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Having a baby sure can be complicated. And an ever-growing list of things you need to avoid in pregnancy can add to the confusion. To help you sort through recommended things to avoid in pregnancy, we’ve compiled this list for easy reference.
It’s important to avoid or limit the following during your pregnancy:
Remaining active is one of the best things you can do for your body during this pregnancy. Before you start, make sure your doctor has given you the green light to exercise. (And be sure to clarify with them what exercises you need to avoid with your history and risks.) Second, stick to safe activities. Check out our full list here of activities to choose, exercises to avoid, and signs that you need to stop or change your exercise regime.
Nothing says, “everything’s changed” like how you must consciously think about what you can eat and drink while pregnant. We know this can be a daunting challenge, so we created a full list of foods to avoid and why. We hope this helps you feel confident you are staying safe while eating.
Caffeine can sure help overcome fatigue. But there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. There are some serious implications for caffeine consumption as it passes easily through the placental barrier. This can be especially risky in your first trimester. The consensus is to ingest no more than 200 mg of caffeine a day. Check out our full article on this topic and about why excess caffeine should be avoided. Then click here to find out how much caffeine is in the coffee you love.
When you’re facing your first migraine or cold while pregnant, it is confusing when to take meds and when to avoid. We recommend talking to your provider and requesting a list of approved over-the-counter (OTC) medicines once you’ve confirmed your pregnancy to avoid phoning an on-call doctor in the middle of the night. In case you can’t get that list or don’t currently have access, we did create this list of general obstetrician-approved OTC meds. Please remember that, with all medicine, what is safe for one person may not be safe for you. Always run everything by your doctor who knows your personal medical history and risks.
One of the things you need to avoid in pregnancy is overheating. We’re not just talking about the crazy hot flash you get when your hormones surge (although we’d like to avoid those, too). According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), do not let your core body temperature exceed 102.2° while pregnant. (Some agencies recommend staying below 101°). Here’s why . . .
In the first trimester especially, hyperthermia or too high of body temperature can contribute to congenital abnormalities in your baby“Pregnant in a Hot Tub,” American Pregnancy Association, https://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/hot-tubs-during-pregnancy/. This means avoiding things like saunas or hot tubs which are set well over the 102° limit. The American Pregnancy Association warns that you can exceed 102° core body temperature in as little as 10-20 minutes in a hot tub.
Does this mean you should avoid hot baths? Not necessarily. The key is to make sure you remain comfortable, not overheated. A bath is different from a hot tub because a bath continues to cool as you soak. Also, less of our upper body is submerged in a bath, helping to prevent overheating.
Other sources of overheating to be aware of are sunbathing, exercising, hot weather, having a high fever, or dehydration. To help combat these, drink plenty of cool water. Stay in well-ventilated places. Limit or avoid spending time in the harsh sun. Avoid exercises that overheat you. And talk to your doctor about fever control if you are sick.
Jarring activities, such as roller coasters.
Nothing is as boring as standing in line forever with your family for your favorite ride at an amusement park – only to have to sit the ride out. But the warning to stay clear of roller coasters and other jarring is not overly cautious. Any strong movement that has sudden starts or stops or bounces your body can cause your placenta to tear away from your uterus. This is called placental abruption and it is a life-threatening medical emergency“Safety Concerns of Riding a Roller Coaster While Pregnant,” American Pregnancy Association, https://americanpregnancy.org/is-it-safe/roller-coasters/.
Another jarring event that carries the same risk is a car accident. While we know you are doing all you can to avoid an accident, it’s a good reminder to always wear your seatbelt and get checked out after any collision, no matter how small.
Just as caffeine can cross the placenta to your baby, so can many other harmful substances. Illicit drugs top our list of harmful substances you should completely avoid. Illicit drug use can have devastating effects on you and your baby. “Almost every drug passes from the mother’s bloodstream through the placenta to the fetus,” according to Stanford Children’s Health”Illegal Drug Use and Pregnancy,” Stanford Children’s Health, Stanford Medicine, https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=illegal-drug-use-and-pregnancy-85-P01208. Drug use in pregnancy puts your baby at greater risk of:
- Drug addiction in utero and withdrawal at birth.
- Miscarriage and stillbirth.
- Placental abruption.
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
- Sleep apnea.
- Feeding difficulties and growth defects.
- Lifelong emotional/behavioral due to changes in the brain.
Your lifestyle, while using, also puts you at risk of serious disease, addiction and, anemia which can also affect your baby.
Alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and e-cigarettes.
Illicit drugs are not the only substances that can hurt your pregnancy. Cigarettes and vaping mean serious consequences for you and your baby“Vaping Illness: Stanford Health Warns Against E-Cigarettes,” Tim Gerszewski, Stanford Health, September 19, 2019, https://news.sanfordhealth.org/news/vaping-illness-e-cigarettes-warning/. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cigarette or tobacco exposure during pregnancy is linked to birth defects, premature birth, and a higher risk of SIDS. Even second-hand smoke after the baby is born puts them at a higher risk of SIDS“Smoking, Pregnancy, and Babies,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, January 28, 2019, https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/pregnancy.html. Marijuana can lead to lifelong behavioral and emotional difficulties in your child. Alcohol is considered worse than drugs“Alcohol’s Toll on Fetuses: Even Worse Than Thought,” Linda Carroll, The New York Times, November 4, 2003, … Continue reading during pregnancy due to the irreversible effects even just one drink can cause“Alcohol Use in Pregnancy,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, March 27, 2018, https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/alcohol-use.html. Please know no amount of alcohol is safe at any point in pregnancy.
When it comes to any of these substances, for your health and baby’s, it’s important to stop now.
Changing the kitty litter.
If you ever needed an excuse to pass this chore along to your partner, we’ve got your back. According to scientists, changing kitty litter can expose you to a parasite that can cause a toxoplasmosis infection. Toxoplasmosis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and other harm to you and baby“Why Shouldn’t I Change Cat Litter During Pregnancy?,” NHS, January 15, 2019, https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/pregnancy/why-should-i-not-change-cat-litter-during-pregnancy/. If you don’t have a partner to take up this job for you, be sure you use gloves when changing the litter. It’s important to wash your hands if there’s a chance you could have touched cat poop, even in instances such as gardening.
Avoid painting or using toxic cleaners.
If nesting suddenly strikes, take a small measure of precaution before picking up either a paintbrush or your go-to cleaner. You’ll want to avoid cleaning agents that have toxic chemicals on the labelPregnant, With Housework to Do,” WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/baby/pregnant-with-housework-to-do#1. And when it comes to painting, most household paints these days are safe. However, if you are stripping old paint, or are using solvent-based paint, your risk of fumes affecting your baby is a little higher“Can Paint Fumes Affect My Unborn Baby?,” NHS, https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/pregnancy/can-paint-fumes-affect-my-unborn-baby/. Risks also increase in the first trimester. For cleaning or painting, be sure to check the safety of your product then make sure the area is well-ventilated. Then nest away!
Stand still or sit for too long.
When your body aches or your nausea flares, it can be tempting to want to lay down as often as possible. (Binge-watch Netflix, anyone?) But researchers caution against staying too still while pregnant. Laying down for prolonged times can put you at a higher risk of blood clots. And the opposite is also true: Standing still for a long time can cause blood to pool in your overly stretchy veins, which affects how much blood makes it to your organs (and baby.) And long hours on your feet can affect our baby’s growth“Standing for Long Hours During Pregnancy May Affect Babies’ Growth,” Rachael Rettner, LiveScience, May 30, 2013, https://www.livescience.com/36507-pregnancy-working-baby-growth.html.
Do what you can to move around. Take breaks at work for a lap around the office. Do some pregnancy-friendly stretches. Frequently walk the aisle when flying. Use compression stockings if they are recommended by your doctor. And if you find yourself needing to lay down for long times, change positions frequently. (In the case of obstetrician-recommended bedrest, your risk of standing outweighs your risk of staying too still. So always follow their recommendations regarding movement.)
X-rays or radiation.
If you have a test that requires radiation, such as X-rays, be sure to tell the technician before you start. They may consider stopping the test altogether or making modifications to protect your baby.
While in general, avoiding sick people is a smart practice, it’s especially important in pregnancy while your immune system is suppressed. Pregnancy puts you in the high-risk category for infections, some of which can be passed on to your baby through the placenta. If you can’t avoid sick people, wash your hands frequently, especially before eating, and try to refrain from touching your face. Don’t share utensils, food or drink with others. And get your doctor-recommended vaccines.
All the things you need to avoid in pregnancy.
There you have it – all the things you need to avoid in pregnancy. As always, if your doctor has added anything to this list, such as putting you on bed rest or pelvic rest, be sure to follow their orders. We know the list is long and can at times be overwhelming keeping track of it all. But knowing that you are doing everything you can to reduce risk to you and your baby will hopefully give you some extra peace of mind.
- Harmful Food to Avoid in Pregnancy after Loss
- What to Eat When Pregnant
- Caffeine in Pregnancy: Here are the risks
- How to Know what Medicine is Safe in Pregnancy
- Exercise in Pregnancy: How to Keep It Safe for You
- Is it Safe to Dye my Hair in Pregnancy?
|↑1||“Pregnant in a Hot Tub,” American Pregnancy Association, https://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/hot-tubs-during-pregnancy/|
|↑2||“Safety Concerns of Riding a Roller Coaster While Pregnant,” American Pregnancy Association, https://americanpregnancy.org/is-it-safe/roller-coasters/|
|↑3||”Illegal Drug Use and Pregnancy,” Stanford Children’s Health, Stanford Medicine, https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=illegal-drug-use-and-pregnancy-85-P01208|
|↑4||“Vaping Illness: Stanford Health Warns Against E-Cigarettes,” Tim Gerszewski, Stanford Health, September 19, 2019, https://news.sanfordhealth.org/news/vaping-illness-e-cigarettes-warning/|
|↑5||“Smoking, Pregnancy, and Babies,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, January 28, 2019, https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/pregnancy.html|
|↑6||“Alcohol’s Toll on Fetuses: Even Worse Than Thought,” Linda Carroll, The New York Times, November 4, 2003, https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/04/science/alcohol-s-toll-on-fetuses-even-worse-than-thought.html|
|↑7||“Alcohol Use in Pregnancy,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, March 27, 2018, https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/alcohol-use.html|
|↑8||“Why Shouldn’t I Change Cat Litter During Pregnancy?,” NHS, January 15, 2019, https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/pregnancy/why-should-i-not-change-cat-litter-during-pregnancy/|
|↑9||Pregnant, With Housework to Do,” WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/baby/pregnant-with-housework-to-do#1|
|↑10||“Can Paint Fumes Affect My Unborn Baby?,” NHS, https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/pregnancy/can-paint-fumes-affect-my-unborn-baby/|
|↑11||“Standing for Long Hours During Pregnancy May Affect Babies’ Growth,” Rachael Rettner, LiveScience, May 30, 2013, https://www.livescience.com/36507-pregnancy-working-baby-growth.html|


A wild band in I più grandi di tutti, Carlo Virzì’s rock comedy at the Turin FF
by Vittoria Scarpa
01/12/2011 - "I’ve been waiting a lifetime to see an Italian film about a band, an imaginative comedy which would tell the misadventures of penniless musicians grappling with the utopia of rock'n'roll. I haven’t seen any around. So, I decided to make one". That is how, Carlo Virzì, brother of the more famous Paolo, for his second feature film (following L'estate del mio primo bacio [trailer]) invented a foul-mouthed provincial rock band, at the peak of moderate success in the '90s, the members of which hate each other, but whom the opportunity is given to reunite and rediscover themeselves. The result is I più grandi di tutti [trailer], screened in competition at the 29th Turin Film Festival, a bitter-sweet exploration of that underworld of rock music which inhabits rebellious characters, passionate but irrevocably mediocre, and– past the moment of glory – struggling with money problems and various frustrations.
Set in a small industrial town on the Tuscan coast, I più grandi di tutti’s main characters are the Pluto: Marco Cocci is Mao, a reckless singer, now a barman in a small local bar on the coast; Alessandro Roja is Loris, the spaced-out drummer, unemployed and with a seven-year-old son who is more responsible than him; Claudia Pandolfi is the incoherent bassist, she has shacked up with an estate agent and lives in a terraced house; Dario Kappa Cappanera is the talented guitarist, who will blame his former band mates for having ruined his life. Ludovico (Corrado Fortuna), who has become a music journalist, considers Pluto as "the absolute best" and reunites the band to shoot a documentary. With some reluctance, the four accept, motivated by money and by pity for this devout admirer, who is now confined to a wheelchair follwoing an accident.
Confirming the fact that getting to know one’s idol in person is often disappointing, the four reveal themselves argumentative and with not much to say, they hardly remember anything of the past because at the time they were always too "baked" and today they can’t even manage to string a couple of notes together. So, the situation is reversed and it will be ludovico who is moved by pity and to do something for them: taking them back on the stage for a final sensational concert. I più grandi di tutti is a fun film, free of rhetoric and authentic (the director himself, like the scombinati main characters, has a significant past as a rock musician, so he knows what he is talking about), produced by Gabriele Muccino’s Indiana Production and Paolo Virzì’s Motorino Amaranto di, in collaboration with Eagle Pictures, which is distributing it, and Rai Cinema.
(Translated from Italian)


Source: Observatorioblockchain / Jose Maldonado
One of the serious problems of Ethereum is its increasing dependence on centralized cloud services for its operation, such as Amazon or Google. The situation is so serious that Amazon Web Services alone accommodates more than 53% of all Ethereum nodes that are currently active in hosting mode. This means a value greater than 30% of the global nodes of the network.
Ethereum is relying more and more on centralized clouds, but Ethereum Core doesn’t seem to care too much. Even knowing the enormous problem that this means: it is enough for Amazon to want to ban them to shoot down more than half of the Ethereum nodes and make it vulnerable. In fact, the distribution of Ethereum nodes in hosting (represents 67.95% of the entire network), is as follows:
Ethereum, Amazon and decentralization
All of those companies run the majority of the Ethereum network. While the residential distribution (represents 29.71%) is as follows:
This data, available on Ethernodes , underlines that the centralization of Ethereum is a serious problem that continues to grow more and more.
An increasingly serious situation with no close solution
What is happening in Ethereum and its nodes is the sum of several problems that have been accumulating continuously and that until now do not have an accessible solution. First of all, Ethereum nodes are extremely hungry for storage resources. For example, the official GETH node requires a minimum of 2 TB of storage space in order to create an Ethereum full node. This is almost three times what is required for a full Bitcoin node. And much more if we talk about a pruned node, configured as the user wishes.
In fact, we at Etherscan are reminded that the problem continues to grow, as the network currently requires more than 900GB of space to store network history. The graph below shows us how fast that requirement grows.
The situation becomes more serious if we take into account that Ethereum 2.0 will increase the pressure on this requirement, especially with the arrival of Shards Chain, which not only parallelize the operation of Ethereum, but also trigger the need for storage and network resources to its operation.
The Ethereum Core Dev knows about the problem. The first attempt at a solution was the «pruning node», which occurred in GETH, but it was a temporary solution, which has practically remained a futile attempt. Options such as “snap” synchronization, capable of providing decentralized validation options, are already insufficient to control this measure.
The problem dates back to 2017 and although there has been a lot of discussion about it, the solutions do not help much.
The need for Ethereum resources does not stop
Now, what relationship does all this have with the problem of the centralization of Ethereum nodes? Well, first of all, just check your PC and see how much space you have available on your hard drive. Surely, it is a long way from the need for Ethereum at the moment. 2 TB of disk is not a small thing and not all personal computers reach that capacity. If we add to this the problem that this need grows over time, it is understandable that specialized solutions are required to have a full Ethereum node. The cheapest is the cloud.
First of all, the cloud simplifies the installation of the nodes. Amazon, for example, allows you to install Ethereum nodes in a couple of clicks, also having high bandwidth to perform synchronization in a very short time and disk space can be contracted for several years at a fairly low price. Installing your own computer, buying hard drives, making a RAID array on them and having a high-speed Internet connection for node synchronization is much more expensive.
Centralization is cheap
Centralization is cheap, but it is at the cost of your freedom. Decentralization is expensive, but it offers you freedom. In Bitcoin, for example, the metrics of the network in Bitnodes allow us to see that its operators are committed to the decentralization of the network in the broadest sense. In fact, almost half of the Bitcoin nodes are on the Tor network, protecting the privacy and identity of its users.
Against this, Ethereum’s need for resources seems endless, leading to problems like the ones described above. It would not be surprising if in the next two years residential nodes would fall by 15%, due to the need for network resources and how expensive these resources are.
Likewise, Ethereum lacks simple solutions designed for users to have their own functional nodes and that are easily managed. Options like DAPPNode help a lot with the task of installing an Ethereum node, but they do not solve the problem of the need for resources.
A more troubled future
If this course is followed, the future of Ethereum will be more centralized. Shards chains will require two things. On the one hand, high-speed networks to propagate blocks quickly and with low latency, in order to prevent third parties from attacking them. And, on the other hand, the need for each shard chain and its associated nodes to store their own history together with greater storage pressure on the mainchain, due to their increase. It’s basically a snowball effect, requiring certain points to be worked on before moving forward.
At the moment, the problems are multiplying and Ethereum has no solutions to deal with them. Shards chains will make the need for high-speed, low-latency connections a must. Without these connections, the structures of these networks may be vulnerable to certain attack vectors (such as timings attacks). The connections in the world may seem fast, but the reality is that the average world connection is about 31 Mbps. An insufficient figure using the shards. In Polkadot , which uses a sharding system, they have already realized the problem and are focused on making this system very efficient. At the moment, they have stopped at a total of 100 shards, while in Ethereum they dream of 1,000 and more.
Away from users and close to corporations
The decentralized solution to the problem is not simple, but the centralized one is: make the shards have a double structure, where there are validators and storage nodes. The first with weight in the consensus and the second, simply, to store data. Interestingly, it is the same solution that has been applied to Ethereum 2.0, where the «Execution Layer» only records the data of the blockchain, while the «Consensus Layer» is the one that validates and has the real weight on what is accepted and not. is accepted on the blockchain. Basically, the solution lies in concentrating the validation nodes in high-speed spaces (Amazon, for example) and leaving the rest only to see what is happening, without participation and without the right to decide on the validation process. of network operations.
Everything described above shows us an Ethereum involved in a process in which little by little it is forced to close its doors to users, leaving only a few to participate in its network.


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Are you ready to take your video editing skills to the next level? Look no further than KineMaster – the ultimate video editing app for Android users. With its intuitive user interface, advanced editing tools, and a plethora of features, KineMaster empowers both beginners and professionals to create stunning videos effortlessly. In this article, we will delve into the key features of KineMaster and discover how it can revolutionize your video editing experience.
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With KineMaster’s real-time preview feature, you can save time and effort by seeing your edits and effects in real-time. No more guesswork or trial-and-error; this invaluable tool lets you visualize the final outcome as you make adjustments, ensuring that every frame is perfected before the final export.
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Take your videos to new heights with KineMaster’s extensive collection of visual effects, transitions, and animations. From subtle enhancements to eye-catching visuals, KineMaster offers a wide range of effects to make your videos stand out. The chroma key feature allows you to remove backgrounds or replace them with custom images or videos, unleashing your creativity and adding professional polish to your projects.
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Audio plays a vital role in video production, and KineMaster understands that. With its vast library of royalty-free music and sound effects, you can enhance the mood and atmosphere of your videos effortlessly. Additionally, KineMaster offers robust audio editing capabilities, allowing you to adjust volume levels, fade audio in or out, and even add voiceovers, ensuring that your videos sound as good as they look.
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In conclusion, KineMaster is the ultimate video editing app that combines power, flexibility, and user-friendliness. With its intuitive interface, advanced editing tools, real-time preview, professional visual effects, music and audio control, and seamless export and sharing options, KineMaster empowers users to unleash their creativity and produce stunning videos. Whether you’re an aspiring filmmaker, content creator, or social media enthusiast, KineMaster is your go-to tool for taking your video editing skills to new heights. Download KineMaster from the Google Play Store today and embark on an exciting journey of video editing excellence.

domain: artistic


For the first time, the population of an entire city has been estimated from space through a pioneering project to speed up medical and disaster relief efforts. By analysing satellite images of disaster zones and famine, war or disease-hit areas where census data is unreliable, or cities unreachable, researchers hope to make rapid and more accurate estimates of how many people might need help.
“Population numbers are crucial to everything we do,” says Ruby Siddiqui of the global charity, Medicins Sans Frontières, a collaborator in the project to evaluate the satellite counting technique. “We need to plan the size, scale and mode of interventions, and without population numbers we can’t do this,” she says.
At present, groups like MSF rely on the “quadrat” method to estimate population size. Surveyors visit a sample of individual households to find out how many people live in each type of dwelling. From this, they estimate the population of the entire town or refugee camp. But the method is slow, it demands teams of up to a dozen samplers, and requires careful data analysis afterwards. Also, such operations can be hazardous or impossible to carry out in conflict zones such as Syria.
To overcome some of these obstacles, Chris Grundy of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has led a project to estimate the population of Am Timan in Chad using satellite images.
The entire population is to receive meningitis vaccinations, and MSF wants to know how many doses to order.
Preliminary results presented last week in London at the annual research meeting of MSF revealed that the satellite method matched the quadrat method for accuracy. Also, it took about half the time to deliver an answer, although Grundy says that with refinement it has the potential to be much faster.
Surveyors, including Siddiqui, still had to visit households in Am Timan to estimate how many people typically lived in each kind of building, but they could then make a city-wide estimate by counting the total number of each type of dwelling in the satellite image, either through a computer automated analysis or by manual counting.
The quadrat method, which required sampling visits to 1160 dwellings, gave a population of 49,722. The satellite technique, which required sampling visits to only 348 dwellings, gave estimates of 46,625 for the manual and 45,400 for the automated method.
“These results are very good, and there’s no doubt they’d be good enough for what MSF wants to do,” says Grundy. But the team hopes to make it faster still, potentially eliminating the need to sample dwellings first.
Grundy’s team is also evaluating the counting method in 11 refugee camps around the world, including in earthquake-hit Haiti. “We now know it works, that MSF can do it. The next step is to simplify it,” he says.


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Game Play Footage
GameType: Visual Novel & RPG
Length: 100,000 Words
PlayTime: 8 to 10 hours
Art Style: Hand Drawn / Painted
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android
Distribution: Amazon, Windows Store, Mac Store, Google Play, App Store, Itch.io
In the early days of America, the angels and apostles of the Bible returned. They performed miracles and amassed tens of thousands of followers. But as their power grew they began to hide secrets. This is a visual novel based on the true life story of the 52nd wife of Brigham Young.
Go on a journey 1200 miles beyond the edge of the civilized world with the Caravan of Saints. Make decisions that effect the outcome of a story about polygamy, murder and the most brutal massacre of 100 years.
Play through an Oregon Trail simulation game complete with battles, hunting, strategy, trade, rivers, inventory, etc. Bring enough people safely down the trail to unlock hidden scenes.
Also based on the works of Arthur Conan Doyle, T.B.H. Stenhouse, Jack London, and documents retrieved from the Library of Congress.

domain: library


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DHI India signs a contract with the Government of Goa on Sustainability of Goa waterways
DHI India has recently signed a contract on ‘Assessment of the Sustainability of Goa Waterways’ with the Government of Goa, India.
Mandovi basin in Goa is a virgin basin with very little water abstraction for human use. However, in recent times several irrigation and drinking water projects are being contemplated on this basin. This has raised concerns for the government of Goa about the potential impacts on the downstream flow regimes by the water abstraction. The particular areas of concern are:
- Ingress of saline water in the rivers and aquifers that can have a negative impact on the biodiversity
- Sediment transport and siltation of rivers, canals and estuary that can hamper barge transport
- Survival rate of rare aquatic flora and fauna and not least in the biodiversity hotspots
Another added complication is that climate change can alter the mean sea level and the rainfall in the catchment area.
It was therefore envisaged to conduct a comprehensive study to evaluate the present conditions and the impact of water abstraction. Our team from India will conduct a comprehensive study on the assessment of sustainability of Goa waterways. This will be completed in three major phases:
- Rainfall-runoff and river modelling, including sediment yield of the entire catchment
- Estuarine modelling
- Baseline biodiversity study
This study will help and determine the impact of water abstraction on the river, estuaries and their ecosystem.

domain: geography


There have been increasing complaints of Apple’s Airtags stalking of late. Analysis of 150 Police records in the United States over a period of approximately eight months on stalking cases data gives an insight into the Airtag’s inefficiency and glitch. Apple’s AirTag stalking safety measures are effective only one-third of the time, making it almost worse than anyone else.
Apple’s Airtags stalking issue gets more complicated with 50 women out of 150 cases reported receiving a warning on their configured iDevices “someone’s AirTag is following you”. Many of the complaints half suspected that the tracker had been hidden inside their cars by strangers. In fact, almost half of the stalking complaints with the police specifically mentioned an AirTags stalking.
Motherboard report highlights the Airtags Stalking issue on the basis of data it has gathered and analysed. It makes clear the extent of this problem.
The use of Airtags for stalking purposes became pretty evident since its launch a year ago. There have been increasing complaints about the nature of the tracking device. It has been used to abuse partners, control the movements of people without their knowledge or even carry out robberies. Although iPhone can detect an unknown AirTag but after a certain lapse of time.
Airtags have not used an out of the box idea and technology behind it that has pushed focus to tracking issues. It has used GPS and Bluetooth trackers used by other manufacturers for years. Since Airtags carry the tag of Apple, known for its extra security measures, the news of stalking has gathered mainstream media attention.
Apple has added many “privacy protection” features to AirTags. But anything that can make life harder for those who want to use AirTags for stalking is going to make life easier for thieves. Now AirTags has become almost useless for tracking stolen items. In fact, Apple no longer advertises the AirTags as a tool for tracking stolen items.
Apple has never explicitly expressed its intention to make Airtags stalking feature more secure from the prying eyes. However, it has rolled out updates to make the anti-stalking functions more secure. Apple also released an Airtag for Android app last December to allow detection of an unknown AirTag even for those who don’t use an iPhone. In iOS 15.4 update, a new warning cum disclaimer was flashed that emphasized about the tracker being designed exclusively to keep track of the position of the objects of the user, and not for other purposes.
It has been rumored that Apple will release a series of updates later this year. It will improvise on functions such as “precise location”, “display an alert with sound”, “redefining unwanted tracking alert logic” and “changing the sound”.
It is unacceptable that anyone is forced to feel unsafe and potentially harmed. If a product does this much damage – both physical and emotional – something has to change. Additionally, I care more about protecting people from stalking and physical abuse than I do about protecting stolen property and I think Apple should too.
The internet is of the opinion that Apple should cease selling AirTags. But, that wouldn’t solve much unless Tile and others follow suit because they are not better when it comes to anti-stalking measures. Pulling AirTags off the market wouldn’t mean unwanted tracking would go away — we’d simply just stop hearing about it. There needs to be more conversation and serious steps towards making it less vulnerable and more secure. Continue sharing with us your views on what anti-stalking steps should Apple take to make its users feel safe.


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When Gordon Brown was in No 11 Downing Street, last-minute tweaks and late-night dashes to the printers were part of the ritual in the runup to a major outing for the chancellor at the dispatch box.
But having tied his own hands by setting up the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), run by ex-Institute for Fiscal Studies director Robert Chote, Osborne can't get away with the skin-of-the-teeth decision-making favoured by the Treasury's movers and shakers in the Labour years.
Instead, Osborne and his aides now have to present any tax and spending changes they plan to make to the OBR well in advance, so that it can make its own projections of the impact on the public finances.
Just because the numbers are already inked in, though, it won't make the chancellor's mathematics any easier. When he delivers Wednesday's autumn statement, Osborne will have to explain why his austerity drive has failed to kick-start growth, a full two-and-a-half years after the government came to power. He is also likely to be forced to concede that at least one of his cherished fiscal rules will have to be torn up.
Setting up the OBR and drafting two new rules to replace Gordon Brown's discredited fiscal framework in 2010 enshrined the chancellor's deficit-cutting plans at the heart of government policy, after an election campaign in which the Tories had raised the spectre of a Greek-style economic death spiral if the public finances were not brought under control.
More importantly, the new regime tied Osborne's hands, preventing the Treasury from massaging its economic forecasts to make the public finance projections add up – something Brown was repeatedly accused of when he was in Downing Street.
However, the OBR's independence from government is no guarantee that its forecasts are any better than those of the Treasury (or the Bank of England). Chote's team has repeatedly overestimated the strength of the economy – and, some experts argue, the likely impact of the deepest cuts in a generation on the UK's growth rate.
Since Osborne delivered his 2010 budget, the economy has plunged back into a double-dip recession, while growth has repeatedly undershot expectations. On Wednesday, when it publishes its latest projections, the OBR is likely to have to cut this year's growth rate from 0.8% to something around zero, and next year's from 2% to something closer to 1%.
"The growth forecasts that the OBR had made in March looked optimistic at the time and are now well above other economists' forecasts," says Simon Wells, UK economist at HSBC.
Such large cuts in growth forecasts mean billions of pounds in lost tax revenues, and more costly welfare bills – putting the public finances way off track. This year alone, most analysts believe the latest official figures, covering the first seven months of the fiscal year, suggest that the deficit will be at least £10bn larger in 2012-13 than the £121bn the OBR was projecting in the spring.
In last year's autumn statement, the chancellor extended his austerity plans for two years beyond the next general election in 2015, so that he could still say that his "fiscal mandate", of eliminating the structural budget deficit over the coming five years, would be met.
The IFS now believes he may need to repeat that trick, promising relentless austerity until 2018. "Austerity is going to be longer and harder than was envisaged even a year ago," says Wells.
The chancellor is also likely to provide more detail on how he will achieve the drastic cuts pencilled in for 2016 and 2017, an extremely fraught subject since his suggestion that he would demand £10bn of cuts to the benefits bill provoked fury among the Liberal Democrats, who would like to see a heavier tax burden on the wealthy in return.
Much will depend on whether Chote and his colleagues have decided the worse-than-expected state of the economy is a temporary blip or a permanent hit. Crucially, the Treasury's target aims at eliminating the "structural" deficit – the underlying gap between taxation and spending once the short-term impact of booms and busts in the economic cycle is taken into account. That means it is deliberately drawn up to be flexible in difficult times.
As Bank of England governor Sir Mervyn King put it earlier this year, "the plan did allow for the fact that if the economy were to grow slowly, then taxes would not rise as quickly and spending would be higher – so the deficit would be bigger … The plans said 'don't attempt to bring that deficit down if it's the result of slow growth in the economy'."
If the OBR thinks that the UK is just suffering a temporary shortage of demand, so that growth – and revenue – will bounce back strongly once it's over, it could still declare that Osborne's target will be met.
But economists are fiercely divided about how much of the shortfall in growth is temporary, and how much reflects a more fundamental shift in how strongly the economy is able to expand over the long term.
Even if Osborne scrapes through that tough test, City experts believe there is a much stronger risk that the Treasury will miss its second, "supplementary" target, which requires debt to be falling, as a percentage of GDP, between 2014-15 and 2015-16. This rule, which Osborne said in 2010 would "place our fiscal credibility beyond doubt", is harder to wriggle out of, since it involves a specific year.
Philip Shaw of Investec says: "As things stand, the deterioration in the public finances makes it difficult to see how the debt ratio could turn downwards as early as 2015-16, and on a 'do nothing' scenario the danger is that the OBR will conclude that this rule will be missed."
Osborne granted himself one potential get-out-of-jail card last month, when he insisted that the payments on the bonds bought by the Bank of England under the quantitative easing programme, worth about £35bn, be held on the Treasury's books, instead of being paid to Threadneedle Street.
But the IFS – which was widely considered the best independent check on the public finances before the OBR came into being – has insisted that these revenues will only flatter the finances temporarily and may not offset the losses that the Bank will sustain when it sells the bonds back into the market. For that reason, it says they should just be ignored for the purposes of the public finances.
"He used to accuse Gordon Brown of moving the goalposts on the golden rule, and this would smack of the same thing," says Howard Archer of consultancy IHS Global Insight.
In that case, Osborne will have to admit that the carefully crafted rules meant to be the key test of whether he is bringing the Treasury's finances under control have been breached. Wells at HSBC warns that that may provoke alarm at the ratings agencies, which have so far given their backing to the chancellor's approach.
"There is no doubt that the UK had a plan, which many western economies didn't, and because of that the rating agencies have been giving us the benefit of the doubt so far," Wells says. "But there's only a certain number of times you can accept the pain being pushed down the road."

domain: news


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Goldman Sachs, arguably the most storied investment bank on Wall Street, suffered a black eye Wednesday -- delivered by one of its own.
Greg Smith, an executive director at the bank, resigned with a blistering editorial that accused the bank of losing its "moral fiber," putting profits ahead of customers' interests and dismissing customers as "muppets." The stinging essay, "Why I Am Leaving Goldman Sachs," appeared in The New York Times.
Goldman issued a three-sentence statement disagreeing with Smith. "In our view," the bank said, "we will only be successful if our clients are successful. This fundamental truth lies at the heart of how we conduct ourselves."
Smith worked for Goldman in London, but the bank did not provide further details. Smith, identified by the Times as head of the company's U.S. equity derivatives business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, wrote that he attended sales meetings in which helping clients make money was not part of the discussion.
"If you were an alien from Mars and sat in on one of these meetings, you would believe that a client's success or progress was not part of the thought process at all," he wrote.
Smith wrote that Goldman had devolved from a company he was proud to work for when he joined. He said the bank needs to "weed out the morally bankrupt people" and suggested that the erosion of Goldman's culture threatened its future.
Smith wrote that there are easy paths to becoming a leader at Goldman, including persuading clients to invest in products that the company wants to get rid of or that will bring the most profit to Goldman.
Another way, he said, is to "find yourself sitting in a seat where your job is to trade any illiquid, opaque product with a three-letter acronym."
On Wall Street, the piece may have been shocking in tone, but it was not surprising in content. Goldman's peers, even some of its customers, take its pursuit of profit as ordinary business. "I would be very surprised if it did anything more than anger the people who are already hostile to Goldman," said Lawrence Baxter, a former executive at Wachovia who teaches at Duke University's law school.
Goldman's success has made it one of the most powerful engines on Wall Street. Goldman survived the financial crisis in 2008, which crushed two of its rivals, Bear Stearns and Lehman Bros., and hobbled Merrill Lynch.
Goldman is also known for churning out leaders who run the world. Henry Paulson, who was Treasury secretary when the government devised its $700 billion rescue of banks in 2008, is a former CEO. So is Jon Corzine, the former New Jersey governor who was at the helm of the brokerage MF Global when it collapsed.
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Michael Jackson went from child star to the King of Pop to a figure of constant controversy.
Michael Jackson's career in music started early with the Jackson 5. He and Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon scored four No. 1 hits including "ABC" and "I'll Be There." Courtesy of Jackson Five Buy Photo

domain: celebrity


Naa Jaane Kahan Se Aaya Hai Full Song – I Me Aur Main | John Abraham, Chitrangada Singh, Prachi Desai
The makers of upcoming film I, Me Aur Main have released the first song ‘Naa Jaane Kahan Se Aya Hai‘ from their album. The song video features hot hunk John Abraham and hotties Chitrangada Singh and Prachi Desai.
Sung by Neeraj Shreedhar and Anushka Manchanda, the music for this lively track is given by Sachin-Jigar.
Enjoy the song right here:
Directed by Kapil Sharma, I Me Aur Main releases in cinemas on 1st March, 2013.
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Story by Paul Aguirre-Livingstone. Illustration by Ayalah Hutchins.
You could be forgiven for thinking that Rita Liefhebber, with her model-worthy looks (yeah, she was one), would be intimidating in person. But the Toronto fashion designer is as lovely as her mesmerizing mermaid hair—not to mention smart, down-to-earth, and—oh yes—talented.
Liefhebber has dipped her toe into almost every fashionable pond: modelling, assisting veteran stylist Lori Goldstein in New York, and overseeing the fashion pages as an editor at Flare in Toronto. Last fall, she launched her eponymous collection and continues to work as a stylist.
What I love about her is that she’s not afraid to dream big: She’s about to show during New York Fashion Week for the third time, a major feat for a new Canadian designer. Liefhebber isn’t about being a big fish in a small pond—she’s the girl who wants to run the empire.
Tell me about your journey. What made you decide to start your own collection?
“I started in fashion as a model at 15. I then became a stylist while living in New York and later moved back to Toronto. Shortly after, I became the fashion editor at Flare. New York called again and I returned to be Lori Goldstein’s first assistant. I had been planning on starting the line for the last few years but I didn’t want to pass up those opportunities.”
Do you have a favourite fashion memory?
“Assisting Lori on a Hedi Slimane shoot in L.A. He is cooler than you can ever imagine and he travels with an entourage of skinny well-dressed guys in a Rolls Royce. Amazing.”
What inspires you?
“Confident women like Charlotte Gainsbourg, Lauren Hutton, Annie Leibovitz.”
Who is your favourite person (other than a designer) in the fashion world?
“I don’t have one favourite person. I surround myself with strong, creative, ambitious, salt-of-the-earth people and each of them inspires me in different ways.”
Two stylists you admire?
“Tonne Goodman and Lori Goldstein.”
You’ve shown during New York Fashion Week twice now. What was the response like?
“New York and Europe are my focus. Canada has been such a nurturing environment to develop the collection, but the opportunities for further growth are not in the Canadian market—we’re more frugal and conservative here. I showed in a giant moving truck in New York and everyone said the whole presentation felt like fashion in the ’80s when designers were very creative with their presentations.”
You did something similar with your Fall 2010 collection in Toronto. It thought it was awesome, but: Why?
“I came up with the truck idea after facing the challenge of trying to find a show space close enough to M.A.C & Milk [in New York]. When I did find a space, it was thousands of dollars to rent for eight hours. As a young designer, it was financially out of the question. So I rented the same truck in Toronto to plan and build the inside.
The problem was that you can’t drill into the truck, and we had to figure out how to light it without any power. We made a suspended plexiglass mirror ceiling, magnetized maglites and collapsible stairs. We drove it down to New York on the roof of a car and installed it in a similar rented moving truck. We parked it around the corner from M.A.C. & Milk and rolled open the back loading door. The response was fantastic. It was such a change from the typical runway.”
What is the best part of your job? The worst?
“The best part of my job is that I can be creative every day. I’m challenged every step of the way. The worst is coming to the realization that I’m not super woman, and I have to say no sometimes.”
Below, a quartet of lovely looks from Rita Liefhebber’s Fall 2010 collection.
W cover styled by Lori Goldstein.
Jon Hamm and Rebecca Hall, in W’s September issue, styled by Lori Goldstein.
Kate Moss spread in Vogue, styled by Tonne Goodman.
Actress, musician and model Charlotte Gainsbourg.
The amazing Lauren Hutton.
Check back tomorrow for part II of our conversation with Rita, in which she talks about her ideal customer, ideal collaborators and whether she’ll ever leave Toronto.
In the meantime, read our other Talk to Me stories with Kealan Sullivan, Nathalie Atkinson, Robin Givhan and other fascinating fashion personalities!


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« AnteriorContinua »
THE OPEN WINDOW.
Stood silent in the shade,
The light and shadow played.
Wide open to the air;
They were no longer there.
Was standing by the door;
Who would return no more.
They played not in the hall;
Were hanging over all.
With sweet familiar tone;
Will be heard in dreams alone. And the boy that walked beside me,
He could not understand Why closer in mine, ah ! closer,
I pressed his warm, soft hand.
THE FLOWER OF LOVE.
A flower of radiant bloom,
The evening star its tomb.
O'er mountain, vale, and grove ;
Of man's inconstant love.
There is a flower not passing fair,
That boasts no sunny bloom,
Save from its rich perfume.
its virtue prove ? It is, it is the Lily flower
Of woman's constant love.
There blooms a flower, yet not of earth,
Can healing balsam shed
By human passion spread.
its virtue prove? It is the Amaranthine flower Of Heaven-directed love.
His brow was sad; his eye beneath
In happy homes he saw the light
• Try not the Pass,' the old man said,
"O stay !' the maiden said, “and rest Thy weary head upon this breast !
A tear stood in his bright blue eye,
Beware the pine-tree's withered branch,
At break of day, as heavenward
A traveller by the faithful hound,
There in the twilight cold and gray,
THE WANDERING STARS.
J. E. Carpenter.
We are two wandering stars; we come
From the sphere that gave us birth, To know if the flowers are beautiful
That dwell on the clay-cold earth,
And the early flowers spring;
You have many a lovely thing.
We come from the realms of love and light,
But there's nought in that world of ours, That dazzles and shines more fair and bright
Than a wreath of the earth's wild flowers; Then sigh not, children of mortal mould,
For the joys you cannot know, While the beautiful earth is crowned with
To the realm that gave us birth,
The stars of the lovely earth.


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- Basildon homes made greener with cutting-edge energy saving technology - 27/01/2022
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A man has been charged with attempted murder following a shooting in Barking.
Jamie Reid, 31, of Glenthorne Road, W6, was arrested on Friday, June 19 and subsequently charged with attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent and possession of ammunition.
He appeared in custody at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, June 20 and was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on Friday, July 17.
Previously, Rushelle McLaughlin, 26, of Northolt, Middlesex, was charged on Monday, June 15, with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
She has been remanded in custody to appear at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Tuesday, 14 July.
The charges follows an incident on Thursday, June 4 in Wilmington Gardens, where officers located two injured men.
One, aged 24, had suffered serious gunshot injuries and he remains in hospital in a critical condition.
The other man had suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
A 27-year-old man arrested at an address in West Ealing on Tuesday, June 9, has been released under investigation.


The second proper album by Lee Norris' Metamatics project begins with a few mini-masterpieces ("Toy Toy," "Somekind"), tracks that weave vaguely funky rhythms around definitely atmospheric music verging on house, techno, electro, and IDM. As so many techno producers forget, futuristic rhythms and processing don't mean much scant months after release, and Norris makes sure the spirit of his productions is as persuasive as the programming. He moves on to a series of tracks with more of an ominous flavor ("OP6," "India Link"), then moves into straightahead IDM territory with several playful, programming-intensive productions ("Jakemond," "Fuzzy Dollar"). The excellent downbeat closer "Halshanger Cross" is a near-perfect ending to yet another great Metamatics production.
Spook Tinsel Shoal Review
by John Bush


What is the Makeblock XTool D1? Dahlgren Engraving Machine For Sale
XTool D1 is a laser cutter that has actually been developed by Makeblock. Dahlgren Engraving Machine For Sale
The company was developed in 2012 by Jasen Wang, that researched aircraft design at Northwestern Polytechnic College. The firm is devoted to producing cutting-edge items to help people reveal themselves with development. Since its production, Makeblock has launched numerous instructional robots, along with a coding system for youngsters. It additionally released the MakeX Robot Competition.
The XTool D1 is a mobile laser engraver that is capable of cutting and engraving a range of materials. Its laser can eliminate intricate forms much faster than a scroll saw or jigsaw, and also can be used for several projects. In addition to engraving, the D1 can additionally be made use of for other projects, consisting of creating precious jewelry as well as lamp shades.
The D1 is a do it yourself kit that can be set up in only regarding half a hr. Its unit is foldable, enabling easy portability as well as effective ventilation. It is likewise made from flame-retardant polyester, making it secure from dust bits. The room likewise secures the working surface area under the machine.
The XTool D1 is geared up with a laser component that is capable of engrave on steels and also lots of various other products. It has an ultra-fine pressed laser place of 0.08 x 0.08 mm. This permits finer inscription as well as greater accuracy.
The D1 likewise has a high resolution of 1000 DPI, which makes it feasible to engrave on a vast array of products. The D1 additionally has a built-in smart device app that can be downloaded and install from the Android Store or the Apple Application Shop. The app can be utilized to import laser styles from cost-free vector websites, consisting of Etsy. The D1 can also be attached to a computer system by means of USB or WiFi. It can also move information through Wi-Fi or a large capacity TF card.
The D1 is capable of etching on Poplar plywood, which is one of one of the most generally utilized woods for laser cutters. The D1 can additionally reduce on other woods, including difficult maple, walnut, and also rosewood. Its laser head is flexible, permitting a 50mm variety. It can additionally process products as much as 10mm thick, which means that it has the ability to etch on a variety of materials. The D1 is developed for both home and organization use.
The XTool D1 comes in two versions: the 20W version and the 5W design. The 20W variation has a larger laser head, and also a smaller sized working location. The 5W version has a workplace of 430 x 400 mm. It has a greater maximum speed of 400 mm/s, that makes it a much faster maker. Dahlgren Engraving Machine For Sale
The D1 includes a steel structure, which provides maximum security and also toughness. It also has a synchronous belt to improve activity precision. The belt’s moderate tension is required for precision, particularly when relocating at high speeds. The simultaneous belt can also help the device keep steady and minimize resonance. It can likewise get rid of the movement gap, permitting fine vector graphics at broadband.
Order Your XTool Laser Products Here – Best Prices Guaranteed
XTool D1 Specification
432 * 406 mm (17 * 16 inch)
Wood, Bamboo, Cardboard, Plastic, Leather, PCB Board, Aluminum Oxide, Non-reflective, Electroplating Layer and Paint Surface Layer Metal, 304 Mirror Stainless Steel, Glass, Ceramics, Cotton Cloth, Slate;
Laser Output Optical Power
Fixed focus laser
Makeblock LaserBox Basic, LightBurn, Android and iOS
XTool D1 Laser Diode
XTool D1 Laser Diode is one of the most powerful diode laser on the market. It generates clear lines to 0.06 mm. This makes it an excellent choice for nearly all engraving tasks. Its design is secure as well as dependable. It is optimal for small companies as well as enthusiasts.
It can etch various sorts of metal as well as timber. It has the capacity to cut eight to tenmm plywood in one pass. It additionally has the ability to reduce natural leather and also acrylic.
It features a variety of devices. You can purchase the bundle pack that consists of the Air Help Set and Honeycomb Working Panel. It sets you back $119 and also $269, specifically. You can additionally get a 1064nm laser head. This head minimizes burn marks in plastic and is particularly valuable for delicate fashion jewelry layouts. It also has an activity sensor and also fire discovery sensor.
It additionally features an emergency situation stop button. It can be controlled via WiFi as well as can import laser styles from totally free vector websites like Etsy. You can additionally manage it using the Makeblock XTool D1 app on Android and iOS.
It has a very good focus system. The laser crosshairs relocate as needed as well as transfer to the framework of the artwork. This makes the etching really specific. It can likewise be made use of to produce a thickening result, which can be beneficial when engraving large items.
The XTool D1 Pro has actually enhanced features and also laser power. It uses a 20W laser component to create a beam that reduces things in one pass. It can cut through 8mm black acrylic and also 10mm basswood. It likewise has a greater rate. It can reach etching precision of 0.0004 inches.
XTool D1 Focusing Procedure
The focusing technique on this equipment is really clever. Beside the laser component, there is a pivoting arm which you take out when you want to concentrate the laser. It guarantees that you drop the directly the appropriate distance from the product. Then you tighten up the thumb screw and also rotate the arm back up. Dahlgren Engraving Machine For Sale
XTool D1 Special Features
Right here are a few of the top Special Attributes of the XTool D1:
Machine can be connected by means of USB or a Wi-fi. As well as you can also control with a smart device app on Android or iphone.
Trimming and also Inscription Different Materials
Engrave: Timber, Bamboo, Cardboard, Plastic, Natural Leather, PCB Board, Aluminum Oxide, Non-reflective, Electroplating Layer as well as Paint Surface Area Layer Steel, 304 Mirror Stainless-steel, Glass, Ceramics, Cotton Fabric, Slate.
The Makeblock XTool D1 is likewise a very capable laser cutter.
Cut: Cardboard, Non-woven Material, Wood Board, Acrylic, Some Thin Plastic Board, Sponge; cardboard …
You can reduce more than 10mm thick things with this laser engraver. The equipment can reduce timber, specifically Poplar plywood which is soft as well as it is the favored wood for all laser cutters.
I would avoid some plastics like PVC as well as vinyl since it releases hydrogen chloride gas while being reduced. This gas is harmful and extremely harsh (your device will certainly corrosion rapidly).
We have actually checked the maker with inscription and cutting various products. You will discover the results of our tests few chapters lower.
The Makeblock XTool D1 has steel rollers on all axis as opposed to the plastic ones we have actually seen on all other makers. This ought to allow for more accuracy and much less mechanical wobble when etching at broadband. Dahlgren Engraving Machine For Sale
Advanced Stepper Motor Drivers
The machine has a very advanced controller board. It has Trinamic stepper motor chauffeurs which drive the motors with a pure sine wave. By doing this the electric motors are extremely specific and also silent. The drivers likewise sustain homing treatment without making use of limit changes as the vehicle drivers measure current through motors and spot the limit this way. This is why this device does not require physical limit changes for homing.
The machine has vehicle drivers for 3 axis– so you can plug in the roller system as a Z axis as opposed to having to disconnect among the axis when collaborating with a roller system.
XTool D1 Software
XTool D1 can be managed by means of Wi-Fi or USB. The laser engraver tool immediately quits if an unexpected touch occurs. This is wonderful for people that are concerned concerning safety. The device is also suitable with Windows as well as Mac OS systems.
The XTool D1 software is really easy to use. As soon as you have actually the artwork prepared, you can use the app to establish the laser. You can additionally customize the laser settings as well as develop personalized artwork. The application additionally consists of a materials list.
XTool D1 Pro is an upgrade to the previous XTool D1 laser cutter. It is a high-accuracy laser reducing maker that can engrave over 100 materials. The laser engraver tool is easy to use and also features a protective cover. The device has a guarantee of one year.
XTool D1 Engraving
The XTool D1 is a really functional engraving equipment. It cam be made use of to engrave on all kinds of materials/.
Right here is a listing of products and functions that the XTool D1 boasts:
- Vector Image Engraving
- Aluminium Engraving
- Acrylic Engraving And Cutting
- Plywood Cutting
- Hardwood Cutting
- Stainless Steel Engraving
- Photo Engraving
Is the XTool D1 worth it?
Makeblock XTool D1 is an extremely well thought out machine. Exact, fast and sturdily constructed. It comes with a premium rate, but it is worth it for a person that wants a great and also nearly an industrial quality table top laser engraver with the ability of rapid cutting as well as precise engraving thanks to an effective 10W laser component.
Is XTool better than Glowforge?
The very first laser engraving as well as reducing device on our checklist is XTool D1 pro, the very best alternative to Glowforge. It is in top place since it has received the Red Dot Design 2022 Award. The outstanding layout and modern modern technology set this machine besides other equipments on the marketplace.
Can the XTool D1 cut wood?
XTool D1-5W can reduce a 4mm basswood board at once, and also XTool D1-10W can reduce a 6mm basswood board
How thick wood can XTool D1 cut?
XTool D1-5W can reduce 6mm timber board at once, and also XTool D1-10W can cut 10mm timber board at one time.
Can XTool D1 cut leather?
XTool can reduce and also inscribe a significant range of materials, from something as slim as tissue paper to something as thick as leather and timber panels.
XTool D1 is a diode laser engraving and cutting machine that works with a vast array of materials, including different sorts of timber. Its powerful as well as highly focused laser can conveniently cut and also engraved timber with utmost accuracy and accuracy.
Can the XTool D1 engrave alliminum?
You can also obtain the infrared laser component, which is particularly produced steel and also plastic inscription. It can etch various steels, including light weight aluminum and precious metals. It can likewise do colored engraving on different metals, consisting of aluminum.
Dahlgren Engraving Machine For Sale Dahlgren Engraving Machine For Sale


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Farm Fresh - Direct to your door!
You won't believe the flavour!
Which type of potato is perfect for your dish?
Not all Potatoes are the same! Each type of potato has a different texture, colour, flavour and shape. Here's a quick guide!
Floury Potatoes - Fluffy, Crispy, Crunchy! They have a higher starch content which helps give them crunch. They are drier (lower in moisture) so perfect for Roasting, Baking, Frying and they make a fluffy mash. Definitely your choice when thinking; Rosti, Hash Browns, French Fries, Hasselback, Gnocchi and pretty much anything in the oven.
All Purpose Potatoes - These are the “Go To” spud that every pantry needs! Equally comfortable in both rustic and sophisticated recipes. They will cover off most of your dish requirements from, boiling and oven to frying. The choice for the everyday dilemma; “I don’t know what I am going to cook yet”.
Waxy Potatoes - These potatoes have a higher moisture content, so they don’t absorb water during cooking and stay firmer making them the choice for Boiling, Salads, Curries, Gratin and Roasting (if you part boil). They also make a creamier, thicker mash. Waxy potatoes are generally lower in GI and are more diet-friendly, depending on how they are cooked.
Gourmet and Fingerling - Get their notoriety because of their shape and/or seasonality. They are more delicate, and harder to harvest, needing to be hand dug. The deep rich colours of some, are sought after for their antioxidant properties, or just because they have a unique flavour. You can have lots of fun with them, from Purple Mash to Pink Gnocchi.
But personally, we think all potatoes are special!!
Great quality and awesome colour potato variety. Will definitely buy again!
Such lovely potatoes. The colour is so vivid! Delicious
Our Sebago order personally delivered to our door.
Crisp wedges and fries with good texture and full of flavour.
I’ve often seen these potatoes 🥔 in overseas recipes but they aren’t on sale in my area. It was great to be able to purchase them & try them out. Perfect.
Silky, delicious potatoes 🥔.
These are superb potatoes.
I received the Maris Piper and the Wilwash potatoes only.
The Maris Piper I cut in rounds (with skin on) and roasted under a free-range chicken. They were delicious, golden.
The Wilwash I roasted in quarters also skin on (scrubbed), in olive oil with some fresh herbs and they were also delicious and creamy. Jorge Thaler
Have heard so much about Maris Pipers & was excited to have the chance to purchase, Absolutely worth the wait & can see & taste why they have their reputation for best Chip & Roasted Potato 😁👌
Best Potatoes for roasting...ever!
These potatoes are beautiful! Complex flavour and so fluffy! They take me back to South America, literal tears of joy when eating them. They're perfect. Great produce as usual, fresh and conveniently delivered. Thank you!
I love these spuds! Not only do they taste great and look brilliant, apparently they have greater health benefits than other potatoes. Definitely going to be a fixture in my kitchen.
Always wanted to try Maris Piper, can’t get them at Christmas like in England, fabulous for chips. Dutch Creams are the best for roasting in duck fat. Excellent quality.
I reported the non arrival of my package last week,, and you initiated an investigation. Sendle’s tracking page says it’s now at their depot, so obviously it was found. Thanks for following up
I’m so excited by these lovely coloured spuds! The flavour is great and I love the extra nutritional benefits due to the fantastic colour! They are fast becoming a favourite!!!

domain: food


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Mix ammonia with water and spray on snails to kill them. Your valuable plants will not be hurt by the ammonia. In fact, it converts to helpful nitrogen later. It will kill off the snails and stop them from bringing harm to your garden beds. In order to achieve the best results, apply this mixture on a daily basis.
One should build a border with a fence around their garden before they even start planting their garden. The fence will ensure that you keep the animals out of your garden, so that they grow as big as they can.
Try dividing the irises. You can create additional irises by splitting up irises that are growing into each other’s space. Once the foliage has died off, lift out your bulbous irises. The bulbs will split up naturally in your hand, and when replanted, will often flower the next year. Make use of a knife to split up rhizomes. Cut the new pieces from its outside and dispose of the older center. Don’t plant any pieces that don’t have any strong offshoots. Plant immediately.
Use perennials resistant to slugs and snails. These mollusks are capable of consuming an entire garden full of flowers in a single night. Young plants with smooth and tender leaves are their favorite. Some perennials aren’t that tasty to snails and slugs since they have tough and hairy leaves, and an unappetizing flavor. Some of the best varieties of these include achillea, campanula, euphorbia, and heuchera.
Your plants need to adapt and must be gradually introduced to changes in temperature or condition. Try placing them outside in sunlight for about an hour or maybe two the first day. As the week progresses, gradually increase their exposure to the outdoors. At the end of a week, they should be accustomed to the outdoors and ready to transition to outside safely.
Every garden can benefit from a planting calendar. This calendar allows you to plan ahead for each planting season. You will also be able to prepare yourself ahead of time by buying the right seeds. Your planting calendar can be on paper, or use any popular computer program to create one.
Watering your garden is essential. Just like people. plants need water in order to survive. On especially hot days, soil can be dried out by the sun, and one needs to make sure that they do not forget to water their garden. Proper watering could make a great garden.
Choose the right soil for best results. Find out more about the plants you like and which type of soil is best. You could also isolate a certain area, and fill it with just one kind of soil.
Rubbing alcohol and vinegar can be utilized to clean the salt deposits off of clay pots. It is common for build-ups of salt to accumulate over long periods of time on pots made of clay. Make a solution with equal parts rubbing alcohol, water and white vinegar. Spray this on clay pots where salt deposits have built up. Scrub it down with any brush you happen to have handy, and the salt will come right off. Use some clear water to rinse the pot before planting anything else in it.
With these tips, you’re better equipped to grow the most beautiful garden you can imagine. In learning how to create your dream garden, you’ll also be growing as a person. That’s because learning how to nurture your plants will not only help you reach the goal of having a great garden, but it will help you learn to nurture yourself.
If you are truly into gardening and take great joy to grow your own plants and vegetables, you’ll love what this lady has created. It is a raised garden system that can prevent you from being required to bend over and hurt your back while gardening. Check out what she has created, it’s truly one of a kind. Click Here to see the raised garden rack system.
Hope you enjoyed our guest bloggers article. 🙂

domain: agronomy


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Top Cosplay Ideas Editorial Picks Accessories on lord of the rings dress … Whether you gorgeous Hilda from Pokemon cosplay which are all classic Fall.
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domain: entertainment


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With a history dating back thousands of years, they have continued to be a popular design choice, and have evolved over time as new materials and techniques were developed. We are happy to offer some of the most stunning designs available in Australia.
Classical elegance, contemporary style
Mosaic tiles are not just beautiful, they’re also incredibly functional. They come in a variety of colours, sizes, and patterns, making it easy to create a bespoke look that reflects your personal style.
We offer a range of porcelain mosaic tiles that resemble natural stone, clay, and terrazzo, as well as marble mosaic tiles that add a touch of luxury and elegance to any bathroom.
Our favourites include Silver Grain and Eureka Stone, with their contemporary textured surface and sophisticated colour range. If you are looking for a more dramatic mosaic, consider the Labyrinth Marble collection, with its monochrome palette and striking geometrical pattern options.


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Highgate tube station
Entrance facing east on Priory Gardens
Location of Highgate in Greater London
|Local authority||London Borough of Haringey|
|Managed by||London Underground|
|Number of platforms||2|
|London Underground annual entry and exit|
|1867||Opened (GNR High Level)|
|1941||Opened (Northern line Low Level)|
|1954||Closed (LNER High Level)|
|Lists of stations|
|London Transport portalCoordinates:|
Highgate tube station is a London Underground station on Archway Road, Highgate, not far from Highgate Village in north London. It is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern line, between Archway and East Finchley, in Travelcard Zone 3.
The present low-level station was built in the late 1930s as part of London Underground's Northern Heights plan. It is just part of the planned station but the advent of the Second World War postponed parts of the project and eventually led to its cancellation. The low-level station was built directly below the existing high-level London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) station.
Highgate station was originally constructed by the Edgware, Highgate and London Railway in the 1860s on its line from Finsbury Park to Edgware. Before the line was opened it was purchased in July 1867 by the larger Great Northern Railway (GNR), whose main line from King's Cross ran through Finsbury Park on its way to Potters Bar and the north. The railway to Edgware opened as a single-track line on 22 August 1867.
Because of the hilly terrain, the station was built in a deep cutting excavated from Highgate Hill adjacent to Archway Road. Tunnels penetrated the hillside at each end of the station, leading to East Finchley to the north and Crouch End to the south.
A branch line was constructed from Highgate to Alexandra Palace by the Muswell Hill Railway (MHR) and opened on 22 May 1872. The new branch split from the original route north of the station in a wide arc around Highgate Wood. The next station on the branch line when it opened was Muswell Hill, and in 1902 an intermediate station opened at Cranley Gardens.
The construction of the Northern Heights project extended tube train services from the Northern line's terminus at Archway (then called Highgate) through a new section of paired tunnels under the High Level station to emerge north west of Highgate station, where connections to the LNER line to East Finchley were made.
Services through the tunnel to East Finchley started operating on 3 July 1939 although the Low Level station and interchange with the High Level station did not open until 19 January 1941. The station is unique in having platforms long enough to accommodate nine-car trains, being built to this length in anticipation of future extensions at other stations. An unusual relic of the abortive plan to incorporate the high-level platforms into the Underground system was the numbering of the low-level platforms as 3 and 4 until the 1990s.
Wartime and after - postponement & cancellation
Because of the war the full plan for the reconstruction of the station designed by Charles Holden was not completed and parts for escalators intended for Highgate were used in central London stations. Works to electrify the LNER tracks from Finsbury Park, through Highgate to East Finchley and on the Alexandra Palace branch had been well advanced when war started but were postponed.
LNER trains continued to serve the High Level station, with services to East Finchley continuing until 2 March 1941. After that date LNER trains operated between Finsbury Park and Alexandra Palace only. The start of Underground services between Finchley Central and Mill Hill East in May 1941 was the last part of the Northern Heights Project to be completed.
During World War II Highgate tube station was used, as many were, as a shelter from the bombing of London by the Luftwaffe, and latterly V-1 and V-2 bombs. The entertainer Jerry Springer was born at the tube station in 1944.
After the war, maintenance works and reconstruction of war damage on the existing network had the greatest call on London Underground funds. Funds for new works were severely limited and the priority was given to the completion of the Central line extensions to West Ruislip, Epping and Hainault. It was announced in October 1950 that the extension to Bushey Heath would not be proceeded with, but that extensions to Brockley Hill and beyond Mill Hill East might still proceed. In February 1954 it was finally announced that the extensions beyond Edgware and Mill Hill East had been abandoned. In October 1956 the depot buildings that had been built at Aldenham, in anticipation of the Bushey Heath extension, opened instead as London Transport's bus overhaul facility.
The unfulfilled plans for the station involved a much more substantial station building than the inconsequential structures that were eventually built. A large building at the top of the hill would have been the main entrance with dual escalators in a stepped enclosure down to the level of the surface platforms where a secondary entrance would have provided access from the car park. The building would have been topped by a statue of Dick Whittington and his cat by Eric Aumonier who created the Archer statue at East Finchley. The current buildings were built on a much more modest scale and the escalator link to the high level exit was not built until 1957. This link is housed in a concrete box built up the side of the hill but was never completed as intended and no down escalator was ever installed although the foundations for it were completed.
The surface platforms and their buildings are still in place and are visible when they are not obscured by trees on the sides of the cutting. A surviving station building from the GNR station, now a private house, may be seen from Priory Gardens. The surface station and overground tunnels have sometimes been used for filming and have appeared in several productions, notably the feature film Paperhouse, the TV series Messiah and the Steven Wilson music documentary film Insurgentes.
London buses Routes serve the station
- 43 (Friern Barnet Library-London Bridge Station) every 6–7 minutes
- 134 (North Finchley Tally Ho Corner-Tottenham Court Road Station) every 6 minutes
- 263 (Barnet Hospital-Holloway Nag's Head) every 10 minutes
- 43 (24-hour service, route as above) every 30 minutes
- 134 (24-hour service, route as above) every 15 minutes
- N20 (Barnet Church-Trafalgar Square) every 30 minute from 0000-0530
The following TfL buses serve Highgate Village, 950 metres (0.59 mi) away and a 25 metres (82 ft) climb via Southwood Lane.
- 143 (Brent Cross Shopping Centre-Archway Station) every 12 minutes
- 210 (Brent Cross Shopping Centre-Finsbury Park Station) every 7–8 minutes
- 214 (Highgate Village North Road-Liverpool Street Bus Station) every 7–8 minutes
- 271 (Highgate Village South Grove-Moorgate Finsbury Square) every 8 minutes
- 603 (Swiss Cottage station-Muswell Hill Broadway) 4 return journeys
- 214 (24-hour service, route as above) every 20 minutes
- 271 (24-hour service, route as above) every 30 minutes
- "Customer metrics: entries and exits: 2010". London Underground performance update. Transport for London. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- "Multi-year station entry-and-exit figures" (XLS). London Underground station passenger usage data. Transport for London. 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
- Clive's Underground Line Guides - Northern Line, Dates
- Rose, Douglas (1999). The London Underground, A Diagrammatic History. Douglas Rose/Capital Transport. ISBN 1-85414-219-4.
- Nathan, John (2 July 2009). "Interview: Jerry Springer". Jewish Chronicle Online. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Highgate tube station.|
- Highgate station in its cutting on an 1870s Ordnance Survey map
- Location of the station on Multimap
- London Transport Museum Photographic Archive
- Entrance to LNER station in 1935
- Shepherd's Hill entrance in 1955
- Priory Gardens entrance in 1955 Buildings on Archway Road are visible beyond, showing depth of cutting in which the surface station was built.
- New Archway Road exit in 1957 after escalator was installed.
- Urban75: The Northern Heights Parkland Walk
- Disused Stations - Highgate (High Level)
|Preceding station||London Underground||Following station|
Alexandra Palace Line
|Abandoned Northern Heights Extension|
|Preceding station||London Underground||Following station|
towards Alexandra Palace


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Member for Maroochydore Fiona Simpson has called on the Government to release the long-overdue review of the Mt Coolum National Park Management Plan for public consultation.
Ms Simpson has been asking the Minister to update the 1998 plan to ensure all issues, including the need for public toilets and parking are being addressed to protect Mt Coolum National Park.
Ms Simpson wants the review of the plan released now and made available for the public to read and have their say.
Ms Simpson said the Minister has refused to answer the question she asked in Parliament (Question on Notice No. 314) about when this document will be released.
“I want to know why the Minister is refusing to answer my question and make this information available to the public,” Ms Simpson said.
“Around 150,000 people a year (or 400 people a day) visit this major attraction, which is much more than in 1998, when the management plan was prepared.
“Local residents and visitors to the park want better facilities, including public toilets, to ensure this precious environment is being protected.
“The previous Minister told me in July 2017 (attached) that the management plan was reviewed in the 2016-17 financial year and that the new draft plan and draft visitor strategy would shortly be released for public feedback.
“It’s almost a year later and still this Government can’t tell me when this information will be made available for the public to have their say?
“Why are they delaying this?
Ms Simpson said the Labor Government had refused to listen to the concerns of Sunshine Coast residents and provide public toilet facilities.
“The nearest public toilets are nearly 2km away and local residents are tired of visitors to the National Park going to the toilet in their gardens.
“We want to ensure Mt Coolum National Park can continue to be enjoyed for generations to come.”


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When heading out on vacation, Bianca Kapteyn often had difficulty finding a hotel that would accommodate one special family member — her wheaten terrier, Otis.
Kapteyn couldn’t stand the thought of leaving Otis behind in Toronto, so she brought the dog along on her travels. But she said some hotels didn’t allow dogs, while others charged a fee for Otis to even be allowed in the room.
While Otis has since died, Kapteyn, who writes about dogs and society online, said she’s noticed a shift in the hospitality industry to offer four-legged guests the same five-star treatment as their owners.
“I think it’s more acceptable that dogs or companion animals are part of the family dynamic,” she said. “It is now a standard practice with most hotels that they will provide treats with the bed-turn service, designer water, bones, beds and also (assistance from) the concierge.”
Hotels across Canada are courting furry travellers by offering luxe amenities ranging from customized bedding, canine room service, pet-sitting and souvenirs from their stay.
Many Fairmont Hotels welcome pets for a fee of $50 per night, while owners may face extra charges for cleaning costs or violating policies about leaving pets unattended in the room.
At the chain’s Vancouver location, perks include a welcome mat in the room, bowls with bottled water, specialty treats, a brochure of pet-friendly activities and a special in-room menu featuring such delicacies as prime rib bones with gravy lacquer for $12.
The hotel even has a pair of Labradors, Ella and Ellie, who welcome humans and pets alike.
“We probably have, at one time, a dozen dogs in the hotel,” said Fairmont Gold Manager Darren Klingbeil, who attributed this wave of jet-setting pets to changes airlines have made to expedite pet travel, as well as the rise of emotional-support animals.
Emma Hutchinson, a sales ambassador at The Loden in Vancouver, said the city itself has become more pet-friendly with its walking paths, parks and increasing number of establishments that allow dogs.
“It’s like having a child,” said Hutchinson. “They just want their dog to be treated like a VIP.”
Hutchinson said the hotel’s staff aims to go above and beyond in greeting canine guests by name, which is also written on a door hanger as part of a welcome package with a dog lifestyle magazine and a Loden leash.
It faces stiff competition from the Opus Vancouver in Yaletown, which boasts a “Bow-Wow Butler” who can arrange grooming, nail trimming and even a cake from a local canine-centric bakery.
In Montreal, the Loews Hotel Vogue accepts both cats and dogs for a $25 fee, providing pet-sitting and walking services so guests can explore the city freely.
For more adventurous animals, there’s also Storeytown Cottages, about a one-hour drive southeast of Miramichi, N.B., where pooches can float down the river in a customized tube with an insert to protect against claw-induced punctures.
After a hike in Whistler, canine guests at the Four Seasons can lounge in customized beds, including one that offers orthopedic support, and others that are shaped like a pineapple or a tent. They can also mingle at the “patio kennel,” while their owners sip drinks nearby.
Adina Bresge, The Canadian Press


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The bomb blasts in Kathmandu last week prove that the law and order situation of the country has taken a nose dive. Contrary to the fact that government authority is virtually non-existent throughout the country, the government is still adamant about holding "timely" elections. The Home Minister during his parleys in parliament conceded to the fact that the government would need to recruit an additional 30,000 troops for the Nepal Police to ensure security for the polls. Where are these bodies to throw at the election challenge?
In the past, it was always the Nepali Army that provided the backbone for security arrangements during elections. However, the present peace agreements prohibit the deployment of the army for any purpose. The same agreement also prohibits Maoist combatants from leaving their camps but this is a topic for another time. How the Prime Minister envisions conducting timely elections with the Army in its barracks, a gaping hole for 30,000 security elements and the Maoist combatants conducting their "election campaign" as YCL is still a mystery.
To add to the PM's worries, CPN-Maoist - one of Koirala's major allies - has now stated that elections are impossible given the deteriorating law and order situation of the country. Although the legal aspects concerning the elections have been completed, the administrative work is still incomplete and political will is lacking among all parties to forge consensus to conduct timely polls. The only person pushing for elections is the PM and the international community, while the others are ranting hollow rhetoric.
The Maoists actually do not want elections. After their fifth plenum, the Maoist leadership came to a conclusion that holding elections would severely damage the party. The Maoist leadership has come to realise that their position in the Terai is extremely weak and their position in the hills is no better. Therefore, the leadership has decided to explore alternative avenues to end the institution of monarchy and create disturbances to sabotage the polls, while they continue to weild power through the government.
Also discussed during the fifth plenum was that the King is a spent force and the probability of the resurgence of the King with the backing of the army is nil. The Maoist know that electoral victory for them can only be had through forceful and fraudulent elections. They also know such elections will be condemned domestically and internationally, and so now the Maoists are forced to accept that going for elections will prove to be a political suicide. Elections would also decrease their numerical strength in the parliament. They also know that an electoral loss would tear their party apart and so the Maoists are unwilling to make ideological concessions to enter the political mainstream.
The international community has conducted endless surveys that all humiliating losses for the Maoists in the polls. Therefore, the international community has increased their pressure on all political parties to conduct polls this November. Some diplomatic missions have gone one step further to broker an electoral alliance. For example, Gunther, the Swiss diplomat, who has been busy trying to broker an alliance between ethnic groups and the Moaists - particularly with the Madhesis.
The Norwegians and the Swiss for long have been cultivating the Left ever since the restoration of democracy in 1990. They have been doing so because they have come to realize that the democratic forces will always work closer with India and this they can not digest. Therefore, Günter's attempted bid to unite ethnic groups and the Maoists is a ruse to help the Maoists recapture the lost ground in the Terai.
PM Koirala will inevitably yield to the pressure tactics of the Maoists. Hence, there is a very slim chance that elections will take place on time in November. Over the last year, political observers have been taken back by the PM's inability to confront the Maoist on fundamental issues. Time and again, he has conceded to the Maoist demands and on some occasions has been forced to backtrack.
Koirala has embarked on a trend where he has inevitably succumbed to the pressure of the Maoist leadership. Therefore, to ignore Koirala's trend in surrendering to his coterie and the Maoists will prove disastrous. The truth is that Koirala's coterie and the Maoists are bent on pushing Koirala for the immediate declaration of a republic and exhausting the means to hold elections. But there is also a genuine case of deteriorating law and order situation that needs to be considered.
The Maoists fear an electoral loss. The international community is confident the democratic forces will prevail and Koirala has already begun to yield to the Maoists. However, the question regarding the possibility of elections should be left to the people to decide. If Koirala holds the elections in haste – the electoral process will prove futile. Just like Prachanda and Baburam remind us from time to time, hurried elections will be the king's elections (when the Maoists assassinated countless candidates) and during the panchayat years (when elections were held with only one party to vote for).
(Note from the Nepal Horizons Editorial Team: The views and opinion expressed in this article are that of the author and not of NHC. We request individuals with interest in Nepal to submit their views on contemporary Nepalese issues to the following e-mail address: firstname.lastname@example.org. Pictures of contributors or images that relate to submissions are welcome)


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Tween Book Club
Join us the 4th Monday of each month to discuss the selected book. We will chat about the book and enjoy snacks. Build literacy and reading comprehension while reading exciting and engaging books. Pick up each month's book from Kate at Cloverdale.
- Monday, September 25, 2017 Show more dates
- 4:00pm - 5:00pm
- Cloverdale Regional Library

domain: literature


Book Review: I Am Malala
Friday, November 1, 20130 Comments
I Am Malala is an inspiring memoir of a 15 years old girl, Malala Yousafzai whom was shot in the head at point-blank range by the Taliban when she refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education.
The book begins with Malala telling stories of everyday struggles and challenges in her hometown in Pakistan. She has faced these challenges since the day she was born as girls were not celebrated. Her mother and she would not be able to roam freely about town without being accompanied by a male relative, even if it was a five-year-old boy. Such was the tradition. Malala’s family would be considered untraditional in her country. Her father never laid a hand on her mother and they married for love as opposed to an arranged marriage. Her father took her to the school he opened and taught her how to read and write. His school also encouraged other girls in their town to attend. Still, when the girls went to school on the bus, they’d hide their books.
Her tone and voice in the book is eloquent, refined and firm, not something you really expected from somebody of that age. By the age of 11, Malala had already established herself as an advocate for girl’s education in Pakistan. Her fearlessness and courage came largely through the support of her father and other like-minded people in the country. In her memoir, she brings to light that Pakistan is a country of 300 languages, varied in cultures, religions and identities. But such diversity was not celebrated. Instead, groups fought for what they believed was their ideal image of being a Muslim in Pakistan.
One such group was the Taliban, whom targeted young Malala for ‘spreading secularism’. In her book, she recounted the public whippings, torture, and killings of those that the Taliban felt was against the Muslim religion. Indeed, she was afraid though not for herself…but her father. Who would be that cruel to target a young helpless child? On October 9, 2012, Malala was shot by a Taliban in the head while on the way to school. Despite the vicious attempt to silence the young girl, she survived.
Since the incident in 2012, Malala has gained recognition for her courage and advocacy. She is the youngest person ever nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize and continues to champion universal access to education through her non-profit organization called the Malala Fund. On her 16th birthday, Malala spoke at the United Nations Youth Assembly (Click to see her speech).
I am Malala, is a powerful book that I would encourage everyone to read. The book is another reminder, to take a step back and be thankful of what we have. More importantly, it gives you confidence to be able to create positive change. Even if you are just one person, you can inspire change in the world.