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Samira Gutoc cannot help but stand out from the crowded roster of candidates in the Philippines' midterm elections. The ebullient 44-year-old is a Muslim, and the only woman among the opposition's slate of eight candidates running for the Senate.
Half of the 24 seats in the upper chamber and all of the 297 seats in the House of Representatives will be chosen in Monday's polling. The Elections Commission says 62 million voters have registered, and if history is any guide, more than 70% of them will turn out.
Rodrigo Duterte, the populist president whose off-color remarks equally repel and attract Filipinos, is not on the ballot. But the election is very much a verdict on his first three years in office. The 74-year-old president has crisscrossed the country for the Senate hopefuls of his coalition and promoted his signature policy on the campaign trail. In stop after stop, Duterte — who won the presidency on a tough law-and-order platform — rarely missed the chance to warn anyone in the illegal drug trade, "If you destroy my country, I will kill."
It's a promise he has made good on. Authorities say nearly 5,300 drug suspects have been killed in police operations since Duterte took office in July 2016. Rights groups believe the official figure is a gross understatement of the drug war's carnage.
Gutoc herself is no anti-Duterte crusader. A women's rights advocate, she seems to have cultivated the ability to get along with the sometime-obstreperous president, and still challenge him.
Duterte has refrained from criticizing her in the campaign, while showing no such restraint for the rest of the opposition lineup. Gutoc's run is a bid to end a 20-year absence of a Muslim in the Philippine Senate. Senatorial candidates must run nationwide, and she's running in a country that is 92% Christian.
Again, she'll get no argument from Duterte. Born and raised a Catholic, he routinely attacks the church and its teachings. But he exhibits equanimity toward the Muslim community, which makes up 5% of the population, and he has often spoken of his own maternal grandmother's Muslim heritage.
Gutoc's faith does not appear to be an issue in the campaign. She generates more of a stir as the only woman among the male-dominated lineup of opposition senatorial candidates known as "Otso Diretso" or "Straight Eight," which is how they would like voters to mark their ballots.
Just days before Gutoc and her fellow opposition hopefuls close their six-week campaign, they careen between visits with coconut farmers and social service groups at a local cathedral and a serenaded lunch.
She sways to the music at campaign stops to the delight of the crowds in the Philippine song-and-dance political culture. She slurps noodles from a banana leaf with farmers and, in the next breath, chides Duterte.
Gutoc gently jabs him for not confronting China over its aggression in the South China Sea, which has hurt Filipino fishermen and which she calls a sellout.
"If you are bowing to China," she tells NPR, speaking of Duterte, "you should bow more to your own fisher folk or farmers. People who are prejudicing our future are [on] the other side."
Duterte has attacked her opposition Liberal Party, accusing it of plotting to oust him. He has tagged politicians of all stripes with involvement in the illegal drug trade, publishing a "narco list" of names of officials, mayors and other politicians who he says are involved in the drug trade. Human rights lawyers call it a violation of due process, and critics say it amounts to a political hit list.
Instead of making accusations at campaign rallies, Gutoc asks aloud, "Why don't you figure out issues like poverty?"
Her answer: "Election time [is] character assassination time." She says fear of retribution has kept local officials from endorsing the opposition.
Where Gutoc is willing to stand up to the president, whose attacks on free expression and women have done little to dent his high approval ratings, she has garnered a following. Her candidacy can be seen as part rejoinder to Duterte's demeaning rhetoric on women.
At rallies, she is the fiery fresh face breaking Muslim stereotypes. She can break out into song about the loneliness of Filipinos who work overseas —some 2.3 million citizens.
As the daughter of a diplomat raised in Saudi Arabia, Gutoc recalls hosting Filipino "families of workers who had no homes. I saw their pain," she says.
A lawyer by training, Gutoc has worked as a civic leader advocating for women, the environment and marginalized groups. She returned two decades ago to her native Mindanao, the main southern island in the Philippine archipelago that is also home to many of the country's Muslims. Gutoc, who wears a headscarf wrapped turban-like around her head, served as a member of the Regional Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. She describes herself as a Filipino woman working hard to help "improve the lives of my family, my community, my people."
She herself is now exiled from her hometown of Marawi, the city on restive Mindanao that was laid waste in 2017 when Philippine government troops battled ISIS-linked militants who had dug into the city. Gutoc led volunteers in rescuing residents trapped during the five-month siege, an experience that animates her belief she can serve.
"It's one motivation that compels me to be in the public eye, because I can talk about their struggle," she says. "And it's also the struggle of anyone [trying] to find a house and shelter and safety."
Duterte had jokingly exhorted soldiers to commit rape during the Marawi siege. Gutoc called a remark offensive and quit a local peace panel to which Duterte had appointed her. In the campaign, she sounds the alarm about rape in a country where police data show on average a woman is sexually assaulted every 72 minutes.
"We have got to band together, join together and file a claim against that bastard who did it to us," she roars before an audience at De La Salle University in Manila.
Her call to report rape resonates. Michele Orbeta, 21, says, "When she opened up about that during the forum, I could tell — especially amongst my fellow students — it really got everyone's attention."
As she campaigns, women of all ages reach out to Gutoc, hugging her and ambushing her for selfies.
Marino Amado, 67, is among them. The retired bank manager is ecstatic over meeting Gutoc and, like many, finds Duterte's disparaging remarks about women distasteful. Amado says lack of equality is the most entrenched problem for women, and she sees Gutoc as a counterpoint to the president's swagger.
"We don't like our ... president, and only Samira Gutoc ... will fight for us," she says.
The opposition slate has faced the money and the machinery of their Duterte-allied rivals, and polls this past week showed they had not broken through to the electorate. Despite Gutoc's obvious appeal, her biggest hurdle in Monday's election may be name recognition. But on the ballot, each candidate is assigned a number that corresponds to their name. Hers is "36," and with a little self-deprecation, she hopes to lodge it in the voters' minds.
"Thirty-six is my ballot number," the stout Gutoc tells audiences, "and my waistline."


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Potato chips are terrific. They taste great, have a crunchy texture, and are the perfect snack for a night watching your favorite TV show.
The problem with potato chips is that it can be easy to lose track of how much you’ve eaten and load up on calories and fats.
This isn’t to say you can’t enjoy potato chips from time to time, but it would be helpful also to have some healthier alternatives to switch things up. With that in mind, let’s explore five healthy snack options.
1. Nut Mix
Any nut mix would be a fantastic alternative to chips.
Because nuts are one of the most nutrient dense foods you could eat. They are jam-packed with fiber, high-quality protein, heart-healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Nuts are also a good source of complex carbs that digest more slowly and provide your body with a steady stream of energy.
Plus, nuts taste great raw or roasted with a bit of salt.
2. P-Nuff Crunch
P-Nuff Crunch is a healthy peanut puff snack that offers a fantastic protein dose.
P-nuff Crunch is the only product on the market that’s made from protein-rich peanuts, energy-boosting rice, and navy beans full of dietary fiber. The result is a healthy and nutritious alternative to chips.
The best part is, aside from having all-natural ingredients, P-Nuff Crunch has a nice crunchy texture and tastes great to satisfy your cravings!
3. Cucumber And Carrot Slices
Cucumbers and carrots might not seem all that special, but both vegetables taste great and make for healthy, high-fiber, and low-calorie snacks. Cucumbers almost entirely consist of water, which means they barely have any calories. Add some salt and apple cider vinegar, and you’ve got a yummy, healthy snack.
Carrots have a few more calories since they offer some natural sugars but are incredibly beneficial for us. They are also a great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Both veggies satisfy our cravings for a crunchy snack.
4. Homemade Sweet Potato Chips
If you’ve never tried sweet potato chips, you’re in for a treat. Making it right on the first try is a bit tricky, but once you get the recipe right, it’s a healthy and delicious alternative to potato chips. It mostly comes down to cutting the sweet potato in thin enough slices so it bakes well and ends up crispy.
As far as nutrition goes, sweet potato chips are rich in vitamins (such as B6 and C), minerals (such as iron), and complex carbs that provide a steady stream of energy.
Among the many healthy chip alternatives, popcorn is one of the best options. It offers the same satisfying crunch as potato chips but has half the calories and much fewer fats. Of course, you have to pick popcorn that isn’t drenched in butter and only has some salt on top.
The great thing about popcorn is the sheer volume. Each bite is light but takes a bit to chew and swallow, making you feel like you’re eating a lot. Plus, since popcorn takes longer to consume, you can enjoy them for a long time without consuming over 200-300 calories.

domain: food


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Looking for nail art ideas that will make you feel extra special on your next big event? From weddings to proms, cocktail parties to New Year’s Eve celebrations, there’s a nail design for every occasion. Here are 10 elegant nail art ideas that are sure to make you stand out from the crowd.
2.Classic French Tips with a Twist
Take the traditional French tip manicure to the next level with a subtle twist. Instead of the classic white tip, try a metallic or glitter accent nail, or switch up the color of the tip altogether. This timeless look is perfect for weddings, formal events, or even a day at the office.
3. Glitter Ombre Nails for Glamorous Events
Bring on the bling with glitter ombre nails. Choose a neutral base color and add glitter at the tips, blending it down for a gradient effect. This eye-catching look is perfect for glamorous events like black tie dinners or red carpet events.
4. Delicate Floral Nail Art for Weddings
Floral nail art is perfect for weddings or any springtime event. Create delicate flowers using a thin brush and soft colors like pastel pinks, blues, and greens. Add a touch of glitter or metallic accents for extra glam.
5. Metallic Accents for Formal Occasions
Metallic nails are a classic choice for formal events. Add a touch of glamour to any outfit with a metallic accent nail or all-over metallic finish. Gold and silver are timeless choices, but try out copper or rose gold for a trendy twist.
6. Subtle Geometric Designs for Cocktail Parties
Geometric designs are a subtle way to add some interest to your nails. Use a striping brush to create triangles, squares, or other shapes in neutral colors like black, white, or nude. This elegant look is perfect for cocktail parties or other semi-formal events.
7. Bold and Bright Patterns for Summer Parties
Summer parties call for bright and bold nail art. Try out playful patterns like polka dots, stripes, or chevrons in fun colors like coral, turquoise, or hot pink. Don’t be afraid to mix and match patterns for an eclectic look.
8. Sparkly Rhinestone Embellishments for Prom
Rhinestone embellishments add a touch of sparkle to any manicure. Try out different shapes and sizes in coordinating colors for a glamorous look. This design is perfect for prom or any other formal event.
9. Elegant Matte Black Nails for Evening Events
Matte black nails are a sleek and sophisticated choice for evening events. This edgy look pairs well with any outfit, and the matte finish adds a touch of luxury. Try out a glossy accent nail for some added interest.
10. Shimmering Gold Foil Nails for New Year’s Eve
Ring in the new year with some shimmering gold foil nails. Apply gold foil to the tips of your nails or create a full foil look for some serious sparkle. This bold design is perfect for New Year’s Eve or any other celebratory event.
In conclusion, there are endless possibilities when it comes to elegant nail art ideas for special occasions. From classic French tips to bold and bright patterns, there’s a design for every event and personal style. Experiment with different colors, textures, and embellishments to find your perfect look. With these 10 nail art ideas, you’re sure to make a statement at your next big event.

domain: artistic


The death of traditional country music may have been overstated. These 18 country singers are proving there is still allegiance to a less pop-friendly brand of twang. They also prove fans often need to go looking for it.
Only a handful of these modern country music traditionalists have found success on country radio, but streaming sites and satellite radio have been kind to artists like Sturgill Simpson. His Grammy win and performance shows that despite a lack of airplay, great music can still win. Commercial and critical success as a country traditionalist is tough for any singer, but it’s not impossible.
Still think “real” country music is dead? We’d argue that you’re just not trying hard enough to find it. These 18 artists give hope for the future of country music, with or without help from radio stations nationwide.
These Country Artists Are Keeping Traditional Country Alive:


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Next time someone says they’re gonna “ice” you, plead innocence and pull out the Nordica Unleashed 90 Ice Skis rather than chugging some nasty alcoholic beverage. It’s better for you and you’ll have more fun on this directional twin shape with enough guts to swing between the park and the steeps without a hitch. Nordica’s always made great directional skis, but by giving the Unleashed 90 more tail rocker and less metal they’ve scored a direct hit.
Tip and Tail Rocker – Gentle, early-rise rocker tip makes it super easy to initiate turns and set an edge while the turned up tail increases control by making it easy to release the ski from a turn.
Full Performance Woodcore
GR400 Carbon Glass
Single Terrain Specific Titanal Layer
We recommend a brake width equal to or at most 15 mm wider than the ski waist width.
- Skis:No Bindings
- Ability Level:Intermediate-Advanced
- Rocker Type:Rocker/Camber/Rocker
- Turning Radius:Short
- Core/Laminates:Carbon, Metal, Wood
- Tail Type:Partial Twin Tip

domain: hobby


If all publicity is good publicity, then Apple is basking in the glow of its hot new gadget, the iPad, which is not only the talk of the tech world, but has also become the favorite butt of jokesters worldwide.
Following are some of the best jokes about the Apple iPad found online and especially on Twitter. Warning: Given the subject matter, these jokes are not always tasteful.
The iPad: Protecting your data from embarrassing incidents. (kathycacace)
Uncomfortable cramping and bloating? There’s an app for that. (Attagrrrl)
The iPad surfs the Web AND stops the bleeding. (tjakabon)
If I order an iPad, will my boyfriend and I have to worry if it arrives late? (fauxfruit)
If you and your friends all buy one, will they sync up? (andBegorrah)
So will iffy Wi-fi coverage be called iSpotting? (vlvtjones)
The 64-gig iPad will forever be known as the “Heavy Flow” model. (Johnpapa)
Does the Period Tracker app come free? (Lymed)
Mac’s iPad. Say it with me, folks. Maxipad. (TastyBites)
A friend tweeted that, "All this talk about the iPad is giving me iCramps," so I suggested iBuprofen. (betty.black)
Microsoft’s answer to the iPad is the “Technical Automatic Material Peripheral Onboard Notebook,” or TAMPON. Coming real soon. (franzenjim)
Steve, I’ma let you finish, but Moses had the greatest tablet announcement of all time. (WewillroastU)
I’m not buying an iPad. Period. (melizeche)
So the iPad has two data plans: Light Flow and Heavy Flow.
I haven’t heard this many period jokes since I was forced to watch “The View” last month. (TwittsMcGee)
I heard that for one week out of every month the iPad will be unresponsive and seem harsh when you touch it.
iPad: a bloody good idea.
And in an amazing feat of tech prescience, MadTV produced an Apple iPad parody video… three years ago! Check it out:
Article published on February 1, 2010
|If you like this article, please share it:|


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Fury, 27, has attracted controversy after likening homosexuality to paedophilia, with over 105,000 people signing a petition calling for his removal from the shortlist for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
British heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury has been stripped of one his world titles less than two weeks after winning it, the BBC reported on Wednesday.
The reigning NBA champions had looked to be romping to victory after piling on the points to lead by 28 at 111-83 heading into the final quarter.
LeBron James has signed a lifetime deal with US sporting goods giant Nike it was confirmed on Monday in what was described as the largest single athlete deal in the company’s history.
Twenty-one national players established a Singapore record for most rugby passes in an hour by completing 4,002 passes at Asia Square this evening. This surpassed the Guinness Book of World Record of 2,336 set by Maccabi GB junior team in England in 2013.
Under Armour South East Asia supports the come back of the international MMA superstar, and Filipino-American fighter, Brandon “The Truth” Vera, with the MMA Asia superstar and Under Armour athlete Mark Streigl to rock the Mall of Asia Arena.
Stephen Curry scored 11 of his 28 points in the final 2:10 of the third quarter, and the Golden State Warriors remained perfect on the season with a 114-98 win over Brooklyn Sunday.
New world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has sparked fresh controversy with derogatory remarks about women, including Olympic and world heptathlete champion Jessica Ennis-Hill.
The WWE is still in dire straits as far as resolving the dipping ratings and seeing their top stars succumbing to injury has just made matters worse.
Sacramento Kings rookie center Willie Cauley-Stein will miss the next four to six weeks of the NBA season after suffering an open dislocation of his right index finger, the team announced Friday.

domain: news


Burton Caption Pullover Hoodie
Half technical fleece, half relaxed hoodie – a two-faced option for on or off-hill action.
Grid-backed fleece comfort and easy, off-day hoodie style make the Burton Caption Pullover a relaxed alternative in the tech category. DRYRIDE Ultrawick™ fleece pulls personal vapor (aka sweat) outward to prevent a cold and clammy feeling, while the channeled grid backing accelerates wicking performance. The lightweight and breathable character of this fleece is complemented by above and beyond function.
- DRYRIDE Ultrawick™ 100% Polyester Grid-Back Fleece
- Fulltime Hood
- Rib Knit Cuffs
- Shaped Hem
- Regular Fit
- 1-Year Warranty


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without Internet Explorer,
in 1280 x 960 resolution
This demo from Pittsburgh area metal/melodic death band, Sinning is our Savior highly impresses me.
The band has fused several styles of music together to make a unique sound. Death metal, Power / speed metal classical soloing, hardcore growling, fast rhythmic drumming with a nice double bass kick, and catchy chorus. Now granted this is only a two-song demo, but "Fade into oblivion" and "Servants" are a couple of kick ass tracks. Funny thing, these two songs were cut off of the full length and slapped onto a promotional demo. Now, I believe that this demo is enough to make anyone buy the full length.
"Servants" has great lead guitar work going on throughout the entire song, but falls short only in the vocal department; too brutal of growling doesn’t fit this power metalish song. Granted Children of Bodem can pull it off, but these guys are far from C.O.B. "Fade Into Oblivion", has decent vocals, more hardcore shout, and a catchy ass chorus, with numerous mini shredding solos, and classical leads strewn throughout.
S.I.O.S, Is a hard band to describe, but I think I can sum them up as one quarter Pantera, one quarter Cannibal Corpse, one quarter Killswitch Engage, and one quarter Divine Intervention era Slayer. This band fits in perfect with a lot of the bands in the Western Pennsylvanian music scene. Mixing many genres and coming out with a pretty original sound. Shattered Soul, Blackmarket Bodyparts, and Leprosy can be added into the mixed genre bands this area has to offer.
All in all, two good tracks that will probably convince anyone into good metalcore to buy the new full length.


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The College Station Police Department offers several different internship opportunities during Summer, Fall and Spring semesters for students from Texas A&M, Blinn, Sam Houston State and Prairie View A&M. Internship positions are restricted to those students seeking academic credit for the semester. Prospective internship candidates must receive academic approval and credit to be considered for placement with the College Station Police Department Internship Program. Persons seeking internship without academic credit will not be considered.
Internship opportunities are offered in these areas:
» Administration (Research) (Position Description) - 1 position
» Community Enhancement Unit (Social Media) (Position Description) - 1 position
» Crime Analysis (Position Description) - 1 position
» Crime Victim Services (Position Description) - 1 position
» Criminal Investigations Division (Position Description) - 4 positions
(2 for Mon/Wed/Fri; 2 for Tues/Thur)
» Patrol Operations (Position Description) - 1 position
» Public Safety GIS (Position Description) - 1 position
» Recruiting and Training (Position Description) - 1 position
» Technical Services (Position Description) - 1 position
Session ___ Semester Dates _____Application/Deadline
Fall 2019 Aug. 26 - Dec. 4, 2019 June 16, 2019
Approval for internship through school for internship in exchange for academic credit (persons seeking internship but not seeking academic credit will not be placed in internship program)
Intern applicants must meet specific requirements
1. Conviction of an offense above the grade of Class B or a Class B within the last 10 years.
2. Placement on court-ordered community supervision or probation for any criminal offense above the grade of class B misdemeanor or on court-ordered community supervision or probation for a Class B misdemeanor within the last ten years from the date of the court order.
3. Conviction of any offense involving Family Violence as defined by the Texas Penal Code.
4. Discharged from the military under less than honorable conditions, or resigned to avoid such.
Alcohol and Drug Use Criteria:
Circumstances surrounding the usage of alcohol, controlled substances, illegal use of prescription medication, or marijuana will be evaluated by the department on a case by case basis. Factors to be considered when determining eligibility include the type of substance used, frequency of use, if the use was experimental and how recent was the usage. Experimental use is considered usage to determine the effects of a drug.
1. Applicants who have used illegal drugs beyond an experimental level are not acceptable.
2. Applicants who have used any felony grade controlled substance within the last five years are not acceptable unless the drug was prescribed by a licensed physician.
3. Abuse of any prescription medication within the last three years is not acceptable.
4. Candidates having used or consumed marijuana within the last three years are not acceptable.
5. Involvement in the illegal delivery or furnishing of any controlled substance or drug to another with the expectation that a personal benefit would be received as a result of the actions. This will result in permanent disqualification.
Apply for internships through the City of College Station
Human Resources Department
Each prospective intern candidate will complete an application and hiring process prior to beginning the internship. Each step must be completed before moving forward in the process. This will include the following steps:
• Submitted applications will be reviewed and candidates will be notified if they will move forward for the initial oral interview
• Initial Oral Interview
• Personal History Statement (PHS) submission
• Background investigation conducted by Police Department personnel
• Fingerprint Submission
• Final Oral Interview
• Drug screening
• Submit (3) original academic contracts to Human Resources
The City of College Station is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Veteran Friendly Employer

domain: law


text:
'Aquatic' a new exhibition of works on paper and limited editions opens at the Lawrence Alkin Gallery, London.
Aquatic is a continuation of the Natural Selection series of works focusing on water and sea based life. The existence of such magnificent creatures seems bizarre and totally abstract in our day-to-day lives, where the information overload and sheer pace of everyday life, leave no room for thought that such magnificent beauty exists. Fragility and incredible power are juxtaposed throughout this collection.
The dynamism, movement and presence is depicted through the spontaneous application giving a sense of life and animation, which is White’s signature style of fluid and expressive brushwork.
Camouflage, patination and the wonder of infinite pigmentation, which exists in the natural world, is depicted as pools of watercolour. Blended and fused organically, offering a unique surface, this reflects the precious creatures which are depicted in a frozen moment in time. The inclusion of 24ct Gold Leaf and Pure Platinum leaf hand finishing on the larger edition prints not only offers an illusion of light, but enhances and embellishes the preciousness of life.
This collection like Natural Selection before it, forces the viewer to look and observe, re-engage and focus on the magnificence of natural life.
A catalogue is available, please contact firstname.lastname@example.org with all enquiries.
You can view the works in the collection here


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Over the weekend I listened to Christmas music and watched way too many made for TV Christmas-themed movies. What can I say, I’m a sucker for a good marathon. I can’t count all the times I’ve been pulled into watching hours of “NCIS” or “Criminal Minds,” despite them being repeats from three seasons ago.
Moving on. It is November, which means I’m already in holiday mode. I’ve made my list of people I plan to buy gifts for – and by “buy gifts” I mean “give cash/gift card.” If you like getting gifts, provide people with a list. Lists are lovely. They make the world a better place. The holidays are one time of year where I really wish I had psychic abilities. Choosing gifts for others is very hit-or-miss, at least for me. I know my friends and family, but I don’t see them on a daily, or even weekly, basis. So when I buy, say a salad spinner, I’m thinking, “Oh, they’ll have cleaner lettuce and it’ll be easier to wash.” I’m not thinking, “Do they have the cupboard space for this contraption? And will they be willing to wash a thing that’s meant to wash something else?” Answer to both questions: no. Salad spinners now, and probably will be forever, are a silly concept to me.
But for you, dear readers, I’m not giving you a salad spinner or cash. Sorry. Instead, I’m sharing an infinitely more valuable commodity, Aunt Mary’s Potica Recipe. I know it is a bit early for Christmas, but as I said I was listening to Christmas music, and you’ll want this potica at your next holiday gathering.
Potica (po-teet-sa) is a traditional Slovenian sweet nut roll. Now it may have other origins, but I’m sticking with Slovenian because well Aunt Mary was Slovenian, so deal with it. Either way, no holiday table or family gathering in my youth was complete without potica.
Aunt Mary is technically my Great-Aunt Mary. She married my grandmother’s brother, Joseph. The recipe was actually my great-grandmother Rose’s recipe. Great-grandma Rose brought the recipe over from Slovenia and eventually ended up teaching it to Aunt Mary. After the recipe was passed on, great-grandma Rose evidently stopped making potica, so it became Aunt Mary’s Potica. Which is just how recipes seem to travel in my family. You pass it on and then you don’t have to make it anymore. My grandmother pulled that one on me with the Thanksgiving gravy. I’m there whisking away and she’s over in the living room chatting and sipping wine. Very sly woman my grandmother.
A note to the pans used for the potica. I have a set of four pans that were custom-made for either great-grandma Rose or great-aunt Mary just for potica. They are about 16x4x4. This recipe makes four 16-inch long rolls, but it halves easily. If you’re making the full recipe or cutting it in half, you can probably get away with making the rolls smaller and use standard size loaf pans. So if you’re making the full recipe that equates to 8 loaf pans, and a half recipe would use 4 loaf pans.
Legend has it that great-aunt Mary would put in all the leaves in her large dining room table. Then she’d take the whole batch of dough and roll it out along the length of the table and make all four rolls at once. I like to say “legend” because, well, that’s a pretty amazing feat in my book. Plus I routinely inflate my family’s awesomeness. Again, deal with it.
Aunt Mary’s Potica, recipe from Mary Russ, makes 4, 16-inch rolls
7 or 8 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 pound unsalted butter
3 whole eggs, beaten
3/4 cup white sugar
2 cups milk
2 cakes yeast
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. white sugar
2 cups milk
2 cups white sugar
2 pounds nuts ground for filling, walnuts or pecans (my family is strictly a walnut family)
1/2 pound nuts ground for sprinkling
1/2 pound unsalted butter
white or golden raisins for sprinkling
8 oz jar of honey
3 eggs, separated
zest of one lemon
2 tsp. vanilla
Making the Dough:
1. Put 4 cups flour into a large bowl and add salt. Put milk in a saucepan and scald. Let the milk stand until it is lukewarm. Add the 1 tablespoon sugar and 2 cakes of yeast into the milk. Set milk/yeast mixture aside for about 10 minutes, until the yeast is awake and foamy.
2. In another saucepan, melt butter. Add 3/4 cup sugar and well beaten eggs. Beat this together well. Add butter mixture and milk mixtures to the flour. Beat about 10 minutes. Add more flour until the dough can be handled with your hands, probably the remaining 3 or 4 cups (I always end up using all 8 cups). Knead on well floured counter until dough does not stick to your hands.
3. Do not make the dough too hard, it should be pillowy. Grease a large bowl before placing the dough in it. Lightly flour the top. Cover and let rise until it doubles in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Making the Filling:
1. In a pan boil milk and sugar. When it comes to a full boil take off the heat and pour into butter so it melts. Add the 2 pounds of ground nuts, honey, zest, 3 egg yolks (well beaten) and vanilla. Beat the egg whites separately until stiff peaks form. Fold the whites into the filling.
2. Keep filling in a warm place so that it is easy to spread.
Putting it all together:
1. Divide dough into 4 pieces, making them into balls – cover. Roll dough one at a time until very thin, between 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch, or a nice pie crust.
2. Spread with filling, leaving about half-an-inch to an inch around the edge. Sprinkle with raisins and dry ground nuts. Roll like a jelly roll and fold the ends under.
3. Grease pans and line with parchment paper (I usually skip the greasing and just line with parchment). Place the roll in the pan seam side down. This is the tricky part. I usually start swearing now. When rolls are in the pans, cover and let rise for an 1 hour and 15 minutes.
4. Brush top of each roll with egg wash. Bake at 350 F for 1 hour and 10 minutes. I usually pull the rolls out after an hour.
Notes on the recipe:
Yes, potica uses a full pound of butter, 6 eggs, 4 cups of milk, nearly 3 cups of sugar and 8 cups of flour. Yes, you will probably use every single pan in your kitchen. Yes, the 2 1/2 pounds of nuts are expensive, but trust me, totally worth it. I’ve always skimped on the nuts, just buying as close as I could. Little did I know that by skimping on the nuts, I made my filling more watery and thus opened the door for leakage. I’ve had messes. I’ve sworn like a sailor. But the end result has always been potica. It can’t be that bad.


The Monkees visited the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee when they were guests on the July 19, 1969 edition of The Johnny Cash Show. The trio sang Michael Nesmith's "Nine Times Blue" in an appearance that was filmed earlier that May. Micky, Davy, and Mike were joined by Johnny Cash after their performance of "Nine Times Blue" for a comedic take of "Everybody Loves a Nut," originally featured on Cash's 1966 novelty album.
And now, the digital television network getTV is airing The Monkees' appearance on The Johnny Cash Show on August 12, 2018 at 10pm EST.
Of note, portions of the Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. album were also recorded in Nashville, along with treasured Monkees cuts like "Listen to the Band" and "Good Clean Fun" during Michael's famed '68 Nashville sessions. Be sure to check out this great article detailing the history The Monkees have with the city of Nashville.
And a little bit of trivia: Micky and Michael returned to the Ryman with Peter during the group's 2013 summer tour.
Micky Dolenz Live
Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart returns


text:
What has been very noticeable about this wood boat building project so far is the speed at which the hull is coming together. This is largely the result of choice of hull material and building technique; cedar strip and wood-epoxy.
Alacazam's cedar strip hull was constructed upside down over temporary chipboard frames. Once this stage of her construction was complete, she was righted, the temporary frames removed and the marine ply structural bulkheads bonded in.
Then the other plywood components of the internal structure; floors, the cabin sole, bunk berths and saloon seating, lockers, the engine box and finally the galley and navigation area were built-in.
Now it's time to put the lid on...
Perhaps the obvious choice of deck material for a wooden boat would be teak; but it wasn't for us. Teak is heavy, needs to be looked after, and doesn't like being exposed to long periods of tropical sunshine.
Marine ply on the other hand, sheathed in epoxy glass cloth and coated with non-slip paint was a much more practical solution for our self-build wood boat building project, so that was the one for us.
But before we get to lay the deck we have to build the support structure for it; the king plank, the longitudinal stringers and deck beams - all of which were fashioned from mahogany.
With these in place the half-inch (12mm) thick marine ply deck (scarfed as necessary) was screwed and epoxied to them and into the top of the 1" (25mm) hull planking.
Incidentally, the bare edges of the plywood that you can see in this picture won't stay like that for much longer; they'll be fitted with cherry trim and varnished.
The whole deck area (foredeck, sidedecks and cockpit coamings) was then sheathed in epoxy glass woven rovings before filling, fairing and painting.
The glass cloth was carried over the hull-to-deck joint and onto the hull side. That's one hull-to-deck joint that's never going to leak.
When we cut the cedar planks for Alacazam's hull we were left with a number of thinner strips; these were now to put to good use. A run through the planer to get them to a uniform thickness and they were perfect for construction the coachroof. Here's how we did it...
First we made a built a framework to act as a former, covered it with polythene and laid the cedar strips diagonally outward and aft from the centreline as shown here.
The strips were glued on to the other, the polythene preventing any adhesion to the frame, and lightly tacked to it with panel pins.
Once the glue had set we removed the pins, lightly sanded the cedar, vacuumed the dust off it, then tack ragged the it.
Next we cut strips of 8mm marine ply and glued and stapled (stainless steel staples, of course) these to the cedar, before sheathing it with epoxy glass cloth.
The edges were then trimmed to shape and the coachroof was done.
The next stage was to laminate-up a mahogany deck beam to support it, and to provide lateral support for the cap shroud chainplate knees.
With the beam in place, the coachroof was attached to it and the deck and other supporting structure by the usual process of screwing it down onto a bed of high-strength epoxy gloop, then bonding the joints with woven glass tape and epoxy.
The eagle-eyed amongst you will notice the join down the centreline that wasn't there when it was in the workshop. Something to do with the width of the coach roof and the size of the workshop door...
With the coachroof in place, and all joints filled and faired with high-strength epoxy filler, both the deck and the coachroof were now complete.
The chevroned cedar deckhead in the saloon looked great and like the rest of this one-off design, unique.
The fitting of the deck and coachroof marked a significant point in this wood boat building project.
From here on in the focus would be on the GRP elements of Alacazam's composite structure - the cabin top, cockpit and keel - all of which we would be creating ourselves.
Jun 07, 23 01:51 AM
Jun 04, 23 08:32 AM
Jun 04, 23 06:26 AM

domain: design


text:
After the so-called Sheldon primary, when four potential candidates for the Republican presidential nomination went to Las Vegas over the last weekend in March to court the casino owner Sheldon Adelson, it took a heavy dose of audacity on the part of Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. to claim on April 2 that “ingratiation and access . . . are not corruption.”
Roberts is the author of last week’s ruling in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, which eliminated the $123,200 cap on the amount an individual can contribute to federal candidates and political parties. How much does this matter? The McCutcheon decision will allow a presidential candidate to solicit “as much as $1.2 million per donor in a two-year election cycle” and will permit a House leader to raise “as much as $2.3 million per donor in a two-year election cycle,” according to Fred Wertheimer, the president of Democracy 21, a group that advocates for campaign finance reform.
Arguing that First Amendment free speech considerations must take precedence over fear of favoritism and access, Roberts flatly disputed claims that the ruling will open the door to deeper corruption: “Government regulation may not target the general gratitude a candidate may feel toward those who support him or his allies, or the political access such support may afford.”
It is difficult to think of a better example of “ingratiation and access,” however, than the series of public and private events that took place at Adelson’s Venetian Resort Casino and Hotel during the last weekend of March.
Four prospective candidates for the Republican Presidential nomination – Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, Chris Christie and John Kasich — paraded their wares in front of Adelson, the gambling mogul who has become one of the biggest spenders in the history of American politics.
How big? In 2012, Adelson and his wife together donated $92.7 million to political campaigns and PACs.
The four Republican candidates prostrated themselves, seeking Adelson’s stamp of approval and cash. For example, Christie, the governor of New Jersey, apologized profusely after referring in his speech to the “occupied territories,” a term offensive to Adelson. Kasich, the governor of Ohio, repeatedly addressed “Sheldon” in his remarks, even though he was speaking to a group of more than 100 people.
Each of the potential candidates was granted a private session with Adelson. Andy Abboud, senior vice president for governmental relations at the Las Vegas Sands Corp., told reporters that the sessions were “about everything — your families, your trips. It’s important to Sheldon to know what makes people tick and to establish a comfort level.”
In light of the reasoning of the Roberts court, there was nothing corrupt about the Sheldon primary. In fact, Adelson came to political prominence as a direct result of a related ruling, Citizens United v the F.E.C.
Citizens United, in combination with a federal appeals court ruling, SpeechNow.org v. F.E.C., that explicitly depended on the precedent Citizens United set, allowed corporations and individuals to make unlimited contributions to independent expenditure committees, better known as “super PACs.”
According to Justice Kennedy, who wrote that majority opinion: “Independent expenditures, including those made by corporations, do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption. That speakers may have influence over or access to elected officials does not mean that those officials are corrupt. And the appearance of influence or access will not cause the electorate to lose faith in this democracy.”
Richard Posner, a conservative judge on the United States Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, is highly critical of the reasoning in Citizens United. In an April 2012 blog post, Posner wrote that a donation given to an independent committee, as opposed to the candidate himself, in no way insulated the transaction from either the appearance or the reality of corruption: “It thus is difficult to see what practical difference there is between super PAC donations and direct campaign donations, from a corruption standpoint. A super PAC is a valuable weapon for a campaign, as the heavy expenditures of Restore Our Future, the large super PAC that supports Romney and has attacked his opponents, proves; the donors to it are known; and it is unclear why they should expect less quid pro quo from their favored candidate if he’s successful than a direct donor to the candidate’s campaign would be.”
Richard Hasen, a professor of law and political science at the University of California, Irvine, takes a more cynical view of the court’s majority reasoning, arguing that Roberts’s position masks a carefully constructed conservative agenda: “The Chief Justice understands exactly what is going on politically.”
As part of Roberts’s strategy, Hasen writes, the chief justice “continually shows a desire to downplay the significance of his rulings, and ostensible political naïveté is now part of the path to get there.”
Persily found that “the public perceives a great deal of corruption arising from campaign contributions” and that “the American public believes that contributors exert undue influence over the decisions of members of Congress.”
Persily cited one opinion survey, jointly conducted by the pollsters Mark Mellman and Richard Wirthlin, which posed the question “How much impact do you think big contributions to political parties have on decisions made by the federal government in Washington, D.C.?” Fifty-five percent of respondents said “a great deal”; 23 percent said “some”; 5 percent said “not too much”; and 1 percent said “none at all” (16 percent had no opinion).
In the same poll, just over two-thirds of respondents agreed with the statement “big contributors to political parties sometimes block decisions by the federal government that could improve people’s everyday lives.”
In last week’s McCutcheon case, Roberts wrote that “this Court has identified only one legitimate governmental interest for restricting campaign finances: preventing corruption or the appearance of corruption.”
But corruption has not always been defined on Roberts’s terms. In the 1990 decision Austin v. Mich. Chamber of Commerce, with Justice Thurgood Marshall writing for the majority, the court endorsed restrictions on independent corporate political spending on much broader grounds. In Austin, the court supported legislation that “aims at different type of corruption in the political arena: the corrosive and distorting effects of immense aggregations of wealth that are accumulated with the help of the corporate form and that have little or no correlation to the public’s support for the corporation’s political ideas.”
In its 6 to 3 decision, the Rehnquist court found that “the unique state-conferred corporate structure that facilitates the amassing of large treasuries warrants the limit on independent expenditures. Corporate wealth can unfairly influence elections when it is deployed in the form of independent expenditures, just as it can when it assumes the guise of political contributions.”
Citizens United explicitly overturned Austin.
Even before McCutcheon, the universe of donors made up a tiny fraction of the population.
The Center for Responsive Politics, which performs detailed analyses of lobbying and campaign contributions, calculated that in the 2012 election, the percentage of the population giving $200 or more to campaigns was 0.12 percent. An even smaller percentage, 0.02 percent of the population, gave $2,600 or more.
Separately, Demos, a liberal think tank, found that in the 2012 election cycle the 132 donors of $1 million or more to super PACS gave a total of $396.3 million.
Those 132 donors make up just over .000042 percent of the population of the United States. This is the constituency that, in the name of free speech, the Supreme Court has now more deeply empowered.


text:
Pills To Help Men’s Fertility
Male fertility supplement differ in the types and amounts of active ingredients they have, however, most consist of zinc, selenium, arginine, coenzyme Q as well as folic acid. In general, there is still inadequate proof for the benefits of male fertility supplements in regards to huge properly designed tests.
Male fertility hinges on the constant manufacturing of sperm by the testes in order to fertilize an egg, and also the ability for erection as well as ejaculation in order for the sperm to reach the egg. Male inability to conceive describes the lack of ability for a male to attain a pregnancy with a female partner, after one year of normal as well as unprotected sex.
Sperm quality is one crucial action of male fertility. It consists of the quantity of sperm in semen (sperm concentration), the form of sperm (sperm morphology) and sperm’s capability to swim to an egg (sperm mobility). Interestingly, research suggests the quality of human semen.
Did you understand that the sperm volume increase is the smallest cell in the body? Pills To Help Men’s Fertility
And a sperm climaxed today first started developing regarding 3 months ago?scientifically verified herbal/nutritional mix that sustains male fertility vitamins for men by aiding improve sperm quality, sperm count as well as sperm motility (spontaneous movement). It likewise offers a couple of health benefits unconnected to sex-related function.In most instances, a male’s sperm health– including his sperm count and also sperm mobility– is not related to the amount of semen volume increase he produces.
A variety of points can create modifications in the volume of your ejaculate. The initial is just age. “When you were a young man just experiencing adolescence, that’s possibly the most semen you’re ever mosting likely to ejaculate in your life,” claims Cohen. “Slowly, over decades, that volume will certainly drop.”
Below’s why: “Everybody understands as men get older, your prostate expands. The outcome: Lower semen volume.
It’s a excellent concept to get in touch with a health care company who can take a comprehensive medical background as well as perform a full examination if you’re worried concerning your semen volume. And as opposed to trying to find miracle drugs to enhance your sex life as well as sex-related feature, it’s a much better strategy to keep in mind that all aspects of your sexual wellness will be better when you are healthy sperm count.
Many men connect the quality of their sperm with boosted sexual power, potency, drive and vitality . Unaddressed fears in this area carry the threat of bring about lowered feeling of confidence and also self-confidence, also preventing the quest of sex-related experiences. Numerous variables are believed to have an effect, such as hormones, genes, way of life and also diet. For those seeking to increase reduced semen volume, you can take actions to increase and enhance semen quantity. A series of supplements are offered, targeting strength, volume and flavour .
If you have a penis and ejaculate, you may intend to well, ejaculate more than you do right now. Semen, or seminal fluid, includes sperm cells. As a result, the market is abundant with supplements that declare to increase semen volume and also sperm health.
In addition to sperm cells, the semen also contains a mix of fluids from plasma called seminal plasma. Just a weak portion of 2 to 5% of the semen is the sperm cells, which obviously, is essential for pregnancy.
male fertility supplement is a supplement planned to increase semen volume, sperm wellness, as well as, because of this, enhanced reproductive feature and an increased opportunity of fertility. The maker states that by targeting the DNA of the sperm, the oxidative stresses might trigger a decrease in sperm count as well as sperm volume.
A examination was performed to gauge the length as well as strength of the sex-related orgasms by the men, which declares that the individuals in the sperm volume increaser experienced higher degrees (in the series of 20%) of climaxed semen volume compared to the placebo team along with greater climax strength.Pills To Help Men’s Fertility

domain: biology


text:
Rockbox mail archiveSubject: Re: Play songs by tracknum
Re: Play songs by tracknum
From: Nicolas GIF <bazar.nicolas.gif_at_libertysurf.fr>
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2004 15:58:59 +0100
Maybe i you mind to have numbers before at the beginning of the file name
you could make Rockbox no show it in the browser(a new option)
by exemple your file name is : "01 - Solsburry Hill"
and Rockbox will show directly "Solsburry Hill", it wont show the pattern
"xx - " or "xx. "
"David Newhook" <d_newhook_at_hotmail.com> a écrit dans le message de news:
> Hi there,
> I'm new to the list but a longtime owner of an archos player 6000. I've
> only got 4.5gb now thanks to an incident with the original drive during a
> very wet hike on a glacier... :p
> I just wanted to know if anyone knows how to, or would like to be able to,
> play a directory of tunes sorted by artist, tracknum then title.
> I haven't found a way to do this yet. I know this can be achieved with
> playlists, but I haven't found a tool for compiling lists in the order I
> want (any suggestions) and to be honest, I think generating all those
> playlists for achieving a simple sort, would be overkill.
> Or maybe everyone simply enjoys listening to their album tracks in
> alphabetical order?
> Suggestions on a postcard please...
Received on 2004-03-03


text:
Ascending: This is a view of the Blue Mountain Village looking down from our gondola ride up the mountain, which rises to a height of more than 300 metres (or 1,000 feet); Georgian Bay is the body of water visible in the background. Blue Mountain gets its name from the blue clay surrounding the mountain. “The name Blue Mountains was first used by Charles Rankin when he started surveying the land on the south shore or Nottawasaga Bay in 1833. Today, Blue Mountains is the name given to the section of the Niagara Escarpment running from Osler Bluff which overlooks the Pretty Valley, to Georgian Peaks where the Escarpment is interrupted by the rolling orchard lands of the broad Beaver Valley.” Ralph Krueger writes.
Our family went on a two-day vacation to Blue Mountain Village, which is less than a two-hour drive north of Toronto, a trip of 170 kilometres (or 105 miles). This was our first vacation together as a family, and it was wonderful to get away from the city and discover a new area that we have never been to before.
The history of Blue Mountain as a popular tourist destination—primarily as ski resort—dates to 1941 and to the dreams and imagination of Jozo Weider, who was born in Czechoslovakia in Zhilina, which is now part of Slovakia. The story is fascinating, as all such stories usually are, bringing together the elements of determination, personality and financing. As well, there is belief in “a dream.” Or at least one that will make everyone, including financial investors, happy. We have all benefited from such dreamers and their ideas.
Here is another story, a more personal and smaller one, told in pictures; paddle-boats, brothers looking down the mountain, at a small beach on Georgian Bay, at an arboretum in nearby Collingwood and an amusing Minions memory at the Village. I am a bit surprised how much you can do in such a short period of time. It was a wonderful trip, and I have many more photos, which I can always look at to evoke a memory.
All Photos: ©Perry J. Greenbaum, 2015

domain: geography


text:
MedTech Actuator Origin Alumni: Anura Medical
Anura Medical is developing a wearable patch that continuously monitors lung function to detect lung decline, promote early treatment and improve overall health for people with respiratory disease.
The Origin Story
Anura Medical came together in 2021 through the University of Melbourne’s BioDesign Innovation course as a team of Melbourne Business School and Biomedical engineering students. The team has diverse experience in clinical medical practice, supply chain consulting, biomedical and mechanical engineering. The three team members aligned across backgrounds and outlooks on the problems to be solved in the healthcare ecosystem and started working on Cahm, a respiratory monitoring device.
The idea for the device originated when Dr Rebecca McCormick and Co-Founders, Phoebe Lewis and Wiliam Symington, identified the issue that monitoring lung health for people with flare-ups of chronic lung disease requires invasive blood tests, which can lead to delayed treatment. After speaking with clinicians across various fields for 3 months, this unmet clinical need stood out to the group. Through this process, multiple clinicians cited the healthcare ecosystem was desperate for a better way to monitor ventilation and response to treatment, rather than the intermittent current standard.
“I have spent 6 years working in hospitals as a medical doctor and have experienced the challenges faced by physicians and patients in respiratory medicine. The technology currently available means that monitoring practices are reactive, as they rely on patients displaying signs or symptoms first. I believe that there is a better way of preventing complications through non-invasive monitoring of high-risk patients. Technology that supports preventative medicine is the way of the future”, says Dr Rebecca McCormick
The Anura Medical team is driven to improve respiratory monitoring ability for clinicians and patients who are at a higher risk of respiratory diseases and the complications associated.
The MedTech Actuator Origin experience
After identifying their unmet clinical need and developing their solution, Anura Medical set the goal to get into MedTech Actuator Origin in 2021. MedTech Actuator Origin is an early-stage innovation program for emerging human health technologies and solutions across Australia and would be the first opportunity for the team to test their concept outside of the Biodesign classroom.
“The program is a good way to pressure test your idea, as this was our first time testing our concept outside of the university environment,” says Dr Rebecca McCormick.
MedTech Actuator Origin provides founders with the opportunity to validate their idea with the industry and pitch them to the startup ecosystem, often for the first time. Selected teams join MedTech Actuator in Melbourne for an intensive sprint, where, over three days, they learn to work alongside 20 other teams from Australia and Japan and pitch for their chance to win a $10k cash prize, over $5k worth of in-kind support and gain access to fast-tracked entry into the MedTech Actuator Accelerator 2023.
“This is the best first step you can take if you are interested in the MedTech innovation space. The Origin experience will provide you with mentorship, networking and connections. Also, the practical pitching advice you receive will help you in getting further investment or just getting people interested in your idea”, says William on his program experience.
Overcoming challenges with determination
Motivated to make a bigger impact on patients through innovative medical technology, the biggest challenge for the Anura Medial team had been to move from ideation and validation in the clinical setting to the startup world and address key risks involved in the early days of launching a company. It included shifting gears and focusing their efforts on key tasks to maintain their current trajectory to get to the market.
“I think one challenge is just the amount of moving parts and trying to understand all the intricacies of all of those different things that you have to be aware of when you’re trying to start a medical device venture. It’s not just the technology, it’s everything else that comes with that”, says Phoebe.
This is where MedTech Actuator Origin proved to be highly valuable. Through the program, emerging entrepreneurs get an opportunity to validate, pressure test and turbocharge their project turning it into an early-stage startup.
Along with the Origin experience, mentors and advisors have played an important role in Anura Medical’s progress, helping them think holistically about the pathway forward. Among those, Kwanghui Lim, David Grayden and Simon Wilkins from BioDesign Innovation, along with their advisor Stephen Ho, have been instrumental in shaping the team and product capabilities at the early stages.
One of the team’s biggest tips to emerging founders and entrepreneurs is to choose the right team with diverse skills where members get along and challenge each other. This is what Anura Medical credits for bringing the best out in each other across the journey to date.
Since their time in MedTech Actuator Origin, where the team received its initial validation, Anura Medical has been set up as a company in May 2022 and continues on the pathway to market as part of the MedTech Actuator Accelerator 2022 cohort. The team has secured its first early-stage funding through the Accelerator and is working towards a functional MVP.
“It is a good introduction into the MedTech world, as you get involved with people in the same circle”, says Phoebe on the beneficial aspects of being an Origin participant.
Apply for MedTech Actuator Origin 2022
On a similar path as Anura Medical? Applications are now open for the MedTech Actuator Origin 2022.
Whether you’re a researcher, scientist, clinician or student, MedTech Actuator Origin is looking for passionate entrepreneurs to transform healthcare. The winner of MedTech Actuator Origin will receive a $10k cash prize, over $5k worth of in-kind support and gain access to fast-tracked entry into MedTech Actuator Accelerator 2023.
Have questions about the application or program?

domain: medical


text:
River: The Joni Letters is a tribute album is to Joni Mitchell, a longtime associate and friend of Hancock. Both Hancock and saxophonist Wayne Shorter previously collaborated with Mitchell on her 1979 album Mingus, and both continued to collaborate on occasion ever since. The album won the Album of the Year and Best Contemporary Jazz Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards, beating off competition from Kanye West, Foo Fighters and Amy Winehouse.
This track is Edith And The Kingpin, originally written by Mitchell for her 1975 album 'The Hissing of Summer Lawns' and features Tina Turner. Herbie has a way of finding new levels from artists; Tina should really do more material with him.


Through its Kanthal brand, Sandvik offers an extensive selection of heating technology products and services suited to Powder Metallurgy applications. The Kanthal business, fully incorporated into the Sandvik Group in 1997, is regarded as one of the group’s most valuable brands. In order to further strengthen the brand in the market place, it was announced that it will now be endorsed as ‘Part of Sandvik Group’ and the brand identity will be updated accordingly.
“We want our customers to know that the Kanthal® brand is a world leader within the heating technology segment. There is great growth potential for the brand both geographically and within new application areas,” stated Nicklas Nilsson, Vice President Sandvik Materials Technology.
“Until now, the relationship between Kanthal® and Sandvik has been communicated by using both logos. From now on we will use the Kanthal® logo together with the endorsement ‘Part of Sandvik Group’ when communicating and promoting the brand. This will both clarify the relationship and strengthen the Kanthal® brand further,” added Minna Rodling, Brand Manager Sandvik Group.
Kanthal APMT is an iron-chromium-aluminium (FeCrAl) powder metallurgical dispersion strengthened alloy used for structural parts in high-temperature applications in the range of 800 to 1300°C. The material offers a unique combination of strength and corrosion resistance and is suitable for structural parts such as nozzles, flanges, furnace rollers and retorts.


text:
Zimbabwe has one of the world’s worst HIV/AIDS epidemics. Every year, 14 percent of the population between the ages of 15 and 49 become infected with the disease. In order to curb the rapid spread of this immunodeficiency disease, our work focuses on providing access to information. What's more, programmes to alleviate the consequences of HIV/AIDS – both medical and psychological – are an important element of our projects and programmes. We help orphans without relatives who have to fend for themselves to receive protection and aid within the scope of village communities. Girls and boys who are traumatised by the death of their parents receive psychosocial therapies.
Another focus of our work is on free legal aid for families who cannot afford a lawyer. Legal representatives help, for instance, to apply for birth certificates, clear up inheritance issues, and represent children who are witnesses or defendants in a court of law.
To improve the nutritional situation of families, we train them in sustainable agriculture. Since 2013, we have been encouraging women to establish self-help groups so that they can collectively resolve their problems and save money.

domain: sociology


text:
Ruthless trader. Retired intel officer. Previously Wall Street foreign equities manager (UBS, BNP). I trade everything that moves. WARN: If you're still long, I will own your children... and your dog. If you're long Russia, I'll own the planet.
Energy Trading / NG3 DGAZ UGAZ GASX GASL and Many More!
"Do not worry about your difficulties in Mathematics. I can assure you mine are still greater. Albert Einstein"
No suggesting to buy or sell. Trade at your own risk.
trader - specialize in trading structured products, global equities, and options.....feel free to follow trades on twitter or here on stocktwits
THESE TRADES ARE NOT RECOMMENDATIONS, JUST PERSONAL TRADES. THIS IS NOT INVESTMENT ADVICE.

domain: economics


text:
The world of gaming offers something to offer everybody! This article will educate you video game playing tips. There aren’t only games for kids available these days, which you want to avoid.
Use this URL address to play Cubefield : http://cubefield-game.com/
If you are buying a game for a minor, you may want to look into what each ESRB rating means. This rating is going to tell you the age range that is deemed appropriate for the particular game. It will allow you refrain from making a good purchase or not for the person getting it.
Download demos to get a demo game before you purchase it. This can help you know if the game is right for you. Make sure you are careful when downloading demos. Only allow downloads from verified or trustworthy sites.
Before allowing your child to play video games on PC or console that have connections to other online players, be sure that you have set it to “family friendly” options. This helps you to protect your child only sees appropriate content. You should also consider blocking the amount of contact your child can have with other online gamers.
Stretch your body out every fifteen or so minutes during video game play. Your muscles and uncomfortable from sitting in the same position for long periods of time. Your muscles need to be stretched to avoid cramping and formation of blood clots.This is the healthiest way to be healthy and play video games.
Save your game in the appropriate slots. Sometimes put a new one in. You may want to go a bit further back in the game. You might not be able to do this option if you have continuously saved your progress in the same place.
Be mindful when it comes to online games. There is often a monthly fee to play. Always check out any gaming websites that your children are interested in joining.
Play video games together with your kids. This can be a great way to spend some quality family-time together. Sharing interests with your children is a great conversations. You can also be able to see and help with their developmental skills grow.
You should carefully consider the better option.They could make your game-playing experience on one hand.But purchasing these things can make the game more entertaining and save time.
Consider allowing your kids to play games on consoles. Consoles let you control their privacy, content and security settings, whereas kids can far more easily bypass such restrictions on a computer. They can have a far more protected experience on a console.
If you want to figure out what your kid is doing when they’re gaming, spend some time at it yourself. Play the games yourself and engage in them with your child. Try to communicate by asking questions and show that you are interested in their interests. Hands-on experience is always the most useful.
You can use video games to entertain yourself, educate yourself, or just to pass the time. There are literally no limits to the benefits of smart gaming. Hopefully you now know how to do it better and reap more rewards from it.

domain: game


Maintaining and upgrading your braking system is essential in keeping your car safe and reliable on the road. Whether you are driving a classic car like the Triumph TR or a more modern vehicle, your brakes must be in top condition. Having a reliable braking system is essential to ensure that your car stops when you need it to, and doesn't cause any accidents. But what do you need to know before you get started with repairing or upgrading your braking system? This article will provide an overview of the different components of a braking system, as well as tips for how to properly care for and upgrade it. Read on to learn more about the importance of good brakes and how to keep yours in great shape.
The first step in repairing or upgrading your brake systemis to identify the problem.
Common issues include worn out brake pads, leaks in the brake lines, or faulty ABS sensors. The next step is to determine the best course of action for the repair. Depending on the severity of the issue, you may be able to fix it yourself or you may need to hire a professional mechanic. Once the issue has been fixed, you may also want to upgrade your braking system with new components such as larger rotors, better brake pads, or even an upgraded ABS system.
Upgrading your braking system can improve performance and safety, but it’s important to make sure that the new components are compatible with your car before installation. Finally, it’s important to perform regular maintenance on your braking system. This includes checking for worn out components, inspecting the brake lines for leaks, and making sure that all components are functioning properly. Regular maintenance can help identify any potential issues before they become serious problems.
Identifying Issues with Your Brake SystemBefore attempting a repair or upgrade, it’s important to identify the issue with your brake system. Common issues that can affect your brake system include worn out brake pads, leaks in the brake lines, and faulty ABS sensors.
These problems can cause your brakes to become less effective, resulting in reduced stopping power and potentially hazardous conditions. When inspecting your brake system, it’s important to check for wear on the brake pads, as well as any visible signs of damage or leaks in the brake lines. Additionally, you should also check for any faults in the ABS system, as this can cause reduced stopping power and potentially dangerous situations. If you’re unsure of what to look for, it’s best to consult an experienced mechanic or technician. Once you’ve identified any potential issues with your braking system, you can begin to plan for a repair or upgrade. In most cases, a simple repair will be sufficient to restore your brakes to proper working order.
However, if the issue is more serious, an upgrade may be necessary to ensure optimal performance.
Repairing Your Brake SystemOnce you’ve identified the issue with your brake system, you can decide on the best course of action for the repair. Depending on the severity of the issue, you may have the option to fix it yourself or you may need to hire a professional mechanic. If you decide to repair it yourself, be sure to have the necessary tools and parts to do so safely and accurately. Before attempting any repairs, it’s important to understand how the brake system works and what type of repair is needed.
This will help you determine what parts and tools you need for the job. If you decide to hire a professional mechanic, make sure they are certified and experienced in braking system repairs. Ask them questions about their experience, and make sure they are knowledgeable about the specific repair that needs to be done. It’s also important to get a quote upfront, so you know exactly what you’ll be paying for. Be sure to get multiple quotes, so you can compare prices and find the best deal. No matter which option you choose for your braking system repair, it’s important to make sure that it is done properly.
A malfunctioning brake system can lead to serious accidents, so it’s important to ensure that it is functioning properly. With proper maintenance and repairs, your braking system will be able to keep you safe on the road.
Upgrading Your Brake SystemUpgrading your braking system can improve performance and safety, but it’s important to make sure that the new components are compatible with your car before installation. To ensure you get the best results from any upgrades, there are a few factors to consider.
Size and Fit:When replacing components like brake rotors or calipers, it's important to make sure the new parts fit the existing mounting points and will fit within the wheel. An ill-fitting part can cause vibration and potentially reduce braking performance.
Performance:Upgrading your brakes can improve your car's stopping power, but it’s important to select components that are designed for your driving style.
If you’re looking for better performance in the wet, opt for brake pads designed to provide better grip on wet surfaces. If you’re looking to improve your car’s overall stopping power, look for high-performance brake pads, rotors, and calipers.
Durability:When selecting components for your braking system upgrade, it's important to choose parts that are designed to last. High-quality brake pads, rotors, and calipers are made from materials that are designed to withstand the heat and friction of repeated stops. Additionally, some components may come with a manufacturer’s warranty for added peace of mind.
Performing Regular MaintenanceIt's important to perform regular maintenance on your braking system.
This includes checking for worn out components, inspecting the brake lines for leaks, and making sure that all components are functioning properly. Regular maintenance can help you avoid costly repairs and ensure that your brake system is functioning optimally. When checking for worn out components, look for any signs of wear or damage, such as rust or corrosion. Check the brakes for any signs of leakage or wear, such as dripping fluid or loose parts.
You should also check the brake lines for any signs of leaks or corrosion. If you notice any of these issues, it's best to get them fixed right away to prevent further damage. It's also important to check the brake fluid regularly and make sure it's at the correct level. If the fluid is too low, it can cause the brakes to malfunction. Make sure to top off the fluid as needed, and replace it if it's been more than two years since the last change. Finally, make sure that all components of your braking system are functioning properly.
This includes checking the brake pads, calipers, rotors, and other parts for any signs of wear or damage. If any of these components are damaged, it can lead to an unsafe driving situation and should be repaired or replaced as soon as possible. Repairing and upgrading your braking system is an important part of car maintenance and safety. By identifying issues, repairing, upgrading, and performing regular maintenance checks, you can ensure that your braking system is functioning properly and keep you safe on the road.


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Google has denied all the accusations that were put forward regarding monitoring or censoring of those YouTube videos that are made for inciting attacks on Israel — Google claims their recent meetings were routine and had no such agreements.
Though, a statement from Israeli foreign ministry last week said that the Google’s executives had agreed on introducing a mechanism that will monitor all the activities on YouTube in relation to encouraging attacks on Israel but, a Google’s spokesman said the statement was an error and was corrected later on:
“The Israeli Ministry for Foreign Affairs has corrected its original announcement, which, in error, suggested there had been an agreement with Google to establish a mechanism to monitor online materials,” the spokesperson said.
The Israeli government is very happy with the outcomes of the meetings as they believe in Google will monitor all the material that is “dangerous” for their region:
“Extremely grateful for the good relations with Google, our common objective is to remove dangerous incitement to violence on social media andwe have full confidence in the Google teams dealing with this removal.” the government spokesperson said.
In last two month, over 100 Palestinians and 17 Israelis are killed in the incidents of stabbing, shooting and car ramming. The Israeli government believes online posts inciting people to get violent are the one to blame for these killings.
In 2013, Google bought a ride-sharing start-up “Waze” in Israel for $1 billion and earlier this year, Waze and Google started a service that connected passengers with a driver who has similar routes. Waze also provides data to the government in relation to the service.
What one can conclude is that Google has a pretty strong presence in Israel and they are likely to oblige to any request from its government let alone the official statement from both the parties.


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Reflecting on all the different forms of prayer that I love, I think my favorite is one that I’ve never technically heard of or articulated even though it’s so natural I can’t by any means claim to have invented it. I think one of the most powerful ways we can bring God into someone’s life […]
God colors outside the lines Beyond the boundaries of politics and religion, God uses every color of open heart to paint His masterpieces.
Having an open heart around some people can feel like forgetting to shut the front door during a monsoon. All the leaves, mud and dirty water rush in … soaking every crevasse with filth. It’s not your fault, but you’re stuck cleaning up ridiculous emotional messes. People are like storms sometimes – cyclones of selfishness, spinning out […]
It’s crazy, but it’s true – I have to warn you. They’ll literally try to talk you out of being yourself. they’ll go to dramatic lengths to complete this task- It’s like they have an advertising campaign specifically designed to silence you, but don’t let them fool you. Trust me: There is no such thing as […]
The more time I spend contemplating Divinity, the more I notice enormous waves of Love welling up in me. Like typhoons of gorgeous light, a Power Beyond Me rises up and asks to be unleashed in the world- I say yes, and galeforce angel winds blow seeds of grace to God only knows where. I don’t […]


In addition to the operational part of the project, the options were investigated for measuring effects on the surface of the ocean or changes in the upper atmosphere that are induced by a tsunami using satellites. There are potentially a multitude of technologies which could be utilised for the purpose. Within the context of the project, these methods and processes were evaluated and investigated with regard to their operational implementability.
Events such as weather fronds, nuclear explosions, volcanic eruptions or earthquakes verifiably cause changes in the atmosphere. The signatures they leave in the plasma density of the ionosphere can be found using differential GPS phase measurement of density changes. Infrasonic waves cause changes in the temperature of the mesopause, which can be measured by infrared spectrometers (e.g. see the GRIPS instrument). On the water surface, high-frequency radar systems are already being used today to monitor surface currents and waves. Active microwave technologies—working independently of weather and illumination— are also suitable for monitoring the sea surfaces.
In addition, the potential of current and planned earth observation sensors to detect geohazards in general is to be evaluated. In view of the fact that UNESCO plans to established a multi-hazard system in the long term, the opportunities provided by new spaceborne radar and optical sensor systems for monitoring changes on the earth’s surface, such as landslides, volcanic activity, tectonic motion and surface deformations, are to be indicated.


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Rachel Hillestad hasn't perfected the art of French braiding her daughters' hair. She doesn't serve organic, free-range chicken for dinner. And for her four kids' first day of school, she didn't photograph them posing with cute chalkboards listing their ages and heights, as she saw some of her friends doing.
The Kansas City mom feels guilty about all of it — her perceived shortcomings as a parent. And because she has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, that guilt translates into torturing herself with the same self-critical thoughts over and over: "You're not a good mom," and "Your kids don't know you love them."
"It's basically just a lot of negativity in a loop tape. To get that to stop with OCD is very hard," she said.
New research suggests a dark side to the “Super Parent” — pressure so great it can create stress that contributes to mental disorders in moms and dads. The new study focuses on factors before and immediately after birth, like the pressure to breast-feed, but experts say similar pressure can extend well past the diaper years.
"It's always stressful to be a Super Parent. Stress is always a risk factor for depression and anxiety, and it's especially stressful if people don't have the supports that they need," Carrie Wendel-Hummell, a doctoral candidate in sociology at the University of Kansas, told TODAY.
From the latest bestselling parenting book to your local PTA president's Instagram feed, it's never been easier to find examples of what raising children should look like. And while that virtual peer pressure can prove intimidating for the average parent, those who've experienced mental illness — which affects nearly 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. — speak of consequences more dire than just bruised egos.
"The Pinterest society of looking at all these pictures of people who have perfectly decorated homes and reading on Facebook about children who are always perfectly dressed and way ahead of all developmental milestones — it puts a lot of pressure of mothers, especially those who feel vulnerable and not fully confident in themselves," said Katherine Stone, the founder of Postpartum Progress, a blog and nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness of maternal mental illness.
Stone speaks from personal experience. After her own recovery from postpartum depression, the Atlanta mom continued to battle anxiety as her children grew older. One summer, she suffered an anxiety attack after feeling "overwhelmed by this idea that I should have activities for them all day."
She wrote about the attack on her blog, describing how her husband had to shoo their two children out of the room as she collapsed into heaving sobs.
"I look at the moms who celebrate summer. Who have all sorts of plans and activities. Who home school. Who do crafts. They’re like mom rock stars. And I feel ashamed. So ashamed and defective that I’m not them," she wrote.
It's not just moms who are burdened by "rock star" pressure. Lorne Jaffe, a stay-at-home father in Queens, N.Y., admits to succumbing. It happens, for instance, when he learns that another father in his circle of friends has constructed a movie-themed Bento box lunch for his child.
"I look at that and go, 'I gave my child grapes and he does this,'" said Jaffe, whose struggle with depression dates back to childhood. "When you have depression, it's about constantly battling the negative thoughts and constantly battling the comparison. And it's so tiring."
Jaffe says he sometimes feels so overwhelmed by those comparisons that he withdraws from his daughter to spend time alone. Hillestad says that she, too, at times withdraws from her children as she grapples with feelings of inadequacy. As someone who strives to be a better mother, it's the opposite of what she wants to be doing.
"I'm sitting here thinking about what a bad mom I am when I should be playing with my kids and engaged with my kids," she said.
Researchers in recent years have implicated social media in spurring envy and depression. Hillestad, Jaffe and other parents confirm that Facebook and Pinterest account for much of their exposure to maddeningly unattainable images of parental perfection.
But parenting advice guides and other informational sources also inspire expectations that new parents, especially those battling mood disorders, have trouble living up to. Reading countless books and articles touting the benefits of breast-feeding made Jennifer Marshall of Ashburn, Va., intent on nursing her first-born child. Marshall, who has bipolar disorder, managed to keep her condition under control and stay off medication during her pregnancy.
After Marshall gave birth, things changed. She hadn't predicted how interrupted sleep patterns — think middle-of-the-night feedings — would impact her mental health.
Four weeks after her son's birth, she was hospitalized with postpartum psychosis, a rare illness that causes delusions.
"I did feel that pressure from society — as a mom, you should have it all together, you should be able to breast-feed," she remembered. By the time of her hospitalization, Marshall said, "I was doing well breast-feeding, but my mental health was completely disoriented."
Stress over breast-feeding was something several new mothers mentioned in interviews with Wendel-Hummell, who presented the results of her small qualitative study of mental illnesses in the weeks before and after birth this week at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association.
Other concerns included feeling as though they had to hold their infants and interact with them constantly, rarely taking moments for themselves to rest.
"One mother spoke about holding her baby the entire time she was writing her dissertation, realizing (only later) that it would have been OK for her baby to be playing on her own or in the swing and so on," Wendel-Hummell said.
New fathers, meanwhile, often mentioned the difficulties of trying to be involved in their children's lives while continuing to succeed at their jobs.
"Fathers are performing more child-rearing labor and housework than they ever have in modern history but their breadwinning pressures are very strong," Wendel-Hummell said. As has long been the case for mothers pursuing careers, "it's difficult to combine all these roles successfully."
Wendel-Hummell said that some new parents are especially vulnerable to the idea that they should be "Super Parents" because they read up and come up with “idealized but unrealistic expectations for themselves." Among those expectations: that new parents should be happy.
"Even if the message from social media or your friend or world at large is more nuanced, what you home in on is that belief that unless you're happy 100 percent of the time, you're not a good mom," said Sara Vancil, a mother who participated in the study.
The Kansas study isn't the first to highlight the relationship between social pressure and new parents' distress. A 2012 study from Ohio State University found that "parenting perfectionism" led to lower confidence in mothers and greater stress in fathers.
"What we found was that societal-oriented parenting perfectionism was bad for a parent's adjustment," said Ohio State professor Dr. Sarah Schoppe-Sullivan. Parents who eschewed societal pressure to focus on their own individual goals, no matter how ambitious, fared better. "You can keep striving to meet unrealistic expectations or you can adjust your standards."
Solutions for Would-Be Super Parents
Experts say there are simple steps all mothers and fathers, whether suffering from mental illness or not, can take to counteract nagging feelings that they're falling short of societal ideals.
- Talk to other parents instead of just scrolling past their social media updates, said Dr. Nicholas Covino, president of the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. "If you have eight moms or dads that have a similar experience to yours, then you've found a new norm."
- Be honest. Hillestad, Marshall and Jaffe all engage with other parents by blogging about their parenting challenges and mental health issues. "I post negative stuff, I post the hard stuff, the honest stuff," Jaffe said. His readers, he said, respond with their own stories. "It makes you feel like you're not alone."
- Take advantage of local government and school district programs in which early childhood educators or social workers perform home visits to offer advice and reassurance. "When people are feeling incompetent as parents, they don't necessarily need medication or somebody focusing on their mental health," Wendel-Hummell said. "They need somebody saying, 'You're doing a good job. You are a good parent.'"
- Find the upside of social media: It’s a great place to find help. "It doesn't matter where you live, you can find tribe of people or parents, asking same questions, who’ve been through the same things that could encourage you," said Stone, of Postpartum Progress.
Stone, for her part, says she's come to terms with the fact that she'll never be the mom who entertains her children with intricate arts and crafts projects filling up Pinterest boards. Instead, she takes pride in the things she is good at.
"I'm a really good bedtime reading mom. I am great at bedtime," she said. "Anything related to glue and pipe cleaners is not going to happen."
Her healthy attitude is good for her kids, too, she said.
"This idea that we should be trying to be and do all things for our kids ends up making us not very good parents because we're unhappy and miserable," she said. "Being happy and healthy is multitudes better for your children than you attempting to prove you can do everything perfectly."


Uncertainty looms large over refunding Tk214 crore to the e-commerce customers as the amount is now stuck in the payment gateways.
"We cannot mention any specific date now about customer refunds from the gateways," AHM Shafiquzzaman, chief of Digital Commerce Cell, told journalists Monday.
Of the total amount stuck in the gateways, Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) froze Tk166 crore of e-commerce firm Qcoom upon the request of police. Qcoom's payment gateway Foster cannot refund the money until police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) issues the unlock order.
Apart from Foster, another Tk48 crore is stuck in SSL, shurjoMukhi, bKash, Nagad and Southeast Bank.
Commerce ministry officials said customers of rogue e-commerce firms such as Evaly, Eorange and Dhamaka that are now facing police cases will not qualify for the refund from payment gateways.
"We wrote to the home ministry seeking to unfreeze the money. The refund will begin once CID unlock the money," said Shafiquzzaman, also the chief of the 15-member inter-ministerial committee on e-commerce sector.
He said since the unfreezing does not depend on them, he cannot mention the refund date.
In a separate development on 28 October, the central bank told the commerce ministry that payment gateways will be able to refund customers after verifying the deliveries of the companies that are still in operations.
The delivery verification is not possible for companies that have their top officials in jail on fraud charges.
Earlier on 25 October, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said Tk214 crore stuck in payment gateways would be returned to customers within three months. The Bangladesh Bank will finalise the refund process.
Three days after the statement of the minister, the central bank said several issues had emerged over refund from payment gateways since it was not possible to verify whether the customers of the companies whose activities were closed had received the goods or not.
If the customers are refunded without the delivery verification, further issues could arise, feared the central bank.
According to the Bangladesh Bank, e-commerce customers have paid more than Tk505 crore through the payment gateways until 14 October since the Bangladesh bank introduced transaction through escrow service on June 30.
The payment gateways released around Tk291 crore to e-commerce companies against their deliveries, while around Tk2014 crore remained deposited to the gateways.
The Bangladesh Bank has sought the opinion of the commerce ministry on refunding the customers of the e-commerce companies whose activities are closed. The topic was discussed on Monday at the inter-ministerial committee meeting, confirmed a source who was present at the discussion.
"Many e-commerce companies are facing fraud cases and their CEOs have been arrested too. Besides, some company owners are on the run leaving their firms shut. For these companies, the delivery verification is not possible now. Therefore, customer refund anytime soon is not possible too," said the official in conditions of anonymity.
He said the committee gave go-ahead to refund from gateways only to the companies whose operations are running.
HC orders customer refund
The High Court on Monday issued a ruling, asking the authorities concerned to explain as to why their failure or inaction to refund e-commerce customers' money stuck in payment gateways should not be declared illegal.
The High Court bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah issued a ruling following a writ petition on the matter.
On 21 October, Barrister Sabrina Zarin on behalf of Conscious Consumers Society, a consumer rights group, filed the writ.
The Bangladesh Bank governor, general manager of the Payment Systems Department of that bank, the commerce secretary and the director general of the WTO Cell of the commerce ministry, chief executive officers of mobile financial service providers – bKash and Nagad, payment gateways – SSL Wireless, Foster Pay, and Surjo Pay, have been made respondents to the rule.
The respondents have been directed to submit an explanation within four weeks.
Sabrina told the media that many customers have paid huge amounts of money for purchasing products from e-commerce platforms, but they neither got their products nor refunds. As a result, customers are unsure whether they will get their money back.
When contacted, AHM Shafiquzzaman said, "I have just heard about the High Court ruling. But we are not inactive. We are working on the refund process."
"And, we are also working on ways to refund customers who paid in advance to e-commerce companies before 30 June and neither received products nor refunds," he noted.
In this regard, the committee will send a report with recommendations to the cabinet division by November 11.
49 e-commerce platforms blacklisted
Police and two intelligence agencies in separate lists have blacklisted 49 e-commerce platforms, said Shafiquzzaman.
"The agencies have also recommended taking action against the companies. We will send the lists to the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU). It will look into information on their bank accounts and transactions," the chief of Digital Commerce Cell said.
However, Shafiquzzaman did not disclose the names of the blacklisted e-commerce companies for the sake of investigation.
"We are now keeping the lists secret as the allegations against a company may not be substantiated at the end of the investigation. If the name is revealed now, the business of that company may be damaged," he added.
"If BFIU provides info on bank accounts and transactions of these companies by 9 November, we will come to know how much money they owe to customers," Shafiquzzaman said.
The registration of e-commerce companies will start within a month. And, the unique business identification number of e-commerce will be given before the end of two months, he added.
He further said the registration of e-commerce platforms will begin in one month. Besides, unique business identification numbers to the platforms will be given within two months.


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SOUTH AFRICA: Ostrich farmers welcome postponement of new EU health regulations
The South African ostrich industry is welcoming its 5-month breathing space after EU officials agreed to postpone the implementation of new health regulations until next May.The new rule, which was actually enforced on 1 October, demands that all ostrich meat is accompanied by health certificates that show the results of six months worth of trachea tests and prove that there is no presence of Newcastle disease. As the head of the South African Ostrich Business Chamber, Willem Burger, revealed: "The industry is just coming out of a very severe depression. About 30% of the ostrich industry's income is from the meat, and about 90% of that is exported to Europe. We could not have afforded this." The industry has suffered a boom-bust cycle since the beginning of last century, but was enjoying the recent demand for low-fat ostrich meat until a three-year drought, the collapse of Far East market and high interest rates all took their toll.Burger stressed that breeders already clinically monitor their stock for Newcastle disease and many were starting the necessary moves to take regular trachea tests so as to bring themselves in line with the EU regulations. The exports to the EU are worth about US$13m.
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