Limited space clogging up cleaning operations?
The S40M MANUAL ECONOMY SOLVENT SPRAY GUN CLEANER delivers equivalent superior cleaning performance to our larger models while taking up considerably less space in your shop.
A big benefit of this small model is versatility. This system is compatible with many optional upgrades. It can stand on its own legs, mounted on the wall, or sit on a table to meet your needs.
Experience THE BECCA DIFFERENCE!
Click below for Folder Selection
- S40M Literature
- Solvent Filtration Recycling System
- BECCA Spray Gun Cleaner Code & NESHAP Compliance Letter
- Troubleshooting & Consumable Replacement Parts Guide – Spray Gun Cleaner
- Spray Gun Cleaner Service Tech Troubleshooting Guide
- Stainless Steel Basin – Compact Design, ideal for Tight Space Applications
- Powerpistol™ – Quick & Powerful Spray Gun Cleaning
- Powerclean™ – Compressed Air Connection Protecting Air Passageways
- Pulsating Fluid – Powerful Cleaning Efficiency
- Used/Clean Fluid Control – Superior Cleaning and 50% Solvent Savings
- Splash Pad – In Basin to Reduce Splash
- Air Cap/Fluid Tip Scrub Brush – Stiff Nylon Bristles for Powerful Cleaning
- Foot Pedal – Pump Control for Hands Free Operation
- Red Powder Coated Finish – Long Maintenance Life
- Air Filter/Regulator – Proper System Air Control
- NESHAP and NFPA 33 Compliant – Meets Requirements
- Mounting Stand with Legs – Creates a free-standing system.
- Wall Mount Kit – Includes uni-strut and hardware for mounting to single-skin wall. Additional hardware may be required.
- 24″ H x 18″ W x 12″D
- 610 mm x 457 mm x 305 mm
- Working (Stainless Basin):
- 12″ D x 16.75″ W x 14″ H
- 305 mm x 426mm x 356 mm
- Weight: 45 lbs. (21 kg)
- Shipping: Freight


text:
Date of this Version
There I Go Again is a celebrity memoir like no other, revealing the life of a man whose acting career has been so rich that millions of Americans know his face even while they might not recognize his name.
William Daniels is an enigma—a rare chameleon who has enjoyed massive success both in Hollywood and on Broadway and been embraced by fans of successive generations. Few of his peers inspire the fervor with which buffs celebrate his most iconic roles, among them George Feeny in Boy Meets World, KITT in Knight Rider, Dr. Mark Craig in St. Elsewhere, and John Adams in the play and film 1776.
Daniels guides readers through some of Hollywood’s most cherished productions, offering recollections of entertainment legends including Lauren Bacall, Warren Beatty, Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Mike Nichols, Jason Robards, Barbra Streisand, and many more.
Looking back on his seventy-five-plus-year career, Daniels realizes that although he never had the courage to say “no” to being an actor, he backed into stardom. With his wife, actress Bonnie Bartlett, by his side, he came to realize that he wound up exactly where he was supposed to be: on the screen and stage.

domain: literature


text:
MBBS, MRCOG(UK), FAMS - Fellowship of the Academy Medicine
22 Years Experience Overall
Dr Ting is an experienced general obstetrician and gynaecologist with more than 15 years of clinical practice experience in obstetrics & gynaecology (O&G) in several countries including New Zealand, United Kingdom (UK), Singapore and Malaysia.She is a skillful gynae-laparoscopic surgeon and has performed over 1000 cases of laparoscopic hysterectomy, myomectomy and cystectomy.Dr Ting is one of the few gynae-laparoscopic surgeons in Singapore to be accredited with Level II and III Minimally-Invasive Surgery (key-hole surgery) Accreditation by KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore.She graduated from the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand and then started her O&G training in the UK. She worked in several National Health Service hospitals in England.In 2002, she moved to Singapore and worked in KK Women's and Children's Hospital, where she continued her higher training in O&G, in particular, MIS surgery (Minimally Invasive Surgery or key-hole laparoscopic surgery) and served as an Associate Consultant in MIS Department.Following which, Dr Ting relocated to the Malaysian state of Sarawak, Sibu Hospital, to practice O&G. During her three years of service in the government hospital, Dr Ting had gained a wide range of clinical experience in managing O&G cases with advanced pathology. The largest uterus removed abdominally was 3kgs and the largest uterus removed laparoscopically was 1.1kgs.Subsequently, Dr Ting was in private practice in Sibu and continued to pursue her interest in O&G, especially in the MIS domain.Dr Ting has audited the surgical outcome of her first 120 cases of laparoscopic hysterectomy performed in Sibu. The complication rate was low by international standards and the largest specimen removed was more than one kilogram in weight. The audit has been presented at various regional and international meetings.Dr Ting is fluent in several languages and dialects, which include English, Chinese, Bahasa Malaysia, Bahasa Indonesia, Foochow, Hokkien and Cantonese.

domain: medical


NA-17921 - 502B-S Monitor
incl. 19 % Tax excl. Shipping costs
The SmallHD 502 Bright monitor is an incredibly light and sharp 5-inch daylight viewable field monitor and the perfect complement to a Nauticam underwater video system. The Bright version of the 502 adds 1000 nit daylight viewable brightness to the already stunning 5″, 1920 x 1080 Full HD Display. The 441 PPI monitor comes equipped with an amazing suite of software tools for image monitoring in a compact form factor. This version of the NA-502B is setup for an HD-SDI camera connection, see NA-502B-H for an HDMI camera connection.
|Weight in Air||1.41kg|
|Weight in Water||-20g|
|Dimensions||222mm (W) × 122mm (H) × 77mm (D)|
Nauticam NA-502B-S Underwater Housing
Nauticam has supported both the 501 and 502 models of SmallHD montiors and continue to evolve and innovate with the new NA-502B for the 502 Bright Monitor. With more cameras offering video capability the need for an efficient and bright external monitor is only growing. With Nauticam's bulkhead system, attaching and detaching the cable system can be done quickly in the field. This means you can easily switch from a still photo setup to a video setup in between dives, quickly removing the monitor and even installing a magnifying viewfinder to the housing.
The NA-502B housing provides access to all monitor controls, and the complete menu system is available in the housing, and at depth.
The Nauticam NA-502B housing features the rugged build quality and advanced manufacturing expertise our user base has come to expect. The joystick navigation system used by the 502 Bright monitor is translated to four directional arrows, a center select button, and the dedicated “back” button. The interface is simple, but elegant, and perfectly suited to the underwater environment.
The form factor of 502 Bright monitor is perfectly suited for an underwater housing, with HDMI / HD-SDI cables nestled between two readily available Canon LP-E6 Batteries that power the monitor.
HDMI and HD-SDI are both supported by a single housing, providing an extremely broad range of camera support in a single underwater monitor system.
NOTE: This housing (17921) comes with an HD-SDI connection pre-installed. Unlike previous 502 models the 502 Bright is only available in one configuration that includes both HD-SDI and HDMI so choose the housing model that is appropriate for your camera, i.e. 17920 for HDMI and 17921 for HD-SDI.
The 502 Bright monitor can also function as a passthrough monitor, passing SDI to a surface monitor. The NA-502B housings feature a second M16 opening that can accommodate another HD-SDI cable. HD-SDI can travel over longer distances making this ideal for surface monitoring. Nauticam HD-SDI Cable Accessories provide a reliable way of transporting a video signal over long distances.
Front Top: 1 x M16 pre-installed with 25625 Vacuum Valve II
Rear Bottom: 1 x M16 (normally used for 25028 M16 SDI Bulkhead for SDI-out)
** Barzahlungspreis von € 2487.00,- entspricht dem Nettodarlehensbetrag sowie dem Gesamtbetrag. Effektiver Jahreszins und fester Sollzinssatz beträgt 0,00% p.a.. bei einer Laufzeit von 12 Monaten, 12 monatl. Raten à € 207,25. Erst- bzw. Schlussrate können abweichen. Bonität vorausgesetzt. Ein Angebot der Santander Consumer Bank AG, Santander-Platz 1, 41061 Mönchengladbach. Die Angaben stellen zugleich das 2/3 Beispiel gemäß § 6a Abs. 4 PAngV dar.


text:
Exterminatus is mod for Half-Life 2 created by 40KSource Team. Itís a total conversion that allows gamers to participate in battles set in the great Warhammer 40,000 universe. The project pits Imperial Space Marines against the Tyranid swarm. Each map sees both teams competing in a series of mission objectives, culminating in a battle to decide the fate of the planet. This mod is purely multi-player, there is no co-op mode or player bots available. Players that do well for their team are rewarded with the option to use more powerful player classes including special and heavy weapons marines, terminators, the tank like Carnifex and terrifying Lictor.
The mod is extremely impressive. Majority of itís content is new, including models and textures. The creators have also modified the gameplay heavily, so that itís faithful to Warhammer 40,000 lore. If you like this universe, Exterminatus is absolute must-have.
How to install: The mod has itís own installer.
Report problems with download to firstname.lastname@example.org

domain: entertainment


text:
Two Tails Pet Company was born out of love for dogs and design. Created in Los Angeles by a husband and wife team, Two Tails is inspired by the joy our pets bring in and the playfulness they bring out.
Our classic black leather pet collars are made of high quality genuine leather and brass hardware, giving your pet that fresh detail they deserves.
We added a D-ring on the back so you can attach your leash with ease. No more struggling under your pets chin to find the buckle for a walk!
We’ve also added a small D-Ring to the front for a neatly placed ID tag or charm.
SMALL - 7.5"-10.5" Length x 0.6" Width (19-26.5 cm x 1.5 cm)
MEDIUM - 9.6"-13.4" Length x 0.75" Width (24-34 cm x 2 cm)
LARGE - 13.4"-18.5" Length x 1" Width (34-47 cm x 2.5 cm)

domain: design


text:
Adeju Thompson is the brains behind the genderless fashion line Lagos space programme based in Lagos. He is a 29 year old designer known for his beautiful works.Based on a statement by Adeju Thompson, Lagos Space Programme is not a brand but an ethical movement. His beautiful works have drawn the attentions of top fashion publications and with no doubt Vogue is one of them.In his feature on Vogue, he tells us about his fashion background.
- Reactions as Pregnant Lady Kneels To Propose to Her Boyfriend | Photo May 16, 2021
- Every Quote a Heart Broken Girl Needs — To Heal Herself May 16, 2021
- Breaking! Tight Security In Osogbo Over Yoruba Nation Protest May 15, 2021
- Burna Boy, The First African Artist With 100 Million Streams From Three Albums May 14, 2021
- COVID-19 : Bayelsa State Imposes Curfew From 8pm – 6am May 14, 2021
American singer Jennifer Lopez and her fiancé, Alex Rodriguez have officially called off their engagement. The ex couple in a statement with TODAY revealed...
In news that will surprise, well, no one, Kim Kardashian West might be launching another beauty-centric brand to join her empire soon. As reported...
The maker of the rapper Lil Nas X’s controversial “Satan shoes” responded to a lawsuit from Nike by claiming the sneakers were works of...

domain: news


- 5 May, 2014
- 0 Comments
Even if you hate social media, it still doesn’t change the facts… Google search results are heavily influenced by social media content. You might be wondering, ‘Does my small business really need a Facebook or Twitter page?? I mean, come on, I’m not a famous person and my company is not a national brand. Do customers really care about my tweets?’
Trust me, I thought the same thing when I first heard about Twitter and Facebook pages for small businesses back in 2010. I thought it was gimmicky to say the least. Just another bandwagon that everyone was jumping on board with. But here’s the thing, there are real tangible benefits why you would want a Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn page for your small business, even if you are not some internet marketing guru.
1) Google Loves Social Media – The Most Important Reason Why Your Small Business Needs Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn
It might seem odd that Google would be so heavily influenced by social media, because you might think they would be above that. But Google’s main objective is to provide the most relevant search results possible. They know what’s relevant and what’s not. Google figured out quickly that social media outlets carry a lot of weight, both in content and in relevancy. People are using social media in increasing numbers every year, and therefore content on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn is being picked up by Google searches. Have you tried searching for a company on Google lately? You’ll notice that the actual company website comes up first, followed by all their social media channels. It’s important when someone is searching for your company that they end up with a Google page full of your content and not your competitors since most people don’t venture past the first page of a Google search result anyways.
2) Social Media Reinforces Confidence in Your Brand and Provides ‘Social Proof’
Again, even if you don’t use social media personally, your customers most likely do. Facebook has 1.3 billion users as of 2014! (There’s 7 billion people in the world.) So that means there’s a good chance your customers are using Facebook and they are interacting with other people and companies. They are seeing what their friends like (or dislike), and are they are being influenced. They will likely search out a company they are intending to do business with on Facebook, before they do business with them. And if you have no Facebook page, you might lose credibility with your audience. Also, if they come to your page and it only has two likes (one from you and one from your mom) there won’t be much social proof for people to trust you. Anyone can start a Facebook page, but it takes time and effort to build a strong Facebook following. That’s why people trust companies with a large number of followers or fans because they believe them to be the real deal.
3) Social Media Interest Can Spread Quickly
One of the beautiful things about social media marketing is that once you have a fanbase established, you can market to them more easily. Say you have 100 followers on Facebook, all you have to do is post a new article about your latest product or hot deal and it will be spread to all of your follower’s news feed within seconds, for free. If they like it or share it, it spreads to that person’s friendlist as well. So even though you have a fanbase of 100, you could easily reach 300, 400, or 500 people with a single post or tweet. That’s one of the powerful things about social media marketing and you should be taking advantage of it today. One of the biggest reasons is because it’s free too!
Action Steps You Should Take TODAY
1) If you haven’t created a Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn account, do that immediately!
2) Invite your friends and family members to like/follow you on these pages. You can import your contact list from your email client.
3) Invite current customers to like/follow you and give a small incentive for the first 50 or 100 likes. It will help you build a following more quickly.
In the end, social media marketing is a powerful tool that is mostly free, all it takes is some time and effort. Don’t look at social media marketing as the end-all-be-all, holy grail of marketing, but rather use it in conjunction with your other forms of marketing, including blogging, direct mail, your website, email marketing, etc. Head over here, if you are interested in learning more about what your marketing budget should be.
Image courtesy of Thos Ballantyne.


Energy Ministry requests concession for CPC, LIOC
- If no concession, fuel prices will go up: Energy Secy.
BY Buddhika Samaraweera
The Energy Ministry, on behalf of the country’s leading fuel suppliers Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC) PLC, has written to the Finance Ministry requesting that they be granted some concession for the import of fuel, noting that fuel prices would inevitably increase in the event such a concession is not granted.
When contacted by The Morning, Energy Ministry Secretary K.D.R. Olga said: “The CPC and LIOC have made requests to increase fuel prices. Therefore, considering these requests, we have requested the Finance Ministry to provide some relief to these two companies to supply fuel at the existing prices.”
When queried as to what kind of concession the companies expect, she said that the concession would most probably be a revision of the tax rates. “However, taxes on fuel imports and taxes charged by the Customs have been revised on a number of occasions over the past two years and they are now in an unchangeable state,” she noted.
However, when questioned as to whether there has been any response to the request made by the Energy Ministry from the Finance Ministry, Olga added that no such response has been received so far. She added that she had learnt that the Finance Ministry is still discussing the matter.
Speaking further, she said that compared to the fuel prices in the world market at the time of the last revision of the fuel prices in June 2021, the current world market prices have increased significantly.
Meanwhile, when queried about the current status of the Energy Ministry’s discussions with certain countries to purchase fuel under long-term credit facilities, Olga said that it was still under discussion.
“Those talks are not over yet, because agreements need to be made, their terms need to be negotiated, and the Attorney General (AG) needs to clear the agreements. Therefore, those matters are currently being discussed.”
The CPC has recently requested the Government to increase the price of fuel, considering the current situation.
Speaking at a recent media briefing, CPC Chairman Sumith Wijesinghe claimed that the CPC had incurred a loss of Rs. 70 billion as of 31 August 2021. “Today, the CPC incurs a loss of Rs. 14.56 per litre of petrol and the loss on diesel has increased by Rs. 31.46. What the CPC should do in this kind of a situation is to increase the fuel prices,” he said.
Commenting on this, Cabinet Co-Spokesman and Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila also said that he wishes to discuss the proposed increase in fuel prices with the Cabinet of Ministers.
Finance Ministry and Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle was not available for comment.


Paul H. Todd Jr.
Todd was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the son of Paul H. Todd, mayor of Kalamazoo in 1937, and the grandson of Albert M. Todd, former U.S. Representative and the "Peppermint King" founder of the A.M. Todd Company. Paul Todd graduated from Beverly Hills High School, Beverly Hills, California in 1937. He received a B.S. at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York in 1942. Todd served in the United States Army Signal Corps and the Office of Strategic Services from 1942 to 1945. He was founder of Kalamazoo Spice Extraction Co. (now known as Kalsec) in 1958.
In 1962, he unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Republican U.S. Representative August E. Johansen in Michigan's 3rd congressional district. In 1964, Todd defeated Johansen to be elected as a Democrat to the 89th Congress, serving from January 3, 1965 to January 3, 1967. He was known as one of the Michigan Five Fluke Freshmen and was in 1966 he lost in the general election to Republican Garry E. Brown.
Todd later served as chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood from 1967 to 1970. He was appointed to the Governor’s Commission on Ethics and served from 1972 to 1976. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the 94th Congress in 1974. He is a former chair of the Board of Directors of Pathfinder International.
Before his death on November 18, 2008, Todd resided in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
- United States Congress. "Paul H. Todd Jr. (id: T000294)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- The Political Graveyard
- Biography of Albert May Todd at the Kalamazoo Public Library (confirms relation to Paul H.)
- Pathfinder International Emeritus Directors
|U.S. House of Representatives|
August E. Johansen
| United States Representative for the 3rd Congressional District of Michigan
Garry E. Brown


Test your smarts by identifying which of these famous "doctors" are actually doctors. (And no, PhDs don't count.)
1. Dr. Oz caught his big break as a featured health expert on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." He currently hosts "The Dr. Oz Show."
2. Dr. Laura has hosted the "Dr. Laura" radio program for more than three decades. She's known for dispensing no-nonsense advice to listeners on everything from career to family.
3. Dr. Henry Kissinger was the 56th secretary of state from 1973 to 1977. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973.
4. Dr. Drew first gained notoriety as cohost of nationally syndicated radio show "Loveline" in 1984. You also might have glimpsed him more recently on television shows like "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew," "Sober House," and "Dr. Drew's Lifechangers."
5. Dr. Seuss is beloved by millions who have read his books such as "The Cat in the Hat," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," and "Green Eggs and Ham."
6. Dr. Phil won fame in the 1990s for his tough-love approach to helping folks sort out their relationship issues on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and later his own TV show.
7. Dr. Travis Stork, who started his television career in 2006 with a stint on ABC's dating show "The Bachelor," now co-hosts the Emmy award-winning talk show "The Doctors."
8. Dr. Dre is one of the most influential rappers and record producers of all time, and helped bring Eminem to stardom.
9. Dr. Ruth is a "cultural icon" who "ushered in the new age of freer, franker talk about sex on radio and television," according to the New York Times.
10. Dr. Joyce Brothers is a widely loved television personality and advice columnist.
*The real MDs are Drs. Mehmet Oz, Drew Pinsky, and Travis Stork. Doctorates in other fields are held by Laura Schlessinger, Henry Kissinger, Phil McGraw, Ruth Westheimer, and Joyce Brothers. Andre Romelle Young adopted the "Dr. Dre" moniker in the mid-1980s. And while Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, held only a bachelor's degree, his alma mater, Dartmouth College, recently named its medical school for him.
Marisa Torrieri is an associate editor at Physicians Practice. She can be reached at email@example.com
Aubrey Westgate is an associate editor at Physicians Practice. She can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org
This article originally appeared in the June 2012 issue of Physicians Practice.


text:
There is so much going on, it’s amazing that the world keeps turning. Boris is doing his kamikaze best, I suppose, though I’m not convinced of either his methods or his mandate and he seems in his short time in office to have alienated more people than I’ve had hot dinners. The world needs to take action on climate change, environmental degradation, overfishing, the nuclear debate, the manufacture and supply of weaponry… And throughout a three-year fracas about our membership of the European block, many opportunities for action on our future priorities have passed us by.
Yet it becomes increasingly apparent to me that young adults, school leavers and college students are being looked to, to speak for the imperatives of future generations. Last night on the news, a piece about reconciliation in which young people from across an old, bitter divide were invited to meet. Looking exactly like my daughter having a conversation with one of her school buddies: young, hopeful, accepting. And baffled by the old, insisted-upon enmities maintained by their elders. In the same bulletin, mentions of climate change, marches, and Greta Thunberg are fairly routine.
Are young people increasingly seen as the moral voice of our nations? Of course, they are “the future” but as things stand, they currently have little investment in “the system”. Perhaps that’s the whole point: young people are freer, less hidebound by expectations that the “rest of us” take for granted. And “the system” currently appears to pay their views scant regard. A school teacher, when asked if her YA pupils may join a march for climate change says, “What’s more important? The environment, or your exams?” Greta has been mocked in mainstream media for having the courage of her convictions; 16 and 17 year olds don’t have the vote, nor do they have automatic rights to state support. Young people are often characterised as a nuisance, difficult, unfathomable. But do we listen to them?
I’m honoured that young people are taking action. For the rest of us, it seems to be largely a case of “business as usual”. Exploration for oil and gas – so essential for jobs and industry – continues, as does the sale of weaponry, for much the same reasons. I’ve yet to see a convincing argument that selling weaponry – in other words, facilitating the death of persons unknown – is good for any of us.
If we wish young people to advocate for us, we need to allow them full participation rights in our society. Not demonising their curiosity and energy, but allowing it expression, and learning – for the love of God – to listen. It is because young people have different perspectives that their views are so valuable. They need to be heard, accorded a full place in our democratic processes, and given the financial support to allow them some choices and active participation.
Those youngsters whom we designate our hope for the future are growing louder and more insistent. If the threats of climate change are real – and it seems wiser to assume they are than to pretend it’s all fiction – the momentum for change will continue to grow. While the old guard, so accustomed to rehearsing their entitlements and not listening to other points of view, will find itself increasingly isolated.

domain: politics


text:
The unofficial consensus of Ferguson, Mo., residents is that the protest and violence will continue until police officer Darren Wilson, a six-year veteran of the Ferguson Police Department, is arrested.
Wilson shot and killed Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black youth, for allegedly "bum rushing" him, despite the discharging of bullets.
Many people don't understand what all the fuss is about. Many feel all the fuss the protesters, the news media and others are making over one incident, tragic as it is, is a disproportionate response. By now, others are undoubtedly fatigued over the Brown shooting. While they do not believe this is much ado about nothing, they believe the excessive protest is over the top.
What many people are scratching their heads about is a protesting community of blacks, whites, Latinos, Protestants, Catholics, Muslims and social justice activists that is accompanied by violence, looting, shooting, even Molotov cocktails. They do not believe the justice called for by angry protesters warrants this kind of retaliatory reaction.
A case for an over-the-top reaction can possibly be made when you add context to the text of another young black youth shot and killed by a white police officer. It matters in places like Ferguson, when there are 5,384 police stops with 686 of them whites and 4,632 are blacks. It matters when of 611 police searches, 47 were white and 562 were black. It matters when there is one black on city council, no black school board members, a white mayor and three black police officers out of 564. An over-the-top reaction becomes understandable, if not acceptable.
A case could possibly be made when one can't trust, for evidence-based reasons, a city and county judicial system that treats black Americans differently from nonblacks, as in the case of Ferguson. It becomes understandable, if not acceptable.
Before one makes the very rush to judgment about how wrong the protesters are in their reactions and unrelenting demands, one might do some homework. Google the many studies that reveal evidence pointing to the criminalization of black youth, or research the statistics about how difficult it is for a black ex-offender to remain free from a criminal justice system that seems more designed to assure his or her return than to sustain his or her restoration as family and community assets.
Having said this about excessive reactions, they may be understandable, but they are never acceptable.
As unpopular as this may sound, we can't protest in the name of justice and not allow the process that leads to justice have its day in court. Just as violence begets violence, injustice begets injustice. No matter what degree the historical deficit disorder of injustice may exist in any given community, it must be trumped by a better way.
The way forward is always the path of justice. As much as race, excessive force and historical evidence matters, facts and evidence-centered justice must always matter more.
What about when all of the evidence and facts are in, and the end process spits out an unjust verdict? This is indeed the sentiment of countless black and Hispanic Americans across this nation. They point to studies that reveal injustice in the judicial processes that continues leading to unjust outcomes.
One reaction is to take justice in one's own hands by collectively becoming community prosecuting attorneys, street jurors and judges. We can try and convict people in the court of public opinion based on the same deficit disorder of facts and evidence with which we charge the official judicial system.
This, however, is an example of injustice begetting injustice driven by the wrong angels of human nature. What are called for are measured responses, not emotion-driven reactions.
One response would be officer Wilson turning himself in, kind of like Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Having been found guilty of excessive force, for example, the misuse of his authority as governor, Perry turned himself in to authorities while vehemently proclaiming his innocence along the way.
The Brown family and thousands of others feel Michael Brown is as innocent as Perry feels in a context of political, partisan injustice.
There is, however, one big difference between Perry turning himself in and Wilson turning himself in. A grand jury found enough evidence to indict Perry. What could happen, as unlikely as it may be, would be Wilson turning himself in to authorities before the grand jury reached its findings. As innocent as he may feel he is, he could allow the justice system, which we would assume he has complete faith in, to eventually exonerate him on the basis of evidence and the facts of the case.
However unlikely his surrender may be, it would be a noble response to tragic realities that are being compounded daily.
Think about it. While Wilson remains free, police officers are risking their lives daily. Innocent protesters are getting killed and hurt daily. Schoolchildren are being kept out of school daily. Racial divisions within the community are deepening. Businesses are dying while others are dead. Unemployment is worsening because businesses are losing money.
A second response to the over-the-top reactions come from St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch. He is asked by some and demanded by others to recuse himself in the Brown case in the name of peace and order, if not justice. His father, mother, brother, uncle and cousin all worked for the St. Louis Police Department.
McCulloch was 12 years old when his father was killed by a black suspect. There is nothing criminal about having family members deeply rooted in police work, of course. And while McCulloch has every legal right not to recuse himself, the practical consideration to do so would not be out of order.
For the sake of restoring order and peace, leaders sometimes step down from positions of power. They step down not because they are guilty of anything, but so other things, such as justice, can have a chance to be pushed forward.
A third response called for is that of the majority of the citizens. Black citizens who feel every right to be outraged could recuse themselves from the vitriolic anger that is interpreted by some law enforcement officers as fueling their militant reactions.
This is a good time to reclaim the response of civil rights marchers of the 1960s in the midst of dogs, water hoses, guns, knives and police batons.
Martin Luther's King Jr.'s path of nonviolent, direct action demands that peace-minded protesters step up their behavior in the name of love and a "just" peace. Black and white citizens must meet physical militancy with the spiritual militancy of nonviolent love. We, however, must not remain silent in the face of outside agitators.
Outside agitators have added insult to death and severe injuries by their immoral outrage. We must separate those who have the audacity to take advantage of parental sorrow to vent their misguided rage in the name of justice. As ironic as it might seem, peace-loving and justice-centered people must turn outside agitators in to police or other law enforcement officers as threats to their community amid the cry for true justice.
A fourth response must be faith-based organizing of black and white leaders from diverse communities of faith accompanied by intense collaboration with other community stakeholders.
Faith-based organizations, elected and appointed government officials, social justice agencies, nonprofit organizations, business leaders and concerned citizens must reach a certain declaration and determination about the direction of their communities. If Israelis, Hamas and terrorists can agree to mediation to discuss their deep, historical differences, even if success is elusive, we certainly can as well.
Locally, Erie Together and Destination Erie are some of the more visible efforts to direct the content of Erie's short- and long-range futures. Not as visible on the radar screen of community engagement are our minority cultural centers, Urban Erie Community Development Center, neighborhood watch associations, the African American Concerned Clergy, the NAACP, Black Church Anti-Violence Ministries like those of Greater Calvary Baptist Church, Victory Christian Center, not to mention a host of African Americans such as Paris Baker, Johnny Johnson, Edison Nichols and others dedicated to making sure that present Ferguson realities do not happen in Erie.
The way forward is to stop scratching our heads and rushing to premature judgment over the outrage of others.
We must find ways to connect, reconnect or strengthen communication between the most visible anti-violence initiatives and the less visible.
In the end, we must match over-the-top, violent reactions to pain, disappointment and hopelessness with over-the-top responses consistent with the values of freedom, justice and democracy.
REV. CHARLES MOCK is pastor of Community Baptist Church. He can be reached by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.org.

domain: sociology


text:
by Ben Lelievre
previewed on PS3
Fumble And Recovery
When Goichi Suda, one of the deliciously demented Japanese game designers, released his baby No More Heroes for Wii in 2007, many owners of Playstation 3 looked at their machines and cursed at the mad genius for releasing his game on the rival system. The over-the-top nerd story of Travis Touchdown had that special flavor that gaming crowd loved, but many couldn’t try it.
Well, may the peasants rejoice, because No More Heroes: Heroes’ Paradise, an enhanced port of the original game, is coming to Playstation 3. Though the game already came out in Japan last April, it will finally grace the American and European market in 2011 with its colorful madness. You have to thank the hard working people at feelplus, a smaller Japanese company, for porting Travis Touchdown to PS3.
For those unfamiliar with the story of No More Heroes, Travis Touchdown is an Otaku, a guy whose life revolves around animes, pro-wrestling and nerdy stuff in general. After winning a “beam katana” (let’s not fool ourselves fellow nerds, this is a light saber), Travis Touchdown runs out of money to buy video games and other Otaku supplies. As any other reasonably insane man would do, he accepts a job to kill a man named Helter Skelter, ranked 11th by the United Assassins Association.
Once Travis has finished the job, he finds that he has committed to this lifestyle whether he wants to or not. If he doesn’t, other aspiring assassins will target him so they can advance in rank. Now the only way for Travis is up, if he wants to live. He has to take down the top 10 Assassins of the UAA.
Suda51’s Goodie Bag
While Paradise largely leaves the original gameplay intact, there are a few new features sure to spice things up. Japanese Voice Overs (a must for the fellow Otakus playing the game) and the “Very Sweet” mode where the ladies of the game will wear “attractive” clothes are sure to stand out.
Changes were brought to the Dark Side Mode charges for your Beam Katana. Players will be able to stock up to three of them; in the original game, they were automatically activated. This will change the strategical approach to the game. Battles will be more carefully planned, rewarding a gamer who wishes to use his brain rather than mash buttons.
For the purists who want to relive the integral experience of No More Heroes and happen to own a PS3, the game will feature full support of the Playstation Move, unlike in the Japanese version that came out last year.
Your Mom Hates Suda51
As you might have already figured out, if you are a fan of crass and immature (read: FUN) games, No More Heroes: Heroes’ Paradise had already suffered censorship. Not everybody thinks of Suda51 as a comedy genius, especially not the concerned parents of the ESRB. In the land of the rising sun, the game is rated “Z” or Adults-Only if you prefer. Expect a Mature rating in North America as well.
No More Heroes: Heroes’ Paradise is a game that doesn’t take itself seriously at all, but it is aiming at older gamers with a pronounced nostalgia for the eighties. In a sense, it is a game with a very narrow target demographic. But the colorful and bold Travis Touchdown will attract the younger gamers and therefore, controversy. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see how No More Heroes: Heroes’ Paradise will react to a wider audience in 2011.


Jul 8, 2010, 1:39 PM EDT
We warned you this was coming last night, and now it has… you really need to learn to trust us.
Jermaine O’Neal has agreed to terms with the Boston Celtics, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo. The deal is reportedly two years of the full mid-level exception, or nearly $12 million total.
O’Neal had a good season last year in Miami, a career high shooting percentage of nearly 53 percent and giving the Heat 13.6 points per game. His all around offensive game was better, as evidenced by a PER of 17.9, the best number he has had since his peak years early in the last decade.
This gives Boston some frontline help that they need with Kendrick Perkins out until a couple months into the season. He also gives the Celtics some depth so Kevin Garnett can have his minutes scaled back and keep his knees fresh for the playoffs.
Simply put — this made the Celtics a better team next season. And they are going for it all again, next season.
- Why I am going to miss Steve Nash 26
- Victor Oladipo out indefinitely after taking elbow in practice, suffering facial fracture 13
- ProBasketballTalk 2014-15 Preview: New Orleans Pelicans 10
- Five teams poised to make a big leap forward this season 5
- Steve Nash to miss entire 2014-15 season with ongoing back injuries 70
- Jeanie Buss: ‘Any free agent that would be afraid to play with Kobe Bryant is probably a loser’ 71
- ProBasketballTalk 2014-15 Preview: Memphis Grizzlies 8
- Five top candidates for NBA Rookie of the Year 30


text:
Featuring ArtistsT Polar
Just A Machine
Sofa Shuffle Club
Rebirth released The Archean EP on 27 September 2012. The 5 track vinyl features artists including T Polar.
T Polar has released vinyl on Saigon Recordings, Champion Sound Music, Rebirth.
The record label Rebirth has released vinyl by Yotam Avni, Winter Son, C Voigt, Crsandbrg, Taras Van De Voorde, Larry Heard, Ben Onono, Nufrequency Feat Maggie Reilly, Stefano Testa, James Teej, Chris Turner, Rennie Foster, Sander Molder, Aaron Carl, Daze Deten, Villanova, Shara Nelson, Wallflower, Blue Mondays, Psycho Radio.
More Like This
Sound Shelter is a vinyl marketplace connecting the planet's best independent record stores with DJ's and collectors around the world.
The local record store was always a great venue of music discovery for us; and place to learn and discuss music that became staples of our collection.
We want to enable online collectors to continue to buy from independent stores, regardless of their location, to keep the entire vinyl experience alive and kicking.
Hundreds of thousands of record diggers use Sound Shelter to find a store to buy their new favourite record from.
Listen to clips of 150,000+ records, get instantly alerted when your favourite producers release a new record, and get personalised music recommendations based upon the music you love.

domain: artistic


text:
Chisomo Children’s Club has announced plans to sign a Charter for Street Children aimed at removing kids from the streets and providing a safe home for them.
Chisomo Children’s Club Executive Director Charles Gwengwe said the charter will improve welfare of street kids.
“The charter will create a coordinating mechanism to maximize the support and action of all key agencies and the local community,” said Gwengwe.
He added that the charter will help to identify all children living or working on the streets and ensure that each has identity.
“The charter will help stakeholders to share information on children living on in the streets in accordance with relevant legislation but driven by the common aim of the welfare of children and use case management system of creating plan for each identified child and their family,” said Gwengwe.
Some of the stakeholders to sign the Street Children charter include Malawi Police Service, Lilongwe City Council, the private sector, religious organizations, and Civil Society Organisations.
Currently, the number of streets kids in the country is said to have risen significantly, posing a security risk since some street kids have been in the past caught breaking into vehicles and stealing valuables.
Meanwhile, draft memorandum of understandings have been sent to all stakeholders so that they study and understand them prior to the signing ceremony.


text:
By Joseph Amah, Abuja
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum has lamented that the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), has placed a huge financial burden on the states.
The NGF, which is the umbrella body for the 36 governors of the federation across party lines, made this known in a memo forwarded to the House of Representatives.
The memo is in response to the call for memoranda by the House’ Ad Hoc Committee on the Volume of Fuel Consumed Daily in Nigeria, which is investigating the actual amount of PMS the country consumes daily.
The memo, which was signed by the Head, Legislative Liaison, Peace and Security, NGF, Fatima Usman Katsina, for Chairman of the Forum, was titled ‘Findings on the Volume of Fuel Consumed Daily in Nigeria,’ dated July 1, 2022, and addressed to committee’s Chairman, Abdulkadir Abdullahi.
“Fiscal pressures are growing unsustainably with the PMS subsidy significantly reducing the flow of revenues into the Federation Account. Thirty-five out of 36 states are likely to see transfers from the federation fall (in nominal terms) between 2021 and 2022, with the average decline projected to be about 11 per cent. Most states are already experiencing fiscal stress, with 30 out of 36 states recording fiscal deficits in 2020, including Lagos and every oil-producing state except Akwa Ibom.
“With the projected decline in gross distributable federation revenues in 2022, fiscal deficits and debt burdens will grow even larger and faster. This will mean that transfers from the federation will not be enough to cover even salaries, and certainly not recurrent costs, which are growing in nominal terms.”
The governors referred the House to a November 2021 report by its National Executive Council’s ad hoc committee interfacing with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation on the appropriate pricing of PMS in Nigeria, which was chaired by Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, and had governors of Edo, Jigawa, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom and Ekiti, as well as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning; Accountant-General of the Federation, Group Managing Director of the NNPC and the Permanent Secretary, MBNP.
The memo partly read, “Although the operating environment has significantly worsened since the report was released, with NNPC now consistently reporting zero remittance to the Federation Accountant as profit from joint venture, production sharing contract and miscellaneous operations, the position of the forum remains generally the same.”
The NGF recalled how the report noted that the “federation (FAAC) net oil & gas revenues have been declining since 2019 and are projected to decline significantly in 2022 by between N3bn and up to N4.4bn unless action is taken now.” The memo read, “The following are some of the major findings relating to the volume of fuel consumed in the country:
“Remittances to the Federation Account Allocation Committee have continued to shrink as NNPC recovers shortfall quite arbitrarily from the Federation’s crude oil sales revenue. FAAC deductions for PMS subsidy are above 2019 levels, even without adjusting for reduced purchasing power of the naira due to inflation and FX rate deterioration.
“An analysis of the average monthly PMS consumption by states showed that a third of the country accounts for over 65 per cent consumption of PMS. The analysis showed that the following States of Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Abuja, Delta, Kano, Kwara, Edo, Rivers, Kaduna, Kebbi and Adamawa accounted for 65 per cent of PMS consumption in the country. Most states with high PMS consumption either have borders with neighbouring countries or are in close proximity, this has been an avenue for smugglers to benefit from profitable arbitrage opportunities in PMS pricing.
“Households directly consume only about 25 per cent of the PMS that is consumed nationally, with the remaining three-quarters being consumed by firms, MDAs, transport operators or smuggled to neighbouring countries where the PMS price is nearly three times what it is in Nigeria; and of the PMS consumed by households, the richest 40 per cent of households account for over three-quarters of the PMS purchased by households, while the poorest 40 per cent of households purchased less than three percent of all PMS sold in Nigeria.
“In the current fiscal regime, remittances to FAAC would continue to shrink as NNPC recovers this shortfall from the Federation as a result of crude oil price recovery.
The report recommended a PMS pricing structure that addresses regional arbitrage and smuggling of PMS and provides additional revenue to the Federation Account. There is a significant market opportunity for additional export revenue streams for Nigeria to be had given the price parity with our neighbouring countries.
“Privatisation of the three government refineries as is, or after their full rehabilitation if affordable and viable, and expediting the licensing procedure for modular refineries will reduce the recurring government expenditure on refinery maintenance and increase the country’s refining capacity.”
The governors also noted that there were also economic risks highlighted in the report. “Fiscal pressures are threatening Nigeria’s recovery, as rising prices continue to push millions into poverty,” they stated.
The memo further read, “Rising prices are pushing millions of Nigerians into poverty. Rising inflation between 2020 and 2021 is expected to have pushed an additional 5-6 million Nigerians into poverty. Food insecurity is increasing in both poor and non-poor households, with some adults skipping meals. Because inflation is high, even if it remains stable, it will continue to push many more Nigerians into poverty.
“With the coming into effect of the Petroleum Industry Act, gross oil & gas revenues could be (much) lower than currently projected because of the new fiscal terms and the earmarking of deductible revenues specified in the PIA, and that could reduce net oil & gas revenues even further.”
The NGF stated that greater accountability and transparency around oil and gas revenues “are the only immediate options for easing the pressure on government finances and maximising socially responsible profit gain.”
N175 Per Litre, Marketers Plan Strike, Queues Worsen
Meanwhile several petrol stations are now dispensing petrol at over N175/litre, higher than the government-approved N165/litre price. This is as oil marketers insist on embarking on strike from next week if the government fails to pay them.
Some outlets in Lagos that sold the commodity at N169/litre last week had to adjust their pumps on Wednesday, as they dispensed PMS to motorists at N175/litre.
Also, queues by motorists at filling stations, which have persisted in Abuja and environs since February this year, gradually resurfaced in parts of Lagos on Wednesday.
Our correspondent also observed that many fuel stations, particularly those belonging to members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, (IPMAN) were shut due to a lack of products to sell to customers.
Gegu Oil, Eterna and Oando stations at the Dutse end of the Kubwa-Zuba Expressway in Abuja, for instance, had remained shut for days for lack of products to sell, despite the heavy queues of motorists in a nearby NNPC retail outlet.
Amidst these concerns, oil marketers under the aegis of Abuja-Suleja IPMAN, stated on Wednesday that their proposed strike would go ahead next week if the government fails to substantially clear the bridging claims for transportation of petrol being owed marketers.
Last week, oil marketers warned that Nigeria could witness “the mother of all queues” soon if the Federal Government fails to pay the 12 months bridging claims being owed operators in the downstream oil sector.
They had also denied being paid N74bn by the Federal Government as bridging claims for the transportation of petroleum products.
The Federal Government through its Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority had said last week that it paid N74bn as bridging claims to oil marketers for the transportation of petroleum products across the country in seven months.
But the Secretary, Abuja-Suleja IPMAN, Mohammed Shuaibu, whose unit covers Abuja, Kogi, Niger and parts of Nasarawa and Kaduna, told our correspondent on Wednesday that though some members had confirmed the receipt of payments, a host of others had yet to receive theirs.
“Few of our members have confirmed receiving alerts, but the majority have not been paid and so the decision to embark on the mother of all strike still stands, except we get our payments,” he stated.
Shuaibu added, “Many independent marketers are closing shop and because of these debts. We cannot continue to fold our hands. We are sorry about the hardship, but the government has to pay us, otherwise we will withdraw our services.”
Reacting to the concerns, the spokesperson, NMDPRA, Kimchi Apollo, earlier told our correspondent that the petrol price had not changed from the approved N165/litre price, as he also stated that efforts were on to settle to bridging claims being owed the marketers.
Meanwhile, there were indications that long queues were beginning to resurface in Lagos State and its environs on Wednesday, as findings showed that filling stations were beginning to sell petrol above N175 per litre.
The Federal Government and oil marketers are yet to come to a compromise on how much a litre of petrol should be sold, and marketers are beginning to sell products at prices not approved by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
Marketers, however, said they could no longer bank on the Federal Government’s promise to pay the claims, while they continue to run at a loss for selling petrol at N165 per litre.
Marketers had held a similar meeting with the NMDPRA two weeks ago, where they aired their grievances on the high costs of running their petrol stations.
Also, the Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria had hinted that it would be impossible for its members to keep prices at N165/litre when the landing costs to their stations were already on the high side.
NLC President Wabba Calls for Fixing of Refineries, Subsidy Removal
As a solution, the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba has told the federal government to fix the nation’s refineries and get rid of subsidy payments.
He also advocated the participation of private investors in building refineries adding that importation of fuel poses threats to the country.
Wabba revealed these in a presentation made to the House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating daily PMS consumption in the country.
According to the Labour leader: “We do believe that even if there is subsidy, it cannot be at the level quoted by authorities in the sector. In our document on the oil sector, we have outlined conditions precedent for removing subsidies, if any, including fixing the refineries, creating conditions for private sector participation in the building of refineries, even if they are modular.
“Sadly, we are not aware if any of the terms and conditions we have recommended have been met, several years after. We are nonetheless conscious of the fact that the continuous opaque importation of PMS holds clear and present danger to the country.
“On the other hand, the transparent operation of the importation of PMS has two major advantages. The first advantage is that, knowing the exact volume of PMS the country needs and publicising it will deter further falsification of imports, hopefully,” Wabba said.
UNGA 78: Nigeria, 192 UN Members Adopt Plan Against Pandemics
Nigeria and other UN Member States have pledged to prevent a repeat of the devastating health and socio-economic crises caused by COVID-19 and shore up the world’s ability to head off another pandemic.
All 193 UN Member States adopted a political declaration at a high-level meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response at the ongoing 78th session.
Adopting a milestone political declaration at the first-ever summit on pandemic prevention and response, nations also committed to get back on track to reach the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
“[This] is a historic milestone in the urgent drive to make all people of the world safer, and better protected from the devastating impacts of pandemics,” Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the UN World Health Organisation (WHO), said.
“I welcome this commitment by world leaders to provide the political support and direction needed so that WHO, governments and all involved can protect people’s health and take concrete steps towards investing in local capacities, ensuring equity and supporting the global emergency health architecture that the world needs.”
The declaration was the result of months of intense negotiations to refine and agree on actions at the national, regional and global levels. It will be submitted to the General Assembly in due course for formal endorsement.
The political declaration asserts the need for Member States to conclude negotiations on a formal agreement on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, known also as the Pandemic Accord – and make targeted amendments to International Health Regulations – by May next year.
It also calls on States to address the negative, physical and mental health impacts of health-related misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and stigmatization, especially on social media platforms.
Instead, it calls for public information campaigns based on science and the facts.
Member States also committed to strengthening health work forces and rapid response capacities, surveillance, and local manufacturing abilities, so countries can meet their own needs to prevent, prepare for and respond to pandemics.
Speaking at the summit, UN Secretary- General, Antonio Guterres, recalled that the global response to COVID-19 showcased both human ingenuity and exposed society’s shortcomings.
While rapid test and vaccine development were notable achievements, there were also a lack of preparedness, disproportionate impacts on the world’s poorest and vaccine hoarding by wealthy nations.
“We must not repeat the mistakes of the past when the next pandemic strikes – as we know it will – and other health threats emerge,” he said.
Reiterating the importance of the declaration, the UN chief urged countries to support the WHO, including increasing their financial contributions.
Tinubu Attends NASDAQ, Rings Closing Bell
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday, rang the bell at the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (NASDAQ), becoming the first African Head of Government to do so.
The president rang the bell at the world’s financial capital, New York and became the first African President to perform such task.
NASDAQ is world’s second largest stock exchange.
Tinubu, while performing the task, was in company of some Nigerian business leaders and officials of the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. (NGX).
The President also used the opportunity, presented by the historic moment, to advance his foreign investment push in front of financial markets at the famous stock exchange.
“It’s a great honour for me to be here. I am happy to bring Nigeria to your doorsteps and I am honoured that we are here, today, with a bubbling Nigerian stock market that will evolve in the West African sub-region.
‘’The greatest economy in Africa is Nigeria. There is an immense opportunity in Nigeria, where you can invest your money without fear,” the President said.
He said that his government would address longstanding problems and impediments, such as the recent economic policies taken since assumption of office in May.
He said these include restoration and unification of the foreign exchange rate market to a stable and trustworthy level.
According to him, this will allow new investors to bring their money and be free of worries about whether they can take it out at any point in time.
“You’re free to take in your money and bring out your money. I count on you to invest in Nigeria,” the President said.
Tinubu Woos Investors at Nigeria-US Business Roundtable
President Bola Tinubu has assured prospective investors of his administration’s determination to adopt necessary fiscal and regulatory measures toward the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
At the Nigeria-U.S. Executive Business Roundtable, the President said he recognised that investment capital is cowardly in nature.
He said that was the reason behind his bringing successful Nigerian industrialists and public officials to share their experiences and operational plans, respectively.
Tinubu said this was in addition to all he had done to boost the confidence of the global investment community in Nigeria, by reforming the fiscal, monetary, regulatory and tax policy environment.
“Nigeria is an opportunity that is impossible to replicate or find elsewhere in any part of the world. We have brilliant young people who both innovate and consume at a large scale.
‘’Our entrepreneurial spirit is a major part of what makes our market totally unique, aside from demography.
‘’Nigerians build businesses and Nigerian businesses partner with other businesses to conduct larger business.
‘’There is enough value to spread around. Be careful of what you hear about Nigeria. You may be dissuaded out of a major opportunity that others will take up.
‘’We are here for you. We will give you all the support you need to succeed and succeed abundantly,” the President said.
On behalf of the U.S. Government, U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo, told U.S. business leaders he came back from Nigeria on an official visit that later became a fact-finding mission.
“In Lagos, I saw, first-hand, some of the major reforms you implemented as the Governor of Lagos and the transformative effect on Nigeria’s commercial capital.
‘’People have attested to the fact that the reforms you have put in place as President are quickly enhancing confidence.
‘’American business is paying attention to that and from what we have seen for ourselves, Nigeria is proving to be a new frontier for investment.
‘’We will encourage our companies from our end as those reforms continue to deepen,” Adeyemo said.
The American Business Council President, Mr Sops Ideriah, said that the extensive turnouts at the roundtable by American business chief executives was impressive.
According to him, the turnouts served as a testament to the degree to which confidence is rising in response to the actions and words of the President.
He said that this was with respect to ease of doing business, investment promotion, and his willingness to intervene to clear the historical concerns of American business people about doing business in Nigeria.
“Having all the stakeholders in the room, His Excellency, the President of Nigeria being here, from government actors at the federal and state level to ministers and tax authorities present, as well as private sector industrialists in Nigeria.
‘’We are very positive about the potential of Nigeria and we are just reinforcing to our colleagues the message about the economic opportunities that exist there,” Ideriah said.
Acting Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr Zacch Adedeji, assured the American captains of industry that the nation’s apex tax authority would not focus on taxing the seed.
He said it would focus only on the proportionate taxation of the fruit of fully formed industry, through efficient policy synergy with Nigeria’s sub-national authorities.
“The President is a business enabler, not a handicapper. Everything we do will be geared toward making your tax assessment and payment processes as digitally efficient and transparent as possible.
‘’We are not after the seed, but the fruit and we will keep to this commitment,” Adedeji said.(NAN)
NNPCL Signs Membership of UN Global Compact
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, has signed up as a participant of the United Nations Global Compact, thereby becoming the first state-owned oil company to join the global initiative.
Group CEO of NNPC Ltd, Malam Mele Kyari, signed the Letter of Commitment, at the ongoing UN General Assembly (UNGA), signifying its participation in the UN Global Compact in New York.
A statement by the NNPC Ltd management, on Thursday, said the company signed up in a short ceremony on the sidelines of President Bola Tinubu’s session during the Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI) at the ongoing general assembly.
In a speech shortly after the signing, Kyari said the NNPCL’s participation in the UN Global Compact was a further testimony to Nigeria’s commitment to work with global partners towards attaining a just Energy Transition.
Kyari added that with this development, NNPCL supports the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact on human rights, labour, environment, and anti corruption.
He described the NNPCL as a dynamic global energy company with businesses and operations across the entire spectrum of the energy value chain.
“We are committed to making the UN Global Compact and its principles part of our strategy, culture and day-to-day operations of our Company.
“We will engage in collaborative projects which advance the broader development of goals of the United Nations, particularly the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” Kyari added.
Earlier in her remarks, the Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network, Nigeria, Ms Naomi Nwokolo described NNPCL’s move to become a participant of the UN global initiative as pivotal step in fostering a culture of ethical business conduct, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility.
With Nigeria being one of the largest producers of crude oil in Africa, a transition from an energy system driven by fossil fuels to one based on renewable energy will have far reaching positive impact, serving as a catalyst for sustainability in-country, on the continent and the world at large.
The UN Global Compact, formally inaugurated in July 2000, is a voluntary UN agreement designed to encourage companies around the world to develop, implement, and disclose responsible and sustainable corporate policies and practices. (NAN)
Minister Calls for Creative Ideas to Overcome Economic Challenges
By Raphael Atuu, Abuja
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Terlumun Utsev has called on Nigerians to come up with creative ideas and suggestions on how best to overcome challenges facing the country.
Engineer Utsev made the call on Wednesday, when he received members of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) in his office in Abuja.
According to him, the administration of President Bola Tinubu was committed to making lives meaningful for all citizens and was ready to welcome creative ideas that will enable the country surmount its challenges and better the living condition of citizens.
He acknowledged the key role the Nigerian Economic Summit Group has played over the years in promoting and championing reforms of the Nigerian economy and called for synergy between the group and the Ministry to achieve the desired result.
Acting Chief Operations Officer and Senior Fellow Economic Policy, Strategy and Competitiveness, Dr Tayo Aduloju had explained that the group, which is non – profit, non -partisan private sector organization with a mandate to promote and champion the reform of the Nigerian economy into a modern globally and competitive one was at the ministry to seek partnership in the areas of providing useful ways of improving water , sanitation and hygiene in the country as well as how to make water a business .
The Minister had earlier played host to a delegation from the World Bank led by Jun Matsumoto, which were at the ministry to also seek partnership for the promotion of irrigation farming and effective utilization of dams for agriculture.
Read Our ePaper
No Casualty as Three-storey Building Collapses Story Building — NEMA
ShareThe National Emergency Management Agency on Saturday confirmed that there was no casualty in the three-Storey building that collapsed at...
Minister of Information Charges Advertising Agencies on Value Orientation
ShareMinister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) to support...
Kogi APC Alleges Vandalism on Campaign Office in Dekina
ShareFrom Joseph Amedu, Lokoja The Kogi State All Progressives Congress (APC), has said that its campaign office in Dekina Local...
Group Moves to End Cultism in Benue South
ShareFrom David Torough, Makurdi A Socio-cultural organization, Ede-ma Development Association (EDE-MA), has backed Edumoga Youth Movement (EYM) and Edumoga Youth...
NYSC Tasks Employers on Welfare, Security of Corps Members
Share From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja Ag. Director, North Central Area Office, National Youths Service Corps (NYSC),Mrs Biodun Olobukola has challenged...
UNGA 78: Tinubu Harps on Sustainable Environment for Investment in Africa
Share President Bola Tinubu has emphasised the importance of creating sustainable environment for investment opportunities in Agriculture to strive in...
30 Cleft Lip, Palate Patients Get Free Medical Surgery in Kogi
ShareFrom Joseph Amedu, Lokoja No fewer than 30 Cleft lip and Palate Patients in Kogi state have benefited from the...
Fintiri Inaugurates Human Capital Development.Council
ShareFrom Yagana Ali, Yola. Adamawa state Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has inaugurated the State Human Capital Development council. At the...
Relief for Kaduna Ginger Farmers as FG Intervenes
ShareFrom Nicholas Dekera, Kaduna Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has assured the Ginger farmers, whose farmlands...
FG Appeals for Calm over Tuition as Varsities Resume
ShareMinister of State for education, Hon. Dr. Tanko Yusuf Sununu has appealed to students, parents and lecturers in our Institutions...


text:
WASHINGTON, May 18, 2015 – USDA today said it will make $21 million in financial and technical assistance available in eight states hit by drought to help farmers and ranchers weather the effects of water scarcity this season and to mitigate water shortages in years to come.
“Since the historic drought of 2012, dry conditions have persisted in many parts of the country, particularly in the West,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a release. “Today's investment will provide additional resources in drought-stricken areas to help farmers and ranchers implement solutions to mitigate the impacts of sustained drought.”
The $21 million in funding, authorized by the 2014 farm bill, will be provided through USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Assistance will be targeted in areas experiencing extreme or exceptional drought conditions (classified as D3 or D4, respectively) as of May 5 according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Those areas fall within eight states: California, Kansas, Idaho, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Utah.
Farmers and ranchers operating within these highly-impacted areas may be eligible for NRCS assistance to help them apply selected conservation practices. These include prescribed grazing, livestock watering facilities, cover crops, nutrient management and high-efficiency irrigation systems.
“We will have a 30-day open (application) period. We’re going to ask folks to come in, if they would like assistance in these (areas), please apply for additional assistance,” NRCS Chief Jason Weller said during a conference call from Washington.
During the call, Vilsack was asked if sequestration – automatic spending cuts mandated by Congress – could affect future conservation spending.
Vilsack said there was “no question” sequester is a “flawed” policy, but in the event that another sequester occurs in 2016, USDA will be ready. Vilsack said his agency’s conservation programming is based increasingly on partnerships and cost-sharing, which relieves some of the agency’s budgetary burden.
The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), for instance, leverages private sector investment dollar for dollar with federal funds for landscape-scale conservation projects, he said. Earlier this month, USDA announced it would grant $245 million for RCPP projects this year, after allocating $394 million during the 2014-2015 cycle.
For more news, go to: www.Agri-Pulse.com

domain: agronomy


Congratulations! Your promo code PROMOCODE will be automatically applied when you check out – enjoy.
iSensoric Washing Machine with iQDrive for highly effective and efficient laundry care.
Guaranteed long service life: iQdrive, the 10-year warranty.
Over time, conventional motors become worn from the mechanical friction of the carbon brushes; the brushless iQdrive motor is virtually free from wear. Siemens vouches for the durable quality of the motor in all iQ 800 and iQ 890 washing machines with a 10 year warranty.
Get perfectly clean laundry in up to 65% less time with varioSpeed.
varioSpeed automatically detects where time can be saved. With smart sensors it detects load volume and kind of textile, hence adapting the washing process time-efficiently to the specific load. Additionally, the bleach in the detergent is activated faster with slightly higher temperatures.
The outdoor programme is specifically designed for waterproof textiles, using intelligent spinning styles and optizied temperature gradients. The gentle wash cycle protects the sensitive water-impermeable membrane. When used with a waterproofing agent, the programme is highly suitable for all-weather, sports and outdoor clothing.
Clear visibility, easy to use
The modern LED display shows all relevant information clearly such as remaining time or individual time preset and is easy to use thanks to touch buttons. All options are easy to select and clearly recognisable.
Better balanced, less noise: Anti-vibration design
The signature anti-vibration design on the sidewalls of each Siemens
washing machine helps stabilise the unit even further, ensuring it
remains quietly still at even the highest spin speeds. On the inside,
automatic stabilisation sensors constantly monitor the balance of the
load, whilst the intelligent anti-vibration system then continually adjusts
the drum rotation to eliminate vibrations caused by imbalance.
Drum Clean: Meets your highest
Prevent the formation of odours inside
the washing machine’s drum with the
Drum Clean Program. Active oxygen
effectively prevents the accumulation
of odour-causing bacteria and ensures
a hygienically clean machine.
- iQdrive motor: Intelligent, quiet, and durable with warranty
- Speed up the washing process by up to 65% with the varioSpeed option
- Outdoor programme for gentle waterproofing of outdoor textiles
- LED touch display shows all relevant information clearly and is easy to use
- 8kg Load capacity - enough for 40 t-shirts
- 24 hour delay timer so you can run the washer whenever it's convenient for you
- 5 year warranty for peace of mind
- Dimensions (mm): H848 x W598 x D600


Newcastle’s Young Star Leads France Youth Into Euro Qualification
Newcastle fans are yet to see anything of Olivier Kemen at senior level but the 18 year old is progressing through the youth levels for his country.
Having been part of the Under 17s set-up, the Newcastle midfielder has now progressed to Under 19s level and is now featuring in the European Championship Qualifying.
The Newcastle midfielder followed that up with an excellent long range effort to score France’s second goal of the six they put past Liechtenstein without reply on Friday afternoon.
Olivier Kemen and his teammates have now qualified for the next stage of qualification as the two two from each four team group progress and with six points already, the worst they can do is finish second. Their final group match is against second placed Bosnia-Herzegovina on Monday, only needing a point to finish top of the group.
The next stage is in Spring 2015 and Kemen’s [intlink id=”48694″ type=”post”]Newcastle teammate Freddie Woodman [/intlink]will be hoping to join him in that next stage after keeping a clean sheet as England defeated Belarus 3-0 in their opening game.
Good to see Newcastle’s young players getting international recognition but especially so when given the Captain’s armband, something which marks them out as having a little bit extra in their character, Woodman also having captained England at youth level.
If you would like to feature on The Mag, submit your article to [email protected]


text:
floating bookshelves wall shelves modern bookshelf shelf design corner ikea uk.
the clean lines of these slim shelves wont overpower a room even when you wrap them onto adjoining walls get tutorial at beautiful mess floating corner ikea white shelf.
wall corner shelves hanging shelf decorative floating ikea white.
white floating corner shelf shelves home design ikea wall s.
floating corner shelf living room shelves simple shelving ideas ikea white livi.
black floating wall shelf shelves corner bookshelves fl ikea white.
corner shelf shelves floating glass wall cabinet ikea white she.
corner shelf wall hung shelves material matters mounted floating ikea canada corne.
white floating corner shelves fascinating lack table into hackers bookshelves modern two pairs of hung at ikea shelf canada.
floating corner shelves medium size of lovely wall pertaining to white ikea shelf canada build a desi.
corner floating shelf black shelves that in position on ikea white.
floating corner shelves shelf white bookcase collection in ideas over bookshelf op unit ikea.
floating book shelves corner bookshelves hwy shelf white bookshelf ikea.
float corner shelves shelf s floating ikea canada.
floating corner bookshelves 5 tier wall mount shelf black hack shelves ikea white.
floating corner shelf hanging bookshelf 2 wall mounted shelves mount cube shelving units ikea uk.
hanging corner shelf wall mounted shelves new design home depot floating ikea ik.
modern shelves floating white book wall gallery with corner shelf amazing ikea uk elevated long bookcase.
modern corner bookshelf contemporary bookcase floating shelves books ikea shelf canada.
floating corner shelves lack white ikea shelf.
floating bookshelves medium size of wall instructions plans book shelves fancy corner ikea shelf canada m.
wall mounted shelves modern shelving brackets without level shelf in floating corner ikea white mount cube.
corner bookshelves floating shelves large size of shelf unit white ikea uk.
floating corner shelves for small space bookshelves bookshelf to beautify your awkward ikea uk floa.
hanging corner shelf shelves wall mount mounted tall floating ikea white.
a white wall shelf with two 2 drawers floating corner shelves ikea uk.
corner shelf i need something like this in my bathroom floating shelves ikea canada.
small floating shelves corner kitchen medium size of ikea white shelf.
white floating corner shelf bookshelf cabinet glamorous shelves bookshelves ikea uk flo.
bathroom shelves white floating corner shelf idea ikea.
floating shelf square matt white set of 4 box corner shelves ikea.
corner shelves shelf unit bookshelves bookshelf s bookcase hack billy floating ikea uk.

domain: library


text:
The US environmental consulting and engineering industry grew 4 percent in 2012, generating total revenues of $28.8 billion, according to Environmental Business Journal’s annual review of this environmental business segment.
EBJ estimates that 2013 finished with growth just under 4 percent and total $29.9 billion.
Leading the US environmental C&E market by revenues in 2012 were CH2M Hill, followed by AECOM Technology and URS Corp. The analysis of the top C&E firms shows that the share of the top five in gross revenues has risen from 18 percent in 2000 to 32 percent in 2012, with mergers and acquisitions serving as the principal driver.
The data also shows that the environmental C&E client sectors associated with the most robust growth in 2012 were petroleum, up 14 percent, renewable energy development (12 percent) and mining (10 percent). Even the client sectors hardest hit during the recession, such as real estate development and state and local markets, started showing signs of recovery in 2013, although the latter are still constrained by tight budgets, EBJ says.
CH2M Hill is the top US environmental firm, according to Engineering News-Record’s 2013 Top 200 Environmental Firms list. The global consulting, design, construction and operations firm has held the No. 1 spot on ENR’s annual list since 2006.
The No. 2 and No. 3 companies, URS and Veolia Environment North America, respectively, maintained their 2012 positions on the list as well. Tetra Tech, Bechtel, Energy Solutions, AECOM Technology, MWH Global, Golder Associates and Clean Harbors round out the top 10.

domain: economics


text:
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
I had a thought a few days back. I was remembering when I made a serger quilt using old sweaters. It was really challenging until I used hairspray to prep the squares and prevent them from unraveling. So my thought for the day is - if you can't find your seam sealant.....use hairspray as a temporary fix.
Believe me, the hairspray really helped when I was making that quilt. I flatlocked the squares together using heavy weight decorative thread.
For my Christmas stocking friend. I hunted forever for the pattern and couldn't find a simple one. I only found the one I did using tissue lame and flatlocked odd pieces together to make a decorative (not really usable) holiday stocking.
One year I made miniature stockings and filled them with cinnamon scented potpourri to hang on the tree. I made several as gifts. They were treasured and my sister and some of my friends still have them.
Well, It is getting late and I travel again tomorrow. In a couple of weeks I will have some down time and I will post some projects.
Serge away my friends.


Repair, Protect & Strengthen
Need a coating? Turn to Fox. We have solutions to repair, protect and strengthen concrete, steel and wood substrates. Call 888-760-0369 or email email@example.com
Heat-FLex® Hi-Temp 1200
Faster Shop Throughput
HEMPEL PROTECTIVE COATINGS
Efficient systems and high quality products to reduce your maintenance costs. Visit Hempel Protective for more information.
Termarust (HR CSA) Chemically Stops
Truss bridge treated in 2000 with Termarust's (HR CSA) field-proven rust mitigation system chemically stopped corrosion, crevice corrosion & pack rust.
Modern Safety Techniques
See our Low Temperature Catalyst for your CO removal needs. Help to provide your
workers with safe, comfortable breathing air!
NO FLASH RUST -
Our HoldTight®102 salt remover & flash rush inhibitor prevents flash rust by removing surface contaminants.
Contact us for your nearest distributor. (800) 319.8802 firstname.lastname@example.org
• Ultra high pressure water
• 40,000 PSI stripping and
CESCO is the leader in
environmentally sound cleaning
and stripping technologies.
See our YouTube videos
Contact us: 888-772-3726


text:
Situated in the spectacular surrounds of the Finger Wharf at Woolloomooloo, OTTO has been a Sydney favourite for over 15 years. OTTO’s food is delicious and unashamedly simple – modern Italian with roots firmly placed in the classics. In 2014 OTTO was awarded one chef’s hat by the 2015 Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide and the Australian Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide has placed OTTO at number 59 on its list of the Top 100 Australian restaurants for 2015.
OTTO signature dishes such as Tagliolini with Moreton Bay bugs, cherry tomatoes, chilli & basil; and baby barramundi with salsa verde, have led to a fiercely loyal clientele and a seemingly unassailable reputation as a power dining institution.
OTTO is one of Sydney’s most popular, successful and consistent performers. For many, it has come to signify the quintessential Sydney restaurant experience; impeccable service, quality food and stunning, waterside views.
Just a short distance from the city CBD, OTTO is open for lunch and dinner daily from 12pm until late. With its iconic harbourside location, let the team at OTTO create a truly personalised experience where simple fine food, service and ambience are always paramount.
Whether it’s a mid-week lunch, birthday or corporate event, let the passionate team at OTTO give you an experience to remember.
See below the contact form for our restaurant's menus
(please note: not all dishes may be available at all times)

domain: food


A couple of weeks before being sworn into office as Governor of Illinois earlier today, Republican Bruce Rauner and his ultra-wealthy political allies put $20 million of their own money, half of that coming from the new governor himself, towards an attempt at buying themselves an unstated political agenda that, more than likely, will benefit Rauner and his fellow rich people, if anyone at all, and screw over poor, working-class, and middle-class Illinoisans in more ways than one.
Aside from the fact that he’s trying to buy his own political agenda, there’s two major flaws with Rauner’s plan to buy a political agenda: he has given very few specifics on what his agenda will consist of, and he’s alienated Democratic allies that he would need in order to get his agenda enacted into law.
The first major flaw with Rauner’s scheme is that he’s given only a few generalizations of what his state budget proposal and other items of his agenda will look like. Regarding the state budget, Rauner has gone into very little detail on what his budget proposal will look like. During the gubernatorial campaign last year, Rauner refused to give even a general idea of what kind of budget he’d propose if elected governor. Additionally, Rauner campaigned on general platitudes of “shake up Springfield” and mostly ran against Democrats as a “candidate of no” throughout the campaign. I have a strong suspicion that Rauner is hiding a far-right political agenda that will alienate both Democrats and Republicans.
The second major flaw with Rauner’s scheme is that he’s alienated the Democratic allies in the General Assembly that he’d need in order to get whatever his agenda is enacted into law. Since Democrats have a narrow supermajority in the Illinois Senate and a slim supermajority in the Illinois House, Rauner would need a coalition of every or nearly every Republican state legislator and enough Democratic state legislators to get majority support for his agenda in both houses of the General Assembly, meaning that Rauner has very little, if any, room to alienate people. As it turns out, Rauner’s scheme has already alienated the kind of Democrats he’d need to get his agenda passed. Jack Franks, a Democratic state representative from Marengo who represents a state house district that, if I recall correctly, voted for Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election, blasted Rauner for trying to buy a political agenda, saying that many Democrats fell for Rauner’s vows to work with them until him and his rich buddies threw down $20 million to try to buy a political agenda. Since Franks is from a conservative constituency and was a vocal critic of the previous Democratic governor, Pat Quinn, on many issues, Franks is the kind of state legislator that Rauner would need on his side in order to get whatever his agenda is enacted.
I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if Bruce Rauner’s first term as governor ends up being his last, since Rauner appears to have already made too many political enemies by trying to buy a secret political agenda with his money and the money of his ultra-rich pals.


text:
It’s crazy to think that a little over 2 months ago I was packing like crazy, doing a Marie Kondo kind of thing where I was asking myself “Do I … Continue Reading Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
Copenhagen, Denmark. When this city and country first came to mind, what were your thoughts? The age of Vikings? The welfare state the Scandinavian countries have become known for? Or … Continue Reading Copenhagen University, Denmark
Hej (pronounced like “hi” in English) from Copenhagen! I’ve been in this city for just under two weeks and it’s already a place I could easily see myself calling home … Continue Reading Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
I arrived in Aarhus mid-September and was extremely lucky to enjoy the last of the good weather before the rain set in. It rains every other day here in Aarhus, … Continue Reading Hej from Aarhus, Denmark!
Hi! My name is Kalist, 3rd year Undergrad, and this is my entry for the UTS exchange blog. I’ve been in my host country, Denmark, for two weeks now. I’m … Continue Reading IT University Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen has heaps to do every day of the week– this has been so refreshing after coming from Sydney. There are events on for every hour of the day, and … Continue Reading Hej Copenhagen!
When I first arrived in the city of Copenhagen, coming from the warm summer of Sydney, I had to adjust quickly to the drastic drop of temperature as it was … Continue Reading Living the hygge life in Copenhagen
Hej from Aarhus! I have been living in this beautiful city for the past two months and I am absolutely loving it. Aarhus is a small town characterised by its … Continue Reading Aarhus University, Denmark
I’ve been in Copenhagen for about a month now – and am absolutely loving it! It’s the most beautiful city I’ve ever been to, and is full of historic architecture, … Continue Reading University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Why Copenhagen? Without doubt the first question I get asked. From friends, family, colleagues, classmates… and I’m only now able to start to answer that well. I had been studying … Continue Reading Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
Studying Abroad: the run down Who am I: Hi, I’m Lara, a biomedical student in my third year. I’m here to tell you a bit about what the academic life … Continue Reading University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Before setting off almost 2 and a half months ago, I had never travelled solo or lived overseas! My only time spent in Europe was a family trip to the … Continue Reading Hej fra Aarhus, Denmark!
If you’re looking for a vibrant, accepting and modern city for your exchange, then look no further than Copenhagen. Just over two weeks ago I arrived here at CBS and … Continue Reading Hej from Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
At the time of writing I have been in this beautiful city for 2 weeks. And what a jam-packed two weeks they have been! I have already fallen in love with … Continue Reading Hej fra København! Denmark
A little bit of Hygge Coming off the back of a month of travel, I was very excited (and a little nervous) to enter my little room in the heart … Continue Reading Exchange at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark
I’d never heard of the place, and neither had any of my friends or family. But now that I’m living here in Aarhus, Denmark’s youngest and second largest city, I … Continue Reading Hej! From cosy Aarhus, Denmark

domain: geography


text:
S.A.N.B. calls for working committee to end so-called 'Black Hole' of employment insurance
The New Brunswick Acadian Society is calling on Ottawa to do its homework, and end end the so-called 'Black Hole' of employment insurance.
The 'Black Hole' is the period between when an EI recipient's benefits run out and their return to work.
Acting president Joey Couturier the status quo just isn't working and living conditions of several citizens are deteriorating at a break-neck speed.
He wants Jean-Yves Duclos, the federal minister responsible for EI, to create a new and better program designed by the people who need it, that would adapt to ever-changing local realities, consider cyclical seasonal unemployment, and rurality.
Couturier is calling on Duclos to form a working committee to study the program's problems.
(with files from the Acadie-Nouvelle)


text:
Eric landed his first job in Alaska at a local community bank, where so many do, on the teller line. Over the course of what would become a 32-year banking career, Eric had the opportunity to wear many hats. He learned the ropes as an operations officer, consumer loan officer, real estate loan officer, commercial loan officer and branch manager. Eric’s career eventually led him to assume the responsibility of leading the marketing department at First Bank in Ketchikan, Alaska. In his role as vice president, Eric oversaw all advertising, public relations, promotional campaigns and community development activities.
After 22 years at First Bank, Eric decided it was finally time to move to the lower 48. In 2008, Eric and his partner Tricia settled in the community of Ocean Shores, Washington. He took a one year hiatus from banking before joining Bank of the Pacific as vice president and marketing manager, a position he holds today.
When Eric and Tricia made the decision to settle in Ocean Shores, it was in part because of the town’s convention center. Back in Ketchikan, they had been involved in something called a “wearable art show” and they wanted to bring one to Ocean Shores. In case you’re wondering, a wearable art show is exactly what it sounds like: people create art that can be worn, and either the artists themselves or models display their artistic expressions on the runway for show attendees.
The dream of producing their own wearable art show literally landed in their lap when Eric and Tricia learned that an acquaintance of theirs happened to be the producer of a wine festival in Ocean Shores. Their acquaintance felt that adding a wearable art show to the festival would make for a great entertainment element. So, in 2012, Eric and Tricia took the plunge and produced their first show, drawing a crowd of over 200 people.
The success of their first show provided Eric and Tricia the assurance needed to make a go of it as a standalone production. The Ocean Shores Wearable Art Show will celebrate six years this June and is expected to draw nearly 350 people. In addition to providing a forum for artists and designers to display their work in a fun, safe and encouraging environment, Eric sees the show as a way to support the local community.
The array of skills Eric picked up along his banking career has proven to be a valuable asset in his role as producer of the event, which is a true labor of love. Preparation for the Ocean Shores Wearable Art Show begins a good eight months in advance. Eric handles every aspect from recruiting and managing volunteers, soliciting artists and entries, handling the needs of each unique entry, identifying people to operate sound, lighting, video and photography, and working with the event venue. This list does not include all the efforts that go into promoting the show, which is also extensive. In addition to creating various forms of promotional collateral, Eric and Tricia make rounds to local radio shows and talk to anyone who will listen.
All the hard work finally starts to take shape two days prior to the show when the stage and runway are set. The night before, a full rehearsal with the emcee and models is conducted to practice order and timing. The preparation can only go so far, however, as live events have a way of bringing surprises. During a live show, the typical evening for Eric involves running between the backstage and front of house addressing “a million minor catastrophes that happen in live theatre,” as Eric describes.
The live show begins with Eric taking the stage to welcome the crowd, introducing the opening act and the emcee, and then “letting things fly.” Eric describes the evening for him as “riding a go-kart down a steep hill with no brakes for 90 minutes.” But Eric somehow finds the will to carry on. “I’ve found that even when things don’t go right and you might be feeling like it is time to let it all go, you still have a bit more to give.”
Despite its challenges, producing the Ocean Shores Wearable Art Show has been a rewarding endeavor for Eric. The positive feedback from audience members has been uplifting, including the fact that people travel from all parts of Washington year after year because they simply can’t miss it. For Eric, the most important thing about the show is its community benefit and providing a place where artists and models of all kinds can show off their creation in a supportive and non-competitive environment.
Eric is a strong believer that a career in banking is really a career in caring about the community. “Whether it is a small town on an island in Alaska or a major metropolitan area, community bankers are a driving force in keeping their community vibrant and growing. From direct cash donations to the arts, education and social services to lending management and financial expertise to local nonprofit boards, community banks and their employees truly care about their communities. I’m proud to be part of this professional family.”
Learn more about Eric’s wearable art show, taking place June 3, 2017 in Ocean Shores, Washington at www.oswearableart.com.