World Bank: Nigeria, US, Mexico Top List of Leaders in Global Reduction of Gas Flaring
Interim Govt a Plot By APC, DSS to Subvert Election Tribunal, Says PDP
Agbakoba: I’ve Lost Confidence in the Courts
‘It’s Necessary to Challenge INEC’s Administrative Interpretation of the Supreme Court Decision on Zamfara’
Chuks Okocha holds a conversation with the former National Secretary of Labour Party and constitutional lawyer, Dr. Kayode Ajulo who is crusading on the need for a legal interpretation to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s administrative decision to award all nominated offices in the 2019 national elections to the Peoples Democratic Party
The Zamfara case has disenfranchised almost half a million people. Constitutionally, is there a way we can ensure that people are enfranchised?
Let me quickly correct one impression, not that the Supreme Court cases cannot be repealed. Supreme Court can reverse itself, going with our laws. There are some instances where the Supreme Court can reversed itself. For example where it’s shown that the judgement is gotten through fraudulent means, and when it’s so obvious that what was given should not have been given. We should understand that the Supreme Court is the highest law of the land and after that, you can only appeal to the Almighty God, as we say. If you look at what happened in the Zamfara case, we all agree that injustice has been done. Our law and courts is not a court of sentiments. The court will look at the whole issue as it is, take the issue from both parties. Let everyone come with their case and the court will give judgement. In as much as it’s so painful that we believe these number of people should not be disenfranchised the way it is now, but we try to understand with the reasoning of the Supreme Court. In trying to say that those people they cast their vote for are not supposed to be on the ballot. Because of that, whatsoever vote is cast for them is void. As it is, the court has given its judgment. We have to understand that this is not a mere judgement. It’s a judgment that requires the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). If I have my way I will urge some people to go and test that decision of INEC.
In this case, after the judgement of Supreme Court, they referred the case to INEC for the administrative interpretation of the decision of the Supreme Court, where more than 500,000 votes were voided
From my own understanding, I don’t want to believe it gave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the necessary vote. The Supreme Court mentioned something about the one who won as prescribed by law, which means that there are some provisions of the constitution to be met. The first question is, can we say that the person that won and now the governor has the prerequisite number of votes cast? This, I believe, needs interpretation. INEC has made its own interpretation by so declaring, but I want a situation that we can have judicial decision on that which has not been done. I think for such a controversial decision, it’s necessary to have it interpreted in our courts.
You know for any election, especially the gubernatorial or presidential, for somebody to be declared a winner, there are some constitutional provisions you must meet, and one of such is that you must have the 2/3 vote cast in 1/4 of the constituency. If you check the spread in Zamfara, do you see any lacuna in that decision of INEC.
What was decided by INEC is an administrative decision as the umpire. What could be done is that whosoever feels otherwise could go to the tribunal to raise it. That interpretation has different meanings. Some of us may agree with INEC and some won’t and it’s expected that those who are not in agreement with INEC need to take a recourse to the tribunal to file a petition and ask the court to make a proper decision, unfortunately I don’t believe anybody has been able to do that.
That case as it is now, has some peculiar circumstances, will it be seen as a status bar?
Because of its peculiar circumstances, from the way I see it, what is supposed to happen is that immediately INEC made such a decision, that the said party has been declared winner and returned ‘so and so’ person, it’s expected that within 21 days, anybody that fails to agree, particularly among the candidates or the party should raise an objection to say this return is improper. Unfortunately, I’m yet to see anyone.
Take a look at former Governor Yari, do think that his nemesis is traceable to playing the godfather role or that his enemies were smarter than him?
Apart from being a lawyer, I was the National Secretary of a political party. It’s one of those things that should be expected. If want to have an enemy, just call yourself a politician. Anyone that refuses to agree with you or feels threatened with what you are doing will attack you. I want to believe that it is expected. Just mention any political actor that has never been attacked in this country. Former Governor Yari, whether you like it or not, is somebody that rose from being a party member to be a member of the federal legislator, chief executive of a state and chairman of all the governors in this country. He’s someone that has huge potentials, what he has done is so grand that the array of enemies that will stand against him will be as huge as what he has attained. It is expected. But we should not foreclose the fact that during his time, the synergy between the state and the federal government increased. It was the same between the governors and the Presidency. It was the first time you see them not having issues. In the past administration, you see the way governors were going to court every day, call each other names; and fighting ministers of the federation. You see that what the states got was unprecedented. I believe that some people just want to be heard. You can’t just wake up and say you are expelling someone.
Former Governor Yuri is at the centre of the crisis in Zamfara, what role can President Buhari play to resolve it?
We don’t need to apply the law here. One needs to apply his common sense first. When it comes to political issues, we don’t need law to settle political differences. I think what the president needs to do as the National Leader of that party is to call the two parties. It’s a family affair. It’s political differences and not personal issues that needs to be resolved as soon as possible.
We are in the ‘Next Level’ since May 29, the President has not announced members of the federal executive council. Are we not going back to the familiar road?
I pray that we are not going back to the familiar terrain. I say this because I believe the President is aware of that and in two or three of his utterances he has already tried to reassure Nigerians that all the past mistakes of the first term will not be made. One of the mistakes was to wait for almost six months to appoint his cabinet. I want to believe that this is the 21st day after the inauguration. I want to believe that from the body language of the President, he’s trying assiduously to ensure that the cabinet members are appointed. And we should not forget the fact that he has been making some appointments. Immediately after he was sworn in, he reappointed the Central Bank Governor, that shows the importance he places on the economy. He has made one or two appointments including those at the NNPC. You can see all these areas are those that hold the life of our economy. For the president to be doing that, I think he’s on course.
Still on Zamfara, a political sacrilege has been committed, do you agree with the school of thought that former Governor Yari should be made a minister?
If I have my way, I think that’s the best thing and I want to believe that if there should be anybody in this current dispensation particularly before, during and after the election that deserves to be in the government of Muhammadu Buhari, I think it should be former Governor Yari. This is someone that tried to bring artisans and technocrats, politicians, organized Labour together and also tried to bring those that are not even members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) together to form a very strong advocacy group and move round the whole country with other Buhari support group. For him to have such foresight, I think he still has a lot of service to render to Nigeria.
If you want to give advice the new governors forum, from the antecedence of Yari as chairman of the governors forum, who you think brought stability, what issues do you think the new chairman of the governors forum should engage?
The first thing is to synergize with the federal government like the immediate past leadership of the governors forum. It was previously perceived that the governors seem to be antagonizing the federal government, which is natural, particularly when we are talking about sharing of power and resources, then there are lots of issues to trash out. I think the Nigeria Governors Forum need a leadership that will understand their disposition and understand how to persuade the federal government to get whatever they need and that’s what Yari did. I think at that level, Dr Kayode Fayemi needs to emulate Abukakar Yari, particularly with the way he tried as much as possible to stabilize the nation.
Talking of bail out, it’s a new financial terminology under the present administration, does bail out really make sense in a federation?
We may believe we are having problems, if we go constitutional. Mind you, the basic work of government is to see to the welfare and security of people and whatsoever needs to be done to ensure that should be allowed. Bail out is to ensure the security of the state. What matters most is that some amount of money is made available to enable the state to function properly because without bail out, you can imagine what will happen. Before that, you can see some governors were owing several months, our civil servants were crying. With the bail out, immediately civil servants can walk over to the governor and say pay our salary after all we learnt that you received our Paris club fund. These are the things that stabilized the country and make Nigeria run smoothly. Without payment of these two funds, what will Nigeria turn to?
On the state of security, especially in Zamfara where banditry has become the order of the day and this has led people to clamor for state police. Boko haram in the North-east and general insecurity all over the country, what do you think is the way out?
When we talk of banditry and other forms of insecurity, in as much as many people talk about state police, I want to believe with my experience, what we need is community policing. Each community is supposed to look for a way to police themselves. What matters most is that we need to deepen the quest for community policing. Whether you are in uniform or not, you must be able to know how to police your area. Recently, the Yorubas have already given the bandits ultimatum to leave Yoruba land, after that we move in and know how to flush them out. That is what is expected from every part of the country. Don’t wait for the federal government or Nigerian police to do the whole thing.
How do know herdsmen with sticks and the ones with a gun?
We have been able to profile the Fulani bandits. The herdsmen we know go with sticks. The communique is so clear. Any herdsman with a gun or AK47 is not a herdsman, he’s a criminal. Our laws doesn’t permit you to carry such weapons. If you carry that, you are a criminal who needs to be flushed out.


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I'll have to get out my insanity and use these meals
Weeks 1 and 2 of INSANITY meal plan. Wish I'd thought to do this the first time through.
Jessica Grace Fitness: Insanity Week 3 Meal Plan
My fav Healthy Pizza Crust ! This Low Carb Kale Pizza Crust is made with only 5 ingredients and take 15 minutes to prepare. #healthy #pizza
Core De Force Meal Plan - Week 1
Insanity MAX:30 Meal plan. Plan de comidas que acompaña el intenso DVD de ejercicios Insanity.
Level one exercise plan, snag a PDF download of this routine on my blog.
Cheer Workout. This looks so hard but I'm also so tempted to try. Gonna try!!
Insanity MAX:30 food plan #max30 #insanitymax30
12 Weeks Out // My Bikini Contest Meal Plan

domain: food


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From millennial pink to chili pepper red, color popularity comes and goes each passing year. But what will 2020 bring? Well, the Pantone Color Institute just selected their Color of the Year and it’s surprisingly basic.
Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, announced earlier this week that Classic Blue, a hue akin to the sky at dusk, is the color of 2020. So, what does that mean for your wardrobe? We spoke with Ryen Anderson, Stitch Fix’s color expert, for some insight.
“After reviewing several years’ worth of Stitch Fix color data, I found some interesting patterns in clients’ color preferences. Particularly noteworthy is that the Pantone Color of the Year tends to have a big spike in style scores and sales about nine to 12 months before the color is even released.”
Yep, Anderson and his team saw this coming and have “seen style scores for colors like marine, cobalt, deep teal, and true-blue rise over the last year.”

domain: news


The nation's summer game has a long record of poor PR, however, and the decision of the England and Wales Cricket Board to sell exclusive broadcasting rights to BSkyB is just the the latest example.
Just as it develops a team of world beaters, and having previously persuaded the Government that test cricket is among the 'crown jewels' of sport, the ECB allows the sport to come off terrestrial TV, inevitably losing much of the vital oxygen of publicity.
This is unfortunate because after the ECB's last PR disaster - the debacle over whether to play in Zimbabwe during the World Cup - it invited some hacks over to South Africa, including myself.
We were wined and dined, taken on safari and, most importantly, listened to. Every single journalist on this trip advised the ECB not to sell to Sky, because test cricket had the potential to have the same protected status as the FA Cup and football World Cup. The ECB assured us that the only reason it was dealing with Sky was so it could push up the bids from Channel 4 and the BBC. We didn't believe it - and we were right.
The 'blazers' have now taken Murdoch's money and justifiably been savaged by the media, although not by The Sun, of course.
I should point out that I'm not anti-Sky per se. I believe it has done a brilliant job with Premiership football but at least the FA has had the sense to divide the rights and keep some games on the BBC, which gives them far bigger audiences than on Sky.
Ironically the MCC, which no longer runs the game in England, has a much better PR record. And I'm not just saying that because I'm a member myself.
What sporting arena in the country has better facilities for the journalists than Lord's? And it was the MCC committee that kept holding ballots until women were finally allowed to join. It knew just how damaging the row was to cricket, even if some of the members didn't.
But the fact is that all this should not be left to the blazers. The Government should step in and insist that our national summer game can be seen by all of us. The problem is very few of New Labour actually like cricket. Though maybe now Scotland has qualified for the cricket World Cup, Gordon Brown will finally take an interest.


The Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has welcomed a Government commitment to provide additional funding to help compliance with new Coronavirus (Covid-19) measures.
Leaders of organisations from around Devon and Cornwall will today unveil a ‘vision zero’ road safety strategy aimed at dramatic reductions in the number of people killed or seriously injured on the region’s roads.
Devon and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez today (Wednesday 9 September) publishes an annual report which shows in great detail the work carried out by her office to help make communities safer.
In her latest blog, Alison talks about road safety and encourages everyone to take part in the recently launched road safety poll
The lead Police and Crime Commissioner for road safety has called for more to be done to make roads safer as Government figures shows that most drivers flout 30mph speed limits.


Moto Guzzi Museum in Mandello del Lario is arranged within the historical motorcycle factory.
The exibition of the museum traces the history of the production of motorcycles, from prototypes to early production models.
Among the over 150 items displayed, some unique models stand out, such as the first motorcycle built in 1919, standing next to very renown models.
In the aera devoted to mass production bikes the exhibition is a true insight into the social and economic development of Italy: from the first motorbikes by Moto Guzzi, such as GT “Norge” in 1928, to Guzzi Sport line, GT, Airone and Falcone.
The exhibition also displays mass productions motorcycles which used to be well widespread during the post-war era, such as Guzzino and Galletto.
Another area is dedicated to racing vehicles that, with their accomplishments, gave celebrity to the brand from Mandello del Lario. These models include the Guzzi 4V 350 winner of the World Championship in 1950.
In the final area of the exhibition some footage are shown to explain the most significant moments in the history of Guzzi’s factory production.
Opening hours 2023:
Monday-Thursday from 2,30 p.m to 4,30 p.m: opening only by booking, with guided tour.
Friday and Saturday from 10.00 a.m. to 6 p.m. free entry.
The bookshop is openn from 10.00 a.m. to 6 p.m. , every Friday and Saturday.


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This paper mosaic art work celebrates the beauty of Ethiopian woman and culture in conjunction with the traditional Ethiopian geometrical patterns. The harmony between the face and the patterns creates a theme which is inherently Ethiopian.
by Minas Sanim
Categories: Ethiopian, Paper Mosaic, portrait
|Dimensions||58 × 5 × 46 cm|
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domain: design


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The Town Hall of Alicante repeats one more year as the most liberal consistory of the big Spanish cities. Your score on the ranking prepared by the Foundation for the Advancement of Liberty is 64.87 points out of 100, enough to be ahead of Vigowhich receives an evaluation of 64.37 points, and of Almeriawhich completes the podium of honor with a score of 64 points.
Among the ten best-scored municipalities are also Castellón, San Sebastián, Oviedo, Pamplona, Málaga, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and La Coruña, with scores ranging from 59.23 to 62.52 points. On the other hand, the worst mark of all is obtained by Marbella, with 38.27 points, followed by Jerez de la Frontera, Tarragona, Lérida, Huelva, Barcelona, Parla, Alcorcón, Valencia or Granada, where the measurement of the degree of freedom economic gives a score between 40.89 and 45.6 points.
The result of Madrid is not something to write home about, since it only appears in number 40 of the 50 cities analyzed. However the ranking European Fundalib points out that Madrid is close to entering the top diez of the great capitals of the Old Continent with a greater degree of economic freedom at the municipal level. On the other hand, Barcelona is ranked 45th on the list.
During the last year, the cities that raised their score the most were Bilbao (+7.69 points), San Sebastián (+6.44 points), Badajoz (5.79 points), La Coruña (+5.65 points) and Two Sisters (+5.11 points). On the other hand, the greatest setbacks are those observed in Gijón (-3.36 points), Badalona (-2.16 points), Zaragoza (-1.52 points), Huelva (-1.49 points) and Tarragona (-1 ,30 points).
Of the 37.1% of the population that resides in the fifty main cities of the country, 3.43% live in cities with moderate economic freedom at the municipal level, while 14.75% are residents of capitals with acceptable economic freedom. at the local level and 18.88% are registered in localities with a deficient level of economic freedom in relation to their consistory.

domain: geography


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forgive me for my silence.
I posted an article that ended like this 15 February:
"But as the Supreme Military Council seeks to re-impose "stability" by, for example, banning labour strikes, Egyptians must be alert to the alarm bells that are ringing. The military, which has played its hand with great care throughout the protests - winning the trust and respect of many of the demonstrators - receives an annual $1.3bn in aid from the US, the same country that has been pushing the implementation of the economic model that has been so damaging to Egyptians.
The demonstrators must not now be fooled into believing that overthrowing the face of a corrupt and repressive regime is sufficient. They must prevent the military from propping up an economic order that only benefits the few and can be maintained only through iron-fisted rule."
my position has not changed one bit since, this eye witness account of a military attack on demonstrators in tarhri square Friday night comfirms:
follow my links on the ongoing Egyptian intifada here
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Saturday, April 9, 2011
it has finally sunk in that the egyptian military are not on the side of the people. egyptians are up against a military apparatus that is maintaining the status quo "system," by doing so we are confronting a global neo-liberal regime whereby the egyptian government would follow the instructions of the powerful: protect Israel, obey IMF and World Bank economic policies, maintain the egyptian working class as a sweat shop to allow for the comfort of our richer neighbors here and elsewhere.
This battle is far from over.


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ESBL in urine is a condition wherein in ESBL bodies are found in the urine which is normally not present in a healthy individual. ESBL stands for Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase. These are chemicals that get produced due to certain kind of bacteria. Records indicate that most people get affected by the bacteria in the hospital itself because of improper handling by the medical staff. Open wounds, urinary tract and mouth serve to be common ways in which these bacteria can affect a person. It is also possible that a person may be a carrier of these germs but not infected with it. In case when the person is not infected but carries the bacteria he is said to be colonized by a particular kind of bacteria.
A person who is a carrier but not affected can pass the bacteria to someone else even though he himself is not affected. Bacterial infection should not be addressed lightly. These infections can serve as a threat to the life of the affected individual. This particular condition has brought some improvement in settings of the hospitals as they have started to maintain hygiene to ensure safety of patients against ESBL infection.
ESBL Producing Bacteria
Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase producing bacteria are gram negative bacteria which are responsible for producing beta lactamase and enzyme has the potential to break-down common antibiotics like penicillin, cephalosporin, etc. This makes it extremely difficult to treat infections which are caused due to bacteria that produce ESBL. Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacteriaceae E.coli are amongst the common ESBL producing bacteria. These conditions usually cause bacteraemia and UTI or urinary tract infections. It is also possible that ESBL producing may colonize in the person’s body but may not infect.
ESBL in Urine risks
Usually healthy individuals do not get affected or colonized by ESBL easily. This infection is highly found in people whose immune system is affected. There are risks factors of ESBL in urine infection.
- Patients who stay for long periods in hospitals are at greater risk of suffering from this condition
- People who stay in ICU or NICU for long time are also at increased risk of suffering from this infection
- Patient who recently had a surgery or have open wounds have high probability of suffering from ESBL infection
- Insertion of tubes such as catheters into the body also increase the chances of suffering from this infection
- Aged individuals are also vulnerable to infection of this kind of bacteria
- It is also recorded that premature babies may develop this condition
- Patient underwent organ transplants may face risk of ESBL in urine infection as the procedure may influence the immune system
- People who use antibiotic for long may have increased risk to the condition than normal.
In a colonized or infected individual the main deposit of these bacteria is lower bowel. The most common way in which these bacteria may get transmitted is unwashed hands. ESBL producing bacteria may also survive on the surface without causing infection if hygiene is maintained such as washing hands and other practices.
Symptoms of ESBL in urine infection
There are different symptoms that are experienced by the affected individuals. The symptoms may depend on the location of the ESBL infection. For example, if the bacteria invade the body through urinary tract then the affected individual will experience intense pain especially while urinating. The patient will also suffer from fever and visit toilet frequently.
In case if ESBL bacteria invade through oral mode the sufferer will also have diarrhea which will have slight traces of blood. This symptom may also be accompanied by other symptoms such as cramping and pain in the abdomen, reduced appetite, excessive gas production and high fever.
If the bacteria enter the body through a wound then the victim will suffer from intense inflammation and redness on the wound. There will be excessive fluid discharge from the wound. If the ESBL bacteria passes into the body through blood than the sufferer will experience high fever that may be followed by tremor or chills. The patient will have intense queasiness and vomiting. Confusion and shortness of breath are also accompanying symptoms in cases of ESBL bacteria infection.
ESBL in Urine treatment and precaution
A person who has colonization of ESBL in the body is not often treated. There are not effective remedies, therapies or medicines that can kill the bacteria. Treating ESBL resulted due to bacteria in the body will cause the bacteria to develop resistance to antibiotic drugs. In some cases when the colonized individuals have enhanced immune system the body eliminates these bacteria on its own.
Infection of ESBL bacteria can be treated though through combination of medicines. These bacteria are said to have resistance to certain antibiotics and thus only cocktail of medications can help in eradicating ESBL from the body. For example, majority of E.Coli that produces Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase are resistant to penicillin, trimethoprim, tetracycline and some other antibiotics. There only a couple of oral drugs that can decrease the level of ESBL in urine. Patients with ESBL infection are often especially treated by the doctors; hence, consult your doctor and determine the best treatment for your condition.

domain: medical


We’ve just received a press release from Multiplex……
MULTIPLEX on the subject of: 2.4 GHz
For quite a while now the subject of “2.4 Gigahertz” has been much discussed amongst all modellers and in
all the modelling media. Every day we are asked about our position, and we now wish to issue the following
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Yes and no.
Yes, because previously this frequency band had no part to play in modelling, and the technology has only
started to make inroads in RC model sport relatively recently.
No, because this frequency band (ISM band = Industrial Scientific Medical) was designed for digital data
transmission, and is already in very widespread use (e.g. by WLAN, Bluetooth, cordless telephones, garage
door openers, etc.).
What advantages does 2.4 GHz offer us as modellers?
The advantages are very interesting, e.g.
(i.e. no conventional manual channel selection required, frequency control unnecessary)
(e.g. electric power systems, electrical “noise”, ignition interference)
What about the “legal” aspect?
On 14 May 2008 a meeting was held at the EUROPEAN COMMISSION TCAM, the participants being
representatives of the modelling industry and organisations from across Europe, the R-LAN industry and the
European monitoring authorities. The starting point was a drive on the part of the European R-LAN industry
aimed at banning model radio control systems from the 2.4 GHz band, together with certain other
applications. The outcome of the meeting was that there would be no general prohibition for applications on
the 2.4 GHz band. This means that the band can continue to be used regardless of application or
technology, i.e. in principle the band’s use for model radio control systems is approved for the whole of
However, the meeting did emphasise the importance of observing the appropriate technical regulations and
limits, as this was the only means of ensuring that different types of apparatus operating on 2.4 GHz could
co-exist without interference. On 01.07.2008 a new version of the corresponding directive for Europe (EN
300 328 V1.7.1) came into force, which contains a new requirement for a Medium Access Protocol. This
represents a fresh challenge to equipment manufacturers to ensure that their products can continue to be
What is MULTIPLEX doing?
Now that the legal aspect in Europe has been clarified, we are working very hard at making the technology
accessible to our customers. In particular we are concentrating on the recently initiated prototype test phase,
examining the equipment’s performance in all types of application under the widest possible range of
practical conditions. This is essential to ensure that our products will set new standards in terms of
functionality and quality.
Our aim is to introduce the first products in 2009. The initial range will include the following:
*) including ROYALevo, if the transmitter has been upgraded to ROYALpro standard by the MULTIPLEX-Service Centre


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February 19, 2019
from OSHA News Release http://bit.ly/2BKAYhY
Start-up Beta Bugs is creating high performance breeds of black soldier fly for the insect feed sector, and are tailoring traits like growth rate, protein, fat content and even temperature tolerance to match client needs. Stuart McDill reports.
from Reuters Video: Environment https://reut.rs/2tu7G2M http://bit.ly/2EV6Va3
A “liar” who demanded £250,000 compensation – claiming he was so disabled he could not work – has been jailed for 16 months after he was caught secretly doing shifts at a High Wycombe chip shop.
Amar Masud, 44, from Adelaide Road, slipped a disc while lifting a heavy table in the furniture factory where he worked in 2013 and went on to sue his employers for £250,000.
‘An extremely nice fellow’ – Tributes paid to 79-year-old man who died in silo tragedy
— Read on www.eadt.co.uk/news/man-killed-in-silo-fall-near-eye-suffolk-1-5893701
COUNCIL bosses say they “deeply regret” an incident which saw a dangerous wall collapse upon a six-year-old girl.
The girl was left brain-damaged as a result of the incident.
Today, Basildon Council was fined £133,000 for breaching health and safety regulations which led to the fall.


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Download Yung Fume Ft. TY Dolla $ign & Wizkid – Watch Me Flex (Remix)
Yung Fume Ft. TY Dolla $ign & Wizkid – Watch Me Flex (Remix) MP3 Download
Croydon Born Rapper Yung Fume unwraps the Remix to his 2017 hit single “Watch Me Flex” off his Noughts & Crosses Mixtape Series, “Watch Me Flex” Remix features Wizkid & TY Dolla $ign.
African Starboy Wizkid who featured Future on “Everytime” announced recently that he has a collaboration with TY Dolla $ign, The collabo turns out to be “Watch Me Flex” Remix, A single by Yung Fume.
Listen and Download below;

domain: artistic


The British Transport police have released cctv images of a man they are hoping to speak to after a man threatened to attack a train conductor at Crawley railway station in Sussex. It happened at around 1pm on Tuesday 3rd April, while the conductor was carrying out routine ticket inspections.
Anyone with information should contact the British Transport Police for free on 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference B5/LSA** of 6 June**.
More top news
Sunday's weather for the east
Sunday's weather for the west
M20 closed in Kent in both directions between J1 & J4 after a digger being transported by a lorry hit a footbridge causing it to collapse.


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David McWilliams: “Dublin is a large ATM for the rest of the country”
The economist’s comments might not go down well in rural Ireland.
Economist David McWilliams says that cities in Ireland have suffered from underinvestment due to the power of the rural lobby and what he describes as ‘The Sunday Game’ approach to planning in Ireland.
In the final episode of David McWilliams’ Ireland, which airs on TV3 on Thursday night, McWilliams calls for more investment in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford and asks if it’s time to accept that the economic future of Ireland is urban.
Rather than commanding more than its fair share of resources, McWilliams argues that Dublin is acting as an ATM for rural areas in Ireland, claiming that €10 billion leaves Dublin to go to counties outside the capital every year.
“10 billion euros leaves Dublin to the countryside every single year. So far from Dublin being something that sucks in the resources, Dublin is actually a large ATM for the rest of the country,” McWilliams says.
McWilliams will also examine the phenomenon of ‘Applegreen Land’ – Ireland’s ‘suburbs on steroids’ and will discuss the urban/rural issue with the audience and fellow contributors, who will include economist Colm McCarthy and Mairead Lavery from Irish Country Living.
David McWilliams’ Ireland: The Republic of Suburbia airs on TV3 tomorrow night, Thursday, 23 November, at 10pm.


Wavefront Coding combines non-traditional optics with modern electronics and signal processing algorithms to provide imaging capabilities prior optical systems could not achieve. This approach provides a unique opportunity to optimally design computational imaging systems for visual applications and task-based applications. Goals and limitations for visual systems are vastly different than the issues faced in machine or robotic vision, and such differences can be exploited through the computational nature of Wavefront
Greg Johnson received his Master's degree in electrical engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI in 1996 an his PhD degree in signal processing and optics at the University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. He is currently the Director of Research and Development for CDM Optics, Inc., of Boulder, Colorado, which designs and manufactures Wavefront Coded(r) imaging systems. Current research interests include nonlinear image processing, Wavefront Coding system design and optimization, and projection systems.


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Middle East expert Michael Lüders discusses the situation in Kobani, and how Turkey is responding to the "Islamic State."
Martin Schulz has turned the SPD’s fortunes around. He’s done the same for the Greens too, but not for the better. While Angela Merkel’s challenger is reviving tired Social Democrats the Greens are slipping in the polls.
The co-chief of the Greens has accused Germany's government of complying with the Turkish regime's crackdown on liberties. Cem Özdemir also says Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel needs to stop deportations to Afghanistan.
The head of the EU's executive commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, has suggested a dramatic restructuring of the bloc with "core" members and "orbit" nations. These outliers could include the UK and Turkey, he said.
Turkey has announced its intention to bid to host Euro 2024. This makes the country just the second applicant to host the tournament, after the German football association made its bid official last month.
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On Monday morning, police officers had to pull out their guns and point them at wrestler Jeff Hardy. The reason was that the AEW star got behind the wheel drunk and tried to resist arrest.
According to police video obtained by TMZ, the 44-year-old athlete was driving his car in Volusia County, Florida. His white Dodge Charger was traveling down the highway wobbling and erratically re-routing.
After a traffic stop, Hardy did not want to get out of the vehicle and would not obey traffic police orders. Officers had to draw their weapons, but fortunately, they did not use them because Jeff stopped resisting arrest and was handcuffed after sobriety tests.
Read also: Police released video of David Koechner undergoing sobriety tests.


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Micro-Needling aka collagen induction therapy is performed with the INTRAcel RF (radio frequency) technology. This is an innovative design that uniquely treats the target area through rapid penetration of specially designed insulated micro-needles without causing extensive damage to the epidermis. Through the action of the microneedles, a tiny column is created that facilitates heating and brings about a growth factor that promotes the mechanism of natural recovery with an effect similar to that of peeling, but with minimal impact on the epidermis. At the same time it emits a high-tensioned RF pulse onto the target area inside the skin. The fractional RF thermolysis is applied directly to this area and selectively regenerates the collagen fibers between the superficial dermis and muscle band, resulting in the fibers immediately dwindling and thus promoting the construction of new collagen through a stimulus of the fibroblasts.
A typical micro -needling session lasts between 45 minutes and 1 hour. To begin, a topical anesthetic is applied to the skin to ensure a comfortable experience. Once the anesthetic takes effect, we begin the treatment.
Although micro-needling can create impressive results on its own, the process also makes the skin more receptive to skincare products enhancing their effectiveness.
Benefits of INTRAcel MicroNeedling:
- Fine lines
- Skin texture
- Open pores
- Stretch marks
- Sagging skin
- Acne scarring


Perfect Pitch in 10 Weeks!
One of our amazing students showcases how she LEARNED PERFECT PITCH in 10 weeks with our very own T.A.P. Method!
2013 School of Rock
Every summer, our lucky School of Rock students form their own band, as well as write and record their own songs. There's fun for everyone!
2014 School of Rock
These rockers learned seven songs for their end of camp live concert, even switching instruments for the performance.
2014 Summer Concert
An amazing and diverse performance by dozens of our talented students, on many different instruments, including vocals, piano, drums, and guitar.
2013 School of Rock Promo
Get a rundown of all the fun a student can have at our School of Rock Summer Camps.
2013 Summer Concert
Our students' many talents are heating up at our 2013 Summer Concert.
2012 School of Rock
Students from our 2012 School of Rock Advanced Summer Camp perform.
2011 School of ROCK
The School of Rock performance from the 2011 season.
2012 Winter Concert
Students enjoy playing festive and other fun tunes at our 2012 Winter Concert.
Mozart's Sonata in C
Played by teVelde student Gabe Rojas at the 2011 Winter Concert.
2012 Summer Concert
Students showcase their diverse talents at our 2012 Summer Concert.
Solfeggietto by Bach
Played by teVelde student Gabe Rojas at the 2012 Summer Concert.
Performed by teVelde Music owner/CEO, Bonnie teVelde.
Performed by teVelde student Kaylee
at a seasonal concert.


Forbes Life currently has a piece about the allure of the St. Regis Princeville Kauai and the many celebrities who frequent it:
"They didn't teach...
Read Whole Story
"Kauai is the place for outdoor activities," declares Eric, our guide, as we kayak up the Hule'ia River where we will hike through the woods toward Kipu Ranch, hidden waterfalls, and our special swimming hole.
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It’s been over a month since Apple released its new music streaming service Apple Music, and apparently some people didn’t like it.
Users also complain about the lack of content, for example, the nonexistent library of the Beatles and Prince – even though said artists sell their discography on iTunes.
Apple Music doesn’t have a lyrics widget and faces several “technical hiccups” like error messages and failed synchronization between devices.
I like Apple Music, although I have to admit that the music streaming service sometimes displays an “offline” message on my iPad Air to with the iOS 9 public beta.
If you want to go back to the original Music app, the one that doesn’t mix Apple Music with your library, follow these steps
Delete Apple Music on an iPhone and iPad
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Head to the Music tab.
3. Turn off Apple Music.
Delete Apple Music on a Mac
1. Click on the iTunes tab on the main menu.
2. Select the General option.
3. Select “Display Apple Music.”
Now you can enjoy your iTunes music library as before. Did you find this tutorial useful? Please let me know in the comment section.


[Photo of a soldier in the middle of mandatory military service] (Photo courtesy:
Young Korean males have a quite different type of concern from males of other countries. They are different because Korean men from the age of 18 have to mandatorily enlist to the military and serve for 18 month. This procedure has been in place for such a long time that it became a fundamental part of current Korean culture. It is ingrained itself deeply into Koreans’ mindset up to the point where some grown men say that you cannot call yourself a man unless you have served in the military.
Nevertheless, enlistment has been a hot potato for all Korean youngsters with different opinion clashing. Recently, there are massive changes happening regarding this issue as the service period is becoming extremely shorter than that of previous years. Furthermore, the absolute disciplinary style of the service has started to loosen. Now some platoons even allow usage of smart phones. It is even possible to leave the training ground for certain periods of time after the regimen. All of these changes have stirred up a lot of controversy throughout the recent months.
The advocates of the alterations believe that shorter services are time saving for university students who gets enlisted. The current situation is that university students lose 3 valuable years because of the military duty. The advocates argue that shortening military service will cause the amount of study that the individual can do would leap dramatically. As a result, he could use that valuable time effectively by getting education and striving for self development, which would make him more ready to achieve his goal more quickly and efficiently. This important achievement in his early 20s would be impossible when he has to spend his time confined in a military for 3years.
On the other hand there is a side that believes that the current trend is not very beneficial. The opponents state that the mandatory military service is a major step of becoming a true Korean citizen. They also state that the benefits you can reap from the experience are invaluable. After all, mandatory enlistment is the most efficient way to increase a country’s military size and strength. They believe if the system is loosened and the term is shortened, the benefits will decrease accordingly.
|[I interviewed an acquaintance of my father who used to serve at the military 16 years ago for a long time. (mandatory service + additional service.) Photo courtesy: Lee Mi Young]
Q. How was the service for you?
“Well it’s tough on everyone. Back then the training regimen was extremely hard to complete. I was rather fat when I entered but after a few months in the camp, I lost all my excess fat. The training staff was mean and loved getting us in pain. The breaks were too short to be considered as real and if you couldn’t keep up with the troop, you were severely berated and punished.”
Q. As you know the law has changed and a lot has changed with the mandatory military service. What is your opinion on these changes?
“I think the direction the government is taking is not advisable. However harsh the service is, there are so much things that you can get from the experience. You make friends in the service that are life-long. You learn to be proud for your country and be proud of protect it. These days the kids going to the service don’t even have time to do all this. Furthermore they have more privileges than needed.”
Q. So you think that the service should not be shortened or made more comfortable?
“I do know the importance of tertiary education and how much valuable time is lost through the service period. But as a citizen of Korea we get many unique benefits like the universal health insurance. Participating in the service is a good way to repay to the country for the protection and benefit it gives to us.”
To conclude, although there are many Koreans who hope for the enlistment to be shorter and milder, there are also those who believe it should stay the way it is. Regarding this controversy, mandatory enlistment would have to be adjusted to a direction that addresses the claims of both parties.
SUNG UI JUN
Yeoksam Middle School
SUNG UI JUN firstname.lastname@example.org
<Copyright © The Herald Insight, All rights reseverd.>


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domain: hobby


Blues guitarist, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Aaron Thibeaux, aka “T-Bone” Walker, is known for his pioneering electric blues that has influenced a multitude of artists over the years, including B.B King, Gatemouth Brown, Pee Wee Crayton, Goree Carter and Pete Mayes. Another artist to be influenced by T-Bone Walker was his nephew, R.S Rankin.
Completely taken by his Uncles guitar playing, Rankin persuaded T-Bone to buy him a guitar and it was shortly after this that he would join his Uncle on the road as his personal valet. T-Bone Walker taught his nephew to play, for which he rapidly excelled, and in 1962 Rankin had given himself the title of T-Bone Walker, Jr for the 1962 single, “Midnight Bells Are Ringing,” (with his uncle’s complete blessing, of course; the two had worked up a father-and-son-type act long before that). Listen above…and see if you can detect hints of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Love That Burns’ in this track?


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Fans of James Cameron’s Avatar will have to wait a little longer for the sequel to the biggest blockbuster of all time. The Toronto Star is reporting plans for the 2018 release are no longer feasible. Speaking to Cameron about the future of the franchise in the run-up to the opening of Disney World’s “Pandora” inside Animal Kingdom on May 27, 2017, the subject of the source material came up. The director chalked up the delay to the way the production schedule is set up:
“Well, 2018 is not happening. We haven’t announced a firm release date. What people have to understand is that this is a cadence of releases. So we’re not making Avatar 2. We’re making Avatar 2, 3, 4 and 5.”
You can almost hear Mickey Mouse off in the distance, baseball bat smacking menacingly into one white-gloved paw as he gives off his trademark laugh with a gleam of evil in his eye, “We gave you a theme park, James. Ha-HA! Where’s our franchise?”
After all, if you live on planet Earth, you know what Avatar is. If you’re a cool person, you have to quantify it as James Cameron’s Avatar, so people don’t confuse it with the amazing Nickelodeon show (and the subsequent train wreck of an M. Night Shyamalan movie). That’s why Disney was willing to hundred of millions of dollars into breathing life into a tourist attraction version of Pandora. Cameron’s film topped the zeitgeist of 3D movies, a promise of how the technology would change entertainment forever. When Avatar was released, it became the highest-grossing film of all time (not adjusting for inflation). Some fans were literally suicidal because the alien world of Pandora isn’t real. It seemed inevitable that pop culture would be awash in sequels and Avatar references for decades.
READ MORE: Uproxx.com
Article Courtesy of Uproxx
Picture Courtesy of Arnold Turner and Getty Images


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For as long as I can remember I’ve always had a very active imagination. As a little kid when I read a book or saw a movie I loved and didn’t want to end I’d continue the ending in my mind, not just a simple “he didn’t die and they lived happily ever after” but an intricate story line with plot twists and even new characters. Sort of like I was writing my own t.v series and I’d add another episode every time I was bored in class or on the bus. On long Saturdays I’d gather my sisters up in my room and play “house” for hours. I gave out the roles, told them what the story line was going to be, basically directed mini one act plays.
As I grew up that imagination began pushing me to create wherever I could. I took drama and dance classes at the community center and when I came home I spent hours in front of my mirror choreographing complex routines for the dance company in my mind to perform. If anyone walked in on me I probably looked like a fish flopping out of water like 85% of the time but in my mind I was flying across a stage with the crowd roaring.
I woke up some days with an intense drive to paint or draw and I would sit down for hours until my masterpiece was done. When I learned to play guitar it wasn’t long before I was writing my own songs, all I needed was three chords (but never a f# because my fingers were just not long enough…I still have a hard time with that).
In middle school I was lonely and a little bullied so I started writing, first just a diary where I poured my heart out wishing that one day I would have a real best friend. And then I realized it was a lot more fun to write alternative “me”. Just like the never-ending movies and books or little scenes I played out in my room I let my imagination expand my own life and I started writing stories, with different characters and names but really all of it was just me writing down the life I wish I had or the words I wished I had the guts to say out loud. I still have 5 first chapters to all my different novels and quite a few pages on a play I started to write. And just like those movies and books whenever I was bored or at school feeling left out and out of place I just started another chapter in my mind and escaped to an alternative me I felt like being that day.
I’ve always loved this part of me. It is such a defining part of who I am. My imagination, that need to always be creating something new no matter how big or small. It gives me drive and purpose. It’s one of the reasons I started this blog. It also ensures that to some extent I am always living in my own little bubble. Don’t worry, I grew out of middle school (which wasn’t that bad anyways) found great friends and a more solid and clear version of myself (although I am always learning more on that one. shaping and twisting and rebuilding all the time..). But because I am constantly creating in my mind, my brain always throwing out new ideas I tend to tune out every once in a while and go back to that alternative me.
And while all of that creativity is good, recently I had a bit of a wake up call. This guy I’m dating was smothering me a little and I found myself rewriting scenes, pretending I was with someone else. I trust my instincts completely and will not hesitate to end a relationship that is not good for me but I kind of feel like I still owe it to him and me to give it a fair shot. Because we really have only been going out for like a minute and a half and it takes longer then that to really know someone. A lot of people find it hard to really be themselves at the beginning of a relationship, you want to impress and you’re not exactly sure what is OK to say and what isn’t. But it freaked me out a little because I suddenly realized it is not the first time I’ve done that. I realized I have a tendency to go back to that “alternative me” when things get a little too real concerning my love life (or rather lack of one). Escapism is a fine coping strategy when things get rough but if I tune out every time I have a shot at something real then my imagination is crossing a line. It’s the classic tune of blaming fairy tales and romantic comedies, But it’s true- they kind of mess you up a little. You live life imagining this prefect scene that never really happens and then you miss it when the universe tries to hand you something true. I got so used to changing the script when it doesn’t fit right but life is not like that and it scares me that I will be so busy with my rewrites I’ll miss the whole show.
So here is my message to all you dreamers and artists out there. Don’t stop. Imagine. Create. Give life to all the stories in your head, but keep an eye open to the real world as well. You don’t want to blink and miss it.


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In this science project, you will investigate different substances to see how they affect the rate at which ice cubes melt. You will test substances that dissolve in water (i.e., soluble substances), like salt and sugar, as well as a substance that does not dissolve in water (i.e., an insoluble substance), specifically sand.
Before we started our simple science experiment, we talked about what we thought would happen. My daughter did not think we could pick up the ice cube with the thread unless we tied the thread around the ice cube. We also examined some ice cubes and I asked my daughter about the properties of ice. She noticed the ice was cold, hard and white.
Color Science: Painting with Ice Cubes. Winter and summer are a great time to use ice in sensory projects. Today we’re combining a sensory art activity with color science in this ice cube painting craft for kids.
Keep ice from melting! This is a fun science experiment for winter, but it works any time of the year. One of the reasons that I love science education is that it’s a total blast when kids make discoveries on their own and get completely excited about it! Kids will be amazed at how long they ...
Ice Cubes Science Experiment Turning Ice. This week's experiment started as a very simple one, but as I played with it, it grew a bit. It all started with me watching an ice cube melt. (Those of you that have been on the list a while know that it does not take a lot to entertain me.)
Which melts faster--ice cubes or ice cream? If you've wondered about the answer to this question, this article features three experiments as part of a science project on ice cube and ice cream melting so you can perform your own experiments and decide for yourself. Read on to find out who will win the race!
Ice science fair projects and experiments: topics, ideas, resources, and sample projects by scientific field. ... Which shape of ice cube melts the fastest? Earth Sciences: ... Food Science: Determine which method of defrosting meat is safest and which method of cooking kills the most bacteria. Cakes, Cookies and Ice Cream Science Fair Projects ...
The larger the surface area of the ice cube the more heat it absorbs, so the spherical ice cube will melt the slowest if it has the least surface area. The shape of the rectangular ice cube is the flattest and has the most surface area. This means that heat will be absorbed over a larger area and ...
This science fair project explores how salt and sugar affect the melting rate of ice in water. ... What Makes Ice Melt Faster? Science project. ... Add the same amount of ice to each (about four to five cubes, depending on size of cups).
Make It Even Icier with These Cool Ice Activities. Easy Snow and Ice Experiments Ideas for simple but cool science experiments about snow and ice that will get kids interested in learning about nature's frozen wonders. Includes exploding ice, making frost, snow, and icicles, salt, and dry ice. How to Make Snow Ice Cream

domain: chemistry


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The ICM poll showing Boris Johnson narrowly ahead of Ken Livingstone in the contest to be mayor of London is welcome news for Labour, who had feared that the contest was slipping away after two YouGov polls had shown Johnson 12 and 10 points in the lead. Has there been a pro-Livingstone swing, or is one or other of the polls just wrong?
Opinion poll methodology is an abstruse field, and blundering into it unwarily is dangerous, but the striking difference between the two polls may be something to do with how the polls were taken. Getting London - a vast, diverse place where the voters move around more frequently then elsewhere - right in polling terms is a challenge. Both ICM and YouGov are respectable and professional firms that try to get the answer right - the fact that YouGov's client is the vehemently anti-Livingstone Evening Standard does not affect the way the pollsters do their job.
Sampling for YouGov was taken over the Easter weekend, and holiday times sometimes produce funny numbers (although a YouGov poll taken the previous week also produced a similar topline result). But there are some other issues. ICM ensured that ethnic minority voters were represented in the poll in proportion to the population in London (29% is the official number), and this is important because black and minority ethnic voters are particularly pro-Livingstone.
Some of the differences in weighting are also interesting. YouGov did not adjust for likely turnout. Does anyone expect, as the first YouGov poll implies, that for every three votes cast by people aged 45-54 there will be five cast by people aged 18-24? London may have a young population, but no real election, with the possible exception of one or two of the Democratic primaries this year, shows that sort of turnout pattern. However, ICM's sample showed Johnson further ahead (48-40) among people who claimed to be certain to vote, so Labour cannot assume that the army of young pro-Johnson voters found by YouGov is entirely illusory.
There are staggering differences in the detail of ICM and YouGov, with YouGov finding that women were more pro-Johnson than men (a 14-point lead, rather than six-point) and ICM the reverse - men giving Johnson an 11-point lead but women giving him an eight-point deficit. The last YouGov poll shows that more people who identify with the Liberal Democrats intend to vote for Johnson (40%) than their own party's candidate Brian Paddick (31%) which although possible seems peculiar and implies a 7% swing of Lib Dems from Paddick to Johnson in a period of just over a week since their previous poll.
The past two mayoral elections have seen unusual constellations of voters. In 2004 Livingstone's strength was in inner London, even in areas that are normally Conservative or Lib Dem. He won all but one ward in Camden, for instance, even leading in the upper middle class heights of Hampstead Town. Steve Norris polled best in the outer boroughs, many of which are ambivalent about their allegiance to "London". Johnson seems, whichever poll one looks at, to have maintained the Conservative advantage in outer London and pulled away some non-Labour voters in inner London who supported Livingstone in 2004. Interestingly, YouGov finds Labour's vote in the assembly election pretty much identical to Livingstone's support, also suggesting that Livingstone's vote this time will be a more conventional Labour party coalition of support.
The polls are also consistent in showing that Johnson is doing better in the contest for Lib Dem second preferences, in marked contrast to 2004, when Livingstone tended to benefit. This reflects Johnson's greater crossover appeal, Livingstone's accumulated discontents of eight years in office, and the closer relations between Lib Dems and Tories in London. The two parties run several boroughs in coalition and work together on the Greater London Assembly in opposition to an informal Labour-Green alliance.
Livingstone has had a rotten few weeks. Labour's national popularity has sagged badly in several polls, with the Conservatives taking a strong national lead that is also reflected in Londoners' voting intentions. Closer to home, there has been the resignation of two of his City Hall advisers, including Lee Jasper, under clouds of suspicion, something that has encouraged a "time for a change" feeling. Voters who dislike the apparent cronyism of Livingstone's City Hall and distrust his honesty and currently intend to vote for Johnson may not feel the same after a look at Johnson's own chequered record in precisely these matters. Livingstone also has formidable basic strength in public opinion, in that he is regarded even by people not currently intending to vote for him as having done a good job as mayor. His specific policies attract more support than Johnson's on issues such as the congestion charge and public transport. Livingstone is also articulate and clear on detail, while Johnson is not. While Johnson has done enough to dispel the impression that the campaign is merely an exercise in vanity, he still looks flimsy on detail and competence and is being kept out of the way by his hard-right Australian campaign adviser Lynton Crosby.
Polls, whatever technical issues may arise and however they are reported, are more reliable than the only alternatives - self-interested claims by the parties, and the water-divining approach to public opinion by which a journalist sniffs the air and gets a "feel" for how it is going. If ICM had shown a Johnson lead even half as large as YouGov's, it would be tempting to claim that the race was already over. Defeatism was starting to pervade Labour's approach to the campaign. The new poll should dispel that, and if the party knows what it is doing, prompt a vigorous fightback that has every chance of success. Livingstone's choice is to give up wearily but gracefully - which has looked a possibility - or hammer Johnson on policies and personal competence. Labour needs to energise its difficult to reach electorate, and the closer and more publicised the election, the better for them. Johnson, Crosby and the Evening Standard - salivating at the chance to inflict a fatal blow in its long vendetta against Livingstone - are not going to play nice either. With so much at stake, and (according to ICM at least) still all to fight for, it will be a brutal April in London politics.

domain: politics


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Black Georgie Vegan Leather Shorts
Leather never looked so good! The Georgie short features a trendy wide design and soft vegan leather, making them perfect for rocking with your favorite tee for summer or tights and a sweater for those chiller months.
- Face: 100% Polyurethane / Back: 100% Polyester
- Fully Lined with 95% Polyester, 5% Spandex
- Professional dry clean
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- Inseam: 2 7/8"
- Model wears US 2


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Over 150 of the City’s bravest men and women were honored Saturday as the City held a Veteran’s Medal Ceremony for the first time in over 30 years.
“I would like to thank all veterans for your service,” said Mayor Erin E. Stewart, who was the MC for the event. “Our Country and our community is stronger because of your dedication and courage.”
New Britain is home to over 10 veteran organizations and over 4,000 veterans.
“You have all played a significant role in making our country safe,” said Stewart. “It is my humble honor to recognize each veteran here today for their service and dedication to our nation. Your courageousness and spirit has inspired us.”
Those from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, the Global War on Terror and during peace times were in attendance and honored. There were 13 World War II veterans in attendance.
The idea for a City veterans medal ceremony was brought to the Mayor’s attention in December of 2015 when she received a letter from a veteran of the City with a sample of a medal the City gave him decades ago.
“He said the medal meant so much to him and he really felt appreciated by the City. We decided to come together and find an appropriate way to celebrate the service and dedication of the men and women who served in the armed forces,” said Mayor Stewart.
Members of the New Britain High School Madrigal singers sang the National Anthem and New Britain High School members performed taps.
Peter Scirpo, chairman of the New Britain Veterans Commission, introduced Brigadier General Francis J. Evon Jr., assistant Adjutant General-CT Army National Guard who was the keynote speaker.
“It’s easy to recognize our veterans and service members who are visible due to our ongoing operation overseas, however the majority of the veterans we honor today are no longer actively serving in the military uniform. Many have gone on to be our teachers, police officers, firemen and neighbors,” said Evon. “American veterans are some of our nation’s bravest and hardest working men and women, however it is hard to show them appreciation they deserve when back at home and out of uniform they are more camouflaged than ever.”
Evon continued, “Today we are here to formally recognize your service. Today the City of New Britain pauses to salute you and thank you for your sacrifices. Whether you are a veteran today or decades ago, veterans represent an unwavering dedication and exemplify the highest ideal for our nation.”
“Pres. John F. Kennedy put it best ‘a nation reveals itself not only by the men and women it produces, but also by the men and women it honors’,” concluded Evon. “Today is a day to honor. Thank you for all you’ve done for our nation and state.”
Presenting the medals were Mayor Stewart and New Britain Veterans Commission members Scirpo, John Buckley, Virginia Gagliardi, Christian Gutierrez, Daniel Lutty, Luis Orriola, Joseph Rapisarda and Mona Starczewski.
Marine Corps League of the Hardware City Detachment performed the ceremonial volley and the retiring of colors.
Father Israel River of St. Joachim Parish performed the invocation and Pastor Thomas Mills of Grace Church said the benediction.

domain: history


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Speaking about the importance family comes to mind first. It is people that gave you life, love, protection, and knowledge about the world around you. Family helps and nurtures, the support allows you to achieve meaningful goals. So what can be more important for everyone, after all?
Importance of Family in our life
How To Write Essay About Family. Instructions, Outline Tips, Examples
It was a rainy Thursday; I remember it like it was yesterday. I was in college, and I had just finished my class. I decided to go with one of my friends to eat. We got into my car and drove to our favorite fast food. While I was eating pizza, I received a text message from my aunt. I suddenly got goosebumps.
How To Write Essay About Family
While in college, students are required to write academic essays which help to analyze their performance. Essay writing tends to be challenging to some students but it is an obligatory task and, therefore, everyone is expected to write it. To deal with the burden of having to write a lot of essays, many students opt to buy custom written essays.
Whatever form they take, family relationships are a central feature of most of our lives Wyse and Hawtin, The family is the basic social unity of a society. A family is made up of members and there exists a relationship between members of a family. A family plays a very important role in the life of an individual.

domain: literature


Measurement process is one of the most important issues during wind turbine generator (WTG) and wind power plant (WPP) evaluation and requires careful approach. Accurate measurements of harmonic voltages and currents in offshore WPPs followed by proper data analysis are essential for harmonic emission evaluation. In harmonic measurements it is of great importance to specify appropriate measurement points and optimize data acquisition devices as well as sensors.
Measurement systems involving multiple devices often require accurate timing in order to secure event synchronization and correlation in long-term data acquisition. One of the ways to achieve this synchronization measurement units must synchronize their individual clocks in order share a common time base. In large offshore WPPs distributed clock synchronization becomes necessary. Distributed clock synchronization in WPPs requires devices synchronized to a GPS satellite because of significant distances between measurement units .
As presented in Figure 1 there are two synchronization possibilities: (1) with reference clock and (2) by means of phase-locked loop (PLL) synchronization.
(1) With the reference clock , the PXI 4472 device locks their frequency timebases – the inputs of their direct digital synthesis (DDS) chips, to the PXI_Clk10 (10 MHz) clock supplied by the PXI unit backplane. This is accomplished by using PLL. After a sync pulse is sent, which aligns the sample clock timebase on each device, the oversample clocks, and the analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). Finally, a shared start trigger is sent, which starts the acquisition and generation events on each device at the same instant.
(2) Another synchronization is just done by means of PLL which provides sufficient accuracy for harmonic measurements. Having an appropriate synchronization the GPS disciplined oscillator (GPSDO) is used to combine the good short term stability of the crystal oscillator with the excellent long term stability of the GPS signal. It assures that each acquired sample by all dispersed measurement unit will be synchronized together as presented in Figure 2.
In order to achieve that GPS synchronized triggering and GPS disciplined timebase were used. As an exemplary configuration PXI-6682, PXI-6653, PXI-4495 and PXI-4472 can be used in each of measurement locations in order to assure precise synchronization and high quality (i.e. aliasing free, high resolution equal to 24 bits, suitable sample rate equal to 44.1kS/s/ch) data acquisition .
 Ł. H. Kocewiak, I. Arana, J. Hjerrild, T. Sørensen, C. L. Bak, and J. Holbøll, "GPS Synchronization and EMC of Harmonic and Transient Measurement Equipment in Offshore Wind Farms," Energy Procedia, vol. 24, pp. 212-228, 2012.
 Ł. H. Kocewiak, A. Baloi, “Evaluation of Power Quality Monitoring Systems in Offshore Wind Farms,” in Proc. The 13th International Workshop on Large-Scale Integration of Wind Power into Power Systems as well as Transmission Networks for Offshore Wind Farms, Energynautics GmbH, 11-13 November 2014, Berlin, Germany.


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As one of the most enjoyable live acts for the past three decades, UK’s legendary ska/punk/pop/soul band ENGLISH BEAT are currently on the road, touring the U.S. straight through until the end of 2017, playing Carrboro’s famed Cat’s Cradle tonight (tour dates below). The band, led by the irrepressible Dave Wakeling will be playing all the hits from both English Beat and General Public songbooks as well as new songs from Here We Go Love, their forthcoming album of all new material (their first in over three decades).
Appropriately called “a singer-songwriter as savagely witty as Elvis Costello” by Rolling Stone, Wakeling has been at the forefront of Ska’s Second Wave which propelled peers like The Specials, Madness and The Selector throughout the 80s into the 90s and continues today. “The Beat are one of the most underrated bands of all time,” wrote respected writing legend Simon Price for The Quietus, “and Dave Wakeling ought to be spoken of in the same breath as Weller and Strummer in the post-punk pantheon of heroes.”
The English Beat’s irresistible blend of Pop, Soul, Ska and Punk made them one of the most undeniable breakout stars throughout the last three decades and have had their music covered by such musical luminaries as Elvis Costello, Pete Townshend, and Eddie Vedder, among many others. Compared to other UK Ska acts who found fame in the 80s, Paste Magazine called them “the most ambitious” and The Wall Street Journal said “the English Beat had the best chops.” Originally breaking up in the late 80s, Wakeling formed General Public who continued their mainstream takeover with massive international singles like “Tenderness”, “Never You Done That”, “Hot You’re Cool” and a cover of Staple Singers’ “I’ll Take You There.” Proving Wakeling’s undeniable songwriting as well has his longevity in the industry, national retail chain Target featured “Tenderness” in a TV commercial campaign and Hanna Barbera‘s wildly popular cartoon Scooby Doo featured the band’s music in a recent episode.
NOV 02 Cat’s Cradle Carrboro, NC NOV 03 Underground Arts Philadelphia, PA NOV 05 The Warehouse at Fairfield Theatre Company Fairfield, CT NOV 06 Brighton Music Hall Allston, MA NOV 07 Lincoln Theatre Washington, DC NOV 08 The Paramount Huntington, NY NOV 10 New Hope Winery New Hope, PA NOV 11 Highline Ballroom New York, NY NOV 12 Daryl’s House Pawling, NY NOV 15 El Club Detroit, MI NOV 16 Beachland Ballroom Cleveland, OH NOV 17 Space Evanston, IL NOV 18 Space Evanston, IL NOV 19 Cabooze Minneapolis, MN NOV 21 Turner Hall Ballroom Milwaukee, WI NOV 22 Duck Room at Blueberry Hill St Louis, MO NOV 24 The Waiting Room Omaha, NE NOV 25 Gothic Theatre Denver, CO NOV 26 The Complex Salt Lake City, UT NOV 28 Whiskey Jacques Ketchum, ID NOV 30 Showbox at the Market Seattle, WA DEC 02 Aladdin Theater Portland, OR DEC 08 The Cave Big Bear Lake, CA DEC 15 Moe’s Alley Santa Cruz, CA DEC 16 Moe’s Alley Santa Cruz, CA DEC 22 The Belly Up Solana Beach, CA DEC 23 The Belly Up Solana Beach, CA DEC 29 The Canyon Agoura Hills, CA DEC 30 The Rose Pasadena, CA DEC 31 The Canyon Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, CA


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Nutella has been on the U.S. market for more than 25 years and throughout that time it has been a widely celebrated Italian import. Recently, however, the classic chocolate and hazelnut spread has experienced a bit of a rebirth as healthy Nutella alternatives have emerged. That’s right: Nutella isn’t the only chocolate-hazelnut spread in town. Most of these new spreads promise a more natural, less sugar-loaded product; some are even organic, raw, or vegan. Of course, none of those qualities matter much if they can’t stand up to the famous original. We rounded up seven healthy Nutella alternatives and put them to a taste test. Read on for our review of each chocolate hazelnut spread, complete with tasting notes.
- 1. Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa & Milk
- 2. Askinosie Hey, Hey Hazelnut! Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
- 3. Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter
- 4. Jem Hazelnut Raw Cacao Butter
- 5. Nutzo Paleo Chocolate Power Fuel Seven Nut & Seed Butter
- 8 palm oil free alternatives to your favourite products you can buy in the UK
- If you like hazelnut spread try …
- If you like peanut butter try …
- If you like chocolate try …
- If you use bar soap try …
- If you use laundry detergent try …
- If you eat bread try …
- If you wear lipstick try …
- If you like fruit mince pies try …
- Facing the facts about Nutella, palm oil & the environment
- What’s really in your jar of hazelnut chocolate spread?
1. Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa & Milk
Made using the Rigoni family recipe, this spread is certified organic, and made with all natural, raw ingredients. And if you’ve been looking for hazelnut spread without palm oil, you’ve found it. It’s also GMO-free. Our tasters described Nocciolata as “creamy,” “milky,” and “incredibly smooth.” We also found it had a perfect balance of chocolate to nut. This was one of the sweeter options, and deemed the most similar to Nutella.
BUY IT: Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread, $11.07 on Amazon
2. Askinosie Hey, Hey Hazelnut! Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
This 2011 Silver Sofi Winner is made completely from scratch, and contains just four ingredients: hazelnuts (oil and butter), cocoa powder, organic cane sugar, and roasted cocoa nibs. Tasters found Askinosie’s spread to be thick and dense, but still easily spreadable. It won raves for its rich, chocolate flavor with slightly bitter notes. “This one was clearly made with high-quality chocolate,” noted one editor. Only one con was mentioned: “Could use a bit more hazelnut.” ($13 for one 6.5-ounce jar)
BUY IT: Askinosie Hey, Hey Hazelnut! Chocolate Hazelnut Spread, $13 at Askinosie.com
3. Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter
This spread stands apart from the previous three, because it also contains almonds, which do make their presence known, but only subtly. Tasters pointed out that this spread is grainier than the others, but this was not a negative; in fact, many editors liked that about it. We also found it to be slightly less sweet with an earthier flavor than the other spreads. It also comes in handy single-serving squeeze packs for chocolate hazelnut spread on-the-go.
BUY IT: Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter, $8.57 on Amazon
The following Nutella alternatives (listed in no particular order) were not among our top three picks, but each one has a number of attractive qualities and are definitely worth mentioning.
4. Jem Hazelnut Raw Cacao Butter
Raw, vegan, and certified organic, Jem’s take on Nutella is one of the more natural versions we tried. We found it had a nice chocolate-to-hazelnut flavor ratio, but could use a touch of salt to pull everything together. For more on Jem, check ouin-depth review.
BUY IT: Jem Hazelnut Raw Cacao Butter, $19.02 on Amazon
5. Nutzo Paleo Chocolate Power Fuel Seven Nut & Seed Butter
With an ingredient list that features peanuts, cashews, almonds, flax seeds, Brazil nuts, and sunflower seeds, along with dark chocolate, cane sugar, cocoa butter, and hazelnuts, Nutzo is in a class of its own. It’s also 100% organic, packed with protein and Omega-3s, and very low in sugar. We had a little trouble comparing Nutzo to the other chocolate-hazelnut spreads, but on its own, we found it incredibly nutty, rich and thick, and not at all sugar-y. Available in crunchy and smooth. ($14.99 for one 16-ounce jar)
8 palm oil free alternatives to your favourite products you can buy in the UK
In April last year, Iceland supermarkets announced they would be removing palm oil from all their own-brand products citing the devastating effects this oil has on the environment.
Palm oil is a vegetable oil derived from the fruit of oil palm trees which grow in tropical areas. It is found in a number of popular products like lipstick, peanut butter and chocolate.
Yet palm oil has been linked to the deforestation of Borneo’s forests and loss of habitat for many orangutans that call these forests home – which, according to saynotopalmoil.com, has resulted in the loss of over 50,000 orangutans.
Humans are consuming a whopping 50 million tonnes of palm oil each year and as long as there continues to be demand for the product, forests and habitats will continue to be destroyed. So lessen your impact on the environment a little and swap out some of your favourite products for the alternatives below.
If you like hazelnut spread try …
Venchi’s Suprema XV cocoa spread with extra virgin olive oil. One of these tubs may be a tad more expensive than other popular hazelnut spreads but it has less of an impact on the environment and tastes just as – if not more – delicious.
Venchi’s Suprema XV cocoa spread with extra virgin olive oil, £7.50. venchi.com/uk/
If you like peanut butter try …
Whole Earth Organic Smooth Palm Oil Free Peanut Butter. Like the name says, this peanut butter is palm oil free but without losing the peanut butter creaminess we all love.
Whole Earth Organic Smooth Palm Oil Free Peanut Butter, £2.50. sainsburys.co.uk/
If you like chocolate try …
Ombar raw chocolate bar. Before you let the word ‘raw’ put you off – as a certified chocoholic, I have tried these bars and prefer them to regular chocolate. They’re that good.
Try the Ombar 72 per cent cacao bar, £3.29. ombar.co.uk/
If you use bar soap try …
Movis soap from Lush. Movis is Lush’s first 100 per cent palm oil free soap and is made from extra virgin coconut and sunflower oil. The soap has its own delightfully intense smell – signature to all Lush products – and gently buffs and polishes skin.
Movis by Lush, £4.95 per 100g. uk.lush.com/
If you use laundry detergent try …
Ecoleaf Concentrated Non-Bio Washing Powder. This detergent is made from plant-derived ingredients which is gentle on your skin and kind to the earth and removes dirt without using harsh chemicals like parabens.
Ecoleaf Concentrated Non-Bio Washing Powder, £3.79. naturalcollection.com/
If you eat bread try …
Waitrose Love Life Farmhouse Batch Multiseed. Using rapeseed oil instead of palm oil, you won’t notice the difference yet you will make less of an environmental impact.
Waitrose Love Life Farmhouse Batch Multiseed, £1.45. ocado.com/
If you wear lipstick try …
Neek Lipsticks. Australian brand Neek has brought out a vegan sustainable range of lipsticks in eight different shades. The tubes are made from bamboo so they can also be composted once done.
Neek lipsticks, £15.99 each. neekskinorganics.com/uk/
If you like fruit mince pies try …
Palm oil free mince pies by Iceland
With Iceland supermarkets launching their palm oil ban, head chef Neil Nugent is working on redeveloping the entire range by the end of 2018. As part of this he has created a palm oil free fruit mince pie, you can watch the process in the video above.
Facing the facts about Nutella, palm oil & the environment
For as long as I can remember, Nutella was always a special snack. My family would usually have a jar on hand in our house, but it was typically saved for special occasions. As I got older and discovered that Nutella was served in many places around the world, and I was happy to have easier access to the delicious treat, rather than it being protected behind the cupboard and my mother’s watchful eye. However, after recently hearing assertions about the product that directly conflict with my values, I decided to research the sweet treat and its producer to uncover the facts about Nutella’s environmental impacts.
First, let’s take a look at what Nutella’s ingredients. There are only seven ingredients in the hazelnut spread, and all of which are relatively well-known, which makes consumers feel confident they are making a completely natural and healthy choice by avoiding myriad artificial enhancers and sweeteners that often are found in snack foods today.
Of course, the first ingredient of Nutella is sugar. Listed second is palm oil, followed by hazelnuts, cocoa, milk, lecithin (soy) and vanillin.
The most controversial ingredient in that list is the palm oil. Since ingredients are listed on labels in order of quantity, as Nutella’s second ingredient, palm oil is a large component to the hazelnut spread’s recipe.
Palm oil is extracted from the palm fruit, which grows on the African oil palm tree. It’s popular as a food ingredient due to its natural properties and versatility: It has a neutral odor and taste, is semi-solid at room temperature, and gives products a creamy, smooth texture.
Palm fruits are collected for production into palm oil in Jukwa Village in Ghana. (oneVillage Initiative/Creative Commons)
This is especially important for confectionary products like Nutella, because using palm oil avoids the use of the hydrogenation process, which creates unhealthy trans fats in products. Palm oil is also the most efficient oil, producing about 3.7 tons per hectare (or roughly 2.5 acres), whereas oil from soybeans, sunflowers, or rapeseeds produce much less. That 3.7 tons is equal to about 7,400 pounds – the equivalent weight of about two and a half Toyota Prius 4-door hatchbacks.
All of this means that palm oil is frequently a hidden, yet substantial, component in modern consumers’ lives. According to Rainforest Action Network, palm oil is found in about half of packaged products in our grocery stores. It can be found in foods ranging from ice cream to instant noodles and from donuts to potato chips.
Of course palm oil is not just used in food. It’s also found in multiple cosmetic products, such as lipstick and soaps.
As a result of its popularity, worldwide demand for palm oil is skyrocketing. This demand is convincing farmers in tropical climates – most notably Indonesia and Malaysia, where about 85% of the world’s palm oil is cultivated – to cut down rainforests and create palm oil plantations instead.
A oil palm grove in Malaysia, as seen in 2007. (Creative Commons)
And here’s where an oil palm grove used to stand in the Indonesian province of Riau (just south of Malaysia), in this image also from 2007. (Hayden/Creative Commons)
Not only does the destruction of rainforests release carbon dioxide emissions, but native peoples are being displaced for such plantations, and once functioning, these plantations are known to violate their workers’ human rights. To top it off, the biodiversity of these forests are being compromised, and orangutans and other species are becoming increasingly endangered from such vast deforestation.
Ferrero Corporation produces Nutella along with a variety of other products such as Kinder treats, Tic Tacs, and Ferrero Rocher chocolates. The company has been widely criticized for using palm oil in products, which continues to fuel the demand for palm oil plantations. In 2015, France’s minister of the environment made a bold statement, declaring that consumers should stop eating Nutella if they want to help save the rainforest.
The Ferrero Group responded by claiming it sources about 170,000 metric tons of palm oil annually, representing a mere 0.3 percent of the world’s 60 million metric tons of palm oil production (Casey). Due to such widespread criticism, Ferrero Group has been taking actions in many different ways to assure its customers the corporation is acting sustainably and responsibly.
As a first step, in 2005, Ferrero Group joined Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). RSPO is a non-profit organization uniting seven stakeholders from the palm oil industry to ensure certified palm oil is environmentally and socially sustainable. In 2013, Ferrero Group stated that all Nutella products contain 100% segregated RSPO certified palm oil, and are traceable back to the plantation and production line (“Only Sustainable Traceable Certified Palm Oil for Ferrero”). Ferrero Group also launched its 10-point Palm Oil Charter in 2013, yet another commitment to consumers that the palm oil used in Nutella does not contribute to deforestation, species extinction, greenhouse gas emissions, or human rights violations.
In order to implement the charter and to remain transparent about the process, Ferrero Group partnered with NGOs, one being The Forest Trust, which will monitor and publicly report the company’s performance every six months.
In 2015, Ferrero Group became a member of the Palm Oil Innovation Group (POIG), which builds upon RSPO’s original commitments and standards. Ferrero Group is not only contributing to these polycentric efforts but the corporation is also becoming more transparent.
Nutella’s website contains significant information regarding palm oil: What it is, how palm oil is harvested, environmental allegations against the company, and frequently asked questions about the crucial ingredient.
The website also contains key numbers. Ferrero Group claims to have 99.5% traceability to the plantations and countries from which their palm oil comes. This number is more realistic than the 2013 claim of supposedly knowing where 100% of Ferrero Group’s palm oil is from. Additionally, the palm oil producing countries are listed: Peninsula Malaysia produces 75.87% of total volumes, Papua New Guinea produces 18.17%, Insular Malaysia produces 3.67%, Brazil produces 1.2%, Indonesia produces 0.91%, Guatemala produces 0.1%, and the Solomon Islands produce 0.08%. Finally, Ferrero Group also launched the “Fer-Way Project” in 2014, which supports the development of a corporate circular economy model.
Ferrero Group is clearly working to make the company appear to be sustainable and environmentally and socially conscious at the very least. In fact, Greenpeace actually came to the company’s defense after the French minister of the environment called for consumers to boycott Nutella products.
However, there is no easy answer in this situation. There are certainly improvements that could be made when it comes to the sustainability of the palm oil industry, which Ferrero Group seems to be leading. Roundtable groups may be hosted, but they are not the perfect solution.
Groups like RSPO involve many different stakeholders and since all regulations must be passed via consensus, the actual standards for certification are set low in order to keep all stakeholders on board. But large corporations like Ferrero hold the power to change the status quo of palm oil.
Harvesting palm oil in Ashanti, Ghana. (Mike Norton/Creative Commons)
So, where does the consumer go from here? There’s no perfect solution or easy answer. But consumers hold a significant amount of power in today’s day in age. Completely avoiding palm oil is not only practically impossible but could also be considered unsustainable as so many people depend on the industry for an income.
Perhaps a better response is to be aware of how many products palm oil is found in and attempt to minimize the use of such products, if possible. When purchasing products that contain palm oil, ensure the products is made by a company that is certified sustainable as a member of RSPO or another similar roundtable.
Vote with your dollar to show corporations that sustainability is a not just a choice but mandatory. This does not mean you need to swear off Nutella, but perhaps minimize how often you do indulge in the sweet snack, only saving it for special occasions. Maybe Mom always knew best.
What’s really in your jar of hazelnut chocolate spread?
Bulking up food products with cheaper filler ingredients in an attempt to keep down costs is nothing new. It even helped to bring about the development of Nutella, a chocolate hazelnut spread.
Mixing hazelnuts in with cocoa to make chocolate go further has been popular in Italy since the late 19th century when cocoa was scarce for a time, according to Niki Segnit’s book The Flavour Thesaurus. It was originally sold as a loaf called pasta gianduja until Ferrero created a creamier spread to be sold in jars. That chocolatey mix was the forerunner of the Nutella sold today.
Nutella achieved a level of online infamy in recent years when a photograph was published clearly showing the amount of sugar in each jar. It took up more than half the jar and was topped off with palm oil. The surprise was how little hazelnuts and cocoa there was in the mix.
Not much has changed.
Sugar is still the main ingredient and makes up more than 56 per cent of the paste. Hazelnuts make up just 13 per cent. Ferrero is the world’s largest hazelnut supplier and buys about a third of those grown, according to Forbes. Ferrero is investing in plantations in Australia, Europe and South America in a bid to increase yields and availability throughout the year, it has reported.
The other ingredients include palm oil, skimmed milk powder, fat-reduced cocoa, soya lecithin, as an emulsifier, and vanillin, a synthetic substitute for vanilla, which is increasingly expensive. It is very popular as a flavouring and a perfume in the food and cosmetics industries. Nutella highlights on the side that it is “free from artificial colours and preservatives” but does not mention flavourings.
Palm oil claim
Ferrero says all of the palm oil it uses in Nutella is sustainably and responsibly sourced. Assuming that is true, it is hard to understand why it does not mention so on the label. It also credits palm oil with creating the creamy taste.
Tesco does an almost identical spread, for about half the price. It has slightly less sugar at 53 per cent, but about the same amount of hazelnut and cocoa powder.
Tesco’s product also notes that it was “blended in Belgium for a deep, chocolatey flavour”. I’d love to know how the latitude or longitude of the factory that made the mixture affects the taste.
“Rich and nutty,” it also says, and indeed that does sound rich and rather nutty. I’d say the flavour has more to do with the added rapeseed oil, maltodextrin and flavouring.
With sugar so far out of favour, it is tempting to try brands that don’t have any, such as Kelkin’s more expensive chocolate and hazelnut spread. It has much of the same ingredients as the other two, but gets its sweetness from maltitol, which takes pole position on the list.
Maltitol is an artificial sweetener that is about 80 per cent as sweet as sucrose and leads to a slower rise in blood-sugar levels. Unfortunately as it is a polyol, overconsumption can lead to an upset tummy, particularly in children or the elderly. Although maltitol generally has far fewer calories than sugar, this paste still has quite a lot. Nutella and Tesco deem a serving to be a 15g tablespoon, adding up to about 80 calories each. Kelkin’s 20g serving adds up to 100 calories. So swapping out sugar does not result in much of a saving in this case, perhaps because it is bulked out with whey powder, unlike the others.
There are far more calories in a spoon of Gu, which is made in Germany for the British brand. It has no mention of serving size, but it adds up to about 120 calories in a 20g spoonful. That seems like a lot, but check out the ingredients and you will see why. This spread has almost three times as many hazelnuts as other brands. They top the list and make up 35 per cent of the ingredients. Nuts are high in calories, but also highly nutritious. The second ingredient is sugar, but the final paste is just 38 per cent sugar, which compares very favourably against other brands. There is no palm oil, either, as it has sunflower, coconut and shea oil, in addition to cocoa butter. It is not the cheapest but deserves to be more popular.
Although Nutella remains a favourite, these days supermarket shelves are heaving with jars of varying quality, with everything from M&M to Malteser spreads.
With their long lists of colours, additives and powders, they make the simple spreads look far more appetising.
FOOD LABELS SERIES
– Sliced ham
– Cream crackers
(search other food labels articles here)


text:
Grifell M, Ventura M, Carbón X, Quintana P, Galindo L, Palma Á, Fornis I, Gil C, Farre M, Torrens M.
“Patterns of use and toxicity of new para-halogenated substituted cathinones: 4-CMC (clephedrone), 4-CEC (4-chloroethcathinone) and 4-BMC (brephedrone)”.
Hum Psychopharmacol. 2017 May 28;32(3).
OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to present results of the analysis of clephedrone (4‐CMC), 4‐chloroethcathinone (4‐CEC), and brephedrone (4‐BMC) on recreational drug markets and a systematic review of all the available information concerning these substances.
METHODS: Samples collected by the drug checking service of the Spanish harm reduction NGO—Energy Control were analyzed and systematic research was conducted. Between June 2014 and October 2016, 1,471 samples with at least one NPS were analyzed, 397 of which contained cathinones.
RESULTS: Clephedrone was found in 29 samples, brephedrone in 8, and both were present in 2 samples. 4‐Chloroethcathinone was detected in 5 samples. Eleven out of the 47 purchased samples (23.4) were tested to contain the substance the user expected. Samples received were mainly sold as 3‐MMC, MDMA, ketamine, and other cathinones. No literature on the effects or toxicity of these substances was found; the only information available was on internet fora. On many posts, users exhibit concerns about potential toxicity and side effects of using these substances.
CONCLUSIONS: Since the emergence of these substances could prove to be the next step to the cat‐and‐mouse game existing between drug producers and legislation, further clinical and epidemiological research should be carried out in order to build evidence to support policy for public health issues.
4‐BMC, 4‐CEC, 4‐CMC, cathinones, new psychoactive substances, NPS