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We all have skills that we take for granted. Simple things like the ability to count, read or write. Take a moment to contemplate this: Internationally one in five adults are illiterate. That's 20% of the population worldwide!
Today marks International Literacy Day (ILD), a cause that aims to raise awareness and bridge the education gap. Knowing how to read and write can break the cycle of poverty. You can get involved or learn more about the foundation behind the cause here.
ILD is a good excuse to get lost in a good book, so we've listed a few of our favourites Australian novels to get you in the mood:
Genre: Historical Drama
Plot: After her brother's death, Liesel arrives in a distraught state at the home of her new foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann. During her time there, she is exposed to the horror of the Nazi regime and struggles to find a way to preserve the innocence of her childhood in the midst of her destructive surroundings. As the political situation in Germany deteriorates, her foster parents hide a Jewish man named Max, putting the family in danger. Hans, who has developed a close relationship with Liesel, teaches her to read in secret. Recognising the power of writing and sharing the written word, Liesel begins to not only steal books the Nazi party is looking to destroy, but also write her own stories and share the power of language with Max.
Genre: Historical Drama
Plot: When an infected bolt of cloth carries plague from London to an isolated village, a housemaid named Anna Frith emerges as an unlikely heroine and healer. Through Anna's eyes we follow the story of the fateful year of 1666, as she and her fellow villagers confront the spread of disease and superstition. As death reaches into every household and villagers turn from prayers to murderous witch-hunting, Anna must find the strength to confront the disintegration of her community and the lure of illicit love. As she struggles to survive and grow, a year of catastrophe becomes instead annus mirabilis, a "year of wonders."
Plot: Precipitated by separate personal tragedies, two poor families flee their rural homes to share a "great continent of a house", Cloudstreet, in the Perth suburb of West Leederville. The two families are contrasts to each other; the devoutly religious Lambs find meaning in hard work and God's grace, while the Pickles hope for good luck and don't share the Lambs' appetite for hard work. Though initially resistant to each other, their search and journey for meaning in life concludes with the uniting of the two families, with many characters citing this as the most important aspect of their lives. As a novel, Cloudstreet has a circular structure, opening and ending with a shared celebratory family picnic - a joyous occasion which, ironically, is also the scene of Fish's long sought-after death or return to the water. The novel is narrated effectively by flashback "in the seconds it takes to die" by Fish Lamb, or the 'spiritual' omniscient Fish Lamb, free of his restricting retarded state. As such, the novel gives a voice to social minorities, the Australian working class and the disabled.
Plot: At a barbecue in suburban Melbourne, a man slaps a three-year-old boy across the face. The child, Hugo, has been misbehaving without any intervention by his parents, the steely-eyed Rosie and the wimpish Gary. The slapper is Harry, cousin of the barbecue host and adulterous businessman whose slightly older son, Rocco, is being threatened by Hugo. This event sends the other characters into a spiral, agonising and arguing over the notion that striking a child can ever be justified. Some believe a naughty boy should be taught some discipline, others maintain the police ought to be brought in to investigate a common assault with a range of positions in between.
Plot: After a diving team at Wilkes Ice Station is killed, the station sends out a distress signal. A team of United States Recon Marines led by Shane Schofield, code named Scarecrow, arrives at the station. At the station he finds several French scientists have arrived, and several more come after the Marines' arrival. The French reveal themselves as soldiers and a fight ensues in the station, claiming the lives of Scarecrow's men Hollywood, Legs and Ratman, along with several scientists and most of the French soldiers, while Mother loses her leg, Samurai is badly injured, and two French scientists are captured.
Have you read a great book lately? Tell us about it in the comments

domain: literature


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Special Counsel Robert Mueller's job seems to be secure — for now.
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein assured lawmakers Tuesday that he has no "good cause" to fire the man leading the Trump-Russia federal probe, after days of speculation that President Trump was preparing to ax him.
Rosenstein — who appointed Mueller and has the authority to oust him — told the Senate Appropriations subcommittee he saw no reason for removal.
"Director Mueller is going to have the full independence he needs to conduct that investigation," Rosenstein said.
When asked if the President would fire Mueller, White House spokesman Sarah Sanders said Tuesday night that Mueller's job was safe.
"While the President has the right to, he has no intention to do so," Sanders told reporters on board Air Force One.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Paul Ryan also threw his support behind Mueller, telling reporter Guy Benson, "I think he should let Bob Mueller do his work."
In his afternoon Senate testimony, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he has "confidence" in Mueller, although he avoided answering most questions about the investigation.
The sudden support came after Trump associates began hinting this week that Mueller's end might be near.
Newsmax Media chief executive Christopher Ruddy, a friend of Trump's, told PBS' "NewsHour" on Monday the President was "considering, perhaps, terminating the special counsel."
Trump supporter Newt Gingrich, the former House Speaker, tweeted that it was time to "rethink" whether Mueller could fairly lead the probe. On ABC's "Good Morning America" Tuesday, Gingrich blamed two recent pop culture controversies— Kathy Griffin's Trump beheading photo and a political "JuliusCaesar" production— as evidence that there is no chance for a "neutral, professional investigation."
The White House and one of Trump's lawyers refused to say on record that Mueller's spot was secure.
Mueller, a former FBI director, has been tapped to independently finish the year-long investigation into whether Trump's campaign colluded with the Russian government. He took over after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey and Sessions, who would have taken over the probe, had already recused himself over his Russia ties.
Rosenstein has the ability to fire Mueller, but he would have to explain his reasoning in writing to Congress, and it would inevitably set off another round of political chaos in light of Comey's disputed dismissal.
Mueller has appeared to accelerate the probe in his first few weeks, ramping up a team of prosecutors from the Watergate and Enron cases.
The case took another twist Tuesday when Daniel Richman, the Columbia law professor who helped Comey leak memos to the press, turned over more of his material to the FBI.
"The bureau made the request and I voluntarily agreed," Richman told the Daily News.
With Nicole Hensley

domain: law


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domain: design


text: Abstract Wetlands can collect contaminated runoff from agricultural catchments and retain dissolved and particle-laden pesticides. However, knowledge about the capacity and functioning of wetland systems with respect to the removal of pesticides is very limited. Here we show that stormwater wetlands can efficiently remove pesticides in runoff from vineyard catchments during the period of pesticide application, although flow and hydrochemical conditions of the wetland largely vary over time. During the entire agricultural season, the inflowing load of nine fungicides, six herbicides, one insecticide and four degradation products was 8.039 g whereas the outflowing load was 2.181 g. Removal rates of dissolved loads by the wetland ranged from 39% (simazine) to 100% (cymoxanil, gluphosinate, kresoxim methyl and terbuthylazine). Dimethomorph, diuron, glyphosate, metalaxyl and tetraconazole were more efficiently removed in spring than in summer. More than 88% of the input mass of suspended solids was retained, underscoring the capability of the wetland to trap pesticide-laden particles via sedimentation. Only the insecticide flufenoxuron was frequently detected in the wetland sediments. Our results demonstrate that stormwater wetlands can efficiently remove pesticide mixtures in agricultural runoff during critical periods of pesticide application, although fluctuations in the runoff regime and hydrochemical characteristics can affect the removal rates of individual pesticides.

domain: geography


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With less than a year to go until the next General Election, Chancellor George Osborne is today to announce a new initiative sure to win over that key demographic: Weird Bitcoin zealots.
According to the BBC, the plan is to “explore” the implications of digital currencies, and to figure out if they need to be regulated. It is thought that Libertarian Magic Beans could help make Britain the “global centre of financial innovation”.
Let’s hope the “innovations” aren’t as disastrous as the massively intertwined network of derivatives that led to the 2008 crash.
What’s odd about Osborne’s apparent enthusiasm for Bitcoin is that surely he is a man who would argue against membership of the Euro because it removes various monetary policy controls from national governments (making it harder for the government to manipulate the economy), but at the same time he is interested in a currency that by its very nature cannot be controlled?
Similarly, there still hasn’t been a convincing explanation as to how Bitcoin will avoid the “liquidity trap“. Given that Osborne loves Quantitive Easing to increase liquidity, it is odd that he doesn’t seem to worry about it here.
What do you think? Should Britain embrace Bitcoin? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

domain: finance


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La Bamba (1987)
Released April, 1999
This is the true story Ritchie Valens a young rock & roll singer who tragically died in an aircrash at the age of 17. The film follows Ritchie from his days in Paicoma, California where he in and his family makes a meagre living working at plantations to his rise as a star.
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The film also focus on Richies friendship and rivalry with his older brother Bob and his relationship with Donna, his girlfriend.
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domain: celebrity


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Today, anti-Palestinian bigotry is arguably the most accepted form of hatred in America, deployed by Republicans ahead of the 2024 elections.
2024 U.S. Presidential Elections
In his quest for the Republican nomination, Vivek Ramaswamy is going to great lengths to make Hinduism adjacent to evangelical Christianity.
Biden’s trip to Israel is aimed at conveying support for Tel Aviv. But his visit also has important meaning for U.S. electoral politics.
Democracies must take proactive measures to identify and counter AI-driven propaganda campaigns and enhance their resilience against disinformation.
Vivek Ramaswamy’s family story makes clear that real life is complicated. So too is the migrant crisis facing the United States.
Vivek Ramaswamy is rising in part because he’s simply telling the Republican Party’s conspiracy-loving base what it wants to hear.
A Vivek Ramaswamy foreign policy would undermine fundamental U.S. alliances and reward non-allies like India and Russia.
Donald Trump has a 45-point advantage over DeSantis among Hispanic Republicans, who are more likely to support him than any other racial and ethnic group.
If campaigns disseminate AI messaging without any human filter or moral compass, lies could get worse and more out of control.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene made an unwitting endorsement for the reelection of President Joe Biden.

domain: news


text:
Coconut Banana Cream Recipe
Total time: less than 15 minutes
Preparation and cooking time: 10 minutes
For 4-6 servings
500 ml (2 cups) coconut cream*
- 5 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 small packet vanilla sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 2 small ripe bananas, sliced
- 100 ml (6 Tbsp.) milk
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice
- 150 ml (10 Tbsp.) heavy cream, whipped
- coarsely chopped pistachios for garnish
- Bring the coconut cream, sugar, vanilla sugar and salt to a boil.
- Add the bananas, remove the mixture from the heat and purée it.
- Combine the milk with the cornstarch and eggs and add to the banana mixture.
- Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Immediately pour through a strainer into a bowl and let cool, stirring occasionally.
- Incorporate the lime juice and whipped cream once the mixture has cooled.
- Divide among individual serving dishes and garnish with pistachios.
More recipe ideas
Collaboration: Suzi Wan, supplier of coconut cream, available in grocery stores
Hints & Tips

domain: food


Where: Memphis, Tennessee, Deep South USA
When: August 16th
What’s it about: Candlelit vigil & all out tackiness to celebrate the King of Rock n Roll (and Don of the burger)
Remember to Bring: Las Vegas style white jumpsuit and a quiff
The Elvis phenomenon is undoubtedly unique, and his record sales stand testament to this. Over a billion Elvis records have been sold worldwide – that’s more sales than any other artist in the history of the world.
It is in Memphis, Tennessee, though, that the fixation with the ‘King’ reaches its most astronomical heights. The site of Elvis’ home has become a place of pilgrimage, with around eight thousand visitors congregating at Graceland Mansion for the culmination of Elvis week.
All this attention has caused many of the good people of Memphis to profess links to the legend, some of which can only be regarded as dubious. The occasional few have even opened up their own Elvis memorabilia museums; ‘Graceland Too‘ is an example of this, run by one particularly devout Elvis fan, Paul McLoed, the self-styled ‘Elvis’ No. 1 fan’. The museum is situated between Memphis and Tupelo, Elvis’ birthplace, and is run by McLoed and his son, Elvis Aaron Presley.
Do you recognize this sad and deluded Elvis-look-alike?
History of a King
Elvis’ beginnings were humble. He was born to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a two-room house in Tupels, Mississippi on January 8th, 1935, along with a stillborn twin brother. He moved to Memphis in 1948 and was an international sensation by 1956. He married Prescilla Beaulieu, a Catholic schoolgirl, and together they produced Lisa-Marie, who grew up to marry the once king of pop, Michael Jackson.
The King’s musical influences included pop, country, gospel and the black R&B he absorbed on the historic Beale Street as a Memphis teenager. His own style was said to challenge the social and racial barriers of the time. West Side Story composer Leonard Bernstein saw Elvis as the progenitor of the 60’s social revolution.
Elvis said of his style of hip gyrating dance, which many in the 50’s saw as shocking an unacceptable, that it was instinctive; “some people tap their feet, some people snap their fingers, and some people sway back and forth. I just sorta do ’em all together, I guess.” So offensive were the mighty Presley hips that in the 1950’s, the TV shots of him were all ‘above the belt’.
Of course, with his ground breaking style, Elvis was not an instant hit with everyone. One of his early detractors, oddly, was Frank Sinatra, who said in the 50s “His kind of music is deplorable, a rancid smelling aphrodisiac…It fosters almost totally negative and destructive reactions in young people.” By the time of Elvis’ tragic and bloated death, though, of a heart attack at the age of 42, Frank seems to have changed his tune. In 1977 Sinatra eulogised “There have been many accolades uttered about Elvis’ talent and performances through the years, all of which I agree with wholeheartedly. I shall miss him dearly as a friend. He was a warm, considerate and generous man.”
Celebrating Elvis Week in Memphis
Today, thousands of vigilant fans and regular tourists alike swarm to Memphis for ‘Elvis week‘, an annual pilgrimage in the week of the anniversary of the King’s death on August 16th. A Cadillac cab tour takes in the sights of the town: Elvis’ childhood home, his school, and Sun Studios, where Elvis recorded his first hit. Through the night of August 16th is a candlelit vigil through the town.
Some would argue that Elvis devotees are taking things a little too far – He is worshipped more than any King alive and the cult of Elvis to some is more powerful than any religion. Many even refuse to believe that he is dead, although his bloated corpse and tombstone declare otherwise. Nevertheless, the cultural impact Elvis made on the face of 20th Century popular music and iconography is undeniable.
A tour of Graceland Mansion includes a new section recently open to the public with never-before-seen items like the desk from Elvis’ personal office and an extensive collection of his stage costumes. Only here can you really begin to appreciate Elvis’ predilection for purple velvet, green shag pile and gold-plated phones. The guide to the 60-90 minute long tour is Elvis’ daughter, Lisa-Marie, along with the King himself…
Explore the weird and wonderful world of Elvis’ No. 1 Fan
The Official Website for Memphis, Tennessee
The services, sites, sounds, attractions and cultural traditions of one of the South’s premier cities.
Elvis Presley’s Official Website
Home of the undisputed King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and his beloved Graceland Mansion in Memphis, Tennessee.


May 17, 2013, 9:33 PM EDT
Vinny Del Negro coached the Clippers to a franchise-best 56 regular season wins, yet he is a man without a contract for next season.
It’s been widely assumed that the team would go in another direction after L.A. was bounced from the playoffs in the first round, especially after getting out to a two games to none lead over the Memphis Grizzlies. It is believed by many that while Del Negro is not without talent as a head coach, he may not be strong enough in his craft to bring a talented team to that elite level of championship contention.
A report surfaced earlier this week, however, that Del Negro being replaced was far from a forgone conclusion, and that the organization is even considering bringing him back. Whatever his ultimate fate in Los Angeles turns out to be, it is expected to be decided fairly quickly now that a meeting has been scheduled with Clippers owner Donald Sterling.
Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has scheduled to meet with head coach Vinny Del Negro over the weekend to discuss Del Negro’s fate with the organization, a league source informed CSNNW.com.
According to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, says the two will meet in Los Angeles and a decision is anticipated shortly after.
Sterling’s fondness for Del Negro is one of the main reasons why he’s still being considered, but you have to believe an even bigger one will be what Chris Paul thinks of all this. Paul is an unrestricted free agent, and the Clippers will place plenty of weight behind the superstar point guard’s wishes in terms of whether or not he believes Del Negro is the right man for the job.
Part of the reason Del Negro may be brought back on a short-term deal (even if it’s just for one more year) is the lack of big-name, experienced head coaches on the open market. Most of the guys being talked about for openings around the league are assistant coaches currently, and it might be hard to justify taking a chance on an unproven talent when the Clippers organization already knows it can get at least a serviceable job out of Del Negro, who might even show some improvement after learning from some of this season’s mistakes.
May 26, 2015, 2:29 AM EDT
In the four Rockets’ elimination games this season, Smith has 63 points on 22-of-34 shooting (64.7 percent).
May 25, 2015, 11:59 PM EDT
MVP runner-up shines while MVP misses substantial portion of Houston’s Game 4 win
May 25, 2015, 10:45 PM EDT
He was not ejected.
May 25, 2015, 10:30 PM EDT
It’s a sign Thomas may be around for a little bit.
May 25, 2015, 10:21 PM EDT
It didn’t count.
May 25, 2015, 9:59 PM EDT
Scary moment in Houston.
May 25, 2015, 9:00 PM EDT
What do they know?
May 25, 2015, 7:30 PM EDT
The league had been exploring moving Game 1 up to June 2.
May 25, 2015, 6:00 PM EDT
Horford was ejected from Game 3.
May 25, 2015, 4:30 PM EDT
Cavaliers star says he will research case further before saying more
May 25, 2015, 2:59 PM EDT
Doc Rivers decided to offer his mid-level exception money last summer to Spencer Hawes instead of Pierce. He’d like that one over.
May 25, 2015, 2:00 PM EDT
Expect a resilient Rockets team on Monday night.
May 25, 2015, 12:30 PM EDT
Cavaliers center shakes it off
May 25, 2015, 11:00 AM EDT
It probably won’t happen, but…
May 25, 2015, 9:30 AM EDT
Cavaliers guard disagrees
May 25, 2015, 8:00 AM EDT
LeBron finished with 37 points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists .
May 25, 2015, 12:30 AM EDT
The Hawks’ night goes from bad to worse.
LeBron James posts triple-double, Al Horford ejected as Cavaliers take 3-0 series lead with OT Game 3 win over Hawks
May 25, 2015, 12:09 AM EDT
The Cavs are one win away from the Finals.
May 24, 2015, 11:00 PM EDT
He’s not wrong.
May 24, 2015, 9:46 PM EDT
A trend is becoming clear: Do not mess with Dellavedova.
- Elimination game Josh Smith is a thing, Rockets live to play another day 0
- Rockets show it’s better to have James Harden than to not have Stephen Curry 3
- Stephen Curry leaves game after taking a hard fall, cleared to return (VIDEO) 6
- Rumor: Paul Pierce might opt out of contract with Wizards, join Clippers 15
- Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets Game 4: Three things to watch from Houston 7
- LeBron James posts triple-double, Al Horford ejected as Cavaliers take 3-0 series lead with OT Game 3 win over Hawks 30
- Kyrie Irving out for Game 3 for Cavaliers with knee tendonitis 3
- Lil B says James Harden is officially under the Based God’s curse 31


text:
The committee set up by the Electoral Commission, EC to scrutinize the nomination forms submitted by the political parties and independent candidates will submit their report on Monday.
This was made known by the EC boss Jean Mensa.
According to her, after they submit their report the EC will set a date to brief the nation on the outcome of the report.
“As noted in our earlier meetings, the teams are working around the clock to complete their review and scrutiny of all nomination forms and will present to the commission the full report on Monday.”
“We will thereafter make a date to inform the political parties who have qualified and to provide you with a brief outcome of the review process.”
The filing of nominations ended on Friday.
The aspirants who have filed their forms include flagbearers of nine political parties and three independent aspirants.
The political parties are the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Convention People’s Party (CPP), Ghana Union Movement (GUM), New Patriotic Party (NPP) All People’s Congress (APC), Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), National Democratic Party (NDP) and Progressive People’s Party (PPP).
Alfred Kwame Walker partnered by Jacob Osei Yeboah, Kofi Koranteng in partnership with Karl Morgan, and Dr. Ofosu Baako, led by Marricke Kofi Gane, are so far the nominated independent aspirants.
Many opposed the filing fee for the presidential candidates but many have filed.
The EC pegged the filing fee for presidential candidates at GHS100,000 and GHS10,000 for parliamentary candidates.

domain: politics


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text:
By Shauna Stanley
Áine Tyrrell: Irish Troubadour is a documentary written and directed by Dr Enda Murray (2020) which features at the 2021 Irish Film Festival Australia, running online until 12 September 2021. Buy tickets here.
Áine Tyrrell: Irish Troubadour accompanies the Irish-born, Australian-based singer songwriter Áine Tyrrell as she plays the Woodford Folk Festival, just north of Brisbane, over New Years 2019/2020. The documentary interweaves two storylines – Áine’s journey to the festival, and her inspirational story of escaping domestic violence, which involved buying a vintage bus and travelling through the Australian Outback with her three young children.
Shauna Stanley interviews Áine about the documentary, her creative process, and her powerful story of resilience.
Thanks for taking the time to chat to Tinteán, Áine! Tell us a bit about yourself
I am a proud Irish woman from the Burren with strong family ties to Galway City. I am now living on Bundjalung Country in so-called Australia and I’ve been here for 10 years. I am a mother of three kids and in pre-Covid times we travelled the world together. I make music for a living and try, I guess, to capture some of the human experiences of our times through my songs. I feel very deeply, and I suppose my way of processing this thing called life is through the storytelling of my songs and trying to connect us to each other somehow.
You’re also a very skilful multi-instrumentalist – which instruments do you play, and what brought you to music?
I started out on the flute and the tin whistle in Willie Clancy weeks, but picked up guitars around the house as my Dad is a traditional folk musician. He was a tenor banjo player from the start so only learned to play four-stringed instruments; therefore there were many beautiful four-string mandolins, mandocellos, tenor guitars and banjos around the house. So I can strum away at all of them and also play a normal six-string guitar. I also play with a big stompboard as a drum and lots of pedals to play guitars through. During the first lockdown, I learned to start playing with a new sampling pad machine as well, which is super fun. So always learning and adding to the lug in at a gig.
I played music throughout childhood and my early twenties and then gave up when I had kids, but it kept burning away inside me. And I didn’t really choose to come back to it, in a way it just wouldn’t let me off the hook of not doing this. So, I gave in eventually, haha! and I have learned now to just turn up to do the work of making music, what I am meant to do here
Your film, Áine Tyrrell: Irish Troubadour, features in this year’s Irish Film Festival Australia (IFFA), and was written and directed by the founder and creative director of the IFFA, Dr Enda Murray. What was the filming process like?
I first met Enda on my first tour of so-called Australia with my Dad about 10 years ago and we have been in touch since then. If I was coming through Sydney, I’d call in or we would catch up at festivals. As an Irish community abroad, we learn to make family out of our friends and Enda became a family member, so I guess it was very natural having him around with or without a camera. He wove the story together from many different meet-ups over those years, but the most intense lot of filming was over the time at the Woodford Folk Festival. I think it didn’t feel that intense or odd to have Enda as a fly-on-the-wall throughout all the rehearsals, or at the festival and even with the kids because we were all very comfortable with him, Uncle Enda.
During the Q&A hosted by the IFFA, Enda describes an ‘Irish Troubadour’ as a musician who travels around and tells stories through music. The title of the film is a testament to your storytelling capabilities – what is your songwriting process?
As I said above, I have learned to give into the creative flow; I guess that would be the best way to describe it. I have also learned to trust in that flow and know that not every day is easy and that the best ideas come sometimes when you aren’t looking for them or when you have made a mistake. When I am in a playful explorative kinda mood and not expecting anything of myself is when the gems appear. I know of songwriters who turn up to their desk every day like a nine-to-five job or others who go on songwriting retreats, but for me I can’t structure what comes through me to arrive on a schedule, I have to just try to catch the ideas as they come. Sometimes I catch them, sometimes I have the time to follow that niggling that knows a song is coming. Sometimes I get to sit down and dedicate time to it, but sometimes I have to make the kids’ dinner or pick them up from soccer and I miss a moment. What I have learned mostly is to trust that if something wants to come through, it’ll come through. Creativity is mysterious and also very simple and I love being mischievous with it and just standing back in awe of what presents itself and just learning to trust in it.
My favourite song of yours is the feminist anthem ‘Born To Do This’ – I remember you singing it to a room full of Repeal the 8th activists back in 2018 during a gig in aid of Together for Yes – it really gave us the fuel we needed in that final week of the campaign. What is your view on songs as a form of activism?
I never set out to be an activist, but I saw the power of music as an act of community power from day one with my Dad so I guess ‘she didn’t lick it off the stones’ would apply here. He was ahead of his times in what he said and sang about, and I got to see how powerful music was in being able to allow people to feel things from different perspectives in a way that sometimes politics can’t.
To me, I write songs about what I am passionate about and what I am feeling at the time, but what I am feeling is normally a reflection of something we are all going through. Singing it out helps me process the world. We, as Irish women, are collectively united across the world on an issue that has affected us and the women in our ancestral lines for so long. So whilst ‘Born To Do This’ started off as a song about the personal, about claiming myself back, it quickly became about what we were all going through at the time in claiming our rights as Irish women to govern our bodies and be trusted to do so. That moment at the Melbourne Gig for Choice was incredibly powerful for me too. Cara Robinson sang at the event too and the next day we went into studio and added the last layers of vocals on the ‘Born To Do This’ recorded track. And I can tell you we brought the full Repeal power to that recorded version. Ye were in my heart.
Speaking of favourite songs, what is your favourite song?
The most recent track that I released, ‘We Call You Now’, was one of the most incredible songwriting experiences I have had, like nothing else I had written and in some ways I don’t even feel I wrote it. It is a seven-minute spoken word track which is not a genre I have ever written before and even at the time of writing, I was not sure what I was going to do with this beast of a piece coming through. Luckily, I just trusted the process and let it come out as it was, and I feel it was kind of a download to something that landed in my lap and the song basically looked at me and was like… what are you going to do with me now? After consulting with some creative friends, I knew I had to release it. It challenged me in a way. That track was the culmination of the 10 years of experience I have had as an Irish person on stolen land here and all the complexities we hold of the generations before coming to this land and how we should be the best of allies in the struggles for truth and treaty and a brighter future on this land.
The music video for your song ‘In This House’, directed by Dara Munnis, featured as as a short film in the IFFA 2019 and was added to the Australian school curriculum as a way for students to explore conversations around colonisation, reconciliation, belonging, and respect. These themes are further examined in your documentary, with both ‘In This House’ and ‘We Call You Now’ included in the film. Tell us more about the importance of Irish people in Australia standing in solidarity with the fight for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice.
The conversation I had in ‘We Call You Now’ wouldn’t have come about without the journey the song ‘In This House’ brought me on. Songs sometimes become little guides in your life. ‘In This House’ came about in a conversation about what a Welcome To Country meant with a beautiful Indigenous friend, Dane Kennedy. He explained it to me as a knocking on a door and how you wouldn’t rock up to someone’s house without knocking. When he explained it to me in that way, it just shook me as someone who came from a land and people who also didn’t have a whole lot of knocking. Standing in solidarity to me is the only way to stand and live on stolen land. We as Irish people are still learning and unlearning our own history and becoming empowered as sovereign people; how can we not see the similarities here and stand up for basic human rights? As a society as we grow, we will look back at these times and wonder how we ever could have become so disconnected from the land and from each other as people. I feel change coming all over the world and at the centre of that change are Indigenous voices reminding us of our connections to country. I struggled massively with the lack of culture and connection to land in white Australia when I arrived here first and I was so lucky that through music and touring with Indigenous artists I got to listen and learn. My experience in this country is immeasurably richer from listening to the oldest living culture in the world and it has also helped me connect back into my own Irish Indigenous culture and remember who we were before Christianity and colonisation.
Your 1960s bus features heavily in the documentary, and has given me some major van life inspiration for post-lockdown travel! What does your typical day on the road look like?
Ah, I miss the road so much. We have been sat still a lot longer now than usual with COVID and most of my touring has halted, so it has been a big adjustment for me and the kids. But typically we would be on a loop around some part of so-called Australia that would take in a few festivals over a few months. In between festivals, I’d normally have some ticketed shows and then we’d always plan a new place to visit or return to a favourite spot for a few weeks in the in-between. A 1960s bus is slow going. Top speed is about 120 going downhill on the Hume Highway. So, it’s a different kinda touring, a slow touring, driving in the night missing the hottest parts of the day, stopping off at a watering hole to cool us all down, stopping off to take in some sites or places of interest and always planning for a breakdown. If a map says a car would take seven hours to get there, I’d plan 14 between bus and kid time. But, I love it. I love rolling into a town and I love meeting new people and spending time getting to see their community. It’s very different from flying in and flying out and the usual fast-paced tour life. In the last few years pre-COVID things had gotten so fast, the bus couldn’t keep up with my schedule, so I was flying a lot more and I missed the bus pace. The bus pace was much more a real-life speed that I think the world is demanding we should be on now. I really want to get back to that slower paced touring again. Meeting the people in a town and a community and knowing what land you are on and the stories of that place.
As we see in the film, the bus also symbolises your escape from domestic violence, which you discuss in your Blog from a Bus. How do you feel about sharing this aspect of your story in the film?
I somehow have a voice after what I have been through and now with some distance, I do feel safe and strong enough to speak about these things. For years I would avoid questions and try not to get into the details about why I had bought the bus or took off with my kids on this adventure, but to me integrity and truth are everything so I felt a bit of me dying every time I had to tell a half-truth about my story. Who I am is who I am everywhere; I don’t have an artist persona or a stage personality, so I felt the weight of being incongruent and decided to step out from the darkness of secret and just release the truth about my journey on that blog post and let it be there for whoever wanted to interview me in the future. I had no idea at the time that because of that blog post I would be in a documentary or speaking about these things openly on national newspapers or radio. I have said yes to the documentary and then subsequent interviews because I am not an exceptional story; my story is way too common. There are so many of us, one in three women who have or will go through this and we need to hear stories of strength and resilience alongside the stories that break our hearts. I know I needed to hear a story of thriving and survival after abuse and I am somehow able to be that strength right now. As we learned during the Repeal campaign, we collectively release the shame we all hold, when even one person speaks about an experience that we can relate to. I am in a way trying to stand for those of us whose voices might still be shaking. If I can use my voice and platform to shine a light into those dark places, I will.
Crowdfunding is a fantastic tool – I contributed to a crowdfunder for this film, and I’m so glad to see it come to fruition despite cuts to Arts funding during the pandemic. How can the Australian government best support the Arts going forward as we emerge from the pandemic?
Thank you for contributing. I am humbled and honoured by Enda’s determination with the telling of my story as I had nearly given up on him getting it funded. He never did. Enda had tried for years through Irish funding and Australian funding but kept getting knocked back. Turns out the story of an Irish person in so-called Australia doesn’t seem to fit neatly in either country’s funding tick-boxes. We, as Irish people who left, are really a collection of untold stories in our new homes or old home. Crowdfunding was the only way this story was going to be told and I am so thankful for all who helped bring this story out and I also challenge both Ireland and Australia to consider us in their funding.
I do see the difference in Arts recovery in Ireland and the Arts recovery in so-called Australia and it is no wonder that Ireland punches above its weight in terms of artists out there in the world doing their thing, because we respect the Arts a lot more as a community and you can see it in the response to COVID. But there is a lot of work to do here in terms of Arts and Culture. How can the government respect the Arts when it barely recognises the original storytellers and artists of this land? I do think that the way forward for this country is by handing the reigns over to the oldest surviving culture in the world to let us feel culture here and build from that.
Watch Áine Tyrrell: Irish Troubadour as part of the the Irish Film Festival Australia.
Follow Áine Tyrrell on Patreon
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, family or domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
Shauna Stanley is a member of the Tinteán Editorial Collective.

domain: artistic


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Hey Cooking Journeyer! Thanks for stopping at our blog. We are Alina and Dmitry, a couple that loves creating, cooking, filming, taking photos, and sharing this journey with you! More...
Lets stay in touch. Follow us on:
- Cherry Sauce (Fresh Cherry recipes)June 18, 2018
- No Bake Greek Yogurt Dessert (Easy Strawberry Desserts)June 14, 2018
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- Chocolate Cherry Layer Cake Recipe (Birthday Cake Design Ideas)June 6, 2018
- Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp – Healthy dessertsMay 24, 2018


This working group aims to assist the industry by defining methods and best practices for the mineral processing sector.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE MINING INDUSTRY
Global collaboration in mineral processing is important because, while technology and society are advancing rapidly, this field employs long-term assets that make it challenging to change. Further, processing is energy-intensive, and collaboration is needed to meet the global demand for energy efficiency.
ABOUT THE WORKING GROUP
This working group, formerly the Industrial Comminution Efficiency Working Group, is a community of interest for operators, suppliers, subject-matter experts and other stakeholders with an interest in mineral processing to discuss and address common industry challenges. Potential topics include comminution efficiency, plant improvement and design, emerging technologies, metallurgical accounting and testing procedures.
Develop guidelines and tools to meet common industry needs in mineral processing
Coordinate a global network of multi-disciplinary and multi-sectorial professionals with knowledge on mineral processing to share lessons learned, best practices and drive valuable conversations
Enable a global platform for knowledge sharing on mineral processing
Virtual Forum Series: Mineral Processing
October 28 | 8am-11am (EDT)| 2pm-5pm (CEST)| 8pm-11pm (AWST)|
Comminution is incredibly energy-intensive, and improving efficiency not only saves mining operations money but also reduces their ecological footprint. This working group aims to assist the industry by defining methods and best practices for the industry.
Fine Grinding Ore Characterization Basis, a project to develop an open-source laboratory test and specific energy basis that mine owners and design engineers can use to both generate first-pass “generic stirred mill” equipment sizes
Bond Work Index: Common Reference Material, a project to focus on establishing industry-accepted reference material to align calibration practises.
The Industrial Comminution Efficiency Sub-Committee aims to provide tools for practitioners to measure the energy efficiency of comminution circuits using standardized metrics and methodologies. The guidelines developed by this group aim to define the recommended methods for quantifying grinding circuit efficiency using grinding power analysis, following the approaches developed by Bond (1961) and Morrell (2009). The group is a community of interest that includes operators, suppliers, and subject-matter experts interested in improving comminution efficiency in their operations.
Define standard methods for quantifying grinding circuit efficiency using grinding power analysis
Coordinate a global network of multi-disciplinary and multi-sector professionals with knowledge on comminution efficiency to share lessons learned, best practices and drive valuable conversations
Enable a centre of knowledge, training and sharing on the topic of comminution efficiency
SURVEY RESULTS. The results from the Mineral Processing Working Group survey are now available. Click here to view.
The guideline reviews the data required for the analysis, including hardness characterization data generated from the SMC Test®, the Bond Ball Mill Test Work Index and the Morrell equations and their application. Click here to read.
This guideline details methods to survey and sample grinding circuits to generate sufficient information of suitable quality to support reliable efficiency analysis by these and comparable methods. It deals specifically with surveying and sampling Autogenous Grinding (AG), Semi-Autogenous Grinding (SAG), rod, and ball mill circuits operating within the normal range of application. Click here to read.
The Bond method allows for quantification and comparison of relative energy efficiencies of most industrial communication circuits. It is an essential tool for managing the important business (cost) of grinding. Click here to read.


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Securities offered through Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Lax & Co and Cadaret, Grant & Company are separate entities. Securities offered in CA, CT, DC, FL, IL, MA, MD, NC, NH, NJ, NY & RI.
Learn why it's better to seek financial advice from a fiduciary.
Learn about the importance of tax & income planning and why you should develop a financial strategy to get the most out of your golden years.
© 2019 Lax & Company. All rights reserved.

domain: economics


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Officials of Straight, Inc., a drug rehabilitation operation sued recently by a former patient from Fairfax County, yesterday called allegations that they brainwash patients "reckless exaggeration," and went to court in an attempt to stop four current patients from being called as witnesses.
At a morning press conference at Straight's recently opened Springfield office, national directors of the Florida-based program belittled the suit by 20-year-old Fred Collins, calling up three former program participants who endorsed the program.
Collins' father, Fred Collins Jr., also attended the press conference and in a prepared statement said, "I have no sympathy with his claims against Straight." Straight attorney Ronald Goldfarb also accused Collins' attorneys of conducting a "trial by press release."
"It's time this case moved from the courthouse steps and into the courtroom . . . according to the rules of evidence and not according to the law of press releases," he said.
The Collins complaint, filed Dec. 1 in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, alleges that Collins was imprisoned for 5 1/2 months at Straight facilities in Florida and Fairfax and at his parents' home, and that he was subjected to prolonged mental and physical abuse.
Collins escaped from his parents' home Oct. 31 by breaking a coded alarm system, according to his complaint. The class-action suit seeks $750,000 in damages for Collins and each of about 4,000 Straight participants. Collins' parents were not named as codefendants.
At a hearing in U.S. District Court in Alexandria yesterday, Goldfarb asked the court to quash subpoenas for four current Straight patients.
Papers filed by Collins' attorneys yesterday morning contend that the four--Steven Thomas Erikson, Wade Crounse, Brian Crounse and George Mathew Collins, the plaintiff's younger brother--are being held against their wills and prevented from communicating with attorneys or members of their families.
Former deputy chief prosecutor Steve Merrill, representing the Crounse brothers, and James Jay Harney, representing George Collins and Erikson, said their clients have denied the allegations and wish to "abide by the program." The motion to quash was delayed until Friday morning, when a preliminary hearing is scheduled.
"Because we are so successful, we are a threat to those who use drugs," said Straight Executive Director Bill Oliver in a statement released yesterday. He said that although similar allegations have been made in other cities, "no investigation of Straight, anywhere, by any individual or any group, has ever stood up."
Dr. Miller Newton, national clinical director, said there are procedures for any client, except court-ordered internees, to withdraw from the program. An adult, he said, may walk out at any time, although it is "discouraged."
"It's like a mental ward: If an patient walks up to an orderly and demands to be let out, nobody rushes to unlock the door."
Forward Steve Bouchie scored 19 points, 14 in the second half, as No. 6 Indiana broke open a tight game and defeated Notre Dame, 68-52, last night in South Bend, Ind.
The defeat was the third in seven days for the Irish (2-3), who also lost to No. 2 Kentucky and No. 5 UCLA.
Indiana (4-0) never trailed and was tied only twice. The Hoosiers led, 26-25, at halftime.
"We did some things better offensively in the second half," said Indiana Coach Bob Knight. "I wasn't pleased at all with our offense in the first half. I was not pleased with our shooting."
Notre Dame's John Paxson, averaging 17.5 points, was held to 10.


Gain a broad understanding of the fishing industry and the hazards involved with the 3 main types of fishing methods in New Zealand – Trawling, Long lining and Potting. The course will cover the tasks, equipment and hazards associated with each method, and the innovation and environmental protection strategies that have been developed by the New Zealand Fishing Industry. MarineSAFE recommend that new crew complete this module for MOSS compliance.
On successful completion, students will be able to
- Explain the use, purpose, gear configuration and principles for three key methods used to fish in New Zealand
- Identify of the hazards and risks associated with key fishing methods and equipment and provide examples of how these are managed
- Provide examples of the innovation and environmental management techniques within each of the fishing methods used by the NZ Fishing Industry
Range: Key fishing methods covered are Trawling, Long Lining & Potting
This module has an online assessment
20 minute video plus assessment
Click HERE to download the MarineSAFE Fishing Operations Risk Register Template for your MOSS System
You can also go to the "My Dashboard" tab to download your course completion certificate, access all free resources and start or redo any courses you have enrolled for.


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Woman Shot After Allegedly Driving At Springfield Officer
Springfield Police say an officer shot a woman who tried to hit the officer with a car.
The incident happened about 6 a.m. Tuesday at a Fast N’ Friendly in the 500 block of West Chestnut Expressway after an officer identified a stolen vehicle.
An officer spotted a woman who was driving a stolen vehicle and tried to stop her. She allegedly drove at the officer, who fired several shots at the car. The woman fled the scene, but she was located by police a short time later on Commercial Street.
Investigators say the gunshot wounds do not appear life-threatening. Police Chief Paul Williams says Thrift was wanted on several warrants. She was transported to an area hospital.
The officer suffered minor injuries in the incident.


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The small crossover category is heated with competition. Most manufacturers are putting their best foot forward in this segment, vying to keep and capture market share.
By the time back-to-school ads for Staples are running in your local newspaper, Tesla will be preparing the launch of its highly anticipated Model X fully battery electric SUV (technically, it's a CUV, or crossover utility vehicle). This full-size model, which will offer performance rivaling that of Porsche's respected Cayenne, will feature unique Falcon Wing doors (the term "gull wing" apparently wasn't disruptive enough) and seating for seven adults---plus ample room for luggage, golf clubs, and antique furniture.
Australian performance fans can’t be too happy that Mitsubishi Motors Corporation will only be sending so few examples of the Lancer Evolution Final Edition to their shores.
The 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Final Edition signals the end of production for the last Lancer EVO X.
It’s been known that Mitsubishi was going to discontinue the Lancer Evolution performance sedan as the brand moves in a more eco-performance direction.
The final production run of the 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is underway and there’s one more limited production 311RS EVO X model coming.
The Toyota Highlander has grown considerably since its first generation. This is both good and bad.
The 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is in its final year of production and fans are responding by snatching up the last models before they go away forever.
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is out and a new Compact SUV Concept world premiere is in at the Geneva Motor Show 2015.
The last of the 2015 Lancer Evolutions are already at Mitsubishi dealers, but there is a 2015 EVO coming at the end of the year’s production that will be extra special.
There’s big news out of Canada today as Subaru announces that Antoine L'Estage will be piloting the newly-developed 2015 WRX STI rally car for SRTC.
The most powerful Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution ever has made its global debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2015.
Mitsubishi has announced the Tokyo Auto Salon lineup and it includes the last evolutionary street model of the high-performance 4WD sedan.
As the 2015 Lancer Evolution begins arriving at Mitsubishi showrooms, performance fans are wondering why this will be the last rally-bred performance sedan.
The 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is going away forever, and sales of the performance car are booming.
The 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is being discontinued after the 2015 model makes its final production run, but a new final Special Edition model is coming next year to the U.S.


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The first look of Kartik Aaryan and Akshay Kumar's horror-comedy film "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2" has been unveiled. This horror-comedy film has a huge fan following, and now fans can't wait to see the sequel.
"Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2", which is going to be the sequel of "Bhool Bhulaiyaa”, is directed by Anees Bazmee. This project is bankrolled by Bhushan Kumar, Murad Khetani, Kishen Kumar and Ashvin Varde. This movie's script is written by Akash Kaushik and Farhad Samji.
Kartik took to his instagram and shared his look from the film. He captioned it, “Amije tomaaar shudho je tomaar #BhoolBhulaiyaa2 @bhushankumar @muradkhetani #KrishanKumar @tseriesfilms @cine1studios @aneesbazmee @farhadsamji #AakashKaushik @bhoolbhulaiyaa2movie @avigowariker”.
"Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2" is slated to release on 31st July 2020.
Pic Courtsey: kartikaaryan (official instagram account of KARTIK AARYAN)


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Democrats' online fundraising attracts record number of donors
More than one-third of the $458 million raised has come from supporters who donated $200 or less, write Dan Morainand Doug Smithin Los Angeles
BARACK OBAMA'S money machine is fuelled by the likes of Martha Murphy, a grandmother who has donated 104 times for a total of $2,475.34.
Murphy has used her credit card to donate in amounts as small as $10. "It is amazing how it adds up," she says.
Obama has revolutionised campaign fundraising, deploying the internet to tap into more donors than any candidate in history. The campaign has reported $160 million (€120 million) in contributions from supporters who donated $200 or less, more than a third of the $458 million raised. But as Obama sets records, his fundraising has come under increased scrutiny.
The Democratic candidate's donors also include "Derty Poiiuy", an individual with a scatological sense of humour who has given $950. "Mong Kong" has contributed $1,065 and lists an address in a nonexistent city.
The Republican National Committee filed a federal complaint this week, alleging that some of Obama's small donations are illegal because they come from foreign nationals or exceed the limit.
Obama's contributions have also exposed a loophole in the law, which does not require disclosure of the identities of donors who give $200 or less, making it impossible to determine whether they are legitimate without a federal audit.
Lawrence Norton, a former Federal Election Commission general counsel, noted that the law was written when "no one conceived that a candidate could raise millions" in such small amounts.
Exactly why a donor would use a name like Derty Poiiuy is not clear.
"It's part of phenomenon that we've never seen before," said commission spokesman Bob Biersack said. People who make up names when donating to federal candidates violate laws against making false statements, but Biersack could not recall anyone being prosecuted for such a crime.
Biersack said the commission cannot conduct an audit unless there are significant questions about a candidate's fundraising. "Odd names by themselves aren't enough. A lot of people have odd names," Biersack said. Obama has returned money to Poiiuy and many others.
"Every campaign faces the challenge of screening and reviewing its contributions," Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt said in a statement. "We have been aggressive about taking every available step to make sure our contributions are appropriate." LaBolt noted that John McCain had taken bogus donations too, including some from people who list their addresses, cities and state - required information - as "anonymous."
Obama's campaign has set up screens to try to ensure donors are US citizens. People living abroad must provide a US passport number to the campaign. But the Republican National Committee, in its complaint to the commission, charged that the campaign has "knowingly accepted excessive contributions and donations from foreign nationals" and called it "a widescale problem".
Obama has received about $3.2 million in donations of more than $200 from overseas. Nearly $600,000 of that sum came from US military addresses or US territories, such as Puerto Rico and Guam.
Throughout the campaign, Obama has touted his small donors as a sign of his wide appeal. Obama's donors number more than 2.5 million, far more than any previous candidate. He estimates the average donation is $84, far below the maximum $2,300 that an individual can give for the primary and for the general election. But more than 20,000 donors gave at least 10 times, adding up to more than $200. More than 8,600 have donated $1,000 or more by giving repeatedly during the course of the campaign.
Most serial donors are like Murphy, the Syracuse, New York, grandmother, who proudly give their name. She has been an Obama fan since she watched his widely acclaimed 2004 convention speech. "Something clicked, not in my head but in my gut," she said.
Now, when she has spare money, she clicks her mouse and sends some to Obama. Sometimes $10; sometimes $30. She gives when he says something she particularly likes, or when McCain irritates her.
Some donors speak of getting caught up in the psychology of the campaign's online fundraising operation which encourages donors to match one another. Kristen Roberts, a bartender from Harpswell, Maine, is among the donors who match donations. She has given at least 119 times, adding up to $1,747.
"People send out e-mails to their friends and relatives and try to get them to donate to their fundraising page," Roberts says.
Donna Skinner of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, communicates over Obama's website via "O-mail."
"We have what we call money bombs. We make donations to each other's fundraisers," Skinner said.
She has given on at least 258 occasions and recently the campaign told her she had hit the limit.
Another donor who exceeded the maximum is "Good Will", who contributed $8,500 and provided an address at a Goodwill shop in Austin, Texas.
The campaign has returned his money.
- (LA Times-Washington Post service)


University of Ghana researchers publish new health and medicine study results (Is value-based payment for health care possible under Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme? ): Health and medicine
2021 DEC 28 (NewsRx) – By a Journalist-Staff News Editor at Health and Medicine Business Daily – Investigators publish a new report on health and medicine. According to news from the University of Ghana by NewsRx correspondents, the research said: âEfficient payment mechanisms for health care are essential to the quality of care, as well as the efficiency and responsiveness of health systems to meet the needs of the population. specific health of the population. Since its inception, Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has adopted fee-for-service, diagnostic-group, and capitation methods, which have contributed to provider delays, increasing costs and poor quality of care provided to plan clients.
News correspondents obtained a research citation from University of Ghana: âThe aim of this study was to explore stakeholder perceptions on the feasibility of value-based payment (VBP) for healthcare in Ghana. Value-based payment refers to a system in which healthcare providers are paid for the value of services rendered to patients rather than for the volume of services. This study used a transversal qualitative estimate. Stakeholders at the national level were deliberately selected for in-depth interviews. Participants included policy makers (n = 4), implementers (n = 5), public health insurers (n = 3), public and private health care providers (n = 7) and heads of organizations of civil society (n = 1). The interviews were recorded and transcribed. Data analysis was performed using both deductive and inductive thematic analysis. Data was analyzed using QSR NVivo 12 software. In general, participants considered that VBP was achievable if certain support systems were in place and potential implementation constraints were lifted. Although the concept of VBP was widely accepted, study participants reported that effective management of resources, incentives to motivate providers and empower the community were necessary to align VBP with the Ghanaian context. Weak electronic information systems and an underdeveloped health care infrastructure were seen as challenges for integrating PBV into the Ghanaian health system. Therefore, improving existing systems beyond health care, including public education, policy, data, finance, regulation, planning, infrastructure and stakeholder attitudes towards VBP , will affect the overall feasibility of VBP in Ghana.
According to reporters, the research concluded: âValue-based payment could be a feasible policy option for NHIS in Ghana if potential implementation challenges such as limited financial and human resources and underdeveloped health system infrastructure are resolved. Government support and capacity building of providers are therefore essential for the implementation of PVB in Ghana. Future feasibility and acceptability studies will need to take into account community and patient perspectives.
For more information on this research, see: Is Value-Based Payment for Health Care Possible under Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme ?. Health research policies and systems, 2021.19 (1): 1-14. (Health Research Policies and Systems – http://www.health-policy-systems.com/). The publisher of Health Research Policy and Systems is BMC.
A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-021-00794-y.
Our editors report that more information can be obtained by contacting Yussif Issahaku, Department of Health Policy, Planning and management, School of Public Health, University of Ghana. Additional authors of this research include Andrea Thoumi, Gilbert Abotisem Abiiro, Osondu Ogbouji, Judge Nonvignon.
(Our reports provide factual information on research and discoveries from around the world.)


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Drummer Steve Smith has traced the history of jazz drummingpretty much most of American music drummingin his storied career that has seen him drive big bands, small jazz combos, and fiery fusion groups, including tenures with Jean-Luc Ponty
and the rock band Journey.
Though sometimesas in the case of jazz-rock fusionhe was thrown into the fray without much experience, he has always been up to the challenge. He handled each situation with aplomb, and as a result is now one of the drummers that can be counted on without question, no matter what the situation, to produce and make valuable contributions. He's done countless studio sessions with premier rock and jazz musicians, conducts drum clinics and tours regularly. He doesn't just know the drum kit inside and out, he knows music; knows how to adapt on the fly, something he savors, which is why playing jazz is his favorite creative outlet.
"I feel like I unify the musicians in the group into a unit," says Smith addressing the value of the drummer. "Because the rhythm is the common denominator of how musicians connect and relate to each other. The one true common denominator is rhythm. The front line deals with melody. The guitarists and the pianists are dealing with harmony. They are all dealing with rhythm, but the drummer mainly deals with rhythm. That's how we communicate. My job, I feel, is the unify the group into a cohesive whole. Then we go from there."
There are always variables in the vast art form that is music. Smith handles them. One needn't even go back in his strong career to see. There is plenty of aural evidence this year alone, as Smith has released a stellar album from his longtime band Vital Information NYC Edition. The new disk, Viewpoint
is in itself an amalgam of styles groups led by Smith have been playing for years, all in the jazz vein. Later this year, an organ trio record, Groove: Blue
(Q-Rios Records) will come out with B3 wizard Tony Monaco
and guitarist Vinny Valentino
, which Smith describes as "more in the swinging, Blue Note, Grant Green
If that weren't enough, Smith is the drummer on the recently released Vortex
(Theories Recordings) a solo effort by Journey guitarist Neil Schon, that features Jan Hammer
on keyboards. "It was fun to get back together with him. It was just the two of us," Smith says. "We came up with music together. He had some songs written, we co-composed some songs and we put a whole album of material together. He played bass and had Jan Hammer play keyboards. It's an instrumental rock album."
Those varied albums display somebut not allof the ground Smith can cover.
"It depends on what the setting is. Whether it's a rock group, a big band, or small group. Some kind of mix of ethnic musicians," he says. "It depends on what the vocabulary is, what the conception of how we play together is. But the main role is that unification of everyone, so it feels cohesive. That requires listening very closely to what's going on and playing the most supportive way that I can. It helps everyone do what they do and makes it as easy as possible for them to do what they do."
There are various bands to which lends his rhythmic colors. One of the main one he leads is Vital Information, now consisting of he and Valentino, along with pianist Mark Soskin
, Andy Fusco
on alto sax, and Baron Browne on bass. The group started with different personnel decades ago and has survived well, as the new recording shows.
In the beginning, Tom Coster was the keyboard player, but he retired from the music business. Meanwhile, Smith had two other bands: Buddy's Buddies, a Buddy Rich
alumni group that started back in 1999 with saxophonists Steve Marcus
, Fusco and Mark Soskin. Browne eventually joined on bass and the group played the music associated with Buddy Rich. That group evolved into Jazz Legacy and started playing arrangements of tunes associated with drummers like Art Blakey
, Elvin Jones
and Tony Williams
"That was a fun group. It also included Baron Browne, Mark Soskin, Andy Fusco. Steve Marcus had died, which is why we moved away from the Buddy Rich music so much. Walt Weiskopf
joined us on tenor saxophone. We toured and made a couple of records," Smith said. When Coster retired, "it felt right to bring in Mark Soskin on piano and Andy Fusco on the alto. That gave me the ability to play the music from all three groups in one band. It gave us a lot of options."
On tour earlier this year, the band played music from Viewpoint
as well as the Buddy's Buddies group and music from Jazz Legacy. "It's a lot of fun for us to have a wide variety of music. Bringing the front line of the sax and the guitar is a beautiful sound. We're bringing the guitar into the Buddy's Buddies material and the sax to the Vital Information material. It's an interesting sound and we love laying together. As a group its a cohesive unit on stage and off stage. That's a lot of fun for us."
Playing varied material with familiar colleagues "gives me a chance to play a lot of different styles of jazz in one group," says Smith. "I get to be an accompanist to some great musicians, and then I get to do quite a bit of soloing and stretching out on the drum features, which is really fun for me. It's something I've been developing and working on for years. My vocabulary as a soloist, as well as an accompanist. I'm wanting to be an equal member when it comes to my contribution to a band."
He says the new recording was done in a day and a half, "a documentation of the music we were playing at the time of that recording session... With good readers and high-level musicians we got that record done quickly and we were off to a gig the second day. We wanted to get in there and make a record and have the spontaneity of not taking too long for every song. A couple of takes and then on to the next song. Which creates a certain energy and a certain focus. Which feels good."
Songs include arrangements of standards like Thelonious Monk
's "Bemsha Swing," Paul Desmond
's "Take Five" and Sonny Rollins
' "Oleo," but with the band's own attitude. Monk turns funky. "Oleo" has an edge the band seems to thrive on. This is a band people can stand to hear more from, and the band does have more touring scheduled.
Smith says Vital Information was performing at the Java Jazz Festival in Indonesia a few years back. At the hotel where many musicians stayed, Tony Monaco was leading jam sessions at night as master of ceremonies and organist. "Vinny Valentino and I had just come off the stage and we went into the jam room and heard this incredible organ playing," recalls Smith. "We made our way up to the stage and after a while asked to sit in, and it was a great rapport right off the bat. Vinny grew up in Washington, D.C., playing in a lot of the organ trios there. He excels in that style. His mentor is George Benson
. George came up playing with Jack McDuff
That meeting led to the idea for the Groove: Blue
recording. It was done in Monaco's house in Columbus
, Ohio. Again, it took about one and a half days, combining originals and standards." Smith says the trio will likely play some dates, but no major tour is planned.
For Smith, "a lot of my year is taken up with touring. As a sideman, I play with Mike Stern
's group a lot" including a lot of work in Europe this year. He is also the sub for drummer Simon Phillips
's trio project. Last year, he did a tour with Zakir Hussain
and Masters of Percussion.
Smith, a native of the Boston
area, started playing drums at the age of nine and was first drawn to he sounds of big band music. At a young age, he got to see live performances by Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson
and Count Basie
. Rich, Gene Krupa
, Louie Bellson
and Joe Morello
were early influences. Then he was exposed to Elvin Jones, Tony Williams and Billy Cobham
"Growing up in the later '60s, I was exposed to the rock that was developing and the culture, and absorbed that in a pretty natural way," Smith said. Mitch Mitchell, Ginger Baker
and John Bonham were among his favorites. "Then the whole jazz-rock and fusion happened as I was getting out of high school and attending the Berklee School of Music from '72-'76. I got to see Billy Cobham and Chick Corea
's Return to Forever with Lenny White
. Tony Williams Lifetime... That was all highly influential to me. A lot of it was due to the time and the place I grew up in. I grew up in the Boston area, which is a great place to be for music."
Smith notes, "Having that background, a jazz drumming background, gave me a lot of options. My first drum teacher that I went to in '63 was a big band drummer. The way he played and the way he taught was swing style. More from Big Big Sid Catlett
and Gene Krupa and Louie Bellson. It wasn't be-bop. I was fortunate I was grounded in a kind of playing that came before more advanced styles of playing. In a way, I traced the history of U.S. jazz, then rock, drumming. Just the way the drumming conceptions evolved themselves."
After swing drumming, he studied be-bop styles of Philly Joe Jones
and Max Roach
. Important in those studies at Berklee were teachers Alan Dawson
and Gary Chaffee. "Learning the rock and fusion came quite naturally because it is just putting all those pieces together into a cohesive whole."
In 1974, at 19 years old, Smith played in the Lin Biviano Big Band. He also played with clarinet legend Buddy DeFranco
. In 1976, he got a gig with Jean-Luc Ponty
, a different ballgame.
"I hadn't really played fusion at the time I played with Jean Luc, because I mainly had played big band and small group jazz," says Smith. "I played a few commercial gigs around Boston where we played pop tunes. Fusion was so new in those days. It hadn't made its way down to young folks playing it on gigs or in jam sessions too much. It was the vanguard of jazz at that time.


Amarillo signs letter of intent for partnership using kinetic energy with city vehicles
Rich Gagnon, assistant city manager and chief information officer for the city of Amarillo, addressed the Amarillo City Council last week and the media at Wednesday's Amarillo Lunch and Learn event to talk about the city’s proposed project with Ecolution, which would work to transition the city's vehicle fleet to electric while creating self-sufficient energy to save on energy usage costs for the city.
Ecolution is a company introducing systems that create electricity from the motion of vehicles; this energy would be stored and then used to supply charging stations. The proposed partnership would be at no cost to the city.
Ecolution’s Module Active Response System (MARS) harvests kinetic energy from moving train cars and truck trailers to generate affordable clean energy, which is transferred into a microgrid location at a train yard or at a central location to be collected.
Gagnon addressed the council and media to talk about the proposed project.
“The city spends millions every year on fuel, and that leads to two simple questions: How do we drive efficiency there so that money can be used in other ways, and as the world moves toward more and more electric vehicles, how do we as a city stay ahead of that trend and develop a plan that gets us the most efficient moving forward?” Gagnon inquired of the council.
Craig Bouchard, executive chairman, spoke last Tuesday at the council meeting about his company Ecolution and its business proposal.
“We are not here to ask your city or state for one penny. We would like to come and build our business with our own money to help make your community healthier and hopefully save your city money on energy,” Bouchard stated.
Bouchard said that his company already had a deal in place to work with the city of St. Paul, Minnesota, as its first city partner. He said that Amarillo was the perfect match for his business due to its central location.
He spoke about the possible efficiency of using kinetic energy being greater than wind and solar energy combined, for the production of energy in this country long term. He also said the reduction of emissions from vehicles due to using electric vehicles would be significant in its health and green benefits. The energy produced from the project could be used to power within the city as well.
“Our goal is to start very small and be conservative in our scope before expanding,” Bouchard said.
Gagnon spoke about how the city and Ecolution will start with using one solid waste truck, and the program might be expanded as the effectiveness of the program is measured to include more vehicles, including city buses. Currently, the city's waste management division has more than $2 million in fuel costs per year. So any reduction to those costs, according to Gagnon, will save the city money.
“We are starting small and moving from there; there will be many opportunities to expand,” Gagnon said. “In the end, the goal is to drive down our costs and become self-sufficient.”


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- You need of chicken breasts.
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- Take of turkey gravy.
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- Take of water or milk.
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- Get of mixed veggies.
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- 30 min before done measure out and prepare minute rice.
- Serve chicken over rice. Enjoy.
Whisk the cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, sherry, garlic, celery flakes, and paprika in a mixing bowl. Lay chicken in lightly greased crock pot. Season with pepper and sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top. My Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings is another recipe that is similar to this one! Feel free to serve this Crock Pot Creamy Ranch Chicken and Potatoes over some rice or with a side I wondered about mushrooms.
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Last instar larva (caterpillar), annotated diagram for glossary. Here you can see the six true legs (also called thoracic legs
) and the (five or more?) sets of prolegs
, including anal and abdominal (or anterior) prolegs.
See also Lynette's diagram:
I had taken these shots of a Black Swallowtail caterpillar some time ago, intending them to illustrate the glossary item for prolegs, and Lynette beat me to it. Looking at them, I decided there was still value in adding them--with the details of the prolegs versus the true legs.

domain: hobby


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San Francisco AIDS Foundation promotes health, wellness, and social justice for communities most impacted by HIV through sexual health and substance use services, advocacy, and community partnerships.
The Foundation envisions a future where health justice is achieved for all people living with or at risk for HIV, ultimately striving for a day when race is not a barrier to health and wellness, substance use is not stigmatized, HIV status does not determine quality of life, and HIV transmission is eliminated.
Learn more at: sfaf.org
Since 1969 the Los Angeles LGBT Center has cared for, championed, and celebrated LGBT individuals and families in Los Angeles and beyond. Today the Center’s nearly 800 employees provide services for more LGBT people than any other organization in the world, offering programs, services, and global advocacy that span four broad categories: Health, Social Services and Housing, Culture and Education, Leadership and Advocacy. We are an unstoppable force in the fight against bigotry and the struggle to build a better world; a world in which LGBT people thrive as healthy, equal, and complete members of society.
Learn more at lalgbtcenter.org
Your Dollars at Work
AIDS/LifeCycle has a twenty-year average of a 33.9% cost of fundraising. When donating to AIDS/LifeCycle, your dollars are directed immediately to one of San Francisco AIDS Foundation’s or the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s life-saving programs. Want to know more about the direct impact your dollars have? Check out these two charts below.
San Francisco AIDS Foundation
$25,000 provides an entire year of meals for the participants of the Latino Programs which help prevent new HIV infections in the Latino community.
$20,000 supports the expansion of our hepatitis C treatment efforts, as people living with HIV are at a higher risk of contracting Hepatitis C.
$15,000 creates access to PrEP for 75 people.
$15,000 will help us achieve our goal of reducing new HIV diagnoses to fewer than 100 per year in San Francisco.
$10,000 enables five people to be cured of Hepatitis C.
$5,000 provides one year of substance use treatment services for one program participant.
$5,000 provides our sexual health team with the supplies needed to offer HIV and STI screenings for 560 people.
$3,000 creates access to health and wellness services for 50 queer and trans people of color.
$3,000 helps us reduce HIV transmission among people who inject drugs by providing sterile syringes and disposing of them properly.
$2,000 provides a scholarship for one community member to go to Washington, D.C., and advocate for HIV funding and services.
$1,000 links one person living with HIV to housing.
$1,000 could provide rapid HIV antibody test kits for 40 individuals at any one of our multiple testing sites.
$500 sponsors one night of social programming for long-term survivors of HIV.
$500 could provide funding for up to 50 members for the Elizabeth Taylor 50-plus Network to come together twice a month in order to offer support for individuals working through anxiety, depression, and isolation.
$250 supports one overdose prevention training.
$250 could provide for necessary funding for our weekly TransLife Support Group to discuss health and wellness issues and build community to give people the support they need and the family they long for.
$150 allows us to check hormone levels for folks who are taking gender-affirming hormones.
$100 covers the cost of one HIV test.
$50 helps us provide free hep C testing, treatment, and support.
Los Angeles LGBT Center
$50,000 supports the annual cost of comprehensive HIV medical treatment services for 45 patients.
$50,000 supports the annual cost of comprehensive HIV wraparound services by a case management team for 105 clients.
$30,000 provides 4 months of mental health therapy to 14 clients.
$25,000 supports the annual cost of comprehensive HIV medical treatment services for 22 patients.
$15,000 provides comprehensive sexual health services, including HIV and STD tests, treatment, education, and counseling to 85 clients.
$10,000 covers a full year of intensive psychosocial case management services for 2 clients.
$10,000 supports the annual cost of comprehensive HIV medical treatment services for 9 patients.
$5,000 covers a full year of lab testing for 9 HIV patients.
$5,000 supports the annual cost of comprehensive HIV medical treatment services for 4 patients.
$2,000 covers the annual cost of medical supplies for 76 HIV patients.
$1,000 covers a full year of lab testing for 2 HIV patients.
$1,000 covers the annual cost of medical supplies for 38 HIV patients.
$500 covers the annual cost of medical supplies for 19 HIV patients.
$300 buys 160 N-95 masks to protect the health of our patients and staff.
$280 provides rapid HIV tests for 20 clients.
$175 provides comprehensive sexual health services, including HIV and STD tests, treatment, education, and counseling to 1 client.
$140 provides rapid HIV tests for 10 clients.
$100 covers the annual cost of medical supplies for 4 HIV patients.
$50 buys 26 N-95 masks to protect the health of our patients and staff.
$20 covers treatment medications for one client diagnosed with an STI.
$10 buys 155 condoms that Community Health Programs will distribute throughout the Center.
Check your Participant Center for more great shareables like these to post on social media or send to your donors!
National & Global Context
In the United States
- Almost 1 in 8 of those infected with HIV doesn’t know it.
- Gay and bisexual men overall account for the majority of all new HIV infections
- The Centers for Disease Control recently released a projection that if current trends continue, half of black gay men will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime.
- By race, African Americans face the most severe burden of HIV, and represent the majority of new AIDS diagnoses, new HIV infections, people living with HIV/AIDS, and AIDS deaths.
In the World
- Since the beginning of the epidemic, almost 78 million people have been infected with HIV and about 39 million people have died of AIDS-related causes.
- 2.6 million of those people living with HIV are under age 15.
- Africa accounted for 66 percent of the world’s AIDS deaths in 2014. Around 41 percent of people living with HIV had access to antiretroviral therapy in March 2015 – some 15 million people.
How does your participation help people living outside of California?
The programs and services offered through the Los Angeles LGBT Center and San Francisco AIDS Foundation serve as models of care and prevention around the world. Members of both agencies work with organizations in several countries to share best practices to end the global AIDS epidemic.
Your donors are supporting people across the nation and globe in four incredible ways:

domain: medical


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ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT (Chapters 1 through 182)
COUNTIES AND COUNTY OFFICERS
REGISTERS OF DEEDS
Recordation; receipts of federal succession taxes
Section 16. He shall record receipts of federal revenue collectors for succession taxes, or other evidence of their payment, if the person applying for such record first makes affidavit to the genuineness of such receipt or evidence before a person qualified to take acknowledgment of deeds.


A decades-long series of zoning decisions and business deals means that Potterytown will soon become Parkingtown.
Tucked in between eastern downtown’s behemoth student apartment complexes and the North Oconee River, part of the neighborhood of single-family homes dating back more than 100 years is meeting the wrecking ball as student-housing developer Landmark Properties prepares to build a parking deck for a new phase of its nearby development, The Mark.
While the neighborhood’s fate was probably sealed in 2000—when Athens-Clarke County officials, driven by environmentalists’ concerns about sprawl, upped the density allowed downtown and expanded its boundaries—the final straw was a recent ACC Commission vote to pull out of a previously approved partnership with Landmark to build a parking deck near the Multimodal Center to serve both The Mark and a new Classic Center arena. Instead, both parties will go it alone, and the second phase of The Mark will have its own deck between Pottery and Wilkerson streets on property Landmark has been amassing for the past six years.
The vote was fueled in part by questions about who would take on risk associated with construction costs, in addition to commissioners’ distrust of Landmark and resistance to assisting with any additional student housing development downtown.
“The days of building standalone parking decks—you don’t see them anymore,” said Commissioner Mike Hamby, who compared it to the “worst movie ever,” Wonder Woman 1984.
“I’m fine with them building in Potterytown by right,” Commissioner Melissa Link said at the Jan. 6 meeting. “If this government had any consideration for Potterytown, it would have rezoned [Potterytown] when the downtown master plan went through.”
That downtown master plan, overseen by former UGA College of Environment and Design professor Jack Crowley nearly a decade ago, called for less intensive redevelopment of Potterytown. So did a 2008 charette another urban planning professor, Pratt Cassity, conducted at the old Jittery Joe’s Roasting Co. building on East Broad Street that Landmark later tore down. But no action was ever taken to protect the neighborhood.
“What I keep going back to is how we got Landmark in the first place,” said Commissioner Jesse Houle, urging colleagues to work with the developer instead of rejecting the deal. Community opposition contributed to scuttling an Atlanta-based Selig Enterprises project that would have included a Walmart, so Landmark stepped in and built The Mark at the former Armstrong & Dobbs lumber yard instead.
With The Mark underway, Landmark began buying up houses on the block between Wilkerson and Pottery streets, most notably one belonging to Drive-By Truckers frontman Patterson Hood and his wife, Rebecca, who have since moved to Portland. They became involved in a public spat with Landmark CEO Wes Rogers in December 2015, when their friend, fellow musician Laura Carter, asked for an extension to move the Hoods’ house to the Orange Twin compound in Northeast Athens, which Rogers denied. Tax records show that companies controlled by Landmark paid a combined $2.2 million for the Hoods’ property and surrounding parcels owned by trustees of Peggy T. Williams totaling a little less than an acre, consolidating them in October 2020. The Hoods’ former home will be moved to a nearby site, according to Mayor Kelly Girtz.
The deal to partner with Landmark on the deck would have brought in $150,000 a year to help construct a 6,000-seat arena, which will be funded partially with sales tax revenue and partially with private dollars. A senior living facility and a hotel are also planned to generate more funding. Now, ACC will move forward with a smaller parking deck near the Multimodal Center and look to lease part of the property to another developer, Girtz said.
“We worked diligently to offer Athens-Clarke County officials a mutually beneficial concept that would deliver much needed affordable housing, a direct investment in the Classic Center Arena, additional student housing, and new and vital infrastructure improvements in Potterytown,” Rogers told Flagpole. “The community benefits we offered up approached nearly $50 million. Unfortunately, however, that concept was not accepted by the county commission. As a result, we will need to immediately begin development of a parking deck in Potterytown to meet construction timelines and accommodate future residents of Phase II at The Mark.
“Although we are disappointed that the commission did not want to move forward with our proposed ideas, we remain committed to being good corporate neighbors and working in good faith with local officials to explore mutually beneficial paths forward on future development plans.”
In January, Commissioner Tim Denson proposed adding an opt-out to the contract to create more leverage for negotiating affordable housing and a child-care center as part of the deal, as well as force Landmark to contribute property tax to the Athens Downtown Development Authority. But the commission voted 9-1 to back out of finalizing the deal. Commissioner Russell Edwards was the lone “no” vote. He said his constituents are in favor of the arena, and he felt obligated to move forward.
While one block of Potterytown’s fate is sealed, that underscores the need for a citywide assessment of historic resources that can be compared to the county zoning map so they can be protected proactively, said Tommy Valentine, executive director of the preservation nonprofit Historic Athens. Other, similar mill towns like Whitehall on the Eastside are also facing development pressure, he said, and Athens hasn’t done a comprehensive assessment in 30 years. Historic Athens is in preliminary talks with CED and interested commissioners on an update, he added.
“As Athens becomes denser, we’re going to see that pressure play out elsewhere,” Valentine said. “What tends to happen is, by the time we realize a place like that is in peril, it’s too late or our attention is elsewhere.”
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