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Amid assurances from major Southern California medical centers that only frontline health workers are receiving early COVID-19 vaccines, a second community hospital has apparently strayed from federal guidelines and inoculated an employee’s relative.
Officials at Southern California Hospital in Culver City, like Redlands Community Hospital previously, acknowledge they reached out to non-hospital workers when they found themselves with extra Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine doses that would have otherwise expired. They insist, however, that first-responders were targeted for the extra doses at the 420-bed facility.
Elsewhere, officials at other medical facilities throughout the region have indicated they are strictly heeding Centers for Disease Control recommendations to only offer the vaccine and extra doses found in some vials to frontline workers.
“We have been really holding the line and making sure frontline workers go first,” said Krist Azizian, chief pharmacy officer for Keck Medicine of USC, which has about 9,000 workers. “We do not offer it to family members of our staff.”
Time is of the essence in distributing the Pfizer vaccine, which must be stored at a temperature of -94 degrees Fahrenheit and administered soon after thawing, or it goes to waste.
Staff members decline vaccine
A former national leader in emergency management, who asked not to be identified, said this week that, just before Christmas, a relative who works at Southern California Hospital invited members of her family to receive Pfizer vaccines at the facility.
The woman provided the Southern California News Group with text messages from the hospital showing her appointment and subsequent inoculation. She is scheduled to return to the hospital in January to receive a second dose of the vaccine.
“The hospital had planned on vaccinating all of their employees, but a large number of their staff declined and they were sitting on a lot of thawed vaccines,” the woman said, explaining what staff at the hospital told her. “They offered police officers, firefighters and first-responders to get vaccinated and also told employees they could invite four family members.”
Soon, the hospital was overwhelmed by those clamoring for the extra Pfizer doses, forcing the facility to stop offering vaccines to relatives and instead focus largely on first-responders, the woman said.
No time for new distribution plan
The woman praised Southern California Hospital for taking quick action to ensure the vaccines were not wasted.
“Faced with thawed, expiring vaccines that can’t be refrozen, and no contingency plan, doctors made the choice to vaccinate people they could,” she said. “That’s what doctors do, save lives. That’s what happens in disasters. Situations are constantly in flux and people have to make command decisions to save as many lives as possible within their current capacity. Hospitals are overwhelmed saving lives and don’t have time to stop and create a new vaccine distribution plan for a small amount of vaccine that is about to expire.”
Southern California Hospital denies that relatives of employees were invited to the facility to receive the Pfizer vaccine, spokeswoman Laura M. Gilbert said.
After hospital staff members picked up frozen vaccines from a distribution center last week, they quickly realized the amount of doses exceeded the number of employees at the facility, she said
“The excess could not be returned to the distribution center,” she said in an email. “Instructions provided with the vaccine indicated that the vaccine has a shelf life of five days when removed from the approved freezer. The distribution center indicated the vaccine was not to be stored in dry ice or transport freezers. All the vaccine had to be used within five days or go to waste.”
After inoculating all hospital employees who requested the vaccine, staff contacted physicians who treat patients at the facility, as well as local first-responders, including police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians to inform them of the vaccine’s availability, according to Gilbert. Additionally, some public service workers were also vaccinated.
“This decisive action ensured we achieved our goal of vaccinating all frontline staff as quickly as possible, and prevented the waste of valuable vaccine,” Gilbert said.
‘A reasonable explanation’
It appears Southern California Hospital handled the situation properly, said Andrew Noymer, an associate professor of public health at UC Irvine.
“That seems like a reasonable explanation,” he added. “If they truly received more vaccinations than they can use, it’s not really their fault.”
However, Dr. David D. Lo, senior associate dean of research at the UC Riverside School of Medicine, disagrees.
“They don’t exactly deny that staff family members were vaccinated, only that they weren’t invited,” he said. “Also, it gave no indication that they had actually planned out their vaccination strategy.”
In a separate incident, a 33-year-old Riverside woman recently bragged on Facebook she was vaccinated Dec. 20 at Redlands Community Hospital because her husband’s aunt, who works at the facility, had some extra doses that were set to expire.
“Science is basically my religion, so this was a big deal for me,” the woman said in a Facebook post.
Redlands Community said in a statement the extra doses were administered to non-frontline healthcare workers so the valuable vaccine would not be thrown away.
However, the hospital didn’t explain how the woman, who works for Disney and apparently isn’t a medical worker, was able to obtain the vaccine.
Smooth rollout for others
Many Southern California hospitals have been planning and preparing for months to distribute COVID-19 vaccines, along with excess doses.
At Keck Hospital of USC and the affiliated USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, about 8,825 doses of the Pfizer vaccine are being provided to about 3,300 doctors, nurses and support staff, Azizian said. Nearly 6,000 remaining employees are awaiting or in the process of being scheduled for vaccinations.
Keck Medicine, which hasn’t had many no-shows, provides vaccines to about 400 frontline workers daily, Azizian said. About 15 percent of the vaccines already delivered to Keck Medicine have contained an extra dose, helping to speed and maximize the inoculation process, he added.
“We are able to vaccinate more individuals to get to our goal hopefully faster,” he added.
Officials at UCLA Health, Long Beach Memorial Hospital and Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley also said the extra Pfizer doses are being distributed to staff who regularly come into contact and treat COVID-19 patients
Loma Linda University Medical Center is using the extra doses to systematically move through its distribution plan developed well in advance of receiving the vaccines, said Dr. April Wilson, a preventative medicine specialist.
“The plan prioritized those caring for patients with COVID-19 and within that group, those at highest risk by age, then moved to progressively younger age groups,” she said. “We then offered the vaccine to those within inpatient units and then direct patient care. The extra doses enabled us to make it farther down the priority list “
At UCI Medical Center, nearly 6,000 employees have received vaccines through scheduled appointments or visits from staff to their workplace to administer doses, spokesman John Murray said.
“This approach ensures that doses are or will be available to all UCI Health employees who want them and that doses are only offered to those who work for our health system,” he said. “Fortunately, the additional doses per vial of the Pfizer vaccine have allowed us to vaccinate even more of our staff faster than we’d expected.”


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November 16, 2012
We're a home educating family, we like going to forest school, being outdoors generally, reading, and being social with others, sharing meals and time in the park!
Hi, I'm Morgan, I'm single mom to a 5 year old boy and I've lived in Brighton for 8 years. I know a few single parents already but always up for meeting more. Also interested in a potential house share with the right person (another single parent).

domain: sociology


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Looking at America Through "Broken Windows"
by chance martin
Lewis Rivera, 40, was standing in front of a downtown business in Miami on May 12th, 1999 when several police officers were dispatched to remove him. They pepper-sprayed and shackled the unarmed homeless man, who died 40 minutes later. No drugs and about one-half beer's worth of alcohol were in his body at the time of his death.
Clarence Dorsey, a 31 year-old homeless sufferer of schizophrenia, was pepper-sprayed the afternoon of June 8th, 1999 when he was discovered rummaging through a dumpster behind the Fremont, CA jail. After
detainment and release he made his way to Oakland, called his family, and was en route to their home when he was confronted by an Alameda county deputy. Claiming the unarmed Dorsey made a "threatening
movement", the deputy fired, and Clarence would never enjoy dinner with his family again.
Margaret Laverne Mitchell, a 54 year-old homeless grandmother with a history of mental illness, was stopped May 21st, 1999 on La Brea Ave. by two LAPD bicycle officers demanding to know if the shopping cart filled with all of her worldly possessions was stolen. The 5'1", 102 pound grandmother responded by waving a screwdriver at one of the officers from a distance of seven feet, he shot her once in the chest, and Margaret found release from the shambles of her life.
On May 26th, 1999 a San Antonio, TX jury awarded a Downtown Foot and Bicycle Patrolman 0,000. They determined his department retaliated against him for protesting illegal searches and seizures and other
heavy-handed tactics demanded of the patrol by their captain, who proselytized the popular "broken windows" theory of law enforcement. This theory hinges on the premise that if minor infractions -- such as panhandling or public inebriation -- are left unchecked, they will
escalate to serious crimes. Promotions on San Antonio's bike patrol were shown to be based on each officer's total arrests of homeless people in the business district. The verdict prompted a criminal
justice professor at the University of Texas to comment, "It's easy for officers to go from reasonable enforcement of laws to overly aggressive if they perceive that is what is wanted."
An anonymous juror put it more bluntly: "That 'broken window' theory, they should apply that internally. They ended up with a wall of broken windows here, and they didn't fix it."
Unfortunately, the San Antonio lawsuit is exceptional, which leaves us questioning how many homeless people are still having their civil rights trampled in San Antonio, as in cities across these United States. Maybe
if homeless and mentally ill Americans had influential and powerful unions and the legal resources that any police department enjoys, they might be better served by the mechanisms of justice. Or they could just
enjoy their right to live.
For Lewis, Clarence and Margaret, such debates no longer matter.
That doesn't mean newspapers won't continue to generate countless stories about them, or that lawyers and politicians and advocates of every stripe won't line up to alternately condemn and defend them and their executioners. But the next time some homeless person's lifetime of rotten luck plays out at the hands of some police officer eager to step up the department ladder, their names will become lost to all but their families. The names of the lost are legion.
As these names finally fade from our memory, what also becomes obscured is a shocking epidemic of needless, senseless, preventable state-sanctioned murders. And as the 'broken windows' theory of law-enforcement gains popularity all across this country, so the body count climbs.
When the only tool you have is a hammer, all problems resemble nails.
When police officers are trained and encouraged to harass homeless people for pushing a shopping cart, standing on a median strip, panhandling, or drinking in public behind the premise that these infractions will lead to serious crime, then all homeless people will
look like criminals before the fact. Since the only tools the police know how to use on these presupposed criminals are force and control, homeless people in crisis wind up dead.
Every society's greatness is found in its treatment of its weakest members. How many more lives must be needlessly lost before our police, our business community and our policy makers will look upon the most destitute members of our human family and recognize broken and suffering people, instead of 'broken windows'?
(originally published in STREET SHEET - a publication of the Coalition
on Homelessness, San Francisco)


text:
Author by : Jessica Grey
Languange : en
Publisher by : Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Format Available : PDF, ePub, Mobi
Total Read : 71
Total Download : 439
File Size : 52,7 Mb
Description : Getting Your FREE Bonus Download this book, read it to the end and see "BONUS: Your FREE Gift" chapter after the conclusion. 80 Aromatic(FREE Bonus Included)Essential Oil Recipes You've Got To Try In Your DiffuserBook #1Essential Oils:(FREE Bonus Included)Try Out 40 Perfect Diffuser Recipes for Everyday! If you or a loved one suffer from headaches and you have tried all kinds of ointments and pain killers but you are still not finding the relief that you are seeking then you should read this book and look into the medicinal benefits you can gain from using essential oils to help treat your ailments such as headaches. If you prefer looking for natural methods of finding ways to help you heal in a more natural way without being loaded up with synthetic drugs and all their side effects then the essential oil recipes collected in this book will help guide you to find the benefits that you are seeking from their use. Book #2Essential Oils:(FREE Bonus Included)40 Amazing Essential Oil Recipes for Diffusers Essential oils play major role in medical research, as a matter of fact, there seem to be no disease that essential oils show no promising abilities to cure. Various studies on essential oils have revealed the potential benefits and potencies of the aromatic nature of the substance in dealing with diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, High blood pressure, skin infections, Alzheimer, and cardiovascular disorders. Luckily, it is easy to find and make essential oils at home through the process of diffusion. Download your E book " 80 Aromatic Essential Oil Recipes You've Got To Try In Your Diffuser " by scrolling up and clicking"Buy Now with 1-Click" button!

domain: medical


SEMA DATA CO-OP
By Jon Wyly
Taking a Play From the Replacement-Parts Side of the Business
In the grand scheme of things, the automotive specialty parts and accessories business is relatively new compared to the replacement-parts side of the business, which has been serving up repair parts as long as there have been automobiles. In that extra 50 years or so, the replacement segment set new standards in business processes, inventory management, manufacturing and cataloging that specialty-parts businesses had to catch up on. So it’s only natural that what might be a tried-and-true process for the replacement folks could feel like something new to us. Right?
But we took a different approach in many ways, didn’t we? Innovation has always been key to the growth and success of the SEMA side of the parts world. Inventing new things to enhance, personalize and increase the performance of our vehicles is our meat and potatoes. Testing the limits in speed, durability, power output and design drive our very existence in a “no-limits” environment where even the very best of the original-equipment manufacturers’ efforts can be improved on.
So why is it that the replacement-parts side of the business has been kicking our asses for years when it comes to creating, storing and distributing product data to power today’s business systems and e-commerce platforms? You have to admit, they just do it right, in large part. And the reason for their success is not complicated at all.
Quite simply, they have made a priority out of creating quality, complete product data.
Meanwhile, specialty-parts businesses by and large look at data management as a chore, dreaded homework, and an interruption of our important activities, such as racing and car shows. Or, even more difficult to swallow, the common response is, “We’re too busy to manage our product data.” Frankly, when the team at the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) hears that excuse—and we get it a lot—what we really hear is, “We don’t have time to grow our sales.”
Well, as I have been shouting from this column for several years now, if you are not currently actively managing the authoring and aggregation of your product data and treating it as an ongoing, important, necessary part of business, then you are at risk. The good news is that there is a simple solution, and that is to get started now. The SDC can provide a wealth of advice and assistance to get you going.
Also worth mentioning is that the preferred method of data management in the replacement-parts business has always been to use internal resources to self-manage every detail. After all, who knows more about your products than you? Would you really rather hire an outside party to control this critical element of your business—which, by the way, has a lot to do with how your company and products are presented to the marketplace?
In the replacement-parts world, the catalog manager is a respected position that carries a great responsibility, and there is great pride of ownership in the work. Consider adding that staff position as a great place to start and maintain a truly high-quality data set that will make you money in more ways than you can imagine.
To learn more about the SDC and how to make your product data generate more sales, contact Director of Membership Jim Graven via e-mail at email@example.com or by phone at 888-958-6698 x4. Effective product data management is more affordable than you might think.
Quite simply, the replacement parts side of the business has made a priority out of creating quality, complete product data.


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Why Vitamin C as part of your tea?
Helping Normal Immune System and Nervous System functions - Vitamin C is important for overall health and wellbeing as it contributes to the normal functioning of the immune and nervous systems.
Protecting cells from oxidative stress - Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, supporting your body’s neutralise free radicals by contributing to the protection of cells from oxidative stress. Free radicals are produced in excess due to exposure to pollution, sunlight and many other factors such as cigarette smoke, and modern day-to-day living.
Supporting Natural Collagen Synthesis – Collagen keeps our skin supple and healthy and is the building block of our bones, skin, teeth, hair, cartilage and blood vessels. Vitamin C is an important co-factor for your body’s own collagen production.
Helping Iron Be Well Absorbed - The vitamin C increases non-haem iron absorption, the mineral essential for normal formation red blood cells and haemoglobin.
The TEA+ routine
Adding a cup of TEA+ Vitamin C to your routine has been scientifically proven to support your immune system. When taken daily as part of your regular routine, TEA+ Vitamin C supports your body’s natural defences whilst also contributing to normal energy-yielding metabolism and supporting collagen production and normal psychological function.
It’s the perfect tasty way to keep your body fighting fit, every day. No other hot drink contains the same level of vitamins.
Add just one 1 teabag a day as part of a regular routine. Start your TEA+ Vitamin C routine with our easy repeat order product subscriptions (and save on every order too!).
Each serving contains 100% RDA of wellness boosting vitamin C.
We recommend a 2-box bundle to help start your routine and begin your first 28 days of you, plus Vitamin C.
How to enjoy
Enjoy at least one TEA+ vitamin C per day, as part of your daily routine. Just place one teabag in a cup, fill with near boiling water and allow to infuse for 3 minutes before drinking.
* Not suitable for children.
* 14 day supply of vitamin tea (1 per day).
* Recommended limit of 5 servings per day as each serving is high in Vitamin C and also contains Vitamin D.
Green Tea, Natural Flavouring, Vitamin C, Orange Peel, Siberian Ginseng (3%), Cardamom, Spearmint, Echinacea Root (1%), Vitamin D

domain: health


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Vivendi Games’ adaptation of “Scarface” has sold more than 1 million units since its debut in early October, making it the top-selling vidgame for the month on the PlayStation 2, Xbox and PSP.
Though not quite in the top echelon of franchises like “Madden NFL” or “Grand Theft Auto,” 1 million units in just over a month is a solid success in the vidgame biz, particularly for one based on a film more than 20 years old. Only other game adaptation of a Hollywood property to boast such strong sales out of the gate this year has been LucasArts’ “Lego Star Wars II.”
Competition is much fiercer this month, however, as many companies launched their top titles for the holidays. Microsoft sold more than 1 million units of “Gears of War,” its heavily promoted new franchise for the Xbox 360, in just two weeks.
Nintendo premiered its Wii console two weeks ago and has already sold more than 600,000 units in North America, virtually selling out the vidgame giant’s initial shipments. Company has also sold more than 450,000 units of “The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess” for Wii, meaning that about three-quarters of those who bought the console also purchased the newest installment of the “Zelda” franchise.
Sony is believed to have sold out its initial shipment of the new PlayStation 3 console, though the company isn’t confirming how many that is. Reports have pegged the initial shipment of PS3s at less than 250,000 due to production problems.
Nintendo is aiming to ship 4 million Wii consoles around the world by the end of the year, while Sony has a more modest goal of 2 million PS3s in North America and Japan.

domain: news


text:
Have you enjoyed your activity or trip with us?
We would really thank you if you could share your experience in Tripadvisor and Google!
187€ – 237€
Share with your trip mates!
Devinssi is a very small artisan winery founded in 2000 in Gratallops, where the “young revolution” of Priorat started in the 90s. Devinssi handcrafts up to 15.000 bottles each year, of both red and white limited edition wines. And they have decided to move their vineyards tastings to your screens, online!
With this box, you will savour the essence of Priorat slate and terroir. Starting with the white wine Mas de les Valls, you will taste the nice combination of white grenache and Pedro Ximenez varieties, a full-bodied white wine which plays in the league of the red wines. Afterwards, we will enjoy the red wine called also Mas de les Valls, blending both local red Grenache and Carignan with some Cabernet Sauvignon to create a fresh and gentle wine. Finally, we will end the tasting with Il·lia red wine, similar blending as before but offering the true deep essence of Priorat after two years of aging in French oak.
And how we will enjoy this Priorat virtual wine experience? It is going to be a bit different from our “normal offline” tours… but we want to keep the exclusivity, the one-to-one direct and personal communication, we want to keep connecting you with our territory, our people, our life. So that’s the way it works:
The date of the private online meeting will be set once you get your box of wine, contact us and check our availability to find the best date for all of us.
Secure online payments by Redsys gateway powered by our bank. In case of cancellation of tour/travel services due to any unavoidable reasons we must be informed in writing (email). Cancellation charges would be effective from the date we receive the email and would be as follows:

domain: hobby


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Berthe Morisot Galleries
Berthe Morisot (January 14, 1841 ?C March 2, 1895) was a painter and a member of the circle of painters in Paris who became known as the Impressionists. Undervalued for over a century, possibly because she was a woman, she is now considered among the first league of Impressionist painters.
In 1864, she exhibited for the first time in the highly esteemed Salon de Paris. Sponsored by the government, and judged by academicians, the Salon was the official, annual exhibition of the Acad??mie des beaux-arts in Paris. Her work was selected for exhibition in six subsequent Salons until, in 1874, she joined the "rejected" Impressionists in the first of their own exhibitions, which included Paul C??zanne, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Morisot, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Alfred Sisley. It was held at the studio of the photographer Nadar.
She became the sister-in-law of her friend and colleague, Édouard Manet, when she married his brother, Eugene.
Related Paintings of Berthe Morisot :. | The Girl is rowing and goose | Manet and his daughter | In the Dining Room | Pasie Sewing in the Garden at Bougival | The Butterfly Hunt |
Related Artists:MASTER of Saint Gilles
French Painter, active ca.1500Jean Baptiste Greuze
Jean Baptiste Greuze Galleries
French painter and draughtsman. He was named an associate member of the Academie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture, Paris, in 1755 on the strength of a group of paintings that included genre scenes, portraits and studies of expressive heads (t?tes d'expression). These remained the essential subjects of his art for the next 50 years, except for a brief, concentrated and unsuccessful experiment with history painting in the late 1760s, which was to affect his later genre painting deeply. Though his art has often been compared with that of Jean-Simeon Chardin in particular and interpreted within the context of NEO-CLASSICISM in general, it stands so strikingly apart from the currents of its time that Greuze's accomplishments are best described, as they often were by the artist's contemporaries, as unique. He was greatly admired by connoisseurs, critics and the general public throughout most of his life. His pictures were in the collections of such noted connoisseurs as Ange-Laurent de La Live de Jully, Claude-Henri Watelet and Etienne-Francois, Duc de Choiseul. For a long period he was in particular favour with the critic Denis Diderot, who wrote about him in the Salon reviews that he published in Melchior Grimm's privately circulated Correspondance litteraire. His reputation declined towards the end of his life and through the early part of the 19th century, to be revived after 1850, when 18th-century painting returned to favour, by such critics as Th?ophile Thore, Arsene Houssaye and, most notably, Edmond and Jules de Goncourt in their book L'Art du dix-huiti?me siecle. By the end of the century Greuze's work, especially his many variations on the Head of a Girl, fetched record prices, and his Broken Pitcher (Paris, Louvre) was one of the most popular paintings in the Louvre. The advent of modernism in the early decades of the 20th century totally obliterated Greuze's reputation. It was only in the 1970s, with Brookner's monograph, Munhall's first comprehensive exhibition of the artist's work, increased sale prices, important museum acquisitions and fresh analyses of his art by young historians, that Greuze began to regain the important place that he merits in the history of French art of the 18th century.Giuseppe Benassai
painted La parola di Dio in 1885

domain: artistic


The US has proudly opened its Aegis Ashore stationary complex in Romania in May 2016. The same month in Poland, a ceremony was conducted to lay the first brick in the construction of a similar missile defense complex in the village of Redzikowo. As we can see, NATO is deploying rapid reaction forces in Eastern Europe. Do these measures pose a threat to Russia? Pravda.Ru asked this question to Vladimir Kozin, an expert on nuclear disarmament at RISI.
"We have heard quite a number of news reports about NATO's activities near Russian borders lately - in the Baltic States, in Romania and Poland. NATO has been deploying rapid reaction forces in Europe, the commander of NATO forces in Europe has been replaced too. Is it too dangerous for Russia?"
"Indeed, on May 12, the Americans opened a missile defense complex in Romania. The complex is a threat to Russia just because this is not only a defensive system. It also has interceptor missiles there that can intercept ICBMs during flight. The complex is outfitted with universal silos. There will be 24 of these cells on each of these systems - in Romania and then in Poland. Those silos can be used for launching not only defensive, but also offensive weapons, such as land-based cruise missiles that the Americans will build within the scope of the Prompt Global Strike. It goes about hypersonic, high-precision and high-speed missiles, both nuclear-capable and conventional ones.
Also read: Can Russia destroy US missile defenses in Europe?
"The United States will launch the two complexes of its missile defense system in Romania and Poland unless countermeasures are taken in response.
"At the 2012 NATO summit in Chicago, the so-called Chicago Triad was created to unite missile defenses, nuclear weapons and conventional weapons. The installation of interceptor missiles and offensive weapons violates the agreement on the elimination of intermediate and short-range missiles that the Soviet Union signed with the United States in 1987. One of such violations is the use of ground-based Tomahawk cruise missiles that the agreement prohibits. The treaty does not bar sea-based weapons, though. Secondly, the Americans violate this very important agreement when they check the effectiveness of their anti-missile system. Therefore, all this poses a big threat to Russia's national defense interests.
"In 2011, the Americans started sending their destroyers and cruisers to the seas that wash Europe and the European part of the Russian Federation. These are the regions of the Baltic, the Black Sea and the Barents Sea. The Americans called their system Aegis. This combat information and control system has interceptor missiles and radar stations.
"For the time being, the Americans have installed this system on 33 warships between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. By 2041, when they finish their current program, they will have up to 96 such ships. This is about a third of the fighting strength of the US Navy - 27 percent. Thus, there is a very powerful missile defense system being created around us."
"What does Russia need to do?"
"The prime goal is not to let a nuclear war happen. Russia and the US must discuss the non-use of nuclear weapons in a first strike or the non-use of nuclear weapons in general. Secondly, one should agree on the regulation of anti-missile systems and the geography of their deployment. Thirdly, the Americans should withdraw all of their tactical nuclear weapons from Europe and Turkey. This is an anachronism of the Cold War.
"Last but not least, one should eliminate the operation of NATO Air Force Baltic Air Policing. Three leading nuclear powers - the United States, Britain and France - have been taking part in this operation since 2004. They use bases in Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia - they are very close to St. Petersburg and Moscow. Why are they creating a nuclear bridgehead next to Russia? We should ask this question to the international community."
Interview conducted by Lyuba Lulko
Read article on the Russian version of Pravda.Ru


text:
So I’ve been out for more than 200 days. I can’t remember how and why I just stopped posting photos. I guess our connection sucked at the time but then it went okay – or is okay for a while now and I still haven’t posted a single thing since my 24th birthday.
I never stopped taking photographs though and I must admit, inspiration has been elusive lately. Sometimes I just take photos for the sake of it. I started this project last year just so I can see the beauty in everything. Life’s been a little difficult lately… this year is more stressful and my drive’s just… whoo-out the window. Or maybe I’m just burned out and I need a break. Cos everyone deserves a break, right?
Basically, I feel like that line from Fix You: Stuck in reverse.
Or just stuck.
Anyway, the year’s about to end. Can’t wait for 2016 to be honest. New years kind of give me an excuse to, like, start over. Like I am forced to have a new beginning. Does that make sense? HAH. Yeah, no.
I’m okay, in case you’re wondering.
Will try to update from Day 107 til today in the next couple of days. I am not sure if I still covered everything, but I’ll just post the ones that are nice to look at AKA the days I feel inspired.


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Seem too good to be true?
We understand your doubt. But it is the one and only of its kind.
It explains everything, provides us with love for God’s creation and gives us reason to hope beyond all expectation.
So don’t let its incredulity frighten you away.
Give us the opportunity to tell you more.
Every Sunday morning at 9:30am we gather to hear more about God’s story, our story – your story.
You’re invited to join us.
We’ve told you our story.
Come tell us yours.
That’s what friends do.
Read more of God’s Story, our story, your Story ..

domain: literature


Download this Track
Buy on Vinyl/CD
Producers: Dr. Dre, Andre "L.A. Dre" Bolton
Main genre: Hip-Hop / R&B
Producer: James Brown
Tags: Funk, Sampled in More Than 500 Songs, Ultimate Breaks and Beats, Vocal Samples (Most Used), Sampled in More Than 210 Songs, Drum Break
Main genre: Soul / Funk / Disco
Contributed by MrBlondNYC (6914 submissions)
Be the first to comment on this sample!
Jay Z and Kanye West's Niggas in Paris sample of Reverend W.A. Donaldson's Baptizing Scene
Nicki Minaj's Anaconda sample of Sir Mix-a-Lot's Baby Got Back
Drake feat. Jay Z's Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music 2 sample of Ellie Goulding's Don't Say a Word
Kendrick Lamar feat. Drake's Poetic Justice sample of Janet Jackson's Any Time, Any Place
Kanye West feat. Charlie Wilson's Bound 2 sample of Ponderosa Twins Plus One's Bound
Copyright © 2015 WhoSampled.com Limited. All rights reserved.


text:
This beautifully designed, feminine teardrop was created to tell someone special how much you care about them. Whatever the circumstance in some else's life, it's so nice to give a gift and to say you care.
Hand hammered Sterling Silver teardrop, with a Swarovski Aurora Borealis Crystal, dangling from a Sterling Silver 18" chain.
Each one is unique.
Handcrafted in the U.S.A.
CLICK IMAGES TO VIEW LARGER

domain: design


The Benefits of Air Duct Cleaning in San Diego
Residential & Commercial Air Duct Cleaning San Diego
Whether you run your heat or a/c part time or year round, whether your home or business is brand new or lived in for a while, a good duct cleaning is never a bad idea. Have you ever really thought about the air you’re breathing in your home every day? The same air is constantly recycled every time your turn on your AC or Furnace. Every cycle, all day, all night, picks up and leaves behind dirt and debris in your ducts and vents. The air you breathe is constantly pushed past through this dust and dirt every time you turn your HVAC. Who wouldn’t prefer to breathe in crisp, fresh air? Free of allergens, dust, and dander….
Why Clean Your Air Ducts and Vents?
Improve Air Quality – According the EPA, indoor air can be more polluted than outdoor air. Fresh Air San Diego can help remove dust, dirt, germs, and other contaminants in your HVAC system, making the air you breathe fresh and clean.
Increased Energy Efficiency – Based on reports from the US Dept. of Energy, 25-40% of energy for heating and cooling systems are wasted. Does your system seem louder than it should be or louder than it was before? Is your AC or Heat cycling back on more and more often? How about your electric bill, has it seen better days?
Part of the culprit could very well be dirty ducts and clogged filters.
Extend the life of your HVAC – Dirty ducts and clogged filters make your system work harder and longer for less results. A good cleaning by Fresh Air could extend the functional life of your system.
Bad Smells – Smokers in the house, or pets that shed high amounts of hair or dander can often leave odors retained in the closed cycle of your HVAC. If running your heating or cooling gives the house a musty or slightly unpleasant order, we can fix that too.
Mold prevention – When organic material like dust and dirt accumulate in your air ducts, there is a higher likelihood that mold could form. When this material becomes moist and damp, it can lead to mold growth.
Air Duct Cleaning Process:
The team at Fresh Air San Diego are on the cutting edge of indoor air care –
Depending on your situation, a pre-inspection may be conducted with a duct inspection camera.
During the air duct cleaning process, your HVAC system is placed under continuous negative pressure by our 3500 CFM HEPA collection devices. Fresh Air Technicians begin cleaning all interior surfaces in the direction of air flow using mechanical agitation, contact vacuuming, and a combination of brushes and power whips.
Filtration includes 1st stage 18″ x 24″ x 2″ disposable pleated filter, 2nd stage 18 1/4″ x 24 1/4″ x 1″ permanent electrostatic air filter and 3rd stage 18″ x 24″ x 6″ certified HEPA filter, providing efficient filtration with maximum air suction.
Ducts are scrubbed with Air Care Sidewinder Duct Hose. It effectively dislodges debris and air scrubs the interior surfaces of any duct system with 175 PSI pressure.
Sanitizing “Fog” Cleaning the interior of an air system is half the job. For a thorough job, the system should be decontaminated by fogging it with an EPA registered sanitizer and sealant, to retard biological growth and prevent any residual debris from migrating into the occupied area.
Call today to get some fresh air! (760) 546-2722
For additional information about our location, see Contact Us.


Pennsylvania State U University Park to Launch Bike Sharing Program
The university's Transportation Services and Zagster, Inc., have announced the launch of a new bike-share program that will open with 85 bikes across 17 stations for members to use for on-demand, local trips. The program will offers memberships for students, faculty and staff, and community members, as well as single-use rides for non-members.
Flinders U to Introduce Driverless Electric Bus
(Australia) The new autonomous, solar-powered bus will be used at the university's Tonsley campus. A 320,000 Australian dollar ($253,000) solar garage will be built, capable of recharging about six electric vehicles at once, including the new autonomous bus. The university won AU$1 million in state government funding to trial the autonomous bus technology, and will also use another AU$3 million from other investors to run the project over the next five years.
U Philippines Baguio Implements Carless Wednesdays
(Philippines) In an effort to reduce the university's carbon footprint, the university began Carless Wednesdays, prohibiting the campus community and visitors from parking cars on university property each Wednesday.
Bournemouth U Initiates Employee Sustainability Program
After a six-month pilot of a behavior change program reduced energy consumption by 14.6 percent across four departments, the university is expanding the program to all staff members. The initiative works by engaging employees on a range of themes through an online platform and app. Employees are rewarded with points for reducing their environmental footprint and improving their well-being through measures such as cycling, car-sharing or using re-usable cups and bottles.
U California San Diego Tests Vehicle-to-Grid Charging Platforms
A San Diego-based company will use the university to pilot its new vehicle-to-grid technology, which allows a parked electric vehicle to become part of the electric grid by enabling charging from and discharging to the grid. Drivers will be paid for energy discharged from their car while still being guaranteed the expected level of charge needed to operate the vehicle.
U Maryland to Complete 2 MW Photovoltaic Project
Three soon-to-be-completed solar canopies, totaling 2.17 megawatts, will help the campus exceed its on-campus renewable energy goal of generating 2.7 megawatts of solar power for university facilities by 2018. The solar canopies are a part of the President's Purchased Power Initiative, which aims to ensure 100 percent of purchased power comes from renewable sources by 2020.
American U Offsets Study Abroad Air Travel Emissions With International Project
The Paradigm Project, an endeavor that benefits communities in Africa by empowering women and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through reduced deforestation, is the university's new investment to reduce emissions from study abroad-related travel. The Office of Sustainability announced that this is the first project in what will be a portfolio of offset investments aligned with certain remaining sources of emissions that cannot be fully managed through efficiency and other mitigation strategies.
Indiana U Adds Electric Vehicles to Fleet
The first all-electric cars were recently added to university fleet operations. Four 2017 Nissan Leafs will be used in various campus operations, including one that employees can rent for university business.
Cornell U Announces Bike-Share Program
Partnering with Zagster to launch an updated and expanded bike-share program, Big Red Bikes Bike Share, the new program features 32 cruiser bikes available at five locations around campus for riders to check out for on-demand, local trips.
U Kentucky Program Pays Employees to Use Transportation Alternatives
The university's Transportation Services has launched a pilot program to give $200 each to up to 200 qualified employees who agree to forgo bringing a motor vehicle to campus for one year. The goal of the program is to reduce the number of motor vehicles on campus and create a more pedestrian friendly community.
U Idaho Begins Fueling Trucks With Biodiesel
The university's Steam Plant has begun reducing greenhouse gas emissions from their operation by fueling their semi-truck and front-end loaders with a 20-percent blend of biodiesel made on campus from used cooking oil from Dining Services.
U Maryland Student Launches Ride-Sharing App
A sophomore accounting major launched CarPo on March 1 after almost a year and a half of planning and developing the app. Through the app, students looking for rides to and from their hometowns and colleges are able to see registered students with cars who are already driving to the same place.
Ball State U Releases Bicycle Plan
In an effort to reduce the negative impacts from automobile trips and parking, including impervious surfaces, emissions, and the heat island effect, the new plan encourages cycling on campus by proposing dedicated bicycle paths, shared multi-use paths, and establishing bike lanes on existing streets.
Texas A&M U Begins Bike-Share Program
In order to provide an alternative mode of transportation on campus, A&M Transportation Services contracted with Zagster to implement a bike-share program, a 24-hour service intended to help the campus community get around quickly, efficiently and inexpensively on the 5,200-acre campus. The bikes are checked out for a small fee using smartphone technology or text messages with regular cell phones, and are equipped with safety lights, internal gears, a lock attached to the bike, front basket and bell. There are 75 bikes on campus and 10 racks.
U California Irvine Converts Bus Fleet to All Electric
The student-funded and -operated Anteater Express shuttle service is acquiring 20 all-electric buses to the tune of $15 million. The buses will roll onto campus for the 2017-18 academic year, joining a hydrogen electric bus, to provide more than 2 million pollution-free rides annually. Undergraduates voted to pay up to $40 per quarter to the Associated Students of UCI to cover the bus purchase.
Princeton U Art Museum Purchases Solar Powered Vehicles
The art museum recently purchased solar panels to power two low speed vehicles for staff use. Inspired by the upcoming 2018 exhibition, Nature's Nation: American Art and Environment, the project was funded out of a university sustainability fund, High Meadows Foundation Sustainability Fund, a mechanism that provides money for campus sustainability projects, with an emphasis on measurable outcomes and culture change.
U California Riverside Launches Bike-Share Program
The bike-share program, hosted by Zagster, allows university community members to access its bikes through the download of its mobile application. Rental of a bike is free for the first two hours, with the remainder of rental time costing $1 per hour, with a $6 per day maximum.
U North Carolina Wilmington Begins Bike Sharing Program
As of November 2016, there are 25 bicycles at five racks across campus, and in early January that will grow to 70 bikes at seven locations. Students, faculty and staff can receive one free hour of bike time per day, or can pay an annual $25 fee for four hours of daily use.
League of American Bicyclists Announces 2016 Campus Designations
Bicycle Friendly University award designations grew this year with 37 campuses obtaining a designation for the first time. Eleven campuses moved up from one designation to another, with a total of 51 campuses now having the Bicycle Friendly Designation, a program of The League of American Bicyclists.
U Maryland Students Say 'No' to New Parking Lot
Students struck down a resolution supporting the construction of a 1,000 space, permeable-pavement parking lot on what is currently a wooded area on campus. Members of the student Residence Hall Association expressed concerns that the new lot would jeopardize the environment and weren't in line with the university's sustainability goals. One student was quoted as saying, "Green spaces are increasingly rare and increasingly more beneficial to mental health."
Brandeis U Commences New Carpool Program
Commute Green, the university's new carpool service, enables community members to share rides, find ways to campus via multiple routes like biking, walking and busing, and see on an interactive map the locations of bike racks, bike pumps and bike repair stations.
Oregon State U-Cascades Offers Car Sharing
A new partnership with Zipcar now allows campus and surrounding community members to check out one of two vehicles on a daily or hourly basis. This additional transportation option for students and employees is an alternative to bringing a car to campus.
Texas A&M U Completes Glowing-Paint Bike Lane
Initiated by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute and Texas A&M Transportation Services after conducting a campus bike study that concluded in 2015, one of the campus' busiest intersections now has photo-luminescent paint to illuminate the bicycle lane to ensure safety amongst cyclists, motorists, vehicles and pedestrians as well as amplify protection and mobility. The solar-powered paint will store energy during the daytime and emit the light at night.
Union College Installs EV Charging Stations
Two electric vehicle charging stations are now available to students, faculty and staff for use in four-hour blocks. A Planning and Priorities grant, awarded each year for projects that support the college’s strategic plan, will pay for the stations and will cover electricity use during the first year.
Pennsylvania State U Contracts with Ride Sharing Service
A service of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Zimride is now being offered to the campus community. Zimride, an online ride matching service that connects drivers and passengers heading to the same area, helps reduce vehicle emissions, traffic congestion and fuel consumption while splitting transportation costs.
Suffolk CC Joins Community Car-Free Day
The community college and Suffolk County jointly hosted a Car Free Day Long Island Summit. The event, which SCCC President Shaun McKay kicked off, included discussion about sustainable transportation options available to the community in an effort to reduce transportation-related carbon emissions, which is 30 percent according to a regional sustainability plan.
Salisbury U Begins New Bike Sharing Service
The new alternative transportation service has been launched with a fleet of 100 bicycles, each individually named after a musician or band, such as Katy Perry or Grateful Dead. The program charges $1 per hour with no distance restrictions. However, when bicycles are returned to the university campus, they must be locked to a sanctioned bike rack.
Three Universities Win National Transportation Award
The Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) announced Texas A&M University and University of California Los Angeles as the finalists in the Marketing & Outreach Awards; and University of California Irvine won the Commuting Options Awards for biking. The awards provide the opportunity to acknowledge the work of leading organizations and individuals in the transportation demand management industry.
U New Mexico Hosts Electric Vehicle Outreach Event
After electric vehicle (EV) charging stations were installed on campus, the university hosted a Ride and Drive event, an electric and hybrid car show consisting of car manufacturers BMW, Ford, Nissan and Chevrolet. The goal of the event was to promote alternative transportation and raise awareness of the EV charging stations on campus.
Michigan State U Joins 'Workplace Charging Challenge'
In an effort to help reduce petroleum use and greenhouse gas emissions while also providing a valuable benefit to students, employees and visitors, the university recently joined the national partnership program, Workplace Charging Challenge through the U.S. Department of Energy, that aims to increase the number of employers offering workplace vehicle charging to 500 by 2018.
U California Davis Accommodates 20K Bicycles
A newly released video showcases the university's efforts to maintain a Platinum level Bicycle-Friendly designation from the League of American Bicyclists, given that on any given weekday in the spring or fall semester, the campus may have 20,000 bikes on it, says David Takemoto-Weerts, university bicycle program coordinator.
Massachusetts Institute of Tech Rolls Out Free Transit
Between now and September, MIT will roll out the Access MIT pass, one of several new commuter benefits for Cambridge campus faculty and staff. The new benefits include free, unlimited subway and local bus usage, and increased subsidies for parking at MBTA stations and commuter rail tickets. The Access MIT program is an initiative to create a variety of affordable, low-carbon transportation options and change the way the MIT community thinks about commuting. Photo credit: Lilyana Vynogradova / Shutterstock.com
Stanford U Students to Receive Free Bike Helmets
In an effort to increase safe bicycling practices among Stanford students, the university will distribute free helmets to nearly 1,800 freshmen in the fall of 2016, thanks to a donation from two Stanford parents.
Colorado State U Offers Bike Training to Older Staff
Faculty and staff 50 years old and older can get personalized training through university’s Parking and Transportation Services, thanks to a Kaiser Permanente grant. The Back on the Bike program is designed to get more people in active transportation and physical activity by offering bike tune-ups, safety gear and tricks to travel in traffic and overcome other safety or comfort obstacles through personalized travel training.
U Maryland & City Launch Bike-Share Program
The university and City of College Park, in partnership with Zagster, Inc., launched mBike, a bike sharing program for students, faculty, staff, visitors and community members that includes 120 bikes at 14 stations throughout campus and the city.
Five Universities Place in Shell Eco-Marathon Americas
This year's Shell Eco-Marathon Americas, a global program that challenges high school and college student teams to design, build and test the most energy-efficient vehicles, concluded with the following winners: Queens University (Canada), University of Alberta (Canada), University of Colorado at Boulder, Laval University (Canada), and Université de Sherbrooke (Canada). The win qualifies the teams to compete at the Shell Ecomarathon Europe and the Drivers World Championship in London this summer.
Stanford U Students Reduce Team Travel Emissions
The university recently announced that all of last year's (2015) varsity team air travel emissions were offset through Stanford Carbon Offsets to Reduce Emissions (SCORE), a collaborative effort to reduce Stanford Athletics’ carbon footprint from air travel by purchasing carbon offsets.
Princeton U Expands Bike-Share Program
Building on its commitment of providing sustainable and convenient transportation options for faculty, staff, students and the community, the university has expanded its bike-share program by 60 bicycles that can be borrowed at various points around campus. The new bikes augment a successful bike-rental pilot program the university launched in November 2014 with 10 bikes available at Princeton Station.
Colorado State U Introduces Four Electric Vehicles to Fleet
Two Nissan LEAFs were purchased by Housing & Dining Services to be used as check-out vehicles for staff who need a vehicle during the day to attend meetings, run university errands or coordinate deliveries. The other two vehicles will be utilized by Facilities Management staff to travel between the three campuses, run university errands and attend meetings and conferences along the Front Range.
Northern Arizona U Raises Nearly $7K for Bike Safety
The university's first crowdfunding effort, Lights for Yellow Bikes, raised $6,704 for lights to be installed on bikes in its free bike program. Citing inclement weather and night riding, installing yellow lights on the bikes aims to help protect riders from harm.
Dalhousie U Releases Bike Safety Video
The university recently debuted a comedic bike safety video with 12 tips for safe cycling. Students and alumni appear in the film, which was co-funded by the Nova Scotia Department of Health.
Glasgow Caledonian U Receives Cycling Award
(U.K.): Students and staff welcomed the Cycle Friendly Campus Award from Cycling Scotland, which recognized the university's efforts to promote cycling to, from and around campus. The university has implemented a range of measures including bicycle parking, cycle training and providing personal travel planning. Since 2014, the university has documented a 20 percent increase in the number of students, staff and visitors that choose cycling as a travel choice.
Utah State U Receives $29K for Clean Fuel Transportation
In an effort to improve air quality on campus, the university’s Center for Civic Engagement and Service-Learning was awarded $12,000 to buy an electric vehicle to deliver waste to the campus' organic farm and the industrial composter and to transport food waste recovered for the student food pantry through the Food Recovery Network. An additional $17,000 will provide partial funding to purchase a Chevy Volt for the Utah Conservation Corps and retire an outdated truck from its vehicle fleet. USU is providing matching funds to install solar panels on a facility to store that vehicle.
Associated Students U Montana Order Electric Buses
In alignment with the school's commitment to reduce carbon emissions, the Associated Students of the University of Montana recently ordered two 40-foot electric buses. The purchase will be creatively funded via the state's INTERCAP program and the U.S. EPA's Diesel Emissions Reduction Act grant.
Oregon State U Wins Local Transportation Challenge
Top honors in the inaugural Employment Transportation Coordinator challenge, a joint project of the city and local Council of Governments, went to the university on behalf of alternative transportation efforts that include improvement at forming carpool and vanpool groups, increasing the amount of bicycle parking, creating a zonal parking system for the campus. The university will be working with local bike shops to offer repair training and reboot its bike loan program.


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Cebu Normal University (CNU) Medellin Campus has been proactive in leading various initiatives and efforts within and outside the campus. Founded in 2008, the campus has already produced several topnotchers. In the September 2023 Licensure Examination alone, the 7th and 8th spots in Elementary Education were achieved by students from the Medellin campus.
CNU, together with its external campuses strive for positive influence that would make a positive effect in the communities through education, research, and service. As one CNU community, CNU-Medellin also conducted the Go Run: Steps to Grow Green program in January 2023 in order to have a greener community. The event commenced the Mangrove tree planting in the town which was participated by CNU faculty, staff, and different stakeholders in pursuit of having a well-balanced ecology and environment.
The campus also reached a transformative milestone when it placed 6th in the entire country and 50th in the world for the crisis management category in the world universities with real impact (WURI) 2023 rankings. The World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) assesses higher education institutions’ real contributions to industry and society, highlighting innovative education, research, and engagement to society.
Aside from its environmental commitment, the campus also showcased its dedication to research excellence. The campus celebrated its Festival on Innovations, Research, and Extension (FIRE) in November 2023, where research with societal impacts was presented.
As bearer of social justice, the campus also conducted its Pride Freedom day in celebration of the LGBTQ community. In terms of streamlining processes, the campus also established its own website in order to promote transparency and efficiency in terms of information that are of paramount public importance.
Beyond local participation, CNU-Medellin through its Supreme Student Council (SSC) received the UNESCO recognition for Outstanding Achievement. The award was given to organizations and institutions that have impactful community endeavors which was received during the International Assembly of Youth for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO) held at the Manila Grand Opera Hotel, Metro Manila.
With its local participation in Medellin, CNU Faculty members inked a deal with the town’s partner barangays for the implementation of Art: Arnis for Tanods, a Filipino martial arts training for Barangay Tanods. The campus also partnered with women for the entrepreneurship project entitled Sabon sa Paglaum, Buwa sa Kaugmaon where women were trained how to make soap and detergent products as a livelihood project.
Aside from these initiatives, CNU-Medellin also launched the project called, “Mama/Papa na Maestra/Maestro Pa.” The extension project aims to strengthen the role of parents as tutors for their children that would serve as the bearer of knowledge.
In the realm of exposure and experience, tourism students also participated in the Suroy Suroy Sugbo Northern Escapade 2024 in collaboration with the Local Government Unit of Medellin on January 2024 which was participated by BS Tourism Management students who served as local tour guides. Meanwhile, faculty members serve as tour coordinators.
With the goal of catering to the needs of students and providing quality education, CNU-Medellin, along with the President of CNU, Dr. Daniel Ariaso Sr., members of the CNU Admin Council, Congresswoman Janice Salimbangon the representative of 4th district, Medellin Mayor Hon. Joven Mondigo Jr., Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) representative Engr. Susan Ornopia, and the Board of Regents Hon. Ramsey Quijano and Hon. Delight Rosales, attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the soon to rise four-storey Multi-purpose and Academic building in the campus.
Indeed, CNU-Medellin has paved the way for developing future leaders in the country.


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Posted by Craig Loose on September 12, 2002 at 13:14:22:
In Reply to: Re: Lizard for a 70 gal tank? posted by PHFaust on September 12, 2002 at 09:50:56:
Not that involved in simply flipping it over, but without custom work such as cutting the glass of the then top (was a side), and installing screen is a PITA, and kinda needed for a proper basking spot, not to mention if one wanted UV exposure.
No dispute on the Rubbermaid wishes! My wish would be to see a product such as the pre-fab pull out drawer storage units, with CLEAR plastic that is 3' wide, 18"-24" deep and 18"-24" tall each drawer!
:But setting it sideways wouldnt be that involved. That was the reason for suggesting it. Personally I prefer the rubbermaid line of caging. ;) MUCH Cheaper and it is not made of glass. NOW If rubber maid made things 7 tall 5 wide 5 deep I would be in heaven. That may go for like 50 buck... :) OK wishful thinking...
::Unless the cage was laying on it's side (3' is the height correct?) it would not be suitable for a blue-tongued skink. 2'x1.5' of floor space for a terrestrial 20-24" lizard...nope...
::A tank of those demensions you would want something arboreal that would require the height more than the floor space.


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In this edition of Frontpage News we share the LGNZ perspective on a range of issues including the recent announcements on policing, the Productivity Commission’s ‘Better urban planning’ report, the upcoming New Zealand China Mayoral Forum and the ongoing discussion about the funding of tourism infrastructure. We provide an update on the LGNZ Conference 2017 which is being held in Auckland this July and introduce our new governance and advisory groups.
We also feature an interview with new Central Hawke’s Bay mayor Alex Walker. Alex is a breath of fresh air and offers a generous insight into her leadership style and hopes for the CHB District – well worth reading!
In this issue
- Future proofing, technology and investment to be canvassed at LGNZ conference
- Police rollout a positive step for community safety
- Second New Zealand China Mayoral Forum to strengthen relationship
- LGNZ welcomes ‘Better urban planning’ report’s call for a wider funding toolbox
- New groups to work on big issues in local government
- People, talking and listening - Central Hawke’s Bay’s new mayor Alex Walker loves her new role
Work on establishing the Local Government Risk Agency is with the new Minister of Finance, but whatever the outcome of that process it is certain we need a new approach to risk and resilience. A national framework and policy alignment at the central and local government level, and a plan for joint implementation across New Zealand, remains our goal and is the aim of the Local Government Risk Agency and we continue to work towards this.
Local government excellence programme
The newly-named CouncilMARK excellence programme is progressing very well with assessments for 18 Foundation Member councils complete. Reports for the first nine councils to be assessed are currently being finalised with a likely release date of May 2017 and the reports for the remaining 10 Foundation Memberswill be released by July 2017. LGNZ has started work on the prospectus for the second intake of councils and anticipates calling for registrations of interest for year two shortly. For more information, click here.
Local Government New Zealand has launched a new piece of work to create a comprehensive framework that brings freshwater issues and water infrastructure into a coherent policy. “Water 2050” will develop a framework for water that coherently integrates freshwater quality and quantity, standards, rights and allocation, land use, three waters infrastructure, cost and affordability, and funding while recognising that the allocation of iwi rights and interests in freshwater is a live issue for the Crown. For more on Water 2050 click here.
The challenges New Zealand faces in the coming decades have been well canvassed by LGNZ in its 2050 Challenge discussion document, which highlighted a range of shifts New Zealand will need to adapt to. These include climate change, changing demographics and advances in technology impacting on the ways we work, among others
The LGNZ Conference 2017 to be held in July picks up on this future focus with the theme for this year’s event, ‘creating pathways to 2050: liveable spaces and loveable places’.
To bring this theme to life local and international speakers will raise key issues, such as:
- Building communities from the ground up: strengthening local democracy and engagement. How engaging communities in shaping the look, function and feel of the places in which they live can build a strong sense of local pride, identity and connection
- Community faces: how people are shaping the future. A future vision on how people will shape our communities in the coming decades as a result of New Zealand's growing diversity. This touching session features personal stories from members of the Cook Islands Development Agency of New Zealand and the Roots Collective on how they are changing lives in their community.
- Building tomorrow's places 2050: the role of technology. Looking at the role of technology in transport and how smart technology can be integrated in councils future plans. Learn about the practical technology trials underway to understand why New Zealand is a world leader in the implementation of Smart City technology.
- Creating tomorrow's places 2050. Attracting inward investment to boost local economy. Three councils share best practice examples and stories of how their approach has opened the door to investment, strengthening the resilience of their local economy.
- Liveable spaces and loveable places: community infrastructure. Looking at the world’s most liveable cities: Creating cities that will continue to improve quality of life for our communities through liveable spaces and loveable places.
- Sustainable development 2050: inspired action to build great communities. Bringing together policy, practice and research to inform our council leaders on how they can champion change to create and sustain liveable spaces and loveable places. A highly inspiring presentation on delivering a vision for our cities and towns.
- Looking after tomorrow's places 2050: meeting our nation's water needs. Managing community expectations and delivering the Government's objectives for freshwater water quality is a challenge facing all of New Zealand. The primary sector and urban infrastructure are key areas for focus but equally we need to have strong conversations with our community on costs and plans to deliver.
- Future proofing our communities. This compelling international speaker brings the conference themes together and presents views on how and why we must adapt and be future-ready in a period of unprecedented technological, environmental, and demographic change.
The 2017 LGNZ Conference will take place at the SKYCITY Convention Centre in Auckland from 23 - 25 July. To register at the early bird rate visit www.lgnz2017.co.nz
Detail released about the roll out of an extra 880 police over the next four years gives rural communities assurance their concerns have been heard, Local Government New Zealand says.
Police Commissioner Mike Bush last week announced where the new police will be deployed over the next four years. Of those 880 sworn officers 140 are destined for rural and regional areas and a further 20 stations will have a 24/7 officer on duty. All 12 police districts are to receive more police over the four years.
LGNZ Rural Sector Chairman and Waitomo Mayor Brian Hanna says the additional resources will be welcomed by country communities which have expressed concern over the reduction in police availability for less serious crime and safety issues.
“This has been a significant issue for many smaller communities and was the subject of a very well-supported remit at our conference last year, so overall we are pleased to see some steps in the right direction,” Mr Hanna says.
“Not everyone will be completely satisfied with what has been announced and we will continue to highlight the issues being faced around the country, but we now have an opportunity to further work with the Commissioner, our local Area Commanders and the Government to make sure the safety of our communities to improve.”
Mr Hanna says four years is a long time but the challenge of recruiting and training 880 new officers can not be underestimated.
“I feel we should be supporting the Police in this challenge. In fact councils can play a role in this by identifying and supporting those in our communities who could go on to join the police.”
LGNZ will continue to work with rural mayors to ensure any ongoing concerns are heard.
Local Government New Zealand will host the second New Zealand China Mayoral Forum in Wellington this year, following the successful inaugural event of 2015.
The second Forum to be held in Wellington in December was announced during the visit of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in March.
Twelve Mayors and a significant number of business delegates from New Zealand’s cities and regions travelled to Xiamen in 2015 to meet with Chinese counterparts to enhance cooperation between New Zealand and Chinese local governments, and to establish better connections between Chinese and New Zealand cities. The Forum was hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC). Over 300 delegates and some of China’s largest cities were involved.
The second Forum will be held in Wellington on 4 December 2017, with a focus on sustainable economies and balancing economic development and the environment. Topics to be discussed include trade and investment opportunities in tourism, education and primary industries. There will also be a focus on sharing expertise in social wellbeing and environmental protection.
LGNZ President Lawrence Yule says the 2015 Forum was a great success, strengthening the relationships between regions of both countries.
“China is our biggest trading partner and as such our relationship is extremely important to our economy,” Mr Yule says.
“The Forum of two years ago further enriched New Zealand’s ties with China and we look forward to meeting again later this year. There were a number of positive outcomes including the signing of the Xiamen Declaration which signifies co-operation at the sub-national level to achieve economic development outcomes.”
Wellington Mayor Justin Lester says the capital is proud to host the event and that it reflects the growing importance of the city’s relationship with China.
It is anticipated that up to 15 cities from China will be represented at the Forum in December, with significant political and business delegations expected. Between 200 and 300 are expected to be involved.
A business forum matching session will be held on the Sunday prior to the forum.
The Productivity Commission’s new report into New Zealand’s urban planning system which highlights the need for councils in high growth areas to have access to more tools to fund infrastructure is spot on, Local Government New Zealand says.
The report, Better urban planning, was commissioned by the Government in 2015 and released in March. The inquiry aimed to set out what a high performing urban planning system would look like.
Key findings of the report confirm Local Government New Zealand’s long-held view that alternatives to a reliance on rates and debt are needed to assist growing communities put in place transport, drinking, waste and storm water services and other essential infrastructure and amenities that communities need.
LGNZ President Lawrence Yule says there are a number of actions identified in the report which would assist councils with growth challenges.
In particular, the Commission’s report calls for a wider set of funding tools for high-growth councils such as value capture and the use of urban development authorities to assist with large scale development.
“The challenges growth councils face include major issues like housing supply and the cost of funding infrastructure needed for development, and in many areas there are big questions about whether existing residents are able to afford to fund these developments,” Mr Yule says.
“Local government welcomes these important recommendations as a platform for policy development. A wider funding toolbox is essential. Urban development authorities are a tool widely used worldwide and will not be the whole solution but can be the catalyst for change. We are keen to have this additional tool for councils to deliver our key projects and to cut through some of the hurdles associated with fragmented land ownership,” Mr Yule says.
The report comes as the Local Government Funding Agency, which lends to 52 councils, says the need for alternative funding options is becoming more urgent.
LGFA Chairman Craig Stobo said at a recent LGNZ/LGFA quarterly media briefing that its member councils are expected to maintain a financial buffer for unexpected expenditure and should continue to display prudent financial management – a trend LGFA has seen since its inception. However with rising infrastructure pressure there is a need for alternatives to debt funding.
“Councils are generally in a strong position, and we expect them to remain within their financial covenants,” Mr Stobo says. “However there are critical infrastructure requirements particularly in areas of high growth or key tourism areas which can’t be ignored, and some of those councils have the largest funding challenges.”
A new policy group to advise local government on the big issues facing communities nationwide will bring together a diverse and capable team.
Local Government New Zealand’s new Policy Advisory Group will focus on the issues relating to the economic, environmental, social, and cultural well-being of New Zealand and its communities, including policy around water, climate change and housing.
LGNZ president Lawrence Yule says members of the group are highly experienced and capable local government leaders and will use their combined skills and knowledge to provide recommendations on the issues it covers.
“There is a lot of talent and experience in the local government family and this is a powerful way of developing policy that works across our diverse communities,” Mr Yule says.
“Looking ahead local government and the communities it serves have a range of challenges to meet. These include issues of immediate concern like housing affordability and rising infrastructure needs as well as longer term shifts like adapting to climate change, an ageing population and increasing urbanisation.
“This group will for the next three years help the sector set policies and strategies in response to these and other challenges. It is important work for the betterment of the whole country and I welcome those who have been appointed.”
Members of Policy Advisory Group are:
Chair – Richard Kempthorne, LGNZ National Council Member and Mayor, Tasman District Council;
Stuart Crosby, Councillor, LGNZ National Council Member and Bay of Plenty Regional Council;
David Bedford, Chair, Environment Canterbury;
Jenny Brash, Councillor, Greater Wellington Regional Council;
Ana Coffey, Councillor, Porirua City Council
Meng Foon, Mayor, Gisborne District Council;
John Forbes, Mayor, Opotiki District Council;
Richard Hills, Councillor, Auckland Council;
Janet Holborow, Deputy Mayor, Kapiti Coast District Council;
Simon Markham, Manager Strategy and Engagement, Waimakariri District Council.
Michael Meehan, Chief Executive, West Coast Regional Council;
Jane Nees, Deputy Chair, Bay of Plenty Regional Council;
Lan Pham, Councillor, Environment Canterbury;
Penny Pirrit, Director Regulatory Services, Auckland Council;
Bob Simcock, Councillor, Waikato Regional Council;
Paula Southgate, Councillor, Hamilton City Council; and
Piri-Hira Tukapua, Councillor, Horowhenua District Council.
LGNZ has also reformed its Governance and Strategy Advisory Group, which provides advice on the overall strategic direction of LGNZ and best practice approaches to local government governance, performance, funding and procedure.
Among other emerging issues this work will entail overseeing the LGNZ election manifesto ahead of this year’s general election, looking ahead to the 2019 local elections and boosting engagement in local government and advancing the Local Government Risk Agency.
The current members of the Governance and Strategy Committee are:
Lawrence Yule, President, LGNZ and Mayor, Hastings District Council (Chair);
Dave Cull, Vice President, LGNZ and Mayor, Dunedin City Council;
Wayne Guppy, Mayor, Upper Hutt City Council;
Aaron Hawkins, Councillor, Dunedin City Council;
Bonita Bigham, Councillor, South Taranaki District Council;
David Ayers, Mayor, Waimakariri District Council;
David MacLeod, Chair, Taranaki Regional Council;
Hon David Caygill, Councillor, Environment Canterbury;
Diane Calvert, Councillor, Wellington City Council;
Greg Innes, Councillor, Whangarei District Council;
Kelvin Clout, Deputy Mayor, Tauranga City Council;
Monique Davidson, Group Manager, Horowhenua District Council;
Phil Wilson, Governance Director, Auckland Council;
Pippa Coom, Local Board Chair, Auckland Council;
Tania McInnes, Deputy Mayor, Far North District Council; and
Hon Steve Chadwick, Mayor, Rotorua Lakes District Council.
From citizen to mayor – what inspired you to run for mayor and how has the first few months in the role gone?
In very simple terms, I could see a gap in the leadership of the community, and I had the skills and passion for working with people that could make a match! I suppose you could say that I see it as my contribution to the fabric of a strong community – everyone has their strengths and contributes in different ways. Stepping back a little though – Central Hawke’s Bay is faced with figuring out how to carve out their future in a modern world - socially, economically and environmentally. I could see that a we needed strong, positive leadership with a multi-pronged approach – long gone are the days when rural councils are just about “roads and rates”. Our community could obviously see that too, and voted for a largely new, younger and more innovative council last year. The first few months have been crazy, amazing, stressful and emotional all at the same time, but I have never once regretted my decision to go for the job. It is probably better than I had ever imagined – people, people, people, all the time which I LOVE! Councillors, staff, community, regional leaders, national leaders – all want and need interaction from Mayors in slightly different ways, something that makes every day different, interesting and challenging. And nothing is insurmountable if we always come back to our common basis of doing the best for our community. The powerful network of Mayors around the country has probably been the most surprising and valuable thing I have learned about. I don’t think our communities know or understand the difference Mayors, as a group, can make.
What are the biggest challenges your community faces and what steps are you and your council taking to address them?
Our biggest challenge is definitely around economic growth and progress. We currently rely on a largely agricultural economy – primarily red meat, but supplemented by other agricultural and horticultural primary produce. The challenge, which we are not alone in, is how to ensure both sustainability of those industries, through responsible land and water use, and diversification to higher value products and businesses. In a first step, we have included a Community Development Committee into our governance structure to bring economic and social development strategies into focus. A huge economic opportunity for our community is the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme which will stimulate activity, sustainability and diversification across industry, farming and business on many levels. Preparing for this project, and indeed, preparing for if it doesn’t go ahead are important priorities. In a slightly different vein, attracting more people, investment and ideas to our small district will help develop a more resilient community. Our proximity to the cities of Hastings, Napier and Palmerston North, paired with our relaxed rural lifestyle and affordable land and housing mean we are currently a “hidden treasure”. We need to build on these strengths to create a positive future based on people and prosperity – economically, socially and environmentally.
The CHB Council is a relatively new group of people. How have you brought the team together in a short space of time?
Right from the outset I have supported our councillors to act together as a team. We will make more difference in our community if we are working together, than against each other. The key to this has been talk, talk, talk and more talk! Finding common ground, common values and appreciating our differences in both priorities and personalities. Time spent together is crucial, so as well as time together in chambers in committees, workshops and meetings, we have taken the time to work together on our priorities and strategies. We have worked through a recruitment process for a new Chief Executive – arguably one of the most important decisions we will make. This process was a huge benefit to identifying and consolidating our views on how we see the future of the District, and the role that Council plays. It really forced us to think and act together.
How would you describe your leadership style and what is making it successful? Where do you need to adapt?
I am open, friendly and most importantly, I listen. I think that simple approach – of being myself – has been crucial in my progress so far. One of our big election issues was around transparency and communication. I think there is a strong shift in our community’s perceptions and expectations of democracy and the role that they expect to play – understanding the issues, and being involved with the issues that affect them. We shouldn’t be doing things “to people” but “with people”. This is a challenge to politicians the world-over at the moment. As a leader in Local Government, I see that my leadership style and expectations must reflect that. I like to see people succeed and believe in the strength of collective vision and decision making. Translating that approach into the council business, via a new Chief Executive are the next steps.
Freshwater symposium 29-30 May 2017
LGNZ will host a two day symposium in May looking at the strategic issues for freshwater management in New Zealand. Register here.
The symposium will be held 29 and 30 May in Wellington. The two day symposium will look at the strategic issues for freshwater management in New Zealand with a particular focus on water quality, quantity and funding and how we get the right outcomes for communities.
The symposium will include a key note speech from Austin-based David Maidment, a specialist in environment and water resources engineering from the Center for Research in Water Resources, at the University of Texas.
Council consultation wins New Zealand Planning Institute’s Best Practice Award
Palmerston North City Council, Opus International Consultants and Green Infrastructural Services have won the New Zealand Planning Institute’s Best Practice Award for their consultation on the He Ara Kotahi pedestrian/cycle bridge. Read more
Mutual mentor plan to inspire leaders
Marlborough's mayor and an 18-year-old former college student have joined forces to help inspire leadership talents in each other. Tane Henderson-Deakin is the first teenager to be chosen to take part in a special scheme aimed at developing leadership among young Maori. Read more
Performance in spotlight
The Waimakariri District Council's (WDC) performance has come under scrutiny. Two assessors from Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) visited the district as part of LGNZ's local government excellence programme, Mayor David Ayers said.
"Local government excellence is a new process LGNZ has developed to help councils look at self-improvement." Read more

domain: politics


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Shortly before police arrested him on allegations of raping a university student, PHD ministries leader, Walter Magaya, told his followers on Friday that some top politicians and government officials were plotting to silence him through trumped up charges.
His arrest, detention and bail hearing was immediately the main subject of social media conversations, bar talk and gossip with some Zimbabweans coining phrases that linked Magaya to convicted rapists like Robert Gumbura and Munyaradzi Kereke.
“Magaya aGumbura nekuraper munhu wemuKereke,”read one of the phrases as others photoshopped pictures of Magaya in a church, purportedly with the girl who is laying the rape charges on the church leader.
These are some of the social media reactions to the Magaya saga.
For a man who is not new to controversy as illustrated in the graphic below, his claims there were politicians behind his arrest evoked memories of his earlier statements – which if summed up
Because in 2014, Magaya ‘prophesied’ that Zimbabwe was going to witness good economic fortunes and appealed to people to give the then just re-elected Zanu PF govermment a chance.
Two years down the line, Magaya ‘prophesied’chaos in Zimbabwe, and was also in the middle of a storm after initially claiming that government’s plans to introduce bond notes as a last ditch attempt to address the crippling cash was a bad idea.
Two weeks later, he was to be quoted saying the bond notes were ‘a noble idea which was communicated in a wrong way.’
He also paid $50 000 for a book written by First Lady Grace Mugabe.
“Someone is praying for Zimbabwe: things will not remain the same after tonight,” declared Prophet Magaya
Speaking to journalists during his men’s all-night prayer at his Waterfalls church, Magaya, who during the start of the year “prophesied” economic recovery, said patience was now required for the long-suffering Zimbabweans to start enjoying a better life.
“It does not happen overnight. I know that people are unemployed and the economy is not performing well, but what is needed is patience. We have to wait on the Lord. He is the one with the answer,” he said.
Magaya said with the Zanu PF internal political fights now seemingly over, government’s effort should be directed at creating jobs and improving the economy.
“Last year, yes they were trying to put their house in order. I am talking about the ruling Zanu PF. I think they will now concentrate on the economy. We are going to enjoy relative peace and this should help us attract investors to Zimbabwe. I see the rise of Zimbabwe from there. But we need unity and patience as a nation,” he said.
“I gave a prophecy two weeks ago about things happening in South Africa right now. I said more violence would happen in Southern Africa than at any other time. The leaders must use their church leaders to calm down the violence.”
Magaya’s warnings come as Zimbabweans have become increasingly restive and taken to the streets and other platforms to demand good governance, an end to corruption and improvement in the economy.
South Africa holds crucial local government elections next month, while a Renamo insurgency is brewing in Mozambique, with some of that country’s citizens reportedly seeking refuge in Zimbabwe.
“So there is going to be more violence everywhere,” Magaya said ominously.
Responding to questions from journalists during his midweek church service, Magaya said radical changes were needed to avert a worsening economic crisis in the next five years.
“If we do not quickly call upon those with better minds to assist and create good policies and measures of enhancing the economy and continue in the same way we are today, for sure we will go into the red,” he said.
“But, as a prophet, where we are as Zimbabwe? What we have as Zimbabwe can give us a chance to have a transformation within six months.”
6 May 2016
“As I prophesied at the beginning of the year that some of the events will be repeated, so it’s coming to pass. so given this, I would say economists of the country must re-visit some of these things,”
25 May 2016
My take is that (introduction of bond notes) it’s a noble idea which was communicated in a wrong way. This is a purely monetary issue and must not be politicised. Bond notes are just like coupons which will be given to exporters as incentives for bringing money into the country,”


Quantum measurement with nanomechanical systems
The technology exists for preparing and measuring nanoscale mechanical systems at the quantum limit. A nanomechanical system has recently demonstrated the fundamental limit for heat flow through discrete channels. This universal energy transport limit is intimately related to the predicted maximum information rate per channel. I will discuss this measurement and experiments that are under preparation at LPS, using nanomechanical resonators with rf-SET read-out to achieve positive detection limited by the uncertainty principle: the standard quantum limit. This system offers the possibility of implementing advanced measurement strategies, such as quantum non-demolition techniques, to beat this limit. In addition to revealing the fascinating collective quantum behavior of 10^(10) atoms, developing ultra0sensitive position sensors may be important for quantum computing applications such as single electron spin read-out with cantilevers, and provide an understanding of the interaction between delicate quantum systems and real read-out devices.


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Washington—Today, Rep. Eliot L. Engel, the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rep. Adam Schiff, the Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, sent a letter demanding that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo immediately begin producing documents the State Department has been withholding in response to a letter the Chairmen sent two weeks ago relating to efforts by the President and his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, to solicit the help of a foreign power to interfere in the 2020 Presidential Election.
The Chairmen directed Pompeo to inform the Committees by Thursday whether he intends to fully comply with these requests or whether subpoenas will be necessary.
“Seeking to enlist a foreign actor to interfere with an American election undermines our sovereignty, democracy, and the Constitution, which the President is sworn to preserve, protect, and defend. Yet the President and his personal attorney now appear to be openly engaging in precisely this type of abuse of power involving the Ukrainian government ahead of the 2020 election,” the Chairmen wrote.
The Chairmen first sent a letter to Pompeo on September 9, 2019, requesting six categories of documents relating to reports that Giuliani pressed the Ukrainian government to interfere with the upcoming election by pursuing investigations that could benefit President Trump politically.
“If press reports are accurate, such corrupt use of presidential power for the President’s personal political interest—and not for the national interest—is a betrayal of the President’s oath of office and cannot go unchecked,” the Chairmen wrote.
The Department has admitted that at least one of Pompeo’s senior staff played a direct role in arranging meetings between Giuliani and Ukrainian officials just days after President Trump’s call with the Ukrainian President on July 25, and press reports indicate that Giuliani personally debriefed two senior State Department officials about his meetings. Press reports also describe career experts, including at the U.S. Embassy in Kiev, who “repeatedly expressed concerns about the contacts between Giuliani and Ukrainian officials.”
“By withholding these documents and refusing to engage with the Committees, the Trump Administration is obstructing Congress’ oversight duty under the Constitution to protect our nation’s democratic process. Due to the urgent and grave nature of these allegations, our Committees will have no choice but to move towards compulsory process this week unless the Department produces the documents we have requested,” the Chairmen wrote.
Click here to read the full letter.
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domain: law


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One of the main reasons for having a paid membership to join WA Wanderers Mens Bushwalking is to have an insurance policy that covers all our members. Insurance is provided through Bushwalking Australia, which provides members access to:
- Comprehensive Public Liability
- Personal Accident
- Associations Liability Insurance Cover.
For all information relating to Insurance see www.bushwalkingaustralia.org website.

domain: finance


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Months after being arrested and beaten in the streets of Kampala for being gay, Muhammad said in 2014 that he was still on medication for the injuries he received from police officers while in jail. “I am not in a good condition right now,” he said. Muhammad said that though he would like the freedoms a life in Europe would offer, he would rather flee to another African country where homosexuality was less taboo.
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It’s well known that I am a massive fan of Doctor Who, as a young man and now a ..slightly older man I devour most additional elements related to the show. This has, most recently extended to the excellent Doctor Who web comic In Print. These brilliant and non canonical series of beautiful illustrated and humorous strips […]Read more "Spotlight on Doctor Who Artist Jim Wilkins"
Continuing my love affair with the detailed and captivating Doctor Who range from Titan comics. I recently purchased this wonderful initial story of their eighth Doctor range. Paul McGann’s portrayal of our favourite Time Lord is one of my favourites and this was an exciting spectacle. This incarnation has only been present on our screen […]Read more "Doctor Who : The Eighth Doctor #1 – An Exciting Start"
In 1990 Garth Ennis had replaced John Wagner as the lead writer of Judge Dredd’s 2000AD stories as the latter headed off to write for the Judge Dredd Megazine spin off publication. Ennis has since said, on retrospect that he believes that his Dredd stories weren’t as good as he had hoped that they would […]Read more "Judge Dredd : Judgement Day"
Grant Morrison’s take on the Dark Knight truly swept me away, his prose and his story telling abilities brimmed with the themes of family, history and mythology. His Batman truly blossoms on the page and manifests as a real, tangible character. Morrison tackles every single aspect of the characters rich and illustrious history. Embracing even […]Read more "Batman and Son : Grant Morrison’s Magum Opus"
Scott Synder, Jock and Francesco Francavilla had an impressive run with their eerie and effective run for Dick Grayson as Batman and also for their story arc with Jim Gordon. Synder had a deep love for the narrative in Batman: Year One and so he created a creeping epic which, in my eyes is as […]Read more "Batman : The Black Mirror"
When I obtained my PSVR kit a few days ago, the first game I made sure that I obtained was Rocksteady’s Arkham VR game. With the original Arkham trilogy, the developer proved that it could create an incredible Batman experience. Each narrative was gripping and steeped in the lore of the Dark Knight that it […]Read more "Batman Arkham VR"
Good comics come in many different forms and formats. With the advent of the Internet, a greater number of designers, writers and artists are utilising it’s potential to reach a greater and increasingly diverse audience. This is the case with an excellent webcomic by the creative team of writer Stephen H. Harper, designer Brittany Rose […]Read more "Novaborn : Tale of Inpherna"


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Originally Posted by RuthlessE90
Yeah it's crazy out here all this devastation but they still want to run a marathon through all the five boroughs where people have no light water or food smdh
this gas shortage got people going crazy. I seen lines that take over the entire neighborhood(literally). People are waiting for gas that isn't there. I've been out of work since monday and no telling when I will be able to go back. I work in lower manhattan.