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STA, 12 June 2019 - Infrastructure Minister Alenka Bratušek met Chinese Transport Minister Li Xiaopeng on the final day of her visit to China to talk about Slovenia's geostrategic advantages in light of China's plans to upgrade links to Europe.
According to a press release from the Infrastructure Ministry, Bratušek also met the management of Cosco, one of the world's biggest shipping companies which has stakes in several European ports, including a 100% stake in the container terminal of the Piraeus port in Greece.
Cosco, which is a state-owned company, is also a major partner for Slovenia's sole maritime port, Koper.
Bratušek put in her word for boosting that cooperation, and presented plans to build a second track connecting the port inland.
The CEO of the port operator Luka Koper, Dimitrij Zadel, who accompanied the minister, presented the company's development potential and investment plans.
The minister tweeted that the construction of the second track between Koper and Divača, and investment in extension of port piers would increase the joint potential of the port and Slovenia, "so stable partners are important for our companies".
Bratušek also visited the Slovenian Embassy in Beijing and met Transport Minister Li. They discussed the advantages of Slovenia's geostrategic position in Central and Eastern Europe.
China has been dedicating considerable attention to transport infrastructure within the 17+1 initiative for cooperation with the countries of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and the Belt and Road initiative, or the new Silk Road to boost transport links with Europe.
Li thanked Bratušek for Slovenia's active participation in both initiatives, noting the country's geostrategic location. He called for enhancing cooperation between the two countries. Bratušek invited her counterpart to visit Slovenia.
Earlier this week, Bratušek visited the China - CEEC Investment and Trade Expo fair in Ningbo, meeting Chinese Vice-Prime Minister Hu Chunhua at the forum of representatives of the participating countries. She also met former long-serving Transport Minister Jang Huantang.
Apart from Luka Koper, several other Slovenian companies were showcased at the Ningbo fair, including the Slovenian railways operator Slovenske Železnice, postal company Pošta Slovenije, logistic companies Intereuropa, Adria Kombi and d OmniOpti.
STA, 10 June 2019 - Infrastructure Minister Alenka Bratušek has set out the advantages of the new railway connecting Slovenia's sole maritime port as she addressed China - CEEC Investment and Trade Expo fair in China.
Na Forumu predstavnikov držav, ki sodelujejo na mednarodni razstavi CEEC Expo sem se srečala s podpredsednikom vlade Kitajske Hu Chunhuajem in nagovorila ministre sodelujočih držav. Izpostavila sem projekt gradnje 2. tira, ki bo povečal konkurenčno naše Luke Koper. @mzi_rs ???? pic.twitter.com/PbjgLc6um4— Alenka Bratušek (@ABratusek) June 9, 2019
According to a statement from her ministry, Bratušek addressed ministers and other senior officials of the countries participating in the fair in Ningbo, underscoring the importance of the emerging modern-day Silk Road that would create closer transport links between Asia and European countries.
She noted the EUR 1 billion-plus project to build a second rail track between the Koper port and the tail junction in Divača in inland Slovenia, which she said would further increase the port's competitive advantage.
The minister said the project would cut the journey travelled by ships from Asia to Europe by five to eight days compared to north European ports, which would reduce not only costs but also the impact on the environment.
[Kitajska ??] Iz Šanghaja do Pekinga 1.500 kilometrov z vlakom na sestanek z ministrom za promet. Hitrost vožnje do 350 km/h! ?⚡ #gradimo #povzujemo #železnice #vlaki @mzi_rs #Slovenija ?? pic.twitter.com/54AuvXo2W9— Alenka Bratušek (@ABratusek) June 10, 2019
Bratušek also visited the exhibition ground of the Slovenian companies showcased at the China - CEEC Expo fair, the port operator Luka Koper, the Slovenian railways operator Slovenske Železnice, postal company Pošta Slovenije, logistic companies Intereuropa, Adria Kombi and OmniOpti.
At the forum of representatives of the participating countries, the Slovenian minister met Chinese Vice-Prime Minister Hu Chunhua. Accompanied by Luka Koper CEO Dimitrij Zadel, Bratušek also visited the Ningbo port, one of the world's largest.
The minister also addressed mayors of cities as part of the 17+1 initiative including China, the Central and East European countries and Greece, and met the leaderships of the Zheijiang province and the Ningbo city.
Bratušek will also visit Beijing where she will meet Chinese Transport Minister Li Xiaopeng.
STA, 15 May 2019 - The board of directors of the European Investment Bank (EIB) approved a EUR 250 million loan for the construction of a second rail track between rail hub Divača and Koper port on Wednesday, the EIB confirmed for the STA.
This approval is considered a significant step to finalising the financial plan for the project estimated at just under EUR 1.2 billion.
To approve the financing, the EIB insisted on a state guarantee for the loan which will be taken out by 2TDK, a company incorporated with the purpose of building and managing the new track.
Infrastructure Minister Alenka Bratušek has previously said that the state guarantee should not be a problem as a relevant bill is as good as ready. It needs to take effect before the loan contract is signed, expectedly by the end of the year.
She told the press after the EIB approved the loan that such a decision was expected, considering that the European Commission already okayed a loan from the EIB.
2TDK CEO Dušan Zorko, who was also confident that the loan would be approved, said that the EIB recognised the importance of this project for the entire region.
The next step will be to negotiate the contract for the loan, said Zorko. Bratušek added that there was no hurry to sign the contract.
"We were in a hurry with the loan so that we could finalise the financial plan for the project and so as not to endanger the EUR 190 million from the EU," the minister said.
"With the EUR 109 million in grants provided by the European Commission, the project can now start," European Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc said in a written statement.
The board of EIB directors was expected to discuss the loan to Slovenia in early April, but postponed the decision due to long debates about Brexit, the EIB said over a month ago.
STA, 25 April 2019 - Economic Development and Technology Minister Zdravko Počivalšek met Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhang in Beijing on Thursday. He moreover addressed the 2019 Belt and Road Forum, underlining that Slovenia was an open, high-tech partner economy.
A press release from the Economy Ministry quoted Počivalšek as saying that China appreciated the attendance of politicians at events such as the Belt and Road summit that started today.
Počivalšek noted at the sidelines of the event that a number of bilateral meetings of Slovenian and Chinese politicians had taken place over the past 26 years, which is reflected in traditionally good relations and strong business ties.
Meetings taking place as part of the 16+1 initiative of Central and Eastern European countries and China boost Slovenia's visibility and open doors for Slovenian companies, he added.
Počivalšek proposed to Wang that the countries sign a memorandum on cooperation in technology and innovation. He said that China considered Slovenia to be a credible partner in innovation. "We must seize this opportunity for our companies."
Počivalšek arrived in China on Tuesday, visiting the headquarters of Haisense and meeting representatives of the Liaoning Shenyang province yesterday.
STA, 23 April 2019 - Blockchain experts from around the globe came together in the town of Vitanje on Tuesday to discuss the future of blockchain infrastructure at the Herman Potočnik Noordung Centre of Space Technologies. Attending the forum, European Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc underlined that the technology should be a tool of democracy.
Organised by the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, the Noordung Hub and Tolar HashNet, a blockchain developer, the event featured representatives of businesses and states from the EU, as well as Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Taiwan and South Korea.
Bulc believes that this technology represents one of the key steps in introduction of TCP/IP protocols as the foundation of the internet as we know it today.
"I wish that the developers of this global trend would not forget that this is a tool that should serve the democracy and a positive development of the human race and improve cooperation among people, because it helps improve the efficiency of all systems in which we operate," the commissioner said.
The European Commission is concerned above all about the role of regulators and what standards needed to be introduced to ensure that these systems remained open, said Bulc.
She believes the technology could be the most useful in finance, but also in healthcare and state administration. Among other things, Bulc hopes that online elections could become reality across the EU.
At the forum, Tolar HashNet presented its new generation blockchain technology, which makes it a global leader in the field. CEP Tadej Slapnik said that companies across the world would be able to develop applications for the private and public sectors using the company's technology.
All our stories on blockchain in Slovenia are here
STA, 23 April 2019 - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek will start a multi-day visit to China on Tuesday designed to strengthen economic relations between the two countries as well as Slovenia's role in the Belt and Road Initiative.
Počivalšek will present the government's action plans for potential investors and the situation in Slovenian business. Tourism cooperation will also be on the agenda.
The minister will visit the headquarters of the Chinese appliance and electronics manufacturer Hisense, the owner of the Slovenian white goods maker Gorenje.
He will meet with representatives of the local authorities in the province Liaoning Shenyang, where the Slovenian automotive supplier TPV would like to launch a production facility.
Počivalšek will attend the second Belt and Road Initiative Forum, addressing participants at the silk road innovation conference.
China is Slovenia's leading trading partner in Asia, listed as 13th among the country's top trading partners, ahead of Russia and the US, said the Economy Ministry, adding that Slovenia is particularly supportive of hi-tech projects.
More than 12,500 Chinese companies exported to Slovenia last year, while almost 500 Slovenian companies traded with China. Bilateral trade in goods increased by almost 12% year-on-year, amounting to EUR 1.3bn.
The scope of Slovenia's investment in China is on the rise as well, currently estimated at EUR 45m, as over 30 Slovenian companies have affiliates in China.
In Slovenia, there are roughly 110 companies in 100% Chinese ownership and 23 companies with mixed Chinese ownership, according to Economy Ministry data.
All our stories on Slovenia and China are here
STA, 16 April 219 - HSE, the state-owned power utility which owns the Šoštanj coal-fired power station (TEŠ), is looking for a new energy source for TEŠ, according to HSE chairman Stojan Nikolić. He believes burning biomass or waste would be economically viable.
"We know that we have to overhaul the plans for the operations of the Premogovnik Velenje mine and TEŠ. It's been clear for a while that TEŠ will not be able to operate until 2054, as originally planned, both for economic and technical reasons," Nikolić said in an interview with the STA.
But he could not say when the coal-fired power station will be wound down, because it is not clear yet how long the extraction of coal from the Velenje mine, the only source of coal for TEŠ, will be possible.
"My estimate is that until 2040. But we need to set the framework for a fair transition to other activities for the entire coal mining region.
"If we manage to agree on this in the next two or three years, which I'm hoping for, then I think we can still be competitive in the next 15 or 20 years with the production of electricity from coal," he said.
The main challenge faced by HSE as the biggest coal-fired producer of electricity in the country is decarbonisation.
The construction of TEŠ 6, the cutting-edge generator with minimal emissions, was part of efforts to reduce CO2 emissions, Nikolić said.
But TEŠ is still unable to cover the costs of the investment, which are being partly covered by HSE. Admitting that TEŠ was struggling, Nikolić said that the management of HSE and TEŠ were looking for possible solutions. Given that the viable coal reserves at the Velenje mine are running out, importing coal is one of the options.
However, given the current market prices of coal and CO2 coupons, importing coal would not be economically viable and the situation will only get worse in the future.
This would be an option only if a supplier was found that would offer coal at the same price as the Velenje mine, which is EUR 2.75 per gigajoule, or 50 cents more at the most, Nikolić said. "That is, if we get all the necessary permits."
The Environment Agency already said importing coal would require no additional permits, but the environment permit would still need to be changed if any other energy source is to be used at TEŠ.
"Burning biomass would probably be economically viable and definitely also burning processed waste, as now we are paying a lot of money to export waste to Austria and Italy."
Burning imported coal is seen as the last resort, but if this would make it difficult for TEŠ to obtain an environmental permit for biomass and waste burning, then the idea to import coal would be abandoned.
Slovenia will have to solve the problem of waste treatment soon, and TEŠ as well as the cement plant in Anhovo are appropriate facilities to burn waste, Nikolić said.
The other area HSE is focussing on is renewable energy sources but the options here are limited. The Drava river can take no more power plants, while recently a political decision was made not to build any on the Mura, he said.
HSE is currently cooperating with GEN Energija in building a chain of hydro power plants on the lower Sava river and has a concession for the plants on the middle Sava.
But Nikolić said they often faced resistance from environmental groups. Any new facility can be controversial, which is why measures must be taken to minimize the environmental impact and take measures to offset its effects, he believes.
The alternative is to import electricity from the countries which still burn coal, such as Poland, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo. But this means more green house gas emissions. "What will we do with the intact Mura if temperatures rise for a couple of degrees and there will be no life in it?"
By 2040, two biggest power plants, TEŠ and the Krško Nuclear Power Plant (NEK), generating more than half of electricity in the country, will probably be wound down. "They will not be able to be replaced with just hydro power plants," Nikolić stressed.
STA, 12 April 2019 - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec highlighted the port of Koper as the closest link between Central and East Europe, and China as he addressed the eighth summit of China and 16 Central and East European countries in Croatia's Dubrovnik on Friday.
In line with the bill, courts will have to weigh whether Banka Slovenije, the central bank, correctly applied the law in ordering the bailout, and correctly estimated bank losses.
Plaintiffs will be able to launch proceedings within ten months after the law enters into force. Banka Slovenije will be the defendant and if it loses, it will have to settle the damages from its reserves. If those do not suffice, it will be able to borrow from the state.
Banka Slovenije opposes the bill, in particular the solution under which it would have to pay damages if the courts establish to the plaintiffs were wronged, arguing that this would lead to unlawful monetary financing.
The central bank believes the law should state clearly that it is not responsible to pay compensation for the damage. A similar position is held by the European Central Bank.
The government rushed to endorse the bill at yesterday's correspondence session because the upper chamber of parliament, the National Council, was also preparing a similar bill, which however envisages the state launching procedures against Banka Slovenije.
"We rushed it, because we wanted the legislative procedure to start as soon as possible. It is possible that we will be merging the bill with the National Council's legislative proposal," Finance Ministry State Secretary Metod Dragonja said yesterday.
The National Council adopted its proposal today, arguing the government's bill fell short of what had been asked by the Constitutional Court.
The upper chamber's president Alojz Kovšca stressed that excessive procedural costs would discourage potential plaintiffs from suing Banka Slovenije, which means effective legal protection had not been provided.
The National Council would have Banka Slovenije sued by the state and the burden of proof transferred to the central bank.
Kovšca announced cooperation in the adoption of the final act, but added it would be vetoed if it failed to provide a realistic solution.
The bill will go through a regular procedure in parliament and the government is counting on it to be passed in June or July.
In the three months after the passage, special virtual data rooms envisaged by the bill would be set up by the Securities Market Agency (ATVP) where Banka Slovenije will give all interested parties access to information.
Potential damages are estimated between zero and EUR 963.2m, which is how much liabilities were wiped out by the banks which were nationalised in 2013 and 2014, plus extra costs.
The Finance Ministry said in presenting the bill that Banka Slovenije had decided for the measures independently and therefore carried the responsibility and liability for potential damages.
The legislation based on which the measures were taken has been found to be in line with the Constitution, so it is Banka Slovenije and not the state which is responsible for the way the legislation was implemented, the ministry said.
The ministry took into account the central bank's remarks regarding the setting up of data rooms, which it claimed would be too expensive, so the bill envisages the setting up of virtual rooms by the ATVP with the ministry only providing one room where computers and software will be available for accessing data.
But the ATVP warned in a letter today that it lacked the necessary know-how, money and staff to set up the virtual data rooms, so it would have to outsource them, which would require additional funding and a lot more time than the envisaged three months.
The agency also said it had no resources to decide on the potential thousands of applications for access to the data rooms, so it proposes that Banka Slovenije or the Public Administration Ministry take over the task.
In line with the bill, the court will decide whether there are grounds to award damages to plaintiffs and also set the amount of the potential damages, whereas in the original proposal Banka Slovenije was to determine the amount of damages, pending final approval by the court.
All procedures will be handled by the Maribor District Court, where Banka Slovenije will have to prove that it had reasons for the wipe-out and that it takes into account remarks regarding access to information and data protection.
Slovenia spent roughly EUR 5.5bn bailing out and nationalising the three largest banks in the country (two small banks were wound down) in a process seen as saving the economy from ruin.
However, subsequent revelations cast doubt on the methods used to value bank assets, which in turn determined how much capital banks needed and to what extent junior creditors were affected.
All our stories about Slovenia and China are here
STA, 28 February STA - Infrastructure Minister Alenka Bratušek announced on Thursday the dismissal of Damir Topolko as the head of the Infrastructure Agency following the escalation of the scandal surrounding the dodgy tender for the Koper port rail track model.
The announcement comes after PM Marjan Šarec accepted on Wednesday the resignation of Environment Minister and former Infrastructure Ministry State Secretary Jure Leben while also calling for the resignation of Topolko.
The official video introducing the Koper-Divača "second rail" project
While Šarec had suggested that everyone else involved in the possibly rigged 2017 tender for the EUR 130,000 scale model should follow Leben's example, Bratušek said Šarec and her agreed today that conditions were not met yet to dismiss certain public servants.
Bratušek said the scandal also bore on other ministry employees, they however "cannot accept political responsibility for this fiasco"
As regards Topolko, Šarec and Bratušek both felt it was time to find a new name for the head of the Infrastructure Agency, which was responsible for the tender, carried out as a PR move for the EUR 1bn-plus investment in the Divača-Koper rail expansion.
"My predecessor Peter Gašperšič could have already done that," said Bratušek, adding a candidate had not yet been found to replace Topolko, who has ran the agency since mid-2015.
"But they didn't do it. I sense it was because that would mean revealing what is being revealed now: that the former leadership of this ministry was actively involved in the public procurement of this scale model, even though it is unusual for a minister or state secretary to interfere with public tenders," she added.
Bratušek said the scale model story had been inherited by her and that it was casting a bad light on the rail project that is now being managed differently and was on track on getting fully covered financially by the end of May.
STA, 26 February 2019 - A group critical of the government's Koper port rail project has filed a criminal complaint with the police against Environment Minister Jure Leben and several other officials over their role in the scandal around the 2018 scale model tender for the project, the commercial broadcaster POP TV reported on Monday evening.
The group that filed the complaint includes Jože Duhovnik of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering who had proposed an alternative, much cheaper solution for the Koper-Divača rail upgrade back in 2017.
Apart from Leben, who was in charge of the Koper-Divača project at the Infrastructure Ministry in the previous term, the list of those the group says misled the public and caused great damage to public finance includes the former Infrastructure Minister Peter Gašperšič and top officials of the roads and infrastructure agencies.
The leadership of the state-owned company managing the rail investment, 2TDK, and its supervisory board are also on the list along with Infrastructure Ministry State Secretary Nina Mauhler.
Duhovnik told POP TV last night that the investment programme for the Koper-Divača project had shown that those in charge had been "systematically misleading the public, fixing and adjusting data" all along.
The group is accusing Leben and company of "grand fraud, misrepresentation of data and misleading of the public", which led to "tremendous financial damage to public finances". They have estimated the damage at EUR 1.5bn-2bn.
Meanwhile, Leben and Gašperšič announced that they would report the group to the police for making a false criminal complaint.
A press release sent out by the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning on Tuesday afternoon said Leben and former infrastructure minister were convinced that the complaint was based on "groundless lies and malicious imputations" and was filed with the intention to attract media attention.
Police revealed in mid-February that they were investigating the commission of the scale model of the 27-kilometre track that had been revealed in early 2018 and turned out to be a major PR fiasco for the previous government, to the extent that the government abandoned the promotional activities and refused to pay for the model.
Media also reported of the email correspondence among those involved, purportedly proving that the commission of the scale model was effectively coordinated by a PR agency retained by the ministry to do promotional activities for the rail project.
While there was no smoking gun shown to point the finger at Leben, several emails revealed close coordination by the PR agency, Futura, and the public relations officer at the ministry, Nataša Pelko, who is now in charge of public relations at 2TDK.
Leben pointed his finger at Pelko on several occasions, but yesterday she struck back, according to POP TV. She wrote a letter to the supervisors and the entire leadership of 2TDK, saying she did not act on her own but "exclusively under instruction" from her then bosses, Minister Gašperšič and the project head, Leben.
Pelko says in the letter she was not involved in the talks on the scale model, did not know who the bidders were or who was picked in the end. She also denies having cooperated with Futura.


Check out those moves...and those buns! PGA golfer groom has the best wedding night ever dancing with his Whataburger
- PGA golfer John Peterson got down and dirty with his dinner on the dance floor
- John, who wed bride Amanda, danced with it during Beyonce's Crazy in Love
- His guests cheered and laughed as he took bites of his partner during dance
- The video has since been viewed more than 1.5million times on Facebook
First he said ‘I do’ to his bride, then he danced with his Whataburger all night.
A new video has captured the hilarious moment a Texas PGA golfer named John Peterson got down and dirty on the dance floor with his dinner.
John was so happy to have the burger in hand that he grooved with it while dancing solo as the band sang Beyonce’s Crazy in Love – appropriate for the moment.
PGA golfer John Peterson shared a special dance on his wedding day - with a Whataburger
John was so happy to have the burger in hand that he grooved with it while dancing solo as the band sang Beyonce’s Crazy in Love – appropriate for the moment
His guests couldn’t help but laugh, cheer and take plenty of video as John shimmied his shoulders and hammed it up for the crowd.
But the newlywed also made sure to sneak in some actual bites of his dance partner from the popular Texas burger chain.
At one point John grabbed a french fry that was hanging out of the burger with his mouth and shook his head in happiness before swallowing it down.
The video was captured by Candlelight Films, which documented John and his bride Amanda’s romantic wedding day on New Year's Eve.
The newlywed also made sure to sneak in some actual bites of his burger on the dance floor
At one point he stuck a fry in his mouth and then shook his head in ecstasy before swallowing it
John and Amanda said 'I do' at the University Christian Church in Fort Worth, Texas
Their adorable wedding video shows the moment John had to hold back tears as Amanda walked down the aisle at the University Christian Church in Fort Worth.
It also captured the couple happily letting loose on the dance floor, with Amanda switching to a short dress to keep up with John’s moves.
Although John’s boogie with his burger didn’t make the cut, the clip of their first dance together will last forever in its viral fame.
The hilarious video has been watched more than a 1.4 million times and received more than 15,000 shares.
The couple's big day was captured in a wedding video that showed the morning's preparation
It also showed the couple happily letting loose on the dance floor, with Amanda switching to a short dress to keep up with John’s moves
Although John’s boogie with his burger didn’t make the cut, the clip of the first dance he shared with his burger love will last forever in its viral fame
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It’s past time to remind these tyrannical politicians exactly who they work for. They’re forgetting they exist at the consent of the governed.
BY JAMES SAMSON
With Thanksgiving coming up, we are headed into one of the busiest times to fly, and Democrats are ready to take advantage of this with a new bill.
“We can’t allow upcoming holiday air travel to contribute to another surge in COVID cases,” tweeted Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA). “Today, I introduced legislation requiring passengers on domestic flights to be vaccinated, test negative, or be fully recovered from a previous COVID illness.”
We can’t allow upcoming holiday air travel to contribute to another surge in COVID cases. Today I introduced legislation requiring passengers on domestic flights to be vaccinated, test negative or be fully recovered from a previous COVID illness.https://t.co/vVRHM5OiuV
— Senator Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) September 29, 2021
Willis Orlando, a Flight Expert at Scott’s Cheap Flights, responded by giving his thoughts on the proposed legislation.
“If it were to become law, it really would just be kind of adding restrictions in the U.S. that already exist elsewhere in the world and that have been working pretty well to contain COVID,” Orlando told ABC6. “I really don’t see any way where it would be a big problem, although passengers may be a little bit upset based on what we’ve seen in the past in the U.S.”
“Airlines are doing not only what they can to protect themselves and their passengers but also their reputation too,” added Orlando, referring to the vaccine mandates that have been put in place for employees by airlines like United.
“I actually feel the most safe flying internationally,” said Albert Hsieh, who is the Founder and CEO of Foxtrot Dash, a travel company that encourages smart points spending.
Hsieh went on to describe a recent flight he took to San Francisco, saying, “I empathize with the flight attendants on board. She had to enforce masks at least a dozen times, you know, kind of walking up and down the aisle.”
Both Orlando and Hsieh agreed that travelers would likely continue to resist COVID rules, probably leading to more fights with flight attendants.
“You’re choosing to do something optional, you don’t have to get on that plane, if you’re going to get on that plane, follow the airline’s rules and remember give the flight attendants a little bit of grace, they are working very, very hard right now,” said Orlando, with Hsieh adding, “Anything we can do to continue to encourage travel in the most comfortable and safe way I think is really important for everybody.”
Orlando and Hsieh may see no issue with the new legislation being proposed by Feinstein, but we certainly do. Americans should not be forced to get a shot or take a COVID test to travel within their own country.
This nonsense really has gone way too far.

domain: travel


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Breast Cancer and Healthy Control Subjects
Postmenopausal women with newly diagnosed histologically-confirmed breast cancer that was estrogen receptor (ER) positive and/or progesterone receptor (PR) positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) negative with resected stage I to III disease were eligible, prior to adjuvant endocrine therapy. For healthy controls, postmenopausal women without a history of malignancy were eligible. Women were defined as postmenopausal if they were at least 60 years of age, had undergone bilateral oophorectomy, or were younger than 60 years of age with cessation of regular menses for at least twelve consecutive months and plasma levels of estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone in the postmenopausal range. Exclusion criteria included medical illnesses with potential suppressive or activating impact on immune and bowel function as determined by the treating investigator, systemic antibiotic or probiotic use within six months, use of hormone-replacement therapy within the past twelve months, or a history of gastric or intestinal surgery.
This was a prospective single institution case-control pilot study. Postmenopausal women with breast cancer were recruited from breast medical oncology practices at the NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center (PCC) during routine office visits with their oncologists to discuss and/or initiate adjuvant endocrine therapy with an aromatase inhibitor. Postmenopausal women without breast cancer (controls) were recruited from three subject pools: (a) relatives and/or friends of patients; (b) women undergoing routine mammographic screening at PCC’s facilities; and (c) female faculty or staff members. All subjects with breast cancer were planned to receive adjuvant endocrine therapy with an aromatase inhibitor (i.e., anastrozole, letrozole, or exemestane). Enrolled breast cancer subjects provided serial plasma, stool, and urine samples at baseline (prior to initiation of endocrine therapy for the breast cancer patients), and then at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months while on endocrine therapy. Samples were collected at identical time points for the control subjects, of which none received endocrine therapy while enrolled on study. Analyses are reported on the baseline samples in this publication. The study was approved by the NYU Grossman School of Medicine Institutional Review Board (IRB). Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects prior to enrollment in the study. Subjects who completed the study received a one hour-massage at the NYU Integrative Health Center in appreciation for their participation.
Sample And Data Collection
Sample collection (plasma, urine, and stool) followed standardized procedures. After providing informed consent, study subjects were provided with a specimen collection kit with instructions for collecting a fecal sample at home, and materials to transport the specimens to NYU PCC. Fecal specimens were collected in four 20-mL screw top Sarstedt tubes, including two preloaded with 5 mL RNAlater (QIAGEN) and two with 5 mL sterile PBS. After specimen collection, the fecal tubes were secured, and two frozen gel packs were added. Urine was collected in a screw-top container, without preservative in the clinic. Blood samples were obtained by venipuncture in the clinic and collected in heparin containing vacutainer tubes. All specimens were transported to the NYU biorepository, where they were processed and stored at − 80°C. The urine and plasma specimens were shipped on dry ice in batches to the laboratory (A.F.) at University of Hawaii and stored at − 80°C until analysis.
Subjects in both groups also completed a questionnaire at baseline requesting information about age, height and weight, ethnicity, medical history of immune or gastrointestinal disorders, medication use including antibiotics within past the six months, diet, alcohol use, and smoking history (Online Resource 1). Follow-up questionnaires were completed at each subsequent time point inquiring about any changes in the above. Subjects were also followed for development of breast cancer recurrence or new malignancies.
Fecal Microbiome Analysis
The bacterial composition of the gut microbiome was assessed using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing of subject fecal samples. FASTQ files were preprocessed with QIIME2 (v. 2018.11) . Following the data input, sequences underwent an error correction step with qiime dada2 denoise-paired (parameters: --p-trunc-len-f 0, --p-trunc-len-r 0, --p-trim-left-f 20, --p-trim-left-r 20) command. We then assigned taxonomy to the sequences by training a Naïve Bayes classifier on the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene with qiime feature-classifier fit-classifier-I-bayes command based on the GreenGenes database (v 13_8). Following the taxonomy assignment, the abundance table was rarefied to the depth of 20,000 sequences and collapsed on both genus and species taxonomic levels. All downstream analysis including α-diversity, β-diversity and microbial composition was performed in R (v. 3.5.2). LefSe (Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size)  was used to find bacteria that explain differences between breast cancer and healthy control fecal samples with the following parameters: 0.05 alpha value and an LDA score threshold of 2.
Sex Hormone Analysis
The 11 most predominant steroidal estrogens in women, namely estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE1), 2-hydroxyestradiol (2-OHE2), 2-methoxyestrone (2-MeOE1), 2-hydroxy-3-O-methylestrone (2OH-3MeO-E1), 4-hydroxyestrone (4-OHE1), 4- hydroxyestradiol (4-OHE2), 16α-hydroxyestrone (16α-OHE1), 16-ketoestradiol (16keto-E2), and estriol (E3)  as well as progesterone, and testosterone were measured from plasma and urine by our validated orbitrap liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) (model Q-Exactive, Thermo Scientific, Waltham, MA) assay, as described in detail previously .
In brief, plasma or urine were mixed with ascorbic acid as preservative and deuterated or 13C labeled analytes as internal standards followed by enzymatic hydrolysis with beta-glucuronidase and sulfatase for total analyte levels (conjugated plus unconjugated analytes) or without hydrolysis for unconjugated analytes followed by extraction with methyl tertiary butyl ether. The dried extract was derivatized with 1-methylimidazole sulfonyl chloride in sodium bicarbonate followed by analysis of the tagged analytes with high-resolution accurate-mass mass spectrometry in positive mode after electrospray ionization using monoisotopic protonated analyte masses ±5ppm to account for measurement inaccuracies as detailed previously . Urinary creatinine levels were determined using a clinical autoanalyzer (Roche-Cobas MiraPlus CC) and a kit from Randox Laboratories (cat. No. CR 510, Crumlin, UK) based on the Jaffé reaction with a lower limit of quantitation of < 15 µM. In this study, we found inter- and intra assay cv values of 0.8% at 187 µM. Urinary concentrations were adjusted for creatinine levels to account for differences in urine volume.
Circulating sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels were measured with a well validated enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kit from R&D Systems, Inc. (Minneapolis, MN, kit# DSHBG0B, lot# P248238) following exactly the manufacturer’s protocol.
Differences in measured analyte levels between cases and controls were evaluated by the unpaired t-test with common variance (Microsoft Excel version 16.54).

domain: medical


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Vulcanized Rubber Information
Vulcanization is an irreversible biochemical process by which natural rubber (chemically named as ‘polyisoprene’) from the latex (a white milky liquid extracted from the rubber trees) is made more tough and durable by synthetically adding sulphur or similar kinds of curatives (chemicals which act as remedial agents increasing the lasting time of the substrate on which it is applied). The product so formed after vulcanization is commercially known as ‘cured rubber’ or more specifically vulcanized rubber. It is actually named after the Roman God of the smiths called ‘Vulcan’.
The first vulcanized rubber was produced in the nineteenth century which was the successful invention of Charles Goodyear and Thomas Hancock. Later with the break through discovery of more efficient curators by George Oenslager in the year of 1905, better quality of vulcanized rubber captured the global market just within a few years. Most of the rubber trees are found in Malaysia and a few other nations in the eastern part of Asia. Very few rubber productions come from the rest of the world.
The basic process of vulcanizing natural rubber can be well explained in simple words. At very high temperature and pressure, the polymers (long chains of molecules) of liquid natural rubber are modified into long chains of polymers. This is done using the sulphur additives which form cross linkages (macro molecular bridges) with the natural polymers of rubber. Each cross link consists of eight sulphur atoms between two long polymeric chains (isoprene branches). This decreases the sticky nature of the natural rubber and hence enhances the mechanical strength and durability of it. The sulphur cross links prevent the rubber polymers to slide on top of the others. This eventually increases the elasticity to a high degree. Thus called vulcanized rubber (or cured rubber). Controlled cross linking creates better quality rubber. The density and amount of the curing agents depend on the substrate and the final product application. The most common vulcanizing agent is sulphur. Vulcanized rubber can also be produced by using other additives like peroxides, urethane cross linkers, metallic oxides etc.
It is the vulcanized rubber which finds vibrant uses in the modern industrial world. Some of the irreplaceable uses of this rubber include vehicle tires, shoe soles, hoses of pipes, erasers, hockey pucks, door stoppers, chair scratch guards, rubber washers, balls, pads etc. Very hard vulcanized rubber is termed as ebonite or vulcanite. Long ebonite rods find vast array of uses in clarinet mouth pieces, bowling balls, static electricity determinations etc.
There are a number of advantages of vulcanized rubber over the natural one. Prominently, it is highly elastic, stronger (as already mentioned), does not deform easily when warmed, less sticky, less brittle under cold temperatures and more rigid than natural rubber. These are only to name a few of the bright sides of vulcanized rubber. Like all other things in spite of a number of promising advantages, it too suffers from a hell lot of shortcomings. Though to some extents the deformation is resisted in vulcanized rubbers at higher temperatures, yet it cannot be heated to remain stable beyond a limit. This puts a bar on its uses and hence limits the industry application areas of vulcanized rubber.
So in a nutshell, vulcanized rubber is a better durable and more rigid form of natural rubber which is formed by a chemical process in presence of additive agents, the most popular being sulphur. The invention of vulcanization of rubber finds a debatable position in the history of world’s scientific innovations. So, the credit of discovery is jointly paid to both the inventors for their independent efforts. Rubber in the vulcanized form is more acceptable industrially, than the natural rubber. With the many uses of it, there are a few limitations as well. The process of producing higher quality of the product is continually under progression.


RABIES has spread rapidly, albeit silently, in many provinces of Thailand, with 271 confirmed cases of infection in animals nationwide as of yesterday – just 55 days into the New Year.
This number already surpasses the total number of rabies cases in the entire year of 2014.
According to real-time rabies infection statistics reported at Thairabies.net, the rabies outbreak is most serious in the Lower North Eastern Region, while dogs were the most common animals to be infected.
It was reported that Roi Et has the highest rabies infection rate in the country, with 65 cases so far this year – almost three times the number of cases in Surin, which had the second highest number of rabies infections, 24.
The Eastern provinces of Chon Buri and Prachinburi and Southern province of Songkhla also had relatively high numbers of rabies cases.
The Livestock Development Department’s Disease Control and Veterinary Services Bureau director, Wiriya Kaewthong, said the major rabies outbreak was caused by the breakdown of herd immunity due to the lower rate of rabies vaccinations in 2014 and 2015. This reduced the overall rabies immunisation rate in the dog and cat populations to below 80 per cent.
“The collapse of herd immunity significantly increased the infection rate among the unimmunised animals and we started to notice an increase of rabies cases since 2016. But it is during these recent months that the rabies infection rate has sharply risen,” Wiriya said.
He said the major reason for the lower rabies vaccination rate four years ago was a vaccine shortage due to a procurement problem.
However, he insisted that this problem had been solved and the authorities currently had enough rabies vaccine.
“Although we no longer have a problem with vaccine availability, there are still many factors that contribute to the spreading of rabies, such as the lack of awareness among dog owners who often neglect to immunise their pets,” Wiriya said.
“Stray dogs are also a big problem, as many of these dogs have no one to take care of them, vaccinate them, and control their population.”
Therefore, he said, the Livestock Development Department has asked local authorities to survey and register stray dogs and cats in their locality, and dispatch local volunteers and veterinary teams to vaccinate and sterilise the stray dogs.
As a short-term measure to deter outbreaks of rabies, the department has asked the Local Administration Department to implement a 5-kilometre radius quarantine zone in areas found to be infected.
Dogs are not allowed to leave or enter the quarantine zone unless officers give their permission. Animals suspected of being infected will be quarantined for at least six months, and all cats and dogs within the zone will have to be vaccinated.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), rabies is a vaccine-preventable viral disease and it can infect many species of mammals, including humans. Domesticated dogs contribute up to 99 per cent of all rabies transmissions to humans.
WHO said rabies is almost always fatal following the onset of clinical symptoms, so the best prevention methods are to vaccinate dogs and avoid dog bites.
Dr Sopon Iamsirithawon, the Disease Control Department’s Vector Borne Diseases Bureau director, said a total of 14 people had died from rabies last year, with one death already this year. He said people should be concerned about rabies and learn how to protect themselves.
“There is still the misunderstanding among the public that rabies can be cured, but actually once the patient shows symptoms, it is already too late and death is guaranteed,” Sophon said.
He said the rabies virus normally has an incubation period within humans of between one and three months. Anybody who is bitten by an infected animal should clean the wound and find a doctor to get the vaccine as soon as possible.
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Condo Rental in Marco Island - Beach Front Corner
|Per week||$545 - $1,575|
Sorry, the association does not allow smoking and any pets inside the apartments and condo facilities.
You may also inquire about our other Gulf beach front unit in the same building for a lower rate! Listing #41385. If you like, please call the owner.
You may stay less then 7 nights for the minimum cost of the weekly rate.
|Aug 31 2016||Sep 28 2016||-||-||$545||-||1 Week|
|Sep 28 2016||Dec 14 2016||-||-||$645||-||1 Week|
|Dec 14 2016||Apr 26 2017||-||-||$1,575||$5,895||1 Week|
|Apr 26 2017||May 03 2017||-||-||$695||-||1 Week|
|Check In: 3 p.m. Check Out: 10 a.m.|
|Deposits: Subject to negotiation|
|Payment Options: Cashier's Check, Money Order, Personal Check|
|Other Fees: Registration Fee Rental Fees are subject to change...... You may stay less then 7 nights for the minimum cost of the weekly rate.|
Reviews for this vacation condo rental in Marco Island, Florida
August 10, 2013
The place we rented for our vacation was clean and spacious. We enjoyed the condo very much
David Andres Aljure
August 22, 2012
Our Kids,my Wife And Me,,,gguuaauuuuu Super Incredible,and Agustin My Boy Learn How To Swimm In Your Pool,thank You Yuuhuuu,,,,,,,,,,,,
East Greenwich, RI USA
September 16, 2011
This was an AWESOME VACATION. The condo was beautifully decorated and very very clean. the pictures and discription were very accurate, exactly as stated. We loved the whole setup, perfect location and fantastic view. We walked to the beach, exercised in the gym and visited the pool everyday. This condo comes equipped with everything. We very much enjoyed out time there and loved Marco Island. We would love to come back next year but stay longer. One week is not enough. We would recommend this condo to our friends and relatives. I guarantee the whole family will love this condo, the Island and the community. It"s very friendly here. It was impossible to be more accommodating and friendlier than the owners were to us. THANK YOU JOHANNA.
September 7, 2011
Port St. Lucie, Florida
September 7, 2011
My wife and I stayed at the condo for our anniversary on August 27th for a week. The condo was beautifully decorated. You couldn't ask for anything better, everything was there that we needed, the views were fantastic. We got up everymorning and had coffee viewing the ocean. We felt safe there because of the security and the grounds were well maintained. If you decide to stay there you will not be disappointed. If in the future we are able to stay there again we definitely will, it was well worth it.
Great Memory Maker
August 10, 2011
My husband and I had a GREAT week at Marco Island. This was or fourth trip there and I hope not the last. This condo was the best we have stayed in. It was very clean and the wrap around balcony was fabulous. It was decorated very tastefully and comfortably. We didn't need for anything. The walk to the ocean was a little farther than we had planned. But we take plenty of snacks and drinks and spend the day so it's not like we are traveling back and forth all day. If you are looking for a great place to stay on Marco; this is one of the best.
Winnipeg, Mb Canada
Our Summer Getaway
July 8, 2011
This well furnished 10th floor condo with its breath taking view of the Gulf of Mexico contains all the amenities one could need for a dream vacation. The grounds and pool are well maintained and secure. Its just a short walk to the gorgeous beach for swimming, fishing,strolling and collecting shells .We saw dolphins playing , baby sea turtles and many species if birds. There are lots of great restaurants and shopping close by. This is the place you want to be for a stress free holiday. We had an amazing time and hope to return in the very near future.
Jensen Beach Florida
Best View On Marco Island
June 12, 2011
This great wrap around patio condo has a million dollar view of the ocean and beach and you walk right out onto Tigertail Beach,which is the premier shelling beach on the Island.The pool and workout facilities. are second to none.The condo is very spacious and clean and the furniture is very comfortable.The location is convenient to restaurants,shopping,and a very nice grocery store.What a great place to spend a week or two on vacation. Definitely someplace we will rent again in the near future.
Old Orchard Beach, Maine
Our week in paradise
May 1, 2011
We spent a week at this lovely condo. We left home in 28 degree temperture and ended in 85 degree and breezy. The view is breathtaking and the condo is close to the beach and the pool. The kitchen is is fully packed. Our only complaint is that we only stayed one week.
Amy Lomonaco Bercich
spring break 2011
April 11, 2011
Our family had a great time! The condo was a nice size and comfortably furnished. We especially enjoyed our evenings on the lanai. The only complaint I have is that there was no wifi in the condo and there seemed to be issues with the service in the lobby. Otherwise it was great!
Port Charlotte, Florida, USA
November 2, 2010
Location of complex was very good, just off Collier Ave., close to everything. Views from the balconey were breathtaking. Enjoying morning coffee overlooking lagoon and sunsets were awesome. Had a chance to meet Johanna and Gerhard, very good hosts.

domain: geography


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We are excited to announce that the MW House was chosen to be one of 5 houses on Dwell Magazine's first Portland modern home tour.
Website announcement here.
Please join the tour and come and see us.
Saturday, August 27, 2016.
Tickets available here.
photo by David Temple of CatalystPictures.com

domain: news


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Computerscreen clipart. Construction trucks
Don't use free clipart for your brand mascot. Think about it - do you want everyone else in the world using the same cartoon character you are? If you go the clipart route to save money, instead of having a custom character designed for you, be sure to go to one of the clipart developers that specialize in brand mascots so the character you choose is not in the public domain where anyone can use it for free. A good site for royalty free brand mascots is Toons4biz.com. Teddy bear clipart is very much in demand today, and not that hard to come by. And if you want it for free, then there are a lot to choose from, but you can't use it for commercial reasons. Many of the sites will allow you to put the images on your own personal website but don't want you charging people to put it on their sites, but don't charge people to use or download it. You won't be breaking any copyright infringement laws as long as you follow the site's rules. Volleyball has a long and storied history. People love to play it in gyms, on the beaches, in the wide open fields, or any other place in which there is enough room to set up a net and allow many players to move about. Volleyball has gained so much popularity among sports lovers over the years that many enthusiasts are going crazy over the game. If you're a volleyball fanatic, you can even spruce up your letters, notes, announcements, etc. with clip art. Basically, volleyball clipart is a ready-to-use graphic file of a certain volleyball feats like a man tossing a ball, or a woman in a skimpy bikini racing to the net. There are also volleyball caricatures and cartoons, etc. Do have a professional cartoonist/graphic designer develop it for you. There are many fine nuances that go into a well-designed cartoon brand mascot. What looks good on the sketchpad may not look good when it's reduced down to fit on a business card. A cartoon brand mascot may need to look good on a computer screen, embroidered on a shirt, etched on a pen, printed on a business card or blown up on a billboard. A good designer knows how to use the proper line weights; colors and shading that reproduce and hold their integrity over a wide array of applications.
We found 9++ Images in Computerscreen clipart:
#computer screen clipart black and white | computer screen clipart free | computer screen clipart mac | computer screen clipart png | laptop screen clipart | laptop screen clipart with colors |

domain: design


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Today’s journey will take the Mykytowych from Riga of Latvia to Vilnius of Lithuania. It is a 394km drive between the two cities.
What do they think of the area so far? How would Blue Roo perform with newly fitted shock absorber?!
Another eventful day filled with beautiful scenery!
4 time trails were on the cards, Time Trail 28.1 - Riga Circuit starting at the Riga Motor Museum, Time Trail 28.3 – Lecava in the woods, Time Trail 28.3b Bucase at the Bucase Forrest at the and Time Trail 28.4 – Dubrogiai the hills with sudden crest and long open bends…
There are more super smooths gravel roads for more glorious rallying in the third Baltic State!
During today’s run… the Mykytowychs that the engine oil is leaking and has gone through 7litres of oil before the end of the day!
Despite that, the Blue Roo has finished the day without a hitch! And have also hold onto its position as the day end =)


The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Rivers State on Wednesday arrested a physically challenged female for alleged possession of 24 sacks of 231.2kgs of cannabis sativa.
The spokesperson of the agency in the state, Emmanuel Ogbumgbada, disclosed this in a statement in Port Harcourt.
He said the NDLEA made the arrest when the operatives of the agency carried out a search operation at Obunku community in Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state.
Mr Ogbumgbada, an assistant commander with the NDLEA, said: “The command arrested one Celina Ekeke, a notorious drug dealer, with 24 sacks of cannabis sativa weighing 231.2kgs.
“She has been on the watch list of the agency for some time now, as she uses her deformed legs to disguise and sell illicit drugs.
READ ALSO: Hoodlums raze NDLEA facility in Abia
“She is presently undergoing investigation at the Rivers Command headquarters.”
Mr Ogbumgbada said the state commander, Ahmed Mamuda, restated his earlier warning to all drug dealers to desist from the nefarious act as the agency would surely fish them out, “particularly as retired Brig-Gen. Buba Marwa, the Chairman of NDLEA, has charged the Command to go on an offensive action against all drug dealers”.
The spokesperson appealed to the public to provide information to the NDLEA on the activities of drug dealers to enable the agency to rid the state of hard drugs.
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Hopeless customers who happen to be off credit options are with regards to vehicles given that collateral and you may paying $3.5 mil annually inside notice towards the very-titled “label financing,” one’s heart having In charge Financing told you from inside the research awarded which times. The common mortgage is actually $950, and you Mississippi payday loan will consumers take on mediocre 10 days to repay the newest financing, meaning they’re going to spend $dos,140 so you’re able to acquire the money, the statement told you.
The dimensions of the fresh new term loan market is approximately comparable to the dimensions of brand new pay day loan field, with received a lot more focus out-of bodies, according to declaration. S. claims, deciding to make the size of the market far more surprising, said report copywriter Uriah King.
“The business size is equivalent by natural measurements of new title financing,” said Queen, adding you to label loans was, typically, roughly three times bigger than payday loans: Specific 7,730 lenders make $1.six million inside the identity fund annually, the group prices.
The user class estimated how big is industry, and you will received most other results throughout the term funds, according to mortgage-height investigation regarding a lender produced social once the impact an excellent suit filed contrary to the globe.
Competitive later-nights television adverts slope term financing as a solution having consumers exactly who find themselves searching for short-title loans but are unable to play with basic selection, such as for example playing cards. Generally, customers normally obtain doing twenty six per cent of analyzed value of their automobile, which they must own free and you can obvious. Finance are usually issued during the 25 % interest four weeks: Quite simply, they can cost you $250 so you’re able to borrow $step one,000 getting thirty day period. The chance, needless to say, is that consumers can get rid of the vehicles so you’re able to repossession whenever they standard. Consumers need usually hop out a copy of its vehicle trick having the lender and then make repossession easy.
Several other unique and you will in regards to the trait out-of title loans: Issuers commonly try not to make any testing out of good borrower’s power to pay-off the loan. In fact, particular brag from inside the advertisements which they try not to focus on borrowing from the bank inspections, and you can individuals won’t need to prove employment to obtain the financing.
To help you loan providers, there is certainly almost no chance regarding the finance, because they are “completely collateralized,” King told you. Individuals is actually very encouraged to repay the mortgage because their trucks usually are its best bit of property – most consumers try renters — and you can trucks are required to have transportation to focus.
To the its website, Term Maximum says it offers more step one,000 label financing places across several says and offers auto label money so you can over 2,100000 some one day-after-day
“This might be financing out of absolutely no risk,” Queen said. “We read one to branch manager state these are ‘all blue sky’ money, as as soon as that desire payment is generated, others is perhaps all (profit).”
Identity financing, particularly pay day loan, have traditionally fallen for the a gray region of authorities as they is low-traditional, short-label lending options. Up until the creation of the consumer Economic Cover Agency (CFPB), loan providers didn’t have to resolve to help you government credit bodies and you may was indeed governed simply by the state rules. When the CFPB was created, its regulating vitality have been extended so you’re able to instance short-title loan tools.
Payday lenders believe yearly percentage prices or other practical financing steps was unfairly applied to what they are selling given that customers tend to borrow money for a few weeks. Very expressing an effective $20 payment getting a two-month $200 financing while the which have good 2000 percent ple, does not very represent the true cost of brand new lending device, they state.
However, the new Pew Center into Claims advertised has just your average payday borrower requires four months to repay a loan, arguing that yearly percentage interest levels are indeed strongly related determining those funds.
“There isn’t any means so it financing gets paid within a month, its not probably takes place,” the guy said. “Loads of middle-classification family would struggle to repay an excellent $1,two hundred financing (average notice along with dominating) within a month.” Alternatively, this new fund usually is restored each month to possess an average of 10 months, the guy said.
Label finance are just greet for the roughly half You
“We have done all that I can carry out. This is the conversion speak, such as for instance I have stated before. The best option would be to get in touch with customer support every We can do is actually admission this informative article in it,” told you the brand new user, which known herself due to the fact “Tiffany.” Calls to help you customer care ran unanswered.
The latest title mortgage globe install a swap group and you may governmental step panel, the American Connection regarding Responsible Auto Lenders, several years ago to winner their equipment. The new group’s webpages is no longer practical, and calls so you’re able to previous panel players ran unanswered. They performed submit a general public remark in 2011 into the Individual Economic Shelter Bureau, arguing up against you to definitely agency’s plans to control the. A copy of opinion letter was accessible to NBC Reports because of the Cardiovascular system to have In control Lending.
Regarding letter, the team argues one label finance are a great substitute for people exactly who are unable to borrow cash from other supply.
“Our very own people choose automobile name financing in order to solutions instance overdraft fees, bounced evaluate fees otherwise late charges that can also have bad borrowing consequences,” told you brand new organization.
The latest page reported one to one million people receive identity financing well worth $six mil per year, and also told you a are considerably smaller than new pay-day financing business, it labelled on $38 billion per year. How big the latest payday loans marketplace is debated due to exactly how individual groups and world groups matter repeating financing.
“Vehicle identity money are usually the only genuine alternative that individual and you will small business owners provides, since the in some instances their lowest credit scores manage exclude her or him from employing industrial banking institutions and borrowing unions even if these organizations was in fact prepared to lend on the numbers typically found by vehicles title consumers,” the association typed.
In addition it contended one just 6 to 8 percent off trucks made use of because the term loan guarantee are repossessed. The heart having Responsible Lending reported that almost 17 per cent regarding name loan customers face repossession charge. King told you this has absolutely no way of knowing how many of those trucks is actually ultimately repossessed.
The center getting Responsible Credit argues that title loan enterprises is be asked to assess borrowers’ capacity to pay before giving loans, and therefore rates of interest become capped in the thirty six percent.


Tom Odell’s sophomore album, Wrong Crowd, has finally arrived, three years after the release of his debut, A Long Way Down. The twenty-five year old singer-songwriter became a household name when he won the Critics Choice award at the Brits in 2013, but he only really cemented himself in the hearts of the nation in 2014, when his cover of the Beatles’ ‘Real Love’ was selected as the soundtrack to the John Lewis Christmas advert.
Personally, I’ve had a turbulent relationship with Tom Odell’s music from the get go; following the release of Long Way Down, I wrote a particularly scathing review of the album in a ‘Most Overrated Albums of 2013’ feature, one of my very first journalistic endeavours. I told Tom to “Grab some Kleenex” and “man up”, labelling him “dull and predictable”. Admittedly, I may have been overly critical, because since then I’ve listened to the album so much that it now ranks as one of my most played records on iTunes. Although I initially found his voice grating and whiny, with time I came to appreciate his distinctive croon, and found myself relating to his songs about lost love and heartbreak in the same way that I regularly find myself dancing round my room, shouting Taylor Swift lyrics into my hairbrush.
When I saw him live at the O2 Academy in Sheffield in 2014, I was blown away by his stage presence. It’s refreshing to see an artist play their own instrument, and as Tom sat at his piano I was impressed by how his songs sounded just as clean and emotive as they do in the recordings. I’d go as far as to say that Odell is one of the best artists I’ve seen live. A particular highlight from that show was his cover of Willie Dixon’s 1954 blues classic, ‘I Just Want To Make Love To You’ (first recorded by Muddy Waters), which raised the roof and demonstrated his impressive vocal range.
On the new record, his range is shown off in the song, ‘Daddy’, whilst ‘I’m Still Getting Used To Being On My Own’ has a theatrical quality which reeks of Elton John. These are songs that exude a newfound confidence; gone is the timidity and shyness that emanated from A Long Way Down – gone is the young man whose father phoned up NME to complain about the rating they gave his debut. Tom says it best himself when he sings “Woaaaaaah, something’s changed” in ‘Silhouette’, a track whose opening score sounds like it walked right out of a Disney film. Odell himself said of the new album, “I wanted the songs to sound big and dramatic; big strings and melodies emphasizing the songs further – rich in musicality and holding nothing back”, and Wrong Crowd is definitely dressed up to the nines in theatricality.
That’s not to say Odell’s trademark sensitivity has dissipated, or the emotional scenes are just a pretense, though. His voice still wavers, threatening to break in the delicate and sweet album closer ‘Somehow’, and his lyrics still feel genuinely honest, whether he’s singing about hanging around with the wrong crowd in the album’s titular track, or feeling inadequate in ‘Jealousy”: “I’m sorry that I’m sometimes so insecure / with every day I grow a little more sure of your love”. ‘Constellations’ is an incredibly pretty construction, where Odell successfully pulls off falsetto.
The album is best when it attempts to do something different, though. Tom proved he could pull off ballads many times over with A Long Way Down, so it’s nice to hear some more upbeat numbers make it onto this record, ‘Wrong Crowd’ could actually incite moshing at a Tom Odell gig, which is a sentence I never thought I’d write. The tracklist skilfully integrates the downbeat crooners with the more Radio 1-friendly ‘poppy’ tracks, which shows Odell’s awareness that he needed to do something different with this second album, without wandering too far from the tracks he laid with his first.
Undoubtedly, the show-stealing song is ‘Here I Am’, which is about returning to a lover after you’ve broken up: “I thought I was over you / I put out the flame / Said tonight would be different / I wouldn’t need to play your games”. It sounds pretty similar to New Order’s ‘Bizarre Love Triangle’, but maybe that’s because of the claps which punctuate the rhyming lyrics. The chorus packs more of a punch than the New Order track though, with the repetition of “I’m going out my head for you darling” lending the song a distinctively 80’s vibe. It’s incredibly catchy, relatable (who hasn’t mistakenly ended up in the arms of an ex after a break up?), and cements Wrong Crowd as an album which was well worth the three year wait.


" In tackling floods, collaboration between community elements "
Jakarta Legislative Council (DPRD)'s Commission A Member Lukmanul Hakim has called on the Jakarta Provincial Government to reintensify a community service in residential areas. It is deemed important for the success of the flood prevention program in Jakarta.
"In tackling floods, collaboration between community elements and a clean lifestyle is much needed starting from the RT/RW levels," he expressed, Saturday (9/26).
According to him, the community service had many benefits for residential neighborhoods. For instance is in overcoming the problem of waste, which had an impact on inundation, and prevention of Dengue Fever.
"Besides PPSU, this is part of our shared responsibility," he told.
He assessed that the flood prevention efforts carried out by the city government were getting better. However, the culture of maintaining cleanliness should be intensified with a collaborative participatory model.
"Certainly community service must be intensified to anticipate flooding," he stated.


It's been three months--from one Friday the 13th to the next--but Jacoby Ellsbury is finally back in the Red Sox lineup, batting leadoff and playing center field against Jeremy Hellickson and the Tampa Bay Rays.
It's a scenario that's almost a bit discomforting. Friday the 13th, the Rays...the biggest differences are that they're on the road, and that Reid Brignac--the man who did the damage--hasn't been with the team since shortly after that incident. For those that aren't superstitious, all this means nothing. For those that are...
Do something with salt.
Jacoby Ellsbury isn't the only one making his return, either. The Sox will have Will Middlebrooks playing third base, getting Mauro Gomez' unfortunate glove out of the field and hopefully bringing a rejuvinated bat to the fifth spot. Middlebrooks had been flagging a bit after the Youkilis trade, but that's nothing a week off can't fix.
The Red Sox have a few long weeks ahead of them. It all starts here. Every one of the next 18 games is crucial. They're getting healthy--now they just need to prove that means something.
|BOSTON RED SOX||TAMPA BAY RAYS|
|Jacoby Ellsbury, CF||Elliot Johnson, SS|
|Daniel Nava, LF||Carlos Pena, 1B|
|David Ortiz, DH||Ben Zobrist, RF|
|Adrian Gonzalez, 1B||B.J. Upton, CF|
|Will Middlebrooks, 3B||Jeff Keppinger, 2B|
|Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C||Sean Rodriguez, 3B|
|Ryan Sweeney, RF||Luke Scott, DH|
|Mike Aviles, SS||Desmond Jennings, LF|
|Pedro Ciriaco, 2B||Jose Lobaton, C|


Open your DD-WRT router interface. If you don’t know how to do it, check out our detailed instruction …
How to Setup a VPN Server Using a DD-WRT Router Apr 04, 2018 DD-WRT About. DD-WRT is a Linux based alternative OpenSource firmware suitable for a great variety of WLAN routers and embedded systems. The main emphasis lies on providing the easiest possible handling while at the same time supporting a great number of functionalities within the framework of the respective hardware platform used.
How to setup a Client Bridged with DD-WRT router | David
Identify your NETGEAR router model. This is a crucial step, definitely do not overlook this! The exact … How to Setup a VPN Server Using a DD-WRT Router Apr 04, 2018
Download DD-WRT Hotspot Wi-Fi firmware Select the model of your Wireless Router or your Access Point and download the "Mini (or factory)" and "Full" firmwares. Vendor
How to Install DD-WRT Firmware on Your Router - Appuals.com Sep 10, 2019 How To Set Up A Repeater Bridge in DD-WRT - FlashRouters Feb 19, 2018 How to setup a Client Bridged with DD-WRT router | David Jul 04, 2020 How to Flash DD-WRT Firmware on a Router - Sabai Technology


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The Department of Justice DOJ is asking more time to reach federal court over a lawsuit about the legality of safe drug consumption sites, according to Marijuana Moment. The non-profit Safehouse filed a complaint asking the court to protect its proposed consumption center against the crackhouse statute, which condemns any location with the purpose of manufacturing, distributing or using any controlled substance. The complaint came after a three-judge panel ruled that Safehouse would be in violation of federal law.
Safehouse has been in constant communication with the DOJ to open a space where people can inject illegal opioids under medical supervision. There has been several delays in the case, because the contact between the two parties seems not to have been productive.
The non-profit is not consenting to the last delay request from the DOJ and plans to file a motion against it on Tuesday.
The DOJ said in a motion on Monday that it believes an additional two months are necessary to allow careful consideration of the government's harm reduction and public safety goals. The discussions to date, which involved coordination among multiple constituencies addressing a novel and complex subject matter, have been productive, it said, adding that DOJ had a meeting with Safehouse lawyers in November and provided an update to the court.
On Monday, Safehouse emailed its backers saying they believed that they were making progress when DOJ announced in February 2021 that they were evaluating their policy toward supervised consumption services and talking to state and local regulators about appropriate guardrails that could allow Safehouse and similar public health initiatives nationwide to offer such services without fear of federal criminal and civil enforcement. Safehouse did not consent to today s DOJ request for more time and will be filing a motion in opposition tomorrow morning, the non-profit wrote. We're long overdue for a timeline as to when DOJ evaluations will be complete so that a life-saving initiative can begin. The organization highlighted the importance of this site and the urgency of having a final resolution, by acknowledging that every day in Philadelphia three to four people die of an overdose. Last year's 1,276 fatal overdoses represented a record high in the city, and the deaths of more than 100,000 people nationwide were caused by overdoses. In the meantime, the National Institute on Drug Abuse NIDA Director Nora Volkow said safe consumption sites have proven useful in saving patients from overdosing.
She said at the STAT Summit that it is preventing people from dying. We need to look at it as a solution in context. The question of allowing safe drug consumption sites in The City of Brotherly Love is being delayed, but a year ago New York City became the first to open two overdose prevention centers OPC These two centers managed to save 125 lives in just two months, according to a study by the American Medical Association AMA. It also reported that about 2062 overdose facilities in NYC in 2020, and its analogs accounted for 77% of deaths.
Safe consumption sites are serving their purpose of saving lives, according to the report. OPC helped reduce overdose risk and the prevalence of public drug use, according to the data.

domain: law


text:
Dive into the multifaceted world of Hendrik van der Ham, a man whose entrepreneurial spirit radiates in many directions. Born on a ship, his fascination with bridges emerged early in life. As a child, he dreamed of creating connections, and today, that dream serves as the unifying theme across all his endeavors and businesses.
With 'Bridges 2000', his own enterprise, Hendrik crafts tangible bridges that link ships and unite communities. However, his vision extends beyond steel and concrete; he also intertwines the essence of connectivity between ideas and individuals within his books.
One dream distinctly shines: 'Seventh', the ambitious architectural endeavor that sprouted from his imagination. A group of seven pyramids stands tall on a circular island off the coast of Dubai. Here, Hendrik envisions a haven where people live, relax, and congregate, bound together by mutual aspirations and the encompassing sea.
In his journey embracing versatility, Hendrik has honed the skill of creating bonds. This website provides a window into his universe, where the essence of connection flourishes, unadorned by pretentiousness. Here, you'll discover a 'unique' individual who truly embodies the art of authenticity.
Thought Leader in Sustainability & New Circular Economy
Writing, building, and advocating for sustainable causes have been the pillars of my personal and professional growth over the years. Writing has always been the preferred way of sharing and espousing my thoughts and ideas.
Hendrik Van Der Ham
Visionary, Entrepreneur, Author, & Thought Leader
Hendrik Van Der Ham
He was born in Utrecht and grew up on inland vessels. In addition to life on board, he worked on the ship from a very young age. There was a mentality of “tackling because the work has to be done”. He, therefore, helped build and sail ships in the family business from an early age. Via a position as a diver in the army and some wandering, he started his first own company: an advertising and marketing consultancy and subsequently wrote his first books on psychology. In 1999, he started BRIDGES2000, which builds and rents bridges in the Netherlands, with contractors, governments, and event organizations being the customers. This company has grown into a project development company. He wanted to realize his dream of building, living, working, and becoming different and started SEVENTH in early 2007. The name SEVENTH stands for breaking free from self-condemnation. And of course, there is more to tell…
Founder of BRIDGES2000, which was established in 1999, the company initially focused on building and renting bridges but has since evolved into a project development company. The very first assignment for the company was to construct a 4.2 km long pedestrian bridge through the Himalayas, a pivotal project that solidified their principle of ‘Creating Safe Connections and Fit for Purpose.’ Over more than two decades, BRIDGES2000 has serviced the Event, Civil, Maritime, and Offshore sectors with owned assets, free of any loans. The vast experience garnered from bridge construction has further driven their enthusiasm into substantial construction projects.
“Everything is going faster and faster. We are flooded with information. Time is precious. On the threshold between two worlds we are able to see two possibilities: one is resolving and experiencing the possibilities of tomorrow’s world, the other is sticking deep in today’s issues and stay there. We all have the abilities to choose the best for us. In my opinion this will be the first one, let’s change the world for the better. I do believe in humanity and it’s sanity – we need to Re- Design the world of tomorrow together. Are you in?"
Hendrik Van Der Ham
From Dream To Reality
Elevating Quality Of Life
Hendrik van der Ham's vision for Seventh was born from 40 nights of lucid dreams, which crystalized into the concept known as "The Other Way of Living." Inspired by nature's innate interconnectedness, Hendrik sought to revolutionize how we work and live, leading to the establishment of the Seventh Project Development company.
In 1999, Hendrik van der Ham founded BRIDGES2000, a company dedicated to ensuring safety through the construction of reliable bridge solutions, facilitating secure passages for people from one side to the other.

domain: literature


4 Best Ways to Test the Oil Injection System on a Jet Ski [Video]
After replacing the oil lines on your jet ski or servicing its oil injection system, it makes sense to check whether the oil pump is working properly.
Without further ado, the four best ways to test the oil injection system on a jet ski are as follows:
- Manual test
- Pressure test
- Drill test
- Visual check
If you want to find out more about these methods, you’ve come to the right place.
We at JetDrift have compiled all you need to know into this post!
4 Best Ways to Test the Oil Injection System on a Jet Ski
Before you perform any tests or service your ski, it’s highly recommended that you read the service manual. If you are not comfortable doing this repair, you should take it to a professional.
Keep in mind that a little malfunction in the oil injection system leaves your engine without lubrication, which results in an engine seizure.
1. Manual Test (Best Practice)
The best way to make sure that the oil injection works is known as “manual testing.” How is this done?
As the first step, you have to spray some oil into the carbs for safety reasons. This little bit of oil will ensure that the engine gets some lubrication even if the oil pump isn’t working.
Locate the oil pump lever and pull it wide open. Then fire up the engine and let it run for about 30 seconds at idle speed. With this trick, you can force some extra oil into the carbs.
If you apply some throttle, the excessive amount of oil will generate massive smoke. If your ski smokes like a factory’s chimney, you can be sure that the oil injection system is working!
2. Pressure Test
Manufacturers also recommend doing a pressure test on the oil injection system after its components have been disconnected or replaced.
The exact process may vary from one model to the next, so don’t forget to check your ski’s service manual before doing this test.
Generally speaking, on most skis, you have to fill up the reservoir and install hose pinchers on all oil lines.
You will also need a “leak tester kit,” which typically contains a small pump with a gauge that has to be attached to the oil reservoir vent line.
To test the system, you have to pressurize it at a specific pressure. If the pressure is not maintained, you have to check the hoses and connections for leaks.
Keep in mind that even if the system is completely sealed, it won’t automatically indicate that the oil pump is working properly!
3. Drill Test
How do you test the oil pump on a jet ski?
If you want to ensure that the oil pump works on your jet ski, you should remove and test it with a drill. Unfortunately, this test is quite messy and requires a lot of effort as you have to pull the oil pump out of the ski.
As the first step, disconnect the oil lines and remove the oil pump from the engine.
Put the pump in a bench vise and tighten it securely. Attach a short rubber hose to the inlet nipple and fill it up with engine oil. Also, loosen the bleeder screw as the pump may not work if air is blocking the system.
Attach an electric drill to the pump shaft and smoothly spin it. If the pump works properly, you should see oil dripping from the outlet nipples.
Here’s a great step-by-step tutorial on how to test the oil pump on a jet ski:
4. Visual Check
Last but not least, don’t forget that you can also visually check the system if the oil injection points in your intake manifolds are visible. How can you do this?
First, spray some oil into the carbs or the cylinders again to make sure that the engine gets some lubrication.
Shut off the fuel line, remove the spark plugs, hold the throttle (or the lever of the oil pump) wide open, and crank the engine. (The absence of spark plugs allows the engine to run much faster.)
Check the intake manifolds; if the oil pump works, engine oil should be dripping from the inlets.
Conclusion – How do You Know if Your Jet Ski’s Oil Injection is Working?
As you can see, there are many ways to make sure that the oil injection system is working on your jet ski. The easiest way is arguably a “visual check,” but it’s recommended that you not rely solely on this method for safety reasons.
Instead, you should “manually test” the pump, which means running the engine at idle while keeping the oil pump lever wide open. If the system is working correctly, the ski will produce massive smoke when you hit the throttle.
Another common method for testing the oil pump is the drill test.
This inspection requires you to remove the pump from the engine, secure it in a bench vise, feed it with some oil, and gently spin it with an electric drill.
No matter how you test the pump, make sure to spray some oil into the carbs before starting. If you want to be cautious, you may want to drain the fuel tank and fill it up with 40:1 premix. Even if something goes wrong, the mixture will save you from an engine seizure.
DISCOVER 2024 PWC MODELS Kawasaki, Sea-Doo, Yamaha, Krash…


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:June 7, 2016 – While the Consumer Confidence Index climbed to 96 in March 2016, other household financial statistics weren’t as hopeful. “Consumers are getting more confident,” said Andrew Mandzy, Director of Strategic Insights, Nielsen, “but there’re some challenges out there”—namely, the income inequality between the most and least aﬄuent households, which is the widest it’s ever been. The gap has created an equally polarized consumer landscape. Mandzy discusses some of these obstacles further in his presentation “High on Protein: Insights into Consumers’ Search for Health,” at the 2016 Protein Trends & Technologies Seminar.
On one hand, chains like Costco and Whole Foods patronized by upper-income consumers are on the rise; conversely, discount-oriented retailers, like Aldi and dollar stores, are also flourishing. Of the roughly 24,000 new retail stores opening since 2007, 68% are skewing toward lower income shoppers. “Consumers are more polarized, and the retail environment is more fragmented,” he said, adding that conventional grocers are projected to lose their share of the marketplace.
What this means for perimeter shopping depends on the product. While there is a wide disparity in spending between aﬄuent and poor households for seafood and produce, this is less true for the meat aisle. Overall, nearly a quarter million fewer households bought fresh meat in 2015 compared to the year before, accounting for nearly $74 million in lost sales. Likewise, there has been a decline in how much each household spends per trip (5%) and their annual spend (3%) on meat. Aﬄuent households aren’t likely to change behaviors, though they may seek out more cost-saving retailers. Meanwhile, the less aﬄuent households are willing to buy less frequently and purchase less expensive cuts and smaller packages of meat, noted Mandzy.
There is, however, an area where these polarized consumers agree. After the economy and finances, U.S. consumers’ top concern is health. Two thirds are eating healthier than before, with 64% buying healthier foods; 60% saying quality is more important than price; and 57% doing online research on nutrition and healthy recipes. They’re monitoring labels more, with more than 50% selecting foods based on the ingredient list and nutritional panel—roughly 10% higher than in 2006, said Mandzy. More than a third say “chemicals” is their top food-safety concern, while they find keywords like “fresh,” “reduced calories,” “natural” and “low in sugar” as particularly helpful.
Nielsen numbers also show changes based on packaging claims, with health and wellness outpacing retail growth at a steady clip. While retail grows at 2% per year, “natural” products are up 11%; organic is up 16%; and GMO-free is up 17% annually. “We’re seeing a lot of growth in that space in indulgent categories, as well as traditionally healthy categories,” Mandzy said. “This isn’t happening in one specific place or category; it’s happening everywhere.” Natural, organic and GMO claims have increased in the dairy, frozen and meat aisles. While “conventional” meat sales are down 2%, he notes that meat with claims have risen 11%. More specifically, natural claims are up 27%; hormone presence [or rather the lack of] is up 29%; antibiotic-free is up 19%; and organic is up 30% in sales growth.
When asked to rank attributes that are important in influencing their food decisions, roughly 60% of consumers chose the following: made from vegetables/fruits; high in protein; high in fiber; portion controlled; and whole grain. “We also did a survey recently that asked people to rate the protein content in certain foods,” Mandzy said, “and we noticed a disparity in knowledge about what protein exists in certain foods.” Roughly half of people don’t think a ribeye steak is high in protein, while about 60% don’t think chicken breast or pork loin is high in protein. Even more, nearly 80% of shoppers think peanut butter has as much protein as fresh meat.
Nielsen tracks protein presence: “a $19 billion a year claim,” Mandzy added, “and it’s grown, on average over the last four and a half years, by about 7.5%.” Plant-based proteins are growing at nearly 8% per year, with lentils and chickpeas of note. Protein callouts on packages are aiding several areas of the store. (See chart “Protein Claim Sales & Growth.”)
As for where things are headed, Nielsen’s data shows some demographic shifts. Health claims skew toward higher income households and the up-and-coming Millennials, who Mandzy said are particularly concerned about transparency. Meanwhile, Baby Boomers trend more toward specific benefits, such as fiber (62%), heart-healthy (57%), healthy oils/fats (49%) and proteins (43%). About 40% of households contend with some type of ailment; 50% of the sufferers don’t seek out a doctor for it; and 75% believe they can manage those issues with proper nutrition. One would expect the food industry to capitalize on this.
“High on Protein: Insights into a Consumer Search for Health,” Andrew Mandzy, Director of Strategic Insights, Nielsen
The summary above is from the “2016 Protein Trends & Technologies Seminar: Business Highlights Magazine.”

domain: food


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Patient satisfaction ratings and reviews are based on personal opinions. Before you choose any doctor you should take into account their background, training, specialized experience AND their patient satisfaction to ensure they are the right fit for you.
Thrive Mental Health Services (Erika Coppen, LPC-MHSP) is located within walking distance of downtown Franklin, TN. *Accepts: most EAPs and private insurance panels * 25 years of clinical experience Do you struggle with Stress or Anxiety? Do you wish that you could feel like you are doing more than just "getting by", when you could actually Thrive? You can actually effectively cope with your multiple stressors and come out of challenging situations feeling stronger and wiser. When it comes to helping people with managing Anxiety &/or Anger, I'm told that I'm not just "good"- I'm "wicked good". Life presents us with many Stressors, but that does NOT mean that you have to be STRESSED-OUT. In this life, we do not have any control over 99.9% of what is going on, despite how much we would like to be in control of everything. What we actually do have control over is, how we choose to Cope with each Situation or each Stressor. Part of my job to help you to fill your Toolbelt with lots of truly Positive Coping Skills. These Coping Skills need to actually address the real problem/or help you to Accept/Be at Peace with the Situation. Possessing Positive Coping Skills will help you to be a happier, more resilient person, even in the face of very difficult situations. While I love treating all ages (5- 105 yrs.), I especially love working with Teenagers, and they (and their parents) appear to enjoy the process too!. One parent said "You really listen to my child".A teen client said "You relate to teens and treat me like a human, not just like a number". * Licensed thru the Tennessee Board for Professional Counselors, Marital & Family Therapists, and Clinical Pastoral Therapists ** Licensed thru the Tennessee Board of Psychological Examiners *** On the Approved Treatment Provider list with the TN Sexual Offender Treatment Board (specialize in treating Juvenile Sexual Offenders).
*Please verify this information when scheduling an appointment.
Learn about Erika Coppen
Therapy does not have to be scary or difficult. Therapy can be fun. You are the "Boss". I am just the "Guide". And I am here to help you learn how to Positively Cope with all of your Stressors and feel truly empowered.
You are so much stronger and capable than you even realize or give yourself credit for. You have so many strengths that are untapped and are just waiting to be realized and optimized. My goal is to help you to feel strong, empowered, assertive, and capable.

domain: psychology