Call to bring natural resource management to peace-buildingDecember 12, 2013
KARACHI: States, intergovernmental organizations and other partners need to step up efforts to better integrate natural resource management into post-conflict reintegration programmes, according to a new UN report.
The report entitled “Role of Natural Resources in Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration – Addressing Risks and Seizing Opportunities’, launched in New York stresses that natural resources, – which in many conflict-affected countries, can be used to fuel and finance armed groups – can also play a major role in bringing about sustainable peace.
The report further suggests that incorporating natural resources into plans for reintegration and recovery can also help to mitigate potential conflicts, such as disputes over land or water. The report also emphasizes that natural resources, such as minerals, oil, gas and timber and need to be properly managed in order to achieve these goals.
It notes that, despite the opportunities that they present, plans for the fair management and distribution of natural resources are usually excluded from peace negotiations and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programmes, which have become an integral part of the UN’s post-conflict peace consolidation over the last 20 years.
“Natural resources need to be managed properly as part of a well thought-out peace process”, he stressed. “For example, access to land needs to be taken into consideration, especially for vulnerable groups, such as women, who play a particularly important role as they are primarily responsible for providing food, water and other basic resources for households.”
The report encourages UN Member States and the international community to focus on reducing the risks posed by natural resources for the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former fighters, while offering increased opportunities for sustainable livelihoods for communities as a whole.
The development of this report was supported jointly by UNDP and UNEP’s Environmental Cooperation for Peacebuilding (ECP) Programme. It is the first public report of a UNDP-UNEP Joint Initiative on Reintegration, Livelihoods Recovery and Natural Resources.
The report was funded through contributions from the European Union and the Governments of the Netherlands and Finland. Since 1990, one-third of UN peacekeeping operations have taken place in areas where the conflicts have been economically fuelled by, or otherwise driven by, natural resources. The ways in which these resources can potentially lead to conflict are numerous. For example, transboundary dynamics – including unequal or inflexible land use, environmental degradation, migration of people and wildlife, and illegal exploitation – can spark discord between communities.
Moreover, in times of war, wildlife and natural resources can be severely exploited. Studies indicate that militias in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are behind much of the country’s illegal logging, mining, charcoal production and poaching, in particular of gorillas. An illegal trade in timber and minerals is estimated at between $14 million and $50 million annually, and has helped to fuel longstanding civil conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has left over 5.4 million people dead and nearly 2 million displaced.
It is estimated that over half of the mines in eastern DRC – which has a total mineral wealth estimated at US $24 trillion – are under the control of armed groups. While DDR programmes have featured prominently in the UN’s peacekeeping mandates for decades, more recently, UNDP and UNEP have spearheaded efforts to incorporate natural resources into DDR-based solutions. In addition, the sound management of natural resources – and the ability of a government to develop and tax them – has a substantial effect on the government’s legitimacy and overall recovery. For example, in Sierra Leone, natural resources that were implicated in the country’s civil conflict (i.e., mineral resources) now make up 90 per cent of the country’s exports.
Across the UN system, experts are working to ensure that natural resources are used in ways that contribute to the solution to, and not the cause of, conflict. In that vein, the UN’s Policy for Post-Conflict Employment Creation, Income Generation and Reintegration – a three-track strategy focusing on economic recovery and ensuring that former combatants find decent work – has identified multiple entry points for natural resources.
To help stabilize income generation and provide emergency employment, for example, former combatants can take part in cash-for-work schemes, such as clearing debris. Community infrastructure development – such as building schools and setting up irrigation systems – can assist with local economic recovery.


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How can the 1031 IRS Tax Code benefit me?
As a real-estate investor, you need to keep an eye on tax consequences of your transactions because if you own an investment property that has appreciated significantly, selling it can have unintended tax consequences. To offset those taxes, the IRS Tax Code, Section 1031 allows for "like-kind" exchanges. This means that "no gain or loss shall be recognized if property held for productive use in trade or business, or for investment, is exchanged solely for property of a “like-kind” to be held either for productive use in trade, business, or for investment". What this means is that you can defer taxes on the sale of an investment property if you purchase a different property in its place.
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domain: finance


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The thing about life is, you’re never going to make everyone happy at once. So, you have to decide who’s most important at the time, and run with it.
Every morning he brings me tea, my meds, and breakfast in bed. Whenever I go home, he walks me, let’s me sing at the top of my lungs, and puts his arm around me. He (sometimes) listens when I speak about my hearts bruises. We laugh until my sides hurt. I (sometimes) forget that I’m a very lucky girl.

domain: artistic


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Meanwhile, officials from federal agencies have been busy attempting to bake cornerstones of the President’s agenda (and legacy) into the mix, through a number of proposed standards related to energy and workforce that have undoubtedly grabbed the attention of the small business community.
As we approach the end of summer, here’s a look at just a few of the national policy matters related to fiscal deadlines, cybersecurity, patent reform, energy, and overtime rules that small business owners can expect to be discussed and examined in the coming months.
The first deadline awaiting action from policymakers will come on September 30, which is when Congress needs to pass a funding bill to avoid a government shutdown. A stop gap measure will likely be passed in the short-term to extend current funding levels. Come October, however, spending caps that were put in place to raise the nation’s debt ceiling will also be a big part of the discussion. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) predicted that the United States will likely hit the $18.1 trillion debt limit by mid-November or early December.
Why does this matter if you own a small business? For starters, consumer confidence dropped drastically back in 2011 – as Congress allowed its debt ceiling debates to drag on until nearly the last minute – meaning Americans were less inclined to spend and businesses were less willing to hire.
Could a broader fiscal deal be struck to address these issues long-term?
Will Congress choose to renew the Export-Import Bank’s charter, a separate deadline that passed on June 30, or will they continue to kick the can down the road?
Stay up-to-date on small business priority issues like these by signing up today for a free electronic newsletter from the National Small Business Association (NSBA),
The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) was introduced in the spring to help facilitate the exchange of cyber-threat information between the private sector and government. Supporters of the legislation say it would give small businesses extra legal protections and prevent adverse effects from threats. While many believe the threat of cyber attacks needs to be addressed immediately in this country, those opposed to this specific bill worry that it would create a flow of data on private citizens to government intelligence agencies.
The road to final legislative action on this topic is fuzzy, but one thing is certain: there are serious, growing concerns over cybersecurity issues and the burdens they pose to America’s small business owners. For example, NSBA’s Year-End Economic Report reported that half of the small businesses surveyed have been the victim of a cyber-attack (up from 44% in 2013). Of those, 61% say an attack had occurred within the last year. And, the cost of dealing with cyber attacks for small firms are at an average cost of $20,752 per attack, up from $8,699 two years ago.
Lawmakers have an opportunity move forward on establishing streamlined cybersecurity guidelines and protocols. Given the facts, COSE also believes Congress should take care not to place a disproportionate burden on our nation’s smallest firms.
Since passage of the America Invents Act in 2011, the U.S. has seen an increase in so-called patent trolls – those that do not come up with new products or ideas, but buy up patents, argue others infringe on those patents, and then threaten litigation (remember unsolicited fax scams in the 2000s?).
In response, some Congressional members had appeared to be moving closer to passing patent reform legislation that could actually worsen the system for America’s smallest inventors. Although both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees have passed their respective and National Small Business Association-opposed bills, the Innovation Act (H.R. 9) and PATENT Act (S. 1137), neither bill has yet been voted on by either chamber in full. Opposition to these bills from small business and technology advocates has become more vocal and this legislation was pulled from the July vote schedule.
No clear timeline has been identified for Congress to revisit the patent issue, but two other pieces of legislation have been introduced which would address interference from patent trolls and not cause harm to individual inventors, the STRONG Patents Act (S. 632) and the TROL Act (H.R. 2045). These alternatives would improve the current patenting system by limiting abusive demand letters and ensuring small patentees can protect their intellectual property.
Contact your lawmakers today and urge them to support S. 632 and H.R. 2045.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan climate rule for power plants, which was made final in early August, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the nation’s electricity sector by forcing power plants to cut their carbon emissions 32% by 2030. The directive requires states to develop and implement plans that ensure the power plants in their state – either individually, together or in combination with other measures – achieve the interim CO2 emissions performance rates over the period of 2022 to 2029 and the final CO2 emission performance rates, rate-based goals or mass-based goals by 2030.
Ohio will have until September 2018 to create a plan, two years longer than last year’s proposal called for – that is, unless the courts rule otherwise. Craig Butler, director of the Ohio EPA, said in a recent statement that the President’s plan raises legal questions about the federal government’s authority under the Clean Air Act. Ohio and 14 other states have since asked the D.C. federal appeals court to block the U.S. EPA from putting its Clean Power Plan into place until the courts decide whether the U.S. EPA can legally force states to limit CO2.
The President has stated that his plan would allow the average household to save $85 a year on energy costs, while dramatically reducing the types of greenhouse-gas emissions that lead to harmful climate change. Opponents are concerned that the mandate would actually drive up electric costs for small business consumers. In addition, a study conducted by NERA Economic Consulting claims Ohio would see average annual electricity rates increase by 12% due to the rule.
COSE believes government initiatives, like the Clean Power Plan, must foster growth, minimize hardship on the businesses that drive our economy, and allow for flexible compliance that does not add to already burdensome rules or regulations for small business owners.
On July 6, the Administration proposed new overtime rules which would massively increase the salary threshold below which all employees must be paid overtime. Perhaps even more concerning, the Department of Labor (DOL) is seeking public comments on the so-called “duties test”, opening the door to changes to be adopted in a final rule.
Since the announcement of the proposed rule, COSE has heard from many of our members that they are very concerned about its impact on their operations and their HR policies. Small business employers are challenged for time – especially when you consider that they lack the kinds of policies, legal support, and HR staff that larger businesses enjoy. And, the current deadline for public comment on DOL’s proposal makes it challenging for small businesses to analyze the materials provided by the DOL in the rule’s publication and to make accurate assessments of the impact the proposed rule would have.
In light of the importance of the proposed rule COSE, along with our partners at the National Small Business Association (NSBA), have requested that DOL extend the public comment period for a minimum of 90 days.
Interested in learning more on this topic? On August 13, NSBA held an issue briefing teleconference to discuss the proposed overtime regulations; click here to download the podcast of this call. Tell us what you think today at email@example.com.

domain: law


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Who is the hardest hit by inflation in the U.S.
Fizkes | Istock | Getty Photographs
Cussed inflation has pushed households close to the breaking level, however the ache of excessive costs has not been shared equally.
By most measures, low-income households have been hardest hit, specialists say. The bottom-paid staff spend extra of their earnings on requirements reminiscent of meals, hire and fuel, classes that additionally skilled higher-than-average inflation spikes.
“The underside line is sudden inflation has performed actual injury to the general public, however some individuals face a better price,” stated Laurence Kotlikoff, a professor of economics at Boston College.
Low-income households have a better annual inflation price
“The wealthy do not even know what fuel costs are,” stated Tomas Philipson, former chair of the White Home Council of Financial Advisers.
As a result of higher-income households spend comparatively extra on providers, which notched smaller worth will increase in contrast with items, they got here out forward.
Their inflation price is roughly 6%, in contrast with 7% for lower-income households who spend an even bigger share of earnings on meals, power and shelter, in accordance with an evaluation by researchers on the College of Pennsylvania’s Wharton College.
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Decrease-income households even have fewer methods to scale back or change their spending habits and fewer in financial savings or funding accounts to fall again on, famous Brian Albrecht, chief economist on the Worldwide Heart for Regulation and Economics.
“Inflation makes it laborious to make choices and take into consideration the long run, significantly for these with the fewest sources,” Albrecht stated.
Center-income households see slower wage progress
By different measures, Individuals within the center class are getting particularly squeezed.
For them, costs elevated quicker than their earnings, in accordance with a report by the Congressional Price range Workplace, whereas households within the lowest and highest earnings teams noticed their earnings develop quicker than costs over the identical time interval.
Regardless that middle-class wage progress is excessive by historic requirements, it is not maintaining with the elevated price of residing, which in April was up 4.9% from the prior 12 months — making it more durable to dwell the identical life-style earlier middle-class generations did.
“Actual wages have declined and that is a priority for staff,” Philipson stated.
Economists’ definitions of center class fluctuate. The Pew Analysis Heart defines center class as these incomes between two-thirds and twice the median American family earnings, which was $70,784 in 2021, in accordance with Census Bureau information. Meaning American households incomes as little as $47,189 and as much as $141,568 are technically included, though the median earnings is roughly $90,000.
And but, inside the center class, households with incomes between $50,000 and $125,000 really feel pretty assured about their present financial standing and nonetheless have monetary buffers to attract on, the newest analysis from the Financial institution of America Institute discovered.
“Job stability has quite a bit to do with it,” stated Aron Levine, Financial institution of America’s president of most well-liked banking.
Inflation weighs on most Individuals
Except for their employment standing, even these with related sources are going through totally different impacts of inflation relying on the place they dwell, whether or not they have a mortgage or pupil mortgage, obtain federal advantages or different components, stated Boston College’s Kotlikoff.
However throughout the board, practically all households have been gradual to regulate their spending habits whilst costs rose considerably, which has left them worse off financially, in accordance with a latest “Making Ends Meet” report by the Client Monetary Safety Bureau.
As a substitute, Individuals are dipping into their financial savings to maintain up their spending, with the non-public financial savings price of 4.1% representing a 0.4 proportion level drop from March.
On the similar time, they’re leaning on bank cards to bridge the hole, with balances now up virtually 20% from a 12 months in the past.
Collectively, that leaves many Individuals — no matter their financial standing — financially susceptible within the occasion of a downturn.
Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.

domain: news


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Transferring real property to your children typically involves a legal process that may vary depending on the jurisdiction in which you reside. Here are some general steps that you may consider when transferring real property to your children:
Determine the method of transfer: There are several methods of transferring real property, including through a sale, gift, or inheritance. You will need to decide how you want to transfer the property to your children and what the legal implications and tax consequences of each method may be.
Obtain legal advice: It is advisable to seek legal advice from a qualified attorney who specializes in real estate law and estate planning. A lawyer can help you understand the legal requirements and implications of transferring real property to your children, including any tax considerations, and can guide you through the process to ensure that your interests and those of your children are protected.
Prepare the necessary documents: Depending on the method of transfer, you may need to prepare and execute legal documents, such as a deed, a gift deed, a sale agreement, a will, or a trust. These documents will typically need to comply with the laws and regulations of your jurisdiction, and may need to be notarized, recorded, or filed with the appropriate government agency.
Consider tax implications: Transferring real property to your children may have tax implications, such as gift taxes, capital gains taxes, or property tax reassessments. It is important to consider the tax implications of the transfer and consult with a tax professional to understand the potential tax consequences and any available exemptions or strategies to minimize tax liability.
Comply with legal requirements: The transfer of real property is subject to various legal requirements, such as local zoning ordinances, building codes, and other regulations. Make sure to comply with all applicable legal requirements in your jurisdiction to ensure that the transfer is valid and legally binding.
Record the transfer: Depending on the laws of your jurisdiction, you may need to record the transfer of real property with the appropriate government agency, such as the county recorder's office or the land registry office. Recording the transfer can provide notice to third parties and establish a public record of the change in ownership.
It is important to note that transferring real property can be a complex legal process, and the specific steps and requirements may vary depending on the jurisdiction in which you reside. Therefore, it is highly recommended to seek legal advice from a qualified attorney with expertise in real estate law and estate planning to ensure that the transfer is done properly and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
Our team are experts at transferring property in Hawaii and we'll be glad to help you figure out the best way to proceed. Drop us a quick message so we can schedule a consultation: www.hawaiideed.com/contact


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AMRC doctorate research on display at Rolls-Royce global EngD conference
The Rolls-Royce Engineering Doctorate Network welcomed 160 current and former Engineering Doctorate (EngD) researchers, Rolls-Royce employees and university representatives to its second annual conference at the Rolls-Royce Learning and Career Development Centre in Derby on 27 November 2015. Delegates came from around the globe to explore how the Engineering Doctorate (EngD) scheme drives the progression of research and technology and why it is vital to the continued success of the company. A comprehensive range of topics from materials science to systems engineering was presented, demonstrating the far-reaching impact that the EngD scheme has across all aspects of Rolls-Royce operations.
The conference provided an excellent platform to demonstrate the state-of-the-art research being conducted across Rolls-Royce and the AMRC with Boeing, represented by five current Engineers from the IDC in Machining Science. Talks on the day were wide-ranging from ‘Investigating the Role of Radiation in Corrosion within Simulated Light Water Reactor Conditions’ to ‘High Sensitivity Eddy-Current Arrays.
One of the AMRC speakers was second-year EngD and event co-organiser, Jack Palmer, who spoke about his research into optimising rough and finish grinding of high-pressure gas turbine components. Keynote speakers included Neil Bowring, Associate Director of Business and User Engagement from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Mark Jefferies, Chief of University Research Liaison Rolls-Royce. Prof. Ric Parker, Director of Research and Technology Rolls-Royce, highlighted the scale of the Rolls-Royce research network and the importance of the EngD scheme within it.
The conference also hosted a networking and a student poster exhibition demonstrating the cutting-edge research being conducted by Rolls-Royce and its partner Universities. Amongst the presenters were IDC engineers Claire Jeavons, Ioannis Lambrou and Nikki Hilton whose posters generated much interest from conference attendees. EPSRC speaker Neil Bowring, said: “EPSRC was really pleased to be part of the conference and more importantly enjoyed the event and the opportunity to network with some clearly very talented and knowledgeable researchers. The range of topics being investigated was great to see and a testament to the value that Rolls-Royce places on supporting and engaging with talented individuals on excellent research.”
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We're a world top-100 university renowned for the excellence, impact and distinctiveness of our research-led learning and teaching.


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Simon Cowell takes Lauren and Eric on a shopping trip in London
Simon Cowel took his new red Tesla for a drive shopping with Lauren and Eric in Knightsbridge, London on Thursday..
Looking very trim Simon
Eric looks pleased with his purchase
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domain: celebrity


A ban on open burning in parts of Colfax County was lifted Thursday (May 11).
A burn ban was instituted April 17 in the Farley, Miami and District 8 (Ratón) fire districts, according to a notice on the Colfax County website.
The bans mainly impacted the eastern parts of Colfax County, according to Colfax County Fire Marshal Larry Osborn.
“We got some snow but it’s not great. When there was a heavy snow, it soaked right in [the ground],” Osborn told The Taos News Friday (May 12).
“The only thing I can say for sure at this time of year is the winds are going to blow,” Osborn said while discussing potential fire conditions for the coming month.
During the “dry season,” the use of exterior fireplaces, stoves, chimneys or charcoal briquette barbecues (except for gas-propane stoves and barbecues) — in addition to all other open flames — was prohibited.
While the ban was lifted this week, burn permits are still required for all open burning other than recreational fires. A recreational fire is defined as an open fire three feet or less in diameter. Permits may be found at the Colfax County website.


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Recordsure’s CTO Kit Ruparel recently delved into the intricacies of compliant conversation recording and analysis under the forthcoming MiFID II directive in a joint webcast with ACA Compliance (Europe). We bring you the key highlights of this fascinating session.
Why is conversation recording a key area of focus?
The rapidly changing face of regulation is top of many minds within the financial services industry and MiFID II raises the bar significantly for firms, particularly with its prescriptive rules around appropriate recordkeeping and call recording, which is really driving the focus in this area.
The emergence of new technologies also has a part to play as they push the boundaries of what is possible, including the ability to reliably record face-to-face or mobile conversations. Recording technologies, such as Recordsure, can also deliver wider commercial and compliance benefits, such as enhanced management information (MI), trend analysis and in-depth customer insight.
What are the main challenges of the new conversation recording regime?
Although MiFID I did contain an implicit nod to the range of communication channels firms are obliged to record, MiFID II lays out in far more explicit detail the range of communication channels covered by the legislation, bringing technologies such as video conferencing and social media into scope.
Face to face conversation recording is another area firms need to consider when designing compliant recording processes. Typically, the outcomes of face-to-face conversations are recorded via meeting notes or the output of a fact find, but this doesn’t provide a definitive, authentic record of the conversation and agreed outputs. Going forward, MiFID II will require firms to ensure their recordings are in a durable medium which ensures unaltered reproduction.
Because of this expansion, firms need to take ownership of the technologies and recording methods they allow for use, not only in executing transactions but also around any conversations to provide information, such as market updates, which may lead to a transaction.
As mentioned above, MiFID II requires firms to record all conversations that is intended to lead to a transaction. This can include conversations designed to provide market information to clients or any other conversation that may influence the actions clients take.
In the retail space this can even include the information on your website at any point in time, as this may encourage a specific action from a client.
How are firms addressing these challenges?
Auditing the communications solutions market is key to understanding the range of tools available to enhance MiFID II compliance. When evaluating recording solutions, firms should consider the following three areas:
Confidentiality. Can these recordings be kept confidential and only accessible by people within the business who have the necessary authorisation?
Integrity. Are there controls in place to ensure that records cannot be tampered with or deleted for the duration of the retention period?
Accessibility. Can you get to the records you need in a timely fashion, whether for your own internal quality processes or to provide to a third party to fulfil your regulatory obligations?
Defining the management information (MI) required from the conversation recording technologies is also essential for success, not only to demonstrate compliance with MiFID II but also to enhance internal processes and business intelligence.
How can Recordsure help?
Recordsure makes monitoring more accurate and efficient, helping firms meet their obligations under MiFID II while also providing a host of commercial benefits to enhance your operation. To find out more about how our RegTech solution could benefit your business, get in contact now.


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PHOTOS AND VIDEOS
REVIEWS Write a Review
Best hobby shop in michigan great employees , large inventory
08/03/11Provided by Citysearch
This is an absolutey wonderful local hobby shop. The Prop Shop has weathered the storms and remains the premier hobby shop for anyone in the TriCounty , Greater Detroit area . A full lineup of hobby equipment and stellar over the counter service. They are quite fair in every way.
I have been shopping at this store since 1982 and have never had a bad experience . All of the local RC clubs are regulars here so there are plenty of resources to draw from. A very rare type of store today, we are lucky to have this hobbyshop nearby.
Received some gifts purchased from here. Tried to return for a store credit as I had no receipt and was denied. The items were unused - unopened and had their own price tags. They were listed as in-stock on their website but they would not take them back for even a store credit. I will never shop their again!
Your Complete Model Shop
- Regular Hours
Mon - Fri: Sat: Sun Closed
- Air Brushes, Art Supplies, Contractors Equipment & Supplies, Hobby & Model Shops, Hobby & Model Supplies-Wholesale Manufacturers, Metal Detecting Equipment, Painters Equipment & Supplies, Toy Stores
- Radio Control Accessories Airbrushes Radio Control Boats Fuel Radio Control Helicopters Large selection of Plastic Models Rockets Wood Radio Control Airplanes
- Payment Options
- AMT, Arrma, Dubro, Estes Rockets, Fat Shark, Futaba, MPC, Octura Models, Paasche, Proboat, Revell, Scalextric, Sig Mfg., Spektrum, Tamya paint, Testors, blade, e-flite, great planes, hobby zone, losi, parkzone, traxxas
- 23326 Van Dyke Avenue, three blocks north of 9 Mile Rd. on the east side of the street.
- Southeast Warren, Warren
- Parking lot
- Other Information

domain: hobby


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Platelet Matrix is a lyophilized cell culture supplement derived from human Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP). The Platelet Matrix is subjected to a freeze-thaw process to induce growth factors release. The system provides a suitable 3D matrix for cell culture that consists of the same components as the over-layered culture medium.
This product can be used instead of Foetal Bovine Serum (FBS). Replacing bovine serum with human Platelet Lysate (hPL) allows for the expansion of stem cells without the risk of xenogeneic immune reactions or the potential for transmission of bovine pathogens. Biomaterials have an impact on the proliferation and differentiation of cell preparations. Stem cells are routinely cultured on conventional tissue culture plastic (TCP). In these dishes, plastic adherent cell growth is restricted to two dimensions and it occurs preferentially at the rim of colonies due to contact inhibition. Furthermore, adherent cells need to be loosened from the substrate for passaging – usually by enzymatic treatment with peptidases such as trypsin.

domain: biology


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Nutrition Information per serving:
- Calories: 37
- Sugar: 1.5g
- Sodium: 4.9mg
- Fat: 0.7g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 6.7g
- Fiber: 0.9g
- Protein: 1.5g
- 1 1/4 cups oat flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 jar (or 1/3 cup) puréed baby food
- 1 ripe banana, mashed
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup grated carrot
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick spray (or use muffin liners) and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together oat flour, baking powder and cinnamon, making a well in the center.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together baby food, mashed banana and egg. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined, then fold in the grated carrot.
5. Divide oat mixture evenly among the 24 mini muffin cups (or 12 standard size muffins) and bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If making 12 standard size muffins, bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!

domain: food


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ITSS Verona and King's College London hosted a joint event on the protests in Iran to discuss how the ongoing protests are different from the previous ones and how come "Woman, Life, Freedom" represents a collective will of the Iranian people and how was it formed? Is it a modern revolution based on the values that are identified within this context? What is the role of Iranian women in this revolution? And finally what is the outcome, are amongst questions that we will discuss with our guests during this event.
Dr Sadegh Zibakalam Mofrad is an Iranian academic, author, and pundit described as reformist and neo-liberal. Zibakalam is a professor at the University of Tehran and frequently appears on international news outlets including BBC News and Al Jazeera.
Dr Ali Fathollah-Nejad is a German–Iranian political scientist focusing on Iran, the Middle East, and the post-unipolar world order. He is a McCloy Fellow on Global Trends of the American Council on Germany (ACG), exploring how transatlantic foreign policy toward authoritarian states could reconcile interests and values.
Dr Nayereh Tohidi is a Professor Emerita and former Chair of Gender & Women’s Studies and the Founding Director of the Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies (2011-2021) at California State University, Northridge. She is also a Research Associate in the Program of Iranian Studies at UCLA coordinating “Bilingual Lecture Series on Iran” since 2003. She received her MA and Ph.D. from the Universities of Tehran and Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. She is also the recipient of several post-doctoral fellowships and research awards, including an NEH grant, a year of Fulbright lectureship and research at the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan; universities of Harvard and Stanford, the Kennan Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center, and Keddie-Balzan Fellowship at UCLA.
Ms Elahe Amani learned about conflict resolution and mediation in 1990, through the CSUF Certificate Program of “Managing Multicultural Work Environments”. She completed formal mediation training through Pepperdine School of Law Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution in 1991 and promptly joined the Southern California Mediation Association (SCMA) and published a book review on “Mediation Across Cultures” in the SCMA newsletter. In 1992-93 after the Los Angeles riots, Elahe conducted sessions of community mediation between Korean and African Americans in Town Hall settings through a program organized by the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office. In 2006 Elahe did a presentation at SCMA Salon on “Gender and Mediation” and presented on the panel in the affinity discussion at SCMA’s annual conference at Pepperdine University on “Culture and Mediation.” She is currently Interim Director of the Academic Technology CenterInterim Director of Academic Technology Center at California State University, Fullerton.
Moderators: Dr Michele Groppi and Shahin Modarres.
Authors: Esther Brito Ruiz, Ludovica Brambilla, Reka Szabo
Note: due to the rapidly developing situation in Ukraine, we clarify that the information included in this article is actualized up until the date of the 23rd of February, and primarily covers the human security scenario prior to the evolving Russian invasion.
The escalation of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, triggered in the spring of 2021 with the beginning of a progressive massing of thousands of Russian military and equipment near the border with Ukraine, marked the early months of 2022. As of the last few days, the ongoing invasion of Ukraine has triggered a geopolitical crisis dividing major international players and raising concerns for the security balance of Eastern Europe.
These developments raise questions on the impact of the conflict's dynamics on civilians, who have been suffering the consequences of instability for years. This article will set aside political and military analysis to disclose how the crisis has been playing out at the local level in Eastern Ukraine, particularly, its effect on the civilian populations of the non-government-controlled areas (NGCA) of Donetsk and Luhansk prior to the invasion. A comprehensive review is beyond the scope of this piece, but we present some core human security dynamics sometimes excluded from mainstream coverage, many of which were further exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Civilian casualties and threats to fundamental rights
Since 2014, civilians in the Donbas have been directly affected by the Russo-Ukrainian conflict and have often been victims of war crimesby both Russian-backed separatist armed groups and Ukrainian forces. The region is characterized by one of the highest concentrations of armed actors in the world - as such, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and explosive remnants of war (ERW) are as much a cause of civilian casualties as active hostilities. Between 2014 and 2019 for example, “over 1,000 individuals were known to be killed by land mines or other explosives”. Estimates of the conflict in July 2021 already registered at least 3,393 deaths within civilian populations and more than 7,000 injured.
Moreover, arms fire and shelling have also caused serious damage to civilian housing and infrastructure, endangering the population by limiting access to water, food, schools, and health services. The Covid-19 pandemic further deteriorated the situation and intensified the need for humanitarian in the region. In fact, even before the escalation of the conflict in 2022, it was calculated that at least 3,4 million peopleneeded humanitarian aid in Eastern Ukraine as the result of the six years of conflict, coupled with the effects of the health crisis. These individuals and families suffer from physical and mental issues related to violence and from the indirect effects of the conflict and pandemic on the economy and their living standards.
The situation regarding political rights and civil liberties is well depicted by the 2020 and 2021 Freedom House reports. The 2021 report on government-controlled Ukraine explores how attempts to maintain democracy are hindered by resistance to crucial reforms, endemic corruption and limited freedom of expression due to an increasing number of attacks against activists and journalists.
The situation drastically worsens in the Eastern Donbas, where authority is in the hands of the People’s Republic of Donestk and Luhansk. These administrations rose to power in 2018 through what are considered to have been deeply fraudulent elections. Associational rights are severely compromised, even organizations politically allied to the ruling leadership are banned. The control over the population’s right to freedom of thought is implemented through a complex system of influence by Russia and adomination of public local institutions and media by people close to the separatist leadership. Furthermore, it has been noted that pro-Ukrainian advocates face non-transparent trials and long prison sentences. In this line, detainees often appear to face torture and psychological abuse. Members of minorities are effectively victims of unpunished persecutions and the justice system seems to lack any mechanism to prevent and punish the crimes reported during the conflicts.
Covid-19 has complicated a situation already dramatic for internally displaced persons (IDP). Since 2014, a “contact line” separates areas controlled by the Ukrainian government and those under Russian influence, dividing families and communities that have been dangerously crossing the border. These people often reside in poor settlements close by, where Ukraine’s social services struggle to provide assistance. As of 2020, the conflict had caused around 734,000 IDPs.
In the last two years, arbitrary pandemic-related travel restrictions have been severely limiting access to healthcare, basic services, and income - further separating families. The closing of crossing points in March 2020 affected thousands of civilians that would usually cross the line to receive their pensions and humanitarian assistance.
The toll of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine on children has been extremely high in the last years. Hundreds of schools were damaged during the fights, which made proper education impossible. In Russian-controlled territories, not only physical threats are present. The identities of Ukrainian children are endangered as well. In the Donbas region, children do not have Ukrainian classes anymore and the language can be learnt solely as a subject for an hour per week. Textbooks in Russian were transported to the schools by the Russian ‘humanitarian’ convoys, and teachers have to use the Russian grading system.
History also has to be taught in a way favoring the Russian side and depicting the occupation of Crimea and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as a legitimate move by Russia. Because of the linguistic differences, Ukrainian students have difficulties when it comes to admissions in any higher education systems, either in Russia or in Ukraine. In the latter case, the different way of learning history also makes it more challenging for Ukrainians from the occupied territories to perform well in state tests. Furthermore, border crossing, in order to be able to participate in such tests or enroll at universities in the Ukrainian territory, can be restricted and dangerous.
The progression of gendered violence and discrimination against the LGBT+ community (H2)
Since the beginning of 2021, Ukrainian civil society groups have denounced a noted increase in attacks against LGBT+ and women’s rights activists. Attacks and threats have mainly been carried out by far-right groups, but opposition from religious organizations has also been on the rise. This is part of a broader regression of LGBT+ and women’s rights across Eastern Europe but has been tied in Ukraine to nationalization discourse in line with Russian political ideas.
On one hand, domestic violence in Ukraine has remained “widespread, under-reported, and ineffectively addressed”, and has been worsening as the conflict in eastern Ukraine advances. Systemic flaws in protection mechanisms have been exacerbated by political and social tensions, and Amnesty International event referred to it as an epidemic of domestic and sexual violence against women. There is a potential for increased gender-based violence to derive from the mobilization of military personnel in the area and few protections in place to mitigate the rising abuse.
On the other hand, the LGBT+ community in Ukraine - especially nearing the Russian and Bielorussian borders - has been in high alert. Attacks against young transgender individuals have been reported with noted violence. These crimes tend to recieve little support from police, and perpetrators face few or no charges. At a broader level, draft laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity elements more firmly in hate crime law have been pushed back against.
Activists fear that continued Russian aggressions and the progression of the invasion will lead the situation to further deteriorate, with LGBT+ and women’s rights regressing further.
As the situation in Ukraine continues to escalate, we can expect worsening conditions for human security across the country. Continued mass displacements, evolving conditions of gender and homophobic violence, and the interruption of basic freedoms and education will undoubtedly have severe impacts on the lives and future of the Ukrainian people.


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June 11, The Iran Project – In an astonishing show of support and unity with the oppressed people of Palestine, millions of people taken to the streets across Iran and other countries in the world to show their solidarity with the Palestinians and censure Israel’s occupation and atrocities on May 8.
Holding placards and chanting vociferous slogans, the demonstrators – men and women, young and old – strongly condemned the horrendous war crimes of Israel in Palestine and called for an unconditional withdrawal of Israelis from the occupied territories of Palestine, return of Palestinians who were forced to leave their land after the 1948 Nakba, complete ban on the construction of new settlements and immediate evacuation of existing illegal settlements.
Meanwhile, Iranian embassies observed the International Quds Day on the last Friday of Ramadan around the world.
Iranian embassies in Tunisia, Belarus, Slovenia, Ireland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Lebanon commemorated the Quds Day.
Similar events were also held in London and Toronto as well as in 800 cities worldwide, which usually saw people chanting anti-Israeli slogans and burning the occupying regime’s flags.
In a message on Thursday (June 7), the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani invited people to attend the International Quds Day demonstrations in large numbers, saying “Quds day is a historic day when everybody protests against tyrants and voices support of an oppressed people who have been displaced from their homes during the past 70 years,” according to the official website of Iran’s presidency.
“The day when the noble people of Palestine will go back to their homes and Muslims can say prayers in Quds, as their first Qibla, is not far,” the Iranian president noted.
Global terrorist war
In a speech on the occasion of Quds (Jerusalem) International Day, Secretary General of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, asserted that Syria plays a pivotal role in the resistance axis, and it has been subjected to a global terrorist war over the past seven years, yet larger parts of Syria have become safe now.
Nasrallah addressed the Israeli occupation entity saying the Zionists must confess that they have failed to bring down Syria, the main pillar of the resistance in the region, and that their dreams and bets on the terrorist groups are gone with the wind.
Nasrallah said that Hezbollah will leave Syria when the Syrian leadership asks them to do so.
Deal of Century
Marking the International Quds Day, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said the US peace plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict known as “the deal of the century”, which aims to obliterate the Palestinian cause, is nothing but an illusion.
The Israeli regime is seeking to reach the deal of the century through the US but they are only following illusions in this plan, Larijani said.
“They (the US and Israel) want to remove the obligations that the United Nations (resolutions) has defined for Israel…,” he noted.
They want to remove the Zionist regime’s obligations that the Palestinian refugees should enjoy the right to return to their homeland and that the Israeli settlements should not continue in the West Bank, the Iranian parliament speaker went on to say.
Speaking to reporters while attending a massive anti-Israeli rally in Tehran, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri said the recent move by the US administration to relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to al-Quds (Jerusalem) would facilitate the collapse of the Zionist regime of Israel.
Major General Baqeri pointed to the high turnout in the demonstrations and stressed the rallies have made the unity of Muslims “more visible”.
The unity proves that “the game” that the US has played by relocating its embassy to Quds has not been able to damage the cause of Muslims (the liberation of Palestine), he noted.
Participating in the Quds Day rally in the southern Province of Kerman, Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi said, ‘The results of the great rallies on Quds Day are becoming increasingly evident every year.’
“The responses by Ezzeddine al-Qassam Brigades during the past week, and targeting the Zionist military bases and strongholds proved that the occupied territories have become unsafe and fragile for the Zionists, and the dream of making the territories secure for Jewish European migrants and other occupiers is just an illusion,” he stated.
Iran rallies echo across global media
The massive Quds Day rallies in Iran have highly reverberated across the global media.
The Independent quoted Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani as saying in his address, “This year’s Quds Day is special.”
“This year, in addition to being the 70th anniversary of the occupation of Palestinian land, we are witnessing that Jerusalem, which is respected by all Muslims, has been announced as the capital of the occupying Zionist Regime by the United States against all international rules and regulations,’ President Rouhani was quoted as saying by the UK-based daily.
“This year, we are also witnessing more tyranny and crimes against the oppressed people of Palestine, especially the residents of Gaza,” it added, quoting the Iranian President.
According to Russia’s Sputnik News Agency, “On Friday thousands of people took to the streets of numerous Iranian cities to express their support for the Palestinian state and condemn the violence that occurred during the Great March of Return, as well as the US move to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem.
In a meanwhile, Xinhua wrote that the Tehran angry protestors flocked to the streets carrying placards and banners demonstrating their anti-US and anti-Israel sentiments and shouted slogans in the support of Palestinians.
“Al-Quds (Jerusalem) belong to the Muslims and will remain Islamic,” the demonstrators said.
For sure, the cause of Palestine is considered as important issue of Islamic world and should not be forgotten and the US move to call Al-Quds (Jerusalem) the capital of Israel will doom to failure eventually.
Quds Day, the legacy of the Islamic revolution
The International Quds Day is a legacy of the late founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini, who designated the day in solidarity with the Palestinians.
This year, Quds Day has become a larger rallying cry as it comes after months of mass protests in Gaza which proved Israel’s inability to stop the Palestinians despite widespread use of deadly force against unarmed protesters.
Since late March, over 120 Palestinian protesters have been killed and thousands more wounded by Israeli forces, mainly sharpshooters. The Israeli military has come under intense international criticism for permitting its forces to open fire on unarmed protesters in Gaza.


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Celebrating Malaysian palm oil
Since 1917, Malaysia’s oil palm sector has recorded repeated success in taking palm oil forward as a global commodity in both food and non-food applications. From agricultural practices to research and development activities, the industry has pioneered innovations that have stood the test of time. We looked at the first five milestones in the previous issue. Five more are outlined, as we continue marking the industry’s centenary this year.
Constant supply of palm oil and palm kernel oil enabled Malaysia to become a world leader in the oleochemicals sector.
A unique feature of the oil palm is that it produces two types of oil, respectively from the flesh and kernel of the fruit. Both are edible, but can also be used as feedstock for non-food applications such as the production of oleochemicals. These are renewable and environment-friendly chemicals derived from oils and fats of vegetable, animal or marine origin. As an alternative to petrochemicals, they are used in products like surfactants, personal care items, soaps, detergents, inks and coatings.
The Malaysian oleochemicals industry flourished in the 1980s following a shift in policy away from the mining- and agriculture-based economy, to one led by manufacturing. Initially, basic oleochemicals like fatty acids, fatty alcohols, methyl esters and glycerine were produced. As global demand for oleochemicals increased and new technologies emerged, the operations were expanded to produce oleo derivatives and consumer or industrial end-products.
Benefitting from the uninterrupted supply and competitive price of palm oil and palm kernel oil, the Malaysian oleochemicals industry became a world leader. Today, with 20 plants and joint capacity of 2.7 million tonnes, Malaysia accounts for at least 20% of global production of oleochemicals.

domain: agronomy


Garden Centre: Mon - Sat : 8.30 to 5 pm
Cafe: 10:00 to 4.00pm
Sunday : 10.00 to 4.30pm
Hidden behind the terracotta pots are two 15,000l water tanks. We collect and store water off our shop and greenhouse roofs, and use this water for plant irrigation. In addition most of the excess water that is normally wasted during irrigation is collected and recirculated back to the collection tanks
In 2013 we installed 78 solar PV panels at Valleyside providing over 60% of our electricity requirements. We are converting all our lighting to energy efficient fluoreecent tubes and LED lights.
Several years ago we installed Biomass Heater to use all our waste wood and some cardboard.
This year we installed a Biomass Hot Air Space Heater that runs off waste wood pellets. This will hopefully heat our main shop area and in doing so stop the use of all gas oil & diesel at Valleyside
For more information on our Biomass Heater or Solar Panels, call


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A 17-round magazine whose sale or transfer would be banned under S.55
The Vermont House approved sweeping gun legislation Friday evening that would mandate universal background checks, raise the minimum age for firearm purchases to 21, and ban bump stocks and high-capacity magazines.
The bill, S.55, was hotly contested in a debate that began Friday at 9:30 a.m. and lasted well into the evening, with one break for a late lunch. A final 85-59 vote on the bill took place just before 7:30 p.m.
“The policies in this bill will keep firearms away from those who intend harm and reduce the lethality of firearms that may be misused,” said Rep. Martin LaLonde (D-South Burlington), who spent much of the day responding to questions and criticism from the bill’s opponents.
House Republicans vocally opposed much of the bill, arguing that it would be ineffective, unconstitutional, unduly burdensome on law-abiding Vermonters or some combination of the three.
“We are passing legislation today that does nothing, because it’s going to make a few people feel good,” said Rep. Patrick Brennan (R-Colchester).
Brennan’s criticism of the legislation hinged on enforceability and practicality. He said a provision to ban bump stocks, which increase the firing rate of semi-automatic rifles, wasn’t practical.
“I am concerned that by a stroke of the pen here we are ... immediately creating criminals,” he said. “And should they hold onto it, should they throw it away, should they drop it off at the local law enforcement office?”
Brennan and other Republicans voiced opposition to limits on magazine capacity, universal background checks and raising the purchasing age, all on the grounds that the proposals would be easy for criminals to overcome.
Rep. Anne Donahue (R-Northfield) argued that the age increase amounted to discrimination. She suggested it might not be so politically appealing to the House in other forms.
“How many people in this body would support the idea that to avoid an impulsive decision that might be regretted later, a woman who was 18 or 19 or 20 should be required to get some counseling before deciding to have an abortion?” Donahue asked.
As debate wore into the evening, Rep. Valerie Stuart (D-Brattleboro) expressed frustration with questions posed by the bill's opponents. (LaLonde said some of Brennan’s hypotheticals “stretch credibility.”) Stuart told the story of her daughter's friend, whom she described as a beautiful, 10th-grade athlete, filled with promise but struggling with mental health issues.
“My first year [at the Statehouse], in January, I got a call,” she said. It was about her daughter’s friend.
“She blew her head off in her basement while her sister and her boyfriend were upstairs,” Stuart said, her voice breaking with emotion. “And her mother had to see the helicopter turn around after it took off from Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, because this beautiful young woman … had blown off her head.”
Stuart apologized in advanced for the graphic story, but her message was intended to stir action. “Let’s cut to the chase,” she said. “Let’s get something positive done.”
Just before the final vote of the night, Minority Leader Don Turner (R-Milton) said he supported taking action to reduce gun violence but did not support the legislation at hand.
“I don’t think this bill is going to change one thing,” he said. “I hope it does.”
Votes on the bill were split up and taken by roll call. House members voted:
The House is set to debate the bill again next week, consider more amendments and vote on final passage. Then the legislation would return to the Senate, which passed a more limited version earlier this month, without magazine capacity limits or the bump stock ban. Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican, has expressed support for elements of the bill.


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Thursday, April 24, 2008
What I am to you, is not what you mean to me . . .
These are lyrics, but really, they could be my words. I wish they didn't ring so true, but sadly, they tell truths, many, many. Tonight I met up with a friend for a beer. I tried to think it was just friends having a carbonated elixer, but after the man I visited became my patient and I his therapist, I realized that we misread each other. He pined about how badly he wants a girlfriend, someone to punctuate the Saturdays and Sundays of his rigidly scheduled weeks. He knew I had a dinner date, but not with whom. And after feeling good to have been mildly sought after by him yet again, I felt bad for knowingly departing to see the boy I've been spending all of my weekends with. I headed to his home where he made dinner for us. He played guitar for an audience of one, albeit in a posture that acknowledged the wall as his audience rather than my shrinking self. It was late, but we both missed each other and retreated to his familiar, dimly lit room. Talking nose to nose and then not at all, in words unspoken, we found solace in the comfort and ease and excitement of our two faces. And then it became "later than we thought it was." I interpreted these words as a signal to depart sooner than later. Unsettled, I mentioned my interpretation of the false invitation to go. Frustrated and feeling misunderstood, my sweet special friend felt aggravated by my tangling of his words. Why, I wonder, is it, that communication gets in the way of communication? I gathered my things, including my scarf and under utilized dinner ingredients, said goodnight and bid my fair, yet weighted adieu. Tonight, right now, I feel so very sad, so thoroughly confused and yet somehow empowered. Do I need now to make my move? To force him to realize that I could potentially cease being around at late hours, or even at all? Do we break our hearts in premature attempts to save the beating vessel, or do we wait and hope and pray that time will tell, will heal and maybe even surprise us with delights of love? I do not know. And I wish I did. I am at a loss. Imagining my days without him hurts my heart. It makes my already sore, pilates stressed muscles ache more. The notion of his presence no longer being a part of my reality, offers me little comfort, but instead dread. So, tonight, hoping that soon I will tell you of great sacrifice on his part and triumphant overriding of emotion and reason, I will instead ask of your advice, your thoughts and your strength to get through whatever it is this night represents. Life is short, love should be simple. That's the good stuff. The early eve man reminded me of just that; that companionship mends wounds and makes for time well spent. I only wish that my current flame knew that someone else was not just seeking my companionship and humor and wit and familiarity, but that he also knew that people who love us are the best cure for myriad ailments. I want to be his prescription for success. I guess, however, that I better start taking my vitamins first.


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Since this reporting is new to the marketplace starting in 2022, you might be confused by the terms used such as:
- Drug Cost Reporting
- Section 204 Data
- Prescription Drug and Health Care Spending Reporting
The good news is these are all essentially the same thing. Under Section 204 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, Plans and Issuers (carriers) must submit detailed prescription drug and healthcare spending metrics to the ‘Departments’ on an annual basis.
Based upon this description you might be thinking this is straightforward and your carrier (if you are fully insured) or your PBM (if you are self-insured) can handle this. Unfortunately, as often is the case, it turns out this is a bit more complicated. For self-insured insured clients, this will require coordination between the Plan Sponsor, TPA and PBM in order to report.
Learn more at DrugCostReporting.com


Zalgiris outlasts Valencia to grab sixth win 14
Zalgiris Kaunas grabbed its second road win of the season by downing Valencia Basket at La Fonteta on Friday night. The visitors edged Valencia 80-76 to improve to 6-4 in the standings, while the hosts are now 4-6.
Rolands Smits paced Zalgiris with 19 points, with Keenan Evans adding 18 while Ignas Brazdeikis contributing 13.
Chris Jones had 19 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals for Valencia, and James Webb, Jared Harper and Klemen Prepelic also scored a double-digit number of points with 15, 12 and 10, respectively.
Webb stepped up early with a couple of three-pointers and a reverse slam, getting help from Jones and Bojan Dubljevic to give Valencia a 27-17 lead.
Lukas Lekavicius helped keep Zalgiris’s head above away, and Arnas Butkevicius’s three-point play got the guests within 29-31. Jones and Jasiel Rivero allowed Valencia to restore a 44-37 margin at halftime.
An unstoppable Jones kept pacing the hosts after the break, but Smits kept Zalgiris within 50-42. Brazdeikis got the guests even closer, 51-53, soon after that. Harper and Xabi Lopez-Arostegui found answers from beyond the arc to keep Valencia in charge, 61-59, after 30 minutes.
A 7-0 run that Prepelic capped with a triple gave Valencia a 71-67 lead with over 4 minutes left. Then, Tyler Cavanaugh had 5 points in a 9-0 run that put Zalgiris ahead for good, 77-71, before Edgaras Ulanovas sealed the deal from the foul line.


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On March 6, 2019, Canada held a new Express Entry draw, issuing 3,350 invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence to candidates with Comprehensive Ranking System scores as low as 454. The Government of Canada has now issued 17,850 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) this year through the Express Entry system — an increase of 6,350 over the 11,500 ITAs that had been issued by this same juncture in 2018.
Today’s cut-off CRS score of 454 was a decrease of three points over the minimum score of 457 in the previous invitation round held on February 20.
Last year Canada issued a record 89,800 ITAs, a milestone the federal government is expected to surpass this year given its higher admissions targets for the Express Entry-managed Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class and Canadian Experience Class economic immigration categories. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada invites a set number of the highest-scoring candidates to apply for Canadian permanent residence through regular draws from the pool.


Lately, traffic in Metro Manila been so bad that a lot of people have taken to calling these times “carmageddon.” These heavy traffic jams will have you sitting in your car for three to five hours, depending on how bad it gets.
There could be any number of reasons for a really bad traffic jam: torrential rain, traffic in other areas that spill over onto main roads, protest rallies, or accidents. Seeing as it’s October, and holiday sales begin as early as now, odds are there will be worse traffic coming from malls around the metro.
Traffic in the country has gotten invariably worse, owing to road congestion and overpopulation. According to the 2015 Global Driver Satisfaction Index from Waze, Manila has the worst traffic in the world.
The question now is: how are you going to stay sane when the traffic reaches carmageddon levels?
Mobile users can view the desktop version of this slideshow here.


As the world is on its knees, Kyadondo East MP, Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine and Fire Base Crew Vice president, Bukenya Ali alias Nubian Li have released a song about the pandemic Coronavirus.
The song preaches awareness about the deadly Coronavirus.
In a video that is already making rounds on social media, Bobi Wine and Nubian Li are telling people to sanitize, to keep a social distance and quarantine.
The audio was produced by Sir. Dan Magic.
From Bebe Cool, Azawi, Vinka, Tip Swizzy, many Ugandan artistes have gone an extra mile to record songs in which they educate about what can be done to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Listen to the audio below:
Lee Ray is a qualified journalist dedicated to inform and update you with News, Gossip, Entertainment, Showbiz and Music!


HYDERABAD: So who’s the real star in this IPL season? Tendulkar or Dhoni or one of the celebs in the advertisements. Yeah, the stars are in the advertisements for sure, but they are not the lassy, glamorous celebs, but those nutty, alien like creatures Zoozoos, who are funny and speak a language which is as alien. Yet! They strike a chord with the youth and how! The Vodafone ads which feature the egg headed creatures have managed to woo the viewers with their simple yet unusual concepts.
A completely Indian concept, Zoozoos are not animated creatures but men and women draped inside an alien suit. O&M’s brainwave, each ad showcases a product or a service offered by Vodafone.
Explaining the idea behind the campaign, Rajiv Rao, executive creative director, O&M says, “We created a special world in which all the product stories gets communicated - A world which is real, yet different, simple, warm and lovable. All the specific product stories and services get communicated in this world of Zoozoos, making the messages more charming.” During the production, each facial expression was made of rubber and pasted on actors.
The clutter free scenes and the day-to-day incidents in the ads have further catapulted the popularity of the lovable Zoozoos.
The frenzy over the Zoozoos is hard to elude. With the youngsters going ga-ga over them, zoozoos have over 2 lakh fans and has over 200 pages on Facebook alone. On youtube, it is attracting eyeballs, with over 1,14,000 views in the past three weeks alone.
MERCHANDISE Soon Zoozoo merchandise would be available in the form of bags, T-shirts, Key chains and Mugs. So what makes these strange creatures so lovable? Deepali Pavagadhi(21) gushes, ``I like the simplicity of the look, the design has a very few details, which helps highlight their actions. The fact that they are just humans, draped in white, make them all the more interesting, and intriguing.'' Gautham Subramaiam (24) says, ``While I found them irritating in the beginning, now I quite like them. I like the way they present the Vodafone services through various human-like situations.'' The Zoozoos are hilarious, endearing and present a world, which is known, yet not-soknown to us. Vertika Jain (23) feels that Zoozoos are cute and convey the message effectively. On the flip side, Aditya Iyer (20) feels, “The cacophonic effects are annoying, if not irritating.'' Nikhita Arora(22) echoes his thoughts, ``I feel they are a bit dumb and annoying and the hype surrounding it will wear off once the IPL season is over.'' So, while that remains to be seen, why don’t yo u take the quiz on “What Zoozoo are you?”


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England kick-off their hectic home summer on Thursday when the two-Test series against New Zealand gets underway at Lord's.
Alastair Cook's side have been insistent in the build-up that they are not looking ahead to the Ashes to come, and there is unfinished business with the Kiwis after the two nations fought out a 0-0 stalemate during the winter.
Indeed, had it not been for the last-day heroics of Matt Prior in the final Test at Eden Park, New Zealand would have celebrated a series victory over Cook's crew.
England's bowlers found wickets harder to come by than many expected against the Black Caps so will be looking to make the most of home comforts - as well as the use of the Duke ball, which has a raised seam in comparision to its Kookaburra counterpart.
"I think from a bowling point of view, the first Test of the summer, English conditions, whoever you're bowling at you want to just be testing their defence," Stuart Broad, who finished as England's best bowler on the recent tour with 11 wickets, said.
"You want to be top of off/top of 'fourth-stump', bringing the edge into play and threatening the stumps from time to time.
"As a team we want to get back to basics, challenge the defence of each New Zealand batsman - and I hope you'll see that this week."
Bad weather forced England to train inside on Tuesday and although there may be interruptions during the series opener, the forecast for the opening day seems to be set fair.
Graeme Swann and Tim Bresnan are both back from elbow injuries, with the latter seemingly battling with Steven Finn for the final bowling berth in the XI. Kevin Pietersen is still sidelined, so Jonny Bairstow will get a further chance in the middle order alongside in-form Yorkshire team-mate Joe Root.
New Zealand, meanwhile, have decisions to make over their final line-up following the rain-affected draw with the England Lions at Grace Road last week in their final warm-up fixture.
Peter Fulton only scored seven in the tourists' one and only innings, but his two centuries against England in Auckland mean he seems likely to retain his opening berth ahead of the fit-again Martin Guptill.
Doug Bracewell's return to fitness also leaves skipper Brendon McCullum with a dilemma over who to pick in his bowling attack; Neil Wagner will definitely play, meaning New Zealand may opt to leave out spinner Bruce Martin and name four seamers, leaving them to rely on batsman Kane Williamson's offies.

domain: sports


Dell has introduced the XPS 13 Developer Edition, an Ubuntu 12.04 based notebook previously known under the "Project Sputnik" codename. This new high-end laptop 13.3" laptop packs Intel Ivy Bridge series Core i5 and i7 processors, 8GB DDR3-1600, a 256GB SSD, integrated graphics and unfortunately a 1366 x 768 pixel screen. Shipments will start around December 11, 2012, you can currently pre-order it at Dell for $1,449. The price is about $50 less than an equivalent Windows-based XPS 13.
However, Dell is changing that. Earlier this year, they announced a pilot program, "Project Sputnik," intended to produce a bona fide, developer-focused Linux laptop using their popular XPS-13 Ultrabook as base hardware. The program turned out to be a rousing success, and this morning Dell officially unveiled the results of that pilot project: the Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition.
The laptop comes with Ubuntu Linux 12.04 LTS plus a few additions. Dell worked closely with Canonical and the various peripheral manufacturers to ensure that well-written, feature-complete drivers are available for all of the laptop's hardware. Out of the box the laptop will just work. They also have their own PPA if you want to pull down the patches separately, either to reload the laptop or to use on a different machine.


Henry's Lever Action 410 Shotgun features a blued steel-frame, dark straight-grained American walnut furniture, pistolgrip wrists, checkering fore and aft, sling swivel studs, and a good thick non-slip ventilated black rubber recoil pad at the rear. This model also features a 24" round barrel, with a removable Full choke, and large front brass bead, with no rear sight. Action: Lever Gauge: 410 Gauge Barrel Length: 24" Capacity: 5+1 Chamber: 2.5" OAL: 44.5" Weight: 7.5 lbs Receiver Description:Steel Stock Description: Walnut Chokes Included: F Barrel Description: Round Sights: Bead Front Hand: Right Stock Finish Group: Wood Metal Finish Group: Blued/Black
Brand Name : Henry
Distributor : Bullseyenorth.com
Distributor Product ID: 619835500014
Distributor SKU: H018-410
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Brazil Kombi Factory Floor Walk Through
In this piece, which was filed back early December 2013, the BBC’s Wyre Davies laments the end of Kombi production. Some of the best shots I’ve seen of the factory floor where most of the work is done by hand. Since Volkswagen Brazil has nothing to replace it with they should have simply keep making our favourite vehicle. Click the photo to go to the video and article on the BBC site.


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An blow up mattress is a sort of inflatable going to bed surface. It might have an individual chamber with regard to air or perhaps many minor pockets from air included, and it could make a person's camping experience more at ease. When you could be camping which has an air mattresses, it is actually a straightforward procedure to help make it convenient.
Spread over a blanket with your tent together with place that inflated blow up mattress on it. It will prevent warm from leaching to the ground under you. What's more, it will useful air mattress model from slippage around using a slippery outdoor tents floor.2
Place memory foam pad or maybe a layer in egg crate in addition to your blow up mattress. This provides a sensation which may be more just like sleeping at a bed. In addition, it can have a plastic-type material top bedding from currently being too elusive.3
Cover a mattress which has a fitted sheet or perhaps a mattress deal with. Not simply will this useful foam pad ready, it also will assist you maintain a temperature when you're sleeping. A egyptian cotton sheet as well as cover can wick sweat off your overall body, while any wool bed sheet or cover will allow you to hold warm in over the winter.4
Place pillows in the air mattresses. Good pillows can certainly make a huge difference to your own comfort if you are camping, and they will let you get greater rest.
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Submissions due Monday, May 1st, 7pm to the San Carlos Youth Center (1001 Chestnut St.)
Prizes announced Sunday, May 21st at 12:30 P.M. On the grass stage!
Elementary Kids Coloring Contest 2023
Upper Elementary Kids Coloring Contest 2023
Ryan Greco Memorial Art Contest 2023
Grades TK – 5th will receive “You Belong” coloring pages to complete and submit at school. Ryan Greco memorial middle school art contest are for Grades 6th-8th. Students may submit one piece of artwork that embodies the theme you belong at Hometown Days.
See other interesting events in San Carlos. You may also check the main calendar for the dates of these, or to save them on your personal calendar.
Click one of our contacts below to chat on WhatsApp


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Conflict Resolution A conflict in the organization can be defined as a disagreement that originates from differing interests and actions such as allocation of resources and responsibilities or even the overall organizational direction. Conflicts have significant effects on the performance of the employees due to de-motivation, which in turn affects the overall productivity of the overall organization. On one hand, organizational conflict is known to cause negative outcomes because of dissatisfaction and could even cause other negative issues such as lower turnover and increased absenteeism. It can also lead to trust issues among the employees and between the supervisors and the employees.
On the other hand, conflicts provide an opportunity for change especially for the organizations that have a positive view of it. This is where communication plays a critical role. This is because the positivity of the conflict is derived from communication with regards to acknowledging the existence of the conflict and searching its source. The act of attempting to resolve the conflict works effectively in not only defusing the problem but also ensuring the creation of a strong relationship.
Communication climate in the organization is paramount as it determines the frequency of conflicts as well as the strategies used in resolving the conflict. Conflict and communication have a close relationship in that a conflict cannot occur without communication and an organization cannot exist without communication. In turn, a conflict helps an organization in broadening the context of communication especially for the organizations that take conflicts positively as opportunities for improvement. Expectations and aspirations determine how individuals communicate and how they react to the information reaching them.
If the expectations collide with the oncoming information, a conflict is bound to occur (Handling Conflict n. d). The organizations that do not have a well-defined way of undertaking certain activities create misunderstandings, which frequently result in conflicts. This is because for an organization to be productive, communication must be present. How this communication is done determines the occurrence of conflicts. The pre-established culture in the organization determines how parties communicate while the direction of the organization affects how the organization views and deals with conflicts. The content dimension of a conflict incorporates objectives and observable aspects that include weather and money.
Communication still plays a critical role in content related conflicts (Moemeka 1-3). This is because this mode of conflict is determined by how a message is interpreted by the receiver. This may also be determined by relationships between the communicating individuals and goals that the employees are expected to realize. On grounds of content, conflicts may be procedural or substantive. Procedural conflicts may occur with respect to the approaches that differing parties prefer to use in realizing goal. This can be a constructive form of conflict because it offers multiple ways of completing a specified task.
For the organizations that view conflicts as opportunities, this is specifically taken as innovation or creativity. This is because the organization gets multiple ways of completing the subject task. This conflict can be resolved by using both methods to complete the same task and determining the most effective. Substantive conflict usually takes place when individuals differ on what the goal should be. This is also constructive in nature because it can lead to re-establishment of goals so as to create the most appropriate goals when considering all ideas that can be contributed by the conflicting parties.
A conflict may also materialize due to differing beliefs as well as values. Different individuals exhibit diverse systems of belief that result in a specified basic philosophy in their lives. These values and beliefs help individuals in determining what is right or wrong and establishes a specific viewpoint for the individual. When individual communicate, they become conscious of the other person’s viewpoints. If these viewpoints collide or are incompatible, then a conflict that is based on values and beliefs may take place.
For instance, a conflict may occur if an organization fails to provide secure workplaces mostly because the employees’ beliefs view such a workplace as a right for them and as something, that is morally right (Handling Conflict n. d). This happens because of incompatibility between the beliefs of the employee and what the organization is doing. Interpersonal or intergroup communication can be effective in resolving value-based conflicts. This is because these conflicts affect the affiliation between the involved parties and could influence their productivity in the organization.
On the other hand, these conflicts may occur because the involved parties feel that their values are being controlled. While this may affect their self-esteem, their productivity may also suffer. Since arguments are usually based on personal values, they cannot be used to resolve a conflict effectively because the other person’s values are conflicting. This is because it is not easy to change values through reasoning. Appreciation of the conflicting values by both parties can be very effective in resolving the conflict.
This is because both individuals become submissive for the purpose of a greater good, which is the goal that they are attempting to accomplish. There are various pre-established ways of resolving conflicts such as the Fisher and Ury conflict resolution model. These researchers maintain that conflicts are inevitable both within groups and within organizations. For this reason, people are bound to collide frequently due to the inherent differences between themselves. Fisher and Ury argue that people should handle conflicts through negotiating with respect to the differences (Fisher and William xi-xii).
The researchers also argue that their main mode of resolving a conflict is not how to avoid it but rather how to derive a positive change from it. This is because if conflicts are resolved effectively, problem-solving capabilities improve, interpersonal relationships are strengthened, and the overall stress surrounding the conflict reduces (Roche et al. 251). Fisher and Ury add that most negotiations fail because of positional bargaining. In addition, they argue that bargaining should follow a principled bargaining system. This is because while positional bargaining follows a win-lose paradigm, the principled bargaining is based on win-win situation.
This mode advocates for principles rather than positions. This procedure requires people to be separated from the problem, to focus on interests instead of positions, to invent mutual gain options, and always insist on usage of objective criteria on which to base the argument. These principles must be used collaboratively at all stages of the negotiation procedure. These stages include analysis of the problem, planning potential ways of resolving the issue, and agreeing on a solution. Separating people from the problem ensures that personal ego is not in the way of the process.
It also allows the involved people to get a clear view with regard to the conflict substance. This also involves trying to comprehend the viewpoints of the other individual and not attacking them. In addition, emotional reactions should also be avoided. When focusing on interests, the negotiators should ask the other party why they hold a certain position and even explain their own interests. The next step should be discussing these interests while anticipating to realize a solution.
When inventing options, the parties should look for options that have mutual gain. Proposals should also be made especially those that are appealing to the other party so as to increase the possibility of agreement (Fisher and William 13). Lastly, the objective criteria would include reasoning with respect to the most appropriate standards. This requires keeping an open mind. It is also requires that the parties do not yield to pressure or threats. From a personal perspective, my personal action plan would incorporate undertaking adequate research so as to determine the most appropriate methods to apply in conflict resolution.
Specifically, I would ensure that my organization does not view a conflict as deterrence but as an opportunity that can help the organization in advancing and becoming more creative. I would encourage the employees to view conflicts positively and engage in creative criticism so as to realize more from conflicts. I would also ensure that the employees are aware of ways to resolve conflicts before they escalate and lead to poor performance or dissatisfaction of the employees. Works Cited Fisher, Roger, and William Ury.
Getting to Yes: Negotiating an Agreement Without Giving in. London: Random House Business, 2012. Print. Handling Conflict. n.d. Web, 17 Oct 2014. http: //www. sagepub. com/upm-data/40152_Chapter9.pdf Moemeka, Andrew A. “Communication and Conflict in Organizations: Revisiting the Basics” Optimum, The Journal of Public Sector Management 28.2 (2010): 1-10. Print. Roche, William K., Teague, Paul and Colvin, Alexander J.
The Oxford Handbook of Conflict Management in Organizations: Roche. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014. Print.

domain: sociology


Propels us through city streets or on mountain trails. A multi-tasking Merino midlayer that works double duty as insulation and an outer shell. So smart and versatile, it's probably the cheapest cost-per-wearing pullover we own. Insulated with Smartloft wool insulation. Quilted DWR nylon shell shuts out wind and rain. 100% Merino side panels, sleeves, lining. Two secure pockets. Asym ¼ snap.
XS(2), S(4-6), M(8-10), L(12-14), XL(16).


After the launch of LG Optimus 2X, World’s First Dual-Core Processor phone in Korea, LG has introduced a new Android Phone. The name of the phone is LG Optimus Me P350.
LG Optimus Me P350
LG Optimus Me P350 is an Android Phone in the Optimus series. It features 3 MP Camera, Wi-Fi, GPS and 140 MB of Internal Memory. LG Optimus Me is available in various attractive colors; it supports expandable memory with MicroSD Card Slot Available.
LG Optimus Me P350 falls in the category of Smartphones.
Brief Features of LG Optimus Me P350
- 2.8-Inches TFT Touchscreen (Not Confirmed)
- Android 2.2 OS (Froyo)
- 3.2 MP Camera with Geo Tagging, Digital Zoom
- Edge & UMTS Network Support
- 140 MB Internal Memory
- 3G Connectivity support
- Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP + EDR
- MicroSD Card support (upto 32 GB)
- FM Radio, 3.5 mm Jack Headphones
- GPS & A-GPS Support
Price and release date of the LG Optimus Me P350 is not revealed yet. Stay Tuned for more updates.
Do share your views about this phone. We would love to hear from you.
If you find any wrong or incomplete specifications, Please provide us the feedback. Our efforts are always to provide full and correct LG Optimus Me P350 specifications, there can always a possibility of admitting a mistake.


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Guests agree: these stays are highly rated for location, cleanliness, and more.
Entire villa · 5 guests · 2 beds · 2 baths
Villa Paradiso Old traditional Istria houseHouse is situated near Umag the most important tourist spot in northwest of Istria in a peaceful locality surrounded by woods and meadows.
Ideal for families, couples that seeking for luxury holiday in the middle of nature.
House have private enclosed garden with the pool that is exclusively only for guest of the house.
Sea Apartment City CenterThe apartment is in the city center, on the beach. From the window you have a wonderful view on the bay and the city, and you can hear the sound of the waves in the background.

domain: travel