The North Texas Water Garden Society has scheduled the 16th annual Tour of Ponds for Saturday and Sunday, June 9 and 10, with 11 ponds in Ellis County featured on the tour.
With some veteran members of the tour returning for another year, as well as newcomers to the tour, the Tour of Ponds offers Ellis County residents an opportunity to view various sizes and types of water gardens � from small ponds with small water features, to elaborate stream and waterfall systems surrounding a large backyard pond.
Cross� backyard, which includes a Chinese contemplation garden and a western water garden, will be one of eight properties in Waxahachie included on the tour. Other Waxahachie ponds include the properties of Kurt Gustafson, David Smith, Mike Yarborough and John Thornhill. The other three Ellis County tour stops are located in Midlothian. All property owners on the Tour of Ponds are members of the North Texas Water Garden Society.
Cross encourages those planning to tour the Ellis County ponds to visit on Saturday.
Koi and other fish are abundant in most of the ponds, along with various species of wildlife that flock to the ponds, such as birds, lizards, frogs and other wildlife.
Landscaping and features vary depending on the type of pond, including varieties of tropical plants and plants native to Texas, docks, pergolas, sitting areas near the pond, elaborate streams and waterfalls and bridges.
The North Texas Water Garden Society annually publishes �The Modern Water Gardener,� which provides the address, pictures and a description of each garden on the tour, which has stops throughout the Metroplex. �The Modern Water Gardener� is available at the Greenery for $10 and all proceeds benefit the North Texas Water Garden Society educational fund, which built two ponds with 25-foot stream systems at elementary schools in the Metroplex last year.
Cross encouraged those planning to visit not to bring their pets, watch their children carefully, wear sunscreen and wear comfortable shoes. Most property owners allow photographs, but one should ask permission first. Cross also said those visiting the ponds should bring �The Modern Water Gardener� with them on the tour stops.
Cross said the pond tour is the perfect opportunity to learn about different types of ponds and everything that comes with a pond � construction, maintenance, plants, fish, wildlife, water features, the positives and the negatives.
Cross said that one of the greatest benefits, and challenges, is the wildlife that is drawn to water gardens.
The range of aquatic plants and marginal aquatic plants are numerous, and visiting the stops on the tour will allow those contemplating a water garden to see the various plants, as well as ask questions about the plants.
�You can pick your visiting strategy � you can visit all 11 ponds and get 11 ideas, or you can focus on the ponds that you are really interested in,� Cross said.


In 100% ramie, the Dôen River Top is an autumn-friendly riff on our beloved Henri Top, adding a bracelet-length sleeve for cooler days as well as a black option. Pin tucks and lace-trimmed ruffles give it French girl charm while the ramie construction provides a comfortable, easy fit that holds its shape. We're wearing it for windy weekends in the countryside and coffee breaks in the city.
Measurements Size Medium: Bust - 46", Sleeve Length - 22 3/8", Top Length (shoulder to hem) - 22.5"


So many agencies out there claim to be able to get you in the news. At DRIVEN, we're literally part of the news.
Founded and lead by prominent media personality, Mike Caudill, DRIVEN's ability to bring brands of all varieties in reach of the most prominent media outlets across TV, digital, print and social is unrivaled. As a regular broadcast news contributor for Fox News, Fox Sports and more top tier media networks himself – Mike leads a team that isn't 'just talk.' With deep journalism expertise, we create storylines and are trusted by journalists across the nation and the world for story ideas, content and concepts.


text:
En esta mesa
En esta mesa, buen Señor
Author: John Cennick
Tune: OLD HUNDREDTH
The Lord's Supper (Communion Meditations…
Good and Simple Gifts
Five Hymn Accompaniments for Brass Quart…
John Cennick was born at Reading, Berkshire, in the year 1717. He became acquainted with Wesley and Whitefield, and preached in the Methodist connection. On the separation of Wesley and Whitefield he joined the latter. In 1745, he attached himself to the Moravians, and made a tour in Germany to fully acquaint himself with the Moravian doctrines. He afterwards ministered in Dublin, and in the north of Ireland. He died in London, in 1755, and was buried in the Moravian Cemetery, Chelsea. He was the author of many hymns, some of which are to be found in every collection. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A. 1872.… Go to person page >
First Line: En esta mesa, buen Señor
Title: En esta mesa
English Title: Be Present at Our Table, Lord
This tune is likely the work of the composer named here, but has also been attributed to others as shown in the instances list below. According to the Handbook to the Baptist Hymnal (1992), Old 100th first appeared in the Genevan Psalter, and "the first half of the tune contains phrases which may ha…
All tunes published with 'En esta mesa'^ top
The Lord's Supper (Communion Meditations for Organ and Piano)
Fourteen (14) American Spirituals and Hymns
CREATIVE USE OF THE PIANO IN WORSHIP, THE
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Five Hymn Accompaniments for Brass Quartet and Organ, Set 2
Great Is Our God! (Contemporary Solos for Flute)
Praise God! - Handbell Part
Handbell Hymns, Vol. 3
Display Title: En esta mesa First Line: En esta mesa, buen Señor Tune Title: OLD HUNDRED Author: John Cennick Date: 1995

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Signing off for the next couple of weeks and heading to Iceland for a photo workshop and some adventuring. I'll have lots to Instagram! I hope you all have fun getaway plans in the works as well.
Happy summer everyone and happy upcoming 4th of July!


Department of Echocardiography and Vascular Ultrasound, Cardiac and Vascular Consultants, The Villages, FL. Dr. Toralben Patel is NON- INVASIVE CARDIOLOGIST/Director at The Villages, FL, also working as Faculty at Citrus Memorial Hospital Internal Medicine Residency Program, Inverness, FL and a member of Cardiovascular Leadership Council, Bayfront Health Seven Rivers, Crystal River, FL. Also a member of American College of Cardiology (ACC), Women in Cardiology (WIC), American College of Cardiology (ACC), Women in Innovations (WIN), The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), American Heart Association (AHA), American Medical Association (AMA), American College of Physicians (ACP), American Society of Echocardiography (ASE), American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC),, American Association of Cardiologist of Indian Origin (AACIO) etc.


text:
Rosie, Sharon, Alex, Robert & The Work
Talk show host Rosie O'Donnell's recent televised outage on hearing allegations that the Sharon Gans-led 'Fourth Way' group barred gays and African Americans from its membership was understandable. Rosie, who had only recently "outed" herself, had earlier narrated a film for the Gans group. While her reaction to what she termed "cults" could be expected, it was unfortunate in that she condemned all Fourth Way groups in the name of one.
It's not unusual that a group not in conformity with contemporary mainstream culture is branded a cult. Originally, the word was neutral and simply descriptive. It referred to the worship of a deity, as in ancient Egypt where the various gods had their cults—their group of believers. However, like the word myth, which once meant wisdom and now means lie or illusion, the word cult has undergone a similar deterioration. It's a smear against any group one does not like or understand. One could as easily talk about a money cult for those who work and give their lives to money, or a fame cult, or a war cult. The word is simply a propaganda tool.
If the McCarthyesque brandings of earlier times are not to be unintentionally repeated, a crucial distinction between authentic mainstream and faux Fourth Way groups must be recognized and emphasized. Authentic mainstream groups have a genuine connection with the ancient teaching of the Fourth Way. That is, those who take the role of teachers stand in a direct lineage that begins with G. I. Gurdjieff, who in 1912 introduced the teaching to the West. In contrast, faux group leaders not having this direct connection and the accompanying transmission necessary for inner understanding can at best have only 'book knowledge.' Their 'teaching' is composed of bits and pieces of The Fourth Way gleaned from books and other secondary sources. Discarding what doesn't suit them, they take what they will from other teachings, salt in, knowingly or not, their own peculiarities and biases, and so concoct an eclectic and distorted stew that is Fourth Way in name only.
Faux Fourth Way the Source of Controversy
That all scandals attributed to The Fourth Way are entirely due to the excesses of faux groups is therefore not surprising. But in the public mind all Fourth Way groups are blackened with the same brush. The public can't be expected to distinguish between the genuine Fourth Way and faux Fourth Way. The news media, harried as they are for profits, pushing reporters for maximum production, honing and spinning their own slant, can't be expected to do so either. Rapacious for controversy and whatever easily gets attention, the media serve the secular and corporate culture and oppose and ridicule all that does not (especially the esoteric).
That the authentic Fourth Way has not defended itself, that its policy has been to remain silent however specious the charge or attack, is understandable. Unfortunately, in so doing it has allowed itself to be defined by those operating at its margins. What is risked is if wrong views are allowed to crystallize in society, then the teaching will be forever stained and scorned. The necessary result will be that the Fourth Way will go the way of the Shakers. Thus it is time to speak out.
Sharon Gans & Alex Horn
To begin with, whether Sharon Gans does or does not accept blacks and gays into her groups isn't known. What is known is that Sharon Gans was never a member of an authentic Fourth Way group. A stage actress with one film credit—she played Valencia Merble in the film version of Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five—Gans' only connection with the Fourth Way is through her former husband, Alex Horn, who also was never a member. Horn's first wife, Anne Burridge, as a teenager, is said to have attended one of John Bennett's groups in England for about three years. Three years or not, her training can at best only have been preparatory, as no deep understanding can be assimilated in such a short time. Vanity and self-love are simply too strong. During her time with Bennett, sometime in the 1960s, Anne met Alex Horn who had come to England in the hopes of working with Bennett. Bennett refused and warned Anne against any involvement with the American.
The Theater of All Possibilities
Horn, a charismatic personality with a strong stage presence and an uncanny knack for spotting people's weaknesses, convinced her to marry him. He then apparently took what he learned of the teaching from Anne, combined it with what he understood from books and started his 'school,' The Theatre of All Possibilities (the name derived from Herman Hesse's Steppenwolf), first in New York City and later in San Francisco's Mission District. As a former student recalled:
He could intimidate people easily and would alternate bullying tactics with warm and friendly demeanor. He knew how to instinctively play on a person's soft spots to get control over people. There was a lot of male 'challenging' and emotional bullying at the meetings and occasionally it would break out physically— usually between students. Although Alex intimidated people physically, he would always step aside and let someone else get physical for him. We seemed to be learning how to be 'Alex,' and he liked that. One of his regular themes was 'feminine influence' and how we had to avoid being dominated by women. He encouraged men to take advantage of women and tried to get the less adventurous of us to 'sleep around' as a way of freeing ourselves psychologically. I think Alex was an imposter who used the Work to con people out of much money and energy.
Remembered another student of those early years:
Alex was definitely not a simple man, but a very intelligent Solar type, i.e., incredibly charismatic and smart. He had a vast knowledge of not only many Work books but seemingly much of the philosophical and poetic works of the Western world and plays going back to the Greeks. His teaching used Fourth Way terminology and also quotes from Ibsen, Whitman, Blake, Bal Shem Tov and others.
On weekends we would go up to a ranch his wife had bought up in Sonoma. I remember the camaraderie and laughter but in large part most of what I remember is Horn talking, talking and talking. He often spoke in sexual terms. People would feel 'loose' and often meetings ended with much hugging and effusiveness. Horn said this was due to 'C Influence.' We worked at preparing and planting a vineyard, building a sauna and staging plays. Besides this we also went on a 50-mile hike through the Nevada Desert that was cut short to probably 30 miles and ended with a ride on a Greyhound bus to a brothel. There were a lot of rich experiences but there was no daily practice of any kind taught, and behind all the philosophical quotations there was something important missing.


text:
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Instant Car Donation was founded with the goal of bringing donors and local charities together with an efficient and pleasant process. You can focus on deciding which of our respected charities is right for you instead of worrying about difficulties of researching how to make a donation. After your free pickup, we will assist you in recieving the best tax benefit possible for your generous gift. We take pride in helping smaller charities easily receive car donations, bringing people together while helping support those in the Roanoke, Virginia community who need it the most.
Featured Roanoke 501(c)(3) Charities
Here are some of our favorite charities in the Roanoke area. We have made sure each of them are eligible for tax deductions when you help your local community by donating your car. Your values and choice can make a difference.
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Bradley Free Clinic of Roanoke Valley
Providing free medical, dental, and pharmacy care.
The mission of Bradley Free Clinic of Roanoke Valley is to provide free medical, dental, and pharmacy care to the Roanoke Valley's Working uninsured, the temporarily unemployed, and their families using volunteer health care professionals. Through the tireless efforts of the Board, staff, and volunteers, the Bradley Free Clinic receives accreditation through the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. Bradley Free Clinic reached 35 years of delivering free health care for the Roanoke Valley's working uninsured.
CHIP of Roanoke Valley
Children who have health have hope
CHIP of Roanoke Valley is an early childhood home visiting program. We pair low-income children, ages birth to kindergarten-entry, with a Community Health Nurse and Family Case Manager for health care coordination (help accessing needed medical services, assistance with the management of chronic conditions, and preventive services like fluoride dental varnish); developmental education, kindergarten preparation and regular child assessment and monitoring. Their families receive services like anticipatory child development guidance, employment and education support, parent meetings and transportation. These services work to help build parenting capacity and to provide support to families as they set and reach goals and move toward self-sufficiency. CHIP also offers supplemental case management services that target specific needs: Prenatal Case Management, Mental Health Case Management, and Asthma Case Management.
Rescue Mission of Roanoke
Helping hurting people in Jesus' name
Since 1948, the Rescue Mission of Roanoke has continued a tradition of comprehensive care to those in crisis. The Rescue Mission is a Christ-centered, grassroots organization offering programs to help people physically, psychologically, socially and spiritually. The programs are holistic and involve the elements of personal responsibility, self-determination and an internal transformation of values and vision resulting in a restoration of self-respect. The homeless, the hungry, the sick, the addicted, the abused and the hopeless have all found a warm welcome at the Rescue Mission. Men, women and children have found a safe place and compassionate friends in their darkest moments.
Roanoke Symphony Orchestra
Enriching lives, educating, and entertaining diverse audiences
Founded in 1953, the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra (RSO) is the largest professional orchestra in Virginia west of Richmond. The RSO's mission is to enrich lives, to educate, and to entertain diverse audiences in western Virginia with the highest quality instrumental and choral concerts, and to enhance traditional performances with innovative programming in a welcoming acoustical environment. Since its founding, the orchestra has been recognized nationally for its artistic achievements, its innovative education programs and its unique outreach to diverse audiences. The RSO family also includes the Roanoke Symphony Chorus, a volunteer organization that performs with the Orchestra approximately three times per year. RSO's education programs include in-school concerts and ensembles, and the Roanoke Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Roanoke Valley SPCA
Improving the quality of life for animals and the people they touch
Founded in 1916, the Roanoke Valley SPCA (RVSPCA) is an organization whose purpose is to improve the quality of life for animals and the people they touch in the Roanoke Valley. We strive to accomplish this mission by providing food, shelter, medical care and companionship to the homeless and unwanted companion pets of our area. By providing humane education, pet assisted therapy, meaningful volunteer experiences, and pet/owner training classes, we emphasize the importance of the human/animal bond and help to create loving relationships between pet and guardian. The functions of the RVSPCA are divided into two components; the Barbara & Warner Dalhouse Adoption & Education center and the Regional Center for Animal Control & Protection.
Science Museum of Western Virginia
Making science and technology accessible to all people
The Science Museum of Western Virginia, chartered in 1970, exists to make science and technology accessible to all people by providing hands-on exhibits and galleries, offering a variety of innovative programs, preserving and displaying collections to stimulate and enhance learning. Exhibits such as The Butterfly Garden, Healthy Bodies Gallery, Open Lab, and Children's Curiosity Corner create a welcoming atmosphere that stimulate curiosity and wonder.
A center for the visual arts
The Taubman Museum of Art was founded in 1951. As a center for the visual arts, we encourage a free exchange between the making of art, the display of art and the interpretation of art. Our programs endeavor to explore creativity from inspiration to presentation with the goal of engaging and intriguing our audiences. An art center encompasses the functions of an art museum but is broader in scope and more of a hybrid non-profit, permanent cultural institution. The collections form one of many equivalent cores around which exhibitions and educational programs are organized. There is however, equanimity between exhibitions, collections, lectures performance, film and video, seminars, symposia, conversations, and other forms of presentation. It is the ideas and experiences, educational initiatives and learning environments, and community engagement and collaboration that form the core of the art center.
United Way of Roanoke Valley
Founded in 1924, United Way of Roanoke Valley improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of people in our community. United Way serves as a catalytic force for positive community-wide change, working with our donors, volunteers, partner agencies, and other key stakeholders to build a stronger and healthier region in the 21st century. We invest in quality programs to make the following visions a reality: all of our children and youth succeed; all of our families are strong; all of our senior citizens live with respect and dignity; and all of our citizens are healthy and self-sufficient.
Car donations are the method for many people to create a sizable contribution. Because of this, one of our primary aims is to empower those making a choice by ensuring that the vehicle, such as your Lexus CT, goes to the charity which represents their values. When donating together with us we make charity decision an essential part of the process. We could do this too, should you need us to pick for you that charity would be helped the most rather. It is important to Instant Car Donation which you get the allowable tax deduction advantage without having execute research or to navigate complexities possible. We all of our charities, like Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, that are participating to verify your donation will be tax deductible. The process will be streamlined for both you and the charity of your own choice. We will help you following your contribution. There are many charities, for example Rescue Mission of Roanoke, in your Roanoke area which may benefit from your car, such as a Scion iQ, donation. We not only assist you donate to a nearby charity, but we also focus on providing small with an easy method that they can focus on their important work to take donations. The donation will make the largest difference for these non-profit organizations, like CHIP of Roanoke Valley, while helping to encourage those in their Roanoke, Virginia community who need it the most, bringing individuals together.
Get the Best Possible Tax Deduction for Your Vehicle in Roanoke
Aside from the charitable tax benefit and not with the hassle of managing an old automobile, the sensation of having the ability to help those in need may be the ideal reason to donate your car, such as a Dodge Ramcharger, to a charity. When you decide to create a donation of a old automobile, if the charity sells the automobile, like a Saturn Astra, to get more than $500 they are required to mail you a receipt which allows you to deduct the sales cost of the vehicle, like a Volkswagen MULTI-VAN, in your tax return. If the old car you opted to donate isn't worth at least 500 bucks, then the IRS lets you determine the fair market value. This is the value that somebody would be ready to spend money on the automobile in Roanoke if purchasing it from you. So as to claim the tax deduction, so you will have to itemize your deductions on your tax return. You claim the tax benefit, and the charity either gets to use the automobile sells it and uses the proceeds for the benefit of the non-profit organization, like Roanoke Symphony Orchestra. That's a wonderful thing for everyone involved. Car donation programs are becoming more popular in Virginia over the past ten years or so, as more charities are searching for new and innovative approaches to generate funds. Today, the amount of charitable car donation programs numbers in the hundreds or perhaps thousands. If you have a favorite Roanoke charity, like Taubman Museum of Art, you want to make contributions to, it's most likely possible for this charity to get at least a part of the funds if you give your used vehicle, such as a Toyota Cressida. Most old auto donation programs will either sell the vehicle to increase funds for your reason, utilize the car, like a Acura SLX, in the everyday operations of their organization, or provide the car to a someone from Roanoke who needs help either for free, or for under the average market value. Another benefit of donating a used auto to charity is the chance to just get rid of the car without having to attempt to fix or promote it. Most charitable car donation programs will anyhow vehicles if they're running or in need of repair. When there are lots of benefits to charities that receive donations from individuals, the advantages to the you, the donor may not be too apparent. The largest advantage which most folks hear is the opportunity for a tax benefit. This usually means that the resale value of the donated vehicle can be written off in your own tax return. There are some limitations on this type of deduction, which means you might want to speak with a tax professional prior to making the donation. Charitable vehicle donation programs enable you to donate your used auto to the charity of your choice. Visit our charities page to pick a charity in Virginia to donate to.
Common Donation Questions in Roanoke
Is there a tax deduction for donating my vehicle in Virginia?
We can guarantee your car goes to a charity which is qualified to receive tax deductible contributions and help you recieve a reciept on your contribution. You might be able to have a tax benefit should you itemize your deductions. For donations around $500 you can use Kelley Blue Book and to get bigger contributions the non-profit organization needs to confirm what they recieved for the auto donation (more information).
How can my car be sent to the Roanoke charity?
We'll organize a tow truck to come get your car, such as your Subaru XV CrossTrek, and send it for you. It could not be much easier now, to assist the non-profit organization of your choice!
Do you accept donations for vehicles that are missing or damaged parts?
We take cars in all conditions! Go ahead and ask to contribute, and our Roanoke team will quickly see what we can do.
Can you help me find a Roanoke charity that is suitable for my personal morals?
We'd love to assist you ensure that your donation goes to your cause in Roanoke you care personally about by helping you pick a non-profit organization that satisfies with your personal values. It is so important for us we do it each single time you contribute with us!
What charities do you help in Roanoke?
Instant Car Donation proudly supports many respected national Roanoke organizations in the area. We work hard for you to be sure support is recieved by the organizaion for your vehicle.
What paperwork is required in Virginia?
All owners around the title must complete the section of the title tagged "assignment of title by owner" or "transfer of ownership by seller". Most states require signing and printing owner names. You need to fill out any areas that require documentation concerning a buyer/purchaser/transferee with info. Directions may be found by you here.
Just how long does this procedure take?
First we'll get in touch with the non-profit organization of your choice (or select one for you whether you asked that rather than picked) to make certain they need your own vehicle which takes about one business day. After that we'll arrange to come for you for easy pickup. If it's taking a bit longer feel free to contact our support team.
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Junk as Treasure
Have you got a car, like a Lincoln Zephyr, just sitting in your garage or in your driveway that you've been meaning to eliminate? Many of us are eager to leave an unneeded auto sitting in our our driveway for years without spending the time or cash to repair it. We think that eventually we will get around to selling it to get a little bit of extra cash, but it's at the bottom of our list of priorities. So that car sits, and sits and sits. Let's be honest. Are we really likely to put in cash and time to fix that car? If we had been, wouldn't we've done it already? Not only is that old car an eyesore, but we're also missing out on the chance to use this valuable resource to aid a charity like JDRF!
One man's crap is another man's treasure, so they say. This is certainly true with car donations. A car, like a Suzuki Forenza , which is unneeded by you could supply just the ideal amount of funding to a charity in Roanoke or outside to fulfill its budget for a present or future project. When you donate your car, you're giving a valuable treasure to a charity, as your donation enables them to continue their work locally. Rescue Mission of Roanoke at Roanoke, Virginia is such a nonprofit. Its call to action is directly supported by your donation--you can help the charity of your own choice, like CHIP of Roanoke Valley, to expand the breadth and reach of their good actions from the neighborhood!
We pride ourselves in helping you convert your unwanted car to real treasure! Click on the contribute button today to begin the procedure. After you tell us which you're prepared to donate your vehicle, we will arrange to get a free pick-up in Roanoke or the community area and sell your vehicle. All you will need to do is let us know which honored charity matches the call of your heart, and we'll finish up. The best part is that while you receive the benefit of clearing out old, unnecessary junk, you also get to provide financing to the charity of your choice, such as Mourning Family Foundation, and finally, you get the most tax advantage for your donation. We will supply you with a tax receipt for the donation, and make sure that the charity of your choice receives your donation in addition to the necessary IRS paperwork to take your donation.
Reasons People Donate Cars like Alfa Romeo Milano to Charity
There are various reasons people donate cars, such as a GREENTECH AUTOMOTIVE GREENTECH AUTOMOTIVE. Some of us don't possess the time or inclination to market an automobile that's just sitting in the driveway or the garage. Many others don't always have a lot of cash available to encourage our preferred respected charity in Roanoke, and this is our opportunity to try to accomplish something big to support their important job in the community.
Besides such factors, a fantastic many people contribute ELVs, otherwise called End of Life Vehicles. As we grow ourselves, or even face the departure of our loved ones and loved ones, donating a car like a Daewoo NUBIRA into the charity of our soul is a gift that we will offer ourselves and our area at Roanoke or our community place. We might have gotten into this point in our own lives where we just aren't driving our car any longer. What better usage will we create of our car in place to put it to use in order to impact our community? Particularly small and moderate non profits such as Rescue Mission of Roanoke in Roanoke, Virginia, really rely upon the aid of the community to continue their major work. Should we choose to give our car to a charity such as Blue Ridge Public Television, whose mission we all truly believe in, we give them the gift of unexpected funding to support an present program , or to help them develop new apps and expand their own outreach.
Many of us may also be in the position of taking care of their estates of their nearest and dearest and putting their final wishes into actions. In this case we may decide to give their vehicle to a reason they really believed in during their lifetime.
Irrespective of what it was that spoke to the core, we're sure to have the ability to find a worthy charity which can help bring their fantasies and ideas for a better world to fruition. Allowing them to contribute their own car may be gift we provide them. Regardless of why you are contemplating donating your vehicle, we might help. The thing that seems most important to people considering donating their car or truck is to be certain that the donation goes to a charity that they really have confidence in, such as Take Stock in Children. We have achieved to thousands of charities in Roanoke and outside, whose names and profiles are around our website. We partner with them to make sure they could accept your auto donation. In addition, if there's really a charity you want to donate to who isn't listed here, then we are willing to contact them personally on your benefit. We'll arrange a free of charge pick-up of one's car, help you move your title, and also contact the non of your own choice, such as Lotus House, to ensure that they receive your donation. We will also make sure that you have the paper work you want come tax period to get the maximum tax contribution.
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« Day 270 – Molly R.
My younger brother used to get night terrors when he was little. He would look at you with his eyes wide open, but not see you. He would also run around the room screaming at the top of his lungs. However, he would never remember doing it the next morning. It was pretty scary to wake up in the middle of the night him yelling and running.


text:
Schiff: New evidence shows possible Trump-Russia collusion
By Manu Raju and Theodore Schleifer, CNN
Updated 9:41 PM EDT, Thu March 23, 2017
Schiff: New Trump-Russia collusion evidence
Schiff said he has seen additional evidence, but wouldn't specify what it was
He characterized it as more than just "circumstantial evidence of collusion"
Washington CNN —
The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee is claiming that he has been presented with new information on collusion between associates of President Donald Trump and Russia, suggesting "it's the kind of evidence" that a grand jury investigation would want to consider.
Rep. Adam Schiff told CNN Thursday that he had seen additional evidence, but would not specify what it was.
"We continue to get new information that, I think, paints a more complete picture of at least what we know at the outset of our investigation," Schiff said.
Asked to explain his comments earlier in the week when he said there was more than just "circumstantial evidence of collusion," Schiff said, "I do think that it's appropriate to say that it's the kind of evidence that you would submit to a grand jury at the beginning of an investigation.
"It's not the kind of evidence that you take to a trial jury when you're trying to prove something beyond a reasonable doubt. But we're at the beginning of an investigation, and given the gravity of the subject matter, I think that the evidence certainly warrants us doing a thorough investigation."
An aide said that Schiff was not suggesting that a grand jury should be empaneled, but was using an analogy drawing upon his time as a prosecutor.
On Thursday night, House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes said he has "no idea" and is "not familiar" with the evidence Nunes described.
The California Democrat said it was "baffling" that his Republican counterpart on the committee, Nunes, would not rule out that the information he disclosed Wednesday – the California Republican said communications of Trump and his associates may have been collected by intelligence agencies – came from the White House.
Nunes' disclosure – and decision to speak to the press and White House before informing the Democrats on the Intelligence Committee – infuriated Democrats and led him to apologize earlier Thursday, according to Rep. Jackie Speier, D-California. Other Democrats have said Nunes' actions mean he can't conduct an impartial investigation into potential Trump-Russia ties.
Schiff, however, told CNN that Democrats won't boycott the investigation, saying if they don't participate, "there isn't going to be an investigation in the House."
Nunes later told CNN he wasn't aware of Schiff's new evidence. Nunes again declined to reveal his sources for his claim – not even to Schiff, the California Republican said.
The tension on the Intelligence Committee comes a day after CNN reported that the FBI has information that may indicate associates of Trump communicated with suspected Russian operatives to possibly coordinate the release of information damaging to Hillary Clinton's campaign, according to US officials.
The FBI is now reviewing that information, which includes human intelligence, travel, business and phone records and accounts of in-person meetings, according to those US officials. The information is raising the suspicions of FBI counterintelligence investigators that the coordination may have taken place, though officials cautioned that the information was not conclusive and that the investigation is ongoing.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer responded to the report Thursday, saying the term "associates" was a "catch-all" and overly vague.
"I have a problem with specifically – with what your network did yesterday," Spicer told CNN's Sara Murray in a lengthy exchange at the White House press briefing. "It was associates that may or may not be there – all one subjective term after another with no concrete proof that anything happened. When you use a term like 'associates,' you don't even put a timeframe around. It's a little bit nebulous, at best, to suggest that somebody over and over again, making the claim that you do, and the narrative continues without any substantiation."
CNN's Donald Judd, Alex Gee and Elizabeth Landers contributed to this report.


text:
Powerbase - 8 July 2012
9.85 - (08-12-2012) Suitable for all versions of RISC OS from 3.1 onward.
© Derek & Steven Haslam.
Sliding heap manager (module + basic procedures - not used by RISC OS 3.5 or later)
© Steven Haslam. (32-bit compatibility implemented by Christopher and Harriet Bazley)
Dial utility (provides tone-dialling when double-clicking on a phone number.)
© Justin Fletcher (Based on an algorithm originally published in Acorn User.)
New high-res icons for files
© Lenny (lenny@argonet.co.uk) URL http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/lenny/index.html
Copyright subsists in all versions of Powerbase. We reserve the right to withdraw support and authorisation to distribute Powerbase.
No warranty, express or implied, is made about the suitability of Powerbase for any purpose. We can not be held responsible for any loss or damage to your health, wealth or marriage due to the action or inaction of Powerbase.
Powerbase can be used to create databases of information of almost any kind and provides powerful facilities for maintaining such databases and for selectively retrieving and printing information from them. Using Powerbase at an elementary level is particularly easy — you can, for example, set up a simple address-book database in a matter of minutes — yet the needs of more advanced users have not been neglected. Descriptions of Powerbase from various sources have sometimes implied that it is a relational database. It isn't, but it can provide you with some of the facilities which fall outside the sphere of a simple flat-file (card index) type of database and for which a relational database program might otherwise be necessary.
It is best described as a flat-file database with table-validation. This means that text fields within the database can be linked to a list of items in such a way that the field will not accept items unless they are on the list. That list (called a validation table) can have many additional columns providing extra information which may be included in reports from the database and may also be queried.
Other important features of Powerbase:
Can handle very large databases. The largest we have heard of has over 30,000 records.
Images (Sprite, Draw and JPEG) may be displayed for each record, scaled to fit a defined rectangle on the record window.
Linked images and other objects, including directories, do not need to be included in the database directory; they may reside on media anywhere on the machine and are referenced by pathname.
Multiple indexes provide rapid data access. A database containing details of books could be indexed by author, title and subject.
Subsets of records can be exported as individual functioning databases.
Fast searching for and retrieval of individual records.
Linking to sprite, text, draw, JPEG and other files external to the database.
Powerful query language to select records for printing.
Reports printed in several different formats, enhanced with colour if desired.
Direct data-merging with Impression Style and Publisher and with recent versions of OvationPro.
Script language to automate frequently carried-out tasks.
Data can be output as CSV (comma-separated-values) files for importing into other programs. Powerbase can also import CSV files created in other environments and even create a working database directly from a CSV file provided with a suitable header.
Customised non-standard features can be programmed (knowledge of BBC BASIC necessary) and made to appear only on databases for which they are intended. This involves no alterations to Powerbase itself.
Powerbase is Shareware, not Public Domain software. You are welcome to try it without charge but, if you find you use it on a regular basis, you should register with us. The registration fee is 10.00 ukp (payable to Derek Haslam) and should be forwarded to:
Derek Haslam
112, Keighley Road
Colne, Lancashire, England BB8 0PH
Please make cheques payable to Derek Haslam.
When registering, please let us know which version of Powerbase you are using. It is also helpful to know which version of RISC OS you have and what type of machine.
Overseas users may pay by credit card via APDL or send banknotes in their own currency to the approximate value of 10 ukp. (Note that the bank charges for handling a non-sterling cheque are about the same as the registration fee, so a non-sterling cheque is of no use.)
Unregistered copies display an explanatory start-up banner for about 5 seconds when they are run. The Info box (iconbar menu) also shows them to be unregistered. When you register with us you will receive either a registered copy which displays your name in the Info box and start-up banner, or one which requests your name when run for the first time, then modifies the Info box and banner as described above. The time for which the latter remains on screen can be altered by changing a number in the Config file inside the !Powerbase.Resources directory. The line begins with the token BTime and is preceded by an explanatory comment line. Setting the value to zero suppresses the banner altogether.
The only difference between a registered and an unregistered copy is that the former has, inside the application directory, a little file called 'reg' in which is encrypted the name of the registered user. Deletion of this file results in an unregistered copy (see below).
We suggest that you make a copy of your 'reg' file somewhere separate from Powerbase. Should you then obtain a later version from a source other than us (e.g. from a friend or downloaded from our web-site) you can place the file in the application directory so that it becomes registered to you.
Distributing copies of Powerbase
You are allowed to copy and distribute the application freely as long as you do not do so for any profit, and that it is kept intact and unchanged apart from the following: please do not give away registered copies. If you are a registered user and wish to give a copy to a friend, we ask you to de-register the one you are giving away by Shift/double clicking on the application to open its directory then deleting the file called 'reg'. This results in an unregistered copy.
New documentation in HTML format has been produced. This is completely up to date, covering all features of v.9.85. It consists of a comprehensive reference manual and two tutorials and is packaged as a RISC OS application called PbaseDoc. Users downloading Powerbase v.9.85 are strongly urged to obtain PbaseDoc as well, especially since differences from earlier versions are covered.
All items are .zip archives. Using the files directly from the archives is not recommended and sometimes results in mysterious error messages. Proceed as follows:
(a) Run SparkFS or one of the other unzipping utilities .
You can use David Pilling's superb !SparkPlug to de-archive them after downloading.
Self-extracting SparkPlug
(Download and save this file, set its type to &FFB/Basic, and run it).
(b) Double-click on an archive (or drag it to the icon on the icon bar) to open it.
(c) Drag the contents of the archive into a suitable directory on another floppy or, better still, on a hard disc.
Contact the author at: Derek Haslam, 112, Keighley Road, Colne, Lancs., England BB8 0PH
Click here to go up to the top of this page.
Click here to go back to the Powerbase home page.


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It's Finally here, Happy 2021 Minor League Opening Day!
By kkuhrts1
Wander Franco Tampa Bay Rays. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)
We are feeling like Sid from Toy Story today, because the 2021 Minor League baseball season finally came! For the Tampa Bay Rays, and every other team, it starts tonight.
All around the country minor league teams from Triple-A through Low-A will have opening night on Tuesday. Now, there have been some changes to the Tampa Bay Rays minor league system, so let's get you caught up on the teams, and prospects getting their seasons started tonight.
Want your voice heard? Join the Rays Colored Glasses team!
Triple-A: Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls will once again be the final step in the Tampa Bay Rays minor-league system. The Bulls have served as the Rays Triple-A affiliate since 1998.
There will be a lot of buzz in Durham to start the season, as the number-one prospect in all of baseball will start his season with them tonight.
Wander Franco, the 20-year-old phenom, and nephew of former Tampa Bay Ray Willy Aybar, will begin his final season in minor league baseball tonight. Franco, who will likely be a member of the Tampa Bay Rays at some point this season, has done nothing but hit in the minors so far.
Your No. 1 overall prospect, Wander Franco, in action. ? pic.twitter.com/Kqd5OvmE0o
— MLB (@MLB) March 3, 2021
Franco carries a career .336 batting average over two minor league seasons, where he never played above High-A ball in Charlotte.
Franco was likely to start the season in Double-A Montgomery last year, but the season was obviously wiped out due to COVID-19.
Now, Franco will skip Double-A and head straight to Triple-A to start 2021.
The big question I have about Franco is this, the Tampa Bay Rays have been dreadful on offense so far this season. If Franco gets off to a hot start in the first couple weeks of May, do the Rays look to make the move to Franco, and jumpstart this team?
However, with all the buzz around Franco, he will be joined by two other top-100 MLB prospects in Durham.
Vidal Brujan, the number 42 prospect in all of baseball according to MLB.com, will also start his 2021 in Durham.
Brujan has been in the Tampa Bay Rays system since the age of 17. Now, at 23, he looks to make an impact.
Vidal Brujan is currently sitting in the top 10 in OBP in the Dominican Winter League (.394). Has more walks (11) than strikeouts (9) but not much power shown so far (.315 SLG). A triple of his from last week:
pic.twitter.com/0VXTVcWTZO
— Rays Metrics (@RaysMetrics) December 15, 2020
Brujan has played at nearly every level of the Tampa Bay Rays minor league system, Durham marks the only spot he hasn't played, until tonight.
Brujan is a career .294 hitter in the minors, which is solid. However, he's a game-changer once he gets on base.
Brujan has stolen 151 bases throughout the minor leagues and is likely still wanted in Bowling Green for all the theft. Brujan stole 43 bases in Bowling Green in 2018, in only 95 games.
Whenever the Tampa Bay Rays decide to make the move for Brujan in 2021, he will bring game-changing speed to St. Pete.
The final top-100 prospect starting the season in Durham is Brendan McKay. McKay is ranked as the 62nd best prospect in the MLB according to MLB.com, and that seems a little low.
McKay is still working back from shoulder surgery, so he will only serve as a DH for Durham to start the season.
McKay is another guy who could start hot, and be called up to help the Tampa Bay Rays in the batters box.
Along with Franco, Brujan, and McKay some highly-rated prospects in the Tampa Bay Rays system will join them.
Taylor Walls, the seventh prospect in the Rays system, Josh Lowe-11th, Joe Ryan-12th, Brent Honeywell Jr.-18th, Drew Strotman– 19th, and Kevin Padlo– 22nd will all start the season in Durham, making it one of the most stacked minor league teams in recent history.
SQUAD?#BullsBroughtMeBack pic.twitter.com/iIX90d4r3K
— Durham Bulls (@DurhamBulls) April 30, 2021
Double-A: Montgomery Biscuits.
The Montgomery Biscuits will once again represent the Tampa Bay Rays in the Double-A ranks. The partnership between the two teams has been going strong since 1999.
Although the Biscuits won't have the incredible amount of highly-rated prospects that Durham does, they will still have two of the top-100 prospects in baseball according to MLB.com.
The first is Xavier Edwards. Edwards, a 21-year-old middle infielder, will be starting his first professional season with the Tampa Bay Rays. He was acquired in the trade that sent Tommy Pham to San Diego.
During his time in San Diego's system he never played above High-A ball, but he never hit under .300. His career minor league batting average is .328 with a .395 OBP.
Edwards is very comparable to Brujan in my opinion, as Edwards also has speed to burn. Edwards has stolen 56 bases in his minor league career and has only been caught 12 times.
The second top-100 prospect who will start the season in Montgomery is Shane Baz. Baz was another played acquired in trade by the Tampa Bay Rays, as he was the third player in the Chris Archer trade.
However, unlike Edwards, Baz has played in the Tampa Bay Rays system.
Baz finished up the 2018 season with the Princeton Rays in Rookie-Ball, but he only pitched twice.
In 2019, Baz started, and finished the season in Single-A Bowling Green. In that season, Baz pitched to a 2.99 ERA in 17 starts. He featured a 1.23 WHIP and a very respectable 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings pitched.
Two innings, too much ?#Rays Shane Baz struck out five batters tonight, featuring a fastball that got as high as 99.1 mph on the radar gun.
Check him out on our list of #MLB's Top 100 prospects: https://t.co/aG46Y0calQ pic.twitter.com/UBfN6xVMuE
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 23, 2019
With the announcement of Baz starting the season in AA, he will skip High-A ball completely. Which is something you usually don't see.
Joining Baz and Edwards in Montgomery is one other top-30 Tampa Bay Rays prospect, and that is Ford Proctor.
Much like Baz, Proctor has never played above Single-A. However, in 2019 at Single-A Bowling Green Proctor hit .290 with six home runs, and 53 RBI's.
The Double-A South doesn't know what's coming for 'em. pic.twitter.com/FWDwqjQ9C8
— Montgomery Biscuits (@BiscuitBaseball) April 30, 2021
High-A Bowling Green Hot Rods.
Bowling Green, Kentucky stand up! Since 2009 the Bowling Green Hot Rods have been the Low-A affiliate for the Tampa Bay Rays, but after the minor league restructure this past offseason, Bowling Green was promoted to High-A.
Now, with that, the Tampa Bay Rays did lose the Charlotte Stone Crabs. The Stone Crabs had been serving as the High-A team for the Rays since 2009, but will no longer do so.
Having a minor league team only 80 miles away from Tropicana Field was an advantage for the Rays for many years. Players would often rehab with Charlotte before coming back to the Rays, and I remember seeing David Price pitch for the Stone Carbs back in 2013 on rehab. What a time.
However, we shift attention to Bowling Green. Although the Hot Rods won't have any top-100 prospects, they will have a number of top-30 Rays prospects.
The highest ranking of those is Greg Jones. Jones is a 23-year-old shortstop, who was selected in the first round of the MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays back in 2019. Jones however will start the season on the IL.
Along with Jones, Blake Hunt, the 17th ranked prospect in the Rays system, and Pedro Martinez, no, not that Pedro Martinez, will start the season in Bowling Green.
Blake Hunt was the second catcher acquired in the Blake Snell trade this past offseason, the first being Francisco Mejia. Hunt, a career .258 minor league hitter, was a second-round draft selection by the Padres back in 2017.
Pedro Martinez is the 28th ranked prospect in the Tampa Bay Rays system according to MLB.com. The 20-year-old middle infielder was acquired by the Rays in September of 2020 as the player to named later in the trade that sent Jose Martinez to the Cubs.
Martinez is a career .310 hitter in the minors, and has racked up 50 stolen bases in only 108 career games. Lots of speed in the Tampa Bay Rays system.
IT'S FINALLY HERE! OUR 2021 OPENING DAY ROSTER!
Bowling Green returns 14 players from past rosters and welcomes two top prospects ahead of the team's season opener.
? https://t.co/z3ZN8Q4R2K pic.twitter.com/Y6n8fEb6Lc
— BG Hot Rods (@BGHotRods) April 30, 2021
Charleston RiverDogs Low-A
With Bowling Green being elevated to High-A, the Tampa Bay Rays had a hole to fill in Low-A. Insert the Charleston RiverDogs.
The RiverDogs served as the Low-A affiliate to the New York Yankees for the past 15 seasons, but come to the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021.
Charleston will be home to seven of the top 30 prospects in the Tampa Bay Rays system to start 2021, the first being Cole Wilcox.
Wilcox comes to the Rays as another part of the Blake Snell trade. Just one year ago, the Padres made Wilcox a third-round pick out of the University of Georgia.
I was surprised to see Wilcox not start the season in Bowling Green. When a player comes out of college, rather than high school, High-A is usually a good starting spot. However, not for Wilcox.
Now yes, Wilcox has never played in a minor league game due to the cancellation of the season last year, but he was electric in college. I saw him pitch for Georgia, he's good.
I imagine the Rays are hoping to see some of that electricity early in the season and move him to High-A quickly. In my opinion, this guy could see time in AA this year.
Heriberto Hernandez, another catching prospect, will start the season in Charleston as well. Hernandez, the 13th ranked prospect in the system was acquired by the Rays as part of the deal that sent Nate Lowe to Texas.
Hernandez is a career .320 hitter in the minors, with 23 home runs and 98 RBI's in only 378 at-bats.
Seth Johnson-15th, Taj Bradley-21st, Alika Williams-25th, John Doxakis– 29th, and Nick Schnell– 30th will all start the season in Charleston as well.
Needless to say, there is a lot of talent in the Tampa Bay Rays system right now, and lots that could break into "The Show" very soon.
If you hadn't heard, we announced our roster earlier today. Check out the group of prospects who will be opening the 2021 season with us. Can't wait to see these guys in action!https://t.co/B5lwn7chIC pic.twitter.com/zxW6s4l8cB
— Charleston RiverDogs (@ChasRiverDogs) April 30, 2021
Minor League tickets available now!
All four of these teams will get underway tonight, as Durham, Montgomery, and Bowling Green will all start the season on the road.
Durham will travel to Memphis, Tennessee, Montgomery will travel to Knoxville, Tennessee, and Bowling Green will head to Greenville, South Carolina to open the season.
Charleston will stay at home, and open with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans tonight.
Minor League Baseball will be allowing fans in the 2021 season, but each stadium will have different rules and regulations. All four of the teams mentioned here are selling tickets, and they are available for purchase now!
Next. Tampa Bay Rays First-Round MLB Draft History. dark


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Newton stuns with Sonic ironman triumph
He's a three-time national board race champion and a handy ski paddler but not even Andrew Newton would consider himself a champion swimmer. It's amazing what a bit of grit and resolve can do, however.
The Mount Maunganui surf lifesaver picked up the biggest ironman win of his career yesterday today, scooping an upset win in the final of the Sonic Surf Race series on his home beach and pocketing $1000 for his troubles.
After smashing the opening board leg with eight of the top ironmen in the country, Newton extended his lead in the ski leg, then had to hold on grimly in the final swim leg as pressure came from his Mount clubmates Perry Farrell and George Haynes.
"It was quite handy having the craft go first and I just tried to hold on for dear life in the swim and get a wave," Newton explained. "I was hoping to pull something but it didn't quite come and I missed a couple of waves. I could see someone coming up behind me so I just dug it in and made it hurt."
That someone was Farrell, who also recorded the best finish of his young career, while Great Britain representative Haynes closed out the Mount clean-sweep, after winning the previous two eliminator rounds leading into the final.
Omanu 16-year-old Ben Cochrane was fourth, while another Mount athlete, 18-year-old Hamish Treanor, finished a valiant fifth.
The women's final was taken out as expected by Papamoa's Natalie Peat, although not in the manner which most spectators expected.
Peat led early in the swim but the chasing pack caught a wave and hauled her in. Mount Maunganui's Katie Wilson opened up a big lead on the ski leg but then lost her ski coming in on a big set wave.
Mairangi Bay's Danielle McKenzie then took the initiative in the final board leg but ran out of waves on the way home. Peat and Piha's Kirsty Wannan chased her down, with Peat's slick dismount on the beach giving her the edge in a sprint finish.
"I'm not really renowned for my sprint finishes so it was good to pull that one of the bag," 18-year-old Peat said. "I was leading in the swim and the whole pack came through so I was stoked to get the wave on the board and get back up to the front pack."
The final was the culmination of the four-round Sonic series, which incorporated a quartet of the biggest regional carnivals around the country. More than 800 junior athletes packed the stands during the final, which was held during the Oceans 13 New Zealand under-14 championships.
Results from the final of surf lifesaving's Sonic Race series in Mount Maunganui today:
Women: Natalie Peat (Papamoa) 1, Kirsty Wannan (Piha) 2, Danielle McKenzie (Mairangi Bay) 3, Katie Wilson (Mount Maunganui) 4, Kathryn Stewart (Papamoa) 5, Ashley Cochrane (Omanu) 6, Kelsey Moffatt (Lyall Bay) 7.
Men: Andrew Newton (Mount Maunganui) 1, Perry Farrell (Mount Maunganui) 2, George Haynes (Mount Maunganui) 3, Ben Cochrane (Omanu) 4, Hamish Treanor (Mount Maunganui) 5, Ben Johnston (Papamoa) 6, Tyler Maxwell (Lyall Bay) 7, Julien Lalanne (Mount Maunganui) 8.


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Opinion: Mainstreaming the Praxis of Foresight: The UK Example
The UK Government's approach to futures thinking emphasises communication, engagement and broad application.
Jeremy Tan
Calvin Chong
Issue 7, 14 Jan 2010
Foresight is not prediction; it is a natural human faculty used in everyday decision-making. It involves understanding how past and current events can inform decisions taken in the present, to reach desired outcomes in the future.
At the organisational level, foresight is more than simply a long-term work plan. It involves the gathering and synthesising of a variety of individual assessments to make strategic decisions that create the best possible outcomes for all stakeholders, across multiple domains and time frames.
Foresight has to be practised; to this end, governments and private organisations have embarked on widespread foresight programmes and activities varying in breadth, depth and sophistication (see Table 1).
The UK Foresight Programme, with its stated role "to help government think systematically about the future", is an example of an established approach to the praxis of foresight in the public sector.1 Observation of the UK Programme reveals four useful insights:
1. BUILD A ROBUST ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK
Foresight activities have to be aligned towards clear strategic anticipatory goals. This orientation can be towards downstream activities or specific to a narrow time frame—this was the case with the UK Civil Contingencies Secretariat's (CCS) risk register, which assesses the most significant emergencies the country will face over the next five years.2 The CCS uses the document as a basis for monitoring partner agencies' risk mitigation efforts, and as part of its efforts in public education and outreach.
Foresight work can also be oriented upstream towards more open-ended parameters with a longer time frame, as evinced by the UK's Sigma Scan, which collates future issues and trends for the next 20 to 80 years as identified by various horizon scanning sources.3 The UK Horizon Scanning Centre uses the material in case studies, workshops and programmes to work towards better strategic planning and policy-making.
Regardless of the strategic anticipatory orientation chosen, the methodologies employed need to be robust and credible. The UK emphasises an evidence-based approach that anchors foresight work on quality research and sources, clear and quantifiable indicators, and empirical data. The UK Government, by engaging a lead expert group for each project and allowing the public online access to their material, helps to ensure that their foresight work holds up to the analytical scrutiny of a wider community of experts and non-experts alike.
2. NETWORKS ARE IMPORTANT
The UK Government's emphasis on wider engagement stands in contrast to the common notion that foresight is best suited to mavericks and contrarians, who can spot strategic issues ahead of others. On the contrary, it is crucial for foresight work to harness inputs and opinions as broadly as possible. In this sense, picking the right mix of persons to contribute to a project is just as important as their area and level of expertise. This involves maintaining good working relationships through networks that are built laterally across agencies, and also with individuals and organisations outside of government. These networks serve as intellectual checks and balances, and allow for assumptions to be challenged and strategies to be stress-tested.
For example, each UK Foresight project leverages a variety of networks: other than its lead expert group, the project also answers to a high-level stakeholder group, and consults with think-tanks, universities and private sector stakeholders when drawing up inputs and shaping findings.
Furthermore, the UK Horizon Scanning Centre also functions as the government's hub for horizon scanning and foresight expertise, providing information and capability building services to other agencies. Besides conferences, seminars and international collaboration, the Centre also runs the Futures Analysts' Network, which is a forum for people with an interest in futures analysis, from both the public and private sectors, to exchange ideas and good practices.
3. ENSURE POLICY RELEVANCE
Robust and credible foresight work has to be relevant to policy and invested with sufficient management buy-in to ensure that findings and recommendations are given due consideration and followed through. Foresight projects in the UK are carefully chosen to address cross-departmental policy issues with action-oriented outcomes. Each project has to be supported by a lead government department and its Minister must agree to chair a high-level stakeholder group of senior decision-makers and budget-holders from relevant departments, research councils and other organisations. The government's Chief Scientific Adviser sits on each of these stakeholder groups as well.
A foresight programme should be seen as part of a larger endeavour to institutionalise and make mainstream habits of mind that challenge prevailing assumptions.
Once buy-in from higher management and stakeholders is secured, attention has to be given to communicating of foresight products in effective ways. Heavily researched analysis and complex scenarios need to be presented in a detailed yet incisive manner for decision makers to understand and subsequently take action. To this end, the UK foresight projects are crafted to be well signposted, monitored and regularly updated within the stakeholders' communities as part of the implementation process.
4. MAKE FORESIGHT MAINSTREAM
The praxis of foresight in an organisation extends beyond the nuts and bolts of its research activities and even its integration with strategic planning processes. Instead, it should be seen as part of a larger endeavour to institutionalise and make mainstream habits of mind that challenge prevailing assumptions, recognise cognitive biases and examine issues with a wide horizontal impact across multiple domains.
The UK's networked approach is illustrative of the principle that the responsibility for foresight should not fall solely on a dedicated group of strategic thinkers, practitioners and horizon scanners; nor should it be assumed that foresight work would gain traction without any institutional backing or centre of expertise.
Cultivating an appreciation of strategic futures methodologies in departments has built a stronger culture of foresight in the UK government. This is seen in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) use of complexity science in their analyses, and in other agencies building their own research and horizon scanning capabilities.
As observed from the UK's experience, the explicit goal of a foresight programme is for public of f icials to think systematically about the future. Given the need for public policymaking to become ever more adroit, adaptive and astute, such an endeavour is nothing short of a transformative process to institutionalise the praxis of foresight at all levels of government.
Calvin Chong is Assistant Director (Policy and International Relations) and Jeremy Tan is Executive (Horizon Scanning Centre) at the National Security Coordination Centre, Prime Minister's Office. This article was the result of a study trip to the United Kingdom in February 2009.
http://www.foresight.gov.uk/index.asp
https://www.gov.uk/
http://www.sigmascan.org/Live/
Back to Ethos homepage
More in this issue
Thinking through Complexity, Managing for Uncertainty
Enterprise Risk Management: Strengthening Singapore's Advantage
Opinion: Looking for Trouble
Singapore: The Apple of Nations


The researchers of Health Sciences Research Centre of Near East University Hospital, recently prepared a report based on their research to identify the current status of HIV/AIDS virus in Cyprus to reveal the size of threat of a possible pandemic through mathematical modelling.
According to the press release of the university, the report entitled, ""Analysis of the HIV Epidemic in Cyprus 2018, was presented to Mr. Fikri Ataoğlu, the Minister of Tourism and Environment of TRNC.
In the statement made by the Vice Rector of Near East University, Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ stated that they had informed Minister Fikri Ataoğlu on the findings of the report. Furthermore, Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ expressed that currently there was not an HIV pandemic in Cyprus and based on their findings, they were able to predict the dynamic of the HIV epidemic in Cyprus over the next 50 years.
In addition to the above, Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ provided details regarding human movements in the country and stated that on average, 1 million 759 thousand tourists came to North Cyprus; whereas around 3.9 million tourists came to the south. Bearing these numbers in mind, 129 HIV incidents were observed in the north and 1057 HIV incidents were seen in south Cyprus. Moreover, Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ added that the tourists came to the north mainly from Turkey, alongside Germany and Britain whereas the tourists who went to the south were from Russia, Britain and Greece. Consequently, Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ stated that they had presented the findings of their scientific data to the decision makers of the country as they believed this to be a part of their social responsibility. Also, they included suggestions on possible steps to be taken and precautions to be taken.
As it is done in developed countries, Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ assured that they would be continuing to work to identify risk groups, for informing these groups on protection from the disease, getting them to do tests and initiating treatment to those who have been just diagnosed; in other words everything that is needed to be done to keep the HIV incidents under control. Furthermore, he added that they would be continuing to contribute to the determination of the country's policy on the matter.
While thanking the researchers for their hard and valuable work, Mr. Ataoğlu stated that the data provided by the Near East University researchers could be included in the promotion of the country and expressed how pleased he was of being supplied significant work on HIV/AIDS status in our country. He reassured that based on the findings of this report, they would be taking the necessary steps to be taken on the issue.
In addition to his above statements, Fikri Ataoğlu stated that AIDS disease was an important social and psychological issue of the public and added that the study was important both for the commercial and touristic relations of our country with other countries and for revealing the health data against the changing human mass movements. He emphasised that this study also revealed the touristic safety of the country and acted as a 'guide' in keeping track of what needs to be done on the matter. He ended his words by stating that while these studies were important in terms of presenting data on HIV rate and spread rates in our country, it was also one of the most prominent examples showing that our country is a healthy destination in terms of tourism.


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2022 FIFA World Cup 2022
Argentina superstar Lionel Messi could break two Diego Maradona records at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
By Diptanil Roy
Messi has the chance to break two Diego Maradona records at the FIFA World Cup
Argentina captain Lionel Messi will have the opportunity to break two records held by the late Diego Maradona at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward currently has 19 appearances at the quadrennial event. He is two games behind Diego Maradona, who holds the record for the highest number of matches played by an Argentinian in the tournament.
Maradona also registered a total of eight assists during his playing career at the World Cups. Lionel Messi currently has five assists and needs four more to surpass the S.S.C. Napoli legend.
Five of Maradona's eight assists notably came in the 1986 edition, where he helped Argentina clinch football's greatest silverware.
Messi's Argentina are among the favorites going into the tournament. They will play their first game against Saudi Arabia next week. Prior to that, La Albiceleste will compete in a friendly against the UAE.
Gary Lineker weighs in on the Lionel Messi vs. Diego Maradona debate ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup
One of England's greatest goalscorers, Gary Lineker, recently commented on the Messi vs Maradona debate. While Maradona guided his country to eternal glory in 1986, Messi's Argentina faltered in the 2014 final against Germany.
Weighing in on who is the best player between the legendary duo, Lineker told The Guardian:
"People talk about how Maradona must be better because he won the World Cup; well, I don't think that's quite the way you should judge things.
"For example, Maradona sticks [Jorge] Burruchaga through against Germany late on, Burruchaga finishes [the third goal in Argentina's 3-2 victory in the 1986 final]."
Reminding the world of Gonzalo Higuain's miss in the 2014 final (which came from a Lionel Messi through-ball), Lineker added:
"Messi sticks through [Gonzalo] Higuain, he goes through, misses [against Germany in a 1-0 final defeat in 2014]. If Higuain scores that, the debate is already gone. What I'm trying to say is: the greatest player in the world still needs a team."
Poland and Mexico are the other teams in Argentina's group for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Lionel Messi is in fine form ahead of the showpiece tournament. He has registered 12 goals and 14 assists in 19 games for PSG this season.
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Cayman companies surpass pre-recession levels
Appleby promotes five; two in Cayman Islands
Cayman top target destination for deals: Appleby
Cayman leads offshore transactions in Q1
In the first half of 2013, the number of active companies in the Cayman Islands surpassed its peak figure recorded in pre-recession 2008 and was on track to experience an 8 percent increase over the second half of 2012.
That was the finding of law firm Appleby in its biannual On the Register report, which provides insight and data on company incorporations in offshore financial centres.
Due to a delay in reporting from the General Registry in the Cayman Islands, data was only available for the first three months of 2013 at the time of the report. Nonetheless, a dip in Cayman company incorporation activity in the second half of 2012 appears to have been reversed in the first half of 2013.
Based on the available data reported, Appleby found there were 94,191 active companies on the register at the end of the first quarter of 2013 and estimates 4,504 new companies were registered in the first half. This would mark an 8 percent increase in the number of new company incorporations over the previous half.
"The Cayman Islands remains one of the top offshore jurisdictions for incorporations, reflecting the contractual flexibility and legal certainty enjoyed by companies incorporated there," said Richard McMillan, managing director of Appleby Trust (Cayman). "This has been a buoyant year for Cayman and we expect this trend to continue into 2014."
Across offshore jurisdictions, there were a total of 38,416 new incorporations in the first six months of this year, and the overall number of active companies listed on offshore registers is stabilising.
Within most offshore locations, the total number of companies listed on the local register has increased since the end of 2012. The number of new incorporations across the whole offshore region has fallen slightly compared with the previous six-month period, but as the number of firms ceasing to trade has also dropped, this has allowed most registries to continue to grow. Like Cayman, many jurisdictions are approaching, or have even surpassed, their pre-recession peaks.
"The global economy appears to be stabilising, and we're seeing the number of new company registrations rising in most offshore jurisdictions," said Farah Ballands, partner and global head of fiduciary & administration services at Appleby. "It is also encouraging to note that the overall number of companies active on the offshore registers has gone up by 5 percent compared to pre-recession 2008."
Cayman, Appleby


New Jersey's most well known restaurant is back up and running – well, almost – with a series of preview dinners. Does Ryland Inn 2.0 measure up? Here's a sneak peak.
That said, I did not go to the new Ryland Inn in disguise. It wasn't necessary – not because owners Jeanne & Frank Cretella and executive chef Anthony Bucco don't know me. They do. I went in plain sight for the simple reason that there is no way I can officially review this restaurant. I am totally compromised because my husband, Bill, is the site engineer for the project through his employer, Van Cleef Engineering.
And that said, here's my report on my preview dinner – as objective as I can make it.
In short, the Ryland Inn is poised to reclaim its rightful place among the Garden State's best. Not because it recreates the old days – that would be a losing proposition. On the contrary, Bucco's food is totally 21st century, totally his own, and totally exciting.
Yet the team has recaptured one important aspect from back in the day: the essence of what it felt like to dine at the Ryland. The place has been renovated inside and out – including the addition attractive new fittings and fixtures that mix traditional and au courant elements – but is still recognizable, and that sense of easy grace remains. This applies to the service, too, which is polished, informed, and correct, but also warm, natural, and as interactive as you want it to be – which is also reminiscent of the glory days.
We started with a drink at the bar, where mixologist Chris made this beautiful cocktail of pomegranate juice and reposado tequila topped with Champagne and garnished with a grapefruit twist.
The amuse – coins of spanking fresh, rose-red tuna and coral-pink salmon crudo in broth – was simultaneously bracing and luxurious. We downed it so quickly (as we did the Asiago sourdough bread) that we neglected to snap a photo.
creamy chilled celeriac and potato soup with smoked trout, Swiss chard, and horseradish creme fraiche. The textures and flavors of both dishes have nothing in common except that the elements of each are exquisitely attuned and harmonious.
This seared tuna blew us away: It arrived in one piece, looking for all the world like a block of pork belly. But a gentle nudge with my fork revealed these pre-cut slices. Among its elements are pickled watermelon, Asian pear, miso vinaigrette, and truffle. Sesame shows up in the form of black seeds, toasted oil, and – see the white stuff by the fork tines? – sesame powder. Yes, Chef Bucco plays with chemistry (maltodextrin in this case) and the latest technologies, but never just for effect. If you have never grasped the concept of umami, this dish will enlighten you. If it were an IPO, I'd invest in it.
my husband declared it the best textured salmon he has ever had. It's encrusted with horseradish crumbs (not as dark as it appears here) and that's horseradish creme anchoring it. Pickled fennel adds a note of anise; arugula one of pepper. It's hard to see, but resting in the cream sauce are red quinoa, cucumber balls the size of peas, and mushroom balls even smaller. All intensely flavorful. How is this accomplished?
This photo doesn't do justice to the tasting of lamb with smoked polenta, braised endive, and romesco sauce. In addition to the rosy seared loin medallions shown, it includes meltingly tender chunks of braised shank, a rib bone (which, I'm embarrassed to say I picked up with my hands and gnawed), and – wait for it – sweetbreads.
Our photography skills lapsed again as we dug into a moist cake made with Terhune Orchards apples accompanied by fig-balsamic puree, raisin chutney, and creme fraiche ice cream, as well as fresh figs and nasturtium leaves. Another showstopper is panna cotta made with Valley Shepherd sheep's milk yogurt with a puree of local basil seeds and bits of tropical fruits – fresh and manipulated – including star fruit, kiwi, and pineapple.
The coffee service shown reminds me of other elegant appointments, which included a Laguiole steak knife for my lamb course, world-class wine glasses, and ultra-luxuriant napkins. You can end your meal with one of 7 French press coffees. If tea is your thing, among the loose leaf choices are a biodynamic one and City Harvest Green, for which 20% goes to that worthy organization.
There will be at least another week of preview dinners at the Ryland, with reservations now being accepted on OpenTable for October 1 and beyond. Keep in mind that the menu and much else are being tweaked, so the dishes I enjoyed may or may not be what you encounter. Rest assured, though, that they will be of that caliber.
Wondering about prices? Well, these also may fluctuate, but here's some idea of what to expect: a la carte starters range from $10 (that celeric soup, for instance) to $16 (grilled Spanish octopus with cranberry beans, feta, pine nuts, salsa verde). Entrees, $27 for Amish chicken breast with roasted root vegetables, hazelnut puree, and tarragon jus, to $36 for the tasting of lamb. Desserts, $9 to $12. During previews a 7-course chef's degustation is $85.
Wines are, to my mind, similarly reasonable. We ordered two reds by the glass, to go with the salmon and lamb respectively. Our lead server, Marc, made excellent, knowing choices for us after asking about our wine predilections.
This entry was posted in Restaurants and tagged Anthony Bucco, City Harvest tea, Frank Cretella Landmark Hospitality, Jeanne Cretella, Open Table, Ryland In review, Ryland Inn, Van Cleef Engineering. Bookmark the permalink.
Pat, you're making me very hungry!
Oh man, I can't wait to try this. If only I had a free weekend in October to come up to NJ…!
more surprises to come I should suspect!


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'Suicide Squad': 'RoboCop' star Joel Kinnaman 'in talks' to replace Tom Hardy
Nick Levine Feb 16, 2015 3:53 pm GMT
Will Smith, Jared Leto, Viola Davis and Cara DeLevigne are already on board for super-villain film
RoboCop actor Joel Kinnaman is reportedly being lined up to replace Tom Hardy in Warner Bros' forthcoming super-villain ensemble movie Suicide Squad.
When Warner Bros announced the film's impressive cast in December, Hardy was on board to play Rick Flag opposite Jared Leto as The Joker, Will Smith as Deadshot, Jai Courtney as Boomerang, BAFTA Rising Star award nominee Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Cara DeLevigne as Enchantress.
However, a scheduling clash forced Hardy to pull out of the project last month (January) and Jake Gyllenhaal was reportedly offered the role of Rick Flag before turning it down.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kinnaman is now "in early talks" to take on the role of Rick Flag, though the publication's sources warn that "any deal being discussed could fall apart". As well as fronting last year's RoboCop reboot, Swedish actor Kinnaman, 35, is best known for starring in the US remake of The Killing.
Shooting on Suicide Squad is due to begin in April with Fury director David Ayer behind the camera. The film is scheduled for release on August 5, 2016.
In addition to the first batch of cast members (Smith, Leto, Robbie, Courtney and DeLevigne), Viola Davis has officially signed up for a supporting role as Amanda Waller. Davis's character is a government agent who is often put in charge of the 'suicide squad', a group of super-villains working for the government in return for their freedom.
It has also been rumoured that Jesse Eisenberg will appear as Lex Luthor, the villainous role he will take on in next year's Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice, but this has yet to be confirmed by Warner Bros.


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Johnson's alternative to the backstop would be just as 'undemocratic'
Alasdair Smith is an Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Sussex and is a member of the UK Trade Policy Observatory
The adjective 'undemocratic' has for a few weeks now been mysteriously attached to the Ireland backstop provision in the Withdrawal Agreement. The prime minister's letter of August 19th to Donald Tusk, president of the EU Council, at least explained why: the backstop is said to be undemocratic because it binds the UK after Brexit into EU trade and regulatory policies in which it will have no say.
This is not a new idea. From early on in the Brexit debates, many economists assumed there would be compelling economic incentives for a post-Brexit UK to remain in the European Economic Area (EEA). Alan Winters pointed out that this would mean the UK would have to pay (financial contributions to the EU) and obey (EU rules) but with no say (in setting the rules). The Irish backstop is not the same as the EEA, but 'obey with no say' is the 'undemocratic' objection.
The prime minister's solution is that the backstop should be replaced by alternative arrangements for the Irish border which would allow the UK to choose its own different trade and regulatory policies. There is widespread agreement that no such alternative arrangements are currently available.
Tina Perrett August 28th, 2019
Posted In: UK- EU
Tags: backstop, Boris, Brexit, democracy, Johnson


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Why UC is a must for hybrid workplaces
Unified Communications (UC) is one of the most critical investments for any company to invest in. Primarily because of the importance of communication and connectivity in a business' operations. And as we discussed in a previous post, having a single system to handle all aspects of communication, like voice and online, makes it convenient to deploy, while providing considerable savings for the business so it can invest in the more crucial aspects.
And given the sudden prevalence of remote work in the wake of the pandemic, alongside an increasing number of employees saying they prefer a hybrid work model which aims to balance the need to work from an office space and the desire to work elsewhere, having a reliable communication system with UC becomes more crucial than ever.
We shall take a closer look at what makes UC an essential element for any hybrid work environment.
A single system to use and manage
With many people preferring "all-in-ones" to do a variety of tasks for the sake of convenience and save time and money, the same is true for communication solutions. Especially now that communication has gone beyond voice and into other platforms and channels as well. An all-in-one communication system is also much easier to manage for your IT team and security professionals. You can provision cloud-based communication tools to remote teams in seconds and ensure everyone remains secure with regular patches and updates.
Consistent experiences anywhere
With people dividing their time between the workplace and home (sometimes, even in a different location altogether) for their work, it is of utmost importance that there will be a consistent experience in the usage of UC technology at any location, with no noticeable drop in quality. The good thing about this consistent experience is that it is not only carried over across physical environments but also across platforms and devices, making it less confusing for the team so they can get to work wherever they are in no time.
Flexible licensing
Unified Communication is a flexible and agile platform that can be tailored according to the needs of a particular business at any time. This is advantageous especially for small businesses that do not have the resources or the stature yet available for the apps they might be looking into. In fact, most UC vendors offer a range of licensing options, allowing companies to add and remove users or features whenever they need them.
Easy access to innovation
A good UC solution should make it easier for the business and its staff to access cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, IoT technology, and even extended reality and enjoy the benefits they provide. Such technologies will be crucial for the business to further evolve and be at the forefront while also be more prepared to meet the complex challenges ahead.
Improved collaboration
Unified Communications has evolved to a point where it no longer just serves to connect teams together across different platforms like voice, fax, or chat. With its rich set of capabilities, UC has made it possible for greater and improved collaboration, allowing for real-time brainstorming and feedback. Team members can now communicate face to face even in a virtual setting while files can be accessed over the cloud and with improved so teams can work together virtually. This ensures that even if team members are dispersed across different locations, the work continues as smoothly as possible.
Good UC systems have built-in security included in their infrastructure, ensuring the information being relayed by the UC remains safe, compliant, and secure. Security teams can access administrative controls which allow them to control the kind of access team members have to certain tools, as well as what kind of security systems are in place. There are also fewer tools to track across multiple work locations, fewer threats to worry about, and more control over things like data retention policies and compliance.
Greater reliability
A strong Unified Communication system enables continued productivity no matter what happens in a given environment. As a cloud-powered solution, businesses are assured that their teams continue to have access to the features they need, no matter what might happen on a given day. In fact, UC providers can offer guaranteed uptime agreements and failover systems in place for extra peace of mind.
With these benefits, there is no reason for any business today to not implement a Unified Communications solution, especially if they value survival and growth in an increasingly competitive world.