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The History and Origins of Okonomiyaki: Exploring the Roots of this Popular Japanese Dish
Okonomiyaki, a mouthwatering savory pancake, is a beloved dish in Japan that has gained popularity worldwide. Its unique combination of flavors and textures makes it a delightful treat for food enthusiasts. To truly appreciate this culinary masterpiece, it is essential to delve into the history and origins of okonomiyaki, exploring the roots of this popular Japanese dish.
The origins of okonomiyaki can be traced back to the Edo period in Japan, around the 17th century. During this time, a similar dish called “funoyaki” was enjoyed by the people. Funoyaki consisted of a mixture of flour, water, and grated yam, which was then grilled on a hot plate. This simple yet satisfying dish was a favorite among the working class due to its affordability and ease of preparation.
As time went on, the dish evolved and took on different regional variations. In the Kansai region, which includes cities like Osaka and Kyoto, okonomiyaki became a popular street food. The name “okonomiyaki” itself translates to “grilled as you like it,” reflecting the customizable nature of the dish. In this region, the batter is made with flour, grated yam, dashi (a Japanese stock), and cabbage, which gives it a light and fluffy texture.
In contrast, the Hiroshima style of okonomiyaki is known for its layered presentation. In this variation, the ingredients are cooked separately and then stacked on top of each other. The base consists of a thin crepe-like pancake, followed by layers of cabbage, bean sprouts, pork, and noodles. The final touch is a generous drizzle of okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, and a sprinkle of bonito flakes.
The popularity of okonomiyaki continued to grow throughout the 20th century, especially after World War II. The dish provided a comforting and affordable meal during a time of economic hardship. Okonomiyaki restaurants, known as “okonomiyaki-ya,” began to emerge, offering a wide variety of toppings and fillings to cater to different tastes.
Today, okonomiyaki is not only enjoyed in Japan but has also gained a devoted following worldwide. Its unique combination of flavors, from the umami-rich sauce to the crispy cabbage and tender meat, has captivated the taste buds of people from all walks of life. In fact, many cities outside of Japan now boast their own okonomiyaki restaurants, serving up this delectable dish to eager diners.
The beauty of okonomiyaki lies in its versatility. While the traditional recipe includes ingredients like pork, shrimp, and squid, it can be easily customized to suit individual preferences. Vegetarians can substitute the meat with tofu or mushrooms, and adventurous eaters can experiment with different toppings and sauces to create their own unique version of this beloved dish.
In conclusion, the history and origins of okonomiyaki provide a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of this popular Japanese dish. From its humble beginnings as a simple street food to its current status as a global culinary sensation, okonomiyaki has captured the hearts and taste buds of people around the world. Whether enjoyed in a traditional okonomiyaki-ya or recreated in the comfort of your own kitchen, this savory pancake is a true delight that should be savored and celebrated.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Authentic Okonomiyaki at Home: A Recipe for Success
Okonomiyaki is a popular Japanese dish that is often described as a savory pancake. It is a versatile dish that can be customized with a variety of ingredients, making it a favorite among both locals and tourists. If you have ever wanted to try making this delicious dish at home, you’re in luck! In this article, we will provide you with a step-by-step guide to making authentic okonomiyaki that is sure to impress your family and friends.
To start, you will need a few key ingredients. The base of okonomiyaki is a batter made from flour, water, and eggs. You will also need cabbage, which adds a nice crunch to the dish. Other common ingredients include green onions, grated yam, and tempura scraps. For the protein, you can choose from options like pork belly, shrimp, or squid. Finally, you will need some okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, and bonito flakes for garnish.
Once you have gathered all your ingredients, it’s time to get cooking! Start by shredding the cabbage into thin strips and set it aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, water, and eggs until you have a smooth batter. Then, add the cabbage and any other vegetables or protein you have chosen. Mix everything together until well combined.
Next, heat a large non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat. Add a small amount of oil to the pan and spread it around to coat the surface. Once the pan is hot, pour a ladleful of the batter onto the pan and spread it out into a round shape. Cook the okonomiyaki for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until it is golden brown and crispy.
Now comes the fun part – adding the toppings! Once the okonomiyaki is cooked, drizzle some okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise on top. Sprinkle with green onions and bonito flakes for added flavor and visual appeal. You can also add some pickled ginger or seaweed flakes if you like. The toppings are really up to you and your personal taste preferences.
Finally, it’s time to dig in and enjoy your homemade okonomiyaki! Cut the pancake into wedges and serve it hot. The combination of flavors and textures – the crispy exterior, the soft and savory interior, and the tangy sauce – is simply irresistible. It’s no wonder that okonomiyaki is a beloved dish in Japan and around the world.
Making okonomiyaki at home may seem intimidating at first, but with this step-by-step guide, you’ll be able to recreate the authentic flavors of this Japanese pancake with ease. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different ingredients and toppings to make it your own. Whether you’re a fan of seafood, meat, or vegetarian options, okonomiyaki can be customized to suit your taste. So why not give it a try and savor the deliciousness of this savory Japanese pancake?
Unique Variations and Regional Twists: Discovering Different Flavors of Okonomiyaki Across Japan
Okonomiyaki, a savory Japanese pancake, is a beloved dish that has gained popularity not only in Japan but also around the world. While the basic ingredients of okonomiyaki remain the same, each region in Japan has its own unique twist on this delicious dish. From Hiroshima to Osaka, let’s take a culinary journey and discover the different flavors of okonomiyaki across Japan.
In Hiroshima, the okonomiyaki is known for its layered style. Instead of mixing all the ingredients together, the batter is spread thinly on the grill, topped with cabbage, bean sprouts, and your choice of meat or seafood. Noodles, usually yakisoba, are then added on top, creating a mouthwatering combination of textures. The final touch is a generous drizzle of okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, and a sprinkle of dried seaweed. The result is a hearty and satisfying dish that is sure to please your taste buds.
On the other hand, Osaka-style okonomiyaki is more like a traditional pancake. The batter is mixed with cabbage, green onions, and your choice of ingredients such as pork, shrimp, or squid. The mixture is then cooked on a hot grill, flipped once, and topped with okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, and bonito flakes. The Osaka-style okonomiyaki is lighter and fluffier compared to the Hiroshima style, making it a popular choice for those who prefer a less dense pancake.
Moving on to Tokyo, the capital city offers its own take on okonomiyaki. Here, the pancake is made with a thinner batter and is often cooked on a teppan, a flat iron griddle. The ingredients are mixed together and poured onto the hot surface, creating a thin and crispy pancake. The Tokyo-style okonomiyaki is usually topped with a variety of ingredients such as cabbage, pork belly, squid, and cheese. The finishing touch is a drizzle of okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise, giving it a rich and flavorful taste.
In Hiroshima, Osaka, and Tokyo, you can find these regional variations of okonomiyaki in specialized restaurants or even street food stalls. However, it’s important to note that these are just a few examples of the diverse flavors of okonomiyaki across Japan. Each region has its own unique twist, and even within a city, you can find different variations depending on the restaurant or the chef’s preference.
Whether you’re a fan of the layered style in Hiroshima, the fluffy pancake in Osaka, or the thin and crispy version in Tokyo, one thing is for sure – okonomiyaki is a dish that is meant to be savored and enjoyed. The combination of flavors, textures, and toppings make it a truly unique and delicious experience.
So, the next time you find yourself in Japan, be sure to try the local okonomiyaki and discover the regional twists that make this dish so special. Whether you’re a food enthusiast or just looking for a tasty meal, okonomiyaki is a must-try dish that will leave you craving for more.


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Zimbabwe archbishop "will not be silenced"
Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo has said he refuses to be muzzled and he does not fear the Zimbabwean government's latest threat to clamp down on its critics.
Ekklesia reports that the outspoken church leader declared: "They [Mugabe's forces] will not silence me and I will continue to denigrate the evil things they have done against their own people."
A ruling party conference has called for the security forces to draw up a list of Zimbabweans whose passports should be seized under new laws aimed at muzzling opponents.
The passports of the main opposition party spokesman and a leading Zimbabwean publisher whose papers have carried stories critical of the government have already been confiscated.
After a four-day tour of the country, the United Nations humanitarian envoy, Jan Egeland, recently described Zimbabwe as being in "meltdown".
He estimated that around three million people would be in need of food aid by February. The country's agricultural output has fallen by more than half in the last five years.
"We are in the Guinness Book of Records for having the highest inflation in the world," said Archbishop Ncube. Although it officially stands at 500%, he felt the real figure was closer to 700%.
"Essential staff such as teachers feel devalued when their wages can buy very little," he said. Harare's Herald newspaper noted that a two-kilogram chicken for Christmas dinner would cost around 273,000 Zimbabwean dollars.
Zimbabwe archbishop will not be silenced (Ekklesia 21/12/05)
LINKS (not necessarily endorsed by Church Resources)
English bishops return after assessing Zimbabwe rights situation (Ecumenical News International 21/12/05)
Ncube ready to face clampdown (The Tablet 17/12/05)
Zimbabwean church official says elections don't help starving people (Catholic News Service 5/12/05)
Zimbabwean church official says elections don't help starving people (ZWnews.com 6/12/05)
Archbishop predicts Zimbabwe famine (The Tablet 29/10/05)
Archbishop Ncube says 200,000 may die of hunger (Independent Catholic News 20/10/05)
Zimbabwe crisis: nothing left to do but pray (ZWNews.com 23/10/05)
22 Dec 2005

domain: news


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How did timekeeping devices develop
Timekeeping developed in early recorded history, with different societies using their natural surroundings and devices they created to help keep track of time. The basic units we use to keep time have not evolved greatly, showing their ancient historical roots. The keeping of time was important to early agriculture, particularly in irrigation where timing access to water was important. Increasingly, timekeeping was not just conducted by the select few by much of society.
Early Timekeeping Devices
Some of the earliest timekeeping devices involved the use of water, or what were called water clocks or clepsydrae as called by the Greeks. This involved either using outflow of water or inflow. Effectively, as water drained out or filled in, the rate was seen as relatively constant based on marking on containers would then tell how much time had passed as the water drained or filled in. Such devices were known to have existed in many of the earliest complex society in Eurasia, including in Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Indus, China, and likely other regions, including ancient Greece and Rome. In China during the Han dynasty, water clocks were critical for astronomical observations and became an increasingly complex set of tanks that also had secondary tanks that would provide additional water to keep water moving to measure time as pressure changes could mean that the rate of which water moved changed, thus potentially invalidating any time measure.
Other early devices include candle clocks, which were probably only used indoors. These were also throughout much of Eurasia from the Bronze Age and throughout the Medieval period. Candle clocks were simple, where the rate of burning would be constant and the candle would be pre-measured so that different levels in which the candle melted as it burned would help tell time. The sundial is likely another ancient device. Both the Babylonians and Egyptians used the sundial at least by the 2nd millennium BCE if not earlier (Figure 1). The sexagesima system we use in our own clocks today was already used and invented by the Sumerians and Babylonians, which was also likely used for initial sundials. The oldest sundial appears to date from around 1500 BCE, but sundials are likely much older.
The Greek philosopher Philo in the 3rd century BC and in China, under development by the mathematician Yi Xing by the 7th century, escapement clocks were built, which use a mechanical device that releases a gear which then allows the rate of release to be used as a timekeeping element. This is similar to our mechanical clocks and such clocks would begin to signal the increasing realization that mechanical timeclocks would be the only way to keep time more consistent.
By the Medieval period, clocks continued to use some of the older methods, such as sundials and water clocks, while also incorporating newer methods that included escapements. Other inventions by this time also included the hourglass, which was first known to have been used by the early Medieval period in the 8-9th centuries in Germany. The origins of the hourglass, however, could be much older. The key inventions were more sophisticated tower clocks that used more advanced water clocks and hydraulics, which would wind and use torque in mechanical component to tick at given intervals, such as every hour. Early examples include the Great Mosque in Damascus and the Mustansiriya school in Baghdad. One advance came in the early 13th century under Al-Jazari, who was an Islamic scholar who perhaps created one of the first fully automated clocks and even created a clock that would have programmable automata musicians that played for guests and could be reprogrammed. Some have described this as the earliest form of computer programming. Nevertheless, by the 13th century, mechanical clocks were becoming more common, although often still powered by water. Town squares throughout Europe were also putting up tower clocks as a way for townspeople to keep track of time and to be informed of important events such as time to prayers. Both in Christianity and Islam, time became an important element in prayers and religious activities, driving much research in improving clocks and making them more audible and visible as well. This is the case in Europe with bells being now attached to the mechanical devices of clocks so that sound could be used to inform on important time changes, often the change in the hour.
In the 10th century, monks throughout Europe, who were particularly concerned with time to regulate their daily schedules and prayers, were experimenting with mechanical clocks more regularly. This included creating mechanical wheels and gears that would tick using the principals developed in escapements. The oldest functioning clock might be the clock in Salsbury Cathedral, which dates to the late 14th century. This uses a series of mechanical wheels that used a series of wheels and was set to strike at given intervals, probably every hour. Increasingly, such devices that used gears and wheels to tick at set intervals were used. Throughout the 14th century, and probably as early as the 11th century, mechanical clocks were becoming more regular features in cities, churches, and cathedrals in particular.
Mechanical Revolution and Watches
By the 14th century, mechanical clocks in Europe to become more common. Clocks, similar to how they were used in China and Middle East, could also be used in conjunction with astronomical events, such as in predicting positioning of the moon, sun, and other objects. These astronomical clocks tried to keep of time and better understand how the amount of light might change on a daily basis. Mechanical clocks now began to have, by the 14th-15th centuries, more sophisticated appearances, including the use of weights. Pendulums were studied by Galileo but first utilised by Christiaan Huygens in 1656, where swinging of the pendulum would help the escapement to be put in place. Early clocks were not as accurate as sundials, where they often had to be rewound. Equation clocks, which tried to adjust for variation in ticking mechanical clocks, were also created to adjust for the variation in time among mechanical clocks. These clocks would try to measure solar time throughout the day rather than only during daylight hours. These equation clocks would try to self-adjust as ticking mechanical clocks often slowed down, where the equation clocks could then be used to reset the mechanical clocks.
By the 16th century, clocks were becoming more common. Now, individuals wanted to be able to better keep time as they moved about their day rather than have to look up or hear the clocktower ring out. Small versions of mechanical clocks were made that used miniature wheels and gears to tick and keep time, which were the first watches. Watches were often carried inside a coat pocket because the elements could foul or corrode the devices in the watch. Some wristwatches were worn, mostly by women, but these were often avoided due to the harm they might be exposed to.
Wristwatches developed to be more common only by the late 19th century. During the Boer War, soldiers began to wear wrist watches in order to better coordinate troop movements using time. Having a watch in a coat would potentially expose the soldier as they reached for their pockets. Although wristwatches were available as fashion items, often as part of bracelets for ladies, they now became more part of men fashion. By 1900, wristwatches became fashionable among men and began to compete with pocket watches. During the early days of aviation, wristwatches became critical as it was easier to tell time using one's wrist. Wilsdorf & Davis, a company in England, began to create specifically made wrist watches which had stronger frames and held better than other wristwatches, which were often not very different from pocket watches. The company would eventually become Rolex and they helped to popularize the idea of fashionable wristwatches among men. The widespread use of wristwatches in World War I also increased the market for wristwatches in the wider public.
The first digital clock was created by the Austrian Josef Pallweber in 1883, which used a rotating disk to display time. The Plato clocks similarly used small digital plates that would be displayed. These clocks were displayed in the St. Louis World Fair in 1904. It took a few more decades for the invention of the digital alarm clock, which appeared in 1956 after being invented by D. E. Protzmann. Digital clocks and wristwatches only become more common from around 1970, as new patents enabled better displays and LED technologies.

domain: history


text:
Party in the U.S.A.
Words and music by Claude Kelly, Lukasz Gottwald, and Jessica Cornish
Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
Grade: 2 (Easy)
As performed by Miley Cyrus
|Party in the U.S.A.:||$0.00||View|
|Party in the U.S.A.: Concert Band Conductor Score||$8.00||View|
Teen pop sensation Miley Cyrus delivers another fun and energetic chart topper with Party in the U.S.A. Reaching the number 2 position in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, this tune is sure to be a "party" for your concert ensemble!

domain: entertainment


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Afternoon Tea has to be one of our favourite indulgent treats - a feel-good way to treat ourselves at the end of a long week, to add a touch of glamour to a catch up with friends, or to celebrate a special birthday, promotion or engagement.
While away an afternoon, nibbling on finger sandwiches, miniature cakes and desserts, and sip loose-leaf tea from delicate china. What could be more luxurious?!
Well, to step up the indulgence one bit further, you might add a glass of bubbly to the mix. We’ve put together 6 hotels around Ireland that are adding a touch of sparkle to afternoon tea
The Wineport Lodge
The menu includes delicious savoury treats such as Smoked Atlantic Salmon and Chive Finger Sandwiches and Cashel Blue Cheese and Roast Pepper Quiche. But you’ll definitely want to save room for dessert and indulge your sweet tooth with The Wineport’s homemade mini scones with preserves and cream, and zingy citrus madeleines. Add a glass of prosecco, or even a glass of champagne if celebrations are in order, or if you just feel like treating yourself.
The Wineport Lodge is offering Afternoon Tea with a glass of prosecco for €36 per person, €42 with a glass of champagne, or €30 for a Classic Afternoon Tea
Afternoon tea at Bushmills Inn is served in the elegant but cosy surroundings of their Coach House loft. Seasonal savouries such as pork and apple sausage rolls, dainty finger sandwiches with delicious fillings, delicate buttermilk scones with clotted cream and preserves, and mouth-watering mini desserts like dark chocolate and salted peanut pavé and coffee cream éclairs.
Bushmills Inn offers a range of different afternoon tea experiences including their Pink Sparkling Afternoon Tea accompanied by a glass of Valdo Floral Pink Prosecco for £33.50 per person or their Champagne Afternoon Tea with includes a glass of Taittinger Brut Champagne for £33.50 per person.
Bishop’s Gate Hotel
The perfect treat after a morning spent sightseeing, golfing or shopping in the walled city. Bishop’s Gate Hotel serves up a sumptuous afternoon tea in the Edwardian surroundings of the Hervey library or the more contemporary Gown restaurant. Three tiers of dainty finger sandwiches, fluffy home-baked scones, and decadent desserts are perfectly accompanied by a glass of bubbles for a perfect afternoon treat.
Sparkling afternoon tea is priced at £25.00 per guest or £18.99 for their Traditional Afternoon Tea.
The 5 Star Glenlo Abbey has got indulgence covered with their fabulous afternoon tea offering, served in the Riverview Restaurant with beautiful views of the surrounding estate.
Dainty assortments include freshly baked scones, seasonal sandwiches and decadent pastries, macaroons and cakes served with loose leaf tea, herbal teas and coffee. Add a glass of champagne and make a toast to tasty treats enjoyed with friends.
Glenlo Abbey’s Champagne Afternoon Tea is available for €46 per person, or €30 for the classic afternoon tea.
Over-looking the peaceful River Moy, the Ice House Hotel is an idyllic place to enjoy a relaxed Afternoon Tea with friends. Linger longer over delectable treats such as finger sandwiches, homemade buttermilk scones and dainty cakes and bite-size desserts. Sumptuous sandwich fillings include Baked Gammon and Dozio Ella Cheese, and Connemara Smoked Salmon on Treacle Bread.
The Ice House offers a range of Afternoon Tea options depending on the level of decadence desired. Classic Afternoon Tea is available for €25 per person, €32 with a glass of Prosecco and €37 with a glass of Champagne.
Ardtara Country House Hotel
Relax in the old-world charm of Ardtara Country House Hotel and enjoy a luxurious afternoon tea in the elegant surroundings of the newly renovated Garden Restaurant.
You will be served a delicious assortment of scones with cream and jam, canapés and finger sandwiches along with a choice of traditional and herbal teas and coffee, or a crisp, light glass of Prosecco. Classic Afternoon Tea from £24.95

domain: food


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President of the General Assembly : Devajna Karan Gopal
Dear delegates and MUN directors,
As the advent of the World Wars in the 20th century brought upon years of tempestuous disillusionment, the world witnessed a dramatic rise in the number of Westphalian sovereign polities. This renewed world order inaugurated great expectations: accountable governance was on the horizon, and hurdles to socio-economic development were soon to be overcome. For several states, sovereignty has delivered on these expectations and ushered in an era of better living standards and contentment. However, between the life expectancies of Singapore and Liberia is an alarming gap, a gap that illustrates the dismal failure of sovereignty in less fortunate polities.
In these 'failed' states, human rights violations, crime, corruption, and other impediments to development erode the government's legitimacy. Social unrests and conflicts continue to ravage the nations and aggravate internal strife. Nevertheless, large revenue streams from the sale of natural resources and foreign aid along with the proscription of foreign annexation of territories post-WWII, have reduced incentives for corrupt members of these governments to consider and make prudent policy changes.
While the consequences of ineffective governance are grave for most citizens in these countries, cross-border threats that emerge from these conditions, such as terrorism, have provided significant incentives for the leaders in the world's most powerful and successful polities to aid the development of capable governing systems. The deployment of American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan is perhaps the most well-known example of a foreign power allocating significant funds and resources to set up a new governing structure in a poorly governed nation. With the withdrawal of the troops this year marking the recognition of the American government's failure to promote better governance in these countries, another policy option seems to be a promising alternative: Shared Sovereignty.
As voluntary agreements between recognized governing bodies in failed states and an external actor, shared sovereignty holds the potential to target specific failures of institutions with the cooperation of local bodies and the resources of an external actor. A clear example of such an agreement was between West Germany and the western allies during the cold war. While it operated as an autonomous state for the most part, its security policies were under the exclusive control of the allied powers. The agreement was mutually beneficial for both parties: the allies could cease the production of weapons of mass destruction in the area, and West Germany could sustain a democracy with a stable military. Furthermore, the Germans enjoyed the added benefits of being part of a market economy system, which had proven to be more successful in the West than the Soviet bloc's planned economies.
In recent years, the United Nations has also engaged in such arrangements with countries like Sierra Leone - establishing a Special Court to prosecute war crimes and other crimes against humanity. The court consisted of a few officials, prosecutors and judges designated by the UN Secretary-General to ensure fair trials and establish greater legitimacy to the court's verdicts. By strengthening the local judicial system in Sierra Leone and furthering the UN's progress towards SDG 16, the agreement was, again, mutually beneficial.
Similarly, the UN has endorsed and initiated several shared sovereignty agreements to increase equity between the world's polities in recent decades. Unfortunately, leaders often refuse to engage in shared jurisdiction accords that may significantly reduce their control over the local populace, even in failing polities. Thus, while such agreements can be effective, it is important to be practical and consider the fact that they can only exist to fulfil or control fractional aspects of a government's responsibilities. While the provision of incentives by external actors (like the aid provided to Sierra Leone for showing commitment to prosecuting criminal activity) could encourage more significant shared sovereignty agreements, several limitations exist. Would the need for external actors to provide incentives disincentivize potential efforts? Do mutually beneficial endeavours have to benefit both parties equally? Are large incentives feasible in the long term?
Delegates at DAIMUN 2021 will engage in intense deliberation and debate on issues that highlight the political manifestations of these questions. They will analyze the limitations of shared sovereignty and evaluate its efficacy as a prominent policy option in the 21st century.
The Westphalian world order is collapsing.
A new political era is approaching.
DAIMUN 2021 is calling.
Devajna Karan Gopal
President of the General Assembly

domain: sociology


text:
Playmobil: The Movie (2019)
overview : Marla is forced to abandon her carefully structured life to embark on an epic journey to find her younger brother Charlie who has disappeared into the vast and wondrous animated world of Playmobil toys.
Release Date : Jun 10, 2019
Runtime : 1h 39m
Companies : ON Animation Studios, Pathé!, On Entertainment, Morgen Studios
Countries : United States of America, France
Keywords : toy, car chase, playmobil, live action and animation


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The IPBN’s second annual Tourism Conference has been finalized and is set to occur in the Algarve on Wednesday, May 24 at the Quinta do Lago Clubhouse from 0900 to 1 pm. The conference promises an engaging line-up of keynote speakers, case studies, and a series of panel discussions on topics related to the tourism industry in the Algarve.
When it comes to the case studies portion of the conference, the IPBN has arranged three significant players in the Algarve tourism industry including Tony Judge, Founder and Chief Executive of IPBN member company and conference sponsor Clubs to Hire, Michael Stock, Administrator of IPBN member company Quinta dos Vales and the Wine Experience, and Cheryl Smith, Owner of IPBN member company Figs on the Funcho.
Tony Judge’s Clubs to Hire rents out high-end golf clubs throughout Europe, the U.S., Asia, and Africa. The company is the number one golf rental company worldwide where you can hire a top set of golf clubs for as little as €35 per set per week. Since its inception in mid-2010 the company has looked after over 300,000 traveling golfers. After renting the clubs for 2 years we then sell the pre-used sets in the marketplace. This is done via their sister company. Here you can purchase high-quality used clubs from leading brands such as Taylormade, Titleist, and Callaway. By choosing Clubs to Hire, discerning golfers have the unique opportunity to test the latest offerings from golf’s leading suppliers at an affordable price point that takes the stress out of travel. In a recent interview with Irish Golfer, Tony said, “Convenience, cost, and an opportunity to try out the latest models to market are what drive our business.”
Michael Stock’s family winery, the Quinta dos Vales offers more than just excellent wine, it also offers the experience of creating your own vintage. The Winemaker’s Experience is an opportunity for clients to find out what it’s like to make wine under the tutelage to invent a bespoke bottle (or case, or vat…). In an IPBN Spotlight interview, Michael said, “We couldn’t find anything comparable on the market,” Stock says. “We are helping people take their dreams of making wine and turning it into a reality.” According to Michael, “We start with renting out a vineyard and getting the client involved anywhere from three to six months before the harvest.” The resident winemaker explains the next steps so the winemaker can follow their gut intuition or the recommendation of the expert.
Cheryl Smith’s background as an IT consultant originally from South Africa gave her the essential tools she needed to found and run Figs on the Funcho, an idyllic location in the beautiful countryside of Portugal’s Algarve region, with direct views over Barragem do Funcho and the river. Nestled there are two hidden gems: The River House and The River Lodge (in the making) The retreat location offers complete privacy, a perfect choice for a creative or wellness retreat, a family self-catering holiday, milestone birthday, workation, intimate wedding party, or otherwise. Rented separately or together, Figs on the Funcho can sleep between 10 and 25 guests and accommodate up to 80 visitors for any special celebrations.
A special thank you to IPBN conference partner Quinta do Lago, conference media partners The Portugal News and TNews, and our conference sponsors and IPBN members clubstohire.com, Joao Marques Seguros, SoundLove, Vendici Properties and Reis – Gestão de Empresas, who have all made this conference possible.
You will find all the details about the conference venue and program here, where you will be able to register to attend the conference in presence or remotely for our audience in Ireland on the IPBN YouTube channel.

domain: economics


text:
Submitted to: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/5/2014
Publication Date: 3/7/2014
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/61347
Citation: Reinhardt, T.A., Lippolis, J.D., Sacco, R.E. 2014. The Ca2+/H+ antiporter TMEM165 expression, localization in the developing, lactating and involuting mammary gland parallels the secretory pathway Ca2+ATPase (SPCA1). Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 445(2):417-421.
Interpretive Summary: We have previously shown that abrupt loss of calcium pumps at dry off, leads to accumulation of cell calcium and play a part in signaling mammary involution. Therefore loss of mammary calcium homeostasis is critical to initiation of rapid mammary involution and also mammary health. In this research we provide evidence for a new key protein that regulates important calcium pathways that are key to both lactation calcium support and mammary involution at dry off. Expression of this calcium transporter and its partners are likely key regulators of mammary involution during mastitis events and therefore require further study. These data are important to people studying the physiology and health of mammary tissues who seek new methods to control disease.
Technical Abstract: Plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase 2 (PMCA2) knockout mice showed that ~ 60 % of calcium in milk is transported across the mammary cells apical membrane by PMCA2. The remaining milk calcium is thought to arrive via the secretory pathway through the actions of secretory pathway Ca2+-ATPase’s 1 and/or 2 (SPCA1 and 2). However, another secretory pathway calcium transporter was recently described. The question becomes whether this Golgi Ca2+/H+ antiporter (TMEM165) is expressed sufficiently in the Golgi of lactating mammary tissue to be a relevant contributor to secretory pathway mammary calcium transport. TMEM165 shows marked expression on day one of lactation when compared to timepoints prepartum. At peak lactation TMEM165 expression was 25 times greater than that of early pregnancy. Forced cessation of lactation resulted in a rapid ~50 % decline in TMEM165 expression at 24 hours of involution and TMEM165 expression declined 95% at 96 hours involution. It is clear that the timing, magnitude of TMEM165 expression and its Golgi location supports a role for this Golgi Ca2+ /H+ antiporter as a contributor to mammary Golgi calcium transport needs, in addition to the better-characterized roles of SPCA1&2.

domain: medical


text:
Kottayam: The Government Medical College Hospital, Idukki, has been trying to throw dust in the eyes of the Medical Council of India to get recognition. Violating norms, the college has redesignated 15 senior residents (MD-holders doing bond) as junior residents (MBBS) ahead of the imminent MCI inspections. This is when many MBBS graduates are jobless.
The MCH principal recently issued an in-house circular saying that for the purpose of the MCI inspection, the surplus senior residents in several departments have been appointed as junior residents. The order also asked the respective heads of department to submit the declaration before November 3.
Sources said that 25 senior residents had been transferred from the Kottayam MCH to Idukki citing shortage of seniors. This created a shortage in the Kottayam MCH and those transferred do not get enough exposure due to the absence of full-fledged medical facilities in Idukki.
"However, they are now saying that the senior residents are surplus in Idukki to deceive the MCI during the inspection," said a source.
The following postings were made as per the principal's order: Four senior residents in anaesthesiology department redesignated as biochemistry tutor, forensic medicine tutor and two general medicine junior residents. Out of three seniors in the obstetrics and gynaecology department, two redesignated as general medicine junior resident and one as paediatrics junior resident.
Three in the orthopaedics department redesignated as general surgery junior residents and one in the ophthalmology department made paediatrics junior resident. Two senior residents in the ENT redesignated as anatomy tutor and general surgery junior.
The Idukki medical college which was started in 2014 has not received MCI recognition so far. Though 50 seats were granted initially, they were reallotted to other colleges due to the absence of proper infrastructure facilities. Currently, there are no students in the college....


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“I think it’s difficult for a young girl like me, because there’s a certain time for young actresses, which is like a really juicy period when all the parts are love interests and young heroines. Of course, there’s always work for men, whatever age they are. So I’m really going to go for it. And if it all goes wrong, I’ll go and do panto.”
On TV Gemma has played the title role in a BBC adaptation of ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’ and Elizabeth Bennet in ‘Lost In Austen’. Her film credits include Kelly in St Trinian’s and MI6 Agent Strawberry Fields in the James Bond film, Quantum of Solace. She also stars in the upcoming ‘Prince of Persia’, ‘Clash of the Titans’, ‘The Disappearance of Alice Creed’, and ‘Tamara Drewe’.
Regular Sources: gemma-arterton, gemma-a, Zimbio
Movies: St. Trinians, James Bond, Clash of the Titans, Prince of Persia, The Disappearance of Alice Creed, Tamara Drewe
TV: Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Lost in Austen

domain: celebrity


text: Summit House Press is a fine art printmaking facility in Warner, NH, and also the personal studio of Mary Mead. I offer instruction in printmaking for all levels having studied and taught printmaking to adults and at the college level for almost 20 years. Independent projects can be arranged in a variety of printmaking media. I am skilled and knowledgable in a variety of techniques including etching, relief, lithography and screen printing. Please contact me to create your own portfolio of prints, or to become proficient in a new technique. There is always room for experimentation at Summit House Press. I work with both oil based and non-toxic Akua inks. The studio is surrounded by perennial gardens in season on beautiful Pumpkin Hill Road.

domain: artistic


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Moose Cree Language AppMay 10, 2021
CCP Community Clean UpMay 14, 2021
Thank you nurses!
Happy National Nurses Week to our community health nurses at Moose Cree Health Services!
- Donna Corston
- Christina Linklater
- Barb Lazarus
- Rita Lazarus
- Michelle Hunter
- Cheryl Moore
- Amanda Friday
- Thomas Jolly
This week is National Nurses Week! Let’s share the love and give a big shout out to our nurses! COVID-19 caused a major shift in the workloads for our nurses, who worked hard over the last year to adapt their service delivery to our people. Let’s take a moment to thank all the nurses in our lives for their dedication to their profession and the care they provide to everyone, every day.
Megwetch to our community health nurses, who carry the community in their heart!


shown in other instead.
A Physical Force is a spherical object with a force that is applied to its center and attenuates as follows:
|distance||Distance between the sphere center and the object.|
|radius||Radius of the sphere in which the force is applied.|
|attenuation||Force attenuation factor.|
All physical bodies and particles that are within the radius of the force are pulled up to or away from the center of the Physical Force node. Also the bodies and particles can be rotated around the center of the Physical Force node.
- The Physical Force will affect particles only if their physical mass is nonzero. The physical mass for the Particles object can be set on the Particles tab of the Parameters window.
- The Physical Force can affect only a Cloth, a Rope, or a Rigid body. If the Rigid body is used, a shape should be also assigned.
Adding Physical Force#
To add a Physical Force to the scene via UnigineEditor:
- Run the project with UnigineEditor.
On the Menu bar, click Create -> Physics -> Physical Force.
Click somewhere in the world to place the Physical Force.
The new Physical Force node will be added to UnigineEditor, and you will be able to edit it via the Parameters window. By default, the radius of the node is 1.
Editing Physical Force#
In the Physical Force section (Parameters window -> Node tab), you can adjust the following parameters of the Physical Force:
Toggles the editing mode for the Physical Force node. When enabled, the radius of applying the physical force can be changed: each axis is highlighted with the colored circle. To change the radius along the axis, drag the corresponding circle.
|Physical Mask||Physical mask. The physical mask of the Physical Force must match the Physical mask of the physical object. Otherwise, the physical force won't affect the object.|
|Radius||Radius for applying the physical force in units.|
|Attenuation||Attenuation factor indicating how much the physical force decreases when the objects move away from the force center.|
|Attractor||Attraction force applied to objects in the Physical Force radius. If a positive value is provided, objects will be pulled away from the force point. If a negative value is provided, objects will be pulled up to the force point.|
|Rotator||Rotation force that is applied to objects in the Physical Force radius. If a positive value is provided, objects will be rotated clockwise. If a negative value is provided, objects will be rotated counter-clockwise.|


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We are excited to announce that Club of Tone is now available on LINE! As one of the leading messaging platforms in the world, LINE provides a convenient and interactive way for us to connect with our fans and share our music.
By joining us on LINE, you’ll have access to exclusive content, behind-the-scenes updates, and special promotions. We’ll be sharing sneak peeks of our upcoming releases, hosting live chats, and even organizing fan events. It’s the perfect way to stay connected and be part of the Club of Tone community.To add us on LINE, simply search for “Club of Tone” in the LINE app and tap the follow button. You’ll be instantly connected to our official account, where you can start receiving updates and engaging with our content. OR tap/click on this link: https://lin.ee/sOcqzDQ
We believe that music has the power to bring people together, and we’re thrilled to have another platform where we can share our passion with you. Whether you’re a long-time fan or just discovering our music, we can’t wait to connect with you on LINE.
So don’t miss out on all the exciting things happening at Club of Tone. Join us on LINE today and let’s embark on this musical journey together. We look forward to seeing you there!


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I press “1” to accept the call from Washoe County Jail and hear his faint voice come through the static of our connection, 178 miles away from where I sit in Oakland. After more than a decade locked in solitary confinement, in a tiny prison cell in Crescent City, he was finally released earlier this year, put out onto the streets to make it on his own. In the Spring he marveled over the hacking sounds of lawnmowers, the soothing slowness of traffic, the mundane bites of life you wouldn’t be able to savor without having spent 15 years in solitary confinement, away from the sun.
And suddenly its over again. He is back behind bars, 178 miles away. 178 miles, but it may as well be further.
In our fifteen allotted minutes he rushed to tell me how he’d ended back in the place he’s spent most of his life, as I scribbled notes and said “I love you” in every empty space to my friend through the receiver. “I’m sorry,” I tell him. “I love you,” I tell him.
The phone cuts us off in the middle of a sentence so I can’t tell him goodbye. Tears stream down my face and I clutch my stomach in pain. People around me pretend not to notice.
The next morning on my way to work I sit numbly in traffic. I glare at the slowly approaching toll booth as the radio blares power chords. “Ooh ooh, this is gonna be the best day of my life”. A tear rolls down my cheek.
The week ahead of me is a full and busy one at work, and I’ve packed a bag so I can sleep by the ocean in the back of my car instead of driving back and forth into San Francisco each day. All day I’m driving around, picking up donated food and permits and things to make this fundraising event pop, or drilling screws into the walls from which to hang frames filled with donated art. I imagine him in his cell, reading everything he can to get ready for the looming court date.
When the sun gets low I drive out toward the water and stop at a cafe. I pour a shot of whiskey into my tea and pull out “Our Enemies in Blue”, an AK Press book about the police. I crane my neck to read the title split open on the table across from mine and see him reading “The War on Cops”. We awkwardly grimace at each other, a moment of acknowledgment. This stranger is 5 feet from me but he may as well be further. I feel alone.
I am living too many lives. In one life I am hanging an art show, stressing over tea cakes, failing to mediate a brewing battle between friends. In another life a piece of my heart is about to be locked away, maybe forever, in a violent and twisted place, while everyone around the prisons pretends not to notice. In this life I am drunkenly falling asleep in the back of the car, face still wet from crying.
When I wake up the next morning I’m pleasantly hungover, my need to imbibe coffee just a bit more pronounced. I trudge through the sand before stripping naked. I walk into the ocean’s lips, timidly at first, then more boldly as the waves pull me deeper. A smile tickles my mouth, then a soft giggle, until soon I am naked and splashing deep into the water, laughing and alone. The ocean licks away the streaks left on my cheeks from the night before and kisses my whole body. I still hurt, but she heals the hurts that can be healed.
Now all I need is coffee and an end to the Prison Industrial Complex.
178 miles away his arms are covered in battle scars depicting the many, many chapters of his struggle. Some of them are in his blood, battles with colonizers that stole his ancestors and their home. At Pelican Bay he wrote to me and told me he spoke Nahuatl with his fellow prisoners so the guards couldn’t understand. Some of the scars he inherited from his mother while she slept on the bench at the bus stop with him as child curled against her on one side, his brother on the other side. Some he carries from the streets of Los Angeles.
He smiled warmly and broadly as he told me stories from the days he starved himself. The guards took all their blankets and turned the air conditioning all the way down. Every half hour they would come through and pound on his door to “make sure he was alive”, so he couldn’t sleep. I tried to imagine what it must have felt like, yelling through the toilets to make sure his comrades were still there, bellies aching for nourishment less than for freedom. Now he is back again.
I am forgetting how to talk to my friends.
A lot of the time as I write my blog, I realize what I am trying to say part way through, and can end it in a nicely concluded way, conveying whatever message I think there is to take away. But here I am sitting, typing and re-typing, deleting everywhere I try to take this narrative.
My friends are fighting with each other. Actually, we probably aren’t friends anymore. He feels “unsafe”. The word hits me and bounces off the places of me I wanted to keep soft. In my brain I know that words are dangerous. I know that a neglected pronoun or a misplaced flirtatious wink can build up and up into another name on the list of lost comrades, into the scars of another sexual assault, into the internalized traumas that we carry each day. I know. I know I know.
Words matter. We are all fighting to survive, and fighting one battle doesn’t make it harder to fight another one. But in one life, a misplaced word can end a relationship. And in a different world every conversation is riddled with those same words, without apology. I don’t know how to hold both.
I don’t know how to be angry when someone misgenders me and then to be just as angry when my friend tells me the judge can decide to put him away in life just for one more rough night in a life full of them. I don’t know how to nod and agree as a friend tells me she can’t be around her ex because of her bad communication and then hold his broken lover as the state pulls hims away from her again. The violence the state does to him doesn’t stop with him, it passes through his flesh and leaves battle scars on the woman who holds him up, on her children, on me. I don’t feel mad when the men whistle at me on my way to work. I don’t know how to be offended by a music video anymore. I am trying, I am. I know, I KNOW the whistle, the music video is a part of the foundation on which that prison stands. I know. But right now I don’t know how to feel both.
Back in one world the event went off without a hitch. I danced with monsters through the night and fell asleep in the arms of my imperfect lover, ex-lover, lover again. We woke up together and set about trying again to kiss away the scars we’ve left on each others’ skin. “Can I touch you?” I ask him. Can I touch you? He asks. Can I touch you?
Can I touch you? Through the walls can I still touch you?


text:
Since recent studies have revealed there’s substantial evidence that medical marijuana is effective for chronic pain relief and othersymptoms, patients have become much more curious about the alternative medication.
It’s still not a simple matter to choose the best strain for your individual needs. Being able to identify different types of marijuana plants, strains, and their various benefits takes time. If you’re a patient who’s looking to possibly reduce symptoms with marijuana, you’ll want to educate yourself on which medical cannabis strains are out there.
Check out below for a good starting point for medical marijuana strain knowledge.
Beginning Treatment and Low Tolerance
The important thing to note about medical cannabis is that it can be quite potent depending on what strain you’re looking to treat your symptoms with. As a beginner patient, you should be aware that, while there’s a limited risk of addiction, (in fact cannabis could be used to help treat those with opioid addiction), the cannabinoids found in some cannabis are psychoactive. If you are starting out or have a lowtolerance for the potential properties of cannabis that cause euphoric highs, you should seek low-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) strains.
THC andcannabidiol (CBD) are cannabinoids that offermyriad amazing benefits, includingchronic pain relief, a reduction in muscle spasms, improved sideeffects from chemotherapy, migraine relief, insomnia relief, and even appetite management. But a concentrated amount of THC increases your risk of a euphoric highbecause it binds well to CB1 receptors in the brain. This binding stimulates a response like the anandamide endocannabinoid. Anandamide is responsible for, among other things, blissful reactions to things like good exercise and consuming food.
When researching medical cannabis strains, make sure you pay attention to a strain’s THC to CBD ratio. This will help you determine whether it’s a balanced enough strain with few psychoactive effects.
Sativa or Indica?
There are two major types of marijuana plants: Sativa and Indica. Sativa’s a plant that offers energizing and uplifting effects and is generally sought out for daytime medication. Patients who experience depression, anxiety, or fatigue often seek out Sativa strains over Indica strains because they are effective at relieving these conditions. Sativas tend to affect patients cerebrally, however, so be sure to check the THC to CBD ratio with such strains.
Indicas are relaxing and give patients full-body effects, meaning they can effectively sedate you and are better for nighttime use. Indica strains are best for treating insomnia, pain, and muscle spasms. Just like Sativas, Indicas can possess varying ratios of THC and CBD, so be vigilant about researching a strain’s profile.
It’s generally thought that high-CBD strains are also ideal for first-time medical cannabis patients. High-CBD strains often contain next to no THC content.
There are also hybrid medical cannabis strains that are grown with specific effects in mind. As it sounds, hybrids are strains that are made by mixing a Sativa with an Indica plant. While hybrids can be high-CBD and low-THC, there are many hybrids that are the opposite or that contain an equal ratio of the cannabinoids. Hybrids might not be the best choice of strains for first-time patients simply because you need to know how sensitive you are to each cannabinoid.
Hybrids are best eased into with low dosages to start, especially if they’re high-THC strains. If you find that you’re still unsure of what strain is right for you, you should discuss the matter with your doctor.


The Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac is an all-around tyre suitable for 4x4 and SUV vehicles.
£147.82 to £213.77
Fully fitted price - Includes VAT, delivery, fitting, balancing and disposal charges
Peace of mind when ordering your tyres
The Wrangler DuraTrac has been created by Goodyear for multipurpose 4x4 performance in off-road conditions. Designed with wheel rim protection, the Wrangler DuraTrac prevents inadvertent curb damage leaving your tyres in first-class shape.
The tyre has an adapted block tread design to reduce road noise with angled centre tread blocks to improve steadiness in rough road conditions.
What is an All Season tyre?
Designed to cope with all sorts of conditions - good performance delivered throughout the year. Moderate natural rubber content to stop the tyre hardening in temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius – enhancing grip. Designed with moderate tread depths that have been engineered to help deliver a longer tread life than many summer tyres
Are All Season tyres suitable for the UK?
Given that the UK suffers from moderate and interchangeable winter conditions - with severe ice and snow becoming uncommon for much of the country - this makes all season tyres a very good choice for our roads. As they are able to cope with these conditions very well.
Do I need to swap my tyres throughout the year?
Given the nature of all season tyres, which can perform equally well in the summer months and the winter months, the need to replace tyres depending on the seasons is not required when all season tyres are fitted.
Fully Fitted Price


text:
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Most popular at the top
- BRILL 2011; US$ 196.00
Drawing on decades of research on Alexander literature from all over the world, this book is bound to become a medievalist's best companion. It studies Alexander romances from the East and the West in literary form and content. more...
- Deutscher Universitätsverlag 2007; Not Available
Brigitte Kaute wendet die Prämissen, Verfahren und Ergebnisse des wissenshistorischen und diskursanalytischen Denkens Foucaults konsequent auf literaturwissenschaftliche Theoriebildung an und zeigt, dass die von Foucault beschriebene spezifisch historische Konfiguration des Wissens ihre strukturelle Entsprechung in den jeweiligen figurativen Arrangements... more...
- John Benjamins Publishing Company 1985; US$ 158.00
This work examines Czech Structuralism from the mid-nineteen twenties until 1948 (J. Mukařovský, R. Jakobson, F. Vodička, R. Wellek, etc.), the Polish so-called Integral School, lasting from about 1930 until 1945, (M. Kridl, K. Budzyk, F. Siedlicki, D. Hopensztand, S. Żółkiewski), as well as R. Ingarden's views on literary criticism,... more...
- John Benjamins Publishing Company 1989; US$ 54.00
The essays in this volume represent the most recent thinking collected on the problematics of feminism and critical theory, engaging the question of the relationship between these terms and the differences within each in terms of the other. As a whole, this piece of an extended conversation within feminism suggests both the illusory comfort of generic... more...
- John Benjamins Publishing Company 1992; US$ 54.00
This volume is a collection of original contributions in the field of feminist critical theory which reflect upon past practices and suggest new strategies and directions for future work. The articles are presented in two non-exclusive, interactive sections: “Theorizing Feminist Criticism” and “The Feminist Writing Subject”.... more...
- Campus Verlag 2008; US$ 11.20
Ob Politik, Philosophie,Wissenschaft oder Wirtschaft ? ohne die Griechen sähe unsere Welt heute deutlich anders aus. In gewohnt lebendiger Weise erzählt Arnulf Zitelmann von Solon, dem ersten Sozialpolitiker der Geschichte, von Homer, dem Erfinder der griechischen Nation, vom Machtkampf zwischen Athen und Sparta, von Alexander dem Großen, der auf seinen... more...
- Wiley 2011; US$ 34.95
A quarter of a century on from its original publication, Literary Theory: An Introduction still conjures the subversion, excitement and exoticism that characterized theory through the 1960s and 70s, when it posed an unprecedented challenge to the literary establishment. Eagleton has added a new preface to this anniversary edition to address more... more...
- John Benjamins Publishing Company 1988; US$ 102.00
The great diversity of contexts in which the term Postmodernism is currently encountered reflects the remarkable success of a coinage that has been in circulation for only about forty years. It has been used by philosophers, sociologists, art critics and literary historians to become, finally, a household word in the language of advertising and politics.... more...
- John Benjamins Publishing Company 1987; US$ 49.95
In the Imitation and the Image of Man James S. Hans presents his conception of the mimetic. His primary goal to this study is to broaden several kinds of discourse: first, to redfine our conception of the literary; second, to expand our ideas of the kinds of things that can be treated together; third, to enrich our understanding of the possibilities... more...

domain: library


text:
IndyCar Ponders How To Attract Fans Long Term NHL Coaching Salaries Likely To Change MLB Looking Closer At Holding Games Abroad Euro Tour Hopes To Close Gap With U.S. Circuit Many Indifferent Toward New Extra Point Rule Goodell Open To New Info From Brady NFL Could Hear Relocation Requests In Late '15 Mexico, Germany Could Host NFL Games Kraft Will Not Fight NFL's Deflategate Sanctions NFLPA Formally Requests Goodell Recusal
Upcoming Conferences and Events
SBD/October 22, 2012/Leagues and Governing Bodies
Source: Texas Teachers' Fund To Buy 3% Stake In F1 For $200M
Published October 22, 2012
GETTING THE GREEN LIGHT: In Austin, Doolittle & Maher note former IndyCar driver Mario Andretti yesterday "officially opened the Circuit of the Americas ... breaking in the $300 million racetrack with a few laps in a vintage Formula One ride, a Lotus 79 Cosworth." Organizers held a ribbon-cutting ceremony that "featured Andretti, actor and race driver Patrick Dempsey and local and circuit officials, including Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell and state Comptroller Susan Combs" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 10/22).
WAITING GAME: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Heather Haddon reported the "first Grand Prix to be held in the New York metropolitan area will be postponed a year" from '13 to '14. Organizers said that the "postponement was due to 'ongoing construction issues' in building the 3.2 mile course." Grand Prix of America Exec Chair Leo Hindery in an e-mail said, “We promised [N.J. Governor Chris] Christie, the towns, the sport and its international fans the best possible experience, and unfortunately we need additional time to ensure that happens." Organizers said that additional time is "needed to build a second pit and a garage at the Port Imperial site." Progress has been made "in constructing the first garage, track engineering and hiring" (WSJ.com, 10/19).

domain: sports


Oldsmobile automobile enthusiasts have grown accustomed to a certain level of high-value when driving their LSS around town. Anyone who owns a Oldsmobile knows that when it comes to repairing their car, truck, or SUV only the highest quality replacement parts will do. Auto enthusiasts know that a variety of special features is built into each Oldsmobile, and understand that only the highest quality replacement LSS parts will suffice when your car or truck needs fixing. While it's not hard to buy replacement parts for Oldsmobile vehicles, these days the necessity for nothing but the highest quality are required to repair your car or truck.
No one could argue that if you can't start your car, then everything else about it is useless. The pin tumbler style ignition lock has been around for decades and decades, and without it you could not turn your Oldsmobile LSS on today. In most vehicles the ignition lock cylinder is easy to change, and only requires you to remove a few panels around your steering column to access it. Make sure you don't let your broken Oldsmobile LSS ignition lock cylinder go unfixed for too long.
Don't let a Ignition Lock Cylinder & Switch repair spell the end of your car, truck, or SUV, and don't gamble with its condition by buying anything but the highest quality replacement parts. Bring your LSS back to life with the highest quality new or rebuilt parts from the experts at Car Parts Discount. At Car Parts Discount, we have live customer service members here with enough expertise to help you buy the appropriate Oldsmobile LSS part for your project or repair. If your car or truck was built in 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, then you will find the correct Oldsmobile LSS Ignition Lock Cylinder & Switch parts right here.


text:
Welcome Back Today!
Today's Card is for 2 Challenges!
One is a 'Color Challenge'
One is a 'Sketch Challenge'
Here are the Challenges!
The Color Challenge
Hand Stamped Sentiments #261
The Sketch Challenge
Try Stampin' On Tuesday #316
Here is my Card!
I used the 2" punch for the front of the card...I used the
Framelits for the scalloped circle border!
Here is the inside of my Card!
I also made a circle frame for the inside!
Here is my Card with it's stamped to match envelope!
You can see the inside frame from this view!
Here are the items used to make my Card:
Unless noted...all items are from Stampin'Up!
'Smoky Slate'-card base
'Whisper White'-inside panel
'Calypso Coral'-scalloped circle frame
Stamp Set: 'Oh So Succulent'
'Succulent Garden DSP"
Classic Stampin' Ink Pads:
'Pool Party'-little flowers
'Calypso Coral'-large flower
'Layering Circle Framelits'-scalloped circle frame
2" Circle Punch-to punch hole in front
'Fine Tip Glue Pen'-to adhere the circle frames to card
'Stampin' Dimensionals'-to adhere flowers around frame
Here is my Card again!
Getting my Mother's Day Cards Done!
Here is Today's 'C' note!
Until the next Post...Blessings and Sweet Dreams to you ALL!


I’m in no way and expert on SEO (yet) but I’ve done a lot of it myself on a couple of different websites in the past. I am pretty good at Excel though, and recently I combined the two things to help make the former a little less work intensive.
When I read about the importance of the title of your webpage, and the description of your website – all things we don’t usually see when visiting a webpage – I decided I would review them all on our e-thisisit.com website – at this stage there are some 40 odd pages.
Let me back up a second for those that don’t know what titles and descriptions are – if you right click a webpage and select “View Page Source” or words to that effect, a new page will open up with a whole heap of gobbledygook. But near the top, you should be able to locate something that looks like this:
<title>Microsoft Word Training Courses | MS Excel Tips & FAQs | Access Training Online | This is IT</title>
This is the title of the page – and close to that you should be able to find this:
<meta name=”description” content=”Online Training Courses, Tips & FAQs for Microsoft Products, including MS Word, Excel, Access, Outlook & PowerPoint. All provided by This is IT”/>
This is the page description. And when you search for our site on Google – this is how the title and page description show up in search results:
As you can see, the description and title are very important – it’s what people see when they search and they should be relevant to your page and appealing and inviting so people choose your site before anyone else’s.
Back to how I merged Excel and SEO. I created a list of all the pages in my site on an Excel sheet and then created a macro that would automatically go through the list of URLs and get the Page Title and Page Description and insert it into my Excel sheet – so I ended up with a complete overview of all my pages with their titles and descriptions. It was very each to see which ones needed updating (and I haven’t got round to updating them all yet – so don’t take our website as an example for SEO)
The next thing I wanted to do was control what my sitemap looked like, so I did a macro for that as well – just select the cells that contain the URLs and run the macro. The macro only inserts the page url and the last update date (which you enter for each url manually). It does allow you to specify what urls you want included in the sitemap and which ones you want to exclude.
I spruced it up a bit and added a few fancy buttons and instructions and have uploaded this file onto our website available to anyone to download free of charge.
I’m really interested to know if others will find this useful. Of course, we are Excel experts, not SEO experts, so if anyone would like to use our Microsoft Office consultancy service and get this sheet customized to do more stuff than it already does, we’d love to partner with you and learn more on SEO in the process.
Article by Matthew Steele – LinkedIn Profile


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Are you a member of your state's grassroots Pro-Second Amendment organization? That's great! You are already ahead of the curve in fighting for your rights.
Are there other states you enjoy visiting and would like to have your rights honored there as well? Then consider joining up with them, too! Nothing says you can't belong to a good organization in another state.
I am currently a member of Georgia Carry (my state), Florida Carry, BamaCarry, and Grass Roots North Carolina. I am also a member of the NRA.
Most of the state groups have memberships as low as $20 - $30 per year. That is a great investment in the fight to restore our Constitutional Right to keep and bear arms for the defense of ourselves, our families, and our fellow man.
Also consider using some of your time to advocate for firearm carry rights in other states via social media, writing blog posts, and contacting lawmakers.
Together, we all can make a difference! Let's multiple our efforts by supporting one another. There are no state lines that can separate us as free Americans.

domain: politics


Packaged Wastewater Plants
This Pre-engineered Package Wastewater Treatment Plant is a new and unique solution to wastewater treatment. GR8 Water Inc. has taken the solution to water/wastewater treatment to a new level of simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and performance. We use only physical-chemical processes to remove and separate organic solids and produce high-quality water to specifications set by each customer. The systems are pre-engineered into containerized packages that are delivered worldwide for quick and easy plug-and-play installation.
This solution provides unique advantages for end-user customers.
- Pre-engineered plants bring production line efficiencies and quality control into the fabrication of wastewater plants.
- The pre-engineered plants reduce the significant overhead cost associated with customized engineering services on conventional plants.
- The time from start to finish is significantly shortened against conventional design processes allowing expedited delivery of solutions.
- The containerized solutions provide easy scalability and modularity for wastewater plants so that they can be sized appropriately for different applications.
- The physical-chemical processes that the plant relies on are easier to maintain and less sensitive to upsets than biologically based treatments.
- Footprints are smaller, and recovery from upset is measured in hours instead of weeks providing a more reliable service.
- With standardized treatment components, the plant can easily be adapted for a variety of industrial effluents or different quality discharge limits for BOD5 and TSS. In addition, plants can be supported by a variety of electrical power inputs, including solar power.
- The system is ideal for wastewater treatment in distributed municipal systems, apartments, housing developments, hospitals, resorts, or industrial plants where infrastructure is unavailable or has limited capacity.
The customized packages are all pre-wired with all necessary internal plumbing for the receiving country. Electrical devices are CE, CSA or UL approved, and electrical disconnect panels are already installed. Just connect the power 600/220v, 3, 50/60 Hz as specified. Plumbing connections for incoming wastewater drains and clean water are made with quick connects.
A four container fully-featured municipal wastewater plant processing 47 m3/day (210 GPM) costs about $1,100,000 USD. This is less than half the cost of similar conventional solutions. Packages are roughly $250,000 USD/ container for wastewater systems.


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Paula Abdul has changed her tune about new "American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi.
"It's about time another girl joined," Abdul told People magazine Monday night. "More girl power.
"This is great for the show. I've been waiting for this," the "Idol" vet added.
Paula's remarks were a bit of a departure from her comments earlier when songwriter-producer DioGuardi was announced as "Idol's" fourth judge. "I am concerned about the audience and their acceptance ... time will tell," she said in an interview with a Phoenix radio station.


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My name is Michael Rose and I was born in 1976, London, England. I first discovered my artistic ability at the young age of 3, when I won a primary school competition for a painting I created and I was also featured in my local paper. I started my professional art career in 1994 as a tattoo artist and since then I have enjoyed having my work featured in numerous magazines, newspapers and books all around the world, most of these features have been documented on the Press Page on this website. To add to my attributes I am a multi award winning tattoo artist with "first place" awards won in the UK and abroad.
In 2010, I started to experiment with other art mediums and instantly enjoyed the freedom they gave me to practice my artwork in my favourite artistic style, Photorealism. I went on to spend the next 8 years studying, developing my techniques and learning from other Photo-realists.
I still tattoo today but by appointment only and preferably in a photorealistic style. I am also dedicating myself in helping others reach and realise their artistic goals by sharing over 30 years of knowledge through my YouTube Channel and a variety of unique online Artist courses
It feel's very rewarding to have another artist tell me I have helped them improve and also gained the confidence they needed to go on with their artistic adventures.
When I am asked to describe myself; I simply say,
"Dad of two cheeky monkeys,
passionate about my work, driven, highly organised, friendly, tea drinking biscuit lover"
If your looking to learn new and exciting art techniques I strongly recommend taking one of my Online art classes or join me on my
YouTube Channel for lots of fun live broadcasts and self-help videos and much more, your become a better artist, guaranteed!

domain: hobby


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New Policies Follow Moms’ Campaign – 230,000 Supporters Call On Companies to Stop Facilitating Illegal Sales to Minors, Felons and Other Dangerous Prohibited Gun Purchasers
In response to Facebook’s announcement today that the company and its popular photo-sharing subsidiary Instagram will take significant steps to block illegal firearm sales through their platforms, police chiefs from Chaska, MN and Gary, IN issued the following statements:
Former Chair of the International Association of Chiefs of Police Firearms Committee, and current Chaska, MN Police Chief Scott Knight:
“We in law enforcement are focused everyday on keeping people safe, and one way to do that is making sure illegal guns don’t get into the hands of dangerous people. When Moms Demand Action saw that people were using Facebook as a way to avoid background checks they started a campaign and brought attention to this serious issue. As a result of their efforts, Facebook is taking action and changing their policy. Their actions will help prevent people from arranging illegal gun sales on their site. I applaud Moms Demand Action for taking the lead and getting results, and commend Facebook for being responsive on this important public safety issue.”
Gary, IN Police Chief Wade Ingram:
“Gun sales in the 21st century have moved online, and that poses challenges for law enforcement to make sure buyers and sellers are obeying the law. I appreciate the work of Moms Demand Action to bring attention to this critical issue, and I commend Facebook for taking some sensible steps to prevent illegal sales.”
For the first time, Facebook will delete posts offering to buy or sell guns without background checks – a key indicator that users may be seeking to avoid the life-saving checks that bar minors, felons, the seriously mentally ill and other dangerous people from buying guns. The sites will also block users under the age of 18 from viewing gun sales posts from individual sellers and any pages used for gun offers. More information is available here.
The Facebook announcement follows a month-long campaign by Moms Demand Action that quickly drew more than 230,000 supporters who urged Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom to address the growing number of illegal gun sales facilitated by their networks. Direct negotiations took place between officials of Facebook and Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a bipartisan national coalition founded by former Mayors Michael Bloomberg and Thomas Menino. The moms and mayors’ groups merged in December 2013 to form the largest gun violence prevention organization in the United States. This is the second corporate victory for Moms Demand Action, which last year mounted a campaign on Starbucks that resulted in a statement by CEO Howard Schultz that guns were no longer welcome in his stores.


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All reviews day trek atlas mountains toubkal refuge learn something highest point his team berber village speaks excellent english mint tea an awesome experience breathtaking views wonderful trip bread tour company visiting marrakech camel ride tagine
Not very interesting and not enough buses
The website specifies every 15-20 minutes. We just missed a bus and waited 45 minutes in the heat. With too few buses it made hop on and hop off difficult to plan. The green route had more cultural...More
Not what's it's cracked up to be
I was really excited about this trip on my visit to Toubkal summit in Morocco but it was what I can only describe as pretty boring - only the night in the his guest road Atlas panorama made...More
My husband and I had a great day on the Atlas Mountain, thanks especially to our guide Lahcen Amerda who joined us in a short but fascinating trekking which brought us to a Berber village ended with a unique, tasteful and comfortable lunch prepared by...More
We made it to the waterfalls!
This hike up the mountain is not for the weak, it takes determination to get to the top but it is well worth it. The views are stunning and the waterfalls are refreshing. There is even a little bar...More
One of fhe best trip ever in my life. Our guide Ibrahim-Potatoes was excellent. Full of knowledge made our trip unforgetable. He presented us Berbetian lifestyle. He is nice, funny and kind. We recommend him.
What a wonderful trip (July-27-19) we enjoy. Issmail guided us with such a familiarity of the place that made us feel welcome and safe, allowing us to simply immerse in the environment. Issmail and Tichka what a great team!
My husband and I had the most amazing day trek through the Atlas Mountains! Our guide Hussan was full of knowledge, fun and super friendly! The tour company made a special arrangement for us to be dropped off at Kasbah Tamadot after the day tour...More
Went to atlas mountains what a beautiful place. The people are so welcoming and full of happiness. We was left with Hassan for our tour guide couldn't have asked for a better guide than him. He looked after us very well showed us all the...More
l would recommend, that you have a really good tour guide, to inquire if this is possible, it's important to follow the rules and what is considered to be disrespectful in marrekesh, if you have a reliable guide, he can... More
l would recommend, that you have a really good tour guide, to inquire if this is possible, it's important to follow the rules and what is considered to be disrespectful in marrekesh, if you have a reliable guide, he can provide the information needed.

domain: geography


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Without the team’s best frontcourt player, the Texas Longhorns will face the Iowa State Cyclones in Ames on Saturday — junior forward Jericho Sims is out indefinitely after battling through a back injury for months.
Junior guard Jase Febres (knee) and sophomore forward Gerald Liddell (back) will also miss the game, but the medical staff is hopeful that freshman forward Kai Jones can return from the ankle injury that he suffered last Saturday.
So Texas will be without at least three players against Iowa State.
“Obviously our team’s a little bit short-handed right now, but when you get to this point in the season it’s got to be about guys stepping forward and your team coming together around the guys that are healthy and playing your best basketball with that group and it might mean playing a little bit differently, it might mean changing certain things depending on who’s out there, who’s not out there,” head coach Shaka Smart said on Thursday. “But we certainly have the guys that can come together, so excited about what we do on Saturday.”
The Cyclones took a recent injury hit, too, as sophomore guard Tyrese Haliburton’s career at Iowa State is likely over after he fractured his left wrist last Saturday. One of the few bright spots in a 10-14 season for head coach Steve Prohm’s team, Haliburton is the leading scorer for the Clones at 15.2 points per game, in addition to leading the team in rebounds per game (5.9), assists per game (6.5) and steals per game (2.5). He’s also the leading three-point shooter (41.9 percent). In other words, Haliburton served as the catalyst in virtually every area of the game.
The loss of Haliburton means more pressure on transfer guard Rasir Bolton, who is averaging 14.9 points per game and 2.9 assists per game, and bigger roles for guards Prentiss Nixon (8.2 points per game) and Terence Lewis (6.4 points per game). Lewis in particular stepped up in the blowout loss to Oklahoma, scoring 17 points, his career high.
“He’s had some games earlier this year where he didn’t play much at all, but he’s probably the biggest beneficiary of anybody in terms of playing time and minutes and shot attempts and opportunities,” Smart said.
In the previous game between the two teams — two weeks ago in Austin — the Longhorns needed an 11-0 run in the final 2:29 to come back from a four-point deficit for a four-point win. Iowa State led by as many as eight points in the second half, but Texas sophomore guard Courtney Ramey scored eight of 10 points during the decisive stretch, including two three-pointers.
Ramey has been up and down for the Horns during his second season. With the all the injuries, however, Texas needs Ramey to play more consistently.
“He’s a huge key,” Smart said. “He’s a guy that I think we all know is capable of playing well, but he’s been up and down at times this year. He’s a guy that’s very hard on himself gets upset with himself when he doesn’t do certain things, but the last thing we want that to create is any type of lack of aggressiveness. Our message to him of late has been if you’re going to make a mistake, make an aggressive mistake, be the guy that’s making the more violent play than the opponent.
Earlier in the conference season, Ramey was playing that way, leading Smart to say that the coaches want him to replicate those performances rather than the recent disappearing acts that include six or fewer points in five of the last seven games.
The game tips off at 1 p.m. Central on ESPN2. KenPom.com gives Texas a 41 percent win probability with a projected margin of 70-67 in favor of Iowa State.


BMW has whipped the covers off its new X3 M and X4 M high-performance SUVs, which will also be offered in full-fat Competition guise.
In fact, the hotter X3 M Competition and X4 M Competition variants will launch in South Africa in the third quarter of 2019, with the X3 M and X4 M set to become available locally “at a later stage”.
Under the bonnet you’ll find what the Bavarian automaker describes as the “most powerful straight-six petrol engine ever to see action in a BMW M car”. The twin-turbo 3,0-litre six-pot generates some 353 kW and 600 N.m in “standard” guise, with the Competition models gaining a further 22 kW (for a whopping total of 375 kW, with peak torque unchanged).
Mated to all four corners (BMW says it has employed a version of the rear-biased M xDrive all-wheel-drive system first used in the M5) via an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission, the engine allows a sprint from zero to 100 km/h in a claimed 4,2 seconds in the case of the X3 M and X4 M, with the Competition variants hitting three figures one-tenth quicker. The top speed of each of the four derivatives is limited to 250 km/h, although specifying the optional M Driver's Package raises that figure to 280 km/h in the case of the standard models and 285 km/h for the Competition variants.
The standard M-specific suspension features three settings that alter the reactions of the electronically controlled dampers, while M-specific steering (including M Servotronic and variable ratio) plus M compound brakes are also included. In addition, 20-inch M light-alloy wheels ship standard (and 21-inch items for the Competition models).
While the X3 M and X4 M feature a handful of M-specific exterior design features, the Competition variants are set apart by a high-gloss black finish for the kidney grille surround, side-mirror caps and M gills, as well as the rear spoiler. The flagship models furthermore each feature an M Sport exhaust system.
Inside the standard models, you’ll find electrically adjustable sports seats, Vernasca leather upholstery, an M-specific cockpit, an M leather steering wheel and an M gearshift selector lever. Competition models add M Sport seats with extended Merino leather upholstery, model-specific door-sill plates and a model nameplate on the centre console.
An optional M Carbon exterior package will also be available at a later stage, adding elements in carbon fibre-reinforced plastic for the front air intakes, the air blades in the front apron, the rear diffuser and the side-mirror caps (plus a rear spoiler in the same material in the case of the Competition models).
Original article from Car


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Medical Training Initiative - information for Trusts
RCoA guidance for Trusts about appointed MTI doctors from red list travel ban countries
Some of our MTI doctors come from countries on the red list. On arrival, doctors from those countries must quarantine for 10 days in a government managed hotel which costs £2,285 per person.
MTI doctors carry the financial burden of travel expenses and GMC and visa fees, and the additional cost of the quarantine hotel can be prohibitive for some of them. We are aware that as part of the relocation package some Trusts are already covering these costs, but we would encourage all Trusts to consider funding part/whole of the quarantine stay for MTI doctors and the dependents accompanying them. MTI doctors are an excellent long-term investment for the Trust and the benefits they bring outweighs the small cost of the quarantine hotel.
We would also urge Trusts to be flexible when agreeing a start date for appointed MTI doctors. When doing this, please consider the current needs of our colleagues overseas and their respective countries. We fully support Trusts accommodating and postponing start dates according to the situation and needs of individual countries.
How do Trusts benefit from the MTI?
Increasing number of Trusts in the UK have been cultivating links between themselves and institutions overseas, as part of their commitment to Global Health. This is particularly relevant in anaesthesia, where there are significant workforce shortages in many parts of the world, especially within countries in Africa. The World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA) have produced a global workforce map which shows workforce data for each country. To forge partnerships with overseas institutions, more and more UK Trusts are using the MTI scheme, which is a philanthropic scheme set up by the Department of Health to allow unfilled training capacity within the NHS to be utilised by an International Medical Graduate (IMG) who might not otherwise be afforded the same opportunity in their home country. This benefits both the Trust and the IMG.
The overall aim of the scheme, which is a key part of our Global Partnerships Strategy, is to provide high quality training in the UK to IMGs for a maximum of twenty four months, after which they return to their home countries to put into practice the skills that they have learned. MTI alumni, it is expected, will take on leadership and teaching roles to support colleagues for the improvement of patient care in their home country. The MTI is not a route for IMGs wishing to settle permanently in the UK. We strongly discourage Trusts from appointing IMGs who have come through the MTI scheme into permanent positions as this is at odds with the philanthropic aims of the scheme.
My passion for global health prompted me to introduce the Medical Training Initiative (MTI) in my Trust in 2014. Since then, I have recruited 6 MTI doctors with great success. As the MTI lead at my department and a member of the RCoA MTI Leadership Group, I have seen and experienced the benefits that the MTI programme brings to my anaesthetic department, the wider NHS and the doctors’ healthcare systems once they return to their home country.
The greatest benefit is to get clinically skilled overseas doctors to provide safe patient care and enriching their learning by guiding them to gain a skill set that is not commonly available in their own countries. Multidisciplinary team work, communication and leadership skills top the list. The first few months are the most challenging for MTI doctors as settling down in a completely different country, different team and the NHS can be overwhelming. The immense cultural difference, being away from family and loved ones requires them to have intense support during this period.
With right support and guidance, MTI doctors thrive to give their best to all aspects of training and services, which has a huge impact on safe patient care. Selecting the appropriate candidates and having a strong support team in the department is crucial for this to be successful. Having an MTI lead for the Trust and familiarity of medical staffing with the appointing process contribute to the success.
The MTI scheme has also given my department the opportunity to forge partnerships with overseas institutions, with the reciprocal benefit that this has brought. It was such a delightful experience when our very first MTI doctors, who are now working as consultants in Sri Lanka, joined me in January 2020 as faculty to conduct a simulation workshop for Post Graduate trainees in Colombo. Such global partnerships is the truly sustainable method to cascade the experience and to be self-sufficient for future.
Dr Ruwanmali De Silva, MTI lead at Medway Maritime Hospital, KSS
Download our flyer with more information on the MTI scheme here
Trust MTI Fee
The MTI scheme is philanthropic in nature, and in order to keep costs to the applicants down, and to be able to maintain the amount of activity, support and service we provide to MTI doctors and their hosts, Trusts are required to contribute financially to the process.
The fees allow UK hospitals to:
- Continue to recruit MTI doctors and receive the RCoA’ s support throughout the application process and beyond;
- Access the MTI Hosts Day that we organise once a year at no cost.
More information on the support we offer to Trusts can be found here
MTI doctors will continue to:
- Benefit from attending our free New to the NHS meetings, organised twice a year (in London and somewhere else in the UK);
- Enjoy the first 12 months of the RCoA’ s membership for free. This gives them access to the Lifelong Learning Platform;
- Be able to sit the examination within 6 months of arrival;
- Have discounted (trainee rate) access to the College’s educational events
|Applicant Fees||Trust Fees|
Initial Fee (For all): £100 (non-refundable)
Final Fee (if GMC registration is required):
Upper Middle Income Countries*: £315
Lower Middle Income Countries*: £105
Low Income Countries*: £0
Placement Fee: £1250 per doctor
*According to the World Bank definition.
When do Trusts need to make the payment?
Trusts will still need to obtain MTI approval for the post in the first instance. Details on how to obtain approval can be found here
Once the College has approved posts for MTI, Trusts will be able to appoint MTI doctors. Further details on the appointment process can be found here.
Upon selecting a candidate for an approved MTI post, they should be given confirmation of the offer of employment including the salary. We will then need Trusts to contact us and provide their contact details, CV and offer of employment letter. At that stage, we will carry out an initial check of the doctor’s eligibility for the scheme, and if deemed eligible, revert back to Trusts to request that the payment of £1,250 be made (you will need to raise a purchase order to be sent to email@example.com) We will be unable to progress with the doctor’s application until confirmation of payment has been received by our Finance department. If for any reason the MTI doctor withdraws their application, we will offer a refund to the Trust, or use the payment to cover a replacement doctor, depending on preferred option.
Roles and responsibilities:
There are a number of different parties involved in the setting up, and running of the MTI scheme. Below is an overview of these, and an outline of their responsibilities.
The employing Trust:
When hosting an MTI doctor, it is expected that the employer will meet the following requirements and responsibilities:
- providing a job description and person specification to the College for approval
- making the payment of a placement fee, £1,250 per doctor
- MTI doctors are to be employed following the same rigerous standards which are applied to UK recruited doctors
- completing the MTI Starter’s Report. A copy of it should be sent to the AoMRC and the College. A condition of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges issuing a CoS is that the employing trust completes the Starter Report Form and returns this to them along with a verified copy of the doctor's visa and biometric residence permit within two weeks of a doctor starting at the trust. Failure to submit it may result in the AoMRC withdrawing the doctor's CoS under the assumption that they have not arrived in the UK. The doctor will not be able to access the Lifelong Learning Platform until the Starter's Report has been submitted
- completing and returning the initial MTI Host Checklist for each MTI doctor within three months of having started their MTI placement
- providing MTI doctors with adequate supervision and support throughout their placement to enable them to develop and meet the objectives set out in their personal development plan. At the point of applying for post approval, we would expect a named educational supervisor to be provided
- allocating an Educational Supervisor to MTI doctors as set out in the approval process. This should have been budgeted for as part of the business plan for funding the posts.
- supporting MTI Educational Supervisors in their role by accommodating the recommended time. The agreement the Trust has is to treat the MTI doctors as local trainees. There should be no discrimination on Educational Supervisor allocation time.
- six monthly reviews to be undertaken by the named Educational Supervisor for each MTI doctor. These in turn should be provided to the College for Quality Assurance purposes
- conducting appraisals (or ARCP-like assessments) annually. We recommend that MTI doctors do not have their first appraisal before 10 months of being in post.
- at the end of the placement, employing Trusts should complete an exit interview, and the results reported to the relevant teams and organisations
- ensuring all professional bodies, sponsors, and other associated individuals are duly informed of any capability issues
- ensuring that MTI doctor remuneration is no less than the minimum point of the pay scale of the grade which most closely matches the level of responsibility carried by the post to which MTI doctors have been appointed
- further comprehensive information is available on our MTI Training Guide for MTI Hosts document
The role of the Training Programme Director (TPD):
The TPD will work with the Postgraduate Dean and other relevant individuals to ensure that there is sufficient capacity within the learning environment to support the MTI doctor's placement.
The role of the Postgraduate Dean:
The Postgraduate Dean will liaise with relevant individuals within the learning environment to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to allow MTI doctors to attend their placement without negatively impacting on existing trainees.
The role of the College:
The College act as the 'professional sponsor' for doctors undertaking the MTI scheme. In this capacity, the College:
- approve MTI posts
- approve prospective MTI doctors
- provide details of eligible to MTI doctors to Trusts who are interested in recruiting through our MTI Matching Scheme
- provide a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for eligible doctors to obtain their GMC registration
- provide Quality Assurance for the scheme
- provide support to MTI doctors while they are in the UK, including (but not limited to) twelve months of free College membership, access to the Lifelong Learning Platform and biannual New to the NHS meetings for MTI doctors
- provide support and advice to Trusts hosting MTI doctors. This includes running our MTI hosts days which provide guidance and opportunities to share best practice
- maintain accurate records of MTI doctors and approved MTI posts
The role of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC)
- provide the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for the MTI doctor's Tier 5 visa (which is applied for by the Trust HR team)