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Client sues Russian mobile operator for $500 mln for writing off six minutes of trafficBusiness & Economy August 17, 14:45
Russian government earmarks $67 mln to fight HIVSociety & Culture August 17, 14:42
Man in Moscow charged with human trafficking for trying to sell four womenSociety & Culture August 17, 14:37
Russian football chief rules out Moscow as venue for Russia-Iran friendly matchSport August 17, 14:30
Russia's defense contractor to display new cluster bomb at Army-2017 showMilitary & Defense August 17, 13:41
Press review: Russia boosts military potential and Donbass awaits crucial meetingPress Review August 17, 13:00
Justice Ministry adds Jehovah’s Witnesses to list of organizations outlawed in RussiaWorld August 17, 12:50
Moscow Zoo welcomes pygmy hippopotamus OliviaSociety & Culture August 17, 12:48
Russia’s new MC-21 airliner to climb to 11km altitude in flight testsBusiness & Economy August 17, 12:31
MOSCOW, April 24. /TASS/. The annual number of launches of cargo spacecraft Progress will be reduced to three a year from four as of 2016, the new draft of the federal space program for 2016-2025 says.
In 2018 and 2019 one Progress spacecraft will be launched not from Baikonur, in Kazakhstan, but from the new spaceport Vostochny, currently under construction.
Under the new program the dates for re-equipping the orbital cluster of socio-economic and research satellites of a new generation are postponed by two to five years.
"A number of works have been eliminated from the program and financing reduced of the basic products and cutting-edge technologies, control systems, and research and development," the draft space program runs.
Originally two versions of the program were proposed - inertial and rational. The specialists eventually opted for the latter.
Although the rational option envisages a reduction of clusters of satellites used for communication, remote sensing of the Earth and fundamental space research to the minimum required level, at the same time it guarantees implementation of tasks contained in the document entitled Basics of Space Activities Policy for creating a new generation manned spacecraft, other new generation infrastructures for orbital spaceflights and their flight-testing. By 2025 the readiness for a manned voyage around the mood is to be ensured," the draft space program says.


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REQUIREMENTS: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.
Learn, Fold, Fly!
Show off building top of the line paper airplanes from award winning designs. Learn how to build exotic attackers to floating gliders in Paper Airplanes - an iPhone application.
- Step by step instructions for over 20 designs are easy to follow and learn
- Gesture controls (Shake at home screen for a random pose.)
- Test your skills and memory against built in timers
- Record lists of your own favorites in no time
- Filter through different course offerings!
- Fun for the whole family!
Glide into the future with Paper Airplanes for the iPhone!
Our favorite applications include-
Yoga Trainer, Simcity, Tetris and Origami Madness
- New Visual Search with Thumbnails makes search faster and easier
- Improved stability for 3.0

domain: design


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Philadelphia, PA - Office Market Overview
The Philadelphia Metropolitan Area includes the Eastwick, Logan Square, and Navy Yard office space submarkets. With a metropolitan population of over 2.1 million, Philadelphia is known as 'The City of Brotherly Love' and is one of the main historic and cultural centers of American history. Bioscience, financial services, and tourism are three of the primary drivers of the economy in the city and create demand for white-collar office space in the metro area.
As of mid-2017 the Greater Philadelphia office market encompasses over 60 million square feet of existing office space in properties larger than 50,000 square feet. Demand for Philadelphia commercial real estate is also created by the world-class research and educational institutions in the city.
Philadelphia, PA - Office Inventory Description
As the center for economic activity in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia is home to seven Fortune 1000 companies and has been ranked as a city that is an important link within the global economic system by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group & Network.
With a gross metropolitan product of $109 billion annually, there is consistently strong demand from tenants, national and international investors for the white-collar office product in Philadelphia. Nearly 61% of the office inventory in Philadelphia is Class A or A+, with Class B office product accounting for 35% of space on the market.
The Old City office market is home to some of the most historic, Class A office buildings in the metropolitan area. Located along the Delaware River, between Walnut and Spring Garden Streets, the area is home to trophy office property such as Constitution Place, The Bourse, and Riverview Place at 520 North Delaware Avenue.
Philadelphia, PA Commercial Inventory Breakdown
Total: 75,955,806 SF
By square footage range:
- 50k to 100k SF: 5,718,977 SF / 7.53% of total office
- 100k to 500k SF: 22,577,373 SF / 29.72% of total office
- 500k to 1M SF: 33,345,688 SF / 43.9% of total office
- > 1M SF: 14,313,768 SF / 18.84% of total office
- Class A+: 15,418,232 SF / 20.3% of total office
- Class A: 29,535,912 SF / 38.89% of total office
- Class B: 21,397,821 SF / 28.17% of total office
- Class C: 1,596,353 SF / 2.1% of total office
Philadelphia, PA - Green Office Space
The 2017 National Green Building Adoption Index surveyed the top 30 major markets in the U.S. for the adoption of energy-efficient green office building standards. Philadelphia just missed winning a top 10 ranking, coming in at #11 for percentage of green buildings.
3.0 University Place is an excellent example of a green office building in Philadelphia. Proposed for a LEED Platinum certification, this six-story building on 4101 Market Street in the West Powelton neighborhood has nearly 201,000 square feet of space, including ground-floor retail.
Of the office buildings larger than 50,000 square feet in Philadelphia, over 2% are LEED-certified, over 12% have an Energy Star rating, and over 13% of the large office buildings in the city are recognized as being green buildings. In mid-2017, the percentage of green office buildings in the top 30 U.S. markets has reached 38%, while 12 years ago less than 5% of the office space in the country was energy-efficient to current standards.
Philadelphia, PA's Top Office-Using Sectors
The demand for Class A white-collar office space and commercial real estate in Philadelphia is driven by a vibrant mix of both public and private business sectors, including major research universities, financial services, professional services, and Fortune 1000 companies.
- Education & Research – Major research universities such as Drexel University, Temple University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the venture capital industry they attract, all create demand for Class A office space in Philadelphia.
- Financial Services – Philadelphia is home to the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, insurance company Colonial Penn, the Federal Reserve Bank, and numerous other financial services companies that are among the top office-using sectors in the city.
- Professional Services – The American Law Institute, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, and ten of the 100 largest law firms in the U.S. including Morgan Lewis, and Duane Morris, all create tremendous need for white-collar office space.
- Fortune 1000 – The numerous businesses headquartered in Philadelphia are also top users of office space in the city, including CIGNA, Comcast, Aramark, Crown Holdings, FMC, and GlaxoSmithKline.
- Total Population1,569,657
- Male Population(47.3 %) 742,412
- Female Population(52.7 %) 827,245
- Median Age34.10
- Average Household Income$60,517
- Median Household Income$40,649
- Median Income Under 25$20,445
- Median Income 25-44$47,790
- Median Income 45-64$43,470
- Median Income Over 65$29,206
CRE Events to Attend in the Second Half of 2019
July 12, 2019
The calendar is starting to stack up with a range of exciting Commercial Real Estate (CRE) events to attend in the second half of 2019. Here is an extensive list of the upcoming shows, expos, and CRE events. New England Conference & Deal Making July 16 – 17, 2019, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. Thi...
Office Building Prices in the Top CBDs
July 10, 2019
There are many variables to consider when looking for commercial assets. You may be looking to lease space for your company or to purchase a building outright as an investment. Every market across the country has its own pros and cons, but historically the central business district is where the ...
Office Building of the Week: The Widener Building
May 24, 2019
Located at 1 South Penn Square at the very heart of Philadelphia, the Widener Building is an emblematic architectural gem that has been a key part of the cityscape for over a century. The iconic edifice was designed and built by Horace Trumbauer, a local builder-planner, and hailed today as one ...

domain: geography


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You write an awesome song. You put your heart into it. You save hard earned money to record. You put the best of yourself into making beautiful art. Then you release it into a world that values potato chips and unused gym memberships more than music. Truth is: your music matters, it is valuable, and it is generous. Thank you.
My name is Zach Hughes. I serve self-publishing singer-songwriters and artists. You can find me @heyzachhughes on IG.
First off, if you're an artist, thanks for doing what you do. You make beautiful art. That is noble and honorable work. Thank you.
If you're here that means you probably need help with production, mixing or mastering. I might be a good fit. I would encourage you to listen to my work before contacting me. Listen to my work on this Spotify playlist:
Here's my disclaimer:
If your song has real instruments in it, such as an acoustic guitar, then I strongly believe I will do a great job. If your music does not have real instrumentation, then I would recommend you look elsewhere.
My works generate millions of streams every month. My production & mix of "If You Were the Rain" written and performed by Stephen Day charted at #2 on Spotify's Global Viral Chart.
I value open communication and candor. I work efficiently. I will keep you in the loop every step of way.
Thank you for your consideration.
I'd love to hear about your project. Click the 'Contact' button above to get in touch.
5 Reviews - 1 Repeat ClientEndorse Zach Hughes @heyzachhughes
Zach did a really beautiful job mastering a track of mine. He was also willing to go the extra mile to help me out when I wanted to hear alternate versions. He is clearly very talented and also kind. Highly recommend.
Zach is absolutely tremendous. His attention to detail was patently clear from start to finish and he saw my song through several stages of revision with patience and encouragement. Zach was able to hear things in this song (both technically and artistically) that I couldn't, and to bring this to completion in a wonderful way. Hope to have the chance to work with him again!
I couldn’t be happier with my first ever time using SoundBetter because I was able to land this incredible opportunity to collaborate with Zach. The entire process was not only pleasant and professional, but every bit of exciting and inspiring as a songwriter/musician would want a creative collaboration to be. If you’re looking for someone who understands the analog sound thoroughly and you want your track to shine, look no further. Will 100% be coming back for future business!
Where to start with Zach Hughes? We've been working together for 5 years now (!!) and he somehow wormed his way into my little heart, even managing to land a coveted groomsman spot in my wedding last year. Still not sure how he did that. Anywho. Zach is a meticulous and deeply thoughtful tracking and mix engineer. He's much more than a technician though; he's a great guitarist and a better friend, and he's always up for trying something new or different. He will shoot you straight if you let him, and I would highly recommend doing so. Everything he does is in service of the song.
Zach is an incredibly talented musician, producer, and engineer. He helped me turn my janky demos into quality, professional recordings that I’m extremely proud of. He will pour his heart and soul into fully fleshing out your songs. He is willing to write rad guitar parts, help you experiment with wacky background vocals, create fire mixes, and do so much more to help you realize your vision for your art. Working with him is truly a blast and a wonderful experience.
Interview with Zach Hughes @heyzachhughes
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Soulful. Every song has a soul. My style is to let that soul shine and not crush it with with too much compression, lack of dynamic range, high frequency additive shelfs, etc...
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Listen to my work. Listen to the other providers work. Have a goal. Have a vision. Determine who you work with based off how well they can help you achieve your goals. If you don't have a goal and you don't have a vision, then you may not be ready to hire a provider.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Gear is not the answer.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I picked up guitar at 10 years old. I started writing songs at 15. I earned my degree in Audio Engineering Technology at 22. I worked shitty jobs and hustled to get freelance audio gigs for two years. I started doing full-time music in 2017. Now I'm here to help you.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Glen Hansard. He has my heart.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Yes I can. Background vocals can turn a good production into a great production. I would encourage you to experiment with harmonies, layers, doubles, etc... I love making pads from vocal layers because it's a sound no one else in the world can replicate.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I primarily work with local artists & bands in Nashville. They play real instruments. Indie folk, pop, rock, alternative, singer-songwriter, etc...
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: I'm good at starting and finishing projects. I work deeply and can enter into hyper extreme super duper focus mode.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I built a 600 sq ft detached studio building in my backyard. There's a very cool story spotlight chronicling the process on my Instagram @lostharbormusic.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I help independent artists produce music.

domain: artistic


Ithaca auto & burglar 20 gauge - firearm blog, In 1921 the ithaca company created a smooth bore handgun from their standard model shotgun the flues. these handy little handguns were christened the auto. Welcome fortune city customers | dotster, Welcome fortune city customers. fortune city is now dotster. with this change, you now have 24x7 support. don't hesitate to call our support team toll free at 800-401. Upcoming auction - horst auction center, Horst auction center “the voices of experience” gun auction october 4, 2014 -- 9 am . printable gun list. click here for accessories list. click here for important. Colt revolvers - modern percussion sale, Browse all new and used colt revolvers - modern percussion for sale and buy with confidence from guns international..
I buy firing pin rossi double barrel 12 ga shotgun hammers. firing pins broke chock hammer . The rossi model 971 (assumed blued stainless) valued $250.00 usd excellent condition. stainless $275.00 excellent condition.. Used interarms amadeo rossi .. model overland sxs double barrel coach 12-gauge shotgun. chambered 3" shells, 20-1/4" barrels, double trigger, wood stock .


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2021 Super Game Console X Pro Retro Video Games WiFi 4k HDMI TV 2 Controllers US. Brand New and High Quality. Latest retro video game console that is equipped with 64G, 128G, or 256G TF card. Comes with up to 50,000 games in the 256G TF card, and you can always download more games. Built-in S905X chip that is extremely powerful with more than 45 types of emulators.
4-core ARM Cortex-A53 CPU, 5-core Mali-450 graphics processor. Support 4K Ultra HD TV video output (1080P / 720P) and monitors/projectors with HDMI input. Comes with 2 wireless controllers that allows you to enjoy all the games together for a fantastic gaming experience. Support wired and WiFi to connect to the network that allows you to download the games you want to play. The controller has up to 10 meters long-distance signal transmission so you can lay back on your couch and enjoy your games.
Available in multiple languages English, Russian, Korean, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, French, Dutch, etc. Support for PS1 / PSP / SFC / N64 / DS / MD / MAME / GBC / GBA / GB / FBA / FC etc.
Listing and template services provided by inkFrog. The item "2021 Super Game Console X Pro Retro Video Games WiFi 4k HDMI TV 2 Controllers US" is in sale since Thursday, August 5, 2021. This item is in the category "Video Games & Consoles\Video Game Consoles". The seller is "ratedelectronics" and is located in Hayward, California. This item can be shipped worldwide.

domain: entertainment


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A parish comprising the chapelries of Blatchinworth and Todmorden, and the townships of Butterworth, Castleton, Spotland (Further Side), Spotland (Nearer Side), Walsden, Wardleworth, and Wuerdale with Wardle, in the hundred of SALFORD, county palatine of LANCASTER, and the Chapelry of Saddleworth with Quick, in the upper division of the wapentake of AGBRIGG, West riding of the county of YORK, and containing 61,011 inhabitants; the market town of Rochdale being situated partly in the townships of Castleton, Spotland, and Wardleworth, 50 miles (S.E.) from Lancaster, and 198 (N.N.W.) from London.
This place takes its name from the river Roche, on which it is situated, and appears, from the name of a part of the vale below Castle Hill, which is called Killer Dane, or Deyne, to have been celebrated for the slaughter of the Danes, who having, in their predatory incursions, penetrated into this part of the county, met with a signal overthrow.
The castle, from which the township of Castleton has its name, and of which the keep still remains, was one of the twelve Saxon forts which, probably, were destroyed in the frequent conflicts that took place between the Saxons and Danes in the tenth and eleventh centuries. The Roman Watling-street, leading from Mancunium to Cambodanum, traversed this parish; and in the neighbourhood have been found various Roman antiquities, among which were some brass coins of the reign of Claudius, and the right arm of a silver statue of Victory, ten inches in length, and weighing nearly six ounces, having about the wrist a loose armilla, and another united to it above the elbow; attached to the former was a plate of silver, inscribed Victoriae Leg. VI. Vioc. Val. Rufus. V.S.L.M.; and near Rochdale, in 1820, was found a small iron box, containing a rouleau of brass coins of the Lower Empire in good preservation.
Rochdale is not distinguished by any events of historical interest, but owes its importance to the extent of its manufactures, which are comparatively of recent introduction, and to the produce of the mines of coal, and quarries of slate and stone, with which the district abounds.
The town is pleasantly situated in a valley on the banks of the river Roche, and consists of several streets, which, though formerly narrow and inconvenient, have been widened, and in other respects greatly improved, under the provisions of an act obtained in the 50th year of the reign of George III. In 1824, a company was formed for the purpose of widening the principal street, and the road from Yorkshire to Lancashire; in which, and in erecting a market-house and town hall, and other public improvements, they have expended more than £40,000.
The stone bridge of three arches over the river Roche has been widened and greatly improved. Within a few paces to the east of it a handsome iron bridge has been constructed, for the accommodation of foot passengers; and about a quarter of a mile to the west is a stone bridge of one arch, connecting the town meadows with Pinfold, by a new line diverging from the old Bury road.
The houses are chiefly built of brick, but several of the most substantial and respectable in the town and its vicinity are built of the fine freestone from the neighbouring quarries; the town is well paved, lighted with gas by a company established in 1824, whose works were erected at an expense of £12,000, and amply supplied with water brought from small rivulets near Moor-End, into four large reservoirs in Castleton, by a company established under an act of George III.
The environs are pleasant, abounding with fertile vales sheltered by a range of high hills, called Blackstone Edge, and containing many handsome villas, and agreeable walks. From Summer Castle, an ancient mansion, the late residence of Charles Smith, Esq., a celebrated sporting character, an extensive view is obtained of the town, and the surrounding hills and dales.
The public subscription library and news-rooms are well supported; a Horticultural Society has been established, and is extensively patronized; there are several billiard-rooms; and a small neat theatre is occasionally opened; concerts take place in the public assembly-rooms, and races are held annually during the first week in July, which are well attended. A cricket club has been recently established, and there are various other sources of recreation.
The principal branches of manufacture are those of baize, flannel, coating, herseys, and woollen broad cloth; calicoes and strong cotton goods are made to a very considerable extent, and, within the also last few years, the spinning of cotton has been introduced with success, and is making rapid progress; the making of hats also constitutes an important part of the trade of this place. The factories are very extensive, and are increasing in number, and the town is gradually assuming a due share of importance as regards others in the manufacturing districts of Yorkshire and Lancashire.
Since the American Tariff took place, the flannel trade has considerably declined, but the other branches of manufacture are prosperous: the woollen trade employs twelve thousand persons, and produces about eight thousand pieces weekly; and the cotton trade furnishes employment to about six thousand persons.
The number of steam-engines in the town and neighbourhood amounts to fifty-seven, being equal in power to nine hundred and forty-eight horses.
The Rochdale canal, communicating with the Duke of Bridgewater’s canal at Manchester, and the Aire and Calder canal, afford a facility of intercourse with the ports of Liverpool and Hull, and with the whole line of inland navigation: convenient quays and wharfs, for the loading and unloading of goods, have been constructed on the banks of the canal, and the basin is very capacious.
The market days are Monday and Saturday, the former for corn, wool, and manufactured articles of flannel; the latter for provisions of all kinds. The fairs are, May 14th, Whit-Tuesday, and November 7th, for horses, cattle, and pedlary; there is also a fair, or rather a great mart, for wares, on the first Monday in every month, which is generally well attended.
The parish is within the jurisdiction of the county magistrates, of whom some reside near the town; and the lord of the manor holds a court leet twice a year, and a court baron every third week, at which latter debts under 40s. are recoverable.
The town hall is a neat and substantial building of brick, and contains an elegant saloon, in which the merchants and traders meet for the transaction of business, and for reading the news-papers. The gaol for the town, called the New Bailey, is a convenient building, adjoining the workhouse.
The living is a vicarage, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Chester, rated in the King’s books at £11.4.9-1/2., and in the patronage of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The church, dedicated to St. Chad, is a spacious and venerable structure, in the early style of English architecture, with a square embattled tower, crowned with pinnacles; the interior has some few remains of Norman character, and contains many ancient monuments, and an antique font; the churchyard is extensive, and a new cemetery has been added to it, which is peculiar for the neatness of its arrangement. The building stands on a lofty eminence, to which there is an ascent of one hundred and twenty-four steps from the lower part of the town.
St. Mary’s chapel, a neat brick building, was erected in 1744, as a chapel of ease to the vicarage.
The chapel dedicated to St. James, a handsome edifice of stone, in the later style of English architecture, with a square embattled tower, was erected in 1820: the living is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of the Vicar.
There are several places of worship for Baptists, the Society of Friends, Independents, Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists, and Unitarians, and a Roman Catholic chapel.
The free grammar school was founded, in 1565, by Archbishop parker, and the school premises were erected on a piece of ground given for that purpose, by the Rev. Richard Midgley, then vicar of the parish; the original endowment of £17 per annum for the master, and £2 for the usher, payable out of the archbishop’s tithes, has been augmented by subsequent benefactions: the institution is open to all boys of the parish for gratuitous instruction, who pay £6.6. per annum to the master for the other branches of their education.
The school has an interest, in turn with the schools of Middleton, in this county, and of Steeple-Aston, in the county of Oxford, in two scholarships founded at Brasenose College, Oxford, by Dr. Radcliffe, Principal of that college.
The Moss school, so called from its situation on Vicar’s Moss was founded, in 1769, by Mrs. Jane Hardman, who endowed it with two small estates, for the instructing of thirty boys and girls: the master’s salary, originally £40, has, from the improvement in the funds, been increased to £100, and forty boys and twenty girls are instructed in reading, writing, and accounts; the latter are also taught sewing and knitting.
A National school was erected in and is supported by subscription; there are nearly two hundred children instructed in this establishment, and there are Sunday schools in connection with the established church and the dissenting congregations, in which more than three thousand children receive instruction.
Numerous bequests have been made for the relief of the poor.
About a mile and a half from the town, on the banks of the river Roach, is a romantic spot, called “Tyrone’s bed,” where, according to generally received tradition, the Earl of Tyrone was concealed, when he fled from Ireland, in 1603, after his unsuccessful efforts to release his countrymen from the English yoke: the whole transaction with a sketch of his life, has been interestingly narrated by Mr. Roby, of this town, in his “Traditions of Lancashire.”
The eccentric Mr. John Collier, a schoolmaster, painter, poet, and caricaturist, better known by the appellation of Tim Bobbin, resided here for many years.
Rochdale gives the tile of baron to the family of Byron.
From: A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis. Vol. III, London, 1831, pages 617-618.
Entered here 3 February 2013 by K. Knott

domain: history


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domain: economics


Odds slashed on Kate Miller-Heidke winning Eurovision after second rehearsal
The Aussie singer-songwriter has been shortening in odds since arriving in Tel Aviv.
After making her rehearsal debut at the Eurovision stage in Tel Aviv over the weekend, bookmakers have slashed the price of Aussie entrant, Kate Miller-Heidke, claiming the 2019 Eurovision crown.
Bookies have cut odds from $51 to $34 after a flurry of betting in the last 24 hours which has seen her account for 20% of all bets placed.
In fact, the Aussie singer-songwriter has accounted for 10% more bets than favourites the Netherlands ($2.50) & Russia ($5.50).
Oddschecker Australia spokesman James Baxter; ‘After coming agonisingly close in 2016 with Dami Im, it seems like Europe is starting to warm to another Aussie songstress. ’
“Kate Miller-Heidke is an amazing artist and after a spectacular performance in rehearsals, the world is now discovering just how special she is.’


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Keller Park State Recreation Area, northeast of Ainsworth on Bone Creek, is one of the few spots where anglers can pursue both rainbow trout and warm water species. Nestled amid rugged tree-covered bluffs, the 196-acre area offers excellent angling, along with camping, hiking and wildlife viewing, among other activities.
Keller Park State Recreation Area offers seven water acres in five ponds. Anglers will find bluegill, channel catfish and largemouth bass. Catchable-size trout are stocked in lakes 4 and 5. The park also offers access to Bone Creek, where anglers can find rainbow trout.
For more information on fishing opportunities here and at parks across the state, visit the interactive public fishing areas map. This map provides detailed information on available species, regulations, public boat ramps, fish cleaning stations and ADA-accessible boat ramps and docks, among other features in reservoirs, lakes, streams and rivers statewide. Lake contour maps are available for some lakes, as well.
Only electric motor and non-powered boats are permitted at Keller Park. There are no boat ramps or docks.
Hiking is a popular activity at Keller Park, and a rustic footbridge across Bone Creek adds charm to the stroll.
Keller Park is a mecca for all sorts of wildlife, from songbirds to whitetails and an occasional mule deer. During the spring and fall migrations, whispering wings will include ducks such as mallards, teal and shovelers, as well as hawks and perhaps an eagle or two. Sharp-eyed bird watchers might spot sandhill cranes as they fly overhead and maybe even a rare whooping crane stopping over on the nearby Niobrara River.
Keller Park offers beautiful spots for picnicking and has 54 picnic tables, 45 grills and one shelter (without electricity).
A park entry permit is required and may be purchased at statewide Game and Parks offices and permit vendors or in advance of your arrival online.VIEW ALL PARK FEES
Address: Keller Park SRA | Ainsworth, NE 68714-0508
From Ainsworth, Keller Park SRA is 5 miles east and 9 miles north of US Hwy 20 on US Hwy 183.
Email: Send email

domain: travel


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The VICTORY RECORDS Fall 2014 Merchandise Catalog is now online and available for download. Check out new designs and merch items from A DAY TO REMEMBER, EMMURE, COMEBACK KID, REVEREND HORTON HEAT, ILL NIÑO, COUNTERPARTS, ISLANDER and many more.Continue Reading →
Get a behind the scenes look as CLOSE YOUR EYES preps, sets up, and completely takes over the stage at this year’s Vans Warped Tour with their latest music video, “Line In The Sand”. The title track from their 2014 release, “Line In The Sand” demonstrates positive hardcore at its finest; catchy riffs, gang vocals, crowd participation, and a passionate message delivered with endless and uplifting energy.
Head over to Alternative Press and watch “Line In The Sand” now.
CLOSE YOUR EYES have been announced as part of the complete 2014 Vans Warped Tour. See the full list of Warped Tour dates and watch the brand new CLOSE YOUR EYES music video for "The Kings Of John Payne". CLOSE YOUR EYES’ new digital EP, Prepackaged Hope, is also available on iTunes and Amazon MP3.Continue Reading →
CLOSE YOUR EYES premieres their brand new music video for the track “Kings Of John Payne” on VEVO. Taken from their latest album Line In The Sand, CLOSE YOUR EYES have combined punching lyricism with impassioned harmonies to create a truly dynamic, refreshing hardcore experience.
Watch “Kings Of John Payne” now!
The VICTORY RECORDS Spring 2014 Merchandise Catalog is now online and available for download. Check out new designs and merch items from EMMURE, COMEBACK KID, A DAY TO REMEMBER, REVEREND HORTON HEAT, COUNTERPARTS, CLOSE YOUR EYES, THE BUNNY THE BEAR and many more.Continue Reading →
Victory Records will be releasing six limited-edition colored vinyl records exclusively for Record Store Day 2014 next Saturday, April 19th.
After being out of print for over 10 years, we are bringing back these classic Victory Records titles:
- BURIED ALIVE – The Death Of Your Perfect World will be repressed on a grey putty LP which will be limited to 900 copies.
- EARTH CRISIS – Gomorrah’s Season Ends will be repressed on a solid yellow LP which will be limited to 900 copies.
- STRIFE – In This Defiance will be repressed on a solid white LP which will be limited to 800 copies and a solid neon green LP which will be limited to only 100 copies and will be available randomly.
Additionally, we will be releasing the initial vinyl pressings of these Victory Records titles:
- CLOSE YOUR EYES – Prepackaged Hope will be pressed on a clear red 7" vinyl which will be limited to 900 copies.
- BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME – Colors_Live will be pressed as a solid red double LP which will be limited to 1,400 copies.
- JUNGLE ROT – Kill On Command will be pressed on a solid red LP which will be limited to 900 copies.
CLOSE YOUR EYES and Guitar World invite you to find the nearest pick and play along to “The End”, the single from their newest album, Line In The Sand. Called their “passionate and triumphant return” to melodic hardcore by Rock Sound, Line In The Sand “finds the quintet sounding more assured than ever.”
Watch the Guitar World demo for “The End” here.
The latest releases from CLOSE YOUR EYES, SEEKER and NEUROTIC NOVEMBER are included in this month's "Here's The Metal" promotion. Find your nearest participating independent record store to get CLOSE YOUR EYES – Line In The Sand, SEEKER - Unloved and NEUROTIC NOVEMBER - Anunnaki on sale now. Each album is on sale digitally for only $5.99 this month at Google Play. Additionally, a track from each release is featured in a free "Here's The Metal" Sampler available now at Google Play. Visit www.heresthemetal.com for more information.Continue Reading →
CLOSE YOUR EYES vocalist Sam Ryder and guitarist/vocalist Brett Callaway take you track-by-track and discuss what went into making each song on their new album, Line In The Sand. Watch the video on APTV here. Stay tuned for the official premiere of "The End" music video on Fuse, January 1st.Continue Reading →
Watch the nomination video here and vote for your favorites here.
Who will you be voting for?
Continue Reading →
Listen to the full stream now. Continue Reading →
Purchase both songs now at iTunes, AmazonMP3 and your favorite digital retailers. CLOSE YOUR EYES' headlining tour dates with label-mates ISLANDER which will be covering the Midwest and southern US can be seen HERE.
Brett and Sam from CLOSE YOUR EYES discuss the recent line-up changes and details about new album, Line In The Sand, in an exclusive piece with Rock Sound. Continue Reading →
Watch “The End” here.
Continue Reading →
Continue Reading →


Overseeing the planning, design, management and construction of a project is no easy feat. If a construction project is taking place on or close to the streets, the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, seniors, drivers, and people with disabilities must be considered. The government requires all projects that will interfere with road usage and safety to employ flagging and traffic control services throughout the work sites. It is crucial to employ the right flagging and traffic control company to meet traffic management guidelines, project goals and the safety of the road users.
Here are important points to consider when choosing a flagging company for your project:
You must manage traffic if your project is taking place on or near streets, sidewalks and lanes. First, you should have a business license and a permit for your project. Then you need to come up with a thorough traffic management plan before the work begins on site. A good traffic management plan includes criteria such as:
- Project schedule
The start and expected completion dates of the project and provide the sequences of the planned operations.
- Mobility impact
How the project will impact all road users. For each potential impact, you should clearly outline the measures to alleviate issues that will affect road users.
- Community accommodation
Parking and traffic inconvenience for residents and businesses, and you should outline how your company will accommodate the parking demand around the traffic control zone.
- Traffic control devices
Includes a Traffic Control Plan drawing, displaying appropriate signage, spacing, pavement markings, building zones and site access.
- A communication plan
Includes all main contact personnel and a list of affected agencies, businesses, strata, and property owners with a sample notice letter of the proposed traffic control.
Whether it’s a long-term, short-term or large-scale project, a good flagging company should cover these components during the planning process.
Experience and Safety
- Certified Professionals
Seek out a company that has highly trained flaggers, lane control technicians and TCP certified professionals that can maintain exceptional public safety on site. Flaggers should have undergone proper onboarding sessions in terms of job site requirement and expectation.
- Customer Service
Additionally, a flagging company that values customer service will ensure that your safety concerns are dealt with efficiently and effectively. Seek out a company that is as passionate about the success of your project as you are.
Relationship and Communication
- Supplier Relationship
Look for a flagging company that is transparent and has a good relationship with suppliers. Ask for references from one of the companies’ suppliers so that you know that they have been keeping a good vendor association. In traffic control and construction industries, there are a lot of heavy equipment and supplies involved. You have to make sure that the company will work with the right suppliers and provide the service on time.
- Regular Updates
Moreover, the company should be updating you on project progress and deployment of supplies and labourers on a regular basis.
- Equipment and Supplies
A major part of a construction project is the cost. You need to properly manage the number of supplies and materials that you need on the site and their prices. When it comes to traffic control on the work site, you should consider the cost of labour (traffic control personnel) and equipment/supplies such as cones, traffic signs, trucks, solar power message boards, windmaster signs, delineators, etc.
- Resource Management
If your project is a short-term one, renting equipment will be more cost effective and if it is a long-term project, you should consider purchasing most of the equipment that you need. The right flagging company can help you decide what the best option for your project is.
Now that you know what to look for in finding the right flagging company, which one should you go for? Refer to our cheat sheet!


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The European Investment Bank (EIB), known as the EU’s bank, is owned by the EU’s Member States. The EIB offers finance and expertise for projects that support innovation, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), infrastructure and climate action. Lending, blending and advising are the three main instruments utilised by the EIB. Some of the most relevant instruments from the perspective of urban mobility are:
- Currently, there are 14 different instruments contributing to supporting investment in the EU, the European fund for strategic investments (EFSI) being the main one. The Commission is proposing to build on the success of the EFSI model and benefitting from economies of scale by merging all instruments currently available to foster investment in the EU.
- The EU budget provides a €26.2 billion guarantee to support strategically important projects across the EU. By crowding in private and public investments, the Commission expects the InvestEU fund to trigger more than €372 billion in additional investment across the EU between 2021 and 2027.
- InvestEU is intended to support four policy areas:
- sustainable infrastructure,
- research, innovation and digitalisation;
- small and medium-sized businesses;
- social investment and skills.
- The InvestEU Portal allows project promoters to reach investors that they may not be able to reach otherwise. The Portal continues the work started under the European Investment Project Portal (EIPP) and is the online EU ‘marketplace’ connecting EU-based project promoters to investors worldwide.
- The InvestEU Advisory Hub will become operational by the end of 2021. It is envisioned as the central entry point for project promoters and intermediaries seeking advisory support and technical assistance related to centrally managed EU investment funds. Managed by the European Commission and financed by the EU budget, the hub connects project promoters and intermediaries with advisory partners, among them the European Investment Bank Group, who work directly together to help projects reach the financing stage. The European Investment Advisory Hub provides funding advice in the meantime.
- The STP – Road Safety Advisory as hosted by the European Investment Advisory Hub (the Hub), is a gateway to advisory services to support the uptake of funding and financing opportunities for projects that improve road safety.
- The European Commission has put forward a new and ambitious road safety agenda, which includes a Road Safety Policy Framework for 2021-2030 and a Strategic Action Plan on Road Safety.
Loan Guarantee Instrument for Trans-European Transport Network Projects (LGTT)
- The LGTT can partially cover risks in public-private-partnership transport projects.
- ELENA is a joint initiative by the EIB and the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 programme. ELENA provides grants, mainly to cities and regions, for technical assistance focused on the implementation of energy efficiency, distributed renewable energy and urban transport projects and programmes.
- The European Commission has allocated a further €35 million towards the initiative with €5 million dedicated to support projects across its sustainable transport portfolio.
- FELICITY is a joint initiative of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). It supports a number of urban sub-sectors including public transport and infrastructure
European Energy Efficiency Fund (EEEF)
- The EEEF aims to promote a sustainable energy market and climate protection by attracting additional capital into climate financing.
InnovFin financing tools
Available under Horizon 2020, this tool covers a wide range of loans, guarantees and equity-type funding.

domain: finance


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This construction set is intended for children aged 3 and over. Colored parts of the construction set develop children’s color perception, and playing with it contributes to the development of fine motor skills of hands and imagination. The designer will interest not only children, but also their parents. This is a great way to spend time with your family, to build together figures of animals, birds, cars, colorful houses and even entire cities (depending on the number of elements).
View cart “Construction set Builder 48 pcs” has been added to your cart.
Construction set Giant 100 pcs rucksack
- Construction set have Constructor “Builder” (Giant, 100 elements) (in a bag)
- Easy to carry blocks with bag
- Intended for children from 3 years old
- Development of fine motor skills of hands and imagination.
- Build fabulous cities with bridges and roads together.
- creative and great way to spend time with your family
- EN certified safe for baby’s health
- Use food colours and high quality plastic


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Inter-school tournament between the higher secondary school of Leh block was concluded on May 7 at Boys Higher secondary School, Leh. In the final handball match Boys, Higher secondary school Leh won the final match beating Lamdon Model Senior Secondary School, Leh by 1 goal.
The tournament was organised by the Department of youth services and sports, Leh. A total of 16 Hr. Secondary Schools of Leh district participated in the tournament.
The chief guest of the occasion, Rakesh Badiyal, ADC, Leh said that sport is such an activity for the student which is good for health as well as it is important for overall development in the career. He also congratulated Abdul Rashid officer District Youth Services and Sports Leh for his retirement on 30 June.
The Department of Youth services and sport had sent team single and double for table tennis boys to Srinagar, to represent Leh at the state level, inter-district tournament. In single they have got the runner up and in double both U-17 and U-19 boys were the winners. The overall championship title of the tournament was given to Leh team.
Recently they have also sent U-17 girls Volleyball team to Srinagar and they have got the third place in the tournament.
Tashi Ladol from Hr. secondary school Khaltse participated in 64th national school game 2015 athletic girls U-17 which was held in Kerala.
Folk dance by the students added more colour to the day.
In the end, certificates and medals were distributed.
Kunzes Dolma, District Education Planning officer, Deldan Angmo, Principal Boys Higher Sec. School Leh, Sonam Dorjay, Headquarter Assistant, Education Department, teachers of different school and students were present.

domain: news


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- GU Pathology
- Hematopathology / Oncology
Step Up to the Next Level™ in GI Pathology Services
PLUS GI pathology team and laboratory technicians bring exceptional care to every GI case. You can expect:
- Expertise. Our GI-trained, experienced and respected pathologists are nationally recognized laboratory leaders who lecture frequently before clinicians and other pathologists.
- Accessibility. PLUS’s professional, personable medical team members are available to discuss pathology findings whenever advisable or at your request.
Quality Assurance / Quality Control
- Performance Pillars. The longstanding success of our innovative GI program is driven by a well-trained histology staff, accurate diagnostics, clear reporting and skilled communicators.
- CLIA-Approved. In strict conformance with CLIA guidelines, PLUS has established robust, company-wide quality controls, resulting in consistency and reproducibility on the assays we run.
- Daily Consensus Conference. By collaborating daily on unusual, difficult and malignant cases, our medical team emulates the practices of prestigious academic institutions.
- Standardized Diagnostic Codes. High quality and consistency are guaranteed. Our medical team all use systematic, consistent diagnostic codes that have been developed with GI clinical input, clinical utility and actionable terms.
- Comprehensive Menu. PLUS performs some 200 different, well-validated tests—for celiac disease, IBD, GERD, H. pylori, neoplastic and inflammatory GI diseases and more—and can guide physicians on recommended follow-up testing and patient therapies.
- Slide Preparation. PLUS histo-techs create highest-quality slides, assisting our pathologists in correctly diagnosing disease.
- Proactive Contact. A PLUS pathologist makes an outbound consultation call to the GI physician in the event of an unusual, malignant or unexpected diagnosis.
- Fast Turn-Around. You can expect your results in 24 to 48 hours.
- Extended Hours. Customer service personnel and PLUS pathologists are available Monday-Friday 8am - 9pm ET and Saturday 9am-3pm ET.
- Easy to Read GI Pathology Reports. Comprehensive, at-a-glance features make PLUS’s GI reports quickly understandable.
- Custom Report Delivery. We will deliver reports by your choice of US Mail, UPS, FedEx, fax, email notification, dedicated remote printer, or online direct delivery to your EMR/EHR. PLUS Diagnostics delivers the highest level of quality for diagnostic consultation and convenience available to gastroenterology physicians.

domain: medical


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Introducing our White Washable PVC Stencil – It is well with my soul (E129). With its beautiful design and convenient size of 28 X 21cm, this stencil is perfect for adding a touch of inspiration to your creative projects.
Our stencils are made from high-quality, reusable PVC material, ensuring durability and ease of use. The white color provides a clean and crisp look, making it suitable for a variety of surfaces and mediums.
The phrase “It is well with my soul” holds a powerful meaning and serves as a reminder of peace and contentment. Whether you’re working on a canvas, wood, fabric, or any other craft project, this stencil allows you to incorporate this uplifting message effortlessly.
The washable feature of our PVC stencils makes them reusable, allowing you to create multiple projects with ease. After each use, simply clean the stencil with water and mild soap, and it’s ready for your next creative endeavor.
The size of 28 X 21cm provides a versatile canvas for your artistic ideas. Use it to embellish journals, home decor items, cards, or even personalize gifts. The possibilities are endless.
Whether you’re an experienced artist or a beginner exploring the world of crafts, our White Washable PVC Stencil – It is well with my soul (E129) is a must-have tool. Let your creativity soar as you bring this inspiring message to life in your projects. Add this stencil to your collection today and let it be a source of motivation and beauty in your artistic journey.


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One man is dead and another was injured following an explosion and fire at a rural home south of Maidstone, Sask.
It happened Thursday just after 6 p.m. CT at the home located on Range Road 3233.
READ MORE: Two pets die in Saskatoon house fire
Police said a man was found dead in the home. His name and age have not been released.
A second man who police believe was outside the home was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Maidstone RCMP said they do not believe the explosion was criminal in nature and that there is no danger to the public.
The coroner’s office, the fire commissioner’s office and a RCMP fire scene examiner continue to investigate.
Maidstone is approximately 220 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon.


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SkyTeam's 20 member airlines provide comprehensive access to an extensive global network with 1,052 destinations, plus more frequencies and more connectivity than ever before.
Rossiya Airlines in summer 2018 season is adding new service for London, which sees the airline’s Airbus A319 aircraft operating St....
- Garuda Indonesia NS18 Amsterdam schedule changes
- Kenya Airways schedules Mauritius launch in June 2018
- KLM S18 Long-haul changes as of 16FEB18
- Xiamen Airlines adds Hangzhou – Kalibo in 1Q18
- AeroMexico ends Calgary service in April 2018
- China Southern files Chongqing – Vientiane schedule in S18


A US$54 billion (A$76B) gas development could be forced to temporarily close after workers discovered giant cracks on facility equipment.
Authorities are investigating multiple breaches in pressurised propane kettles on one of three liquefied natural gas (LNG) trains at Chevron Australia’s Gorgon Gas Project, 145km off the shore of Karratha.
The Western Australian Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) confirmed it will investigate as quickly as possible.
“The department’s discussions with Chevron included a review of the actions it has taken to ensure the integrity of the LNG plant’s other trains, and the actions taken to ensure worker safety,” director of dangerous goods and petroleum safety Steve Emery said according to the Australian Associated Press (AAP).
“As part of any maintenance action, DMIRS expects all operators to review their findings and to assess the results in light of their entire operation.”
Workers ‘fearful’ for safety
The remarks came after workers reported “massive” cracks, measuring up to 1 metre long and 3cm deep in as many as 11 kettles on the second LNG train.
“[This] represents a serious failure in this critical piece of kit,” Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union state secretary Steve McCartney said in a public statement.
“These kettles are carrying pressurised propane and the trains are lined up next to each other on the plate.”
Immediate safety inspection
Since the union fears there are more cracks on two other LNG trains that are still in operation, it believes the proponent should shut down the project for an immediate safety inspection.
“We are hearing from workers that they are fearful for their safety and are reluctant to even go out to the blast-proof wall,” McCartney said.
“We share their fears. Chevron needs to put workers’ safety first and shutdown for an independent investigation. If something goes wrong it would be catastrophic.”
Former mining chiefs sued for environmental breaches at southern Qld gas project
Authorities begin selling off struggling oil and gas operation
Funding secured for $400M of gas projects
$77B oil gas and infrastructure project proposed.
The proponent confirmed the second LNG train underwent maintenance since May and was supposed to be recommissioned on July 11.
“Maintenance turnarounds are a regular part of safely operating natural gas plants and provide an opportunity to undertake various inspections, repairs and equipment change-outs to ensure safe and reliable operations,” a Chevron spokesman told the AAP.
“The Chevron-operated Gorgon Train 2 Turnaround commenced in May and we are pleased with the strong progress made to date, with scheduled work mechanically complete. Learnings from the current maintenance event will inform future turnarounds and afford the same opportunities for improvements.”


City Council, housing advocates take action to renew rent laws in BX
Many Bronx residents who live in rent-controlled and rent-stabilized apartments may face steep hikes when the current laws expire in April. However, the City Council and housing advocates are taking action to renew rent laws in the city and the Bronx.
The City Council is introducing legislation to extend rent stabilization laws until 2009. Some members are also calling on the state to protect tenants by controlling rents. They say a recent housing vacancy survey shows rent continues to rise, but tenants? salaries are decreasing. But the survey also shows the city?s vacancy rate is not high enough to justify the continuation of rent control.
Despite the survey results, the City Council says rent control is warranted. Members will continue to rally for the renewal of the rent laws.


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Oblivion always blows me away...
Leave me, my love, it's time to part
this paradise is not my portion.
I had to cross a bridge of flame whenever
I visited this land of bliss.
Yet I've been your life-long companion
since earliest youth and your tender years.
But now I come like a transient guest,
and go away like a bird of passage.
Has anyone drunken with love like us,
seen love like we have seen it ?
We built a thousand castles on our way,
Walked together on a moon-drenched road,
Where joy danced and leapt before us,
we gazed at the stars that fell, and we possessed them.
And we laughed like two children together,
ran and raced with our own shadows.
After this nectar's sweetness we awoke -
how I wished it had never been so !
Night's dreams had vanished, the night was ended
the night that used to be our friend.
The light of morning was an ominous herald ;
dawn loomed up like a wall of fire.
The Dream of Infatuation
No love but Wherever held a place and I don't see
for me other than that a homeland and a location
My homeland all nights long is his home
As long and as far away he gets,my love is where he stays.
And when inhabited earth embrace us
its moments are populated daily.
No difference between her north and south
as they are bearing greeting to my heart
And they are pressing my knowledge and seldom
time preserves the custody of my heartbloods.
And if I cry, so I cry from the fear
That our infatuation is just a dream
And maybe the significance of our intention.So I cried out
from before we shed the tears from our distance.
The Burning Flute
How many times my love
as the night covers the earth
I wander alone, and in the dark
no one complains but me.
I make the tears a tune
and I make the potery a flute
And would a wreck responds
that I inflamed in my ardent love.
Fire stirs in it
and the wind blows away the rest.
How miserable is the flute between
destiny and between fates
He sings and sadly sings
returning my complaints.
Sympathetic from our kept secrets
on the love of innermost secrets
Until a shadow appears.
I have known him in my youth
He comes close to me and he comes close
to the lips of my mouth
And suddenly my dream disapears
and my eyes wake up
And though I went listening and listening
I wasn't familiar but with the echo.
At last the cure, I bid farewell to pain,
and welcome with a smile the days to come.
Oblivion comes to me a kingly guest,
with hands compassionate and blessed steps.
My guest comes strongly on,
folding the distances, the dark unknown.
Proffering a cup that takes away
old pain, and banishes all regrets.
So drain it to the dregs and have no fear-
For long you have suffered, your thirst your only drink.
Oblivion now envelops me, and I
thank God for its overwhelming flood,
Surrendering to the waves which engulf me,
happy to embrace a void without memories.


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Both loans require the completion of the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid FAFSA to determine a student’s financial need. The subsidized Direct Loan is for students who have a demonstrated financial need, as determined by the FAFSA. The unsubsidized Direct Loan is a non-need-based loan.
Recipients of a Federal Direct Loan are required to complete entrance counseling before the funds are disbursed. Students must also complete exit counseling upon dropping below half-time status, taking a leave of absence, withdrawing or graduating.
To learn about interest rates, loan fees, eligibility and repayment please read the information provided below. Please click here if you are ready to apply for your loan.
The subsidized Direct Loan is only available to eligible undergraduate students and is interest-free during the student's enrollment of at least half-time in a degree-seeking program. Interest will begin to accrue if the student drops below half-time or upon the completion of his or her program and the applicable grace period. The unsubsidized Direct Loan begins to accrue interest upon disbursement of the loan.
Annual Loan Amounts:
|Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan
(Amounts below are offset by subsidized Federal Direct Loan eligibility)
Applicants who qualify for the federal subsidy on an amount less than the limits listed above may borrow the difference under the unsubsidized program.
For example, if a first-year student is eligible to borrow only $1,000 under the subsidized program, he or she may borrow an additional $2,500 under the unsubsidized program to receive a total Federal Direct Loan equal to $3,500. A student's annual Federal Direct Loan amount cannot exceed the cost of attendance minus other financial aid for which the student is eligible that year.
Cumulative Loan Limits:
|Subsidized & Unsubsidized|
(subsidized limited to $23,000)
(subsidized limited to $23,000)
On August 9, 2013, President Obama signed H.R. 1911, the "Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013," into law. The effective date of the Act is retroactive to July 1, 2013. This law amends section 455(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (the HEA) as it provides new formulas for the determination of interest rates for all Direct Loan types.
The interest rates for undergraduate subsidized and unsubsidized Direct Loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017 are fixed at 3.76%.
The interest rates for graduate unsubsidized Direct Loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017 are fixed at 5.31%.
The interest rates for undergraduate subsidized and unsubsidized Direct Loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018 are fixed at 4.45%.
The interest rates for graduate unsubsidized Direct Loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018 are fixed at 6.00%.
Both the subsidized and the unsubsidized Direct Loans disbursed on or after October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017 have a 1.069 percent origination fee.
Both the subsidized and the unsubsidized Direct Loans disbursed on or after October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018 have a 1.066 percent origination fee.
All Direct Loan borrowers must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, be enrolled at least half-time in a degree- or certificate-seeking program, have not defaulted on a prior federal loan and be able to maintain satisfactory academic progress.
In a typical academic year, Federal Direct Loans are disbursed in two installments. When the academic period is for one semester or for the summer term, one disbursement is permitted at the beginning of the term. During the regular academic year (fall/spring semesters) funds cannot be disbursed more than 10 days prior to the first day of class. For the summer term, funds cannot be disbursed more than ten days prior to the first day of class.
All subsidized and unsubsidized Direct Loans have a six-month grace period upon completion of the student's program of study. If a student drops below half-time enrollment or withdraws from the University, they will enter into a grace period prior to repayment of the loan.
Direct subsidized loans will not be eligible for an interest subsidy during the six-month grace period on loans disbursed after July 1, 2012 and before July 1, 2014.
Click here to Apply Now
Loans begin to go into repayment when a student does the following:
- Graduates from school
- Takes a Leave of Absence
- Withdraws from School
- Drops below half-time enrollment
For more information regarding repayment plans and loan consolidation please visit The Department of Education's Federal Student Aid website

domain: law


Pros: Wonderfully refined standard V8, smooth and quiet ride, two different wheelbase lengths, choice of regular and hybrid models, available all-wheel drive.
Cons: Aging interior, can’t compete with high-performance European luxury sedans, hugely expensive hybrid disappoints.
The 2012 Lexus LS marks the sixth year of production for Japan’s sole full-size luxury sedan, and it hasn’t been easy going as of late. Hyundai has taken a page out of the LS’s own playbook, claiming to offer more for less with the bargain-priced Equus. The LS’s old nemeses from Europe have updated their arsenals, as redesigned models from Audi, BMW, and Jaguar now roam the streets. Porsche’s in on the action now with the executive-class Panamera. That’s a lot of body blows, even for a big bruiser like the Lexus. Only the Mercedes-Benz S-Class hasn’t been redone since the current LS debuted.
You might be thinking that the best-selling S-Class is pretty good company for the LS to keep, but here’s the catch: the S-Class has received ongoing updates, including a number of powertrain improvements, while the LS is more or less the same as it ever was. Nothing has changed under the hood, and the cabin features the same 2007-vintage design, albeit with some technological upgrades that arrived a couple years ago. This puts the LS at a disadvantage in such a rapidly evolving segment.
We don’t like coming down so hard on this Lexus, because it’s really a lovely car to drive. Also, if the past is any indication, a new LS should be good for hundreds of thousands of trouble-free miles. Buyers of the 2012 Lexus LS are bound to be highly satisfied with their new wheels; it’s just that, six years into its current lifespan, the LS is a considerably tougher sell than it used to be.
Comfort & Utility
The 2012 Lexus LS 460 comes with either a standard or an extended (“L”) wheelbase. We’ll get to the hybrid-powered, extended-wheelbase-only LS 600h L in a minute.
Standard features on the regular LS 460 include 18-inch alloy wheels, adaptive xenon headlights, a sunroof, keyless entry with push-button ignition, a power tilt-telescopic steering wheel, power front seats (16-way driver, 12-way passenger), leather upholstery, woodgrain interior trim, driver memory functions, electroluminescent gauges, a touch-screen infotainment display, dual-zone automatic climate control with a smog sensor, Bluetooth, and a 10-speaker audio system with a six-CD changer, satellite radio, an auxiliary input, and iPod/USB connectivity.
Among the more notable LS 460 options are 19-inch wheels, an exterior appearance package, semi-aniline leather upholstery, power rear seats with massage functions, a self-parking system, an adjustable air suspension with variable-ratio steering (AWD model only), a hard-drive-based navigation system (see “Technology,” below), a 19-speaker Mark Levinson audio system, and a Sport package with unique 19-inch alloys, sport-themed styling cues, a sport-tuned suspension, paddle shifters, sport front seats, and Brembo brakes.
The LS 460 L adds “intelligent” headlights with automatic high-beam/low-beam switching, heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, a power rear sunshade, a power trunk, power-closing doors, parking sensors, and headlight washers. While all of the L’s standard features can be added to the regular LS 460, the L is eligible for a number of exclusive upgrades, such as an air suspension with RWD or AWD, quad-zone climate control, rear audio controls, and a rear refrigerator. Also offered on L models is an Executive Seating package that includes two-passenger rear seating, a retractable wood table, a reclining passenger-side rear seat with a footrest, and a rear DVD entertainment system with a power-retracting 9-inch screen.
The hybrid-powered, extended-wheelbase LS 600h L basically includes most of the other models’ standard and optional equipment, the main exception being the L’s fancy rear seating options, which cost extra on the hybrid as well.
Although the LS’s cabin is chock-full of rich materials, it just doesn’t give us that special feeling anymore when we settle down behind the woodgrain-accented steering wheel. Maybe it’s the fact that the car is six years old, or maybe we’ve just been spending too much time in the European competition. Still, the controls and electroluminescent gauges retain Lexus’s trademark ergonomic simplicity, while the standard power tilt-telescopic steering wheel ensures that drivers of just about every size and shape can get comfortable.
We can’t imagine wanting more rear passenger space than the regular LS 460 provides, but if you’re going to be driven places rather than drive yourself, that reclining/massaging passenger-side rear seat with the footrest seems like a good investment. As for cargo capacity, the 460-spec trunk measures a healthy 18 cubic feet by default, though it shrinks to 15.5 cubic feet when quad-zone climate control is specified. The LS 600h’s trunk suffers, measuring just 10.1 cubic feet due to hybrid hardware.
Lexus has done what it can with the aging LS to keep its technology current, but interior design limitations have left some of Lexus’s latest technology out in the cold. Check out the brilliant 12.3-inch display screen in the new GS sedan, for example; there’s not room for a widescreen in the LS, so it has to make do with a square display. Moreover, while newer Lexus models get the Remote Touch mouse-like controller for their screens, the LS doesn’t have room for a mouse on its console, so it sticks with an older touch-screen. If you judge the LS simply by its feature set, it’s got most of the boxes ticked, including an available hard-drive-based navigation system with voice commands and standard Bluetooth and iPod/USB connectivity. But once you see the LS’s technology in the flesh, you can tell it’s a little behind the times.
Speaking of that navigation system, it includes the Enform telematics suite, which lets you either plan trips from home using a Lexus-exclusive online search called eDestination, or leverage your smartphone for this purpose with the downloadable Enform mobile app. Destination Assist provides live navigation assistance from Lexus’s 24-hour response center. Both features are facilitated by direct communication with the LS’s navigation system.
Note that Toyota’s Entune system, which uses smartphone data connections to integrate mobile apps like Pandora into the driving experience, isn’t available in any Lexus for the 2012 model year.
Performance & Fuel Economy
The 2012 LS 460 and LS 460 L come with rear- or all-wheel drive and a 4.6-liter V8 rated at 380 horsepower and 367 pound-feet of torque (357 hp and 344 pound-feet of torque on AWD). An unobtrusive eight-speed automatic transmission handles shifting duties. This engine is down on power relative to most rivals, but it’s still a jewel, serving up strong acceleration and an exceptionally velvety soundtrack. Lexus could use a high-powered LS for the sake of competition, but most drivers will be more than satisfied by this V8. Fuel economy is less satisfying at 16 mpg city/24 mpg highway with RWD and 16/23 mpg with AWD.
And then there’s the AWD-only LS 600h L, which boasts a 5.0-liter V8 that’s teamed with two electric motors and a battery pack. Total system output is a none-too-shabby 438 horsepower, but the LS hybrid weighs roughly 500 more pounds than the regular LS, so it’s really not any faster. It’s also barely more efficient despite all that hybrid hardware: the EPA predicts 19/23 mpg. By the way, the LS 600h L carries a nearly $40,000 premium over a base LS 460 L.
The 2012 Lexus LS comes with standard stability control, four-wheel antilock disc brakes, and eight airbags (front, front side, front knee, and full-length side-curtain). Rear side airbags are optional. All models include Safety Connect, which uses the same 24-hour response center as the Enform system to get you the help you need if the unexpected occurs.
Current government crash-test results for the LS are not available, but the independent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the LS its top rating of “Good” in both frontal-offset and rear impact scenarios.
The LS is more engaging to drive than the typical online review leads you to believe. Being less enormous than some of the land yachts in this class has its advantages, as there’s actually a trace of nimbleness in the LS’s chassis. Of course, that trace is difficult to tease out, even in the ostensibly edgier Sport model, because it’s buried under thick layers of ride-softening rubber and sound-deadening material. The available air suspension only heightens the sense of isolation from the road. The LS is a seriously cushy and quiet car in normal driving, and that’s the main reason for this car’s existence.
Other Cars to Consider
Audi A8 – The A8 lacks the LS’s inherent rear-drive balance, but it compensates with outstanding all-wheel-drive handling and surprisingly strong acceleration from its diminutive 4.2-liter V8. We also much prefer the Audi’s interior.
BMW 7 Series – The 7 has a stellar range of turbocharged engines to choose from, and its cabin is right up there with the Audi’s in terms of both quality and technology.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class – Still the one to beast after all these years, the S-Class has stayed fresh thanks in part to a couple new twin-turbocharged V8s and a robust turbodiesel V6. There’s even an S400 Hybrid version to compete with the LS 600h L.
Keep it simple. The LS is at its best when it’s undercutting the competition’s prices by a healthy margin, so we’d take the keys to an entry-level LS 460 and congratulate ourselves on getting an executive sedan for the price of a well-optioned 5 Series.


Score may come any of the locations in the game where a single song is played and scored: Just Dance, Just Sweat & Classic mode in Dance Battle. Player can use any one of the four positions to achieve the score. Each of the Options (available in the Extras menu) are the player's choice. There is no camera requirement. No pausing permitted. Information: Full or Short version can be ascertained by the stop-watch in the upper-left on the song selection screen. A Full version has the stop-watch with a white background. Short version has a flashing first-quarter in white only.


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The yellow ribbon has long stood for the support of our troops. Our Awareness Ribbon-Yellow Engravable Pin can also be a symbol for bladder cancer, endometriosis and spina bifida. This jewelry-quality cloisonné lapel pin can be personalized with an engraving and worn on a jacket or guitar strap. Each includes a black rubber push back and is individually polybagged.
Engraved pin comes inserted in a clear acrylic circle container and placed into a black velour pouch for a great presentation! Please allow 1-2 business days for production.


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Butter cake recipes will constantly be disappointing if an individual don’t use the correct mixing method. While just about all people blame the stove for cake faults, the particular problem is not within the baking. The nearly all common cake faults stem from mistakes made in the course of mixing.
Mixing methods would be the most crucial step in creating a new great cake, no issue what the recipe.
The “Creaming Method” is used for high-fat cakes. In spread cake recipes, there is usually an excellent proportion regarding butter in the formula. Butter is fat. Shortening is fat. Creaming together fat and sugar is the first stage in this “conventional” way of cake mixing
The most common mistake people make using this method is not incorporating enough air during this specific first step. Typically the goal of creaming collectively fat and sugar is usually not only to produce a steady mixture, but to snare air within the body fat that will eventually give framework and texture to the particular cake.
Correctly creamed fat is light, fluffy and smooth. When your butter/sugar mixture will be coarse, dense, sparkles from grains of sugar, or perhaps is crunchy when tasted, you’ve got more blending to do.
The particular second step up the creaming method is the main. It can mean the difference between a moist sensitive cake and one of which is tough and heavy. While chemical leaveners like baking soda plus baking powder help the cake rise, it’s the addition of eggs that stop it from falling back down.
Step two includes forming an emulsification. Two unmixable products that are brought with each other are said to be “emulsified”. Fat and water avoid mix. But, egg yolks are the liason or emulsifying agent that will certainly hold them together throughout baking. So, making a strong emulsification is important.
When you increase the eggs to the particular creamed butter and sugar, it should be on multiple stages, in a slow stream. Never ever add the following egg till the previous one is fully mixed into the chausser. The butter/sugar blend will appear wet in addition to uncombined when the ova are not completely blended in.
Since chocolate is fat, melted chocolates is added immediately following the eggs to end up being included in the emulsification process. You’re today looking at the starting batter for a chocolate rechausser cake. You’ve created the foundation, now it’s time to give texture and structure to the cake.
Your fourth step in bebidas sofisticadas the particular creaming technique is to alternative the sifted dry elements and liquid ingredients till you have an easy, spreadable batter. Sifting of dry ingredients is an important step because it as well incorporates air, giving the lighter texture to the particular cake.
Exactly how do you tell when your chocolate butter cake is done? Right now there are three ways:
1) Shrinkage – Because the egg and flour proteins coagulate, they shrink and pull the dessert from your sides of the pan. One idea to a completely cooked cake is a somewhat smaller cake than the particular pan
2) Springage — Press on the best of your cake slightly with a finger. If the cake immediately recoils, it’s done. If a fingerprint indentation is left, you have to pick more time in the oven.
3) Stabbage – Rute it with a toothpick. If it arrives out dry, the dessert is finished.
Repeating the necessary steps in the creaming method will give you the best results when producing a chocolate butter dessert, pound cake, or even cookies from scratch. Each action of the process builds upon the previous. Butter and sugar are creamed to trap air. Eggs are added in order to create an emulsification.
These are the particular building blocks of a great cake that offers nothing to do using what happens in the cooker.

domain: food


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Filter Media: Filter medium for Disc Filters is multi-layer sintered wire cloth, with a rating range from 0.5 to 200micron, in a diameter from 200mm to 3000mm. Disc filters with multi-layer sintered wire cloth as filter medium, enjoy good strength, accurate filter rating, long life-span and repeatedly cleaning.
Materials: Standard material of disc filters is SUS316L. Other metals like Nickel alloy or Titanium alloy are also available at customers request.
Application: Disc filters are ideal filter fittings for three-in-one filtration ( filtering, washing and drying ) in pharmaceutics, food, chemical industries and polymers. Disc filters work as a complete unit or in parts

domain: chemistry


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Age of Empires is easily one of the most beloved PC franchises out there, and its legacy in the strategy genre speaks for itself. Even though Microsoft has kept the series’ fanbase happy in recent years with remasters that regularly get content updates, it’s been a long, long time since we got a new numbered entry in the series.
Age of Empires 4 has, as such, been highly anticipated since it was confirmed to be in development, and ahead of its imminent launch on a couple of days, Microsoft have released a launch trailer for the real time strategy title. It’s a live action trailer (for the most part), so it’s not exactly representative of the game itself, but fans looking forward to it can check it out below.
Age of Empires 4 will launch for PC on October 28. Of course, being an Xbox Game Studios game, it will also be available via Xbox Game Pass for PC right at launch. Recently, full system requirements for the game across a number of specs were also revealed- read more on that through here.

domain: game


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SPECIFIC AIMS: Our baboon model builds on fetal frontal cortex (FC) findings of delayed development, altered nutrient sensing/cell signaling and hypometaboiism (HM) resulting from IUGR. We study three maternal diets: 1) control (CTR, ad lib), 2) maternal nutrient restriction (MNR, 70% CTR diet) and 3) intervention (INT, MNR plus leucine). Maternal and fetal tissues and blood are obtained at 0.75 and 1.0 gestation (G;1.0 = 184d) to complement previous studies (0.5, 0.65 and 0.9G). GENERAL HYPOTHESIS: Fetal HM, an indispensable survival strategy in IUGR, enhances survival and differentiataion, but adversely affects development. We show HM, with IUGR, down-regulating large numbers of genes and pathways, e.g., amino acid (AA) transport, mTOR, neurotrophins and promoter methylation. Down-regulation is balanced by up-regulation of key proteins, pathways and genes, e.g. chemokines (CK), reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen (RNS) species. Thus outcomes are not solely due to decreased nutrient availability. Preliminary data show that gene-environment interactions produce HM, decreasing growth, but allowing differentiation for survival. HYPOTHESES: In fetal FC, IUGR: 1) decreases AA transport, 2) down-regulates mTOR nutrient sensing, 3) modifies local and systemic cell signaling and 4) directs ceil function reguiation towards survival/differentiation by mechanisms that decrease mitochondrial function, increase ROS/RNS and induce epigenetic change. Project II Aims: 1) determine if INT ameliorates FC outcomes, 2) determine mechanisms of mTOR and other nutrient sensing systems in FC neurons and glia via tissue obtained in vivo and in cell culture, 3) determine growth and differentiation related mechanisms (e.g. IGF, neurotrophin, and CK signaling) and, 4) determine mechanisms of cell function regulation, mitochondrial, ROS/RNS and epigenetic changes via IHC, biochemistry, ROS/RNS production. Next Gen and cell culture combined with activity detenmined via multiple-well Clark electrode technique. We evaluate target gene epigenetic regulation, changes in one carbon cycle and miRNA expression and compare them to CTR INNOVATION/TRANSLATION: IUGR mechanisms/adaptations cannot be tested in human fetuses. We respond to the NICHD Vision Paper stating the need for "comparative studies that focus on nonhuman primates given their similar biology...".
IUGR leads to increased post-natal morbidity and mortality. The developmental programming hypothesis cleariy shows that IUGR predisposes to poor lifetime health. Paradigms used, e.g., study of ROS/RNS and essential AA replacement, address the need for therapeutic interventions in IUGR.
|Vega, C C; Reyes-Castro, L A; Bautista, C J et al. (2015) Exercise in obese female rats has beneficial effects on maternal and male and female offspring metabolism. Int J Obes (Lond) 39:712-9|
|Kavitha, Jovita V; Rosario, Fredrick J; Nijland, Mark J et al. (2014) Down-regulation of placental mTOR, insulin/IGF-I signaling, and nutrient transporters in response to maternal nutrient restriction in the baboon. FASEB J 28:1294-305|
|Abu Shehab, Majida; Damerill, Ian; Shen, Tong et al. (2014) Liver mTOR controls IGF-I bioavailability by regulation of protein kinase CK2 and IGFBP-1 phosphorylation in fetal growth restriction. Endocrinology 155:1327-39|
|Tchoukalova, Y D; Krishnapuram, R; White, U A et al. (2014) Fetal baboon sex-specific outcomes in adipocyte differentiation at 0.9 gestation in response to moderate maternal nutrient reduction. Int J Obes (Lond) 38:224-30|
|Ye, Wenrui; Xie, Lynn; Li, Cun et al. (2014) Impaired development of fetal serotonergic neurons in intrauterine growth restricted baboons. J Med Primatol 43:284-287|
|Regnault, Timothy R H; Nijland, Mark J; Budge, Helen et al. (2013) Basic experimental and clinical advances in the mechanisms underlying abnormal pregnancy outcomes. J Pregnancy 2013:327638|
|Brocato, B; Zoerner, A A; Janjetovic, Z et al. (2013) Endocannabinoid crosstalk between placenta and maternal fat in a baboon model (Papio spp.) of obesity. Placenta 34:983-9|
|Li, Cun; Ramahi, Emma; Nijland, Mark J et al. (2013) Up-regulation of the fetal baboon hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in intrauterine growth restriction: coincidence with hypothalamic glucocorticoid receptor insensitivity and leptin receptor down-regulation. Endocrinology 154:2365-73|
|Maloyan, Alina; Muralimanoharan, Sribalasubashini; Huffman, Steven et al. (2013) Identification and comparative analyses of myocardial miRNAs involved in the fetal response to maternal obesity. Physiol Genomics 45:889-900|
|Li, Cun; McDonald, Thomas J; Wu, Guoyao et al. (2013) Intrauterine growth restriction alters term fetal baboon hypothalamic appetitive peptide balance. J Endocrinol 217:275-82|
Showing the most recent 10 out of 221 publications


Not all is at it appears, medically
Published 10:57 am Wednesday, April 25, 2018
By Holly Westbrook
When you’re in the emergency room in severe pain or bleeding internally, the last thing you expect is for your doctor to accuse you of being an alcoholic because of your liver.
Without even looking at your chart, the question, “How much have you been drinking?” is asked by the doctor simply because they are told you have Cirrhosis of the Liver. You correct the doctor and tell him no, it’s not. But, the doctor insists you are a drinker and that’s why your liver is this way and no other reason.
Assumption. It makes so many people look like ignorant fools despite doctorates or multiple medical degrees. To assume a patient has obtained his or her liver disease due to excessive drinking is not only foolish (when a medical chart on the patient is available right in front of you), but also ethically and morally wrong.
It is a form of discrimination, plain and simple, since you have judged the person unfairly when in fact alcohol is not the first cause of Liver disease, an auto immune disease is the first, as a medical professional should know.
Doctors are not the only ones to make this mistake. Men and women who have Liver diseases deal with this discrimination daily. People hear they have fatty liver and think they drink a case nightly when it’s farther from the truth.
In the beginning, there’s this understanding, in a way, but the more self-educated liver patients make themselves the more belittled the men and woman feel. For people to assume, doctors more so, who have the most knowledge, that it all comes from alcoholic is most irritating for them.
Hemochromatosis, Cirrhosis, Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) being a type of NAFLD and Autoimmune hepatitis disease are all liver diseases that have nothing to do with overuse of drugs or alcohol. Some of them can be inflamed due to prescription drugs, diabetes, and other illnesses.
It can be more than frustrating when no one believes you about your own illness even with a diagnosis on file. It makes you want to pull your hair out and scream.
Now, let us turn the tables. From here on out we are the assumers of those who have judged the sick on a whim.
The doctor comes in and without even looking out the chart thinks this a simple case of another over drinker out for more drugs. Assumption. It turns so many people into ignorant fools despite truth, education and what’s before our own two eyes. Look before you leap. Judge not before you know all facts.
In life, every person matters from the buggy pusher at the mega stores, to the President’s doctor. Just because a person looks, acts, believes a way that is unlike the “norm” doesn’t mean they aren’t worthy of your care and your complete attention.
Next time a patient comes in the emergency room and they have liver disease take your time with them and don’t jump to the conclusion of labeling them as alcoholic. Doing so just labels you as well.


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Consumer debt has surged in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan following the COVID-19 crisis, with over-indebtedness and consumer defaults reaching remarkable levels. In 2023, the two countries—with support from the World Bank —introduced Central Asia’s first consumer insolvency mechanisms as a key policy measure to enhance financial stability and social welfare. A preliminary assessment now suggests that while Uzbekistan’s system could deliver promising results, Kazakhstan’s system may fall short in relieving consumers from over-indebtedness, unless the authorities double down on critical additional reforms.
Kazakhstan’s banks—mainly due to poor lending practices in the past—experienced high loan losses from corporate loans, which, together with other factors, prompted them to shift business models from corporate to consumer lending. Consequently, loans to individuals rose dramatically; by 41 percent in 2021 and 31 percent in 2022. This rapid credit expansion is now followed by increasing consumer defaults: consumer non-performing loans (NPLs) increased by 40 percent in 2022 and 15 percent in 2023, according to NBK data. Of a population of 20 million, an estimated 1.5 million Kazakhstanis are late with repayments of consumer loans by 90 days or more (IMF Article IV, 2022).
In Uzbekistan, loans to individuals rose by 64 percent in 2019 alone, followed by a 37-percent annual growth between 2020 and 2022 as the economy opened up and banks focused on new loan segments. In 2023, the Central Bank of Uzbekistan (CBU) imposed lending restrictions to cool down this spurt. However, like in Kazakhstan, defaults have increased, with the consumer NPL ratio tripling since 2020 and reaching 6.8 percent by 2021. Although the ratio has since decreased, CBU’s recent Financial Stability Report informs that by 2022, people with mortgage and consumer loans had to use 60 to 70 percent of their disposable income to repay debt.
Resolving consumer over-indebtedness
If consumer defaults continue to rise, they could pose a threat to financial stability of the two economies in the future. From a social standpoint, excessive debt can decrease households’ disposable income and markedly worsen their well-being, causing social exclusion and poverty.
A sound consumer insolvency framework—through debt relief or discharge, that is, canceling the debt which good-faith consumers cannot reasonably repay—can help achieve several socially beneficial objectives, including: debtors and their families are relieved of overwhelming debts and their suffering is eased; economic vitality is restored by reintegrating debtors into active employment and responsible consumption; and creditors can optimize returns on their claims, either through a repayment plan or an agreed sale of the debtors’ non-exempted property. Furthermore, predictable resolution of consumer insolvency improves access to credit because it allows financial institutions to price credit more accurately.
To be truly effective in helping achieve consumers’ financial well-being, insolvency systems need to be complemented by financial education, financial consumer protection, credit-information infrastructure, as well as proper underwriting and management of credit risks at banks and other creditors.
Kazakhstan’s new insolvency system for consumers features debt discharge following modern principles. However, the system is conditional on the debtor complying with several requirements—mainly prohibition from borrowing again from financial institutions. Furthermore, discharge is limited to debt borrowed from banks and microfinance lenders and does not include tax arrears or other debts. Finally, access to the insolvency system is dependent on several factors: first, the debtor is required to be ‘irremediably’ insolvent and not have made any payments to creditors for 12 months. Next, to access out-of-court settlements, the debtor must also not own any property at all. To complicate things further, the debtor must have been the subject of either execution proceedings (or pursuit by a collection agency) or settlement negotiations. All these restrictions limit most overindebted consumers from getting financial relief.
In Uzbekistan, debtors are offered two main options. They can propose, based on their disposable income, a three-year repayment plan that creditors must approve. If creditors reject the plan, the debtor can request the court to impose a plan. If a repayment plan cannot be agreed on, the default option is a liquidation-and-discharge procedure, which must conclude within nine months. It involves the sale of non-exempted assets and seizing the income of the debtor (up to 50 percent). Access criteria only require the inability to fully and timely repay debts, which must be overdue for at least three months. If creditors refuse to approve a repayment plan, the debtor must manage to live on 50 percent of income for six months to be rewarded with a discharge of unpaid debt (although a long list of exceptions applies).
Charting the road ahead
Uzbekistan’s personal insolvency system is well designed and has embraced good practices related to debt discharge that will help consumers achieve the relief they desperately need. However, the authorities could further improve the current system, mainly by introducing a simplified out-of-court procedure or introducing a minimum amount of protected income, rather than a percentage.
By contrast, Kazakhstan’s system requires a more in-depth revision, notably relaxing the approach of reserving relief to hopelessly insolvent consumers that own no property whatsoever. Additional entry requirements, like having attempted a settlement with creditors, should also be eliminated. Only by dropping these unnecessary restrictions and embracing the ‘open access’ policy, followed by modern systems, will Kazakhstan’s consumer insolvency system achieve its intended results. Fortunately, efforts are already underway to address these restrictions.