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Satsback Labs, the firm behind the European Bitcoin-back buying rewards platform, Satsback.com, has introduced its foray into the United States market, in line with a press launch shared with Bitcoin Journal.
With a strong community of over 500 on-line companions already established, Satsback.com goals to revolutionize the American buying expertise by providing shoppers nationwide the alternative to avoid wasting in Bitcoin whereas buying on-line for their necessities.
Already working in 16 international locations, Satsback.com marks its growth by introducing its Bitcoin-back buying mannequin to the American viewers. The platform seeks to empower shoppers by redirecting promoting budgets instantly into their Bitcoin wallets, offering them with financial savings in sound cash whereas aiding retailers in attracting new clients and boosting revenues.
“Bitcoin fixes many things, but being able to buy it is a luxury reserved for a shrinking minority of people with disposable income. This is a big problem even in developed countries like the US where household debt is at an all-time high,” said Satsback Labs CEO Tom Chojnacki. “We’re thrilled to provide US consumers with more ways to save in Bitcoin even if their budgets don’t allow for them to purchase it.”
Customers can now earn Bitcoin on purchases made by means of the platform from an enormous array of on-line shops in the US, together with main manufacturers like Macy’s, The Residence Depot, Reserving.com, and quite a few others, in line with the launch. By deciding on their desired retailer, following offered hyperlinks, and conducting purchases as typical, clients obtain a proportion of their fiat purchases again in BTC, delivered to their Lightning pockets of selection.
Moreover, Satsback.com gives a user-friendly browser extension suitable with Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. This extension can assist customers not miss alternatives to build up Bitcoin again on their purchases, alerting them when visiting partnered on-line shops.
Satsback.com says it invitations US consumers to affix the Bitcoin motion, reworking buying into an empowering expertise. By opting for Bitcoin rewards, customers can bid farewell to conventional level and fiat-back techniques, embracing monetary autonomy and signaling their values to retailers.


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About this item
- My name is Blaze and I've got a HOT temper!
- Reacts to sound, motion and touch
- Wild roars, chomping jaws, and even a little dino gas
- Grips onto your finger and fiercely loyal
- Batteries included; additional colors sold separately
Meet the Fingerlings Untamed baby Velociraptors! These newborn creatures are fierce and unpredictable, and know friends vs. foes. In untamed mode, they roar, hiss and chomp! In tame mode they nuzzle, purr and love to be near you. Complete with snapping jaws and gripping claws, these interactive dinos react to touch, motion, and sound with over 40 different sounds and animations.
Number of Pieces: 1
Dimensions (Overall): 8.88 inches (H) x 2.48 inches (W) x 5.88 inches (D)
Weight: .46 pounds
Material: Plastic, metal
Includes: 1 figure, instruction manual
Features: Attachable, motorized motion
Suggested Age: 5 Years and Up
Doll Theme: Dinosaurs
CPSC Choking Hazard Warnings: Choking_hazard_small_parts
Battery: 4 LR44 Alkaline, Required, included
Warranty: 90 day limited warranty. To obtain a copy of the manufacturer's or supplier's warranty for this item, please call Target Guest Services at 1-800-591-3869.
Item Number (DPCI): 087-16-3535
If the item details above aren’t accurate or complete, we want to know about it. Report incorrect product info.

domain: hobby


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Haverhill man’s anger after cat shot on its first day out
A disabled man has hit out at the person who shot a cat he was looking after on its first day out.
The man from the Millfields Road area of Haverhill, who wants to remain nameless, said he had kept the cat Taz in for a few days, as advised by a vet, and let it out for the first time on Sunday October 30.
He said: “He came in an started eating his dinner, then I saw blood dripping. I called my niece in and she looked and found a gaping hole in his leg.
“We all get annoyed with animals messing in our gardens but there are other ways of getting them out. There are plenty of products on sale for keeping animals out of the garden, but to shoot a cat is not only cruel, it’s unfair.”
He is also worried that the person could have missed Taz and hit children on a nearby playing field.
Taz had been bought for the little boy soon after he was born, but the man said: “I’ve taken the cat on temporarily because a three-year-old thinks they’re toys.”
He said Taz has been nervous after the attack. The man added: “He’s such a friendly cat who would go to anyone – how could anyone do this to him?”
The man said he could not afford the £358 vets’ bill so the RSPCA was helping by allowing him to pay monthly.
Suffolk Police are appealing for information on the shooting, which happened between 2pm and 3pm.
Anyone with information should call the Haverhill Safer Neighbourhood team on 101 quoting 64058/16.

domain: news


text:
Get Alerts »
Police investigate shooting in Waikiki
In Washington, marijuana retailers were rushing this week to get their shops ready for the first legal pot sales in the state. The stores are allowed to sell to recreational users starting Tuesday.
Script / info to follow.
Tom Apple said he has been ousted as chancellor of the University of Hawaii Manoa campus.
Ukraine's military announced a one-day cease-fire on Thursday to allow international experts full access to the site where Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashed two weeks ago, officials said.


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If you want a blast in the past, then why not visit a heritage site in Bristol? Castles, palaces, stately homes all have much to offer youngsters in lessons of the past and seeing how we used to live.
Showing all in Bristol
BS4 3EW, Brislington
Arnos Vale Cemetery is one of the earliest and most important working Victorian cemeteries in the UK.
BS10 7QS, Henbury
Situated in the beautiful parkland of the Blaise Estate at Henbury - the Museum is situated in an 18th century house and holds most of the M
BS1 6TY, Canon's Marsh
Step on board the most extraordinary time-machine. Brunel’s ss Great Britain, the world’s first great ocean liner is Bristol’s no.1 attracti
BS3 2JT, Southville
Research at the Centre for Fine Print Research is based on the production of the physical artefact, primarily predicated in print.
BS8 4LD, Clifton
Thousands of people pass the bottom entrance to the Clifton Rocks Railway as they drive along Bristol's Portway, with most not knowing what
BS1 5HH, Central Bristol
In Between Time is an international production company creating extraordinary art works, and the biennial In Between Time Festival. We encou
BS11 0LP, Lawrence Weston
Kings Weston Villa was discovered during the construction of Lawrence Weston housing estate in 1947; the construction of a road partially de
BS1 6TY, Canon's Marsh
Over 500 years ago John Cabot and his crew set sail for Asia aboard the original Matthew hoping to trade goods and commodities with the peop
BS1 6ST, Canon's Marsh
ROOM is an artist run space situated in the centre of Bristol, very near the docks. It was built as an artist/architect collaboration.
BS1 6UX, Canon's Marsh
Spike Island is an international centre for the development of contemporary art and design. A vibrant hub for production, presentation and d
BS1 4QA, Canon's Marsh
The Architecture Centre is an independent organisation dedicated to the exploration and promotion of excellence in all aspects of the built
BS1 5JG, Central Bristol
The Bristol Folk House is an adult education centre in the centre of Bristol. We provide a variety of part-time day and evening classes and
BS1 5RR, Central Bristol
The Georgian House is an 18th century, six storey townhouse that has been restored and decorated to its original glory.
The house was built
BS1 5LJ, Central Bristol
The Red Lodge is often described as Bristol's 'hidden treasure' because of its magnificent Tudor rooms. The house, built in 1580, is furnish
BS1 6XG, Canon's Marsh
The Underfall Yard is one of the only surviving Victorian dock workshop complexes in the world – its importance has been recognised as a Sch
BS1 5TX, Canon's Marsh
Watershed is a cross-artform venue and producer, sharing, developing and showcasing exemplary cultural ideas and talent. With audiences and
In the Know
Looking for somewhere near you....
The CSA is failing thousands of parents...
The successful event is back for 2016
Family Fun for all this weekend
Having your own Bonfire this year?
Stay safe this bonfire night by taking your family to one of the organised bonfires and firework displays across the South West England.
Don't let the kids get bored this Half Term
It's time to apply for secondary school places for September 2017
It's time to get your applications in for next years intake
October 10th is World Mental Health Day, and Bluebell are delight have officially launched their new project here in Bristol.
If you dream of a family flexible career, are passionate about music and value early music education, join our fantastic franchise team!
Spooky events this October
Want to know where to go this year? Read on for more info
Rainy days don't need to be boring
Making sure you enjoy family fun in South Bristol

domain: geography


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Quilombo started its agribusiness activities in 1984, with the breeding of Nelore cattle on Quilombo Farm, located in Indaiatuba, 80 km from São Paulo. Represented by a high selection of Nelore Elite cattle it was among the most awarded farms in Brazil, being champion in 1999, being granted the award for best breeder in Brazil.
In 1996, believing in the breed, with expressive achieved results and with the purpose of total integration of stockbreeding activity, Quilombo decided to increase its livestock. For that, it transformed the Perdizes Farm in Capo Grande-MS into its project for production of sires and wombs and has been, for over 15 years, the most modern assessment methodology, known as Nelore Genetic Breeding Program (PMGRN) of USP, assessing its animals for characteristics of weight gain and fertility.
Searching for a genetic progress, Quilombo uses the most advanced techniques of improvement and biotechnology available in the market, producing very high quality genetics, which ensures a differentiate commercial cattle with excellent results. In addition to PMGRN, our animals participate in the Test of Weight Gain in pasture with the supervision of Embrapa Gado de Corte (Embrapa - Brazilian Agricultural Research Company - Beef Cattle) – Campo Grande, organized by the farm itself. Created for 10 years, PGP Quilombo is the longest assessment of Nelore animals. It s a project that shows concern about producing animals highly specialized in pasture animal meat. The Herd is constantly tested and improved to ensure animals that stand out with a high level production. Currently, Nelore Quilombo is fully dedicated to result stockbreeding, being based on all its expertise and reputation achieved in cutting edge genetics.
Aiming at the optimization of the production of Perdizes and Nazaré Farms, Quilombo started investing in forestry in 2008. It planted, in an approximate land area of 4,000ha, 5.2 million of eucalyptus seedlings which will be designed for the production of raw material for cellulose industry. Through the acquisition of lands, the company plans to increase its investments in the sector and have 30,000ha of planted area by 2020.
This is Quilombo, a company that believes in Brazil and in its growth, and knows that the sustainability of the agribusiness goes through investments in productivity, environment preservation and that only the professionalization of the country may keep us competitive.

domain: agronomy


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Fun Boat Tours For All Occasions
Whether you're looking for a great way to spend your birthday or want to host a special event, Mixx Cruise can help you find the perfect boat. Call today to speak with a party planner.
Check out the coolest boat tours charleston sc this summer. Choose from a cantina-themed trip, a lobster-centric excursion, or a relaxing happy hour float.
Booze cruises are a great way to have fun and let loose without worrying about getting home afterward. They are usually a few hours long and feature live music or other entertainment. They are popular among tourists and locals alike, and they are a great way to make new friends.
Several local tour operators offer booze cruises in the Turks and Caicos. These excursions typically sail to the Leeward and Little Water Cay area of Providenciales so that participants can witness a colorful sunset. Additionally, they may include a stop for snorkeling and time at a natural pool.
These excursions are also ideal for a bachelor or bachelorette party. Many of them include a DJ that plays the best Hip Hop, Latin, Top 40 and Old School hits. As a result, a booze cruise is the perfect way to celebrate an event or spend a night out with your friends. However, it is important to choose a reputable company for these events.
Deep Sea Fishing
Deep sea fishing is an adventure that takes you far from the shore and into the deeper waters of the ocean. This is where you find a number of exotic fish species that lure fishermen from all over the world.
A quality captain will know how to put you in the best position to catch your dream fish, and a good charter will provide all of the equipment you need for an unforgettable experience. If you want to maximize your chances of a good catch, you should consider taking a full-day trip.
Depending on the time of year and type of fish you want to target, you will have the option to take home your catch or release it so that it can live to fight another day. Some fishermen even work with fishery monitoring projects, tagging and logging their catches before releasing them to ensure the health of their local fishery.
Explore the city from a new perspective on a private small boat charter! Get up close and personal with the iconic landmarks and vibrant neighborhoods that define this beautiful city. Your captain will take you to places larger boats cannot, and you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy the ultimate in seclusion and luxury.
This cruise is perfect for family reunions, romantic getaways or a day to spend with friends. Reconnect with loved ones on the beautiful San Diego bay and make memories that will last a lifetime.
When deciding to offer both public and private experiences, it’s important to think through how you will manage your resources. For example, if Alex is offering their 2hr Sunset Proposal Cruise with one of their smaller boats on a Friday evening, they will need to restrict the availability of that product for that date. This can be easily accomplished in Checkfront using our powerful tool, Product Builder.
Group tours are ideal for those who want to travel with others, but don’t want to be responsible for planning and organising everything. You can relax knowing that a professional tour operator will take care of all the logistical details and you’ll be able to sit back and enjoy your trip!
These types of trips usually include a guide who is a great source of information and will be able to answer any questions you might have about the destination. They are also able to deal with the more time-consuming tasks such as booking hotel accommodation or organising entrance tickets.
Generally speaking, groups are made up of people from the same location or with similar interests so you’ll be able to make friends with like-minded travellers and share your experience with others. In addition, larger group sizes can provide camaraderie as well as better value for money. In many cases you’ll be able to get discounts on hotels or attractions as part of your package.

domain: travel


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The handy thing about having a public library with a shelf featuring the latest fiction from international authors is it makes it really easy to find books that count towards reading challenges like the European Reading Challenge, the Books in Translation Reading Challenge, Middle East Reading Challenge and the Global Reading Challenge. One such piece of fiction I happened to stumble upon during a recent tour of the international authors shelf was The Devils Workshop by Czech writer Jachym Topol. Being unfamiliar with the author, I hesitated a bit before grabbing the short work of fiction. But after remembering that I needed something set in the Czech Republic for the European Reading Challenge I decided to take a chance on Topol’s novel. Good thing I did because The Devil’s Workshop is pretty good piece of fiction.
Originally published in Czech in 2009 (an English version was finally published this year) The Devil’s Workshop is the first person fictionalized account of a former prison executioner, who after the fall of Communism finds himself herding goats to make living. Later, he falls in with a group of enterprising young idealists and gets swept up in their attempts to turn a former Nazi concentration camp into a tourist destination. Their little experiment of free love, capitalism and Holocaust remembrance soon attracts the attention of the Belarusian government, which ends up sending pair of agents to make contact with those running the project. The result is a darkly comical look at not just the post-Communist world of Eastern Europe but also the horrors of the Second World War’s Eastern Front.
I enjoyed Topol’s novel. I found it dark and funny, as well as edgy and somewhat subversive. But not completely amoral. If a person enjoys the fiction of Ian Banks, Chuck Palahniuk, Tibor Fischer or the Austrian novelist Thomas Glavinic there’s a good chance you’ll like The Devil’s Workshop.

domain: library


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"We need to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves. We have to step up as women and take the lead."
March is Women’s History Month (March 8 is International Women’s Day) and my upcoming gig at Golden Gate Bandshell is part of a monthslong series of shows featuring women-fronted acts. This week, the team of producers released a series of artwork promoting the performers in the series emblazoned with the words ‘Lift Every Voice.’
I was happy to see this. It took me many years to use my voice, then find it, and finally, have the gumption to use it. This was in no small part because of my own internalized sexism: I didn’t grow up with many role models when it came to women of all ages and sounds using their voices. And while I was a very creative kid who wrote songs and poetry, once I hit puberty, I learned that it was most important to be attractive to men. Personally, there’s been a lot to unpack. But it’s given me a sense of mission: Every time I’m performing and notice a little girl watching me play, I know I’m normalizing the fact women DO this. And that in itself is no small thing.
There is still real gender disparity in music: The Annenberg Inclusion Initiative at the University of Southern California released a study on gender inequality in the music industry which found that less than three percent of producers were women and less than 13% of songwriters were women! Women’s Audio Mission states that “Less than 5% of the people creating the sounds, music and media in the daily soundtrack of our lives are women/gender non-conforming (GNC) individuals.”
But the voices are out there. And here in the Bay Area alone, I know a large number of diverse and amazing women-identifying musicians. Throughout the 2010s, I put together several years-worth of regular songwriter nights — at High St. Station in Alameda and Oakland’s Octopus Literary Salon before they closed — and it wasn’t hard to ensure women were equally billed. More recently, in 2020, I took an Intro to Recording & Audio Production class through WAM (via Zoom) and was delighted to be among dozens of up-and-coming, very empowered women (most of them younger than me) who were writing, producing and recording all genres of music.
So I’m doubly happy my first full-band show in two years is part of a series highlight women songwriters. Lift every voice indeed!
Find out more about the Golden Gate Bandshell Concerts HERE

domain: artistic


Deriding theand Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed to be Congress' "grim reaper" and thwart all progressive proposals on the Senate floor.
"If I'm still the majority leader of the Senate after next year, none of those things are going to pass the Senate," the Kentucky Republican told a small crowd during an event in his home state Monday. "They won't even be voted on. So think of me as the Grim Reaper: the guy who is going to make sure that socialism doesn't land on the president's desk."
Before referring to himself as the personification of death, McConnell, the White House's most powerful ally on Capitol Hill, accused Democrats in Congress and those running for president of endorsing a fringe, far-left agenda that will imperil the American economy.
"You pass the Green New Deal and Medicare for All, you have fundamentally changed this country, fundamentally changed it into an unproductive place with significant unemployment and huge problems," McConnell said, noting that some of his colleagues in the Senate who are running for president, like Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris and Cory Booker, have vouched their support for both proposals.
McConnell said progressive platforms are being touted by most mainstream Democrats, not just "some young woman from New York who just got elected to Congress," presumably referring to freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who represents parts of Queens and the Bronx.
"It's much broader than that," McConnell said.
Alan He contributed to this report.


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Berry Coconut Smoothie Mix
The Berry Coconut Smoothie makes a mouthwatering, nutrient-dense snack or dessert. This smoothie features The Pure Food Co Berry Crumble as the nutritionally fortified base.
This smoothie can help meet daily nutritional and energy requirements.
The recommended daily intake (RDI) of protein for females (>70 yr) is 57g protein per day and for males (>70 yr), it's 81g a day*. The Berry Coconut smoothie contains 9.1% of the RDI for females and 6.4% of the RDI for males.
Per serve (180ml):
Ingredients (Serves 5)
- 500g Pure Foods Berry Crumble
- 1 cup Coconut Milk
- 1 cup Vanilla Ice Cream
- 2 tbsp Honey
Preparing this smoothie is easy: place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until well combined and divide amongst glasses to serve!
The smoothie can be easily adjusted to make a single serving. Simply use 100g Berry Crumble with the same ingredient ratio, blend it all together enjoy!
Treat your taste buds with this easy, delicious and fortified smoothie and reach your daily nutritional targets!
(*Nutrient reference values, 2006)

domain: food


ESTES PARK – Low snowfall has stalled burning of slash piles throughout Larimer County.
During a typical winter, specialists could burn up to 400 piles around Hermit Park, Carter Lake and Horsetooth Park Open Space, a way to fight fire with fire and improve wildlife habitat.
This year, Hermit Park caretaker Josh Wagoner burned 12 piles early in the season, but a lack of snowfall has prevented any more burns at his site outside Estes Park. The area received less than half an inch of snow between Dec. 1 and Jan. 31 – a time that typically sees 4.5 inches.
At lower elevations like Carter and Horsetooth, no piles have been burned this winter because it has been so dry. State regulations require 3 inches of snow as well as winds less than 10 mph before any prescribed or pile burning can occur.
“It’s all weather dependent,” said Jeffrey Boring, resource specialist with Larimer County Department of Natural Resources. “We will accumulate more piles if we have to.”
At Hermit, there are about 300 waiting to burn, some dating back three years, and crews are thinning in that and other areas as fire experts wait for prime conditions to burn.
Thinning is important to reduce the fuels that could burn during a wildfire and to create space between trees for more ground cover as well as more diversity in age and species of trees.
“Fire is a natural part of the forest ecology that doesn’t happen any more,” said Boring. “We have become good at suppressing fire, and with development, we can’t let it burn.”
The healthier forest improves wildlife habitat, makes trees more resistant to beetles and other diseases and makes a severe out-of-control wildfire less likely.
The Canyon Lakes Ranger District of the National Forest has had better luck with burning this winter. With piles scattered in many locations across the district, there are more options to burn depending on where the snow accumulates and other weather factors.
The Red Feather Lakes area has adequate snow cover to burn, and crews have burned a total of 1,823 piles there.
“We’re happy we have been able to burn the number of piles we have,” said Reghan Cloudman, spokeswoman for the district.
With 500 piles across Hermit, Carter and Horsetooth, Larimer County officials are waiting for Mother Nature to deliver a significant base of snow, low temperatures and low wind.


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Panama & Costa Rica: Soaring, soaking and snacking in Central America
Mary O'Sullivan enjoys a travel adventure with a difference in Panama and Costa Rica
"Do it, do it, do it, no one dies doing it," the normally cowardly Eleanor Goggin of this parish exhorted me before I headed off to Central America.
She was referring to the fact that part of my itinerary was a morning of ziplining over the canopy of the rainforest in Costa Rica, something she like me, would ordinarily have freaked at, but she was feeling smug because she had - reluctantly - ziplined in Las Vegas and lived to tell the tale.
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"But maybe I will be the one who does die?" I piped up weakly.
"Brilliant," she said, "then you will always be remembered as the wild one and not the lily-livered person you really are."
Harsh words but true. I've always hated roller coasters, etc and in my declining years I've become worse.
Flying business class with KLM to Central America via Amsterdam did take my mind off the harrowing ordeal due to happen five days later. I thoroughly enjoyed the delicious meals, the latest movie releases, not to mention the full bed included in the service.
The luxury continued at our first destination, Panama, where we stayed at the American Trade Hotel right in the heart of Casco Viejo, or the old town of Panama City, which is a Unesco World Heritage Site.
The hotel, one of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, is truly unique combining sustainability, the expected luxury of the SLH group - incomparable bedlinen and toiletries, Nespresso in every room - with a great building, exactly the kind of colonial haunt you'd see in movies about happenings in South America.
It was built in 1907, initially as an apartment building and with its gorgeous architecture - lofty foyers, floor-to-ceiling multi-paned windows, mosaic floors, expansive spaces, stone staircases and balconies, it was lived in by the elite.
Like a lot of the Casco Viejo it was abandoned in the 1970s but in recent years it's been completely refurbished and there's so much to admire - the mid-century modern style furniture made from the trees which came down in Nicaragua during hurricane Felix, the original floors covered in wood salvaged from trees uprooted around the Panama Canal. Meals in the hotel were delicious as they were everywhere we ate in Panama.
Panama is a city of two parts. There's the modern part which rivals New York and Shanghai for its skyline; the many skyscrapers at its water's edge are either banks or apartments for high net worth individuals. Then there's the old city which in many ways is like Barcelona was before it became so touristic.
Casco Viejo has a web of tiny streets, working markets, quirky churches, edgy boutiques, cafes and palm-lined squares with old buildings. The cultural centre in Placa Francis was used as the hotel in Quantum of Solace. And, of course, there's lots of coffee and chocolate, and we enjoyed wonderful afternoons of organic tastings. Did you know the higher the chocolate content in your bar, the greater the snap?
Just near the city is the rainforest - the rainforest was one of the reasons KLM brought us here. The airline is keenly aware of its ecological obligations and because air travel is so harmful to the Earth's atmosphere, they are making it their mission to even out the damage by undertaking many sustainability projects. They recently announced the creation of Europe's first dedicated plant for the development of sustainable aviation fuel. Another project is their re-forestation programme in Panama - CO2OL Tropical Mix - under which they replanted 500 hectares since 2017.
The rainforest near the city is home to an indigenous tribe called the Embera who live on the banks of the Charges. They welcome tourists and we had a wonderful morning in their village with its thatched homes on stilts - they get a lot of rain in the rainy season! As we meandered down the river to their jungle home we enjoyed all sorts of wildlife - turtles, toucans, kingfishers, even a type of alligator known as a cayman.
Of course a trip in the rainforest is not like going to a zoo - you have to keep your eyes peeled and the more keen-eyed you are the more you see.
The tribe who wear traditional dress - bright dresses for the females, colourful loincloths for the males while everyone goes barefoot - chat as they work with tree fibres making baskets, and wood carving and beading.
One elder, Aleppio, brought us around their farm and had us tasting all sorts of herbs which they use for a variety of ailments, including a leaf called dormidera which they use for sleeping - it numbed my tongue instantly. According to our guide, Neil Armstrong and his team at Nasa learned jungle survival skills from the Embera people prior to heading into space.
After entertainment from the Embera and a meal of fried fish and plantains, we headed for the canal.
The canal is probably what most of us think when we hear the word Panama and, of course, it is hugely significant. Named one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, it means that ships which want to go from North to South America can, by going via the canal, cut three weeks off their journey.
Apparently it was first envisaged by Carlos V of Spain back in the 1500s; every power which colonised Panama talked about it but it was finally realised by the Americans who built it and opened it in 1914. It's said 20,000 people lost their lives during its construction. In the first year, 1,000 ships sailed through the canal; these days, they can expect 13,000 annually. It is mesmerising to witness giant cargo ships going through the seriously narrow series of locks and passing through unscathed.
By this stage most of the group, now in love with Panama, were sporting panama hats - but it was time to move on to Costa Rica.
All I knew about this lovely country before I landed was that most of the pineapples we eat come from Costa Rica. In fact there's so much more, including the fact that it's the most eco-conscious country in the world. It's home to phenomenal rainforests, produces some of the best coffee and chocolate plantations in the world and is outstandingly beautiful. As are the people whose mantra is pura vida - basically meaning life is great.
It's also probably the adrenaline sports capital of the world - hence the ziplining. You could ignore that of course and just relax as we did for much of our time in our fabulous base - Tabacon Thermal Resort and Spa, two hours from the capital San Jose. Tabacon, another Small Luxury Hotel, is situated within a few miles of the Arenal volcano and its USP is its many hot spring pools which come from Arenal.
The springs, set in lush rainforest, are 100pc natural, and alongside them is a fabulous spa and pool complex. Again sustainability is important - all the hot water in the gorgeous rooms comes from the springs and they had us planting saplings which would be later moved to the rainforest.
The cuisine rivalled that of Panama - the breakfast had everything you could wish for - fresh fruit, fresh juices, pastries, breads, eggs every which way, a cheeseboard to die for and it being a spa, the most incredible fresh smoothies. Dinner was Michelin-star quality.
But then they're lucky in terms of the quality of the ingredients they can draw on as we discovered when we visited the organic coffee and cocoa bean farm of Don Erasmo. The scent of herbs, including turmeric, lemon grass, peppermint, coriander, oregano, pimiento - the mix of herbs was due to the mix of nationalities who came to Costa Rica to build the railway back in 1873 - filled the air, while the pineapples, lychees and mangos oozed juice.
Andreas showed us how they grow, harvest and roast coffee the organic way. Apparently many families in Costa Rica have small holdings. It's not easy to harvest and the Costa Rican tradition was to have families of 15, 20 children in order to help with the harvest. Families are smaller now but interestingly, while child labour is illegal for everything else, it's still legal for coffee harvesting.
Coffee drinking is ingrained in the psyche of the Costa Rican, and a person is judged by the quality of the coffee he gives a guest. Don Erasmo gave us the best accompanied by a local snack - a type of batter made with cassava and stuffed with cheese, called Enyucado. Yummy.
Not so yummy were the many insects and other wildlife we spotted on a hanging bridges walk through the rainforest near Tabacon.
Hanging high above the many trees we were enthralled by our guide Gabriella who spoke so fluently and warmly about the living things she drew our attention to - including a variety of deadly snake called the eyelash snake whose bite would kill you in two hours - that I got a new perspective about the many creatures which surround us. Her story about the fly bot which gets pleasure out of getting into the head of the tarantula and tormenting it had me even feeling sorry for tarantulas.
The next day, I was feeling even more sorry for myself. The time for the zipline had come. I was even more terrified when I discovered I would have to do SEVEN, swinging through the canopy of the rainforest from one platform to another. Beforehand I genuinely felt as if my heart would burst out of my chest. I enlisted encouragement from one of my fellow travellers, all of whom were at least 20 years younger than me. Sian, a lovely Welsh woman, tried to console me by telling me the zipwire was just like a roller coaster. My least favourite thing in the whole world. Aargh.
But you know what. I did it. I admit that two gorgeous Costa Ricans, Manuel and Charlie from Sky Adventures, took turns coming tandem-style with me on four of the journeys but I did fly solo on the one they call Speedy Gonzales, the longest and the fastest.
Was it awful? Yes, Was it exhilarating. God yes. Have I got endless boasting out of the experience - oh my God , my family and friends are sick of me.
Do I intend to go back to Costa Rica? Definitely. But most probably more to soak in the hot springs and see my little yellow almond tree flourishing rather than ziplining again.
If you happen to go there, and I recommend you do, say pura vida to tree no 29/17.
Take Two: Top attractions
Miquel’s magic flute
Miquel, of the Embera people, played a flute he carved himself and told us his mother was 62 when he was born. He claims they have a tea which helps with infertility and people from all over have sought his help.
Raw fish heaven
Ceviche originated in Peru but is a big dish both in Panama and Costa Rica too. You can buy it in fish markets but every high end hotel has a version too. Raw fish marinated in citrus juices and fresh herbs. Yum.
American Trade Hotel, Panama City, and Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa, Costa Rica are members of Small Luxury Hotels of the World (slh.com).
■ American Trade Hotel offers 50 rooms, starting from £207 per night. Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa offers 103 rooms, starting from £259 per night.
■ KLM flies year round to Panama City and seasonally to San Jose, Costa Rica from Dublin Airport via its multi-award winning hub, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. ■ Economy fares from Dublin to Panama City start from €659 and business €2221
while economy fares from Dublin to San Jose start from €677 and business €2291.
■ Passengers can book online at klm.co.uk or by calling reservations on +44 20 76600293.
This feature originally appeared in The Sunday Independent.
Sunday Indo Living


By Steve Reed
The intersection at N.C. Highways 42 and 39 is about to undergo another change. It will become a roundabout.
Two years ago, the state Department of Transportation added a four-way stop.
NCDOT spokesperson Andrew Barksdale said the four-way stop was always an interim measure.
“It was an interim measure to improve the safety of this intersection until we can build the roundabout,” said Barksdale. “We did a report in 2015 describing the need for this project and the need to reduce crashes.”
One of the problems with the intersection, said Barksdale, is that it has a skewed angle.
“That makes it harder for people to stop and crane their necks to look for oncoming traffic,” said Barksdale. “This roundabout will eliminate that skewed angle of the present intersection.”
Barksdale described the project.
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A humble musician with a beautiful voice that is smooth like honey, Andrew Belle listened to popular music in his bedroom as a child, dreaming of making his musical mark on the world some day. And he has. With a number of recordings and live tours, Belle shares his songs in small clubs and large auditoriums, on shows such as "Grey's Anatomy" and "One Tree Hill," and nationally via radio. He was also named Best Breakout Artist, Chicago by MTV in 2009. Belle's album The Ladder takes us on a journey through contemplative thought as a romantic relationship ends. His vocals and the instrumentation paint a musical picture of the sadness and beauty of love and loss.
The album opens with "The Ladder," embodying tight vocal harmonies over clear guitar picking. The song depicts the good and bad rungs of relationships, some high and some low. Belle features vocalist Katie Herzig on "Static Waves." A bright and syncopated guitar line begins the song as Belle enters, then flowing violin lines converge as Herzig sings. More than a song, this audible art features overlapping strings, guitar, and voices creating delightful patterns by the song's end.
In "Tower" we feel the introspective nature of this singer–songwriter's heart. There seems to be a space between him and the woman he craves. This song helps listeners feel that space, his yearning, and the life he lives that is simply not right without her. "I'm walking a tightrope / Above the city / Cars are passing by / Beneath my feet / I'm wanting you to walk with me / On this wire / From tower to tower." "Reach" has a soft guitar entrance that is followed by a counterchord sequence, which complements the main theme so well and is embellished by low, low piano keys. Sung in full harmony, the song ends as quickly as it begins, sharing a question we all have in life: why do we want to be connected? "Tell me why you reach / Grasping for my knee, my wrist / The ladder on this beach / Connecting you to me like this."
Have you ever wondered what it takes to find the love of your life? Is it your dream to find a life-partner who will love, cherish and adore you? Finding true love is possible for any one at any age if you're willing to prepare yourself, on all levels, to become a magnet for love. This course details the nine step process to manifesting the man or woman of your dreams and provides the step by step prayers, rituals, projects and exercises to do today. Manifestation involves preparing oneself on all levels including healing the emotional wounds of the past, clearly creating the future and learning to believe that your hopes, wishes and dreams can come true. This course includes simple, yet very effective techniques for finding your soulmate. The universe is set up to deliver the people and things we draw to us that are consistent with our personal belief system. If you learn to believe that the ONE is not only out there but is ALSO LOOKING FOR YOU, then true love can be yours. Your unconscious beliefs may be unconsciously blocking your soul mate from coming into your life. This course has been created to help you remove these blocks and guide you to attracting the partner of your dreams.


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text:
A full day ahead – Old Bonaventure is the home of “Random Passage” -- a TV series of early life along the sea. The town was built for the filming and is now a place to visit. The early homes were built of vertical logs and chinked with moss.
Of course you know who had to sit on the pot!
The movie “The Grand Seduction” was filmed near by. So we stopped at “Joe’s Place”
We were looking forward to the Trinity Pageant – an out door play whereby the audience strolls along from place to place….. but alas the cloudy skies opened up to rain. We did see the 1st act.


SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — An Illinois House-ordered audit of the College of DuPage has noted that a severance payment to a former president outstripped ones offered to peers at other colleges.
The review released Wednesday by Auditor General Frank Mautino found nothing illegal about the $763,000 severance payment last year to ex-president Robert Breuder to end his contract three years early.
House Republicans called for the audit in May 2015 of the school in the Chicago suburb of Glen Ellyn.
The audit said of 16 other community college presidents’ separation packages, only three included lump-sum payments — at most, $380,000 at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills.
It noted state law that took effect a year ago limits community college presidents’ contracts to four years and severance payments to one year.
via illinois_house – BingNews http://ift.tt/1LRfm4T
September 28, 2016 at 10:42PM


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Dangote Cement PLC, Africa’s largest cement producer, has announced the issuance of 50 billion Series 1 and 2 Notes under its 150 billion Commercial Paper Programme.
In order to strengthen the group’s Executive management team and sustain its strategic business growth trajectory, Dangote Industries Limited (DIL has announced new appointments.
The Women Elite Sports Empowerment Initiative (WESIE) was founded in 2012 by British/Nigerian Funke E. Adeniji, who began playing basketball in her teens, working her way up from collegiate level basketball in the UK to division 1, the UK’s premiere league for women.
IDH, The Sustainable Trade Initiative, has received a grant of a $2 million grant from The Rockefeller Foundation to the IDH Cassava Initiative, to go towards industrializing the cassava value chain in Nigeria.
Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is visiting Nigeria to see first-hand the progress the country is making on primary healthcare provision, polio eradication, nutrition and financial inclusion.
The business educational development of Northern Nigeria took a new turn at the weekend when Aliko Dangote donated a N1.2 billion ultra-modern business school edifice to the Bayero University, Kano, (BUK), first of such in the northern part of the country.
In his commitment to encouraging entrepreneurship in the country as a way out of the economic doldrums, Nigeria’s business magnate, Aliko Dangote, is donating another N1.2 billion structure for running of business school in Bayero University, Kano.
For bond investors, Africa was a happy hunting ground last year. Its local-currency and dollar securities easily outperformed those of emerging markets overall as investors piled into a continent offering high yields and starting to recover from the commodity bust of three years ago.
Nigeria’s manufacturing giant, Dangote Cement, has received legislative approval from the Liberian Senate for the production of cement in the West African country.
Succor came the way of the over a thousand hitherto dejected traders affected by the Kano Market fire disasters few months ago as the renowned business mogul, Aliko Dangote made good his promise and donated N500m to rehabilitate them.


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Digital advertising spend to reach $1bn in MENA by 2017
Global ad spend is on track to grow by 5.5% this year and reach $537bn, with online ad spend accounting for nearly one-quarter of the staggering amount. The global growth of the advertising sector is paralleled closely in the MENA region: digital ad spend in 2013 reached $300m, and is increasing at 37% per year to reach an astounding $1B in 2017.
“Digital advertising is the fastest growing segment in the region – and not surprisingly,” said Tom Roychoudhury, Chief Innovations Officer of Middle East Communications Network (MCN).
“With a majority of the population under 25 – who spend a significant portion of their wake time online, digital advertising is the only real channel for brands to engage today’s target audience in the region. The GCC leads this, with the UAE, KSA and Qatar on the digital ad market leaderboard,” he added.
Global interest in mobile advertising is also surging: mobile ad spend grew 105% in 2013 and is expected to reach $31.5B globally. This is also mirrored in MENA, where mobile ads grew by 58% to reach $85m this year (compared to $50m last year). “Smartphone penetration and hours spent online in the Arab world, and the GCC in particular, are amongst the highest worldwide,” said Zafer Younis, co-founder at The Online Project. “Traditional media in these countries is still heavily controlled and monitored by the government. So, I do expect our region to be fast in switching to digital. The consumers have already made the shift, advertiser will follow shortly,” he added.
The increasing interest in digital and mobile advertising is disrupting the traditional business of ad agencies, many of whom are restructuring their organizations and building digital capacities to enable them to better serve their clients’ digital marketing needs. Chief Innovation Officers, like Roychaudhury and Yousef Tuqan of Leo Burnett, are in many cases charged with leading this transformation. “We have seen the steady evolution of communications & content from analog to digital, and from digital to mobile and social,” stated Tuqan. “Any successful communicator, in the GCC or anywhere else, must adapt to this new paradigm,” added Tuqan.
Digital marketing and advertising are key topics that will be discussed in depth at the upcoming ArabNet Digital Summit, taking place on June 3-5 at Atlantis Hotel, The Palm, Dubai. The conference will include Ad+Tech Academy, a full day of workshops on digital, social, mobile, and video advertising. ArabNet’s summit is set to convene more than 1,000 executives, investors, entrepreneurs, and media from the four corners of the world. More than 130 speakers will gather during the event to discuss the latest digital opportunities shaping the Arab digital industry.
For more information please contact:
Tel: +9611751180 /1/2


FORT WORTH — Outside the old Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, hundreds of soldiers — surrounded by family members — prepared to say goodbye on Sunday.
But this is not just any day for an overseas deployment; it's Father's Day, and there was no shortage of tears — especially for Stephanie Forward.
"Ya'll gonna make me cry," she said, frantically fanning her face. "Stop!"
Forward watched a short but elaborate ceremony honoring her son-in-law as well as hundreds of comrades with the U.S. Army National Guard 3rd Battalion, 144th Infantry Regiment. She said the toughest part was that the deployment happened on a day set aside to honor dad.
"I'm proud and I'm emotional, but I know he's going to be fine," Forward said about her son-in-law, Army Spc. Davon Robinson. His regiment is headed for Afghanistan. They will be there for a full year.
This is Robinson's first deployment. "I'm happy to serve with this unit," he said. "It's a great unit."
To cheer up the troops, family members greeted soldiers with applause. They watched as luxury buses unloaded four female and several hundred male service members.
One of the battalion's leaders beamed with pride. "The outpouring of support from the families and what they see today give them a great boost for what they are going to do," said Maj. Gen. James K. Brown.
The brief ceremony included a message of inspiration; a lot of praise; and then final farewells.
This is the second deployment for Lorinda Starkey's husband. She said it is never easy.
"It's hard. It's crazy," she said. "You just gotta take it one day at a time and pray about it."
Sgt. Tanerrius Robinson, who is spending his first Father's Day away from his son, hopes his service to Operation Enduring Freedom will pass quickly and that he returns home safely.
"I'm just ready to go ahead and get it over with," he said. "The minute we step foot in the country, we start counting down and counting those days off the calendar".


Both sides were unanimous to adjust the localisation rate to facilitate the joint venture’s manufacturing and assembling activities, making them on par with Vietnam’s automobile industry development strategy by 2025 with a vision to 2035.
Besides, the amended protocol details regulations on product origin, and allocation process for tariff rate quotas.
Following the free trade deal between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) clinched in 2015, the signing of the protocol in March 2016 created an important framework for cooperative automobile projects between Vietnam and Belarus – a member of the EAEU. MAZ Asia was established in Hung Yen province under the protocol.
At the signing ceremony, Minister of Industry and Trade Anh stressed Vietnam’s policy to develop the automobile into an important industry in the nation, which is able to meet domestic and export demand.
The sector is expected to serve as a locomotive for the development of other industries, and to gain competitive edge to join the global supply chain, he highlighted.
Six years ago, the Government issued a strategy to develop the Vietnamese automobile industry by 2025 with a vision until 2035. Accordingly, Vietnam was envisioned to be able to produce several important parts such as engine and gearbox, and initially join the global automobile value chain during 2021-2025.
Anh expressed his hope that with concerted efforts from businesses of both nations, MAZ-Asia will attain marked advancements in the coming time, as well as become an economic-trade-investment cooperation model between Vietnam and Belarus.


FAU’s Chamber Soloists Open a New Season
BOCA RATON (October 9, 2008) -- The department of music in the School of the Arts in Florida Atlantic University’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters will present a concert by the FAU Chamber Soloists on Saturday, October 18 at 3 p.m. in the Liberal Arts Auditorium on FAU’s Davie campus, 2912 College Avenue. Admission is free, though a donation is requested.
Leonid Treer is the artistic director and pianist for the Chamber Soloists. Performers in this concert include Ajit Damle, santoor; Sudhir Limaye, tabla; Shirish Patankar, sitar; and Medha Kulkarni, voice.
Leonid Treer, who was born in the former Soviet Union, has performed throughout the former USSR, Europe, Israel, the United States, Australia and the People’s Republic of China as a soloist chamber musician. Critics hail his “striking demonstration of the grand Russian piano manner,” citing his union of “sensitive, emotional interpretations with a formidable technique.”
Other concerts by the Chamber Soloists for the coming season on FAU’s Davie campus include “New World Visitors and Their Music, Part I” on Saturday, November 8 at 3 p.m. and “New World Visitors and Their Music, Part II” on Saturday, March 14 at 3 p.m.. For more information on these or any other music performances at FAU, call 561-297-3820 or visit www.fau.edu/music.
- FAU -


text:
Finding the Balance
The sandwich generation faces unique challenges. For many, meeting needs is a matter of finding a balance.
Have A Question About This Topic?
Combating counterfeiting remains core to preserving the integrity of the nation’s money.
Successful sector investing is dependent upon an accurate analysis about when to rotate in and out.
There are other ways to maximize Social Security benefits, in addition to waiting to claim them.

domain: economics


The on-going “exodus” of Afghans – now the second largest group entering the EU – has contributed to the increasing refugee numbers across Europe. This, in turn, has led to heated debates and an increased political polarisation between pro- and anti-refugee movements and parties. As governments and citizens struggle to handle the influx of refugees, their numbers – real and perceived – have become an instrument in domestic politicking. Several countries have tightened their laws and tried to close their borders, while others are considering doing so. Germany, whilst it initially generally welcomed refugees, has begun to take a much tougher line, for example, declaring it will deport Afghan asylum seekers whose applications are rejected. AAN co-director, Thomas Ruttig, pulls together figures, looks at trends and disentangles categories of refugees that are often mixed in the political debate. He also refers to an extensive interview with Richard Danziger, head of the office of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Afghanistan, which can be listened to exclusively here (link at the end of the text).At Europe's edge: exhausted refugees in a Serbian field. Photo: Refugee Aid Serbia.
Europe has been facing an enormous influx of refugees (1) this year. Most have been coming from Syria, whilst Afghans make up the second largest group. Social services in the receiving countries are increasingly strained, particularly at the local level. Citizens, politicians and governments are more and more split about whether to welcome the refugees or to increase the legal and practical hurdles for their entry. Xenophobic political groups are becoming more vocal as they try to push governments to take a more restrictive stance, but their impact on recent election results has been mixed so far: a win in the Swiss general election and gains lesser than predicted in the Danish one and in the Vienna mayoral elections. (The Austrian capital is on a major transit route for refugees travelling to Germany and northern Europe.)
Several countries, including Germany and Austria, have amended laws to try to deter more refugees from entering. Sweden became the latest country to re-introduce temporary border controls on 11 November. In late October, Germany as the first country announced specifically that it considers deporting Afghan refugees who have had their asylum applications rejected; the statement came from interior minister Thomas de Maizière whose portfolio includes refugee affairs. A final decision, though, has not been taken yet, and foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has reportedly called such deportations “barely possible” given a “dramatic” deterioration of the security situation in Afghanistan. (2) There is also the suggestion by the interior ministry to deny Afghan refugees access to German language courses, which are key to integration arguing that refugees from countries with an acceptance quota below 50 per cent had “no prospects to stay” in Germany. (46 per cent of Afghan asylum seekers, on average, were given a refugee status or some other form of protection in 2014; the latest available data, for October 2015, indicated a 44.9 per cent acceptance rate.)
The EU has failed so far to come up with a system of burden-sharing that is acceptable to all member states. At the same time, large numbers of volunteers continue to work to accommodate the refugees and help fill the gaps when authorities are either unable or, sometimes, even unwilling, to find ways to cope.
With the increasing political polarisation, refugee figures have become a tool in mainstream domestic politics. Figures are sometimes exaggerated and often mixed up, and categories confused (see footnote 1 again). For example, the number of people entering Europe differs from the number of asylum requests. At the same time, the numbers of asylum requests are also higher than that of the actual asylum seekers, as many refugees request asylum in several countries during their odyssey through Europe. Similarly, in August 2015, of the 11,522 Afghans who entered Germany, only 2,270 requested asylum.
The deportation debate: Germany
Germany, once considered one of the EU countries with the softest line on refugees, was the first country where the government has confirmed that it has plans to deport large numbers of Afghan refugees whose asylum application had been rejected after years of allowing them to stay. According to Pro Asyl, the largest non-governmental organisation in Germany working in this sector, 7,000 Afghans might be affected by this threat of deportation.
Other European countries have already deported rejected Afghan asylum seekers, including Norway and Sweden. In Great Britain, the deportation of 60 Afghans as part of a larger group, was stopped in August 2015 at the last minute, after the Lord Chief Justice ruled it was only safe to return Afghan asylum seekers if sent to the three provinces of Kabul, Bamiyan and Panjshir (read here and here).
As is the case in many countries, the deportation debate in Germany focuses on whether the security situation in Afghanistan allows for deportations and whether there are, at least, ‘safe areas’ within the country to which people could ‘return’. The government says yes, while commentators, even on mainstream government-funded media, have, in an unprecedented way, sharply attacked the government’s arguments. One commentator , on Germany’s TV channel for the world, Deutsche Welle, called the generally overly positive portrayal of the security situation in Afghanistan by the government “untenable,” particularly after Kunduz, the former main base of the German ISAF troops, fell into the hands of the Taleban for two weeks in September/October this year. Up until 2009, the German government did not even accept that a “war” was going on in Afghanistan. After the Taleban takeover of Kunduz, interior (and former defence) minister de Maizière only commented that “of course, in Afghanistan security is not as good as elsewhere.“ (3)
Meanwhile, a report by the German Embassy in Kabul quoted in the media has come to more grave conclusions. The report speaks about an “extension” of Taleban influence, a “highly” or “extremely” dangerous situation in half of the country’s districts and a “rapid” deterioration of the security situation even in areas so far considered safe and (cited here, in German). According to conflict and peace research institutes (see, for example, here), the conflict in Afghanistan is still a “high-intensity internal armed conflict”. This is also proven by the rising rate of civilian casualties (AAN analysis here).
Another remark by the minister – that “as large amounts of development funds are sent to Afghanistan, one can expect that Afghans remain in their country” – was called “particularly cynical” by another commentator on the leading TV network, the ARD.
One point of debate is how the large numbers of Afghans leaving their country would further increase the burden on Germany. According to a report by the German Joint Analysis and Strategy Centre for Illegal Migration (in German: Gasim) up to 100,000 Afghans currently leave their country every month. (4) Gasim reports are not usually publicly available, and its figures were first published in the right-wing daily newspaper Die Welt on 28 September 2015. It seems that, in this case, the report had been intentionally leaked, possibly to influence the heated political debate taking place, even within Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition.
According to Richard Danziger, head of the Afghanistan office of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), his organisation does not have figures on the number of Afghans leaving the country:
Yes, I think we can talk about an exodus, [but] to be frank, we cannot talk about numbers. We know the numbers on arrival in Europe. Now we have been looking at all possible sources of information: passport applications, we talked with the [authorities at the] airport; we have offices at the border with Iran, so we looked to see whether there had been more deportations, which could mean more people on the way to Europe. We haven’t been able to piece anything together that could really give us the [full] information.
We do know the people are selling more bus tickets to Nimroz [province bordering Iran] for example. We know from the people at the airport – there are not many flights to Iran but – that flights to Iran are full of young men but return flights are definitely not full at all, so that’s an indicator. So, yes, I think we can talk about an exodus but we cannot put a number on it.
With regard to the often-cited increase in passport applications at the Afghan interior ministry’s passport office, Danziger urges caution, even though the indications are that numbers are increasing. The number of passport applications had indeed increased from about 3,000 per month earlier in the year to almost 8,000 by late September 2015, as reported by German broadcaster ARD quoting the office’s head General Sayed Omar Sabur from Kabul.
According to Danziger, the rush to obtain a (new) passport has also been attributed partially to the government implementing an international aviation regulation in May 2015 that no longer allows Afghans to use their old handwritten passport for travel abroad. This decision is almost certainly, or at least in part, the result of pressure on the Afghan government by western countries, where such passports have not been used for a long time and are looked upon with suspicion. Given the already difficult situation and lengthy procedures in Kabul to obtain a visa for nearly any country, this has put many Afghans into a state of near panic, as they fear they may no longer be able to travel in the future. This includes, in particular, students and post-graduates who have received overseas fellowships, and families who need to take relatives abroad for medical treatment (for Afghans, the most popular destination is India). Other applicants hope to obtain a passport in order to look for work in Iran, Turkey or the Gulf states.
Furthermore, not everyone who leaves Afghanistan necessarily arrives in Europe (let alone Germany). There are many stories of Afghans, who were discovered and detained by Iranian authorities, either at the Afghan, or the Turkish border, and then sent back to Afghanistan. Those who do eventually make it to Europe often do so only after a long and arduous journey, as Danziger also points out:
You have to consider that those people arriving in Europe now may not have left this year, because a lot of people move in stages. They may go to Iran, work to get enough money, go to Turkey, work [again]. They might have left in the past year, or two years ago.
The Afghan Ministry for Refugees and Returnees estimated, in a statement published on 2 November 2015 that, altogether, 120,000 Afghans have left the country this year, both “legally and illegally.”
General refugee figures
According to the latest UN estimates nearly 800,000 refugees crossed the Mediterranean into Europe this year. More than 218,000 did so in October 2015 alone — which is a record monthly tally and higher than the overall figure for the entire year of 2014, which was 216,000. By far most of them crossed the sea from Turkey to Greece, which is the preferred route for Afghan refugees, who usually travel via Iran and Turkey. Others crossed the Turkish-Greek or Turkish-Bulgarian land borders.
An incident at the border between Bulgaria and Turkey on 15 October 2015 was the latest “milestone” (as stated by Bulgarian President Rossen Plevnelyev) in the drama that refugees go through: a young Afghan – his name continues to remain unreported – became the first refugee shot dead at an EU border. The authorities of Bulgaria, where the incident happened, claim he was hit by a stray warning shot fired at a group of about 50 young Afghans trying to cross the border illegally. Many more refugees, among them many Afghans, have lost their lives when their boats have sunk in the Mediterranean. (5)
According to the latest available official EU figures, there were 399,000 “first-time asylum seekers” in the first half of 2015 in all EU countries combined. These figures, and all the following ones, are based on the first and second quarter reports by Eurostats, an EU agency (see here and here), unless otherwise sourced.
Germany had the highest number of asylum applications in the first half of 2015 (154,000 = 39 per cent of all submitted in Europe), followed by Hungary (65,400), Italy (30,100) and France (29,800). Taken by per capita of their population, Hungary, Austria, Sweden and Germany were at the top during that period. By October 2015, the total number of asylum seekers in Germany for that year had already increased to 331,226, according to official national figures. Sweden had 120,000 asylum applicants at the same point, compared to 75,000 in 2014.
The Afghans among the refugees
Over the first and second quarters of 2015, Afghans became the second largest group among the asylum seekers after the Syrians. According to the UN estimates, 19 per cent of the nearly 800,000 refugees that crossed the Mediterranean were Afghans, some 150,000 people.
In the first three quarters of 2015, 88,205 Afghans requested asylum in all EU countries. In the first quarter, they represented seven and in the second quarter 13 per cent of all EU asylum seekers (third quarter figure not yet available). At the end of the second quarter, the number of Afghans was 39,900 altogether, showing that the third quarter number was more than double that of the first two quarters together. By comparison, 37,810 Afghans had requested asylum across the EU in 2014 and 22,580 in 2013.
Most Afghans requested asylum in Hungary and in Germany in the first half of 2015. Hungary registered 17,660 Afghan asylum seekers – almost half the overall EU figure. Germany received 20,434 asylum requests (6.2 per cent of all asylum seekers in the country in this period) from January to October 2015, while 82,817 Afghans arrived there in the same period, 31,051 in October alone (up from 11,522 in August). According to these figures, Afghans were still only the fourth largest group of asylum seekers in Germany. In the first and second quarters, Afghanistan was not even among the top ten countries of origin.
The relatively low number of asylum seekers, compared to the number of arrivals, in Germany reflects the fact that only a relatively small portion of the incoming Afghans actually remain in the country. Only one in four Afghans coming to Germany asks for asylum there. Many travel to other countries, or are sent back to other EU countries (based on the Dublin Regulation that stipulates that a refugee must apply for asylum in the first EU country of entry). Alternatively, the choice is to go underground without applying. (6)
The situation in Sweden, for example, is different. According to Swedish officials, almost all refugees arriving in the country also apply for asylum there; only a few travel on to Norway. By 1 November 2015, Sweden had 21,551 asylum applications by Afghans. Between 2 and 8 November only, Sweden had over 10,000 incoming refugees, 42 per cent of them (4,333 individuals) Afghans. Of those, 2,299 were unaccompanied minors. In January this year, only 350 Afghans arrived in Sweden.
In 70 per cent of all Afghan asylum cases registered in the EU in the second quarter of 2015, a refugee or other protection status was granted. Germany’s overall acceptance rate for Afghans was 44.9 per cent from January to October 2015, based on 4,929 cases decided in this period. In 1,361 of these cases (27.6%), the applicants were recognised as refugees; only 37 of them (0.75%) were granted full political asylum, which would allow for full integration. 853 (17.3%) received a ‘non-refugee’ status of protection. 574 (11.6%) applicants were rejected; the other applications were solved in other ways, mainly by handing over the cases to other countries based on the Dublin agreement. By comparison, the number of cases decided in 2014 was almost three times higher, with 12,999, at a 46.9 per cent recognition rate. Also, the percentage of Afghans granted full political asylum in general is very low but was higher in 2014, with 1.2 per cent (87 cases).
In practice, most Afghans have been staying on, regardless of their status, as the German government (and many others in the EU) had exempted them from deportation for humanitarian reasons due to the on-going war in their country. These Afghans have now become increasingly vulnerable to deportation, particularly in Germany.
Historically, Europe has absorbed at least three earlier large waves of Afghan refugees: first, after the Soviet invasion in 1979, second, after the mujahedin victory in 1992, and, third, after the Taleban takeover in 1996 (read here and here). The Afghan community in Germany, the largest in Europe, grew from 51,370 in 1994 to 126,334 in 2009 (49,081 of them holding German citizenship). Afghan refugee communities – some of them significantly larger than in Germany – exist in Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Gulf countries, the US and Canada.
Reasons for the Afghan exodus
German ambassador Markus Potzel, in an interview with IRIN news agency published on 10 November 2015, remarked that Germany understood the reasons people were leaving Afghanistan to be “bad security, bad economy, bad prospects, no trust in the National Unity Government” but also added that his country’s authorities were “overwhelmed” with processing the growing number of asylum requests and that “the mood among the [German] population has changed. Instead of welcoming them, people are more and more afraid.”
A central element in the current debate is whether the refugees arriving now represent asylum seekers, civil war refugees or economic migrants. In the case of Afghans, at least, this distinction is often difficult to make. Danziger, in his interview, spoke of reasons related to: “a mixture of insecurity and the poor economy. One feeds into the other. […] There isn’t anyone saying I am just leaving because of the insecurity or I am just going for an opportunity to make a living or a better living.” He also mentioned the “family pressure on young people,” who are sent abroad as an “anchor” in case the situation deteriorates further. This is not surprising: the older generation of Afghans have witnessed no less than nine mostly violent regime changes since 1973.
Danziger in his interview also discusses the “brain drain” that is harming Afghanistan, given the many young Afghans among the refugees who could be a key resource for any reconstruction of the country. He mentions also that many of them may not be fully aware of the obstacles they are likely to face on their journey to Europe:
Every Afghan knows what is going on in the Mediterranean, the deaths and so forth. I think what they are unaware of is what is awaiting them in Europe – that you do not automatically get asylum, that in each country the laws are different, that while your asylum application is up you cannot work, that you are not put up in a great flat. So, it is really about telling them what they need to expect. Then they have to make their own decision.
In terms of stemming the tide of the “exodus,” he outlines several possible paths for action: donor countries must “put Afghanistan back on the radar,” “live up to the commitments they made on financial support for the government,” and, also, “really face up to the fact that they have to completely review their migration or immigration policies.” He pointed out finally that “Afghans actually have a very good reputation as immigrants, in terms of not being happy to [rely on] hand-outs, getting on finding jobs, opening businesses etc.”
The interview with Richard Danziger, recorded by ARD South Asia correspondent Sandra Petersmann, has been partly published by the ARD. AAN has acquired the full version, which can be listened to here, with the kind permissions of both interviewer and interviewee.
(1) Article 1 of the Geneva Refugee Convention, as amended by the 1967 Protocol, defines a refugee as:
A person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.
In this text, the author uses the term “refugee” in this meaning.
At the same time, “refugee” is also a legal term under national law. In Germany, this term is used for people whose application for political asylum has been accepted. This group is divided into two sub-categories: (a) those who have received political asylum (they can stay for an unlimited time); and (b) those who have been recognised as a “refugee”, which grants them temporary protection and their cases are reviewed after a certain period. Persons who do not qualify as a “refugee”, but are threatened by the death penalty, torture or other grave violations upon return to the country of origin, can be granted “subsidiary protection” according to EU law. There is also the option of “protection from deportation” to particular countries, including provisions for rejected asylum seekers. Status (c) and (d) can be terminated at any time. After a recent change of law, a deportation does not need to be pre-announced. This means that the refugee cannot employ legal means to contest the deportation.
For those granted the status of refugee or any other status of protection, the term “refugee” will be qualified in this text.
(2) This statement, given through his political director to the CDU/CSU (the largest governing party) group in the Bundestag, was reportedly based on an internal assessment of the security situation of the German embassy in Kabul.
(3) Members of the German government spoke about a “stabilisation mission” (Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung, 2009) and “war-like conditions” (his successor Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, also in 2009). In 2010, Guttenberg switched the terminology to a “civil war with international participation,” saying it was “colloquially a war,” but not in legal terms. The UN, when mandating the ISAF troops with Resolution 1386 (2001) of the Security Council, avoided such a definition and made ISAF a peace-enforcing mission under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. According to the Rule of Law in Armed Conflict (RULAC) project of the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, the conflict in Afghanistan is a “high-intensity internal armed conflict” between the Afghan government “assisted” by international forces and “non-state armed groups.”
(4) The following institutions contribute to Gasim reports: the Federal Police (formerly Federal Border Police), the Federal Criminal Police Office (the ‘German FBI’), the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, the foreign and domestic intelligence services (BND and Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution) and the foreign office.
(5) There are at least three projects that try to document, by name, the refugees killed on their way to Europe: the “List of Deaths” of the Amsterdam-based NGO United against Racism, the blog Fortress Europe by Italian journalist Gabriele del Grande and The Migrant Files, a journalist consortium that tries to merge the former two. Neither has the name of this Afghan.
(6) Moreover, decision-making on asylum cases is lagging behind. In the second quarter of 2015, 117,800 applications were decided upon in all EU countries. 46 per cent of them received a positive answer, granting the applicant either refugee or another protection status. Among the cases on which decisions were taken were only 2,500 who were Afghans. In Germany, by the end of 2014, Afghans, on average, had to wait more than 13 months for their cases to be decided. Austria – which is among the top four countries taking in arriving Afghan refugees (10,500 in the first eight months of 2015) – just changed its law so that Afghans have to wait for a decision, possibly up to three years. Finland recently stopped processing asylum claims from Afghans for ‘security concerns’. (The country had 9,276 asylum-seekers this year so far. )
This article was last updated on 9 Mar 2020


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Jigsaw Puzzle - Summer Lake
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For over 50 years, John Mayall has served as a pioneer of blues music, rightly earning him the title, “The Godfather of British Blues”. In 2013, John signed with producer Eric Corne’s label, Forty Below Records, and has since been experiencing a true artistic and career renaissance.
This revival continues with the release of a brilliant new studio album titled Find a Way to Care, produced by John and Eric at famed House of Blues Studios in Encino, California. About the new album Corne says, “IView more
Thursday: Cabaret: $49 Preferred: $39 House: $33. Friday & Sunday: Cabaret: $53, Preferred: $43, House: $35. Saturday: Cabaret: $59, Preferred: $49, House: $39
Tickets purchased at the Door 30 minutes before showtime are $5 more. All sales final – see box office policies.
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02nd may 2018
On Wednesday, Turkish authorities briefly closed the Bosporus to marine traffic so that the heaviest ship in the world could pass through.
The Pioneering Spirit, Allseas’ dual-purpose pipelay / heavy lift platform, is the biggest ship of any kind by displacement. She has just finished installing the first pipeline for Gazprom’s Turkish Stream (or TurkStream) project, which replaces the cancelled Russian-Turkish “South Stream” project. The subsea pipeline will carry Gazprom’s natural gas from Anapa, Russia to the village of Kiyikoy in western Turkey. Onshore lines will transport the gas to the border with Bulgaria and on to the broader EU market.
At 0700 hours local time, the Bosporus was closed to international marine traffic so that the Spirit could enter the narrow waterway. Accompanied by several offshore tugs, she passed under the Bosporus Bridge and headed for the Sea of Marmara. She will return to her home port of Rotterdam for the North Sea summer season.
According to Allseas, Pioneering Spirit averaged about three nm of pipeline per day during the first half of the TurkStream project. She began work in May 2017 and finished last month, and later this year she will return to the Black Sea to lay the second pipeline. The terminals on either end are already under construction, and when connected, each pipeline will be able to carry about 16 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia to southeastern Europe every year.
The 2014-built Pioneering Spirit is the world’s largest vessel in terms of gross tonnage (400,000 gt), breadth (406 feet) and displacement (900,000 tons). She is the world’s largest-capacity pipelay vessel. Separately, she is also the world’s only vessel capable of removing giant offshore platforms from their jackets in a single lift.
The Spirit may eventually be eclipsed by another Allseas vessel, the Amazing Grace. This next-generation ship would be substantially larger, and would be designed to decommission the largest North Sea platforms.


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Young gorillas seen dismantling poachers' traps for the first time >
Days after a poacher's trap killed a young mountain gorilla in Rwanda's
Volcanoes National Park, researchers have spotted something remarkable: two four-year old gorillas working together to dismantle similar snares in the area.
Some conservationists were approaching a poacher's gorilla trap to destroy it when an actual gorilla stopped them and warned them off while two other gorillas came by and took the trap apart.
They had to have thought the humans were going to get caught in it
Also they know what these traps are and are fighting back themselves
#god bless gen z gorillas
Good for them.


So remember that thing in our most recent “Princesses: Long Island” recap about Amanda Bertonicini’s ridiculous Drink Hanky photo shoot? You know, the one in which a model, toting a beer bottle clad in one of Amanda’s high-fashion signature Drink Hankies, poses with a statue of a firefighter?
Well, it turns out we missed something. This wasn’t just any statue of a firefighter, but a memorial statue of a fallen 9/11 firefighter from Great Neck named Jonathon Ielpi. Amanda, apparently, made the same mistake.
During the shoot Amanda and her friend Ilton encourage the model to kiss the statue and put her beer to his mouth. It was difficult to watch without understanding the context. Needless to say, people are less than thrilled.
“It was a slap to the people of Great Neck,” Lee Ielpi, father of the 29-year-old FDNY firefighter, told the New York Daily News. “It was a slap to the fire department of Great Neck and it was a slap to all of the people that were lost on 9/11.”
Bravo has agreed to remove all footage from any future airings. “We are extremely sorry for any distress we caused the family of Jonathan Ielpi and other firefighters,” the rep said.
Amanda has also issued an apologetic statement of her own, proclaiming she was unaware of the statue’s “sentimental value.”
“I never meant to hurt or offend anyone when I was doing my photo shoot for the Drink Hanky,” she said. Because there’s never a bad time to plug your line of “beverage couture.”


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Today is Saturday and I watched an interesting movie at home, Kung Fu Panda. It is an American computer-animated action comedy film, based on the theme of Chinese Kung Fu. The story is about a clumsy panda who determines to be a martial arts master. Paul is a apprentice of a noodle shop, and most of animal in his hometown are martial arts master, expect him. So he dreams to be a master and beats others. Unexpectedly, he takes on the task of saving the valley to against the intrusion of evil Taro. Although Paul is a martial arts novice, he never gives up easily. Finally, he proves himself by his success. It’s an interesting and motivational story. Sometimes, we may not as good as others, but we still can achieve by our efforts and strong wills. As long as we do not give up our dreams, nothing is impossible.
The story was so well done.It's full of heart and of course set for the family.I enjoyed the atmosphere that they made for the movie.It was so ancient china and enjoyable.Each and every character had their own personality and Po was no exception.
Sorry parents and teenagers,there's no jokes directed to make us laugh.Their are cute moments that make you laugh but as stated for the kids.The thing that made me continue to watch was the amazing action sequences that just lets you sit back and stare in awe.
I recommend seeing this.It's cute,the story is entertaining,and you cheer for Po the whole time in his journey to become a Dragon Warrior.


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FARGO — After a nearly 57-minute stalemate, Kaia Johnson scored the game-winning goal in overtime as Fargo Davies defeated Fargo North-South 1-0 in North Dakota girls hockey Tuesday at Farmers Union Insurance Center at Scheels Arena.
With 2 minutes, 3 seconds remaining in the overtime period, the junior forward received a pass from Olivia Opheim near the blue line. She cut to her left, skated around a North-South defender and fired a shot from the left circle, sneaking it by the goalie top shelf to the far side of the net.
“It feels pretty good to get this win,” Johnson said. “We were all working our hardest all three periods. That goal was from all of us, not just me. That was all of our hard work for the whole game combined.”
Johnson said the move she used to get open for the shot is one her coaches have drilled into her.
“My coaches always tell me to go to the outside and cut in around their defense, and that’s what I did,” she said. “Apparently, listening to your coaches works.”
Davies entered the game second in the standings, with North-South right behind in third. The teams were evenly matched throughout the game, playing to a stalemate through three periods. Both sides defended well and both goalies kept the other side off the board.
Davies goalie Kennedy Cook stopped 20 shots in the shutout and halted a number of North-South scoring opportunities.
“Kennedy made some huge saves for us,” Davies head coach Josh Issertell said. “A couple big ones throughout each period and it was a big game for her to get a shutout.”
North-South goalie Alex Kinney stopped 31 shots and kept the Eagles off the board through regulation.
Davies had most of the possession and outshot North-South 32-20, but North-South’s counterattack returned a number of scoring opportunities, including a Jerica Friese breakaway that almost won the game for N-S 10 seconds before overtime. She raced up the left wing and fired a shot at the far corner. Cook snagged it with her glove hand.
“We play as a group of five in all three zones, and team defense is key to the way we play,” Issertell said. “We take pride in being tough to play against.”
With friends on North-South, Johnson had to remind herself that they were rivals on the ice.
“We have friends on the other team since they’re just north of us,” Johnson said. “But we have to remember that we want to win just as much as they do, even though they’re our friends. So we have to turn on the enemy switch for three periods.”
The Eagles (17-0-2, 13-0-2 in-state) have 41 points and are in second place, one point back of first-place Bismarck in the North Dakota standings. North-South (14-4-2, 11-2-2) is in third with 39 points. The undefeated Eagles’ two ties came to North-South on Dec. 10 and against Minot four days later. They have won 12 games in a row dating back to the Minot game.
“It’s massive because we still control our own destiny,” Issertell said. “We still have our hopes and dreams, and a game like this hopefully helps propel us the rest of the way.”
FIRST: No scoring.
SECOND: No scoring.
THIRD: No scoring.
OT: 1, FD, Johnson (Opheim) 5:57.
SAVES: NS, Kinney 9-9-11-2—31. FD, Cook 6-3-9-2—20