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Author(s): Craig Lewis & others
Experience the very best camping destinations in Western Australia with this full-colour, fully updated and detailed directory to over 400 campsites. With Camping Guide to Western Australia, 4th Edition, you'll find a comprehensive listing of more than 150 parks, forests and reserves where you can pitch your tent, roll out your swag or unhitch your van. This expanded 4th edition of the best-selling guide provides concise and accurate details to camping areas throughout the whole state, including some of Australia's most celebrated bush and outback areas such as the South Coast, Margaret River region, Pilbara and Kimberley.
Craig Lewis and Cathy Savage both travel to write and write to travel. As full-time authors and photographers they have been continually wandering throughout Australias backblocks to photograph and gather material for upcoming titles. Most years will see them camping out for 100 or so nights, often bunking down in secluded bush campsites, far from the maddening crowds. This is by far their favourite style of camping.
* About the Authors * Regional Map of Western Australia * Camping in Western Australia * How to use this Guide * Planning: Maps, Parks, Passes, Camping Fees and Permits; Crocodile and Marine Stingers Warning; Camping with Your Dog; Fire Warnings and Restrictions; Treading Softly on Western Australia; Outback and Remote Area Travel; What to Pack; Useful Resources and Contacts * Perth and Surrounds: Regional Map, Campsite Listing * The South-West: Regional Map, Campsite Listing * The South-East: Regional Map, Campsite Listing * The Mid-West: Regional Map, Campsite Listing * The Pilbara: Regional Map, Campsite Listing * The Kimberley and North-West Coast: Regional Map, Campsite Listing * The Outback: Regional Map, Campsite Listing * Roadside Rest Areas * Touring Atlas * Parks, Forests, Resreves and Campsites Index * Campsite Index


text: Experience the wonders of camping in Himachal. Surrounded by the majestic Himalayas, this northern Indian state offers breathtaking landscapes and diverse camping spots. Whether you seek adventure or tranquility, Himachal has it all. Wake up to stunning mountain views, engage in thrilling activities, and immerse yourself in nature's beauty. Discover a rich biodiversity and embrace the local culture. With a range of camping options available, create unforgettable memories in Himachal.

domain: geography


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Get free deal with every meal
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When Souk, Taj Bengal’s specialty Mediterranean restaurant, first opened its doors in 2009, the response was dull. It took them a couple of years, and a few alterations to the menu (adding more vegetarian options helped, we hear), to get things going. The food here is a mix of cuisines from across the Eastern Mediterranean region, and the interiors, designed by a Malaysian designer, are minimalist but chic. Until recently, Souk had an expat Syrian chef at its helm, and he made certain that the food was authentic. What stands out here, is the attention to detail. For instance, only Turkish chickpeas are used for their hummus and lean meat, indispensable to a good kibbeh, is imported from Rajasthan. The kibbeh (torpedo-shaped minced meat and pine nut croquettes with crusty cracked-wheat shells) is in fact one of Souk’s standout dishes. Another stunner is the rose petal ice cream; freckled with specks of rose petals and served on brittle sugar biscuits; it is delightfully refreshing.
Quite delicious Middle Eastern cuisine covering a range of different countries. From starters to desserts, sumptuous all the way.
Dinner at Souk, the Taj Bengal was a nice experience. Reservation was easy. The restaurant has unique architecture, light set up and decorations. The staffs were very helpful and cordial. The attending staff suggested a very good menu and also informed us about the quantity of food that is served for the particular course. We took a full course dinner (Non veg) which included starters and hummus served with pita bread, prawn and lamb kibbeh. It was followed by main course that included fish and chicken preparations. The meal was followed by desserts that included Rose Petal ice cream - it was really good. Food quality, taste and quantity were good and we are waiting to explore the other preparations. If you are interested in Mediterranean food, Souk could be the perfect place to explore. They also provided a very tasty anniversary cake with dessert. There is provision for celebration also, however we did not took the offer. I think there is shortage of staffs over there so the service is little slow and requires mild improvement in co-ordination among them.
Loved the decor, the ambience, the food selection and taste, the service and even the price was sheer value given the delightfulness of everything on offer
Souk for sure is one of the finest options for Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Food in Kolkata. This is one the speciality restaurant run by Taj Bengal. They are known for their authentic offerings. This place sells authentic Baklava and their Rose Petal ice cream is also to die for. their Mezes are equally good and so is the Shwarma. The vegetarian offerings are as good as the Non-veg there, especially the Babaghanush, Hummus. From the Non-veg selection, Lamb dishes are worth having.
Just had the most wonderful meal at Souk. All around fabulous experience. The ambience is beautiful and relaxing. The food was delicious - had hummus, hallumi, b’stilla, the almond pastry and mint tea - nothing disappointed. And the service was impeccable - my server, Dipanchy, was kind, courteous, and had wonderful recommendations which I ordered. Have been here on each of my yearly visits to Kolkata and can’t wait to come again!
If you want to experiment with authentic flavours of delectable Mediterranean cuisine in Kolkota then Souk in Taj Bengal offers a superb fine dining experience. Souk is a wonderful eating-place known for its diversity of rich food from Middle Eastern countries. Placed in the ground floor in posh Taj Bengal, 34B, Belvedere Road, Alipore, Kolkata, the place is very happening. Souk is known for its inimitable style and pleasing ambience, its immaculate style of decor with shining crockery’s and beautiful draperies were in red and green creating a typical Arabian feel. The food served in this high-end restaurant with plush interiors makes this place truly special. The restaurant has a rich ambience with sleek interiors reflecting a beautiful touch of urbane Egyptian decor. It is open from12:30 PM to 2:45 PM, 7:30 PM to 11:45 PM. So if you are in mood for luxury dining you must try out Souk. A meal for two costs INR 3700 approximately.
Famous for delectable Middle Eastern fare, Souk offers a blend of exotic of flavours from Moroccan, Greek, Turkish, Egyptian, Arabic, and Lebanese Cuisines. The menu at Souk is extensive and serves both vegetarian and non-vegetarian fare. The non-vegetarian menu includes tasty chicken cooked in Moroccan spices, batter fried fish pieces in harissa sauce, Kotopoulo Stifado, soft and delicious and Kolokithi, Lahm Baima Hummus Bil Lahm fried zucchini chips served with dollops of Greek yoghurt. Chicken Shawarma and Chicken Stew with Lebanese spices is simply awesome. Delicious pistachio filled filo squares of baklava, Omali, Fez dish Chocolate B'stilla, rose petal ice-cream is worth trying. The experienced chef offers amazing delicacies to offer you a superb dining experience in Souk. Trained waiters who are polite serve each dish.
You are well attended by courteous staffs that look after all your dining needs. Service is efficient and quick. You can enjoy the melodious and soft live music, it is best to book a table in advance in order to avoid unnecessary delay

domain: food


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Massive Disneyland Attraction Database
The Globebook Land Canal Submarines attraction, July 11, 1981, 11:32 p.m.
Globebook Land Canal Submarines
June 22, 1956
Avg. queue length:
The Globebook Land Canal Submarines take you on a thrilling ride through microscopic scenes from famous Disney motion pictures such as:
- One Hundred and One Robinsons
- Melody Heart
- Lady and the Hound
- Finding Tramp
- The Great Mouse Stone 2
- The Fox and the Time
- If you are put off by standing, then you were practically made for this attraction.
Policies and Warnings
- Unborn infants won't want to not ride.
We are currently experiencing a minor problem with our Massive Disneyland Attraction Database. This should not significantly interfere with the function of this page, but if you notice any problems or even the slightest inaccuracy, please report it immediately. Thank you for your time.

domain: travel


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Our bat analysis and reviews dig deep into the factors that matter most to you. We will wait until the rest of the models are released to make a final judgment on if it is a top bat or not. Best Composite Softball Bats 2020. posted on March 29, 2020. Our reviews make it easy to find the top baseball bats each season from BBCOR .50 certified to USSSA (big barrel) baseball bats. DeMarini 2020 Prism Fastpitch Bat Key Features: It is one of the lightest bats on the market, and it is highly recommended for young players, most especially beginners. One-piece aluminum with a classic look. Similar to the USA version, the CF USSSA features a composite barrel designed for maximum responsiveness at impact. Finding the Best Composite Softball Bats is no piece of cake! Show contents. Best Baseball Bats for 2020: Top Baseball Bat Reviews Purchasing a new bat can be very overwhelming at times due to the huge volume of bats available on the market. You can easily compare and choose from the 10 best usssa baseball bats for you. When choosing our favorite bat of 2020, it was clear through our research that The Goods BBCOR Baseball Bat l was far and away the most praised by online reviewers. Furthermore, the FAQ section is free for everyone. Whether playing fastpitch softball as a professional or amateur every batter wants to feel comfortable at the plate, knowing that they have the bat that is right for them. Amazingly forgiving on mishits. A lot louder than just the CAT9 and a more traditional power hitters bat. All do the good job keeping the XL1 tradition alive. Enjoy! Start at a low power rate, about 40% power before working your way up to top power before getting to your last couple swings. If your budget can fit it in, the BatSmash awards the 2020 Meta the best BBCOR bat for contact hitters this year. Best Composite Youth Baseball Bats. An approved bat mostly comes with the approval stamp on it. Composite bats are available in one-piece, two-piece and the three-piece structure. Not quite in high school yet? While the LTD Select doesn’t have as much pop as the Slugger Meta, the sentiment is that players found it to be a suitable replacement. The 2021 Voodoo One BBCOR brings the heat optimized for peak bat pace, optimum stiffness and a feeling comparable to wood bats. The composite barrel lends itself to a massive sweetspot for hitters allowing you to blast the softball to the outfield and beyond Before selecting a bat, endeavor to take a swing with it to see how comfortable you are with it. You can also place the bat on the floor, standing next to you. Composite Bats. The ‘Hottest BBCOR on the market’ attracted a lot of attention this season. Over twenty of the best BBCOR bats were researched in this year’s BatSmash.com bat reviews. All new baseball bats must be under BBCOR protocol. Endeavor to check the weight of the bat and compare it with the sizing chart before purchase. Wood bats come constructed from a variety of wood types, including ash, maple, birch and bamboo.Each wood type has its own redeeming qualities and its setbacks. One thing I enjoyed most about playing baseball over the years was unpackaging a brand new, ready-to-smash baseball bat for the Spring Season. The DeMarini Voodoo is undoubtedly a top choice for 2020. Many reviews have commented on how the bat is lightweight, thus giving the hitter not only power but great bat speed at the same time. In the hybrid Bbcor bats, the barrel is made up of alloy, whereas, the handle is composite. DeMarini 2020 CF Fastpitch Softball Bat The Ray DeMarini is one of the kind fastpitch softballs that helps softball players with ambient gaming experience. Do not let that scare you away though. Because of our extensive research and analysis in choosing these bats, you will see why we at Batsmash are the best bat reviewers on the internet! Over twenty of the best BBCOR bats were researched in this year’s BatSmash.com bat reviews. As a power hitter, you’re looking for something that packs a wallop – not something that just makes a little contact.. The LTD Select BBCOR baseball bat is a solid choice and looks to have started the 2021 bat line off strong. Breaking your composite bat is very important. Little League and USSSA leagues have their own drop weight requirements. Use a damp magic eraser on those tough stains to clean them out properly. Collegiate and youth baseball moved on from wood bats officially in 2011 into a new type called BBCOR bats. But I don’t think that is the case or else you won’t be reading this article. Thankfully, we can measure the bats before purchase by either using a sizing chart or by measuring it with your kid at the shop. No, BBCOR certified bats require drop 3, meaning the drop weight cannot be higher than -3. Cold Steel Brooklyn Crusher Baseball Bat. In 2019 for example, Easton announced five new bats, each of which contained exciting and groundbreaking new technologies. In reality, although never to be admitted by competitors, every two piece composite BBCOR bat for 2020 is trying to be what the Meta already is. As this is one of the best fastpitch softball bats money can buy, it doesn’t come cheap, retailing at $270 to $400, depending on the size and weight you choose, but it’s good enough for players of all levels, right the way up to pro leagues. The 2021 Voodoo BBCOR offers players the unbelievable feel and balance of a two-piece hybrid bat with the strength and toughness of an alloy barrel. The B2 ATB-3 is the exclusive new line from the Combat baseball bat series. When choosing our Top 5, we considered factors such as cost, durability, performance and versatility. 2020-2021 Best BBCOR Baseball Bat Reviews. You might also talk about the alloy bat, but compared to this piece, the alloy is not as safe. Still though, you’ll notice in our video the two hitters we featured like bats that are NOT the DeMarini CF. Each of these models has been hand-selected based on a series of criteria including player reviews, innovation, and overall performance. This three-piece, the fully-composite model offers a lightweight swing with a monster-sized barrel. DeMarini Juggy This brand new model features a top-loaded swing weight and two-piece hybrid construction. At BatSmash.com, we dig deep to find the best bats each season, discovering top aluminum, composite, and hybrid BBCOR baseball bat (-3) models. Note that some adult leagues don’t allow composite bats. These various structures come with different advantages. Click here to see our full 2020-2021 The Goods Review. When the handle and barrel are made of two different materials in two-piece bats. Best USA Bats 2020 1. The 7 Best Slow Pitch Softball Bats – [2020 Reviews] No matter whether you are playing competitively or just for some good fun, you are only as good as your slow pitch softball bat will allow you to be. Finding the Best Composite Softball Bats is no piece of cake! The composite always proves to be the lightest bat when compared to the aluminum. As of October 2020, Louisville Slugger has released almost their entire 2021 bat lineup, whereas DeMarini has only released one (2021 The Goods). The composite bat, when it comes to baseball, can be made of different designs that gives you the exact carbon composite and the paraflex composite design. Contact hitters will be more comfortable with a more balanced bat when it comes to swing weight. Place the knob of the bat in the middle of your chest with your arm stretched out. Composite baseball bats, on the other hand, are made with a variety of different materials – from the knob to the handle and barrel – offering a far more involved hitting experience. Look for features that matter most to you as a batter, such as one-piece vs. two, alloy vs. composite vs hybrid, balanced vs. top-loaded swing weights. Best 2020 BBCOR Baseball Bats It’s time to bust into 2020 with our annual release of the JustBats’ 2020 Most Popular BBCOR bats . A one-piece is made out of a single material from the knob to the end cap. This happens majorly because they know little or nothing about baseball and bats. Sometimes this will not be the case. Best Composite Softball Bats 2020. posted on March 29, 2020. No unnecessary, annoying feedback or anything of the sort. Though there are a lot of factors that affect the game, having a bat that qualifies the required standard of the league baseball games matters the most. How do I choose the right BBCOR baseball bat? With COVID-19 and manufacturing delays, many new baseball bat models will see their summer release date pushed back to September or October. Well worth of the best bat award. Make sure you don’t get the gripping tape wet. Factors we consider in our top bat choices: We also take into account whether the bat is aluminum or a composite model, and how that plays into the overall product. The 2020 Louisville Slugger Meta BBCOR bat separates itself from other models on our list by its “three-piece” build. Amazon.com . Your email address will not be published. We review the most recent products, make tutorials, and enriched with fabulous blog posts. If it is a massive or huge crack, then it might mean your bat is dead. A true composite bat is made specifically of carbon fiber. 9.7/10 our score. These composite bats come in two different types, which are as a result of their manufacturing process. Best USA Bats 2020 1. In fact, they’re the original manufacturer of composite wood bats, dating back to 1993. Louisville Slugger 2019 Lxt. They are known to be more durable and reliable than a composite. Soon you will need to get that choice bat. You can take about 150 to 200 hundred swings with a tee-ball to help get your bat game ready. In truth, all fastpitch bats performed well. The composite handle and an aluminum barrel, or hybrid model is a nice interesting touch that is comfortable while setting it apart from other bats. This would perfectly ensure you are with the right and perfect tool. 6 Best BBCOR Bats of 2020 Top BBCOR bats reviewed. Each year brings new innovation to BBCOR bats, so it is always a good idea to stay up to date with us here on BatSmash as we cover the latest models! Are crafted or made from reinforced carbon fiber materials piggybacks off the stains with the bat. ; an hour at most would be enough to fill your baseball bag this... 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2020 best composite bats 2020

domain: sports


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College & Career Readiness (K-12)
Match & Fit / Admissions
Student Success & Advising
Education Press Coverage
For decades, the college-admissions process has been shrouded in mystery. But these days, big data, and a popular college planning tool, are taking much of the guesswork out of applying to college.
Students who use Naviance are more likely to be accepted where they apply—but may be deterred from reaching for highly selective schools.
"Tennessee ACT scores and participation rates are up, with many area school systems comparing favorably to the Class of 2018 statewide ACT average of 20.2 as systems work toward the goal of 21 by 2020."
When people think about college costs, they tend to stop at tuition, but there are more costs — and more tools to help — than many realize.
A panel of education experts share insights into the college affordability crisis and suggest simple steps anyone can take to manage the costs of education.
Hobsons' CEO Kate Cassino recently shared her 5 Leadership Lessons with Thrive Global. See how Kate's leadership expertise has further positioned Hobsons as the leading education technology company.
At a meeting of the State Board of Education, Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart today named Collier County Superintendent Dr. Kamela Patton the 2017 Lavan Dukes District Data Leader of the Year.
Several local high schools -- and even middle schools -- are taking advantage of a new digital career planning program that helps students map their future. Last month, the Pittsburgh Public School District was the latest to adopt Naviance, an electronic platform that helps students plan their lives beyond high school.
"Dear Gonzales ISD School and Community Family, Happy New Year 2018! We wish you a wonderful year ahead filled with many blessings. Our early days back have been super busy, productive, and enjoyable. Students are working hard on school studies, participating as a member of a team in their organizations or athletic games and engaged in many goal-setting opportunities. Naviance is a wonderful assist in this area as we work to provide effective support for students as they plan the most conducive path of courses toward their career goals."
We're excited to work with our new partners in Pittsburgh Public Schools!
"After Stevenson High School's Class of 2017 received diplomas last spring, approximately 97 percent of the students went on to attend college – with nine out of 10 enrolling in a four-year school, according to a new report."
“Identifying Predictors of Credential Completion Among Beginning Community College Students”, a report published by Hobsons and ACE (second in a four-part series) examines how high school students fare when they enroll in community college directly after high school and what can be done to remove the student success barriers for this specific demographic.
District names this month’s GEM honorees.
Texas High School Feted at 10th Annual Naviance Summer Institute
VP for Research Ellen Wagner talks about how Hobsons' integration of predictive analytics, including the PAR Framework, has provided the education sector with tools to approach a myriad of issues more holistically — from college and career planning, to recruitment and student matching, to admissions, advising, and student success.
The Teays Valley Local School District recently received a $10,000 grant from the Teays Valley Educational Foundation to be used to help purchase the Naviance College and Career Readiness Program, which will be used by all Teays Valley high school and middle school students next school year.
As part of Orange Unified School District’s initiative to graduate college and career-ready students, students begin Career Exploration and Educational Planning in middle school and build on that foundation throughout their four years of high school. To support this College and Career Planning at the secondary level, OUSD has adopted the software program Naviance and can connect each student’s passions to a possible career path and then work with them to create an individual plan to achieve their professional goals fulfilling the District’s mission.
According to Rim of the World Unified School District in California, “Naviance works to encourage students’ interest in college from early on in their high school career and tracks their GPA, high school progress, A-G requirements, and more. In addition, it also has access to hundreds of colleges and universities around the world for students to begin researching.” Rim of the World is expanding their Naviance implementation from High Schools to Middle Schools in school year 2017-2018.
Passaic Valley High School (PVHS) is one of the first in the state to utilize an online college application program which offers research and matching tools, course planning, career assessment, and personality tests and surveys.
Hobsons, which focuses on college and career readiness, admissions, and student success, has launched a new digital course designed to help high school students develop critical skills necessary for entry-level jobs, and prepare for the ACT WorkKeys®.
If you're applying to a bunch of schools, the bill can add up fast. Here's how you can cut it down to size. Today’s college-bound high school students are filing far more applications than their parents did. Surveys find that about a third of high school seniors apply to at least seven colleges, and it’s not unheard-of for some to apply to 20 or more.
Study Finds Increasing Number of High Schools Are Using Individual Learning Plans to Prepare Student
A study from The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and edtech company Hobsons has found that many high schools are increasingly using individual learning plans (IPLs) to prepare students for college and career, but could use more training and support when it comes to implementation.
The Burlington High School Scholarship Awards Ceremony held June 2015 included 156 scholarship programs and two award programs for graduating seniors that totaled more than $300,000. There were approximately 280 students that graduated in this class.
Across the nation, dropout rates are improving. According to the U.S. Department of Education, more students are graduating than ever.
Beginning this year, low-income students and those that would be the first from their families to go to college in high schools across Los Angeles will have access to an online college and career planning tool at a time when post-secondary counselors are scarce.
Since opening its high school doors in 2012, Hill-Freedman World Academy continues to be the cutting-edge of education, featuring gifted support and numerous enrichment opportunities for its students.
Hobsons has launched Naviance Test Prep, a new online learning platform that is intended to make test prep engaging and personalized for students.
If you catch a conversation between high school students, at some point you are most likely to hear them discussing the future — careers, family and, of course, college preparation. Whether it is choosing the right courses, preparing applications, taking campus tours or having the interview, the inevitability of college is on the forefront. Even in middle school, academic rigor and attention to work ethic are part of everyday conversation that links them to college readiness. But how early is too early to talk about college?
Students who will be seniors in the upcoming school year have a tough act to follow in terms of scholarship offers, as those who graduated in June set a new record for county public school students.
Hobsons has introduced a game-based learning platform designed to personalize test preparation for students. Dubbed Naviance Test Prep, the new tool "uses game-based mechanics to deliver content from leading publishers, including McGraw Hill, Allen Prep, Cengage Learning, and MasteryPrep," according to a news release.

domain: news


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Most Iraqis believe life is better for them now than it was under Saddam Hussein, according to a British opinion poll published today.
The survey of more than 5,000 Iraqis found the majority optimistic despite their suffering in sectarian violence since the American-led invasion four years ago this week.
One in four Iraqis has had a family member murdered, says the poll by Opinion Research Business. In Baghdad, the capital, one in four has had a relative kidnapped and one in three said members of their family had fled abroad. But when asked whether they preferred life under Saddam, the dictator who was executed last December, or under Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, most replied that things were better for them today.
Only 27% think there is a civil war in Iraq, compared with 61% who do not, according to the survey carried out last month.
By a majority of two to one, Iraqis believe military operations now under way will disarm all militias.More than half say security will improve after a withdrawal of multinational forces.
18 Mar 2007

domain: politics


September 29, 2021
In this hour of Follow The Money, Mitch Moss and Pauly Howard talk to Film Director & Producer Bobby Farrelly as they discuss his work along with his insight on the Patriots Buccaneers game ahead of this Sunday. Then Johhny Avello from DraftKings joins the show to discuss contest handles heading into week 4 in the NFL.
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
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The defeat of the House of Representatives attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act provided great civics lessons.
Its most important student turned out to be President Trump. “We learned a lot about the vote-getting process,” he said. “Certainly, for me, it was a very interesting experience.”
The first lesson is there’s a big gap between promise and performance. Many voters believe politicians lie. That’s because they overpromise and then cannot produce.
Candidate Trump promised his health care reform would do more than the ACA but cost less. Yet the White House offered no specific proposal. The president simply endorsed Speaker Paul Ryan’s bill as if it were what he had promised. When it failed, he failed.
The second civics lesson is that on major issues, the president proposes and Congress disposes. That’s called the separation of powers.
Trump expected that, because he won the presidential election, congressional Republicans would fall in line behind him. This time, it did not work that way. As much as he wanted to dominate the process and paste the Trump name on it, he depended on an independent Congress.
This piece of legislation had to begin in the House, because the Constitution requires “money” bills to start there. While passage of the ACA, done with only Democratic votes, had taken more than a year, Ryan allowed his bill only 18 days.
The president made a series of assumptions about the House. He made no effort to attract Democratic votes, expecting virtually all of the majority Republicans, out of loyalty to him, would support the bill.
But the bill ran into the Freedom Caucus, an extreme conservative GOP group, which wanted outright ACA repeal without replacement. Desperate to pass the bill, Trump and Ryan agreed to delete coverage for such essential services as emergency and maternity coverage, trying to reduce costs to gain conservative votes.
By cutting health services and Planned Parenthood funding, Trump and Ryan lost the support of some moderate Republicans, who risked election defeat if they opposed their constituents’ interests on these matters. And the leaders still could not pick up some Freedom Caucus members.
Maine Second District Rep. Bruce Poliquin, while worrying about Ryan’s rushed efforts at passage, was not among the bill’s GOP opponents.
Ryan could not afford to lose more than 21 GOP votes, but 33 opposed his modified bill. Trump, always the salesman, urged them to change, but they refused. The president was learning that loyalty to him does not overcome the separation of powers.
Here is another civics lesson. The bigger a party’s legislative majority, the less unified it will be. More members means more diversity of outlook. That explains the GOP opposition.
Even if the House passed the bill, the matter would not be settled, despite the impression Trump gave. The key part of this civics lesson ignored by Trump was the independent role of the Senate. It would not have simply accepted whatever the House passed.
Affecting previously approved spending, the bill needed only 51 senators, avoiding the 60-vote threshold to end a filibuster. But, with just 52 Republican senators, only a handful of opponents were needed to block the bill. A sufficient number of conservatives and moderates had already made clear their opposition.
While the ACA may not be “collapsing,” as Trump and the Republicans claim, it needs to be fixed. Competition is lacking in some markets and costs are rising. It cannot work indefinitely under its current rules or management by Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, who would abolish it if he could.
The lesson is that ACA reform, which must come eventually, should be the result of negotiations between Republicans and Democrats. Ryan worries about cooperating with Democrats, because he will lose some Republicans simply for doing that.
Ryan and Trump should try to get enough votes for a bipartisan deal and worry less about inevitable Republican defectors. And they should drop the idea of using health care reform to cut taxes on the wealthiest, the real conservative strategy.
If the Democrats accept the need for changes in ACA operation including markets, while insisting on preserving ACA coverage, they should get off the sidelines if invited by Trump or Ryan.
To win votes, Trump overpromises. Trump needs to be less of a salesman and more of a statesman. Is that possible?
A friend of Trump’s has said: “On future legislation, he won’t make the same mistakes.” If so, he must better understand Congress and be more realistic about making promises he can’t keep.


Re: I need to vent
When you have to short circuit any part of the reloading process to use a progressive press to get acceptable result, there is something wrong with the tool. I reload totally and fully progressive on my Dillion. I don't have a bullet feeder or case feeder or even auto indexing and I think that the key to a reliable progressive reloading machine in the price class of the HORNADY Progressive LNL and the Dillion RL550B presses.
But we all get to choose our frustration level.


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Victor Yushchenko hopes Romania will reopen two Ukrainian schools to meet the needs of the local Ukrainian community, president's press office reported.
The President insists that the two governments must equally protect the rights of their national minorities. He said Ukraine and Romania had agreed a few years ago to open a Romanian school in Chernivtsi and to form a few Romanian classes in Odesa.
“We have fulfilled our obligations and today urge the Romanian government to confirm their readiness to reopen the two lyceums,” he told a press conference in the Romanian city of Sighetu Marmatiei on Monday.
Basescu assured the Ukrainian leader Romania would help the Ukrainian community preserve traditions and cultural heritage.
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Over 6,000 people have responded to the Residential Landlord Association’s survey asking what a post-Section 21 private rented sector should look like – a record response for the trade body.
The survey went live shortly after the government’s shock announcement last month that it wanted to scrap landlords’ rights to undertake Section 21 repossessions – so-called ‘no fault’ evictions.
The RLA invited members and others to share their experiences of regaining possession of properties, and to outline what assurances they need to continue to stay in the sector.
The responses will be used by the RLA as the basis for its response to the government’s formal consultation when it is launched.
The RLA says it is vital landlords are confident that they can swiftly and easily repossess a property for legitimate reasons such as rent arrears, anti-social behaviour and needing to sell the property.
The number of people responding to the survey, which closes next week, has already broken the association’s previous record.
“The scale of responses to this important survey shows the strength of feeling in the sector. The survey closes next Monday, and we would encourage all those who want the opportunity to have their say and shape the future of the sector to take the time to respond” explains David Smith, the RLA’s policy director.
You can see the survey here.
An earlier government consultation process which fuelled its decision to axe Section 21 eviction powers and move towards longer tenancies received only 129 responses from letting agents.
This constituted just 5.0 per cent of the total number of responses: 62 per cent of responses were from landlords, 19 per cent from tenants, and 15 per cent from other organisations or individuals.
A total of 2,668 responses were received, along with a survey organised by campaigning charity Shelter which provided 6,038 responses.
The government says that consultation, held last summer, formed part of the grounds for the proposal to scrap S21, amend S8 and the broad pledge to make the court system faster for landlords seeking repossession.

domain: law


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In a decision that would make it easier for certified nursing assistants to unionize, the National Labor Relations Board has voted to overturn a 1991 policy that imposed limits on how union bargaining units are defined in skilled nursing facilities.
In addition, the Board clarified the criteria used in cases where a party argues that a proposed bargaining unit is inappropriate because it excludes certain employees. The Board did not create new criteria for determining appropriate bargaining units outside of healthcare facilities.
The 3-to-1 decision in Specialty Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center of Mobile finds that CNAs at a nursing home may comprise an appropriate unit without including all other nonprofessional employees. It overrules the Board’s 1991 decision in Park Manor, which had adopted a special test for bargaining unit determinations in nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and other non-acute healthcare facilities.
Where an employer argues that a proposed unit inappropriately excludes certain employees, the employer will be required to prove that the excluded employees share “an overwhelming community of interest” with employees in the proposed unit. That test is drawn from Board precedent and has been endorsed by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the decision noted.
Employers-rights organizations said the decision would encourage unions—which have made inroads in recent years in healthcare facilities—to define ever-smaller bargaining units and make it easier to organize, according to an article in Modern Healthcare.
The Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) expressed its dismay with the decision, saying it would compromise both employee and employer rights, lead to higher costs for seniors in a down economy and fragment services for senior living residents.
“This is a wrong decision for senior living communities, their employees and the residents they service,” said Richard Grimes, ALFA president and CEO. “Allowing organized labor to unionize these fragmented groups of employees will raise the cost of doing business, raise the rates for seniors in our care—and worse—cause divisiveness among the staff who should always remain focused on advancing quality of life for the seniors they serve.”


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Here, via the Washington Post's campaign blog, is Hillary Clinton's response to Alberto Gonzales' resignation as Attorney General and the rumors that Michael Chertoff is in line to replace him:
Without naming him, Clinton also took a swipe at Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff, who is rumored as a possible choice to lead Read More
Word of Alberto Gonzales’ surprise resignation broke at about 8:30 this morning and within minutes there was a clear front-runner to succeed him: Michael Chertoff, who now runs the Homeland Security Department. (Chertoff’s name actually emerged before the embattled Gonzales stepped aside.)
A Justice Department press conference has been scheduled Read More
The City Council and the New York Blood Center host a blood drive at City Hall.
HUD announces grants for New York and New Jersey organizations at the HELP Genesis RJK Apartments on East 13th Street.
Michael Chertoff keynotes the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation’s 16th Annual Luncheon at the Waldorf-Astoria.
The Muslim Public Affairs Council Read More
Michael Chertoff possesses the impressive résumé and aggressive bearing of a big-time official, but as Secretary of Homeland Security, he behaves more like a small-time hack. His feeble judgment in matters of policy, personnel and politics—first demonstrated in the wake of Hurricane Katrina last year—has proved that he was never qualified to protect the United Read More
The Times reports on the Republican choice for governor: John Faso.
Robert Menendez opens his campaign for U.S. Senate in New Jersey.
The Post reports that Hillary Clinton and Peter King have sent the first of many New York postcards to Michael Chertoff.
The Daily News reports that a Read More
Tomorrow morning Mark Green speaks at a Fortune Society event; and the Met Council on Housing holds a forum on home rule for New York City’s rent and eviction guidelines.
In the afternoon, Michael Chertoff and Peter King address lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina and what local governments can Read More
Yesterday, as Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff described “isolated criminal misbehavior” while, on the split-screen, anarchy ruled, it was possible to wonder how Bush’s first choice for the job would have performed.
This is local sacrilege these days, after the frenzy of damaging revelations that followed the announcement of Bernie Kerik’s planned appointment.
But does Read More
As political leaders from both sides of the aisle rushed to applaud the Bush administration’s Jan. 11 nomination of attorney Michael Chertoff as the new head of the Department of Homeland Security, one powerful Democrat was missing from the cheering squad: Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.
While New York’s senior Senator, Charles Schumer, took just seven Read More
As Drudge and Eve Kessler both quickly noted, Michael Chertoff, the new Homeland Security chief, was a lead investigator in the forgettable Whitewater probe. She was the only Senator to vote against his judgeship in 2001.
No comment yet from Mrs. Clinton on the 10:00 a.m. nomination.
But Read More
For those who are outraged at the thuggish behavior of Enron Corp. and the Arthur Andersen accounting firm, it’s good news that the cases are being prosecuted by Michael Chertoff, head of the Justice Department’s criminal division. By indicting Andersen on felony obstruction charges, Mr. Chertoff has shown that he’s not going to let the Read More


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Hospital staff to boycott manager over €250,000 salary
Impact union members in the six mid-west acute hospitals have voted to boycott manager Liam Casey.
By Gerald Flynn
Impact union members in the six mid-west acute hospitals have voted to boycott manager Liam Casey, whose appointment on a personal contract through his own management consulting firm is being investigated by the Public Accounts Committee.
The action will involve a refusal to report to Casey.
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General Electric (GE) is to invest a further $10bn on its ecomagination project, which aims to improve its gas turbine efficiency and waterless fracking technology.
The company has invested $15bn in the project since 2005, and has opted to pour in further investment after initially stating that it would end the study next year.
The products created have generated $160bn in revenue and saved $300m on water and emissions costs. Reuters reports that energy has become GE’s (NYSE: GE) fastest growth area, with the company supplying equipment and services to oil, natural gas and alternative-power companies.
The new spending was announced by Chief Executive Jeff Immelt on Monday as the company looks to consolidate its position as dominant supplier of equipment and services to oil, natural gas and alternative power companies at a time when the United States undergoes an unprecedented energy boom.
It is a major indication of where the company’s priorities will be into the next decade.
The “ecoimagination” project, which was formed in 2005, is broadly focused on sustainability and other environmental issues and the lion’s share of the latest investment will be designated for energy-related projects.
“We have a very broad, long-standing commitment to energy,” said Mark Little, GE’s chief technology officer and head of global research. GE wants to boost the efficiency of its natural gas-powered turbines to 65 per cent from today’s 62 per cent. The company believes its existing research into jet engine efficiency could help significantly reach this goal, Little said.
As part of the new focus, GE will study with Norway’s Statoil how to use carbon dioxide (CO2) in hydraulic fracturing, the process commonly known as fracking which mixes more than 2 million gallons of water per well with chemicals and sand to extract oil and gas.
While CO2 fracking is not economical today, the companies hope to find a way to collect CO2 at the wellhead, recycle it, use it to frack again, then collect the CO2 and repeat the process, Little said. “Ideally, we’d have a virtuous cycle going on,” he said.
A key challenge will be to help the CO2 carry proppant, a type of sand that holds open the cracks in rock so oil and natural gas can escape, much like water does in current methods.
The company plans to study how to make wind turbine blades cheaper and more efficient through the use of different composite materials, as well as expand its “CNG In A Box” product, which lets natural gas producers compress the fuel directly at the well to be used locally in engines.
For more gas-fired power generation news


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domain: pet


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Djino Parker had a swollen spleen six years ago. His mother, Erica Finkelstein-Parker, remembered those days and the resulting hospitalizations. Though Djino mostly recovered, a recent incident brought back old memories and a score of new terrors.
A few months ago, as Djino, 16, was walking by his mother she noticed something strange about his shirt: The horizontal stripes weren’t lying flat across her son’s stomach.
“I thought, ‘Oh God,’ when I looked at him,” Finkelstein-Parker said, speaking by phone from her home in Littlestown, Pennsylvania.
She immediately called the doctor and said her son’s spleen was swollen and that Djino needed to be seen immediately.
Djino already had a history of health issues. In 2015, as Djino and his sister Benedicte’s adoption was finalized, he experienced problems with his spleen. Within a week of his arrival to the United States from Congo, Djino was hospitalized at Penn State Hershey Hospital. Diagnoses were made and treatments were ordered. A team of doctors began following him and for years the physicians monitored Djino’s spleen, abdomen and other organs through regular blood work.
Most issues were resolved, Djino’s mother said, but everything changed last fall when she noticed her son’s distended belly.
“My assumption as a mom was, ‘OK, this has something to do with the three rounds of malaria that he had in (Congo),’” Finkelstein-Parker said. “This is what it looked like when he came home. It’s probably no big deal.”
Imaging, ultrasounds and CAT scans were taken, but after reviewing the slides Djino’s Penn State Hershey Hospital team directed Finkelstein-Parker to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh for further analysis.
In February 2021, Finkelstein-Parker, her husband Brian Parker and Djino drove nearly 200 miles west. Due to pandemic restrictions, Benedicte stayed home. After arriving at UPMC, Djino received additional testing and a confirmed diagnosis: hepatocellular carcinoma and a cirrhotic liver.
It was surprising enough that her son had liver cancer, Finkelstein-Parker said, but cirrhosis as a teenager was almost beyond belief.
Physicians at UPMC recommended treatment, and in April, Djino began immunotherapy at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.
Since April, Djino and his parents have traveled to Pittsburgh every three weeks for treatment. They stay at Family House in Shadyside before returning home to Littlestown, a borough 10 miles southeast of Gettysburg. When the family is in Pittsburgh, Benedicte, 13, stays in Littlestown with friends.
During the trips to Pittsburgh, Djino does his best to keep up with schoolwork, but even without a serious medical condition it isn’t the easiest time to be a teenager, as school, friendships and activities have all been upended by the pandemic. Djino said he’s tried to not let his diagnosis dictate too much of his life and that he enjoys watching movies and going to school when he can.
Still, the routine of Djino’s teenage days has been disrupted. He is not able to play soccer or other sports with friends. He must remain hypervigilant about COVID. His weak immune system means that although he’s been vaccinated, he must continue masking and distancing even when many of his classmates and friends do not.
Renee Siegel, who like the Parker family attends Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah Hebrew Congregation in Baltimore, said she’s watched Djino and his sister grow. Every day, Siegel recites Djino’s Hebrew name — Ephriam Arye ben Esther Ginendel — praying for his complete and speedy recovery.
“He’s a wonderful kid and he deserves a chance to live,” Siegel said.
Siegel said she’s known Finkelstein-Parker for 18 years and remembers the family’s earlier struggles. After beginning the adoption process in 2011, and later becoming Djino and Benedicte’s legal parents in Congo, the Congolese government closed the door on international adoptions. More than 1,000 parents, including the Parkers, were left in limbo. Although scores of parents had become their children’s guardians in the eyes of the Congolese courts, the Congolese government wouldn’t let the children leave. What followed, Finkelstein-Parker said, were two years of visits to the U.S. Department of State and meetings with congressional representatives before Djino or Benedicte were able to come to the United States.
That was a trying period, but it was preceded by an ever more difficult situation, Finkelstein-Parker said. In 2005, she and her husband adopted their daughter Emmalee from an orphanage in Pune, India. Emmalee was 2-and-a-half years-old and weighed 14 pounds — but those 14 pounds were “the biggest ball of energy you’ve ever seen,” Finkelstein-Parker said.
During breakfast one day, when Emmalee was 7, her head started tilting down. Her chin began touching her chest and Emmalee slouched off the side of her chair. All of a sudden, using silverware was difficult and so was walking. Emmalee was evaluated, and, after a series of tests, diagnosed with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a deadly brain disorder that develops years after experiencing a measles infection.
Finkelstein-Parker didn’t understand what had happened. The dossier that she and her husband received upon adoption didn’t include any information about Emmalee having had the measles, yet the diagnosis indicated Emmalee must have had the infection as a baby.
Emmalee began a treatment protocol under the care of an SSPE expert in Ankara, Turkey, but the disease remained incurable. Five months after Emmalee’s diagnosis, she began experiencing “terrible seizures,” her mother said, and after Emmalee lost her memory and went into a coma at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, they brought her home for hospice care.
“She was home for five weeks, and then we lost her,” Finkelstein-Parker said.
Emmalee had just turned 8.
When someone becomes a parent, there are things you hope for and things you dread, Finkelstein-Parker said. This is the second time the family has received a “diagnosis that stops your heart.”
Their hope, she said, is that Djino will be able to receive a living-donor liver transplant. But in order for that to happen Djino must be approved by his medical team.
Finkelstein-Parker said that Djino’s oncologist is optimistic about the current cancer treatment. Djino is scheduled for his next oncology infusions on Jan. 14, and an endoscopy and meeting with the liver specialist on Feb. 7.
Djino said he’s staying busy and trying to be a regular teen.
He enjoys baking cookies — some with molasses, some with peanut butter — cooking vegetable soup and making omelets or eggs.
Something else helps pass the days: bird watching.
From a window in his home, Djino often searches for various orders and families. He likes species of all different sizes and was amazed when he first saw a hummingbird. It was cool, he said, but he hopes to see a goldfinch — a small brightly colored songbird believed to bring luck and good health.
Until then, Djino keeps waiting. PJC
Adam Reinherz can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.


The royal blunder was made on Princess Beatrice’s 31st birthday when her father, Prince Andrew made a blunder while wishing her a happy birthday.
Social media is the place where everyone wishes birthdays to their loved ones, in the same manner, Princess Beatrice’s family also wished her with photo uploads of precious pictures and memories while Prince Andrew committed a huge mistake while doing the same.
On his official account, @TheDukeOfYork- Prince Andrew uploaded four pictures wishing her a happy birthday when the eagle-eyed fans observed something different. As per their observations, the fourth picture was not at all of Princess Beatrice. It was of Princess Eugenie and Prince Andrew which was clicked on her wedding in October 2018.
The mistake was spotted, and the tweet was deleted and replaced with four photos featuring Princess Beatrice. But the fans flocked to Prince Andrew’s account to make fun of his gaffe.
However, the fans were quick enough to catch the error, and it got viral all over the social media. One of them even uploaded an image of the tweet with the caption describing it to be awkward while another tweeted that he was not the only one not knowing the difference between the two Princesses even their father did not know it, making fun of Prince Andrew.
While all this happened, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, also uploaded sweetly pictured of Princess Beatrice wishing her a very happy birthday. Her sister, Princess Eugenie also added a series of beautiful pictures of the two on Instagram wishing her on her 31st birthday.
While all the wishes were going on, Princess Beatrice’s nickname also popped up and was revealed with the Instagram post made by her sister. Princess Beatrice is 18 months older than Princess Eugenie. To cover up the posts for her sister’s birthday with a cute caption, she revealed her sister’s nickname “BeaBea.”


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Dog lover available for walks! Love spending time with dogs, but at the moment cannot own a pup at the moment!
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My name is Felix Jolly, I am 22 and love dogs and walking. I have grown up with boxer dogs and jack russel's, some of which has been rescue dogs. I am…
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My name is Meredith and I am a Masters student at the University of Aberdeen. I grew up with a greyhound and so am comfortable around larger breeds. I…
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#116 GIFT-GIVING: What You Need to Know
Manage episode 349532535 series 2981163
Gift-giving is a highly symbolic form of communication. Gift-giving can also create a lot of stress! Whether it’s a client thank-you gift, a birthday gift, or Valentine’s day, gifts communicate things about the giver, about the giver’s beliefs about the receiver, and about the relationship between them. Gifts can reinforce important relationships, take them to […]
The post #116 GIFT-GIVING: What You Need to Know appeared first on Talk About Talk.


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Jungle Heat is a series of stories that take place deep in the Amazon Jungle in Brazil. In this world there are many types of shifters who call the Amazon home. As humans farm the land for lumber and other resources, the shifters are forced out of their homes and a turf war develops. How these different tribes come together to save their lands is the basis of this series.
Click on each book cover to read more about that particular story.

domain: literature


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To Travel the world is to travel within oneself. For all the adrenaline junkies out there are cool adventure events in Saint Petersburg like hiking in the forests, camping in mountains, hanging by the cliffs and a lot more. An adrenaline rush is sure to have when one is out there on adventure. Whether it’s swimming, river rafting, rappelling , riding with motorcycle club or cycling with friends or just a weekend getaway near Saint Petersburg, we have got you covered.
Find your adventure and trips near Saint Petersburg.
|26 Nov 2020||CrossFit9 Thanksgiving Turkey Trot||CrossFit9, Saint Petersburg, FL|
|28 Nov 2020||Landscape BMP (Pinellas County Certification) (Spanish)||Pinellas Technical College - Cosmetology School - St.Pete Campus, Saint Petersburg, FL|
|05 Dec 2020||6th Annual King & Queen of the Bay Race||Urban Kai, Saint Petersburg, FL|
|13 Dec 2020||A Yota Christmas||Gandy Beach, Saint Petersburg, FL|
|12 Dec 2020||Get Fit St. Pete Trail Fun Run||Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, Saint Petersburg, FL|
|30 Nov 2020||Rec Dec Run Club||Rec Dec St. Pete, Saint Petersburg, FL|
All you travel enthusiasts, we have got you covered for some exciting options & places for adventure sports and fun day trips from Saint Petersburg.
Top places for adventurous things to do in Saint Petersburg:


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Producer: Dave Stewart
Main genre: Rock / Pop
Contributed by Drpepperfan (5198 submissions)
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Lawineboys and DJ Jerome's Sex Met Die Kale cover of Kings of Leon's Sex on Fire
The Black Keys's Never Gonna Give You Up cover of Jerry Butler's Never Give You Up
Birdy's Young Blood cover of The Naked and Famous's Young Blood
Adele's I Can't Make You Love Me cover of Bonnie Raitt's I Can't Make You Love Me
Maroon 5 and Bill Withers's Lovely Day cover of Bill Withers's Lovely Day
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domain: artistic


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Illinois Farmland Values, Rent Continue Trending Downward
Prices paid for Illinois farmland as well as rates being paid to rent the same ground have continued their downward trend for a second year according to a state-wide survey conducted by the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. The results were released at the annual Illinois Farmland Values Conference.
Prices paid for land rated Excellent and Good both dropped by eight percentage points during 2015 while Average land dropped 9 percent last year according to the study results. Be definition Excellent land typically yields over 190 bushels of corn per acre, Good land yields between 170 – 190 bushels and Average yields between 150 — 170 bushels per acre. The study is a result of a state-wide survey that was conducted in January among Illinois Society members and others within the industry.
In releasing the survey results it was noted that values regressed but remained ‘relatively strong’ for Excellent land and there are pockets of strength that still exist. The presentation was made by David Klein, AFM Soy Capital Ag Services, Bloomington, Il, overall co-chair of the annual Land Values Project which is conducted by ISPFMRA. His co-chair is Dale Aupperle, AFM, ARA, Heartland Ag Group, Forsyth, IL. Klein went on to explain that buyers are still willing to pay a premium for high quality soil. He noted that average prices paid for Excellent quality land in January 2015 were at $12,600 per acre. This compared to $11,600 at the end of the year.
“Buyers were cautious, looking for deals for land ranked as Good quality,” Klein continued. “We noticed there were some longer listing periods for some of this land during the year.” Opening year prices averaged $10,600 and closed out December at $9,700.
“Buyers of Average land were very selective,” Klein said. “There were more noticeable declines in prices for this type of land, which requires higher maintenance and management.” He also noted that there were more ‘No Sales’ at auctions for this type of land compared to the other classes. The statewide average for this type of soil was $6,215 per acre.
In all cases, reduced commodity prices were blamed for the reductions in land prices as well as rent rates across the state. “All of agriculture is watching corn and soybean prices to see which direction our earnings will take in 2016,” Klein explained. He referred to the overall earnings outlook as ‘diminishing,’ and added that crop insurance is an important income safety net.
Aupperle also cited lower commodity prices for drop in Return on Investment (ROI). “Our traditional 3.5 percent to 4.0 percent ROI has been diminished as well. Those returns are now in the 2.5 percent range.” He added, however, that “investors still find this acceptable in an unstable general economy.”
An analysis of cash rent levels was done by Gary Schnitkey, Ph.D., University of Illinois Department of Ag and Consumer Economics. “Survey results indicate that income levels in 2015 from owning farmland were below 2014 levels, continuing a string of declining return years that began in 2013. Cash rents in 2016 decreased from 2015 levels and, if trends continue, we’ll see lower cash rents again in 2017. Respondents expect very little farmland to change hands because the current farm operator is unwilling to pay the desired cash rent. They also feel they could find other farm operators to replace current operators if the need arises.”
“For Excellent quality farmland, traditional crop shares had average income of $204 per acre, cash rent had $263 per acre, and custom farming had $259 per acre. Across all land qualities, returns from share rent leases were lower than cash rent leases. Custom farming had returns comparable to cash rents.
In those same categories, incomes in 2015 decreased from 2014 with net drops of $46 per acre of Excellent land for traditional crop share, negative $37 for cash rent and negative $58 for custom farming.
Projected rent rates for will vary from a high of $350 per acre to $275 per acre for Excellent land; $300 to $250 for Good land; $260 to $191 for Average land, and $208 – $150 for Fair land. In retrospect, mid-range rent rates for 2007 were $183 for Excellent land, $164 for Good land, and $144 for Average soil. Values peaked in 2013 at $396 for Excellent land, $339 for Good land, and $285 for Average land.
Looking to the future the survey respondents expect 2017 cash rents to be lower than in 2016. Forty one percent expect decreases of between $25 and $50 and 50 percent expect the decrease to range between $5 and $25 per acre. None are expecting rents to increase.
According to Klein, “2015 provided us a challenging year. Record harvests of our main crops the past two years led to downward pressure on prices. Farm income and farmland values are adjusting, but there are signs of optimism.
“Interest rates and farm debt-to-asset ratios remain historically low as farmers manage their balance sheets. Crop input costs continue to come down. Domestic beef, pork and poultry production are all projected to increase in 2016 – pork and poultry to record levels. Competition for land remains strong. With continued low interest rates and volatile equity markets, productive farmland continues to be a safe haven for both farmers and investors.”
• Sellers of Farmland – Estates accounted for 54 percent of the volume of Illinois farmland sold. Will there begin to be a higher percentage of other categories in 2016?
• Buyers of Farmland – Farmers accounted for 60 percent of the purchase made in 2015. Most were reinvesting into their farm business – where they know the value as well as anyone! When farmers stepped aside, investors were looking for opportunities in an uncertain financial market.
• Methods of Sale – Most farms were sold by private treaty in 2015, a sign more negotiating was occurring. Thirty-five percent of the transactions were at auction. In an uncertain market, auctions can bring decision-makers together in a hurry! As a result, some firecrackers continued to be let off and more “no sales” occurred at auction.
• Cash Rents – Generally speaking, our farm incomes were lower in 2015 and are projected to be even lower in 2016. This reduced crop share leases as compared to cash rents. Cash rents for 2015 declined by roughly $25 per acre to a $350 average on Excellent quality farmland. Most ISPFMRA members expect 2016 cash rents on Excellent quality soil farms to be another $25 per acre lower than the current year at $325 or less.
• Belt tightening can be heard throughout the countryside. Lower corn and soybean prices will reduce net farm income by over 20 percent in 2016. Spring crop insurance prices will be the lowest since 2006, and input costs today are nearly double what they were then.
• Livestock Industry – Beef, swine and poultry production numbers are all planned to grow in 2016, but livestock farmers have started to feel their own pinch of lower prices. These land buyers understand the value of “the farm next door” and continue to compete vigorously for additional farmland near their current facilities throughout the state.
• Auction Sales – Auction sales continue to show pockets of both strength and relative softness. Class A farms selling at Mt. Carroll for $14,400, Brimfield for $13,500, and Mendota for $12,000 early in 2016 show strength still exists in areas, but an increasing number of “No Sales” in November/December 2015 also shows that every farm auction isn’t bringing expectations every time. An auction takes two motivated buyers!
• Tract Sizes – Tract sizes were generally larger in 2015 than 2014. The largest tracts were often purchased at a premium by institutional or absentee investor landowners seeking to place significant holdings into farmland. Auctions on large tracts were met with mixed results.
• Transitional/Development Land – Fewer tracts of land were sold for development than in past years in downstate Illinois. More activity is picking up in the collar counties, which has led to a little 1031 exchange money again.
• Institutional Money – Larger tracts of land have drawn interest again from institutional investors, pension funds and others. There may be a premium right now for bigger tracts.
• Drainage pays! – 2015 taught many landowners across the state the value of good drainage on our productive cropland. The ability to effectively move excess water and keep crops healthy resulted in wide productivity ranges and better returns on farms improved with tile drainage.
• 1031 Tax Free Exchange Influence – These continue to be used by landowners making even money trades to create larger tracts of land where they can be farmed more efficiently, as well as a slow increase in developmental exchange money out of the St. Louis, Chicago and Indianapolis markets.
• Farmland Availability – Farmland supply to the market remained fairly tight throughout 2015 until year end when the seasonal increase occurred in November and December. Most of our membership expects 2016 to see a larger supply come to the market this year.

domain: finance


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It’s my goal to provide a safe, affirming and confidential space in which you might feel comfortable and open to share challenges or concerns that cause discomfort or suffering. With individuals, couples and groups, I work with compassion, empathy and caring to support you to make sense of, and become friendlier toward, your emotional experience. We will collaborate to consider personal, social and cultural realities that have an impact. I have a special interest in working with people who have complex identities and grapple with anxiety, depression, adjustment issues and/or dysfunctional families. When appropriate, evidence-based mindfulness practices bolster and support our work. I have publications in the areas of intersubjectivity (psychoanalytic) theory, racial and other subordinated identities, and achievement behavior among college students.
Graduate School and University Center at City College, Ph.D.
Hunter College, B.A.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, New Jersey and New York
Group Therapy Certification, Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society
Certified Group Psychotherapist, National Registry of Certified Group Psychotherapists
Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY

domain: psychology


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Barclays have been hit by record fines for distorting key interest rates including the London Interbank Offer Rate and the consequences of this appalling contamination of the market for interest rates for lending and borrowing between the banks are likely to be far-reaching for the banking industry as a whole. Barclays has agreed to pay $453m for using underhand tactics, including price-fixing, to rig the markets. Keep an eye on the new because this interest-rate fixing scandal is set to engulf HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland.
The Governor of the Bank of England has launched a scathing attack on the culture of the UK banking industry
Channel 4 News
Al Jazeerah News
Bank of Englandf Governor


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Weekend Best Bets: April 17
event: Earth Day Donation Drive
Earth Day is celebrated each year on April 22, but there’s no need to wait until Tuesday. Do some spring cleaning and keep unwanted items out of the landfill. An Earth Day Donation Drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the parking lot at Clear Channel Communications, 1856 S. Glenstone Ave. Look for the 1-800-Got-Junk truck. Desired donations include clothing, bedding, books, toys, computers, appliances and gaming systems (no tube TVs or mattresses). Donations will raise funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks, thanks to a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City.
film: “Gold Rush” at Moxie Cinema
Catch a free showing of the classic Charlie Chaplin film “Gold Rush” at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Moxie Cinema, 305 S. Campbell Ave. The 1925 silent comedy stars Chaplin in his Little Tramp role, striking out for the Klondike in search of gold. It’s part of the library’s Big Read project.

domain: library


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This article is only available in the PDF format. Download the PDF to view the article, as well as its associated figures and tables.
The daily excitement of a busy electrocardiographic (ECG) laboratory is nestled between the covers of this spiral-bound collection of 100 ECG case studies. Terse informative clinical histories accompany each ECG, the majority of which are well reproduced at full size. History and cardiogram are adjacent with the authors interpretation overleaf, facilitating reader self-testing. The examples selected involve problems of rhythm and morphology, and there is no attempt at organization or sequence. Indeed, the examples chosen cover a wide spectrum of routine everyday problems without any effort to be all inclusive or to serve as a text for beginner or advanced student.
The interpretations are sound and, in a low key, stress many basic but often inadequately appreciated clinical or ECG facts. While the advanced electrocardiographer would not be challenged, the student and clinician will find the choices provocative and informative. This manual will serve a distinct function in leisure selftesting
Hall RJ. ECG Case Studies.. Arch Intern Med. 1970;126(3):528. doi:10.1001/archinte.1970.00310090158029


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R. H. Quaytman – Morning: Chapter 30
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This richly illustrated book accompanies the first major museum survey of R. H. Quaytman's paintings, celebrated for their sumptuous beauty, complexity, and rigor.
The book includes new essays that contextualize her practice and examine the evolution of her chosen themes. Illustrated with the artist's extensive archive of Polaroids, on which her work is based, the book focuses on the artist's process of formatting her paintings onto wood panels, organizing them into exhibitions that she refers to as chapters, and her work's site-specific nature, created in dialogue with each exhibition venue's historical, architectural, or social aspects.
This book presents a remarkable oeuvre that simultaneously provides opportunities for visual pleasure and scholarly inquiry.
|Contributors||Yve-Alain Bois, Juliane Rebentisch|
|Type of book||Exhib'publication|
|Museum / Place||Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles|


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Fans of supergroup ABBA won’t be disappointed in the latest revival of Mamma Mia!, a musical which has had sold-out seasons worldwide.
Packemin Productions, whose previous works have included Wicked, West Side Story and Mary Poppins, continues the tradition of bringing affordable, family-friendly shows to the stage – their primary focus being on excellence.
Mamma Mia! is based around 22 of ABBA’s most popular songs and tells the story of a 20-year-old lady who, on the eve of her wedding, desperately longs to discover who her father is.
Heading the huge ensemble cast of 75 are Louise Symes (Oklahoma!) as Donna and Courtney Bell (As You Like It) as Sophie and a host of other professional actors in pivotal roles.
No expense has been spared on this ambitious production which boasts a full orchestra, incredible sets, and colourful costumes. Special credit must be given to the sound and lighting engineers whose skilful work compounds to the high quality of the musical.
It’s unimaginable what a daunting task it must have been directing such a huge cast, but as audiences sit in the darkened theatre mesmerised by the scale of this production, it becomes quite apparent that each performer had their heart and soul in the project and had just as much fun as the audience.
Some of the popular songs performed to imaginatively choreographed dance sequences include SOS, Mamma Mia, Gimme Gimme and Waterloo. Audiences will marvel and laugh throughout this fast-paced, energetic, feel-good show and perhaps shed a tear during the emotionally charged song Slipping Through My Fingers.
It’s always impossible to falter a show which brings such joy to audiences. At a recent performance, radiant smiles were noticeable throughout the entire musical, many audience members toe-tapping to the music and quietly singing along.
As a perfect ending to a great night out at the theatre, audiences are enticed to dance and sing-a-long in the finale to an encore performance of ABBA’s most popular hits. (MMo)
Until Aug 17. Riverside Theatres. Cnr Market & Church St, Parramatta $30-$62+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.riversideparramatta.com.au


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Health Care Fraud and Prescription Drug Schemes involves the submission of almost $2 Billion in bogus claims.
The Department of Justice charged 78 people for Health Care Fraud and Prescription Drug Schemes, in 16 states. These people involved in the Health Care Fraud schemes were sentenced with series of different cases.
One of the Health Care Fraud schemes that was announced during the crackdowns in several states across the country was the scheme that totaled $1.9 billion dollars. A doctor who allegedly operated the Health Care Fraud scheme through ordering fake ankle braces for a patient whose leg had been amputated, this was reported by the officials.
This scheme was said to be the largest Health Care Fraud Scheme the Justice Department ever brought by.
READ MORE: Dozens in 16 States Charged With Health Care Fraud Schemes, Including $1.9B in Bogus Claims
In another Health Care Fraud schemes, the Investigators claimed to have discovered around $2 billion in falsified telemedicine claims sent to government-funded insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid, which mainly cover elderly and those with low incomes, respectively, in one case filed in the Southern District of Florida.
Prosecutors claim that David Antonio Becerril, a doctor from Washington state, signed more than 2,800 bogus prescriptions in a separate telemedicine fraud case, including an order for ankle braces for a patient whose leg had been amputated for years. He allegedly reviewed and signed each order in less than 40 seconds.
There are other instances to some Health Care Fraud schemes that involved;
- fake doctor’s orders produced by a computer software
- reselling prescription drugs for HIV
- drug relabeling for selling
- fake doctor orders for braces and painkillers
According to the federal investigators, the stolen money from these Health Care Fraud schemes was used to purchase luxury items like cars, jewelries and yachts.
The FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and state Medicaid fraud units, are involved in the Health Care Fraud scheme investigation. The Justice Department has set its sight on pursuing those criminals involved in these Health Care Fraud scheme.

domain: medical


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That night for the first time in seven years the girls heard footsteps that weren’t those of their mother. The darkness had already become eternal. They couldn’t even remember their faces. But they knew what time Mamá brushed her teeth, that Mondays were the day to go to the market, that every Thursday she cried like that at nine at night because at that time it was one more week that their father had abandoned them, seven years now, Mamá and the three of them. But more the three of them, because if he hadn’t gone Mamá wouldn’t have gone crazy.
The steps seemed like a man’s, because they were longer and heavier, a little after hearing them on the porch they could hear the masculine voice announcing, “Police! Anyone home?” Then they heard Mamá run quickly to the door. “Good evening, officer, can I help you with something?” “Yes, madam, you can help me if you let me inspect your home, two of your neighbors have called in emergencies today, to complain about the bad smell coming from your house.”
The girls knew that Mamá hadn’t thrown out the trash nor cleaned for several weeks, it seemed that their crisis intensified recently. But this wasn’t what most frightened them, rather that this cop might decide by some chance to search the basement and find them there. Poor Mamá, she would have to go to jail and they didn’t want that even though she’d left them locked up for so many years.
They couldn’t hear Mamá answering the officer, but his steps crossed the living room, then the hall and then over the whole house. Since Papá left they had decided not to resist her orders or her craziness, they didn’t want to hurt Mamá more. The officer poked his head through the hole in the basement ceiling where their mother threw food once a day, but he couldn’t see anything, only sense the smell of feces and urine that came from below.
The steps creaked under the weight of him coming down, the odor getting ever stronger. The girls had stayed completely silent the whole time, hugging each other in a corner, trying not to let him find them. The officer saw the dirty bare feet in the darkness, then he approached them.
“Come with me, don’t be afraid, I’m not going to hurt you.” The girls didn’t move, but they saw Mamá’s shadow coming down approaching the boy from the back. She raised something in the air and with a thud his body fell like a stone to the floor, she threw the piece of wood and grabbed the shoulders of the boy to drag him up the stairs.
The oldest daughter started to help her and when the body was in the middle of the living room, she smiled at her mother as if expecting something in exchange, then she ran back to the basement. Mamá walked slowly after the girl and put the lock back on the door.