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We departed Pago Pago on Sunday morning with the sound of church bells ringing along the shore as we slowly sailed along the western shore of the island. The winds were again light and the sails were doing little more than providing shade on the deck. We trolled lines along the drop off with out much success other than one 8 inch long skip jack tuna which we threw back. We saw whales blowing on the horizon but never really got close to enjoy the great creatures.
It took all day to cover the 65 miles to Upolu and just before dark we anchored in Fagola Bay on the NE side of the island in a bay all to our selves. There was a small village along the rocky bay and no place to land SD so we raised the anchor the next morning and set sail for the main harbor of Apia just 15 miles to the west.
Apia is the nicest harbor we have seen in the whole South pacific. The marina is fairly new and has modern floating docks with free water and power when you pay a nominal fee to tie up here. We were assisted by a crew of 4 guys that helped take our lines and get us securely tied to the dock. They no sooner tied us up and then asked “ hey Cap you have a soda pop?” sorry we do not drink pop but I offered a beer which they all accepted along with a Downtime cap for everyone. The customs and immigration agents took their time coming to the boat but handled clearing you in a very professional way and all of this for free without running all over town!! There is a departure fee of only $33 tala which is very reasonable and the dock is just over $130 US for the week.
Tuesday night there was a fire dance show at a little bar just a short walk from the marina. We met several other cruisers at the “Gourmet Seafood Restaurant” that served only fish and chips, after dinner we were entertained by the local talent next door. The fire dancers were performing so close to us close that we felt the heat and heard the roar from the torches spinning in their hands. The kids start training when they are very young and by the time they are in their teens have some real talent.
The island is very clean and the people are friendly and helpful. Everyone speaks good English and seem to enjoy their island lives. Prices here are just a little higher than American Samoa and the selection just OK. The local bus system appears to be overloaded with far fewer busses running the routs and most busses were crammed full of passengers at rush hour. The taxis here are all painted white and the fleet is made up of modern Toyota’s that charge a fair fee for their services. We hired a car for the day and it was $80 US for the trip around the island, not bad.
Our trip started with a quick stop at the cash machine money here is $2.19 Tala to one Us dollar. Then we were off across the island with our first stop at Robert Lewis Stevenson’s Museum.
The 100 year old home and plantation have been restored to the original splendor. The two story home is built of a Australian design with imported redwood from California lining the interior walls. Huge porches wrap around the west side of the home and it even has two fireplaces build just for show to make the place feel more like home in Scotland. The plantation sits at 2500 feet above the sea and it is noticeably cooler up here. First we took the steep and winding trail up the mountain behind the house up to his tomb. The 40 minute accent left us dripping wet and wishing we took our water bottles along. Robert died at just 44 years old from a stroke and was laid to rest next to his wife on top of the mountain with a beautiful view of his plantation and the sea below.
There are 250,000 Samoan people and I would guess most live on less in a year than one US family lives on in a month. There are very few cars here and the kids walk to school in bare feet. The dress code for school is a simple one, everyone wears the same thing, a white shirt and wrap around knee length skirt like cloth. Some schools have different color bottoms but all have the white shirts. We gave out a dozen Downtime tee shirts to some of the kids we saw walking along the way, they were timid accepting the gift but showed true appreciation with a big smile when they understood it was just a gift. We saw kids hauling bananas and coco nuts along the road as well as others hauling water. It is a lot of work in life if you have to haul all the water you use any distance. Most of the island has water provided by a PVC pipe that lays along the roadway. In a few places the pipe is buried in the rocky soil, but most places it is exposed with smaller lines running up to the homes with a single faucet outside.
The lush island is covered in coco nut trees, millions of coco nut trees!! Sadly it has been years since coco nuts have had any value to them and now the fruits just fall into piles under the trees. Each tree bears 40 to 60 nuts a year and in places hundreds of new trees grow in clumps creating chaos. The only use they have for them now is to drink the occasional green one and to pick up the brown dried out ones and use the oily meat inside to feed pigs. We saw piles stacked along the roadside that a big truck would come by and pick them up hauling them to where the pigs were being raised. Men would then have to husk them, break out the meat and feed the pigs. Other pigs seemed perfectly happy walking around free in small villages or wallowing in roadside ditches rooting in the cool mud as we drove by.
In another village we drove through there was a bingo game going on with people lounging in any shade they could find within ears reach of the announcer.
We returned back to the boat by 5:00 and got cleaned up for another night out at Aggie Grays a hotel with lots of history for a traditional dance show and buffet. The show had 40 local dancers and musicians that put on a great show. The buffet was loaded with local delicacies that included roasted suckling pig, coconut cream tuna, stuffed sea urchins, taro leaf salad, coconut cream octopus and many other tasty dishes and salads. All this was only $35 US per person and was a good value in my opinion.
The next day we did some shopping around town and cleared out. Clearing out was not quite as easy as clearing in but we found the immigration office and filled out the wrong form, then filled out the right forms, got our passport stamped by a very large and happy Samoan lady and were on our way to the prime ministers office within 30 minutes. The prime ministers office is where you can get permission to go to Savaii the island just to the west, the less populated sister island of Western Samoa. I was told the office was on the 5th floor. I went to the 5th floor and was told it was on the 3rd floor and went there to be told to go to the tourism office on the 1st floor who told me to go to the 5th floor…..Back to the 5th floor the security guy had a weird look as I walked past to the office on the left. The letter was printed and passports scanned and we were allowed to visit. Then it was off to the port captains office to pay $33 tala departure fee. I arrived at 2:45 just in time to see them all leaving early for the day, than goodness one guy had a cell phone and called his boss to help me out. I am sure they all got overtime for collecting the $33 tala and filling out my clearance papers. Next step we had to pay for the dock and wouldn’t you know it I was $20 short!! Another mile of walking back to the boat and we were all set.
Having driven around the island and spent almost a week here I still always wonder how and island can survive let alone be it’s own country. They do not worry about the things big countries do, like defense, what is to defend? They have zero military and the police force is minimal compared to most countries we visited. We never seen the fire trucks leave the firehouse or ever heard a sirens blair. While we were in Pago Pago and American island the ambulances and fire trucks were screaming at all hours of the day. It seems that if the services are there the people get used to calling them out. If they are not, well they just take care of it on their own. It is amazing of what we are used to in the states but at what cost? Like most countries in the world over half work for the government. There was a 24 hr guard at the docks to guard 12 boats that paid an average of $20 per day to be there, no profit there….All the departments we went to were well staffed and helpful but you have to ask, where does all the money come from? This country has no real exports or manufacturing to trade with. The local hills are full of dense jungle but could be covered in hardwood tree farms. The plantations that thrived in the turn of the century are all but overgrown now and pastures have a fraction of the livestock they could sustain. There is some tourism but no main resorts just small 20 to 30 room locations. We did see a lot of New Zealanders traveling here, they have just a short 4 hour flight to paradise. Having said all that Western Samoa is still a place I would definitely come back to, next time for a month not a week!
Our next adventure will be Savaii the sister island to Upolu
Until then, Live your dreams!!
Peace!! Capt Pete and Daria
27th of August 2011
27th of August 2011


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One of the biggest decisions any person has to make at some point in their lives is purchasing property. But just how hard is it to buy land?
How difficult it will be to buy land will be determined based on your budget, location, land intentions, land type, zoning rights, as well as any other restrictions that are associated with the property.
As you begin looking for your perfect parcel of land, you may feel a bit overwhelmed by the number of obstacles and complex procedures that come with acquiring property. In addition, there are so many variables that involve carefully calculating your finances, choosing the right place to set up shop, as well as determining what your end goals are for a project. With that being said, if you have a clear idea of what you want to do with your land, you will be able to significantly narrow down your options, which is why we are going to help take the weight off your shoulders and guide you through the process.
Individuals purchasing land within the United States must do so through a private seller, a real estate organization, a private land trust, or acquire property through the Bureau of Land Management. In addition, you should always consult your county’s local building authority to ensure that you are developing within your legal rights.
Table of Contents
Choosing The Right Land
With a country as large as the United States, you have a lot of options to choose from when it comes to acquiring land. This can seem challenging, as having so many options available can sometimes feel overwhelming. However, the opposite is also the case, as you are given the versatility to select the right property that fits your needs, which can result in a much easier purchase.
Before you go out and start physically hunting down land for inspections, it always helps to have a clear idea of what exactly your ambitions and goals are for your property. This is a very important step to start out with, regardless of whether you are an aspiring homeowner, an commercial business owner, or a real estate investor, as it will help narrow down all of your options and make your search way more efficient and far less stressful.
Once you have a vision for your property, you should sit down and start considering what your options truly are. Let’s dive into what you need to assess to make your land purchase as smooth and easy as possible.
The first thing you should do before you go looking at properties is to sit down and have a good evaluation of your finances.
This can be a challenging aspect of hunting down land, as everybody’s financial situation is a little bit different and the number of hurdles you have to overcome can be greatly mitigated by either how financially well off you are or how carefully you calculate your savings and earnings to predict what you can afford.
If you’re financially backed and have a substantial savings in your bank account to pay for the property upfront, you will find that buying land is relatively easy and that all you need to likely do is commit to land that you like and deal with any logistical issues with the property.
However, most people don’t have this luxury and need to make more cautious decisions when considering their land options. This can feel intimidating at times, but if you approach your budget with careful consideration, you will find that the process isn’t all that bad.
Here’s what you should consider:
- Savings - having even a small amount of savings to get yourself started will be the foundation for your property options. While you can begin searching for land without savings, having some leverage to lean on will give you the confidence and reassurance to put a downpayment on your property.
- Income - if you are receiving a consistent and regular income, it becomes much easier to predict what kind of savings you will likely be able to acquire over the coming years while you pay off your property. What you should carefully consider is your job security. The last thing you want to do is commit to a property loan that falls through, which is why you should feel confident in being able to hold on to your current or new job during the process.
- Financial advisor - hiring a professional financial advisor can make help your budgeting evaluation a lot smoother and more precise. At the end of the day, if you are not completely confident in your budget, having the second opinion of a financial advisor can give you the reassurance that you are making the right decision. Be sure to sit down and make some self-calculations before seeking a professional. You should really just be seeking a second opinion from a professional - opposed to completely relying on them.
Your long-term budget is the first thing you need to carefully evaluate before you begin looking at properties. Once you’ve determined your budget, your options will be narrowed down and your search will be much easier.
The golden mantra recited by every real estate enthusiast is, ‘location, location, location’. You’ve likely heard it before, but you shouldn’t forget it - location is one of the most crucial determining factors that will decide how easy or difficult your land will be to buy.
The location of your land not only has a lot of physical appeal in regards to aesthetic surroundings and economic benefits but it will also help you configure your budget.
There are few things that will determine the price of your land and the complications that come with buying it then the location you choose. With that being said, you should carefully consider where you want to live or pursue your business venture.
To understand this better, let’s analyze how the location will affect how difficult land is to buy.
When buying land in an urban area you will find that the process can prove to be a bit more challenging than in a rural environment.
There are a lot of benefits that attract many buyers to pursue their land purchases in urban environments. You will find that cities offer more economic and financial benefits to many landowners, as well as the prospect of acquiring land that will likely become more valuable over time. This tends to be a great quality that appeals to homeowners, as well as real estate investors.
What will determine how hard your land is to buy will ultimately be what you intend to do with your property.
The most common land purchase in urban environments is private homeowners looking to buy a permanent residence.
If you are on the market to buy a property that has already been developed, a lot of your logistical obstacles have essentially been eliminated, as the build will have likely been set up within legal zoning rights.
What you will likely encounter in this situation - especially in an attractive neighborhood or area - is that you have to deal with a competitive market. Many people within cities that have thriving economies have to deal with housing shortages, which can make hunting down that perfect property especially difficult.
However, if you are buying a vacant plot of land in an urban area, you’ll find there are some areas of focus that you don’t want to overlook. Cities often have strict guidelines about what you can build and how you can build. This can greatly complicate your development plans and make your land purchase all the more difficult.
To make your residential land purchase as smooth as possible, you should be fully aware of all restrictions tied to your property. Let’s take a look at some potential restrictions urban residences have to adhere to.
Urban Zoning Restrictions
One of the most common zoning restrictions for urban land developments will be in regards to the parameters of your home.
You will likely be limited by how high your building can be, as well as how many buildings and structures you are allowed to develop. In addition, certain cities have significant historic or intrinsic value which demands that you adhere to certain architectural and aesthetic guidelines.
It’s not uncommon to find that the inner and outer structure of your building is limited to how you can modify it. Moreover, you may have limitations as to the types of materials you are allowed to use when repairing your home and you may not even be allowed to change the color of your building.
To ensure that you are not violating any zoning restrictions on your property, you should always seek the console of your local county building authority.
Urban Commercial Business
Acquiring land for commercial purposes will follow much of the same suit as residential properties - except for the that you will likely be looking for lands that are more suitable for your business.
If you are purchasing a developed property that is compatible with your business and already has all of its permits in order, you shouldn’t have any major issues transitioning into your new property.
While if you are aiming to develop your commercial business from scratch on vacant land, the process can become a little more complicated. Let’s take a look at some common zoning restrictions associated with urban commercial developments.
Urban Commercial Zoning Restrictions
Depending on what kind of business you are setting up, you may find that certain types of businesses are not allowed to be within a certain distance of residential and school areas.
If you are aiming to buy land for the purpose of establishing a bar, restaurant, or shopping center, you may find your options to be a bit limited and your purchase more challenging.
In addition, you will likely have to adhere to more regulatory restrictions such as noise and pollution. Buying land in urban areas for commercial business use can prove to be quite more difficult, which is why you want to carefully consider all zoning restrictions that will be in place on your land.
Depending on what your intentions are for buying land, you may find that purchasing property in rural areas can be significantly easier.
Given that there is far less oversight and often less job competition in rural areas, land options can often be far more versatile and much cheaper to acquire. This can make rural land purchases not only more cost-beneficial but also much less of a hassle.
The important thing to keep in mind, as always, are your land intentions, as this will determine the challenges you will face when buying land in a rural area. Here’s what you should consider.
Buying land for residential use in an urban environment is one of the most straightforward and easy land purchases you can ever make. The reason for this is that land is significantly cheaper in rural environments.
This leaves many land buyers that strive for a location with economic growth and financial prosperity to look for urban areas for their property, which significantly eliminates the amount of competition you will have to deal with.
In addition, your zoning restrictions will be far more relaxed. There is often very little regulatory presence in regards to what you can build and how you want to build it. So long as you are not violating the basic restrictions that your local building authority has in place, you will find that buying land in a rural area is about as easy as it gets.
The only exception for this that you will likely find, is that you will want to ensure that your property is located in an area that has access to your basic and essential utilities.
Rural Commerical & Industrial Use
The prospect of acquiring cheaper land with less restriction is a major reason why many commercial and industrial businesses choose to establish themselves in rural areas.
Buying land that is spacious and has more development versatility provides business-minded individuals the opportunity to set up their commercial or industrial businesses with far fewer complications.
Finding a huge plot of land that meets these qualities within urban environments is either very challenging and or even impossible. Zoning restrictions for businesses and especially industrial businesses can often be more trouble than they’re worth.
With that being said the zoning restrictions commercial and industrial businesses to have to adhere to will be things such as pollution control and the proper disposal of industrial waste and chemicals.
Mortgage & Loans
Getting involved with mortgages and loans is always a bit unsettling, as no one wants to be in somebody else’s pocket. The best way to bypass this obstacle and make your land purchase a lot easier is to have the money upfront in your savings.
Given that this is rarely the case for most aspiring landowners on the market, you are going to want to carefully approach getting your mortgage or loan.
Once you’ve evaluated your finances, determined your budget, and are feeling confident about a parcel of land that you’re considering, you will likely need to meet with an organization that can help pave the way to your land purchase. As you begin looking at institutions that specialize in such financial assistance, you are going to want to make sure you are working with a trusted organization that has built a solid reputation.
In these situations, it’s always best to not hop on the first option that catches your eye and consider all of the resources available to you.
As you sit down with a representative of the financial organization you’ve selected, they are going to evaluate your budget and determine the interest rate of your mortgage. In this situation, it’s always going to work out in your favor to have a downpayment on your land that is 20% or more. This can significantly lower your overall interest rates. The good news is that interest rates for mortgages are lower than ever - with 2021 having an average interest rate of just 2.1% over a 30-year period.
Acquiring a mortgage is much easier when you are looking for a private residence - especially one that is already developed. If you are looking at raw or vacant land for your purchase, you can find that this is a more risky investment for your financial institution and they may require that you put down a larger downpayment (sometimes as much as 50%) or pay a higher interest rate. This can make your financial backing more complex and your overall land purchase much more complicated.
As you begin looking at properties, you should always inquire as to whether or not the land has any sort of easement in place on it. This is not something you will likely find with an urban area, but you should still ask nonetheless.
However, easements are quite common to be associated with lands located in rural areas. Lands that have been classified with an easement entail that the property owner has given up certain rights to the property.
For the most part, you will find that these rights are quite irrelevant and will not affect the difficulty of acquiring the land nor will they provide many challenges that hinder any potential developments. Some common property easements would be sharing a property barrier with a neighbor, which could entail mutual maintenance and upkeep, or it could simply mean that you have to allow public access to a certain area of your land for the sake of reaching a public road or highway.
Where easements can become complicated and make acquiring your land more challenging is when you have a conservation easement in place on the property. In this situation, you may be dealing with a non-profit land trust that has acquired the land from a private seller. The land trust will have put in place certain restrictions on the property that has permanently converted the land to conservation land.
In this case, you will find that you must be vetted by the land trust to prove that your environmental values are in line with their own and that you will continue to adhere to the ecologically beneficial restrictions that have been put in place on the property.
These restrictions will have to do with what you can and can’t build. While this does add an obstacle to buying your land, it can actually also prove to benefit certain individuals and make their land purchase much easier. Since the cost can be a major obstacle for many individuals when buying land, aspiring landowners will be pleased to find that properties with conservation easements generally have a significantly lower price tag associated with them.
About THE AUTHOR
Brittany has been in the land business since 2020 when the world was starting to shut down. Since then, we’ve sold to dozens of people from ATV weekend warriors to camping enthusiasts to retired truck drivers. Our inventory spans mostly in the western United States. We’ve been trained by experience, land acquisition courses, and hundreds of hours meeting with county assessors and clerks, zoning officials, realtors, and land investors. We’ve answered hundreds of questions from people regarding the buying and use of land.Read More About Brittany Melling

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The National Cannabis Review offers news and a directory of the US marijuana industry for your area and the nation. We support legalization by communicating up to date information about respected businesses.
Cannabis Marketing Association is a membership based organization dedicated to education and best practices for industry communications professionals. CMAs mission is to bring a positive perception to, and authentic understanding of, cannabis and its consumers around the worl...
At both the federal and state levels, DPA is actively involved in the legislative process. We seek to roll back the excesses of the drug war, block new, harmful initiatives, and promote sensible drug policy reforms.We also have an advocacy grants program that seeks to promote pol...
The Voice of the Cannabis Industry NCIA is the only national trade association advancing the interests of the legitimate and responsible cannabis industry. Our industry supports tens of thousands of jobs, tens of millions in tax revenue, and billions in economic activity in th...
Sensible Colorado has the been the leader in:1. Fighting for medical marijuana patient rights in the courtroom, the capitol, and the streets2. Establishing Colorados nationally-acclaimed medical marijuana distribution system3. Passing sensible marijuana laws to benefit all Color...
The Voice For Colorados Marijuana Industry The Medical Marijuana Industry Group was founded in 2010 to help create Colorados medical marijuana regulatory framework. When licensed and regulated marijuana sales became legal on January 1st, we became the Marijuana Industry Group....
Colorado NORML supports NORMLs mission of moving public opinion sufficiently to achieve the repeal of marijuana prohibition so that the responsible use of cannabis by adults is no longer subject to criminal sanction.Colorado NORML is a state chapter of the National Organization f...
Headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado, Strainwise Cannabis Solutions is a complete ecosystem of entities and services that support the burgeoning cannabis industry. From capital, strategic partnership, and seed-to-sale consulting to design, marketing and advertising services, there...
Your best choice for Medical Marijuana Evaluations and Cannabis Medicine Information Our doctors are all fully licensed, Board Certified MDs in good standing, in full compliance with Colorados Amendment 20. With our Complete Application package, most new patients can see the ...
Qualified patients for the first time have above-ground access to cannabis products dispensed at state-licensed facilities. On Saturday, the states first operational dispensary will begin providing products to state-qualified patients.
State lawmakers first approved legislation in 2015 to provide an affirmative defense from prosecution for select patients who possess CBD-dominant extract products. Lawmakers later amended and expanded the law to establish a state-regulated cannabis access program and to ensure that no one may be penalized for their participation in it. Unde.... View more in new window
marijuanamoment.net | October 17, 2020
Missouri Launches Medical Marijuana Sales At States First Dispensaries
Less than two years after Missouri voters approved a ballot measure to legalize medical marijuana, dispensaries made the states first cannabis sales to patients on Saturday.
NBliss Cannabis opened the doors of two separate St. Louis County locations, in Ellisville and Manchester.
Missouri patients have always been our north star as we work to implement the states medical marijuana program, Dr. Randall Williams, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, said in a press release. We greatly appreciate how hard everyone has worked so that patients .... View more in new window
marijuanamoment.net | October 16, 2020
Biden Talks Marijuana Decriminalization While Trump Promotes Criminal Justice Record At Dueling Town Halls
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden reiterated on Thursday that he supports decriminalizing marijuana and thinks people should not be incarcerated for drug possession but should instead be forced into treatment. At the same time, President Trump attempted to cast himself as the criminal justice reform candidate.
The comments came during simultaneous town halls that the contenders held on competing networks.
On ABC, the former vice president was pressed on the racially disparate impacts of the 1994 Crime Bill that he authored during his time as a senator. Biden defen.... View more in new window
StoptheDrugWar.org | October 14, 2020
Supreme Court Wont Hear Marijuana Rescheduling Case, New Zealand Marijuana Vote Saturday, More.
The Supreme Court slaps down the latest effort to reschedule marijuana, Pennsylvanias governor is again calling on the legislature to legalize marijuana, New Zealand votes on marijuana legalization on Saturday, and more.
US Supreme Court Wont Hear Marijuana Legalization Case. The US Supreme Court has declined to hear a case arguing that marijuanas classification as a Schedule I controlled substance is unconstitutional. The three-year-old case was filed by former NFL player Marvin Washington and several other medical marijuana patients. The 2nd US Circuit.... View more in new window
NORML | October 12, 2020
New Zealand: Voters to Decide Saturday on Nationwide Marijuana Legalization Referendum
Voters on Saturday will decide on a nationwide referendum to legalize the possession and use of cannabis by those age 20 or older.
The binding measure, entitled the Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill, is one of two ballot questions that will be decided alongside the General Election on October 17. The election was initially scheduled for September 19, but was delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Early voting has already begun.
The referendum, which has been endorsed by NORML New Zealand, mandates lawmakers to establish rules and regulations permitting the com.... View more in new window
marijuanamoment.net | October 13, 2020
Pennsylvania Governor Again Calls On Lawmakers To Legalize Marijuana
The governor of Pennsylvania is at it again, delivering yet another speech on Tuesday about the need to legalize marijuana in the state.
For someone who just last year came out in favor of the policy change himself, Gov. Tom Wolfs D repeated criticism of the Republican-controlled state legislature for failing to enact cannabis legalization in the months since is notable.
In what has now become a monthly series of press appearances focused on legalization, the governor has stressed that marijuana reform could generate tax revenue to support the states economic recovery fro.... View more in new window
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ITALY has announced plans to enter “phase two” of its lockdown as the country reported its lowest daily death toll for some weeks.
The country’s lockdown was introduced on March 9 as the country rapidly became one of the worst-hit countries in Europe in the COVID-19 pandemic.
It has currently seen 15,887 deaths – the highest number worldwide – though its most recent daily increase of 525 deaths marks its lowest daily increase in the last couple of weeks.
This suggests that the country’s long lockdown strategy is now showing signs of working.
Meanwhile, reported cases are at 128,948 – behind Spain and the US – according to Johns Hopkins University data.
The country’s health minister, Roberto Speranza, told La Repubblica newspaper that the country’s task was now to “create the conditions to live with the virus”, according to the NY Post.
Details do not appear to be available, but Mr Speranza also said that he had outlined a five-step “phase two” of the country’s response, in which lockdown measures could be eased but not removed altogether.
The country is currently expected to be on lockdown until April 13th, although this is likely to be extended.
Even in phase two, social distancing would remain in place and there would be an increased use of protection kit such as face masks, plus health services would be ramped up, it is understood.
He also told La Repubblica that “we cannot rule out a new wave of the virus”.
The country’s lengthy lockdown has caused widespread financial insecurity.
Like the UK, many businesses including shops, bars, and restaurants have been ordered to close.
Earlier this month The Guardian reported that over 40,000 people had been charged with violating the country’s lockdown.
Meanwhile, Spain is also approaching a plateu, according to the country’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez.
In a TV broadcast, Mr Sanchez said the country is “at the start of the decrease in the epidemic,” but urged the nation to continue to endure, the Metro reports.
Confirmed cases in Spain are the world’s second highest at 121,646, while there have been 12,641 deaths.
In the UK, Health Secretary Matt Hancock today held the country’s most recent Covid-19 press briefing.
He assuaged concerns that stricter lockdown measures would be imposed, saying that: “We’re not planning any changes to those rules imminently, but we do absolutely require people to follow them.
Re-emphasised the four reasons for which UK citizens may leave their homes, set out by the government at the start of the lockdown.
They are: shopping for basic necessities such as food and medicine; one form of exercise a day; any medical need including to escape risk of injury or harm; and to travel to work if necessary.
He was also questioned about potential oxygen shortages among NHS hospitals as the number of patients admitted to intensive care units increase.
Mr Hancock said the country has “adequate supplies of the oxygen that’s needed in hospitals.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been admitted to an unnamed hospital in London following 10 days of persistent coronavirus symptoms.
Downing Street sources have said Mr Johnson’s hospital admission was merely a ‘precautionary step’.
Source: Read Full Article

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Watch & download exo 3 6 5 MP4 and MP3 now. You can download free mp3 or MP4 as a separate song, or as video and download a music collection from any artist, which of course will save you a lot of time.
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Main / Personalization / Rihanna talk that talk album zippy
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File size: 391mb
El Album contiene 14 canciones · Espero que te guste · Agrega a Tracklist: · You Da One · Where Have You Been · We Found Album|Talk. Rihanna – Talk That Talk (Deluxe Edition) + Link download: MPkbps + Lyrics. Play and Download all songs on Unapologetic (Deluxe Edition), a music album by . Rihanna - Talk That Talk Album + Deluxe Edition.
"Talk That Talk" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, recorded for her sixth studio album of the same name. The song features American rapper. Stream Rihanna ft. Jay Z- Talk That Talk (SICK INDIVIDUALS Re-Edit) FREE DOWNLOAD by SICK INDIVIDUALS from desktop or your mobile. Consideration (feat. SZA); quimicas70aniversario.com Joint; quimicas70aniversario.com It Better; quimicas70aniversario.com (feat. Drake); 5. Desperado; quimicas70aniversario.com; quimicas70aniversario.com Me; quimicas70aniversario.com, I Said It; quimicas70aniversario.com Ol'.
Listen to Rated R (Explicit Version) by Rihanna free on Arena Music. Download Rated R (Explicit Version) free. Chris Brown and Rihanna have collaborated for remixes to "Birthday Cake" “ Birthday Cake” Remix & “Turn Up The Music” Remix [Listen/Download] “ Birthday Cake” can be found on Rihanna's latest album Talk That Talk. Rihanna's third album, 's Good Girl Gone Bad, continued her success while (Drink to That)" entered the Top Ten, the singer released Talk That Talk.

domain: celebrity


Agar, SD 57520
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James Brown —
Best Of James Brown ... LP, Vinyl record album
You might be interested
Polydor, 1979. Very Good
Wonderful later work from Isaac Hayes – a gem from his Polydor years that has a good mix of mellow cuts and more upbeat numbers! The record has 3 long "quiet storm" tracks that take off on Ike's earlier expanded ballad style (forged on tracks like "Walk On By") – ...
Polydor, 1974. Very Good 2LP Gatefold
JB's wildest album, with a crazy cover that shows him running away from the devil, and great gatefold inner photo with him standing amidst a bunch of declarations of "Hell". The record is a double album filled with lots of different styles from James' funky bag. Nicer bits include " ...
Capitol, 1980. Very Good-
Classic modern soul from the legendary Frankie Beverly! The record's perhaps one of their best remembered – most likely for the killer cut "Joy & Pain", which has a great hook that's been sampled many times over the years. The record also features the wonderful "Southern ...


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PERE x Newcore Capital – Private real estate’s collision course with geopolitics
February 5, 2024
Newcore Capital x PERE – February 2024
According to The Counsellors of Real Estate, political unrest and global economic health are one of the top ten issues affecting real estate capital flows.
Newcore’s CEO, Hugo Llewelyn, discussed this risk with Evelyn Lee for PERE’s February 2024 cover story alongside nine other managers, investors and advisers.
Read the full article below to hear their views on how a more volatile geopolitical environment has been shifting real estate capital flows in terms of geographic markets, sectors, asset types, leverage and strategies globally.
Download the full article here.


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|Birthplace:||Sterling, Colchester, Essex, England|
|Death:||Died in New London, New London, CT, USA|
|Place of Burial:||CT|
Son of Thomas Birchard (Birchwood) and Mary Birchard
|Managed by:||Martin Severin Eriksen|
Matching family tree profiles for John Birchard
About John Birchard
John Birchard married Jane (Lee) Hyde, widow of Samuel Hyde after 1677.
She was the daughter of Thomas and Phoebe Brown, and the widow of Sam Hyde.
John Birchard was baptized January 31,1627/28 at Terling, Essex,England. OnSept 20,1635 he came from London, Eng. to New England on the ship "Truelove" with his parents and sisters, Elizabeth,Marie,Sarah,Susan and Ann. They went first to Hartford, then to Saybrook where he appears on the list of 40 grantees in 1650. On March 27,165l he owned land in Martha's Vineyard and in 1656 was the Town Clerk of Edgarton. On July 22,1653 he married his first wife Christian Andrews at Norwich.
She was born in England in 1630 and died after June of 1677.
The first five children died before reaching the age of four, as did Benjamin, their 13th child.
- Vital Records, Norwich, Conn. Vol. I, pps. 22,23
- The American Genealogist pps. 226,228,222, 162
- History of Norwich pg.167
- Norwich Vital Records pg.23
John Birchard's Timeline
January 31, 1628
Colchester, Essex, England
Dukes, Massachusetts, United States
July 15, 1663
Norwich, New London, CT
New London, New London, CT, USA
July 16, 1665
Norwich, New London County, Connecticut, United States

domain: history


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He’s not sure what their children will look like with this interesting ethnic background, and he’s starting to wonder if their children would struggle with their identity.
He’s worried that have children that are from mixed races and cultures might harm them in some way, but he’s never thought of this until now.
Also, his future mother-in-law doesn’t speak English really at all, and he’s not sure how that will play into things and if his fiancée’s family will in turn teach their children how to speak their language, which he cannot speak.
“Wouldn’t things be much simpler if I had set up a life with a woman of similar culture to mine?” he wondered.
“Who I didn’t have to worry about the languages in our home raising children? Who I don’t need to become accustomed to new traditions that I didn’t grow up with? I started to question if this is the right woman for a lifelong marriage.”
“Needless to say I’ve fallen into a massive depression thinking I may have spent the last 4+ years doing all the right things with the wrong woman.”
“However, just thinking about the idea of breaking up, the idea of hurting this wonderful human who’s dedicated herself to me as much as I to her, feels like a knife going through my chest.”
He is really struggling with what he should do, and if his concerns are real or just, well, him being influenced by what other people might say or think about their future family.
All this has caused him to spiral into a depression, and his fiancée is beginning to pick up on him not acting like he normally does.
He’s also starting to feel like he’s not so attracted to his fiancée, and he’s pulling back on the affection he shows her.

domain: sociology


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(Reuters) - Dialog Semiconductor Plc said on Tuesday it has ended discussions with Synaptics Inc about a potential acquisition of the U.S. touch-pad technology company, without citing a reason.
Deal talks collapsed after Synaptics balked at the proposed terms, including the price offered, a source familiar with the matter said.
Uncertainty over whether China would approve the deal, after upending US chip maker Qualcomm’s $44 billion acquisition of Dutch-based peer NXP Semiconductor through a protracted antitrust review, was not a concern, the source said.
Synaptics said it has disengaged from talks with Dialog.
“We are very confident in our strategy and will continue to execute on our strategy to grow and diversify our business independently,” Synaptics said in a statement.

domain: economics


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11oz enamel mug with Fallow Deer Stag head & Doe design by Ashley James
Ideal for camping, gardening, a cuppa at home or a gift for a friend!
These mugs are MADE ON DEMAND (lead time is 7 working days).
FREE DELIVERY IN THE UK.
These mugs are hand-enamelled so each one is different. Dimples and dots are natural and add to the unique charm.
Enamel mugs are not dishwasher or microwave safe as they are made of metal! To prolong the life of the product we recommend washing with a non-abrasive sponge.


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I have used this recipe about five times in the past month. My roomie adores it "for vegan food" (her quote). I omit the walnuts because they are to pricey for my wallet. Super soft, moist, and delicious.
Was this review helpful to you?

domain: food


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- This event has passed.
October 19, 2022 @ 10:30 am - 11:30 am$10
Enjoy a Family Story hour complete with arts activities for the youngest of creative minds. This weekly Story Hour drop-in includes music, interactive stories, fun with words and movement, and a craft project too. Each week we’ll explore a new story and theme, all while encouraging young ones to begin expressing feelings and ideas as their personalities shift and shape from week to week. This story hour is geared for preschool age children with an adult helping hand to join in the fund. Drop-in to hear a story and make some art with the little ones in your life (focus is on 18 months to 4 years, all ages welcome). Cost is $10 per family per week. Wednesdays from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Oct. 19 – Dec. 14 at FAME Center Chicago, 1550 S. State St., #116. Visit https://go.asapconnected.com/?org=5501#CourseID=275130.

domain: entertainment


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IFSW is deeply concerned about the recent outbreak of severe armed violence in Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. The ramifications of such conflict are profound, affecting the lives of countless individuals and communities.
As the promotors of social work values, we must emphatically stress the primacy of the protection and well-being of all individuals, particularly vulnerable families and children, amidst any geopolitical strife. War and conflict have repercussions far beyond territorial claims and political objectives; they shake the very foundations of society, tearing families apart, and leaving lasting scars on the psyches of the youngest among us. Every child, irrespective of nationality or affiliation, deserves a safe environment where they can grow, learn, and thrive.
Joachim Mumba, IFSW President, commented: “We call upon all parties and the international community at large to work collaboratively towards fostering peace, rebuilding communities, and ensuring the safety and well-being of all those affected. We must prioritize the needs of those who have borne the brunt of the conflict – the families and children – by offering psychological support, ensuring access to essential services, and promoting social cohesion and reconciliation. By upholding our social work values and placing the welfare of families and children at the forefront, we can make meaningful contributions towards a more compassionate and just world.”
Ana Radulescu, IFSW Europe President, added: “In the context of the ongoing conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, on behalf of IFSW Europe, I express my unwavering support to the social workers and resilient communities affected by this devastating armed conflict. The toll on innocent civilians caught in the crossfire is of the highest concern and we implore the international community to take decisive action to achieve an immediate ceasefire and ensure the safety and well-being of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. Social workers have been on the frontline for the past nine months, tirelessly providing help, comfort and essential services to separated children and the most vulnerable people affected by the severe violence in the region. Their dedication and resilience in the face of adversity is extraordinary. We call on governments, organizations and individuals around the world to join the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and provide humanitarian assistance, support and diplomatic efforts to facilitate a swift resolution to this conflict before more lives are lost.“


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Sunday, April 6, 2008
Playing With the Grown-ups: A Novel
By Sophie Dahl
This was really an interesting read. The children, Sam, Violet and Kitty are innocent and filled with joy during the days they live in Hay with Bestmama and Bestpapa, their grandparents. The household also includes two aunts, a nanny, and their mother, Marina.
Sadly their innocence comes to a sad and abrupt end When their mother makes some poor choices. It is clear from the beginning that Marina is not blessed with an iota of common sense, and her love for her children seems more an act than a fact. It is Nora, the nanny who provides them with stability and nurturing.
After becoming involved with a cult, Marina chooses to live her life according to Swami-ji, and to do exactly as he says is right for herself and her daughters. This begins with uprooting them from the loving family and haven like home they have always known and taking them far away.
This is really Kitty's story, but of course a child's story is always built on the family she is born to. We see Kitty going from innocent child, to harsh and confused adolescent, and finally to an adult, living her own life.
The story is good, enchanting and funny in places. Sad and dark in places, as well. It seemed to be a bit disjointed. There was a lack of flow between the chapters showing the past and those showing the present. And to me, its the ending that tells the tale. A good story, which this is, deserves a good ending.
I feel this was not the case here, that the ending was rather abrupt and did not live up to the rest of the story.
I would certainly recommend this to others, but as a good book, not an excellent one.

domain: library


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When prominent Democratic politicians like Rep. Henry Waxman, House Minority Leader Nancy, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and Sen. Max Baucus voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act last year, they voted to fund roughly half of the law's $940 billion price tag through cuts to Medicare. More than $200 billion of those cuts don't come through any attempt to reform the way Medicare works; instead, they're quality-blind reductions in the reimbursement rates that the government pays health care providers.
By voting for the law, they also voted to require states to maintain existing eligibility within Medicaid, the joint federal-state health program that's currently the number one total budget item across state budgets. Faced with massive budget deficits, then, states that might otherwise have adjusted Medicaid's eligibility rules had little choice but to cut provider payments.
And now those same Democratic leaders who voted to cut provider rates within Medicare have signed a letter supporting the right of Medicaid patients and health service providers in California to push state courts to block cuts in Medicaid payments. The New York Times reports:
The Democratic leaders said Medicaid beneficiaries must be allowed to file suit to enforce their right to care — and to challenge Medicaid cuts being made by states around the country.
The Obama administration maintains that beneficiaries and health care providers cannot sue state officials to challenge cuts in Medicaid payment rates, even if such cuts compromise access to care for the poor.
In a friend-of-the-court brief, the lawmakers said the administration's position "would undermine the effectiveness of Medicaid." In addition, they said, it conflicts with more than a century of court precedents that allow people to sue to block state actions that are inconsistent with federal law.
Last week's debt deal calls for further reductions in Medicare provider rates should the super committee assigned to come up with a deficit reduction package fail.
Link via Cato's Michael Cannon.


El Salvador is urging women in the Central American nation to avoid getting pregnant until 2018 to avoid their children developing birth defects from the mosquito-borne Zika virus which has rampaged through the Americas.The Zika virus is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is also known to carry the dengue, yellow fever and Chikungunya viruses. Health experts are unsure why the virus, which was first detected in Africa in 1947 but unknown in the Americas until last year, is spreading so rapidly in Brazil and El Salvador.Salvadorean Deputy Health Minister, Eduardo Espinosa, cautioned couples to take necessary precautions."This is why we're recommending to partners to plan their pregnancy. If they decide to get pregnant then take the necessary measures to protect mothers during their pregnancy they cover a large part of their bodies so they are not exposed to the mosquito which could cause Zika and a child with microcephaly," he said.Although research is still underway, significant evidence in Brazil shows a link between Zika infections and rising cases of microcephaly, a neurological disorder in which infants are born with smaller craniums and brains.The Salvadorean government decided to make the announcement because 5,397 cases of the Zika virus had been detected in El Salvador in 2015 and the first few days of this year."This implies a new risk for our population in a way that we need to face, destroying the transmitor of these illnesses. For us to be successful there can't be more than four positive cases for every 100 (patients)," said Civil Protection Minister, Jorge Melendez.Official figures show 96 pregnant women are suspected of having contracted the virus, but so far none have had babies born with microcephaly.In Colombia, which has the second-highest Zika infection rate after Brazil, the government is also advising women to delay becoming pregnant, but only for six to eight months.


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Drama is a dynamic learning experience that caters for a diverse range of students and prepares them for effective and responsible participation in society, taking account of moral, ethical, and spiritual considerations. The study of Drama engages and challenges students to maximise their individual abilities through imaginative, dramatic experiences created in co-operation with others.
|Stage 5 (Years 9 & 10)||Stage 6 (Years 11 & 12)|
Electives drama – 200 hours
HSC Drama (ATAR)
· Drama production (every 2 years)
· Stage 5 Whole class performances to school
· Platinum CAPA Showcase evening


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In just five months, Americans will go to the polls again in the 2018 midterm elections. There are several key Senate races this fall, and it currently looks like the Republicans can keep their slight majority. However, Democrats are hard at work trying to shake things up, and President Trump also isn’t satisfied with the current balance of the Senate.
The polls are sure to change from now until November. For now, there are several states that are looking interesting.
Incumbent Democrat Heidi Heitkamp faces off against Republican Kevin Cramer. Polling currently shows Cramer with a slight lead over Heikamp. Heikamp has been the Senator of North Dakota since 2013, and shares many of the mainstream Democrat views.
Trump won North Dakota by nearly 40 points. This is a heavily Republican state, but the contestants’ relationships with Trump make it interesting. Trump considered Heikamp for a cabinet position, and rumor has it Trump also asked her to switch parties. Cramer, on the other hand, is already a close Trump ally.
Trump will be in North Dakota on June 27th to campaign for Cramer.
In Indiana, Businessman Mike Braun faces Joe Donnelly.
Many claim that Donnelly is a moderate Democrat. However, his voting record tells a different story: Donnelly votes alongside Chuck Schumer 85% of the time. Trump has nicknamed Donnelly “Sleeping Joe” and “Swamp person.”
Mike Braun is a strong candidate to run against Donnelly. He came out on top in a tough primary, and is looking to use that momentum to win in November. Braun built up a successful Indiana business and is positioned as an outsider, ready to go to Washington to help “drain the swamp.”
This is a seat that Democrats are vulnerable to lose. Donald Trump won Indiana by 19 points, and has already campaigned for Braun. Indiana is also the home state of Vice President Pence. Indiana will be a toss up, and will likely end up being decided by only a few points.
Republicans are looking to defend a seat in Nevada, as incumbent Dean Heller faces off against Democrat Jacky Rosen.
Democrats see this as one of their best shots to take back the Senate. Elizabeth Warren, a potential 2020 presidential candidate, spoke at the Nevada Democratic State Party Convention. She attacked Trump during her speech, which she hopes will help Rosen win in November.
This is also the only race that has a Republican Senator defending a seat in a state that Hillary Clinton won.
Missouri is home to another vulnerable incumbent. Trump won the state by nearly 20 points, which is cause for concern for Senator Claire McCaskill as she takes on Josh Hawley.
Josh Hawley is a young face for the Republican Party. He describes himself as a constitutional conservative. Hawley is the current Missouri Attorney General, and is an ideal candidate to take on McCaskill.
Many see this as the toughest race for Democrats. McCaskill is trying to distance herself from the Democratic party to try to attract more voters. This didn’t stop her, however, from voting against the Republican Tax Cut Bill and calling for gun control.
Given just how many seats are in play, November is shaping up to be a hotly contested election.


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How to determine the appropriate Florida county for filing for divorce
Venue is the legal principle that determines which court or courts have the legal power to hear a particular dispute. A spouse filing for divorce in Florida should normally file the petition in state court in the county in which the parties last lived together as a married couple with the intention to stay married – considered the county where the “cause of action accrued.”
Mutual intention to live together and remain married in a Florida county
Sometimes, spouses in divorce disagree about what county that was and the nonfiling spouse might try to get venue moved to a different county on that basis. The original court may order this change of venue only if the other court would have been a proper, legal venue in which to file the petition in the first instance, plus a secondary reason exists like the move would serve the interest of justice or be more convenient for witnesses or parties.
Determining where the couple last mutually intended to live in marriage is a question of fact but can become a problem where they disagree about what their intentions actually were.
For example, in Crawford v. Crawford, the court found Leon County was last place the divorcing couple lived with a common intention to stay married, although the wife had rented an apartment in Duval County to run a family business during the workweek, since the spouses spent most weekends together either at home in Leon County or at the apartment. They kept the marital home in Leon County, where it had been for eight years. The husband stayed there, and the couple’s personal property was also on the premises.
Identification of the county where a couple last lived in an intact marriage may be a detailed factual analysis as the court made in Crawford.
Venue is generally also allowed in a divorce in the Florida county where the respondent (nonfiling) spouse lives (if the respondent lives in the Sunshine State). This may be the only venue if the last the couple lived together intending to remain married was in another state. In addition, if the respondent does not live in Florida, but the petitioner does and has for at least six months, the petitioner may file in any Florida county.
Venue is complex and can be the object of dispute in divorce. An attorney can review the details of a marriage and advise a spouse about which Florida counties are potentially proper for venue for the divorce case.
(The Crawford case is available on Westlaw at 415 So.2d 870.)


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Does your dog need fresher breath, but doesnt like the taste of minty treats N-Bone PupperNutter chew bone is the perfect solution! PupperNutter is an all-natural, long-lasting chew made with the delicious flavor of peanut butter.
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The Netherlands is largely below sea level and is ringed with dykes and sluices to keep the water out. So there is something rather odd about the plans to create a massive new lake in the far north of Noord-Holland by deliberately flooding some 1,000 hectares of land.
The new lake will, the local authorities hope, draw more water sport enthusiasts to the area – and take some tourism away from the busy Frisian lakes to the north of course. The Dutch love their boats and the more places you can sail, the better.
So what if 30 farmers have to move their businesses and dozens of others will have to cope with strange things happening to the ground water levels.
But was it really just a few weeks ago that prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende gave his backing to an equally controversial plan to build a massive new island in the North Sea – a bit similar to the scores of man made islands appearing off the coast of Dubai.
The island would be used to house a huge wind farm, a nature reserve, recreation and fish farms.
Now Sidelines might be missing the point here, but it would seem that all those activities could equally well be done on a 1,000 hectare site in a sparsely-populated part of the country in far Noord-Holland. But perhaps that would just be too easy.
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.
We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.Make a donation


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Ficus carica 'Rovinj' is a large, fruited variety from the town of Rovnij, Croatia. The droplet shaped fruits are green-yellow with a honey coloured flesh which is very sweet. The Lime Green Fig has dark green, slightly lobed leaves. A self fertile, very tough, hardy variety. The fig is a well known fruit, cultivated since ancient times and grows wild in dry and sunny areas. It is mostly cultivated around the world for its fruits but it is also a great architectural plant with very ornamental leaves, plus the foliage turns yellowish in the Autumn. After their fall, the fruits often remain on the bare branches. We have different leaf forms, deeply lobed to slightly lobed. Figs can be found in continental climates with hot summers as far north as Hungary and Moravia, and can be harvested up to four times per year. Thousands of cultivars, most named, have been developed as human migration brought the fig to many places outside its natural range. Two crops of figs are potentially produced each year, but in UK conditions, it is safer to use varieties with one crop as the first crop would often be damaged by Spring frosts. Most common figs have all female flowers that do not need pollination; the fruit develops through parthenocarpic means, but there are varieties which requires the fig wasp for pollinisation (this insect usually cannot live in UK climate, this is why parthenocarpic varieties have to be used here to have fruits).
|Plant type||Deciduous tree|
|Flower||Invisible (develops inside the infrutescence) - Late Spring|
|Fruit||Edible - Fig|
|Soil type||Chalk, Clay, Loam, Peat, Sand, Silt / Alkaline, Neutral|
|Rate of growth||Fast|
|Height and spread||4m x 3m|
Add that personal touch with our bespoke gift wrapping service and choose from one of our luxurious but also natural looking wrapping papers. You can choose from 3 different colours: cherry red, pine green or antique gold, including a matching ribbon. We will also enclose a card – suitable for the occasion - with your own personal message. Your gift will of course also include full growing instructions.
Simply select the preferred gift wrap packaging option above, then add product to Cart.
Then if you wish to add a personalised message, there is a message box on the cart page. Please note that the “Buy it now” button skips this step and you won’t be able to add your message.

domain: agronomy


text: Qingdao Xinmeixiang Foods Co., Ltd. assets are approximately USD5million and total investment is approximately USD10million. The factory area is80,000square meters,. At present, there are 260 employees. Our company have own fruits and vegetables farms under good manager and control.Our products are safe and comply with FDA and EU relative food laws.We mainly produce freeze dried vegetables, freeze dried fruits, IQF fruits and IQF vegetables. At the same time, affiliated companies Hubei Xinmeixiang Foods Co., Ltd. produce a range of other related freeze dried sea foods, freeze dried pet foods, as well as soups. Products are marketed not only in China but are exported to more than 10 countries in Asia, Europe and America.Our advanced production equipment includes such machinery as complete quality-control testers and media for physical, chemical and biological testing. We have recently added to our five production lines an IQF plant for an increased capacity of 1,500 metric tons, plus a processing capacity of 25 metric tons per day. Furthermore, we have approximately 6,667,000 square meters of carefully managed strawberry patches. In addition to current capacity, we built additional factory space in the spring of 2005, allowing us to increase capacity eightfold.We were audited by Seres for being organic factory on March,2009.We would get the Orgenic certificate as the end of AprilWe welcome any questions or inquiries you may have, and sincerely look forward to hearing from you soon.


text: New joint by Devon Tracy called “Bottom To The Top” off his forthcoming mixtape release “DreamChase”. This is his 4th video off his new project but this is my first time hearing about this kat. The song is cool, I’m diggin that beat 4sho and dude has bars and I don’t think he even cursed..and did he make a BMX reference in his vers???..and was dude trying to dance in the video??? Let me find out we have a rapper who can dance on our hands..we haven’t had that since Black Eye Peas when they first came out! Holla at me folks, leave a comment and tell us what you think of this one!


There’s a funny thing about dirty hits: nobody professes to want them, but fans as a group really don’t mind having a player with a dirty reputation on their team. They worry about an opponent with a penchant for predatory hits, but just as often they want to see ‘a little bit of crazy’ from their team to force the opposition to play a little bit scared. They especially like to see it from guys who can play regular minutes.
That’s why there has been something of a mixed reaction – even a laudatory reaction – to Taylor Hall’s dangerous hit on Cal Clutterbuck Thursday night from some who follow the Edmonton Oilers.
Cult of Hockey colleague David Staples explained his reasoning this morning – that since the NHL isn’t serious about taking dirty hits out of the game, it’s only logical to expect a star like Hall to occasionally cross the line to send a message:
In a league where that kind of borderline play is tolerated, even encouraged, it’s naive to condemn Hall for such a hit, even as I recognize that the hit was dangerous and reckless and agree that Hall deserves a suspension… My bottom line: the NHL won’t stand up for all the star players who are regularly abused by goons, grinders and enforcers, so I’ve got little problem when one of those star players stands up for himself and his team.
And this is part of what Lowetide’s Allan Mitchell had to say about the hit:
It comes down to the young men who the Oilers have drafted to take them to the promised land, and the players who are on the ice with them, to change the tide, to stand up for themselves, to stop being the 110 pound weakling. It’s the old Charles Atlas commercial: you’re on the beach with your best girl, some musclebound guy comes over, kicks sand in your face and starts talking to her. You have three choices: watch and lose, run away or stand up and defend your ground. Last night’s hit was a long time coming, the Wild have been beating the Oilers about the face and hands since Boogaard and before. Whatever else happened last night, at least one Minnesota Wild player is going to have his head on a swivel next time. No pantywaist’s on the Oiler side, brother.
It is a view of the team that is not limited to Oilers fans – hockey analysts from all over have long complained that the Oilers have drafted a bunch of skill but not nearly enough grit or competitiveness. In the first period of last night’s game, Sportsnet commentator and long-time NHL coach Mike Keenan could not wait to blast the team for exactly that reason, hammering their lack of “personality” and the competitiveness of players like Mark Messier and Kevin Lowe.
Last night, Taylor Hall answered those criticisms. The team mostly didn’t show up – and Hall himself has had far more effective games – but with that vicious hit Hall showed he wasn’t going to take it lying down, that he’s willing to cross the line if necessary to make a statement. (This isn’t a new thing with Hall, despite the fact that he’s often inaccurately labeled as a small skill guy – that’s something Clutterbuck’s teammate, Jonas Brodin, can verify.)
In some ways, this is exactly what people want to see. Writing about Raffi Torres and players like him last year, I explained that for all the moralizing around the league, teams were interested in players who could do exactly what he does – play aggressively while taking a regular shift:
It’s also a role that people like Torres will keep playing, at least until such time as the NHL’s collective molasses mind decides that seeing stars leaving the ice on stretchers is a bad thing, and takes the logical step of making all head-shots illegal. Andy Sutton does many of the same things for Edmonton right now – he was suspended twice for dirty hits, though neither saw a star opponent leave the ice on a stretcher. Milan Lucic, who earns covetous glances from fan-bases around the league, is at least as bad – his run at Ryan Miller’s head was one of the filthiest plays in the NHL this season. The collective will continue to condemn specific players for specific incidents – like Matt Cooke was for the Savard hit, or like Torres has been condemned for the hit on Hossa now – but in the off-season and at the trade deadline they’ll just as loudly clamber for management to add exactly that kind of player to the lineup.
It’s unfortunate that a willingness to play over the line is seen as so valuable. It’s ridiculous that the NHL has been so unwilling to crack down on dirty hits – to the head, or often enough, to the knees. Cal Clutterbuck is not a sympathetic victim; and the Minnesota Wild are not a sympathetic team.
Ultimately, though, I find myself in disagreement with Staples and Mitchell. While the primary responsibility for change rests with the men at the helm of the NHL, there needs to be consistent pressure on the league to change the way the game is played. It should never be okay to bend or break the rules to hurt a guy on the other team; we should never be excusing a borderline hit that sends the other guy off on a stretcher. What Hall did was wrong, whether he did it intentionally or not. I understand the counterargument – essentially, to borrow a line, that it’s difficult for players like Hall to be decent men in an indecent time. It’s still wrong, and those of us who dislike the NHL’s negligence on these sort of plays shouldn’t be shy about saying so.


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From cultures with oral histories to cave paintings, storytelling is deeply embedded in society as a whole.
In fact, according to Linchpin — a digital marketing agency — nine storytelling trends of 2022 include customer stories, data-driven stories and stories about who companies are.
And in the industry of campus recreation, storytelling is key. Scott Haines, the director for Campus Recreation at SUNY Brockport, shared they use digital signage, web information, posters and information boards, social media, and cloud-based management software, REACH, to update messaging on any screen.
Haines also spoke about the power of in-person storytelling. “I take the opportunity at the campus budget presentations to tell our story,” he said. “It has led to our students and the faculty/staff being much more supportive in the work we do. They understand the value, and on top of that, they learn how 80% of our budget is self-revenue generating.”
In-person storytelling is also key to Eric Hawkes, the executive director of wellness and recreation at North Carolina State University (NC State). “No matter who is in the room, take the opportunity to just tell your story — even if it’s just a little snippet — whether it’s within a division leadership team meeting or just having lunch with colleagues or running into folks across campus,” he said.
The Benefits of Telling Your Story
Hawkes shared telling your story across campus can be largely beneficial. Sometimes, connecting with one person will open doors to a whole new group that is even more engaged. “People can be great resources and advocates for you and allow us to have some touch points we may not have necessarily been thinking about,” he said.
One of the best ways Hawkes has been able to tell the story of Recreation and Wellness happened upon opening the new Wellness Recreation Center. The chancellor and board of trustees had a happy hour and dinner reception in the facility in October 2021.
“We had student leaders from all areas available giving tours, talking about their experiences and what the project means and what wellness and recreation means to them and their campus life experience,” said Hawkes. “It was so impactful, and it really got to showcase all the things we do, whether it’s related to the building or not.”
But Hawkes hasn’t forgotten about the virtual. As they’ve become more hybrid, so has their ability to connect with students and tell their story. “Digital social media is by far our No. 1 way we communicate with our audiences now,” he said.
EXTRA CREDIT: Consumers trust recommendation over other forms of advertising. Ashley Demshki dives into the steps to start using word of mouth marketing.
Another way has been through the software Fusion. Hawkes shared it has allowed NC State to connect with users in a different way. They are able to push messages and tailor emails to offerings students, faculty and staff may have interest in.
However, Hawkes did note things have changed. For instance, they have been very mindful about pushing to sell memberships. Everyone’s comfort level of working out in-person at the facility is different right now.
In the end, though, the goal remains the same: To get people active. Hawkes hopes that’s ultimately the story that gets told. “I just want people to be active and to take care of themselves,” he said. “If that means walking around your neighborhood or joining a gym close to you because it’s convenient for you — I just want them to be healthy and well.”


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This report summarises our experiences and recommendations from a weeklong series of fieldtrips and workshops focused on Southland’s wetlands. Our major recommendations are: • Priorities must be developed for wetland protection and restoration, according to which wetland systems have suffered the greatest losses and which are least represented in the reserves network. • The development of educational and interpretive resources and programmes will help to raise the level of awareness of the unique values of Southland’s wetlands amongst landowners, local authorities and the public, and will provide opportunities for regional promotion and ecotourism. • There is a need for more research to: increase levels of understanding of wetland development and function; threats from weed invasion and effective control methods; and to design and monitor effective restoration efforts. Some of this research could be achieved thorough ongoing communication with PGSF-funded research organisations and universities, eg. BSc (Hons) and MSc thesis topics. • Protect the hydrological functioning of wetlands, by developing guidelines for drainage practices in land adjacent to wetlands, and reducing nutrient loading of surface and groundwaters flowing into wetlands. • Incorporate principles of wetland protection into regional and district plans.
Commissioned Report for External Body
Type of thesis
CBER Contract Report
Campbell, D., Clarkson, B. & Clarkson, B. (2003). Issues facing Southland’s wetlands—recommendations for future management. CBER Contract Report 26, prepared for Dapartment of Conservation and Environment Southland. Hamilton, New Zealand: Centre for Biodiversity and Ecology Research, School of Science and Technology, The University of Waikato.

domain: geography


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Monday, June 1, 2009
bennett and i just watched this video together
and by together, i mean we were on the phone with each other and on the count of 3 we pushed the play button at the same time.
she is so wonderful.
thank you regina, for making beautiful music for my ears
June 1, 2009 at 11:43 PM
I love Regina! Lovely song!!
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The Generational Divide In The Horror Novel.
Ok, so I know that the title of this post may seem a little odd, but hear me out on this… So back in the day when it came to mainstream horror in just about all forms (and I am talking about in both the written and cinematic forms of most of the past 200 years,) horror used to be scary… Remember?
Well what has happened to horror? I mean there is a ton of great historically amazing horror novelists to choose from! You got, ‘Stephen King’ who has brought us such scary tales as, ‘The Shinning,’ ‘Cujo’, ‘It’ and a ton of other truly awesome, and still currently relevant and scary works of fiction! Another great one is, ‘Clive Barker’, this guy has brought us some of the greatest goriest works of fiction in the 20th century! (with Helnraiser having started off in the book form and all…) And then there is Bram Stoker… And well if you don’t know who this guy is, then you should probably not be reading this blog!
That is just to name a few… But the truth is, is that there have been a ton of other truly fun scary novels for all ages… So i ask again… What has happened to horror?
Ok, so I get it… Now I am not trying to be sexist when I say this, (I do apologize, this may sound a bit sexist…) But it seems like most of the time these days, a lot of horror is being written for women, and kind of taking men out of the scene…
A great example of this is the modern vampire sub-genre… Let’s take the, ‘Twilight’ series in this turn…
We all know about the movie series that brought both Robert Pattinson (The Rover) and Kristen Stewart (Equals) to international attention… but before it was a movie, the Twilight series started off as a series of novels that were written by: Stephenie Meyer.
Now I may be wrong about this, but I feel like these novels kind of started a trend in Vampire novels (and to some extent in the cinematic world,) that has turned vampires from being depraved monsters that would like to suck blood and do what they can to get it, in to basically a weird supernatural romance series…
Don’ get me wrong, there has always been a certain amount of eroticism associate with the vampire series… But just take a look at this photo here:
The Lost Boys, albeit a movie, is a killer tale of a group of Vampires that have been hold up in a small town for the past bunch of decades, and the human family that they stalk to try to turn!
Now that is a pretty simplified basic look at the story line… Now look at the picture again…
Basically in Twilight, the Vampires can go out in to sunlight, and instead of it being more dark and gothic tonally, it is more about a whiny Vampire who falls in love with a human girl!
Don’t get me wrong, I am sure the novels and the movies for, ‘Twilight’are decent enough works, my strongest disagreement with that series is how they have made it almost impossible for true horror fans to enjoy… And hav turned the dark and gothic bad-ass vampire in to a whiny simpering pain in the ass!
The next one is, ‘The Vampire Diaries’… Well we will go in to that one another time as that is TV, but needless to say… That one is another that has helped to destroy the Vampire sub-genre!
Finally, the last thing that I wanted to say about the genre itself is this… I don’t mind there being any element of any kind of love story with in the series… As a matter of fact, historically the best Vampire novels have some element of this in them… I guess what I am trying to say is that give the world back it’s, ‘Lost Boys’, it’s, ‘Dracula’, it’s, ‘Interview With The Vampire’ type stories… Those are what rocks, not this new generation of Vampire non-sense!