does happen and downtime occurs, it's important to get up and running as quickly as possible. That means having a plan in place so every stakeholder knows what part they play in recovery.
Make a list of your third party support contracts and contacts. If you need to purchase elevated support for some services to make sure you're front of the line, consider doing so. Ensure your DDoS protection service is up to date. Assign a specific Point of Contact for each service who's responsible for managing any conversations with the vendor when things blow up, and set up on-call policies along with the numbers of the first people to contact.
Write all of this down in an escalation procedure that's easily accessible to everyone. You might even want to practice going through simulated downtime to make sure you're not missing information.
Don't let your downtime become your competition's advantage
Customers won't wait around for your site performance to improve. They'll return to the Google search results and choose the next site on the list.
Planning ahead for scale takes time and effort. If you're growing at a steady pace now, it's easy to just keep growing servers and adding more resources. But a strategy that works for 10% growth won't keep up to a 10x growth spike. You might be tempted to play it by ear and just wait and see how the holiday season goes. But by the time you start experiencing scaling issues, it will be too late to put these strategies into place. Instead of being proactive, you'll end up patching holes with duct tape. It's not a fun way to spend your busiest weeks.
Get ahead of the volume and start planning today to scale gracefully. This is the quiet before the storm.

subset: commoncrawl


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Pinnacle Clinical Research is now recruiting volunteers for this research study.
You may qualify for this study if you:
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For additional information please review the following link:


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The Word was with God.
So the Word became human[d] and made his home among us.
He has revealed God to us. (John 1:1b, 14, 18c (NLT))
Sometime back, some were writing a book about my father. So they called me and asked me details about my father. Since I was with my father longer than them, they thought I would be the best person to reveal or explain about my father.
What if we have a person who was with God from the beginning? And what if that person would come and live with us and reveal or explain God to us. Well, this is exactly what Jesus did.
The Word (Jesus) was with God from the beginning. So Jesus would be the best person to reveal God to us. Jesus came into this world to reveal God to human beings. He became human and made his home among us.
You may have so many questions about God. Read through the gospels and follow the character of Jesus. The way Jesus talked and acted would be the exact way God would talk and act.
As we start this New Year, let us study, meditate, follow, and observe Jesus from the gospels. Let Jesus reveal God to us this year!
Because He was with God and He became human and made his home among us, He could reveal God to us.


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How many times have you subscribed to a show, drawn in by a charismatic host or great content, only to wait longer and longer between episodes until the podcast disappears completely? Podcasters launch shows to create a community and build a business, but they often shut down due to a lack of funds or a lack of discipline.
[podcast_motor_player url="https://episodes.seriouslysimplepodcasting.com/PodcastMotorShow/017-How-To-Cash-Out-Big-with-Nina-Kaufman.mp3″ title="BOP017 – How To Cash Out Big with Nina Kaufman"]
So how can you avoid an empty bank account while still running your podcast?
Today's guest on Business of Podcasting is an expert in using podcasts to enhance her revenue and reputation, and she's here to share her tips on digital sales, listener engagement, and the best way to keep your podcasting on schedule.
Nina Kaufman began her career as a business lawyer for entrepreneurs and has since built a reputation as a skilled writer, speaker, and champion for small businesses. Her company, Business Exponential, is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs work less hours while generating more income, building a successful and secure future.
Nina's Cash Out BIG podcast has not only connected her with new clients, but has increased her reputation as a reliable and knowledgeable coach. We are especially proud to have Nina on the show, as she is a loyal friend of the Podcast Motor team!
Episode Highlights:
- How podcasting keeps Nina from being pigeonholed into one career
- Giving independent and overlooked B2B companies a voice
- Effective ways to engage with your audience and promote your podcast
- The best social media to use to connect with listeners
- How can you boost your income while working less hours? How digital sales helped Nina increase revenue
- Getting your "technical engine" in place
- Webinars/collaborating
- Time and discipline: Nina's advice for new podcasters
- Why it's important to post episodes on a weekly schedule
Subscribe to Cash Out BIG podcast on Itunes
Visit Nina Kaufman on the web at Business Exponential


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Yorkshire Times
Voice of the North
Hannah Russell
Features Writer
11:38 AM 13th February 2017
The Confessions Of A Pony Nut Thief...
This weekend the weather has been very grim. Snow has been forecast for the past few weeks so we anticipated to wake up to a winter wonderland but instead we got rain, hail and sleet, typical British weather which didn't impress Alfie too much. Mind you he got to spend the weekend in his stable due to the horrid weather which he didn't seemed to mind as he loves his stable.
Today Alfie is outside in his paddock with Pepper, as I can see them from my office window. They seem to be playing a very odd game of 'tag' where they are running from one end of the paddock to the other and at the same time playfully trying to nip each other's legs. Occasionally I can hear the pair squealing at each other, but they truly are the best of friends and recently they appear to have been teaming up together on some very naughty antics...
A few weeks ago I noticed that our horse feed appeared to be going down very quickly, but due to the horses being in the stables so much I never thought any more about it. I put it down to the fact they had been in due to the rain, therefore they were eating more food. It was only as the days seemed to pass and the pony feed ran out rapidly I began to think something was a little bit odd.
My first conclusion was that Mum must have been feeding the horses a little bit more than she should have been, but when I asked her about this she confirmed she was still feeding them the same portions. I thought I must have been feeding them more and spoiling them as this is something I tend to do. I then began to question myself and thought maybe I had been and not realised, so made a note to take extra care when feeding the horses.
Another week went by and surprise surprise the pony feed ran out very quickly. I knew Mum and I had been taking extra notes when feeding the horses, so the only conclusion I came up was that we had a pony nut thief on our hands and I was determined to get to the bottom of it.
When we muck out the ponies every morning we usually let the Shetlands Alfie and Pepper wander around the yard. Pepper usually goes in every stable and tries to cause havoc so I normally spend the morning chasing him around, while Alfie usually goes and picks at the fresh grass. Recently Pepper has been causing more disruption in a morning than normal and last Friday I caught my pony nut thief in the act...
I let the Shetlands out as normal and took my wheelbarrow in to the first stable. That's when I heard all this banging and thought Pepper was up to mischief again so I went to investigate. Sure thing, Pepper was stood rubbing his head against the outdoor shed so I went over to move him. That's when I saw out of the corner of my eye this brown figure moving very quickly and swiftly towards the feed room door.
I knew then I'd caught my pony nut thief and crept over very quietly. As I peered around the door there was Alfie munching his way through a whole bag of pony nuts. He simply looked up at me with a very cheeky expression on his face.


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After Spending a Day or So in Liverpool Misses Heath and Lee Continued their Journey to London. . . Converse With a "Sure Nuff" Southern Negro
Dear Papa and Folks at Home:
Even though I am now across the Atlantic, here in England, I have not forgotten that to-day 52 years ago you came into the world and though it is too late to write a lengthy message, I wanted to begin it to-night, so as to wish that you may have many happy returns and that you will make all kinds of good resolutions and to say that you are constantly in my thoughts and prayers, and I do trust that all will go well during my long absence from home, and as this letter will in all probability not reach you till about Christmas Eve, in the language of Nixon Waterman:
"Here's a greeting to you Dad,
Just to tell you for a father, way back yonder:
And the older that I grow
Then the more I come to know
That the ties which bind our lives
Are growing fonder."
Just as I was leaving the club house in New York, your letter came, and you may know that I left my native shores in better spirit, because of news from home—I am afraid that I just missed one from Mama, as I almost know one from her was on the way, but hope it will be forwarded by the New York office and that all of you have sent letters on to me. I want you to write me often, not short notes, but real letters—when you get down to business, you can do it and I shall expect them.
To-night at the dock, I wish that you could have seen the demonstration of feeling on the part of all—the deafening yells for the returning English officers and soldiers, then they gave them in return—a general feeling of thanksgiving for a safe voyage, then a grand shaking of hands, and "good byes." We were met by Y.M. men and women who managed matters in a most efficient manner—none of our baggage to bother with—then a ride on the "Overhead" (elevated), then a ride on a "tram" (double-decked bus) to the Adelphi hotel which is the finest in England, so one of the English Majors told us. We enjoyed our dinner so much, as it had somewhat a different flavor to that served on the boat coming across. It being Sunday night, the hotel was crowded, and truly, you would have thought that you were in one of the magnificent hotels of New York as there were so many American officers and it appears to be their headquarters. We were waiting outside the dining room when some of the Englishmen from the 'Orontez' came up. They were most courteous, and even the Colonel himself was busied with having us soon seated—they became hosts in a way, and said that they were so well treated in America that they wanted to return some of the kindnesses shown them. Before we could get anything to eat, we had to sign a card stating our purpose for being there and that we hadn't had meat in the hotel before that meal. Dessert is sugarless and all drinks too. Fruit is too expensive to serve. After dinner, we all came out into the lounge to hear the music and watch the women smoke! I only saw two or three men in the lounge in civilian clothes and they had wound chevrons on their sleeves and not but one man in the dining room except in uniform.
Monday, November 25th—I certainly did enjoy the soft downy bed and pillows last night and would have enjoyed them longer had I known I would be staying here all day. We were told last evening to be ready to leave to-day at 2 o'clock, so hoping to have a peep at Liverpool we got up real early, and just after breakfast were advised that we would be here till to-morrow some time, so we spent the morning in the museum, in the public square walking around, then had lunch at the Y.M.C.A. canteen, there we talked with some happy soldiers and sailors who were here on their way home. We hurried back to the hotel to be informed that we would leave here at 11 to-morrow, and could do as we pleased during the afternoon. At Knotty Ashe, a suburb, is one of the biggest American camps ("Rest Camps"), so we decided that we would like to see it. The car ride was through an interesting residence section and we gathered a fair idea of the homes and gardens these people have. We were graciously received at several of the huts by the men and women secretaries, but more so by the men themselves. This camp is brim full of American boys on their way home, and when many groups of them spied us, they yelled –"From God's Country." Many of them have never been to France, but seem anxious to be getting home. They asked many questions about New York and every where, and in each hut, one of the men called out the states we represented, and the boys responded seemingly so happy to talk with some one from their same State. On the car going out a soldier began talking who turned out to be from Virginia and he personally conducted the crowd. He seemed so glad to see we Southerners and I talked with quite a lot. In spite of the drizzly mist and black mud we enjoyed the trip immensely. After going to several huts, at most of which we were served hot cocoa and cakes, we went to one hospital in which I discovered a negro from Charlotte and another typical "cotton patch" boy from "way down in Georgy" who said, "Yesm, I cum fromGeorgy and I ain't been no fudder dan here and I don't want to go no fudder—I would reether go back Souf to my old home"—at about this time many negro soldiers began to congregate around me, one of whom was a very typical cold black greasy faced fellow with the whites of his eyes quite in evidence whose beautiful white teeth appeared like miniature tombstones, who at the first opportunity, gave me the old time bow and pulled off his cap and with a broad grin on his face said,
"Bless de Lord, dese white folks look like home—soon I laid my eyes on you I knowed you was from some where Souf," and to the question as to whether he too had been at the front, he promptly said: "No m'am, thank God—we was all 'specting to be sent but got in good spirits soon as we heard that Uncle Sam had ordered many nigger regiments to the front lines and we knowed right den dat somefin was guine to be doing and sho enough the Germans had to come to de armisstiss and since den, you know Miss, dat dere has been a secession of hosterilties and I am sho we will all be soon sent home." Knowing the negro as I do, I could have spent an hour very pleasantly with them but limited time would not admit.
In talking to some of our own soldiers, they stated that it was very amusing to watch the native Englishman looking on and listening to our pure Southern negroes, in their drills, antics and inimitable songs.
One soldier I talked to said that they had almost nothing to eat for a while and that he had known four or five boys to smoke alternately from one cigarette—think of it!
It seems that the American camps are to be cleared out in England as soon as possible and the camps to be turned over to England for her own troops' use until demobilization. I was astonished and regret to know that the greatest degree of friendliness and brotherly feeling does not exist between the American and English soldiers. I am hoping that this is true only "Over Here," but as we were coming home we talked with two American officers, one of whom was from Edenton, North Carolina, and the other from Easley, South Carolina, who was a graduate of the Citadel at Charleston, both were in the 30th Division and at the front—the Lieutenant from South Carolina, said the American privates like the Australians and the Canadian best, but that he believes and hopes the unfriendliness of Americans and Britishers will all be overcome. These two men got up, took off their gloves, and shook hands with me right in the car when they heard that I was from the "Sunny South." The Citadel graduate was wounded, a bayonet stab in the neck and just out of the hospital. He, too, said that they lost heavily when he was in the fight.
I have seen soldiers and soldiers every where, in fact almost every man is in some kind of uniform—so many of them are wearing pretty blue trousers and bright red ties—I made enquiry, and all Allied wounded while recuperating, wear that combination, which with a white shirt seems so patriotic with the red, white and blue in evidence.
I am tired and have a bad headache, so will go to bed early tonight.
Tuesday, November 26th—We enjoyed our good soft beds again last night, for no telling what a contrasting type we may be sleeping in soon in France. We were only up in time to get our bags packed, have breakfast, pay bills and get to the station at 11. In this hotel, all of the employees are women and children with one or two exceptions—two unusual things, we had linen sheets and electrically wound clocks in every room—elevators everywhere—they are called in England "lifts." Women conductresses on all cars. Another English expression "Enquiry" instead of our Information Bureau. In our rooms were instructions about pulling the curtains before turning on the lights, penalty for not observing the same—"Exhibition of Lights" was their way of saying it.
We traveled like "elites" from Liverpool to London in first class Salon cars, in which there were only four compartments to a coach with chairs, one couch and tables just like a sitting room. It was grey and misty outside and the smoke form the engine didn't rise quickly, consequently practically all view of the country was obscured, yet at times we did get peeps at the thatched roofed houses and the beautiful green pastures with large numbers of grazing sheep. Everything is much greener here than at home this time of year, saw many gardens with cabbage, etc., all looking as if they would be eatable. There were 59 girls and women on the train, so we spent some of the time getting acquainted.
Many came in on other steamers than ours and it reminded me of a class reunion to meet some whom I had met in New York City in the several conferences. One of the ladies said that we should be glad that we didn't leave New York City during the epidemic, for on several boats four or five "Y" girls died and were buried at sea, so I am beginning to think that all that has happened was for the best. We had a lot of fun jumping off the train at the various stops to purchase our lunch, as there are few dining cars in England. Food is expensive, fruit especially, think of it—a shilling (24 cents) for a medium sized apple, and bananas are also a shilling each. We spent some time telling each other of the typical English expressions we had noticed. In the compartment we found this—"Five pounds ($25) provided for anyone who stops the train unnecessarily."
We arrived in London about 4:30 p.m. and it was good and dark, misty, rainy, dim lights, much like you would imagine this city to be in reading about it. The "Y" people met us and we were escorted to the Imperial Hotel on Russell Square. I find the city to be very much congested, so only 22 could be assigned rooms, the rest of us are to sleep in the "Turkish Baths," but we younger ones think that will be an interesting experience and having enjoyed the luxury of the Adelphi at Liverpool, won't complain at all. Some of us have just had dinner at the Holborn restaurant, one of the noted ones of the city, but could not be served any meat, which means other than ham or bacon, nor anything but a small "dash" of sugar, but you know that I am not a crank about what I eat, so I enjoy everything—if others have done without, I can too—the baths referred to are ready so I will go to my little cot by saying good night, with the thought that you so often repeat at home and which you have told was the custom of your Mother—"Sweet rest and pleasant dreams."
Wednesday night, November 27th—Here I sit in the Imperial Hotel, London, England, and can't realize it at all and the night before Thanksgiving too. Fortunately we secured a room to-day so are more comfortable than last night but even the hard cot at the baths didn't prevent me from sleeping well. At breakfast a Canadian Doctor sat opposite me, so we had a chat. He had been at the front for nearly a year when the armistice came and has been here for two weeks leave. He says that we must see the battlefields of France, as much of them as we can, for everyone should in order to fully realize the terribleness of it all. He says that the only Hun to consider is the dead Hun. The most horrible thing he related to me was that the test for prisoners to be forced to work is that you could reach around the arm above the elbow with thumb and forefinger touching—imagine a strong man so emaciated as that forced to hard labor. Two of his Doctor friends were prisoners themselves and related this and other terrible punishments to him, and furthermore that many of the prisoners fell dead at night upon returning from a day's toil.
At 10:30 we met at headquarters to be advised that Paris at present was so congested with men on leave, who for the first time have been allowed to go thee, that we can't possibly be sent over for 10 days unless vital changes take place.
King George and two sons went over yesterday. We will perhaps have an opportunity to see London and surrounding country in the meantime, and hope to go to see Major Peck in Cambridge. When the meeting adjourned, I met up with Miss Mills of our conference who has been in London for three weeks so she offered to pilot me around. First we walked along Southampton Row, Kingsway, etc., then to Cavinish Square to have my passport stamped by the American Consulate office. By the way, as we were walking along in front of a man's furnishing store, were polished brass plates "Heath." I looked further and the owner's name was "Henry Heath"—my mind immediately reverted to "Our Henry" at Matthews and I was tempted to go in and announce myself. We strolled all along Regent Street, corresponding to Fifth Avenue of New York and I was much surprised to see so many beautiful dresses, suits, etc., in all the show windows. Practically every man we met was in uniform or had a brass plate showing disability discharge from a certain regiment. It was most interesting to note all of the various insignia, for they wear a different one for every organization and each part of it. Many of the officers and privates were adorned with several wound stripes and war crosses and too we saw many, many on crutches, and many with only one arm or leg and faces terribly disfigured and nearly all the older civilians had on black arm bands. I realize already that we Americans know nothing of the sorrows and horrors of this world struggle, and anyone in America other than those wearing a gold star ought to be thoroughly ashamed to have even thought to have uttered a complaint.
We stopped at a little restaurant on Regent and had waffles and syrup and a piece of apple pie for lunch, then walked on to Pickadilly Circle where seven streets converge, a most interesting place to me, then on to the Mall a long wide boulevard which runs from Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar square. All along on display are German guns, marked as to when, where and by whom they were captured—on the way to the Mall, as we were going through Waterloo Place, we were fortunate enough to see the change of guards at White Hall, an old historic building. These men are mounded on beautiful black horses, and they are much befeathered, bearmed and bebooted—red coats one day, blue coats the next, with white riding breeches. Next we went into Westminister Abbey and sat for a time during a service, then we had a bus ride back up to "The Old Curiosity Shop" immortalized by Dickens. By this time night was overtaking us, so hurried to a place to secure Emergency Ration Cards, which we were required to do so on account of being in government service for an indefinite period. These cards contain coupons and are cut out each time you make a purchase of sugar or meat. Will send one of these home as they are interesting. On the way to the hotel, we stepped into an Italian restaurant and had an egg omelet, fried potatoes, butter beans, toast and a delicious marmalade and it was the best meal I have had since leaving home, good and hot and I shall patronize it often. We are required to take breakfast at our hotel but the other two meals were we please. Later we went to Eagle Hut, the largest canteen in the world, which is located on The Strand (Broadway of London). It is wonderfully arranged and artistically decorated, has large reading and writing rooms with large open fires, billiard tables, huge dining room and mammoth concert hall for all amusements. The decorations evidence that it is distinctively American.
I have just happened to good luck. One of the Y.M.C.A. women also waiting here has an invitation to go on a tour to-morrow and has asked me to accompany her.
I find myself to-night wising two wishes. One, that I could be home with you all to-morrow for Thanksgiving, and another that all of you could be here with me, then we could be so thankful and happy. Good night—pleasant dreams—much love.


text: One of the greatest parts about living in Boston is that there's always a concert to catch, no matter the day of week. The live music never lets up in a city like ours. Here are a few shows that can help you celebrate the weekend or fight the midweek blues. 3/1/14 Agnes Obel and Gem Club at First Church in Cambridge Congregational – (Selected by Knar) Boston-based Gem Club conjures up delicate, dream-like melodies that will likely be fitting in tonight's spiritual venue. With award-winning Danish pianist and singer Agnes Obel also on the bill, this show is sure to be an ethereal experience. 3/2/14 ZZ Ward at Paradise Rock Club – (Selected by Becca) It seems rare that a young female musician these days would choose to sidestep the pop diva route and go the old-fashioned blues way, but ZZ Ward is one of those musicians. Her soulful voice and soothing rock instrumentals sound great on her debut album, but they're bound to be even better live. Stay tuned for a review of the show. 3/5/14 Broken Bells at House of Blues – (Selected by Matthew) Shins frontman James Mercer and producer Brian "Danger Mouse" Burton have an unusually potent musical chemistry, and they're showing it off this Wednesday at the House of Blues. With this year's electronica-flavored After the Disco, the pair now has two LPs of first-rate indie pop under its belt. Come sing along and listen to the chill-inducing hooks and delicious synths that make Broken Bells a continually rewarding listen. Josh Ritter at Somerville Theatre – (Selected by Nitesh) Somerville, a focal point in Boston for the singer-songwriter type, is the perfect place for a performance like Ritter's. With beautiful lyrics and the ability to vary in style, he can sing an angry, energetic song and a reserved love song just the same. In his most recent album, The Beast in its Tracks, he works through his mixed feelings of a divorce. If you like Sufjan Stevens or any other singer-songwriter with brutally honest lyrics, make sure to get tickets for this show. 3/12/14 The Glitch Mob at House of Blues – (Selected by Jonah) Regardless of what you think of electronic music, The Glitch Mob is one of the most innovative, inventive acts in the genre. During their set at Coachella years ago, I was hooked by their interactive show, which had them controlling the music via touch pads that responded to any gestures they made. If you like heavy electro that's more than just watching someone press "play," this is the show for you. Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.


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Other products you may be interested in...
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Country singer Mickey Gilley injured in car accident
NASHVILLE (AP) —Country music artist Mickey Gilley and his son were injured in a car accident in Texas, but both are recovering after minor injuries. A statement from Gilley's publicist on Thursday said the two were injured Wednesday when their car rolled over near Corrigan, Texas. The 81-year-old singer has a fractured ankle and fractured right shoulder and will reschedule […]Read more ›


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World Buddhist Leaders Gather in Seoul to Pray
kpopluv, May 16, 2015, 10:09 a.m.
Some 400 Buddhist leaders from around the world will gather in Seoul Friday for a three-day conference to pray for Korean reunification and world peace. Prepared to mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule, it will be the largest Buddhist event ever to be held in South Korea.
Some 400 Buddhist priests, including 180 at home, will attend the Conference for World Peace and the Reunification of Korea from Friday through Sunday, according to the Jogye Order, the country's largest Buddhist sect, which organized the event.
Among the attendees are Most Venerable Jinje, supreme patriarch of the Jogye Order; His Holiness Tep Vong, the supreme patriarch of Cambodia; Ven. Niyangoda Vigithasiri Anunayaka Thero, deputy head of Sri Lanka's Siam sect; and Ven. Upannyajota Mahathero, founder and chief priest of Bangladesh's Golden Temple.
Leaders from other religions, including Bawa Jain, secretary-general of the World Council of Religious Leaders, will also take part.
The conference will begin with a welcoming reception Friday night and participants will pay tribute at Seoul National Cemetery on Saturday morning. In the afternoon, they will hold the Religious Conference for World Peace at Seoul's Grand Hilton Hotel.
During the conference, some 20 participants, including Ven. Jinje and Rev. James Kowalski, dean at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, will discuss the role of religious people for world peace and adopt a written prayer for this.
The highlight of the three-day Buddhist conference will be the Great Equal Assembly of Ganhwa Seon, an open-door religious service, to be held at Seoul's Gwanghwamun plaza in the evening.
Organizers expect some 200,000 people, including local Buddhists, will be assembled for the service intended to promote Ganhwa Seon, a traditional method of practice in Korean Buddhism.
Before the service, the priests participating in the conference will meet families who lost their loved ones when the ferry Sewol sank in southwestern waters last year claiming more than 300 lives.
On Sunday, participants will hold a large-scale memorial service at Jogye Temple in central Seoul to console victims of the 1950-53 Korean War.


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Hamburg, Germany – 11 April, 2018 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic); Safety Line; and Air Austral, one of the main airlines serving the Indian Ocean, today announced an agreement to provide fuel saving solutions for the carrier's narrowbody and widebody aircraft.
As a first step, Air Austral will implement Safety Line's OptiClimb solution on all aircraft in its fleet, which will allow the carrier to save up to six percent of fuel during ascent by delivering optimized climb profiles to pilots ahead of each flight.
The optimization process leverages historical flight data and combines machine learning performance models for each aircraft together with accurate 4D weather gradients throughout the climb.
In parallel to implementing OptiClimb, Air Austral has also agreed to test Safety Line's OptiCruise and OptiDescent solutions. These utilise Safety Line's on-board OptiFlight App together with Panasonic's connectivity to provide real-time flight recommendations taking into account the latest weather forecasts.
This test campaign is a major step forward in the strategic partnership between Panasonic and Safety Line which was first announced in November 2016 and is geared towards delivering connected fuel saving solutions to airline customers.
"Air Austral looks forward to saving fuel and reducing the carbon footprint of both our narrowbody and widebody operations. We are also very excited in partnering with Panasonic Avionics and Safety Line to test and validate innovative fuel saving solutions that will benefit the industry as a whole," said Olivier Jay, Head of Flight Operations at Air Austral.
"Combining our strategic partnership with Panasonic Avionics, one of the major players in aviation, and the agility of Air Austral, who operate a modern and well-equipped fleet allows us to accelerate our innovation process in ways we could only dream of," said Pierre Jouniaux, CEO of Safety Line.
"Our partnership with Safety Line allows us to leverage our connectivity solutions towards unique fuel saving solutions much appreciated by our airline customers," said Jeff Sare, Vice President of Corporate Planning and Business Development for Panasonic Avionics. "We knew we had a perfect fit when we decided to introduce Air Austral to Safety Line for testing our joint solutions."
About Air Austral
Air Austral, a Reunion Island-based French airline, is a major player in Indian Ocean transport services between mainland France and its regional connections: Reunion Island, Mauritius, Mayotte, the Comoro islands, Madagascar, the Seychelles and South Africa, Thailand (Bangkok), and Southern India (Chennai). With 950 employees, the airline has grown since its creation in 1975, raising itself up to the standards of the best international airlines. Air Austral operates 12 weekly flights between Paris-CDG and Reunion Island, and 3 weekly flights between Paris-CDG and Mayotte, and provides daily connections to the Indian Ocean islands. Building on a code-share agreement with Air France, the Reunion Island airline also offers a service from Paris-CDG to more than 40 European destinations and from 19 French cities and Brussels, in partnership with TGVAir via Paris-CDG. As of 13 October 2017, Air Austral operates a direct Marseilles-Reunion Island service.
Its fleet is presently made up of 2 dual-class 787-8, 3 triple-class 777-300 for long-haul flights, 2 737-800 and 1 ATR 72-500 for regional flights. Air Austral operates the most modern fleet in the Indian Ocean. The fleet, the comfort of the cabins, the in-flight services and the hospitality of its staff are the main assets of an airline that is known and recognized for its quality of service. www.air-austral.com
About Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Panasonic Avionics Corporation is the world's leading supplier of inflight entertainment and communication systems. The company's best-in-class solutions, supported by professional maintenance services, fully integrate with the cabin enabling its customers to deliver the ultimate travel experiences with a rich variety of entertainment choices, resulting in improved quality communication systems and solutions, reduced time-to-market and lower overall costs.
Established in 1979, Panasonic Avionics Corporation, a U.S. corporation, is a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation. Headquartered in Lake Forest, California with over 4,554 employees and operations in 80 global locations, it has delivered over 8,000 IFE systems and 1,300 inflight connectivity solutions to the world's leading airlines. For additional information, please visit www.panasonic.aero
Panasonic Contact
Brian Bardwell
Corporate Communications Manager
Tel: +1 949 462 1742
About Safety Line
Paris based Safety Line offers Big Data software solutions for the safety and efficiency of airline and airport operations with a focus on fuel and CO2 emissions reduction. The combination of a solid expertise in aviation associated with patented research in data science applied to air transport allow Safety Line to offer uniquely innovative solutions to airline and airport operators. Safety Line's philosophy of integrating with whichever solutions customers already have in place, through strategic partnerships and an open architecture, allows customers to achieve better results with minimum effort.
Safety Line Contact
Nora Serin
Marketing & Communications Manager
Tel: +33 (0)1 55 43 75 70


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700 Marion Ave
Mansfield, OH 44906
Lines & Edges is a collaborative exhibition featuring textile installation artist Sue Cavanaugh, Paintings by Elsie Sanchez, Visual Artist/Photographer Barbara Vogel & and paper artist Leah Wong. These talented artists from Columbus, Ohio will transform our Gallery Space to make it a truly unique experience for all to enjoy.
Cavanaugh works by hand with cloth, cord, dye, paint and occasionally wood and wire. She does this by hand and without assistants. Her work has been seen in national and international exhibits at the Columbus Museum of Art, Oceanside Museum of Art, Springfield Museum of Art (Ohio), Ross Museum of Art, Johnson-Humrickhouse Museum of Art, Ohio Craft Museum and Zanesville Museum of Art. Awards include Best of Show, Shibori Cut Loose exhibit, Textile Center, Minneapolis; Ruth Lantz Fiber Award; Janet Long Memorial Award for Excellence in Fiber; Ohio Arts Council Professional Award; and the Lynn Goodwin Borgman Award for Surface Design.
In 2012 she was selected by the Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Free State of Saxony for an artist residency in Dresden, Germany. She worked in a studio at Geh8 Kunstraum und Ateliers for 80 days culminating in a two-person exhibit with Rotterdam painter Marielle Buitendijk.
Cavanaugh's work is in collections of the Hilton Columbus Downtown and the Ohio Arts Council and private collections in Ohio, New Mexico, California, New York, Chattanooga, and West Seattle. She is represented by Muse Gallery, Columbus, Ohio, and gráficas gallery, Nantucket, Massachusetts. She lives in downtown Columbus, Ohio, and has a studio in the 400 West Rich artist community.
Elsie was born in Havana, Cuba and migrated to the United States at the age of nine. She currently resides and works in Dublin, Ohio. She earned her MFA and BFA (Summa Cum Laude) in Painting and Drawing from The Ohio State University. Her work is represented in Columbus by Keny Galleries. She has participated in many solo, two-person, juried, and group shows. She also has been part of numerous invitationals, most recently at the Ross Art Museum at the Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware Ohio, at the Carnegie Gallery of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, and at the Strathmore Hall Arts Center in Bethesda Maryland. In April 2017 Elsie participated in "Extended Relationships" a three-women show at the Southern Ohio Museum in Portsmouth, Ohio. She is the recipient of an Ohio Arts Council Excellence Award, and has earned numerous other awards including those from the Greater Columbus Arts Council and Ohio Exposition Commission.
In 2015, Elsie returned to Cuba for the first time since leaving the country. There she met with Cuban visual artists and was introduced to their work. She also traced her steps taken as a child: visiting the home she left and exploring the neighborhood where she played.
In her intricate woven, cloth-like abstract paintings, Elsie examines the interaction between the individual and the collective. The density, openness, boldness, and subtlety in her paintings reflect absence, fragility, and resilience.
"My artwork deals with themes about family and the passage of time and based in photographic processes."
Vogel grew up in Granville, Ohio, and resides in Columbus, Ohio. She earned a B.F.A. and M.F.A. from The Ohio State University. She is a member of Spring Street Studios, the Ohio Art League, and C.A.W. (Creative Arts of Women). Sherrie Gallerie in Columbus, Ohio, represents her.
In 2017 Vogel is scheduled for a spring exhibition at the Southern Ohio Museum in Portsmouth, Ohio, and a solo show in September at Sherrie Gallerie in Columbus, Ohio.
Born in Qingdao, China, Leah received her BFA in oil painting from the China Academy of Arts in Hangzhou, China and earned her MFA in painting from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. As an undergraduate, she studied with internationally celebrated abstract artist Zao Wou-Ki. She taught at Shanghai Theater Academy in Shanghai before moving to the US in 1993. She currently lives and works in Columbus, Ohio.
The Asian Art Archive in Hong Kong has documented Leah's involvement in China's contemporary art movement. Her works are exhibited nationally and internationally in galleries and museums including The Power Station of Art in Shanghai and MoCA Shanghai. Her paintings, paper cutouts and installations are found in many public and private collections.
Leah's current work has evolved from traditional Chinese paper-cutting. Across different media, Her work explores volume, void, and light and shadow in transformation. The open-ended lines and space create a dialogue between cultures and concepts.
Sponsored by:


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Thomson Symbio DECT VoIP Phone
March 19, 2008
Thomson Symbio DECT VoIP phone allows you to hang up the receiver like a "old time phone," but picks up and works like a cordless one. There's a small LCD screen in the body in order to view contacts and other VoIP network info, and the phone even has internet radio and RSS capabilities.
Extract from Thomson


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Where We Are
The Southland Jamboree is a free concert in Lexington, Kentucky that happens each week during the summer at the MoonDance Amphitheater in Beaumont Centre, in south Lexington, Kentucky.
- 2019 season: Thursdays – 7:00 pm
- Beginning May 30
Mailing address:
Southland Jamboree
P.O. Box 910603
Lexington KY 40591-0603


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Seashell and pearl
Born in China, Yangtian Li is working as a freelancing illustrator and animator in Melbourne, Australia. Yangtian celebrates the beauty of colour and storytelling through her illustrations.
Yangtian has created illustrations and animaions for games, magazines and books after graduating from Qantm College Melbourne.
Right or wrong
White snake and green snake
Moon princess
One day
Black rose
Lady mantis
Flower of old shanghai
View the website


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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:34 — 2.4MB) | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | Google Podcasts | Stitcher
This is Gnostic Warrior Radio with guest, Jordan Maxwell. Jordan remains today as a foremost scholar in Modern Esoterica. His research and ideas, spanning over a generation, are found across various mediums, and are an integral cornerstone for any alternative scholarship.
In this episode Jordan takes us down a the path of religion, aliens, angels and demons. A path of both dark and light, to the sands of Egypt and the Ancient pyramids, to the City of Angels.
Here is a quote from Jordan, "At 72 years old, I'm just amazed at what's really going on in this earth. People are just too busy to even see, but it's right here in front of you. Extraordinary things. I've been in the company of an incredible amount of people who know and do things that would blow your mind, if you knew about these people."
Jordan Maxwell's Websites and Links:


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"Rutherglen Table Wines
This edition of Wine Taste Weekly is dedicated to a dozen wines with an average price under $19. I spent last week in Rutherglen and I'm delighted to report that I've never seen Australia's fortified capital in finer form.
This week, I've lined up Rutherglen's best mixed dozen table wines. This region is showing its aptitude for textural wines from lesser-known varieties.
All Saints Estate 2012 Marsanne
All Saints cleverly puts this wine over the lees of the big boy and gives it a little time in oak, but the focus remains resolutely on the lifted fragrance of lemon blossom and frangipane. There's a lemon butter and frangipane exuberance to the palate, too, held neatly in place by refreshingly focused crunchy pear fruit, tight acidity and lingering texture. 92pts"
Tyson Stelzer, Wine Taste Weekly, 2nd April 2013


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Chinese building materials supplier, BBMG Corp has plans to sell its stakes in 31 cement-related companies to Jidong Cement. The stakes on offer are valued at CNY15.5bn (US$2.3bn).
Tangshan Jidong Cement Co Ltd will eventually become a part of BBMG as part of an overall company restructuring. This move comes as the Chinese government tries to get rid of smaller or inefficient players in sectors such as glass, steel and cement. In May 2016 the government stated that it intends would give control of 60 per cent of the country's cement and glass capacity to the ten biggest firms by 2020.
In a filing by BBMG to the Hong Kong stock exchange the company said, "The asset restructuring is conducive to resolving excess regional production capacity". In a separate statement Jidong Cement said it aims to raise CNY3bn (US$451m) to help fund the stake acquisitions.Published under Cement News


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Driven: The world's most popular electric car
Nissan is preparing to bring its next-generation Leaf EV to Australia.
Driving an electric car is like sailing. Quiet and environmentally friendly, they are the choice of the wealthier among us and deliver a warming sense of satisfaction.
Battery-powered vehicles give you time to reflect on such metaphors, usually while waiting for them to charge.
A 400km day trip in the two most affordable electric cars, Nissan's Leaf and the Hyundai Ioniq Electric, needed two lengthy stops to take on electrons.
Charged in sequence, that's about two hours to consider electric cars cost too much.
Priced from $49,990 plus on-road costs, the second-generation Leaf arrives as the world's best-selling electric car.
A smash hit in countries such as Norway (where there are electric vehicle subsidies), the Leaf costs about $16,500 less than a Nissan X-Trail in Oslo. But Australian customers are asked to pay $25,000 more for the Leaf than Nissan's medium SUV.
You'll find one Leaf in dealerships, a well-equipped version with heated leather seats, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking and eight-inch touchscreen with satnav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
It drives the front wheels with a 110kW/320Nm electric motor, powered by a 40kWh battery. This is good for 315km of range, according to government testing, or a more realistic 270km in Nissan marketing material.
Unlike any other car, the Leaf has the potential to pump energy back to your home or the grid — it could serve as a back-up battery to keep the lights on during a blackout. This feature isn't operational in Australia for now.
Hyundai's Ioniq presents a family of six versions, with hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full electric power in high and low trim levels. We tested the Ionic Electric Premium, at $48,990 plus on-road costs — more than double the price of a similar-sized i30 hatchback.
As with the Leaf, the Ioniq Premium is stocked with kit including a comprehensive safety suite, heated and cooled leather seats, wireless phone charging and eight-inch touchscreen with satnav and smartphone mirroring.
Powered by an 88kW/295Nm electric motor on the front axle, the Ioniq has a smaller 28kWh battery — Hyundai claims it's good for 230km in the real world and the government test figure is 280km.
It wins points with 100kW fast-charging capability (the Leaf is limited to 50kW) and superior efficiency. The Hyundai returns official energy consumption figures of 115Wh/km compared to Nissan's 171Wh/km, something partially attributable to its 120kg weight advantage.
Even if tailpipe emissions are non-existent in both cars, there is still a carbon dioxide measure from, for example, electricity generation. The Green Vehicle Guide reckons the Leaf's life cycle CO2 emissions are 154 grams per kilometre, significantly greater than the more efficient Ioniq's 104g/km. Both figures are higher than those for Toyota's Corolla and Camry hybrids.
We tested the pair on a loop with inner-city commuting, freeway legs and country motoring.
Both have single-speed transmissions and are better suited to urban shuttles where stop-start driving keeps the battery topped up with regenerative braking.
The Leaf started the day with 240km of indicated range, then increased that to 242km after 20km of city commuting, which depleted the battery by 8 per cent.
But a motorway leg totalling 65km cut 110km from the Nissan's range. For the same leg, the Hyundai trimmed only 58km from its projected range.
After some more highway driving, we opted to recharge both cars as each had roughly 50km of range left.
Most electric cars quickly charge to 80 per cent of battery capacity before throttling back to a much slower rate to stop the hardware from overheating.
We put 80 per cent in both cars at a free NRMA fast charger south of Sydney, which took 30 minutes in the Nissan and, due to its smaller battery, 21 minutes in the Hyundai.
After a 97km test loop each returned to base with just shy of 50km remaining, although the Ioniq started the loop with 15km more range.
Tested back-to-back, the Leaf's range estimate proved too optimistic in three out of four driving stints, while the Ioniq was overly optimistic in our country driving loop.
On the 104km return leg to Sydney, which included both freeway driving and city traffic, the Nissan's indicated range dropped by 91km and the Hyundai by just 74km.
Our numbers suggest owners can expect more accurate range indications in the city than on the freeway, which means they need to exercise caution when planning trips outside the city limits.
Motorway runs in either car return an effective range of 180km-odd when charging to 80 per cent.
Tall and narrow, the Leaf has a high driving position and its low-set steering wheel has no reach adjustment. The interior doesn't live up to the $50,000 price tag.
Skinny eco-friendly tyres squeal if you're keen with the accelerator and squirm when cornering. It feels nervous over bumps and unsettled in the bends, with noticeable body roll when cornering.
The brake pedal has a wooden feel but this can be rendered near-irrelevant by Nissan's e-pedal. This tech encourages you to drive using only the throttle, where every lift is accompanied by strong deceleration as the battery recharges.
Hyundai's contender is a more familiar proposition, with a more conventional cabin and a lower seating position for the driver.
It has a wide range of adjustment for the steering wheel and an electric parking brake — which feels more appropriate in a modern car than the foot-operated job in the Nissan.
Hyundai's push-button gear selector is an intuitive solution compared to the swivelling knob in the Leaf. The Nissan wins back points with greater storage and better headroom for rear passengers.
The Ioniq has a superior ride, more communicative steering and better traction from Michelin rubber. It feels planted on the road and the measured response from its motor makes for smoother progress.
Hyundai's claimed 9.9 second dash from rest to 100km/h is two full seconds slower than the Nissan but the gulf doesn't feel that wide in the real world.
Ioniq drivers can use paddle-shifters to dial up their desired level of battery regeneration.
Nissan's electric car experience and the promise of feeding power back to the grid will be attractive to some buyers. But the Hyundai's more accurate driving range, superior efficiency, comfortable cabin and better driving dynamics give it the win. And just as sailboats are rarely used for practical transport, a Toyota Corolla Hybrid makes more sense than either and is half the price.
Nissan Leaf vitals
Price: From $49,990 plus on-roads
Warranty/servicing: 5 years/unlimited km, plus 8 years/200,000km for battery
Motor: 110kW/320Nm, battery 40kWh
Safety: 5 stars, 6 airbags, AEB, active cruise, lane keeping assistance
Boot: 405L
Hyundai Ioniq vitals
Price: From $48,990 plus on-roads
Warranty/servicing: 5 years/unlimited km, plus 8 years/160,000km for battery
Motor: 88kW/295Nm, battery 28kWh
Safety: 5 stars, 7 airbags, AEB, active cruise, lane keeping assistance
Boot: 340L
A model for success
Committed to electric cars? Consider Tesla's Model 3. Admittedly it is significantly more expensive than the Leaf and Ionic — from $66,000 plus on-roads — but the Tesla is superior in every way.
It's faster and far better to drive than the Nissan or Hyundai, with substantially more range. The interior feels more upmarket and modern and the driver assistance tech is cutting edge.
Tesla's supercharger network and a claimed 460km range makes it possible to travel between capital cities with a bit of forward planning, although that range claim is very optimistic for open road driving.
Alternatively, you could save several thousand dollars and buy a Toyota Corolla hybrid for $25,870 plus on-roads.


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Okay, so…one good thing: Out the door with the dog at 4:30 this morning. This meant we dodged the wee-hours dog-walker rush — in 112-degree weather, everybody and their little brother, sister, dogs, and puppies swarm the neighborhood streets and … Continue reading
July 19, 2019
by funny
Comments Off on Summertime, and the Livin' Is…Keeriminey!!!


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Jill Frankfort spent years saving her frequent flyer miles and intended to spend them on a special vacation. But on the day that she was set to cash them in, she was hit with a terrible surprise. A thief had hacked her American Airlines account and stolen her miles — 152,500 to be exact.
Now she wants to hold American Airlines responsible for the hack. And she wants her stolen miles back. But is that going to happen? Read more "What did a hacker do with her stolen miles?"


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San Sebastian (Spain), 14 May 2019 – Andrés Sendagorta, President of the SENER Foundation and Vicepresident of the engineering and technology group SENER, has been appointed new President of Aefame, the Basque Family Business Association, taking over from Javier Ormazabal, who has held the post of President for four years (since the association was created in May 2015). Andres Sendagorta's appointment took place on Tuesday 14 May in San Sebastian, during the first part of Aefame's General Meeting.
In his speech as Aefame's new President, Andrés Sendagorta highlighted the legacy left behind by Javier Ormazabal, the association's founder and person responsible for helping to foster a spirit of respect, openness and collaboration with the Government, other business organizations, the media and society in general. He also mentioned Aefame's main concerns, such as the economic slowdown, high public debt, ageing population, shortcomings in the education system and relocation, among other problems; he then went on to talk about the need to divulge the work carried out by family businesses in society, the contribution they make to social progress, as well as the need to attract talent through commitment to innovation, the environment, corporate social responsibility, equality, family and work-life balance. Against this backdrop, he pointed out that "In the specific case of family businesses, a little more is needed to attract the very best. We must be sure our management is professional, placing workplace meritocracy first and foremost".
Andrés Sendagorta concluded his speech with these words: "We know all too well that a business that doesn't expand will end up in decline. Making a family business grow is an exciting challenge because it combines the management of specific, measurable aspects, such as profit and loss, invoicing or return on investments, inherent in all business activities, with the handling of emotions, feelings and traditions, more typical of family relationships. Helping to meet this challenge has been, and is, our Association's main contribution to family businesses and ultimately to society at large".
Andrés Sendagorta, a company shareholder, has been working at SENER for 21 years, holding the post of Vicepresident since 2005 and President of the SENER Foundation from 2018. He holds a degree in General Management from the IESE Business School (Universidad de Navarra) and is also a member of the Governing Council of the Stock Market Studies Institute (Consejo Rector del Instituto de Estudios Bursátiles). Andrés Sendagorta graduated from Spanish Naval Academy in 1985 as Lieutenant Junior Grade in the General Upper-Rank Navy Corps, and has held various posts during his military career, including that of HARRIER Jet pilot at NAVSTA Rota, and aboard the Príncipe de Asturias aircraft carrier; Operations Manager and Second-in-Command; and Upper-Rank Corvette Captain in the General Navy Corps. In 2009, he was awarded Spain's "Grand Cross of Naval Merit – White Decoration", a special distinction bestowed by King Juan Carlos I.
Aefame consists of 62 companies from all three Basque provinces, and employs over 148,000 people. In four years, the association has become a social and institutional benchmark for family businesses and business families. 84 % of Basque companies are family businesses.


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Lippitts Hill, Loughton £800,000
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Caplen Estates have the pleasure in presenting to the market Carlton Mews, a new development nestled in the heart of Epping Forest, offered at a asking price of £800,000. The development is set behind private electric gates and is comprised of four three-bedroom semi-detached homes available to move in from early 2020. The properties have been stylishly designed to an extremely high specification and offer prospective buyers a modern home in idyllic settings. All houses come with allocated parking and landscaped gardens. At 1650 sqft the properties have an excellent amount of living space.
Upon entering the property, you will find a large entrance hall, living room to the front, a large kitchen/diner to the rear with separate utility room and WC. The kitchens are German made by stylish designer "Hacker" complete with centre island with feature bulkhead lighting, integrated appliances and quartz worktops. All homes have aluminium windows and doors, marbled tiled flooring with underfloor heating throughout, the kitchen/diner has large bi-folding doors to the landscaped rear garden, perfect for modern family living.Please call our sales department to book a viewing 0203 937 7733.
Living Room
13' 2'' x 14' 10'' (4.01m x 4.52m)
15' 1'' x 27' 11'' (4.59m x 8.50m)
German "Hacker" Kitchen Centre Island Marble Flooring Underfloor Heating Large Bi-Folding Doors
Utility room
5' 3'' x 9' 3'' (1.60m x 2.82m)
Bedroom 1
16' 6'' x 14' 0'' (5.03m x 4.26m)
Bedroom 2
13' 4'' x 14' 10'' (4.06m x 4.52m)
Bedroom 3
9' 9'' x 12' 9'' (2.97m x 3.88m)
Family Bathroom
9' 4'' x 13' 1'' (2.84m x 3.98m)
Rear Garden
Click to enlarge
- Stunning Three Bedroom Home, nestled in Epping Forest
- High Spec German Kitchen & Quartz Worktop
- Marble Floors with Underfloor Heating Throughout
- Aluminium Windows & Doors
- Private Gated Development
- Stunning Family Bathroom
- 10 Year New Build Warranty
- Fantastic School Catchment – Staples Road Primary, Roding Valley High School, Braeside, Bancrofts and more
Loughton IG10 4AL
Caplen Estates


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Terra di Siena Unisex fragrance by i Profumi di Firenze
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|Terra di Siena
|Design House
|i Profumi di Firenze
|Year Introduced
|Fragrance Gender
|Unisex Fragrance
|Available Types
|Giovanni Di Massimo
|Bottle Designer
|Scent Classification
|Woody Spicy
|Fragrance Notes
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Terra di Siena i Profumi di Firenze - What our experts say:
Fragrance Terra di Siena for men and women by i Profumi di Firenze was released in 2007. Who Is It Best For? Well it is an aroma highlighted by a bouquet of fragrant sweet, warm spicy and bitter scented tones that will bring a warm, energizing and fresh perfumed sensation. Examining it closer once applied you will notice a lingering quality of softer fragranced aromatic, balsamic and spicy sweet hints that hide an essence of stimulating, comforting and pleasing feelings.
Based on the combination of notes i Profumi di Firenze Terra di Siena is classified as Woody Spicy fragrance to the nose. The fragrance composition is a creation of Giovanni Di Massimo. The emanation of flavors and scent notes for Terra di Siena unfurl in a whiff of citrus and green opening top notes including bergamot and mint. The spice and aromatic heart center notes blend in with lavender, orange blossom, caraway, cinnamon and cumin while the deep spice and woody base notes leave an impression of tonka bean, vanilla, cedar and sandalwood.
Before buying Terra di Siena, sample it, and see if it blends with your body chemistry and character, the more perfume reviews you read on i Profumi di Firenze Terra di Siena from different people and especially experts who have the nose the better prepared for making your choice. If Terra di Siena seems like a pleasant smell for your taste or maybe special occasion then the best is to aromatize yourself and give it a try!
Designer fragrance Terra di Siena was released in Eau de Toilette concentration.
i Profumi di Firenze Terra di Siena - Product Description Overview
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text:
A little further along he saw another sign which read the same thing "Beware of Gays."
He continued walking until he came to a small clearing which had a bronze plaque set in the ground. He bent over to read the plaque and it said, "Sorry, You've had two warnings!"
Submitted By: Best of: Humor Mailing List
Jun 5, 1998 17:27


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Catcha Group-backed on-demand video streaming startup iflix will be looking to raise at least two more financing rounds before considering going public, its co-founder and group CEO Mark Britt told this portal on the sidelines of Wild Digital 2018 in Kuala Lumpur.
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Staff and postgraduate intranet
University home >
People in the School of Chemistry > People > Professor Gabriel Balint-Kurti
Sharma, S, Singh, H, Harvey, J & Balint-Kurti, G, 2010, Design of an infrared laser pulse to control the multiphoton dissociation of the Fe-CO bond in CO-heme compounds. Journal of Chemical Physics, vol 133., pp. 174103:1 - 174103:11
Full details in the University publications repository
University of Bristol
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Queens Road
Bristol, BS8 1QU, UK
Tel: +44 (0)117 928 9000


text:
— 3.2 —
Lady Macbeth asked a servant in the castle, "Has Banquo gone from court?"
The servant replied, "Yes, madam, but he returns again tonight."
"Tell the King that I would like to talk to him."
"Madam, I will."
The servant left the room.
Alone in the room, Lady Macbeth thought, Nothing is gained; all is spent. We have gained nothing; we have spent all we had. We have gotten what we thought we desired, but it has brought us no happiness. We would have been better off if we had been murdered instead of us murdering King Duncan. We committed murder, seeking joy, but the result for us has not been joy.
Seeing her husband enter the room, Lady Macbeth said, "Why do you reject company and stay alone by yourself? Your only companions are sad thoughts. These sad thoughts about the men you have murdered should die just like the murdered men. We can't fix what we have done; therefore, we ought not to think about it. What has been done will stay done."
"We have wounded the snake, but not killed it," Macbeth said. "The snake will heal and be healthy again, and its fangs will threaten us, its feeble enemy. I wish that reality would disintegrate; I wish that Heaven and Earth would both perish. Destruction would be better than the reality of my shaking with fear as I eat and the reality of my shaking with fear from nightmares as I sleep. I would be better off dead. It is better for me to lie with the dead, whom I sent to their peace so that I could gain power, than to be tortured with this restless madness. King Duncan is in his grave. He experienced life's fitful fever, but now he rests well. Treason has done its worst and killed him. Now, he is untouched by steel swords, deadly poison, Scottish traitors, and foreign armies — nothing can hurt him."
"My noble lord," Lady Macbeth said, "put on a happier face than the one you display now. Be lively and jovial among your guests tonight."
"I will," Macbeth replied, "and I hope that you will do the same. But let us talk a moment about Banquo. Honor him both with your eyes and your words. Show respect to him. We are still unsafe in our positions as King and Queen, and we must flatter him. We must wear a face that disguises what is in our hearts."
"You must stop talking and thinking like this."
"Dear wife," Macbeth said, "my mind is full of scorpions — it is dangerous and it hurts. As you know, Banquo and his son, Fleance, are still alive."
"Neither of them has been granted eternal life in this world."
"I take comfort in that fact," Macbeth said. "They can be killed. Be cheerful tonight. Before the bat takes its flight in the dark regions of our castle, before the winged beetle sounds the arrival of night for Hecate, goddess of witches, a deed of dreadful note shall be done."
"What's to be done?"
"I won't tell you, dearest darling, until the deed is done. Then you may applaud it. Come, darkness, blindfold the eyes of daylight, and with your bloody and invisible hand, tear to pieces that life that makes me pale with fear. The light is fading, and the crow is flying to its home. The good beings who are active in the daytime are beginning to droop and drowse, while the black agents that are active in the nighttime are awakening. You, wife, don't understand my words now, but wait a while longer. Evil beings can start out weak, but make themselves strong by doing more evil. Come with me now."
They left the room.
— 3.3 —
Three murderers, including the two murderers Macbeth had talked to earlier, stood together.
The First Murderer asked, "Who told you to join with us?"
"Macbeth," answered the Third Murderer.
"We need not mistrust him," the Second Murderer said. "He knows exactly what Macbeth told us to do and how Macbeth told us to do it."
"Then join with us," said the Second Murderer to the Third Murderer. "The setting Sun still sends forth some rays of light. Now travelers urge their horses to go faster so that they may soon reach an inn to stay at, and soon the man we have been waiting for will appear."
"I hear horses," the Third Murderer said.
The Third Murderer heard the voice of Banquo saying to a servant, "Give us a torch to light our way."
"This is the man we have been waiting for," the Second Murderer said. "Macbeth's other guests are already in the castle."
"They have dismounted from their horses," the First Murderer said.
"They are still about a mile from the castle," the Third Murderer said. "It is the custom for the servants to walk the horses by a longer route to the castle to cool them off, while the masters walk from here to the castle."
"I see a light!" the Second Murderer said.
Banquo and Fleance stood revealed by the light cast by the torch that Fleance carried.
"It is Banquo," the Third Murderer said.
"Get ready," the First Murderer said.
Banquo said, "It will rain tonight."
"Then let the rain come down," the First Murderer said.
The three murderers attacked, concentrating on Banquo, who was an older, experienced warrior and much more dangerous than his son. In the confusion, the First Murderer extinguished the torch and the darkness made seeing difficult.
"We are under attack!" Banquo shouted. A good father, he shouted, "Run, Fleance! Save yourself, and avenge me later!"
The three murderers succeeded in cutting down Banquo, but Fleance succeeded in escaping.
"Who put out the torch?" the Third Murderer asked.
"Wasn't that the right thing to do?" the First Murderer asked.
"We have killed Banquo only," the Third Murderer said. "His son has escaped."
"We have failed in half of our mission," the Second Murderer said.
"Let's leave," the First Murderer said, "and tell Macbeth what has happened."


text:
Been waiting on this super on trend skirt to come in! Pleats and leopard and a midi length...all the rage! This is the PERFECT transition piece to fall. So cute with a cami now with sandals...for fall, perfect with a jean jacket and booties. ADORABLE! And the color, LOVE. Different than what you've seen I just know it!! This brand is one of my faves and so close to Free People. Quality is on point! Also, this skirt seems to be very anti-wrinkle. YES!
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Staphylokinase Control of Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Formation and Detachment Through Host Plasminogen Activation.
File Type:PDF
Item Type:Journal Article
Citation:Kwiecinski J, Peetermans M, Liesenborghs L, Na M, Björnsdottir H, Zhu X, Jacobsson G, Johansson BR, Geoghegan JA, Foster TJ, Josefsson E, Bylund J, Verhamme P, Jin T, Staphylokinase Control of Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Formation and Detachment Through Host Plasminogen Activation., The Journal of infectious diseases, 2015, 139-148
Download Item:
139.full.pdf (Published (author's copy) - Peer Reviewed) 9.462Kb
Staphylococcus aureus biofilms, a leading cause of persistent infections, are highly resistant to immune defenses and antimicrobial therapies. In the present study, we investigated the contribution of fibrin and staphylokinase (Sak) to biofilm formation. In both clinical S. aureus isolates and laboratory strains, high Sak-producing strains formed less biofilm than strains that lacked Sak, suggesting that Sak prevents biofilm formation. In addition, Sak induced detachment of mature biofilms. This effect depended on plasminogen activation by Sak. Host-derived fibrin, the main substrate cleaved by Sak-activated plasminogen, was a major component of biofilm matrix, and dissolution of this fibrin scaffold greatly increased susceptibility of biofilms to antibiotics and neutrophil phagocytosis. Sak also attenuated biofilm-associated catheter infections in mouse models. In conclusion, our results reveal a novel role for Sak-induced plasminogen activation that prevents S. aureus biofilm formation and induces detachment of existing biofilms through proteolytic cleavage of biofilm matrix components.
Author's Homepage:http://people.tcd.ie/tfoster
Author: GEOGHEGAN, JOAN; FOSTER, TIMOTHY
Type of material:Journal Article
Series/Report no:The Journal of infectious diseases
Availability:Full text available
Keywords:Staphylococcus aureus biofilms
Subject (TCD):Genes & Society , Immunology, Inflammation & Infection , Next Generation Medical Devices


text: Kitchen Princess is a comic book acually it is a japanese story so you read the book backwards. It is about a girl called Najika Kazami – she is an exellent cook. Her dream is to become the worlds greatest chef – like her parents, but unfortunatly her parents are dead. She is willing to find her flan prince, Sora Senpai, but he was killed in a car crash! I really enjoy this book.


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For our grandparents, general preparedness was a normal activity and it was part of their daily lives. They used to do things by themselves in order to survive and thrive and they weren't reluctant to ask help from neighbors when things got tough. Nowadays, preparedness is seen as something extreme by the mainstream society and most of the people out there have no idea of what it means to be prepared.
You see people running around, asking for help and begging the government for aid when a natural disaster occurs. They ask for handouts and they get angry and turn violent when help doesn't come quickly enough. Many fail to see the reality, many fail to understand that the government doesn't have a preparedness plan for you, it has one for the masses. This means that you might not be one of the lucky ones who get help from the government and you need to prepare yourself for any sort of disasters the future may throw at you.
When it comes to prepping, a little common sense can go a long way and it will alleviate the pain of almost any crisis scenario you are forced to face. However, common sense is not always enough and many people keep asking: when does prepping stop?
While the answer for this question may vary for each and every one of us, a general response might be: when you are self-sufficient and you no longer depend of others for providing the comfort you are used to.
This article is part of the series intended to help beginners, but it also provides some clear answers for the more advanced preppers. If you are new to general/emergency preparedness I recommend reading the following articles:
Once you have the basics covered, it's time to learn the four levels of preparedness so that you can select which one is right for you and your family. Many fail to understand that preparedness is not a big mix of everything that can be bought and stockpiled and that there are more than one approaches to it. The good news is that there is no right or wrong choice here and it is all up to you, to decide what level of preparedness you need to survive if any of the disasters you are prepping for unfolds.
Please note that even if you go with one of the preparedness level listed above, you can still be stranded if your home gets damaged or destroyed. As a backup plan you should have a safe location (a bug out location) or a network of family and friends who can take you in when disaster strikes.
The four levels of preparedness
Level 1 preparednessThis is a level designed for minor disaster and the duration of the event is no longer than two weeks. These are usually bad weather type events and ice storms, floods, heavy snow can all be filed under this category. These are events that disturb the normal functioning of high public targets, such as utilities, hospitals, fire and police stations, etc. The priority here is to do everything possible to keep up first responders and hospitals so that they can function as they do on a daily basis. Your house will have to wait and until help gets there, you will be on your own.
In order to survive for two weeks without electricity or water and possibly stuck in your home, you will need a good amount of supplies. Here is what you should have for level 1 preparedness:
- A source of heat (here the options can vary, but a fireplace or a kerosene heater and enough fuel to last for a few weeks are a good option)
- A good first aid kit (this is mandatory for every household, regardless if you are a prepper or not)
- A supply of water (you can have a good supply of water stored in house or you can grab it while you can – water pipes, snow, rainfall, etc.)
- Easy to prepare food (canned goods work great and usually, everything that doesn't require extensive cooking will work as well)
- Medicine that you may need (having one month ahead of medicine is always a good practice)
- Batteries
- Candles or solar lamps
- Battery operated radio/television so that you can find out what you should expect
Level 2 preparednessThis one will typically last a month or so and includes events that disrupt the supply chain. A hurricane or a massive flood will cause roadway damage over vast areas and the supply trucks will stop coming until the roads are cleared. This level of preparedness requires the same things from level one, but you have to scale it up and to be sure, you should have twice as much. Here is what you should have in addition to level 1 preparedness:
- Having a generator is a must and you have many models from which to choose. You can get one that powers the entire house if fuel is no problem or you can get a smaller one (even solar based) to handle light and smaller energy needs. You have to think this through and buy something that handles all your needs based on the equipment you have and the fuel you can obtain.
- Defensive weapons to protect your home and keep your loved ones safe. After two weeks, people will panic and they will get desperate. If you are one of the folks who got prepared, you will attract people and you need to make sure you can defend yourself from the undesirable ones.
- A means of cooking, a propane camp style stove or a Campmaid Dutch oven are good choices because they offer many possibilities to cook your food. Eating only canned, cold goods for 30 days is not a pleasant experience and it can create food fatigue.
- Various methods of purifying water. If you don't have enough bottled water stored that can last for 30 days or more, you will need to procure water for your needs. This might not be a difficult task and even if you are lucky enough to have a good water source nearby, you will still need to purify it. There are many choices here as well, and having a lifestraw filter or water purifying tablets is a good start.
- Sanitation items. You will need to stay clean if you want to keep a good health. Universal soap, wet napkins and learning how to make your own cleaning solutions are your main choices.
Level 3 preparednessA level 3 is something that many think it can't happen to them and when it does, it has a major impact on their lives for three months or so. A good example would be the super storm that hit New Orleans. We all saw the aftermath of the disaster and how it changed people. Usually a level 3 event is something that will also bring martial law to the community.
Suggested reading: How to survive martial law
Besides what you prepared for level 1 or level 2, I would recommend considering the following items for your family:
- A two way communication equipment so that you can talk with people from outside the affected area. When the situation is critical, the truth is being covered by the authorities in order to avoid creating chaos inside the affected area. Outsiders will have much better view of the entire picture and they will be able to give it to you straight. A HAM radio is the preferred choice for many prepeprs and it's an invaluable asset when people are trying to keep you in the dark.
- A neighborhood network to protect yourself and keep things under control. In every neighborhood there are always those who cause trouble and there's no need to sugar coat it. When disaster strikes, these trouble makers have to be contained, especially if martial law is being declared. If someone starts acting up and you want to protect yourself, when the army interferes to "maintain order" you will all be seen as possible threats. Know your neighbors and know what you should expect from them.
- Rechargeable batteries and the means to recondition them. A solar battery recharger will work great, but you need to know what batteries can be recharged, how many times, what is the shelf life, discharge rate and so on. Handling batteries is not as easy as some would think.
- Barter items are also a must and you have some in your home without even knowing it. You should have a supply of barter items that you can trade with your neighbors without risking your survival supplies. Everything from vice items to batteries will worth trading and you need to know how to do it. You should never give away supplies for free because people will target you when they become desperate. Trading should be the only way of exchanging supplies between survivors.
- Sanitation and waste disposal. This is something that becomes a problem during a level 3 event and you will have to handle it at some point. You will need to do it in a private manner if you want to stay under the radar. There are many solutions to handle survival sanitation and this article will provide you with more information.
- A decoy pantry is something you really need. I've been promoting the idea of having a decoy pantry for quite some time now and if you're familiar with my website you should know what I'm talking about. In a few words, a decoy pantry means having a few of your supplies hidden in plain sight. Something you are willing to sacrifice when you have to deal with home intruders, regardless if it's the army or the undesirable people from your neighborhood. Giving up your supplies and putting up a show will convince intruders that what they got from you is all you had in your home.
Level 4 preparednessA level four event is something that could last a year before it starts to unwind (in a best case scenario). Such event has a turning point that settles the fate of the affected and chances are, things might not turn to the way they were before the event. Such an event could be an economic collapse or a war and in this scenario, help is not coming. If the forms of government are still functioning, all their attention and support will be concentrated on urban environments. These environments will grow increasingly dangerous as times goes by and resources are being cannibalized, and order would need to be established. Think about this, if an area runs low on supply and food tracks have to cross that area, do you think that starving people will just let them pass by? If you prepare for such an event, you should make plans to live in an appropriate locality and stay away from dense populated areas. If making other living arrangements is not possible you should at least have a safe heaven, and your prepping efforts should be focused on your bug out location. Make sure you have a bug out strategy if evacuation becomes necessary.
Here is what you should consider if you want to prepare for a level 4 event:
- During a level 4 event food will become a problem and you will need a seed vault in order to grow a garden and supplement your food supplies.
- A way to capture rainwater or run a well without grid based power. This should cover your water needs and you will have time to spend on other chores.
- Have spare weapons and ammunition and learn how to use them. Having more than one type of weapons that can be used for defensive/offensive purposes or hunting is a must.
- A professional heavy duty first aid kit and a good supply of antibiotics.
- A good knowledge of herbal medicine goes a long way and knowing how to keep small garden whit useful herbs will help you deal with various illnesses.
- A good knowledge of foraging will help you stay fed when food is scarce and will provide you with natural medicines that can treat various diseases.
- Keeping small livestock is a good step towards self-sufficiency and learning how to manage and butcher them will make your life much easier.
- A food production system, something that provides you with fresh meat and vegetables is always a good addition and some of the solutions out there aren't hard to manage.
- Networks of trustworthy people that can help you when things get tough and that can share any information that would help you survive.
These suggestions represent a good planning start point for every prepper and they will fit a various number of situations. They can also be scaled based on the type of scenario that is the most probable for your area. Emergency situations will always happen, regardless if you plan for them or not. Learn about the level of preparedness suited for you, make a plan and start following it. Don't wait for government assistance and learn how to be in control.
Stay safe and God Bless!
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