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Following up on my recent promise (thanks Via – free wifi on the train is a good thing), here is a written version (padded with additional thoughts fostered by what is turning out to be a lovely train ride) of what I presented last night.
I was asked to give an overview of the Council of Canadians experiences at the recent UN climate talks in Cancun.
I arrived in Mexico on November 27 to join an international caravan for environmental and social justice. I was part of a 9 person Canadian delegation that included staff and members with the Council of Canadians, Public Service Alliance of Canada and Polaris Institute.
Each stop provided participants an opportunity to meet and hear from people experiencing environmental and social impacts associated with a local polluter, and aimed to connect these struggles with both causes and solutions to the collective challenge we face – the climate crisis.
The caravans were organized by Via Campesina, an international peasants and farmers organization, the National Assembly of Affected Peoples based in Mexico and a number of other local organizations in the communities we stopped in.
Our stop in Cerra San Pedro speaks to our broader experiences on the caravan and provides important insight on our experiences in Cancun.
We were welcomed in the town square by members of the community who told us about how New Gold removed the top of their mountain to get at the gold and silver—a mountain which is tied intimately to their history and cultural identity.
In the extraction process, New Gold uses cyanide to separate the minerals from the rock. We were told that this has polluted local water sources. Community members believe water contamination is the source of illnesses in the community.
We further learned that the rock that had been blasted by New Gold for this mountain-top open-pit mine was dumped on top of the river that flowed through this town; we later walked over a bridge seeing for ourselves the parched bed of the now dry river.
The community has been challenging this mine for 14 years, including in the Mexican federal court. Community members describe it as an illegal mine, referring to a court ruling that nullified the companies Environmental Impact Assessment – yet the mine still continues.
The Canadian delegation presented to a community leader an open letter signed by 36 Canadian organizations noting our regret that Bill C-300 was defeated, and stating our commitment to redouble g our efforts to mobilize Canadian public opinion and challenge the abuses of Canada’s extractive industries whether operating at home or abroad.
Bill C-300, the Corporate Accountability of Mining, Oil and Gas in Developing Countries Act was defeated by a very narrow margin, it would have increased accountability on the part of mining corporations operating international.
While San Pedro had less to do with greenhouse gas emissions – this was not the case in other stops that looked at the actions of local fossil fuel companies and export-agricultural business – there is much to learn from their struggle when it comes to the climate crisis.
Cerro San Pedro was chosen to start the caravan because it is emblematic of the struggle against the disregard for people and the planet and the drive for profit that is at the heart of the environmental, climate, and social crises we face.
So when we think of the climate crisis, we think not only of the release of greenhouse gas emissions and the need to reduce this, but also, we think about what is causing the situation we are in.
This includes recognizing patterns of over production and consumption that are tied to an export-oriented global economic model (as Walden Bello often highlights in underscoring the causal role of this model to the climate crisis, it is not a coincidence that global ghgs dropped for the first time in many years in 2009 during the economic crisis).
It includes recognizing how this is facilitating a ‘race to the bottom’ which contributes to the social and environmentally destructive corporate practices we witnessed in San Pedro.
It is this type of understanding, or analysis, which has informed the development of a global climate justice movement. This is a movement that recognizes the connected struggles and need for solidarity in achieving environmental and social justice.
Last April’s World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth in Cochabamba Bolivia was a critical moment for this movement. It put into words the need for system change, not climate change.
I want to give you a taste of what it was like organizing in Cancun.
Cancun is a resort town – around 90% is concrete. Sprawled across a main strip are massive resorts where many delegates stayed.
On one end was the Moon Palace where the official negotiations took place, within the official negotiations space itself there were separate buildings for NGO meeting space and the negotiations accessible only by bus.
There was the Dialogo Climatico, an alternative space hosting workshops, panels and events that drew many labour union activists from Latin America, a number of Mexican NGOs and international activists.
There was also the La Via Campesina’s Alternative Forum for Environmental and Social Justice which drew their membership and affiliates alongside international activists.
To many of us the idea of having more than 2 alternative spaces may seem strange. Without getting into details, suffice to say that there is a history in Mexico, like many other places, of social movement organizing that contributed to this situation, alongside some differences on particular issues. That said, if you read both declarations emerging from the alternative spaces, they bear much in common.
While this context did pose challenges to us and many others, we managed to participate in a number of important ways in terms of ‘outside actions’.
• We joined the major demonstrations and held panels on the Rights of Mother earth and water justice.
• We screened Inuit Knowledge and Climate Change which allowed us to connect with activists in Arctic Coastal states to help build international solidarity around ‘leaving it in the ground’ in the Arctic – the final frontier for oil and gas development.
• We helped to host a roundtable on the proposal for a global referendum or popular consultas on climate change that emerged from the Cochabamba process. Here we presented some of our experiences on conducting polling adapted from the proposed questions.
We were also active on the ‘inside,’ monitoring and responding to the negotiations. One of the first days we spent on the inside, we attended an ALBA press conference, the Bolivarian Alliance of the Americas, and overheard a press conference featuring Christiana Figueres, the Secretary of the UNFCCC.
As a result, we broke the story to Canadian media about Canada being one of three countries walking away from the Kyoto Protocol.
Now we’re not proponents of all elements of the Kyoto Protocol. We believe cap and trade is an ineffective and inequitable means of reducing emissions, we are opposed to carbon offsets. Both are present under the Protocol, referred to as ‘flexible market mechanisms’ as ways in which countries can meet their emission reduction targets.
International carbon trading allows business as usual. It allows Global North countries and the most polluting industries to avoid making emission reduction cuts domestically by buying carbon credits on the international carbon market.
Offsetting is where credits are purchased from a project that is meant to reduce emissions.
In the international system under Kyoto, this shifts the burden of emission reductions from the Global North to South where many of the projects are financed. Many of these projects are causing serious social and environmental damage. There is even evidence that many are failing to contribute to real, and additional (would not have been accomplished were it not for the offset project) emission reductions. For example, mega dams (in and of themselves can be very environmentally and socially destructive) in China have been offset projects under the UN system, even though they are meeting new power needs, not helping to reduce reliance on coal.
What the Kyoto Protocol does offer is much needed binding emission reduction commitments on the part of Global North countries. While countries like Canada have shown no respect for these legally binding targets, they set a precedent and are something that countries, organizations and social movements can hold their countries accountable to.
This is the aspect of the Protocol that Canada, alongside Japan and Russia were stating they would not support – they would not agree to a second commitment period under Kyoto. This was a key demand of Global South countries, many had hoped this would be an outcome of the Cancun talks.
At this point of the talks it really did feel like all gloom and doom.
There were serious concerns that this indicated a shift away from the Kyoto Protocol to an entrenching of a Copenhagen Accord (or Discord)-like document under the UN climate negotiation process.
While our demands are for far more, such as deep emission reduction targets and an end to offsets, we, and many others, felt that this was a battle worth fighting.
The Cancun talks did produce an agreement.
The Council of Canadians sees this agreement as a step backwards, from a climate justice perspective.
It is a step back in that it has paved the way for the death of the good part of Kyoto – the binding emission targets.
While the agreement keeps Kyoto on life support on paper by keeping the possibility of a second commitment period in the text, the weak Copenhagen Accord-like pledge and review system was adopted. The EU which had stated it would submit a target under Kyoto’s second commitment period is already showing signs of stepping away from this – it appears our argument that what was happening in Cancun was spelling the death of Kyoto, is not far off the mark.
Under the pledge and review system, countries are not yet obliged to keep their pledges, the review process is unclear with no compliance mechanism.
While the text refers to a 2 degree target, the reality is that the pledges made after Copenhagen could result in an up to a disastrous 5 degrees of warming.
It also fails to provide a framework for achieving climate justice.
A quote from a senior negotiator of a developing country strikes a chord with me in this regard: “we saved the system but the climate and people were sacrificed.”
Proposals from the Cochabamba conference including ending offsets, recognizing the rights of nature, significantly deeper emission reduction targets and greater climate financing for the global South, were dropped from the text early in the negotiations.
The World Bank is listed as a trustee to the Global Climate Fund – this was a key rallying point of the climate justice movement.
The flexible market mechanisms continue, the groundwork may even have even been laid for Carbon Capture and Storage to be included in the international carbon offsets system.
This may not be the analysis of the outcomes of Cancun that you are familiar with:
“The Cancun agreement was by far the most significant and collective agreement on how much is going to be cut in terms of carbon emissions,” she said. “That is not to be underestimated.“ Christiana Figueres, Reuters
“Cancun deal puts climate action back on track,” The Australian
“Cancun talks end with modest success” CBC
“ Global accord on climate change hailed as breakthrough” The Globe and Mail
Here is some of what the final declarations of the alternative forums had to say:
La Via Campesina alternative forum declaration: “ In regards to the conference: Instead of confronting the climate crisis, the resolutions in Cancun will only worsen it, as they failed to establish binding agreements to reduce greenhouse gases and obligatory goals to reduce emissions; instead they strengthened carbon markets…. In Cancun, the business and nature speculation agenda triumphed, while they systematically threw out the demands that emerged from the World Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth in Cochabamba.”
Dialogo Climatico: “We call on governments to stop beating around the bush and reach binding commitments to reduce emissions in quantities required to stabilize the global temperature increase to a maximum of 1.5 ° C. This requires agreeing on a 2nd period of Kyoto Protocol commitments…. We oppose false solutions: Carbon markets, biofuels, mega dams, carbon capture and storage and biochar. We oppose the commodification of life, the solution lies in addressing the systemic causes in the way we produce and consume.”
The outcomes of the Cancun conference raise a number of key questions that we need to grapple with as organizations and social movements in Canada, as well as internationally in the lead up to the next major round of UN climate talks in Durban.
How and if we need to reconcile different opinions on the outcomes of Cancun talks?
• While there certainly are many areas for convergence including around green jobs and criticisms of the Canadian government’s current actions, there are areas of differences including over the role of cap and trade, offsets, and some of the Cochabamba conclusions.
What is the future of the UNFCCC negotiations?
• While we certainly do not want to see a shift to more undemocratic institutions such as the G20, and the climate crisis is an international crisis and has international equity dimensions – we need better to come of these conferences.
Those countries that do take a stand, such as Bolivia in the UNFCCC negotiations based on principles and positions social movements have endorsed, how do we support this – what does this look like?
There is no doubt that the crisis we face is significant and that we have are far way to go. There is also no doubt that we in Canada, a petro state, have a particular responsibility to build awareness and pressure on the Canadian government while also engaging in local struggles that are generating change.
In thinking about the way forward, I find it helpful to think back to the example of Cerra San Pedro.
I think the fact that San Pedro, which was not strictly about ghg emissions, was on a caravan tour in the lead up to the climate talks, hints at a couple of lessons.
First, it points towards organizing around those areas that are complimentary to an understanding of root causes of the climate crisis and need for ‘system change.’ This includes rejecting false climate solutions that adopt or reflect causes of the crisis we face. This includes attempts to ‘commodify’ nature, such as carbon offsets, and the next financial bubble waiting to burst – the carbon market. It includes fighting for real solutions like buying less and local, vastly improving energy conservation and efficiency, public and community ownership of renewable energy, supporting transition towns, keeping unexploited fossil fuels in the ground, respecting indigenous rights, ending subsidies to oil and gas and backwards trade rules that put profit above people and the environment.
It can also provide a lesson for us in how we approach our social movement-building. We should not be reluctant to reach beyond our ‘silo’s’ as Maude often terms them, when we organize. In fact, I think we should seek out common ground in climate justice campaigning, be it environmental opposition to a new coal plant pairing up with health advocates or parents concerned about a plant’s location near a school, people campaigning for energy retrofits pairing up with anti-poverty organizers, defenders of Ontario’s Green Energy Act mobilizing against trade rules that limit green policy options, people supporting the Cochabamba process also participating in transition towns and supporting local sustainable farmers, environmentalists joining the fight against the privatization of vital public services, pursuing ‘just transition’ strategies for workers and communities affected by the transition off of fossil fuels or great Toronto examples such as the People’s Assemblies organizing or the Green Jobs for All at Hydro campaign. As Maude often says at climate justice events – there can be no climate justice without water justice, or trade justice – we must stand together.
San Pedro’s example also underscores that when we think about how to address the climate crisis, we should also think about and organizing with the people that are bearing the brunt of the climate crisis, including those impacted by the industries that are contributing to it. There is value in listening and acting alongside communities living beside fossil fuel plants. There is value and strength in listening and acting alongside people in the Global South for whom climate change impacts are a daily reality.


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Category Archives: Blanche Barton
This book is quite hard to find, not for any particularly esoteric reason. I imagine there simply weren’t that many copies printed and no one has yet produced an ebook of the text. The publisher is Hell’s Kitchen Productions, which might be the Church of Satan’s own self-publishing imprint. I was lucky to find a second-hand copy on eBay for £20, but the lowest price among the current ten copies listed on Amazon’s used books is £60. Owning this book now completes my collection of official Church of Satan literature. The other works are five books written by Anton LaVey, a biography on LaVey by Blanche Barton, and one book by Peter H. Gilmore (LaVey’s successor).
Blanche Barton, the author of the work under review, was Anton LaVey’s live-in partner for the latter part of his life, and the mother of one of his children. LaVey was, of course, the founder of the Church of Satan. This slim volume of 170 pages provides a brief history of the Church, beginning with some short biographical notes on LaVey’s carnival and occult background, leading to his reasons for forming a new religion based on man’s carnal nature. The growth of the church is catalogued, from its beginnings as a Friday night get-together at LaVey’s home, where he would lecture on the occult, to the eventual implementation of a nationwide “grotto” system. One of the most unfortunate aspects of LaVey’s earlier life is some of the claims are provably legendary. I personally find it a bit insulting that Barton reiterates these legends for her readers, especially when her intended readership seems to be Church of Satan members, rather than the general public. Michael Aquino’s Temple of Set gets a few jibes, as Aquino was responsible for splitting the Church of Satan in 1975. LaVey and Aquino spin that event in different ways, and its hard to tell who is entirely honest about what went down. Aquino’s claim that the Church of Satan ended in 1975 would seem to be a tad pretentious.
There is much material in the book that I have encountered before, but also some interesting new material, such as clarifications on the practice of ritual magic. The timing of the book’s publication puts it right in the middle of the Satanic Panic, a period of unprecedendent public hysteric about occult crimes against children. The phenomenon is rationally and effectively debunked.
The real strength of the book is the huge amount of direct quotes from LaVey himself. These are not from other printed works and public interviews, but presumably from Barton’s own conversations with the man himself. The quotes are so voluminous that LaVey could really be considered a co-author.
If you’re already familiar with Satanism, this book will serve as a refresher on the fundamentals, with perhaps a few new insights. For those who are not familiar with the philosophy, this is definitely one of the better books to read initially. Shame it’s so obscure.
This is the authorised biography of Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan (1966) and author of The Satanic Bible (1969). It is written by Blanche Barton, LaVey’s long-term lover and a high-ranking member of the organisation, so high-ranking that administration of it passed to her upon LaVey’s death in 1997. Certainly, no one is more qualified to write a biography. The book was first published in 1992, which serves to give us a fairly comprehensive look at LaVey’s life.
Unfortunately, some of the claims in the book can be sourced elsewhere as outright lies. For instance, LaVey’s real name is Howard Stanton Levey, whereas the biography claims that Anton LaVey was his name by birth and that he was called “Tony” in his early years. He also gives false names for his parents.
According to the book, Anton LaVey was something of a misfit from his early years, a fact which led him to leave home early in life and join the Clyde Beatty circus – and later the carnival. After that he worked as a crime photographer. The insights he gained from leading his unusual life were instrumental in shaping the man he was to become. For instance, working in the circus as a lion tamer gave him an affinity for animals, so much so that later in life he would keep a lion as a house pet! In the carnival, he would play the organ for the strip shows, then play for the church services, where he would see the very same men who had attended the strip show attending church the next day, only to return to the strip show the following week, in a neverending cycle of hypocrisy. LaVey learned that “Man’s carnal nature will out.” He saw man as an animal, no different in nature from any other animal. In his work as a crime photographer, he saw the very worst in mankind. All of this shaped his views of man, God, and the nature of human existence. LaVey could be described as one whose views were shaped by living outside of the typical boundaries of the common herd of humanity.
Contrary to the above claims, the Beatty archives show no record of a “Levey” or “LaVey” as lion tamer or musician (source: Beatty 1947 Route Books, Circus World Museum, Baraboo, Wisconsin). That said, the biography does feature a photograph of a young LaVey posing with a clown and dwarf; the words “Lou Jacobs” are prominantly visible. San Francisco Police Department past employment records include no “Howard Levey” nor “Anton LaVey”. Frank Moser, who was a SFPD photographer in the early 1950s, said that LaVey never worked for the Department (source: SFPD records, Frank Moser).
LaVey developed an interst in the occult and held regular meetings with other interested friends at his home, the Black House (6114 California Street). The book alleges that LaVey purchased this house after learning that it was a former brothel of Barbary Coast madam Mammy Pleasant. It was honeycombed with trapdoors and secret passageways, built by Pleasant to elude police raids. LaVey’s home meetings eventually evolved into the Church of Satan, the first above-ground organisation to embrace the term Satanism in public.
In reality 6114 California Street was originally LaVey’s parents’ home. It was never a brothel. LaVey’s parents allowed Anton and his first wife Carole to live in the house, then transferred ownership of it to LaVey and his second wife Diane in 1971. The secret passages and hidden rooms that exist were constructed by Anton LaVey (source: San Francisco property records; Michael & Gertrude Levey [parents], Joint Tenancy Grant Deed, July 9, 1971).
LaVey codified modern Satanism as an atheistic religion/philosophy which utilised Satan as a symbol for an adversarial stance towards spirituality, and the triumph of the flesh. Satanism sees man as an animal, who is perfect just as he is, and not in need of any redemption, spiritual growth, or hypthetical reward hereafter. Satanism is not a religion of hedonism or violence, but of indulgence in our own nature, taking into the account the consequences of our actions. The occult side of Satanism was in the incorporation of magic as a reality – as something which is not fully understood, but which can be used to benefit the practitioner. Although Satanism is atheistic (denial of deity), it is acknowledged that there is a “dark force of nature” – not a God, not a being, not a consciousness; something beyond all of this, which can be tapped through ritualistic means. Some claim that LaVeyan Satanism is not true Satanism (because there is no actual Satan), but what expression of Satanism deserves the name more than the very one that has the brass to publicly call itself by that name?
LaVey’s biography alleges two romances of particular note. The first occurred in LaVey’s pre-Satanism days; he courted Marilyn Monroe when she was working in strip clubs before she became famous. Later, post 1966, he was involved with actress Jayne Mansfield, who became a priestess in the Church of Satan. Mansfield died tragically in a car accident with her “public” lover, Sam Brody. It was a complex relationship, with Mansfield trapped in a relationship she didn’t want with Brody, while besotted with LaVey. Brody’s jealously caused a great deal of trouble for LaVey, who eventually cast a curse upon Brody and warned Jayne to stay away from him. In one of Hollywood’s famous curses, Jayne died with Sam Brody in a car wreck.
According to Marilyn Monroe’s 1948 agent Harry Lipton, she never knew LaVey, and the particular claims in LaVey’s biography that the Mayan Theatre (where Monroe allegedly danced) was a burlesque theatre are false, as are the claims that LaVey and Monroe worked there. Diane LaVey has admitted to forging Monroe’s inscription on LaVey’s copy of her calendar (sources: Diane LaVey, Harry Lipton [Aquino-Lipton conversation 12/1/82], Robert Slatzer [letter to Michael Aquino 11/27/82], Edward Webber [interview by Aquino 6/2/91]).
Regarding the Jayne Mansfield affair, publicity agent Tony Kent arranged a meeting between Jayne Mansfield and LaVey as a publicity stunt. LaVey was smitten with her. Mansfield, who made no secret of her many affairs, denied knowing LaVey intimately, and no associate of hers has ever confirmed any supposed romance with LaVey. In a 1967 interview she said, “He had fallen in love with me and wanted to join my life with his. It was a laugh.” According to LaVey’s publicist Edward Webber, Mansfield would ridicule her Satanic suitor by calling from her Los Angeles home and seductively teasing him while her friends listened in on the conversation. LaVey’s public claims that he had an affair with Mansfield began only after her death, likewise the claim that Brody’s death was the result of a curse (source: Edward Webber [interview by Aquino 6/2/91]; interview with Mansfield quoted in Jayne Mansfield by May Mann, Pocket Books, 1974). In defence of LaVey’s own claims, the biography features LaVey posing in a familiar and friendly manner with Jayne Mansfied and her four children plus a handwritten letter that reads “To my Satanic friend, high in the eyes of orthodox religion. My probing for truth may be satisfied by my High Priest. Jayne.”
On the one hand, LaVey was a man with a deep insight on life, allowing us to sweep a great deal of pretentious nonsense out of ourselves, to our own benefit. On the other, he sometimes seemed to break his own Satanic principle, “Responsibility to the responsible,” paying back others far more than their crimes deserved. For instance, Togare, LaVey’s “big cat” eventually had to be removed from his home and housed in a zoo, due to neighbours’ complaints. Some time later, the zoo-keeper had Togare sent to Africa, without even notifying LaVey and giving him a chance to say goodbye. LaVey cursed the man, resulting in his death. Of course, it now appears that such claims are probably nothing more than exercises in myth-making by a man who wished to appear larger than life.
LaVey’s life was less eventful than I had anticipated. Aside from the alleged curses, there are no great Satanic crimes to speak of, or anything of a world-shattering nature. But that’s fine, and in fact, it paints Satanism to be much tamer than Christian hysterics would have you believe. For the most part, LaVey was a man who wished to quietly pursue his own interests, to communicate genuine insight, while falsely portraying himself as a powerful and dangerous man to the public. I have to ask, to what end? For it strikes me that there is something tragically pathetic about a man who once penned a work of deep insight (The Satanic Bible) now reduced to peddling lies about himself. What kind of insecurity drives this? Even worse to tell these lies to a universal readership, regardless of whether the reader is a Satanist or outsider.
I have one last criticism of the biography: there’s way too much hero-worship woven through the pages. From Barton’s perspective, LaVey can seemingly do no wrong. I think perhaps an autobiography might have been better in this regard, as speaking well of oneself comes less naturally than praising others. I originally read this book without knowing how deceptive it was. I took it at face value and liked it a great deal. But now that the myth has been exposed, this volume mainly just irritating. Its only lasting value is as example of how to manufacture a legend.
In fairness, it should be asked, are the counter-claims in the sources quoted any more valid than LaVey’s own claims? We may never be sure of all, but it’s clear that in some cases the evidence against LaVey is indisputable. For a full list of inconsistencies, see the sources at the bottom of the following Rolling Stone interview with LaVey. Also consult Michael Aquino’s massively detailed history of the Church of Satan, downloadable from the Temple of Set web site.

domain: literature


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This 2,500SF building was built in 1974 and was previously used as the location of a local Pizzeria. Zoned for Commercial use with a parking ratio of 6.6/1,000 SF, this Class C building is in a great location & has easy access to the main road.


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"The European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended the marketing of selexipag (Uptravi, Actelion Registration Ltd) for the treatment of adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)./"...
Nebivolol is a β-adrenergic receptor blocking agent. In extensive metabolizers (most of the population) and at doses less than or equal to 10 mg, nebivolol is preferentially β1 selective. In poor metabolizers and at higher doses, nebivolol inhibits both β1 - and β2 - adrenergic receptors. Nebivolol lacks intrinsic sympathomimetic and membrane stabilizing activity at therapeutically relevant concentrations. At clinically relevant doses, BYSTOLIC does not demonstrate α1-adrenergic receptor blockade activity. Various metabolites, including glucuronides, contribute to β-blocking activity.
Mechanism of Action
The mechanism of action of the antihypertensive response of BYSTOLIC has not been definitively established. Possible factors that may be involved include: (1) decreased heart rate, (2) decreased myocardial contractility, (3) diminution of tonic sympathetic outflow to the periphery from cerebral vasomotor centers, (4) suppression of renin activity and (5) vasodilation and decreased peripheral vascular resistance.
Nebivolol is metabolized by a number of routes, including glucuronidation and hydroxylation by CYP2D6. The active isomer (d-nebivolol) has an effective half-life of about 12 hours in CYP2D6 extensive metabolizers (most people), and 19 hours in poor metabolizers and exposure to d-nebivolol is substantially increased in poor metabolizers. This has less importance than usual, however, because the metabolites, including the hydroxyl metabolite and glucuronides (the predominant circulating metabolites), contribute to β-blocking activity. Reference ID: 3058093
Plasma levels of d–nebivolol increase in proportion to dose in EMs and PMs for doses up to 20mg. Exposure to l-nebivolol is higher than to d-nebivolol but l-nebivolol contributes little to the drug's activity as d-nebivolol's beta receptor affinity is > 1000-fold higher than l-nebivolol. For the same dose, PMs attain a 5-fold higher Cmax and 10-fold higher AUC of d-nebivolol than do EMs. d-Nebivolol accumulates about 1.5-fold with repeated once-daily dosing in EMs.
Absorption of BYSTOLIC is similar to an oral solution. The absolute bioavailability has not been determined.
Mean peak plasma nebivolol concentrations occur approximately 1.5 to 4 hours post-dosing in EMs and PMs.
Food does not alter the pharmacokinetics of nebivolol. Under fed conditions, nebivolol glucuronides are slightly reduced. BYSTOLIC may be administered without regard to meals.
The in vitro human plasma protein binding of nebivolol is approximately 98%, mostly to albumin, and is independent of nebivolol concentrations.
Nebivolol is predominantly metabolized via direct glucuronidation of parent and to a lesser extent via Ndealkylation and oxidation via cytochrome P450 2D6. Its stereospecific metabolites contribute to the pharmacologic activity [see DRUG INTERACTIONS].
After a single oral administration of 14C-nebivolol, 38% of the dose was recovered in urine and 44% in feces for EMs and 67% in urine and 13% in feces for PMs. Essentially all nebivolol was excreted as multiple oxidative metabolites or their corresponding glucuronide conjugates.
Pharmacokinetics in Special Populations
d-Nebivolol peak plasma concentration increased 3-fold, exposure (AUC) increased 10-fold, and the apparent clearance decreased by 86% in patients with moderate hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh Class B). No formal studies have been performed in patients with severe hepatic impairment and nebivolol should be contraindicated for these patients [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].
The apparent clearance of nebivolol was unchanged following a single 5 mg dose of BYSTOLIC in patients with mild renal impairment (ClCr 50 to 80 mL/min, n=7), and it was reduced negligibly in patients with moderate (ClCr 30 to 50 mL/min, n=9), but clearance was reduced by 53% in patients with severe renal impairment (ClCr < 30 mL/min, n=5). No studies have been conducted in patients on dialysis [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].
Drugs that inhibit CYP2D6 can be expected to increase plasma levels of nebivolol. When BYSTOLIC is coadministered with an inhibitor or an inducer of this enzyme, monitor patients closely and adjust the nebivolol dose according to blood pressure response. In vitro studies have demonstrated that at therapeutically relevant concentrations, d- and l-nebivolol do not inhibit any cytochrome P450 pathways.
Digoxin: Concomitant administration of BYSTOLIC (10 mg once daily) and digoxin (0.25 mg once daily) for 10 days in 14 healthy adult individuals resulted in no significant changes in the pharmacokinetics of digoxin or nebivolol [see DRUG INTERACTIONS].
Warfarin: Administration of BYSTOLIC (10 mg once daily for 10 days) led to no significant changes in the pharmacokinetics of nebivolol or R- or S-warfarin following a single 10 mg dose of warfarin. Similarly, nebivolol has no significant effects on the anticoagulant activity of warfarin, as assessed by Prothrombin time and INR profiles from 0 to 144 hours after a single 10 mg warfarin dose in 12 healthy adult volunteers. Reference ID: 3058093
Diuretics: No pharmacokinetic interactions were observed in healthy adults between nebivolol (10 mg daily for 10 days) and furosemide (40 mg single dose), hydrochlorothiazide (25 mg once daily for 10 days), or spironolactone (25 mg once daily for 10 days).
Ramipril: Concomitant administration of BYSTOLIC (10 mg once daily) and ramipril (5 mg once daily) for 10 days in 15 healthy adult volunteers produced no pharmacokinetic interactions.
Losartan: Concomitant administration of BYSTOLIC (10 mg single dose) and losartan (50 mg single dose) in 20 healthy adult volunteers did not result in pharmacokinetic interactions.
Fluoxetine: Fluoxetine, a CYP2D6 inhibitor, administered at 20 mg per day for 21 days prior to a single 10 mg dose of nebivolol to 10 healthy adults, led to an 8-fold increase in the AUC and 3-fold increase in Cmax for dnebivolol [see DRUG INTERACTIONS].
Histamine-2 Receptor Antagonists: The pharmacokinetics of nebivolol (5 mg single dose) were not affected by the co-administration of ranitidine (150 mg twice daily). Cimetidine (400 mg twice daily) causes a 23% increase in the plasma levels of d-nebivolol.
Charcoal: The pharmacokinetics of nebivolol (10 mg single dose) were not affected by repeated coadministration (4, 8, 12, 16, 22, 28, 36, and 48 hours after nebivolol administration) of activated charcoal (Actidose-Aqua®).
Sildenafil: The co-administration of nebivolol and sildenafil decreased AUC and Cmax of sildenafil by 21 and 23% respectively. The effect on the Cmax and AUC for d-nebivolol was also small ( < 20%). The effect on vital signs (e.g., pulse and blood pressure) was approximately the sum of the effects of sildenafil and nebivolol.
Other Concomitant Medications: Utilizing population pharmacokinetic analyses, derived from hypertensive patients, the following drugs were observed not to have an effect on the pharmacokinetics of nebivolol: acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid, atorvastatin, esomeprazole, ibuprofen, levothyroxine sodium, metformin, sildenafil, simvastatin, or tocopherol.
Protein Binding: No meaningful changes in the extent of in vitro binding of nebivolol to human plasma proteins were noted in the presence of high concentrations of diazepam, digoxin, diphenylhydantoin, enalapril, hydrochlorothiazide, imipramine, indomethacin, propranolol, sulfamethazine, tolbutamide, or warfarin. Additionally, nebivolol did not significantly alter the protein binding of the following drugs: diazepam, digoxin, diphenylhydantoin, hydrochlorothiazide, imipramine, or warfarin at their therapeutic concentrations.
The antihypertensive effectiveness of BYSTOLIC as monotherapy has been demonstrated in three randomized, double-blind, multi-center, placebo-controlled trials at doses ranging from 1.25 to 40 mg for 12 weeks (Studies 1, 2, and 3). A fourth placebo-controlled trial demonstrated additional antihypertensive effects of BYSTOLIC at doses ranging from 5 to 20 mg when administered concomitantly with up to two other antihypertensive agents (ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor antagonists, and thiazide diuretics) in patients with inadequate blood pressure control.
The three monotherapy trials included a total of 2016 patients (1811 BYSTOLIC, 205 placebo) with mild to moderate hypertension who had baseline diastolic blood pressures (DBP) of 95 to 109 mmHg. Patients received either BYSTOLIC or placebo once daily for twelve weeks. Two of these monotherapy trials (Studies 1 and 2) studied 1716 patients in the general hypertensive population with a mean age of 54 years, 55% males, 26% non-Caucasians, 7% diabetics and 6% genotyped as PMs. The third monotherapy trial (Study 3) studied 300 Black patients with a mean age of 51 years, 45% males, 14% diabetics, and 3% as PMs.
Placebo-subtracted blood pressure reductions by dose for each study are presented in Table 2. Most studies showed increasing response to doses above 5 mg.
Table 2: Placebo-Subtracted Least-Square Mean Reductions
in Trough Sitting Systolic/Diastolic Blood Pressure (SiSBP/SiDBP mmHg) by Dose
in Studies with Once Daily BYSTOLIC
|Nebivolol dose (mg)|
|* p < 0.05 based on pair-wise comparison
¶ Study enrolled only African Americans.
^ Study on top of one or two other antihypertensive medications.
Study 4 enrolled 669 patients with a mean age of 54 years, 55% males, 54% Caucasians, 29% Blacks, 15% Hispanics, 1% Asians, 14% diabetics, and 5% PMs. BYSTOLIC, 5 mg to 20 mg, administered once daily concomitantly with stable doses of up to two other antihypertensive agents (ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor antagonists, and thiazide diuretics) resulted in significant additional antihypertensive effects over placebo compared to baseline blood pressure.
Effectiveness was similar in subgroups analyzed by age and sex. Effectiveness was established in Blacks, but as monotherapy the magnitude of effect was somewhat less than in Caucasians.
The blood pressure lowering effect of BYSTOLIC was seen within two weeks of treatment and was maintained over the 24-hour dosing interval.
There are no trials of BYSTOLIC demonstrating reductions in cardiovascular risk in patients with hypertension, but at least one pharmacologically similar drug has demonstrated such benefits.
Last reviewed on RxList: 1/4/2012
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.
Additional Bystolic Tablets Information
Bystolic Tablets - User Reviews
Bystolic Tablets User Reviews
Now you can gain knowledge and insight about a drug treatment with Patient Discussions.
Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Get tips on handling your hypertension.

domain: medical


text:
A deliciously rich Slow Cooker Chicken Mole, simplified so you can enjoy it at home more often! The original method and ingredient list for this classic Mexican dish are lengthy. While not a traditional version, this easy chicken mole still has a melding of spicy chili, chocolate, and cinnamon, and will be a hit with your family.
This post is sponsored by SunButter, an allergy safe brand that makes a delicious sunflower seed butter. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep Sunkissed Kitchen running!
An Easy Chicken Mole Recipe
If you’re a Mexican food fan, no doubt you’ve tried what’s possibly Mexico’s most revered dish – Mole.
It’s a dish that is made differently depending on who you talk to and what region of the country you are in.
Despite the many variations, they all have two things in common:
- They require a laundry list of ingredients, included toasted seeds, chilis, chocolate, and spices.
- The process is complicated, and can take anywhere from hours to days.
If you love the flavors of mole, but want a simplified version to enjoy at home, I’ve nailed the perfect recipe for that.
This one uses the same flavors, but in easier-to-use ingredients (chili powder rather than whole chilis, cocoa powder rather than hard-to-find Mexican chocolate, and SunButter Sunflower Seed Butter rather that toasted and blended seeds and nuts).
Ingredients in this Chicken Mole Recipe
- Chicken breasts. We also tested this with bone-in chicken thighs (in the crockpot). I browned them first in some avocado oil, then covered them with the mole sauce — really good also!).
- Onions & garlic – and if you love it spicy like we do, jalapeño
- Chili powder, cumin, & cinnamon
- Chicken broth
- Organic SunButter Sunflower Seed Butter (this is a super simple way to add the “nutty” flavor in a traditional mole! Plus, it’s allergy friendly, since many traditional recipes call for peanuts.)
- Tomato paste
- Cocoa powder
- Arrowroot, mixed with water, to yeild a thicker sauce. If you don’t have this on hand, cornstarch is a good substitute.
- Cilantro, lime, and diced onions to top. We also love creamy avocados and cauliflower rice to serve.
Using these more accessible ingredients in your sauce means you probably won’t have to go to a speciality store to have everything you need, AND, you really don’t need to blend the sauce. If you’d like a super smooth sauce, definitely do it — it won’t affect the incredible flavors if you choose to keep your blender clean!
I adore using SunButter Sunflower Seed Butter in dishes that traditionally use tree nuts or peanuts. I suffer from a peanut allergy, so believe it or not, I have never experienced Chicken Mole at a restaurant!
SunButter is an incredible alternative that not only tastes amazing, but makes safer dishes for the growing number of allergy sufferers!
Head on over to the SunButter website to see the range of products they sell. I love the Organic and No Sugar Added varieties for cooking, but buy the Crunchy version to eat off a spoon or use with desserts (it’s THAT good!).
How to Make Crockpot Chicken Mole
No need to be a professional chef or Mexican grandma to enjoy these amazing flavors at home!
Plus, this version takes about 20 minutes to prep and throw into the crockpot. Your house will fill with the most incredible warming smells, while you get on with your day.
- Add the chicken to a crockpot, and then generously salt and pepper it.
- Add avocado oil to a skillet, and heat over medium high. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and jalapeno, and saute for 6-8 minutes, until the veggies are fragrant and translucent.
- Next, add the chili powder, cumin and salt, and stir to coat the veggies.
- Add the chicken broth, tomato paste, and Organic SunButter. Use a whisk to incorporate the sunflower seed butter and tomato paste into the mixture, while bringing it to a low simmer.
- Add the cocoa powder and salt, and taste. This is a good point to adjust the spiciness by adding more chili powder or salt, if needed.
Tips & Variations for Chicken Mole
This chicken mole recipe can also be made on a stovetop, if you’re in a hurry and don’t want to go the slow cooker route. Add the chicken to a large skillet, and pour half of the mole sauce over the top, and then cover it and let it simmer on medium low for about 30-40 minutes. Follow the rest of the instructions as written!
Whole30 Or Paleo Meal
Make Less Spicy
Absolutely! Start with 1-2 tablespoons of chili sauce, to give it the flavor without adding too much spice. You can also experiment with different chili powders because have very little spice.
Other Healthy Mexican Recipes
- Beef Birria de Res (Mexican Stewed Beef)
- Pipian Verde (Green Mole)
- Mexican Cabbage Salsa (my favorite condiment to serve with Mexican dishes!)
Slow Cooker Chicken Mole
- Crock pot
- 2 pounds chicken breasts boneless
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1/2 yellow onion minced
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 jalapeno optional, minced
- 1/4 cup chili powder*
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons Organic SunButter or sub peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder mixed with 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Add chicken to the crockpot, and salt and pepper generously.
- In a large skillet, add avocado oil, minced onion, garlic and jalapeno (if using), and saute over medium high heat until translucent and fragrant, about 6 minutes.
- Add chili powder, cinnamon, cumin and salt, and stir to combine with vegetables.
- Pour in chicken broth, and add tomato paste and SunButter. Whisk until smooth. Heat until mixture is lightly simmering.
- Mix arrowroot with 2 tablespoons of water, and then stir it in to the sauce while whisking to prevent clumps.
- Add cocoa powder and salt, and adjust chili powder and salt to taste.
- At this point, you can use an immersion blender or a standard blender to make the sauce ultra smooth. I don't find this necessary. The sauce will have an amazing flavor even if you skip this step.
- Pour half of sauce over the chicken, and set the crockpot to cook on low for 4-5 hours. Add the rest of the sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Remove the chicken breasts. Shred them with two forks, or cut them into chunks.
- Reheat the remaining sauce to drizzle on the chicken. You can also just add it to the slow cooker with the shredded chicken.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This shredded chicken mole is amazing frozen. Store in a freezer air-tight container for up to 3 months.
- Stovetop Variation: This chicken mole recipe can also be made on a stovetop, if you’re in a hurry and don’t want to go the slow cooker route. Add the chicken to a large skillet, and pour half of the mole sauce over the top, and then cover it and let it simmer on medium low for about 30-40 minutes. Follow the rest of the instructions as written!
- Whole30 or Paleo Meal: I’ve been serving this chicken mole with cauliflower rice and avocado, making it the perfect Whole30 or Paleo meal. It would also be great with zucchini noodles.
- Can I make this not spicy? Absolutely! Start with 1-2 tablespoons of chili sauce, to give it the flavor without adding too much spice. You can also experiment with different chili powders because have very little spice.

domain: food


text:
Govt will be ‘guided by science’ as GSD calls for review of restrictions
The Gibraltar Government yesterday said it will “continue to be guided by scientific advice” after the GSD said Gibraltar “must now learn to live with Covid” as it called for a review on the rationale of restrictions and the purpose of testing.
The GSD said Gibraltar is in a “different environment to that of 2020” and a successful vaccination programme was “clearly being effective at staving off hospitalisations despite a high level of community infection”.
The GSD said the system of rigorous control of testing which effectively banned self-testing was introduced at the beginning of the Covid pandemic, adding that at this stage self-testing “should be encouraged subject to certain limitations”.
The GSD said the Government’s position on Lateral Flow Tests (LFTs) did not take this into account.
This is the latest development in the debate over the provision of LFTs after the Government this week published further details on how it purchased the tests.
Over the past few weeks, the GSD and Together Gibraltar have called for these tests to be readily available for use at home, much as is the case in other countries.
The exchanges between the Government and Opposition parties escalated after local pharmacies were allowed to offer supervised LFTs, with one pharmacy offering these tests at a price of £30.
The Government’s position is that supervised testing offers more reliability.
However LFTs can be easily purchased in Spain for three euros a test, and are available for free to registered NHS users in the UK.
Earlier this week the Government provided details on how it purchases the LFTs for Gibraltar, and told this newspaper these are purchased at a cost of £5.40 each from Francisco Navarro, a commercial pharmacist based in La Linea.
The Government said quick importations were handled by a local agent, namely Basewell Ltd.
The GSD said any existing contractual arrangements which the GHA has in place with suppliers “must clearly deliver value for money to the taxpayer and be transparent”.
“Apart from the obvious point that in today’s market it should be possible for the Government to source reliable tests for less than £5.40 and therefore save the taxpayer money the continuation of current controls ignores the new environment,” the GSD said.
“Self-testing should now be encouraged and allowed because we are not in a place where we are likely going to stamp out Covid anytime soon.”
“We must learn to live with it.”
“Cheap tests are available everywhere in Spain and the UK as well as many other countries in line with this new environment and policy of encouraging community self-awareness.”
The GSD said that the restrictions on the importation of Covid tests should now be reviewed to allow the importation of cheaper LFTs, adding this can be done with certain protections that designate the source of export of the particular tests.
“This would encourage self-testing at no additional cost to the tax-payer,” the GSD said.
“Additionally self-testing should go hand in hand with a requirement that a person who tests ‘positive’ on a self-LFT should submit to a PCR at the Government test centre or at an approved provider.”
“That would allow the Government to retain control of quality assurance, verification of result and information as to positive cases in this community.”
It also called on the rules of self-isolation to be reviewed further after the Government recently announced a reduction to seven days for those who tested positive for Covid-19 following two consecutive negative LFTs on Day 6 and Day 7.
“At any one time we are seeing almost 5% of our population subjected to self-isolation rules,” the GSD said.
“These were designed before the vaccination effort and when the effects of COVID were more likely to lead to higher hospitalisation and the possible collapse of the GHA.”
“This is now not the case and should be reconsidered.”
The GSD said the UK is actively reviewing its own rules and the self-isolation period in England has been reduced to five days.
It added that the UK Government has announced it was scrapping LFTs for the purposes of air travel saying that these had out-lived their purpose.
The UK Prime Minister has also strongly indicated that even positive cases may not need to go into self-isolation in England as from March 24, 2022 saying that he will seek a vote in the UK Parliament for that purpose if possible, the GSD said.
“All that indicates that it is necessary to critically review restrictions that were designed to deal with Covid at a different time,” the GSD added.
“Any restrictions on freedoms should now be responsive to the new post-vaccination environment.”
The GSD said that there may be a case for dealing with certain localised environments such as the ERS or the hospital in a different way given the presence of vulnerable people.
But it said that “even then the restrictions should not do more than is necessary and should not unreasonably prevent family members from visiting their relatives”.
“It is difficult to see why a positive result of a staff member should result in restricted visits to families,” the GSD said.
“Prolonged absence with family contact can have a very detrimental effect on a resident’s well-being.”
“The GSD is receiving expressions of concern from families in that regard and would encourage Government to consider those issues.”
GSD leader, Keith Azopardi, said: “It’s now time to learn to live with COVID and review restrictions that were introduced two years ago even further given that we are in a different post-vaccination environment.”
“That way any measures will reflect the current situation.”
“Managing the Covid issue has always been a dynamic exercise and restrictions should not be in place a moment longer than necessary.”
“Additionally it is important to be responsive to the world of 2022 and therefore adapt restrictions introduced in 2020 that may now be outdated.”
“That doesn’t mean we are over the pandemic but it does mean that we should tailor measures to the environment we find ourselves in at any given time.”
For his part, Elliott Phillips, Shadow Health and Civil Contingencies Minister, said: “The Covid climate has changed and Government’s thinking, whilst informed by public health advice, must adapt to the 2022 scenario.”
“The vaccination programme has been in large measure successful in allowing our community to unlock and live side by side with the virus.”
“It is now time to take a cold hard look at residual measures and question whether they are proportionate and necessary.”
“The Government’s unwillingness to engage positively with the public in allowing widespread use of LFTs at very low costs is just one example of where we could be doing things much better.”
“The other overwhelming concern by many in our community is how we get a grip on restoring all of our primary and secondary health services to something close to pre-Covid levels.”
In his response to the GSD, the Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, said: "We continue to monitor the progress of Covid-19 through our community and to take advice on how best to deal with the move from pandemic to endemic in the management of the virus.”
“Unfortunately, we are not out of the woods yet, although we all wish we were.”
“We need to ensure that we don't drop the ball now and lose control of the spread of the virus in these stages, which we all hope will be the final stages, of the pandemic.”
“We will continue to provide entirely free tests for Covid-19 to our people in a way that continues to provide us the reliable information as to the spread of the virus.”
“We will continue to be guided by the scientific advice."

domain: politics


text:
Wondering to travel in style, comfort, and with a touch of luxury has never been more accessible. Business class deals from the UK to the USA are no longer exclusive to the elite. With a bit of savvy planning and the right approach, you can secure discounted business class tickets without breaking the bank. In this article, we’ll share valuable travel tips for 2023, helping you make the most of business class deals from the UK to the USA.
Book in Advance:
To get the best deals on business class flights, it’s essential to plan ahead. Booking well in advance, usually several months before your intended travel dates, can help you take advantage of early-bird discounts. Airlines often release promotional fares that are significantly lower when booked ahead of time.
Stay Flexible with Dates:
Flexibility in your travel dates can open up more opportunities for cost-effective business class deals. Midweek flights (Tuesday and Wednesday) tend to be cheaper than weekend flights. Use fare comparison tools and be open to adjusting your departure and return dates to find the best offers.
Loyalty Programs and Miles:
If you frequently travel, consider joining loyalty programs or using airline miles. Accumulating miles or points can lead to significant discounts or even free upgrades to business class. Check with your preferred airlines for their loyalty program details and how they can benefit your travel plans.
Utilize Fare Comparison Websites:
The internet is a treasure trove of fare comparison websites and travel agencies. Utilize these tools to compare fares from various airlines, including business class deals. Websites like Skyscanner, Kayak, and Google Flights allow you to explore a wide range of options to find the best deals.
Subscribe to Fare Alerts:
Many travel websites and airlines offer fare alerts. By subscribing to these alerts, you’ll receive notifications about price drops and promotions. This is a simple way to stay informed about business class deals without constantly checking for updates.
Consider Nearby Airports:
Depending on your location, consider flying from or to nearby airports. Smaller airports or those in less congested areas may have cheaper business class fares. Be sure to factor in any additional travel expenses to reach these alternative airports.
Sometimes, booking two one-way business class tickets can be more cost-effective than a round-trip ticket. This allows you to mix and match airlines to get the best deals and maximize your savings.
Use Credit Card Points:
Certain credit cards offer rewards or travel points that can be used to book business class flights. Some cards also have partnerships with airlines, providing additional benefits for cardholders. Check if your credit card offers these perks.
Keep an Eye on Sales and Promotions:
Airlines periodically run sales and promotions for business class flights. Stay updated on their official websites and social media channels to take advantage of these special deals.
Negotiate Upgrades at Check-In:
If you’ve booked an economy class ticket, you can try negotiating an upgrade to business class at the airport during check-in. Occasionally, airlines offer discounted upgrades if they have vacant seats in the business class cabin.
Consider Premium Economy:
Premium economy seats offer a significant upgrade in comfort compared to economy class. They’re often more affordable than business class, and in some cases, you can find deals that are close in price to regular economy fares. Plus, you get additional legroom and better service.
Some travel agencies and airlines offer bundle deals that combine flights, accommodations, and other perks. These packages can save you money compared to booking everything separately.
Traveling during off-peak seasons can lead to substantial savings. Prices for business class tickets are generally lower when demand is lower. Be sure to consider weather conditions and local events when choosing your travel dates.
Follow the 24-Hour Rule:
After booking a ticket, many airlines allow a 24-hour window during which you can change or cancel your reservation without penalty. This can be useful if you find a better deal shortly after booking.
Stay Informed About Visa Requirements:
Ensure that you are aware of the visa requirements for the USA. A denied visa can be costly, so make sure to apply in advance and have all the necessary documentation in order.
Traveling in business class flights to USA from UK is a delightful experience that can enhance your journey in more ways than one. By applying these travel tips for 2023, you can access business class deals that make luxury travel more affordable. Whether you’re heading to the USA for business or leisure, a comfortable and stylish flight can set the tone for an unforgettable trip. So, use these strategies to secure the best business class deals and embark on your transatlantic adventure in the lap of luxury.

domain: travel


text:
Aussie pair’s own Way of the Cross
Former Peregian resident Neil Belbin last week completed an emotional journey to France to return a crucifix found by his father in the rubble of a church during the First World War.
Neil, 87, was accompanied on his trip by well-known Coolum resident Dennis Dawson.
In July 1916, after heavy bombardment destroyed the Catholic church in Pozieres on the Western Front, young Australian sapper Private Walter Belbin found a broken ivory crucifix and a wooden telescope box in the ruins.
The 18-year-old put the cross in the box and wrapped it in a red shawl and carried it with him for the rest of the war, bringing it home to Australia in 1919.
Walter was wounded at Pozieres and the telescope box still has his bloodstains on it.
In an official ceremony earlier this month, Neil presented the crucifix, the box and the red shawl to the people of Pozieres to be placed in the town’s rebuilt church.
The crucifix had been left to Neil by his father when he died but a recent family meeting decided it should be returned to France.
Neil said he had been treated like royalty by the people of Pozieres.
“It was very emotional and quite a few tears were shed.”
Neil, who served in the navy from 1938 until 1959, has been enjoying extended stays in Peregian and Coolum for 28 years.
He and wife Betty lived at the Coolum Seaside resort for about eight years, where he first met Dennis and Rhonda Dawson, who managed the complex.
“I asked Dennis about 12 months ago (to go to France) and he jumped at the opportunity,” Neil said.
“I couldn’t have gone away without Dennis. He was like a brother to me.
“We had a great time together.”
Dennis said the trip, which included other Western Front battlefields, had been very moving.
He said seeing so many “unknown” graves “brought tears to your eyes”.

domain: history


text:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. construction spending unexpectedly fell in June as investment in public projects recorded its biggest drop since March 2002, suggesting a downward revision to the second-quarter economic growth estimate.
The Commerce Department said on Tuesday that construction spending tumbled 1.3 percent to $1.21 trillion, the lowest level since September 2016. Spending in May was revised to show it rising 0.3 percent.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast construction spending increasing 0.4 percent in June after it was previously reported as being unchanged in May. Construction spending increased 1.6 percent on a year-on-year basis.
The government said on Friday in its advance gross domestic product estimate that the economy grew at a 2.6 percent annualized rate in the second quarter.
In June, investment in public construction projects plunged 5.4 percent, the biggest drop since March 2002. The decline pushed public construction spending to its lowest level since February 2014.
Outlays on state and local government construction projects fell 5.1 percent in June, also the largest fall since March 2002. Federal government construction spending slumped 9.3 percent, the largest drop since December 2010.
Spending on private construction projects slipped 0.1 percent after a similar drop in May. Investment in private residential construction fell 0.2 percent.
Spending on private nonresidential structures edged up 0.1 percent in June after surging 0.6 percent in May. Investment in residential and nonresidential structures such as oil and gas wells is slowing as the boost from oil prices fades.
Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Paul Simao
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

domain: news


text:
Kristín Mjöll Bjarnadóttir Johnsen is an Icelandic multidisciplinary artist based in Reykjavík, Iceland. Kristín uses playfulness and interaction to explore and speculate about the future and alternative realities. In her work, she mainly explores feminism, sexuality, ethics, technology, and speculations. Kristín has a BA in visual arts from The Icelandic University of the Arts (IUA) and an MFA in performing arts from the same school. Kristín is one of two members in the performance group Holdgervlar, which released their debut music album in September 2020 on the underground label MYRKFÆLNI. The Holdgervlar themselves are xeno-robots, ready-made organisms with human roots. They were awarded One to Watch at the 2021 Grapevine Music Awards. Kristín, along with actress Björk Guðmundsdóttir, hosted a workshop for the IUA summerschool 2021 in improvisation and live action role playing hybrid. The storyline of the workshop took place at the universe of Holdgervlar.
Report during the symposium:
PROLOGUE FOR CHANGE THROUGH IMPROV ACTING AND LARPING
Anthropocentrism and technological progression are the cornerstones of my current art research. In August 2021, I hosted a workshop where the partcipants reflected upon and challenged these two fundamentals. The workshop was a hybrid of Live Action Role Play (LARP) and improvised theatre, set in an alternative world. The workshop at its core was an invitation for empathy and teamwork. Everyone must put in their effort for the game to work out as well as possible. The changes that need to be made for our social-ecological systems today can feel overwhelming. This workshop does not solve these problems but is more of a prologue for change, a social dialogue of speculations through play. This was an invitation to an alternative world where people get to completely immerse themselves in another being’s life and interests (the player’s character) and, with care and respect, elevate the character for the game and try to step out of their own anthropocentric narrative. I firmly believe that role playing is an excellent tool for sharpening our group consciousness. The player may sympathise with being a character who either lacks or has surplus rights and social status that differ from what the player is used to in their everyday life. The player may also generate empathy through being a part of a network that does not follow a familiar structure at all.
International Committee to Save the Earth Through Speculative Fabulation
Dovilė Aleksaitė, Fee Altmann, Sanja Anđelković, Elisabeth Brun, Belén Cerezo, Suvam Das, Damian Domes, Raquel Felgueiras, Kausik Ghosh, Florian Goeschke, Vanessa Graf, Anouk Hoogendoorn, Kristin Johnsen, Paul R Jones, Dani Landau, Stacy Lo, Madhuja Mukherjee, Roksana Niewadzisz, Christine Reeh-Peters, Marie-André Robitaille, Gonzalo H. Rodriguez, Szilvia Ruszev, Sanja Särman, Marie Louise Juul Søndergaard, Alisi Telengut, Bela Usabaev, Joshua Wagner, Lisa Walder, Dörte Weig

domain: artistic


text:
Tale of ObsessionA desperate Daphne walked into the enemy's arms.
Tales from a Far Countryby Phil Lane & Freddie Clegg : Jenny's slavery realities
Tales from the MILF StoreA look at a Major Department Store and its employees.
Tales in SlaveryThe Slave Clearance.
Tales of a Suburban Sex GoddessBeverley experiences new found freedom after children leave.
Tales Of Forced SexLauren forces Alexandra in her sleep.
Tales of Kathye's TailJake & Buck seduce Kathye in Jake's pickup.
Talk and ActionFriends reconnect and she learns and practices masturbation.
Tami's JobTami obeys her manager in order to keep her job.
Taming of the ShrewWith apologies to the Bard.

domain: library


text:
Can you name the people who are on (B)owser's side, (M)ario's side, or (I)ndependent??
- Click any empty Hint or Answer to answer for that location
- ALERT!: Entering some wrong answers will end the quiz
- Note: Do Bowser's hint first. There is one liar in this quiz, as told in a hint.
- This quiz has not been verified by Sporcle
Super Mario Logic quiz
- Created Apr 4, 2013 in Gaming
- Game Plays 5,293
Go to the Sporcle.com Mobile Site →

domain: game


Articles tagged ‘geforce gtx 680’
As the year comes to a close it's time to take a look again at AMD's Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition and NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 680 to see who can end the year as the reigning king of GPUs. We'll also take a look at which is the better buy if you're planning on building a new system early in 2013.
Two cards enter, one card leaves: two factory-overclocked GeForce GTX 680 graphics cards duke out over a comprehensive set of benchmarks and games to determine which deserves your hard earned cash. Fight!
With the top GPU offering based on renewed architectures from AMD and NVIDIA out in the market, we decided to kick things up a notch further by pitting the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 in SLI configuration against the AMD Radeon HD 7970 in CrossFire setup. Can NVIDIA still hold its fort? Read on to find out!
- Apple has one more thing to unveil on September 9, the much fabled iWatch
- SingTel announces new Unlimited Fiber Plan, promises no traffic throttling
- ASUS ZenFone 5 LTE available in Singapore on August 30 from S$249
- Sony Xperia C3 available in Singapore from August 30 at S$468
- Klipsch adds new Reference R6M earphones to its Reference series
- HTC to release world's first octa-core 64-bit smartphone?
- HTC announces the 4.7-inch Desire 510, its most affordable 4G smartphone to date
- Seagate ships world's first 8TB hard disk drive


text:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A consortium of scientists and researchers, led by the University of Florida, has received the prestigious National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Partnership Award for Multistate Efforts.
The Southeast Climate Extension project is comprised of 19 researchers from half a dozen universities. They engage agricultural producers and help them implement management strategies to protect crops from weather extremes. In addition, they conduct research aimed at reducing climate and weather risks in agriculture and natural resources in Florida, and cooperate with similar programs through the Southeast Climate Consortium.
“The United States, as a global leader in agriculture, faces a demanding set of challenges as we work to feed the world,” said Sonny Ramaswamy, NIFA director. “These honorees are instrumental in helping NIFA find and apply solutions that ensure all people have access to a safe and nutritious food supply.”
There are several aspects to the SCE’s work, including the creation of networks of researchers, growers and producers, and the development of technology resources.
“I believe that it is a great recognition of the Southeast and UF-IFAS leadership in climate extension,” said Clyde Fraisse, UF associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering and the SCE project director. “As I look at other programs in our country and the world, it is clear that our program is quite advanced in providing stakeholders with information and tools to face the challenges posed by climate variability and change.”
The researchers created the Row Crop Climate Learning Network, focusing primarily on corn, cotton, peanut, soybean and wheat. Their work included field trips to farms, surveys, scientific presentations, roundtable discussions and opportunities for producers to participate in research studies. The network is notable because it places great importance on producers’ observations and concerns, and quickly delivers that information to researchers.
They hold an annual event – the Climate Adaptation Exchange Fair –and include individual farmers’ presentations on their experiences with a specific management technology, discussing the advantages and drawbacks.
The scientists created the SCE website (http://www.agroclimate.org/seclimate), where users can access almost 20 climate-related factsheets, the quarterly SCE newsletter, reports from past events, information on upcoming events and links to peer-reviewed scientific papers.
They developed the Water Footprint Tool, available on the SCE website, that allows producers to estimate water use, based on their specific operations. It also allows for water-use comparisons between years, cropping systems and regions; the results can be useful for sustainability studies and regional water management policy.
They developed the 4-H Weather and Climate Toolkit, which helps young people ages 8 to 12 understand basic climate science, weather forecasting and the effects of human activity on climate.
In addition, they formed a partnership with the Federation of Southern Cooperatives, which supports African-American farmers and works to help them acquire or retain farmland ownership. SCE works with the federation’s mentoring program for young farmers; SCE volunteers provide information about traditional and emerging climate information and explain how both are relevant to risk management and climate resilience.
Other UF scientists involved in the SCE are: Wendy-Lin Bartels, an assistant research scientist; David Diehl, an associate professor in family, youth and community sciences; Daniel Dourte, a postdoctoral research and Extension associate; Heather Kent, a regional specialized 4-H agent; Jim Marois, a professor of plant pathology at the North Florida Research and Education Center; Fred Royce, assistant scientist in agricultural and biological engineering; Nicole Sloan, a writer in family, youth and community sciences, and
David Wright, an Extension specialist and professor at the North Florida REC.
The University of Georgia, Florida State University, Auburn University, Clemson University and Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University are also a part of the SCE.
Award recipients were honored Thursday in Washington, D.C.
Photo: Clyde Fraisse (blue shirt) led a consortium of researchers to win a prestigious U.S. award.
By Kimberly Moore Wilmoth, 352-294-3302, email@example.com
Source: Clyde Fraisse, 352-392-1864 ext. 271, firstname.lastname@example.org

domain: agronomy


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PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, January 1 (Itar-Tass) – Frost of minus 45 degrees Celsius has taken in its grips the northern districts of the Kamchakta territory, causing the territorial branch of the federal Ministry for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense /EMERCOM/ to issue recommendations to the population to take all the necessary personal safety precautions.
Experts at the Kamchatka territorial center for hydrometeorology told Itar-Tass the frosts have been produced by an anticyclone.
In the Penzhinsky district, the air temperatures did not rise above minus 39 degrees even during the daytime.
Forecasts say the frost will keep the areas under its sway through to Sunday, January 8. Warnings say minus 45 is not the limit and the temperatures may sink further to minus 50.
The recommendations EMERCOM has issued include keeping children at home until the temperature rises to at least minus 20. Senior citizens have also been asked to refrain from walks in the open air.
In the meantime, there have been no reports on whatever irregularities in the normal functions of housing services and/or public utilities.


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TURTLE CREEK EVENT DJS
Looking for a professional DJ to oversee the music at your event? From weddings to birthdays, corporate functions and more – GigMasters has thousands of Event DJs to choose from. Narrow your search to those near you in the Turtle Creek, WV area and contact your favorite today.
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domain: entertainment


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Science-fiction and fantasy costuming is on the upswing, as proved by the high caliber of costumes at BayCon '03, the area's annual SF/F convention over Memorial Day Weekend. In the halls and at the Saturday night masquerade ball and costume competition, elaborate and fun costumes were everywhere.
At the masquerade, the GBACG gave our Rising Star Award to the most promising costumer in the novice category. We were pleased to present Kathe and Philip Gust with this award and a one-year membership in the Guild! They wore gorgeous reproduction costumes of Eowyn and King Theoden of Rohan from the Lord of the Rings movie. They created these beautiful, elaborate costumes, complete in
every detail from the rich styling of Eowyn's medieval-influenced gown right down to the gold horse-head embroidery on Theoden's under-tunic.
Kathe and Philip also made Star Wars Jedi costumes for daytime and Regency costumes for the Sunday dance. They are both very enthusiastic about the art of costume, and they are lovely people who we hope to see at future events! Check out their website at http://celefinniel.webhop.net/
The Best in Show winners at BayCon's masquerade was the One Ring Circus -- another Lord of the Rings recreation, but this one featured the whole cast of the movies singing and dancing to a parody of "The Pitch" from the movie Moulin Rouge. It was truly spectacular, spectacular, and you can see more at http://www.stitchinbabes.com/orcindex.html
The masquerade also had a fabulous furry monster, a sexy robot, and a funny Star Trek skit. In the halls, we spied great Harry Potter costumes, a realistic RD-D2, sparkly faeries, a darling dragon toddler, slick Matrix-inspired outfits, elegant elves, Jedis galore, and giant anime creatures that dared take on the Klingons.
BayCon also featured a full track of costume panels, and GBACG members lead these efforts. These discussions were well-attended and lively. We talked about making wings, building bustles, researching costumes online, and so much more. BayCon remains an excellent place for new costumers to learn from experienced folks, and every year more and more fabulous costumes can be seen there.
--Trystan L. Bass
BayCon 2003 Masquerade Winners
Best in Class, Novice: Vortex, Jennifer Walker
Best SciFi, Novice: Commedia in Space, Venison Street Players
Best Fantasy, Novice: (tie) Eowyn of Rohan, Kathe Gust, & King Theoden of Rohan, Philip Gust
Best in Class, Professional: Urban Gargoyle, Brad Rolander
Best SciFi, Professional: Sexy Robot, Raven O'Neill
Best Fantasy, Professional: Lowhorn, Edwin A. Carter
Best Re-creation, Professional: Lulu, Dena Natali
Best of Show: One Ring Circus, Carolyn Staehle (Frodo), Leah Jakusovsky (Sam), Kelly Bolton (Merry), Cathleen Trowbridge (Pippin), Judi Grivich (Gimli), Gordelia Willis (Legolas), Mitch Steinberger (Aragorn), Aimee Steinberger (Arwen), Kelly Lima (Eowyn), A.J. Wu (Ringwraith)
Best in Class, Novice: King Theoden of Rohan, Philip Gust
Honorable Mention, Novice: Darth Vader, name unknown
Best in Class, Professional: Gimli from the One Ring Circus, Judy Grivich
Honorable Mention, Professional: Lulu, Dena Natali
Honorable Mention, Professional: Urban Gargoyle, Brad Rolander


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With coronavirus COVID-19 outbreaks persevering with all over the world, many individuals are desirous about what emergency provides they may need if they are required to self-isolate. If no Verizon Media Entity is specified to be the provider in respect of a specific Service, the Applicable Verizon Media Entity is Oath Inc. For instance, obesity is a major drawback within the United States that contributes to dangerous psychological health and causes stress in the lives of great numbers of individuals. Later murals in China present a bunch of people digging a properly for ingesting, giving us proof that the 21,000 BCE community members understood the significance of fresh water for their health.
They are designed to support health planning by native well being departments, native well being planners, group residents, and others desirous about group health enchancment. Neither GlobalHealth, its affiliates or brokers, nor some other party concerned within the preparation or publication of the knowledge introduced is answerable for any errors or omissions in the information.
4 5 International health is to not be confused with worldwide well being , which is outlined as the branch of public well being specializing in growing nations and international help efforts by industrialized countries 6 World health can be measured as a function of varied world ailments and their prevalence on the planet and risk to decrease life expectancy within the current day.
They also trigger drownings and physical accidents, injury houses and disrupt the supply of medical and health providers. Arizona Cardinals vast receiver Larry Fitzgerald speaks to the media before dropping off food to medical workers April 29, 2020. The disparity impacts the well being of people within the US. For example, poorer healthcare standards in international locations like Mexico make it tougher for the US and other nations to deal with pandemics involving Mexico.
EASY EATING TIP:Â Eat this healthy meals sparsely – just one or two squares per day is enough to reap the advantages. A 2020 study, revealed within the journal Nutrients, assessed the results of walnut consumption on the omega-3 fatty acid profile of wholesome adults over a four-week period. Two workplaces on the U.S. Division of State focus on mobilizing worldwide efforts to stop, detect, and reply to world well being safety threats wherever they begin.
If you’re creating a brand new account, the Terms under apply beginning as we speak. We use auto-renewal for a lot of of our fee-based Services. Nonetheless, if you wish to purchase an individual medical health insurance plan, it’s possible you’ll qualify for a special open enrollment interval if you have a qualifying life event that affects your health insurance needs. Healthy eating has been linked to the prevention and therapy of many illnesses , particularly most cancers , coronary heart illness, hypoglycemia, and diabetes.
Healing food, Well being-promoting meals Vitamin Any meals believed to be ‘good for you’, especially if excessive in fiber, natural nutritional vitamins, fructose, etc; HFs might â†“ ldl cholesterol, â†“ ASHD, stroke, help management glucose, halt progression of osteoporosis, â†“ infections, CA Examples Apples, beans, carrots, cranberry juice, fish, garlic, ginger, nuts, oats, olive oil, soy foods, tea, yogurt.


Beltronics Pro RX75
$409.00 to $675.00
The BEL Pro Remote RX75 gives the professional driver high-performance protection with the advantages of a concealed stealth installation. The miniature control module can be flush, surface, or panel mounted so there's no bulky black boxes on your dash or sun visor. The rear laser detection module mounts to the license plate, while the front module is designed to be mounted behind or under the front bumper. These laser modules, combined with the radar antenna's flexible engine compartment or behind-the-bumper mounting, give the Pro Remote RX75 superior detection and alert range.Minimize
| MPN||Pro RX75|
|Detection Mode ||City / Highway modes||VG-2/VG-3 Alert ||VG-2 Alert|
|Alert type ||Audio / Visual|| Detection Bands||X Band • K Band • Ka Band • Laser||Mute ||With Mute|
Tags:beltronics, pro, rx75,
Cobra XRS 9640
$115.00 to $173.00
The XRS 9640 provides total protection and peace of mind with the Xtreme Range Superheterodyne technology, detecting all 12 radar/laser bands with its super-fast lock-on detection circuitry.
|Detection Mode ||City / Highway modes||Detection Area ||Front / Rear||VG-2/VG-3 Alert ||VG-2 Alert • VG-2 Undetectable|
|Alert type ||Audio / Visual|| Detection Bands||X Band • K Band • Ka Band • Ku Band • Laser • Ka Super Wideband||Mute ||With Mute|
| Warranty||1 Year|
Tags:cobra, xrs, 9640,
The RMR-C435 a.k.a VIPER II detector transmits a series of pulses at the same wave length used by the police laser guns (Lidar), which are electronically timed at about 100 feet apart. The power output is four to eight times that needed to trigger the detector in the laser gun.
The XRS 9960G provides total protection and peace of mind with Super-Xtreme Range Superheterodyne™Technology, detecting all 15 radar/laser bands with its super-fast lock-on detection circuitry. The unit provides extra detection range and the best possible advance warning to even the fastest of POP mode radar guns.
Whistler's XTR-695 is a detector that maximizes sensitivity and minimizes falsing. Ka Max Mode gives you improved Ka Band sensitivity. Radar Signature ID displays known Ka gun frequencies to help distinguish threats, and Laser Signature ID does the same by displaying pulses per second of received laser signals.
The XRS 9445 provides total protection and peace of mind with the Xtreme Range Superheterodyne technology, detecting all 14 radar/laser bands with reliable and proven performance.


The more responses we get, the better we can Grow With Purpose.
The City would like to know what the residents of Knob Noster want to see in their housing options. No personal information will be asked for or collected with the survey. If you are a water customer of this City, you will likely be receiving one of these letters to fill out the survey. It can also be filled out by clicking on this link:


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It’s officially June and feeling like summer outside, so Kaleb and I ventured out to some Oklahoma fields last week to snap some photos in one of my favorite dresses. You may notice that occasionally I find articles of clothing that I feel at home in and I keep them forever and you may see them more than once here. I usually like to show outfits that I have somewhat carefully curated and where everything matches and is ‘appropriate’ for the occasion. However this time I decided to wear what I felt like in the moment and what I would want to wear if we were driving out to a field to run around in.
I love this dress because the fabric is comfortable and also it is light and airy which is perfect for when the heat scorches us in the middle of summer in Oklahoma. Also, my ‘go-to’ article of clothing has always been a dress. I just love that dresses make me feel like I can walk around with a free feeling and that I still feel feminine. Also one dress = one outfit and I don’t have to worry about matching a blouse with pants and a cardigan/sweater/etc. I paired this dress with another one of my ‘go-to’ brown belts and some vintage beads I found at an antique show.

domain: design


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The Ministry of Health said Saturday that it is making thorough investigation into the cause of recent severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic, but the result is not available for the time being.
The Ministry of Health said Saturday that it is making thorough investigation into the cause of recent severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic, but the result is not available for the time being. The ministry said the first diagnosed SARS patient surnamed Song was a medical graduate from Anhui Province studying in the Virology Institute under the Beijing-based Chinese Center for Disease Prevention and Control. Another SARS patient, a medical doctor with the surname of Yang, also worked in the institute. Shortly after the occurrence of SARS epidemic, an expert team was set up consisting of members from China’s Academy of Military Medical Sciences, and Beijing and national disease prevention and control center. The team has made epidemiological investigations into the two cases and interviewed all the staff working at the laboratory of Virology Institute, the ministry said. The experts also conducted field investigations and collected samples at the laboratory, the ministry said, adding that the samples have been sent to two Chinese national laboratories and a World Health Organization (WHO) network laboratory for testing. However, the expert team believes that more tests should be done on the laboratory samples as well as the samples of the two cases and those infected by them, in order to separate and verify SARS virus and determine the virus sequence. “Therefore, we still need to wait for a period for the final result,” an official with the ministry said. China reported no new SARS infection in the past few days and the ministry said except one SARS patient surnamed Zhang in Beijing, other patients were all in good conditions and recoveringquickly. Beijing’s first diagnosed SARS patient Li has recovered and was discharged from hospital on May 4(Source: Xinhuanet Health News, May 2004)


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is it just me, or does being around the ocean make you feel sad sometimes?
never not obsessed with the moon.
it's that time of year.
or is it?
last ones from jane's collect.
"The source of true joy is from within. If one is devoid of it, the tendency to search for joy outside oneself easily takes the form of indulgence in pleasant but superficial distractions. Those who do not control their idle desires often do so because they are not grounded. Knowing your deepest wishes, and acting on them, is the better path to joyful exuberance and energy. Looking for something external to fill you up delivers an unsatisfactory result."

domain: psychology


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The People’s Coalition on Food Sovereignty (PCFS), as member of CPDE, organized a global training on Development Effectiveness (DE) on March 15-16, 2018 in Beirut, Lebanon. The event was hosted by the Arab Network on Food Sovereignty. The training brought together participants from Kenya, Senegal, Jordan, Pakistan, Philippines, Bolivia, Cuba and Guatemala.
The meeting aimed to discuss and share experiences on the role of peasants, indigenous, pastorals, fisherfolks and their organisations in the agenda of CSO DE. For many organizations, it was their first approach to the CPDE.
The training objectives were as follows: (1) deepening the understanding on CSO’s DE and the Istanbul Principles to strengthen the involvement of organizations, networks and platforms of the constituency in the DE agenda and CPDE work; (2) Identifying learning outcomes in terms of achievements or capacities created, and limitations or obstacles of CSO DE and the application of the Istanbul Principles; (3) defining how can the Rural Constituency improve the promotion and application of the Istanbul Principles in its sector ; (4) outline a plan how the rural constituency can contribute in the CPDE CSO DE Working Group; and, (5) outline a sector’s guideline f on implementing CSO DE.
The meeting reviewed the CSO DE Agenda and CSO Accountability with a focus on the Istanbul Principles and the sector’s progress in these areas. Insightful discussions came out from the simultaneous workshops on what DE means for the constituency; how the constituency interprets the Istanbul Principles; and how they are integrated in the constituency’s daily operations.
The Rural Sector developed the following key imperatives from the workshops:
Respect for human rights and social justice – implement genuine land reform, effective legislations, respect for civic space, legal reforms, combating conditional funding and a defeat of dictatorship across different parts of the world;
Gender equality – combat patriarchy, lobby and advocacy for gender equality, address land rights and issues of inheritance, improve access to information, equal opportunities for men and women, equal treatment for men and women and access to productive resources;
Peoples empowerment – lobbying for genuine democratic spaces, institutionalizing democratic principles, instituting peoples’ movements, respect for civic space and ensuring a framework for genuine participation.
Environmental sustainability framework – awareness on environmental sustainability, enforcement of environmental protection, stringent legislations on environment, addressing systemic problems that contribute to environmental destruction such as policies on trade and extraction.
Accountability and transparency – this were considered to be enhanced only if corruption was tackled, all white collar crimes were prosecuted, there existed stringent rules to tackle corruption, contracts were made public and there was enforcement of the right to information among the people.


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text: Beta-peptides are resistant to degradation by a variety of proteolytic enzymes that rapidly degrade natural alpha-peptides. This is one of many characteristics that make beta-peptides an attractive class of compounds for drug discovery efforts. To further understand the molecular recognition properties of beta-peptides and the ability of enzymes to degrade them, we have synthesized a series of N-linked glycosylated beta- and alpha-peptides, and tested their stability towards a glycosidase. We found that glyco-beta-peptides that contain N-acetylglucosamine (1) or N,N-diacetylchitobiose (2) are completely stable to degradation by glycoamidase A. In comparison, the glyco-alpha-peptides 3 and 4 containing N-acetylglucosamine or N,N-diacetylchitobiose are degraded. Inhibition experiments using increasing concentrations of a glyco-beta-peptide fail to inhibit degradation of the corresponding glyco-alpha-peptide, even when the glyco-beta-peptide is at a 128-fold higher concentration than the glyco-alpha-peptide. Evidently, the glyco-beta-peptides have a much weaker affinity for the active site of the glycosidase than the corresponding glyco-alpha-peptide. These and the results with proteolytic enzymes suggest that the additional CH(2) group introduced into the alpha-amino acid residues causes beta-peptides not to be recognized by hydrolytic enzymes. The results described herein suggest the potential of beta-peptides that are functionalized with carbohydrates for biological and biomedical investigations, without having to be concerned about the carbohydrate being removed.

domain: chemistry