The implementation and outcomes of structural adjustment programmes (SAPs), promoted by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to help countries all around the world overcome their economic crises, have generated significant controversy. The SAPs’ impact on the economic development and levels of corruption of those countries are of special concern. Regarding corruption, the literature presents two main positions: one, the anti-corruption discourse legitimises and justifies the need for SPAs. Two, SAPs do not actually reduce corruption but they exacerbate it. Contextual conditions and interactions of SAPs with other policies make it difficult to establish a direct causal relationship between SAPs and levels of corruption, but studies show that aspects associated with those economic reforms have exacerbated corruption risks.
- SAPs can potentially increase corruption at the same time that they can be legitimised by anti-corruption discourses.
- The phase of implementation of SAPs is especially vulnerable to corruption.
- The level of corruption in a country can also influence the success of SAPs.
I would like to understand the scope of any research linking the implementation of structural adjustment or rapid privatisation programmes led by international finance institutions to the growth of corruption and economic crime.
The link between SAPs and corruption
Since the 1980s several countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe have adopted structural adjustment programmes (SAPs) – loans given by the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) – to overcome their economic and debt crisis. SAPs loans came with the condition of implementing certain policies to reduce financial imbalances and to set the foundation for long-term economic growth.The implementation of SAPs involved moving in the direction of opening economies, freeing up prices and reducing the role of the state in regulating and managing the economic sector (Summers and Pritchett 1993). In more concrete terms, they implied measures such as liberalising external and internal trade and commodity prices, cutting back government expenditure, reducing subsidies on food and fuel, privatisation of parastatal enterprises, raising prices of basic services, such as education and health, lowering wages and removing measures to protect employment (Williams 1994).
The literature presents two main positions on how SAPs and corruption relate to each other, which reflect how the requirements of international financial institutions’ provision of assistance has evolved over time. If in the 1980s and 1990s the concerns were privatisation, taxation and trade, at the end of the 1990s and 2000s good governance and corruption became a main focus (IMF 2018; Wesberry 1997).
One position states that the existence of corruption in developing countries justifies in part the need for SAPs and their economic liberal approach. In the late 1990s, corruption and good governance became part of the IMF and WB’s language. In their view, corruption was an economic problem with significant impact in economic growth and development. Weak institutions and corruption explained in part the economic crisis in debtor countries, and SAPs were presented as the solution to the problem. This position responded to an emerging neoliberal turn away from social democracy. The importance given to corruption progressively increased, becoming a pre-condition for receiving international aid.
This understanding of corruption as the obstacle and SAPs as the solution would justify and legitimise economic liberalisation and the agenda of transnational actors (Doshi and Ranganathan 2018). For instance, it played an important role in justifying liberalisation in India (Jenkins 2014). And in the post-Cold War era, the promotion of the fight against corruption in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the former Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc was associated with making those countries ready for foreign investment (Wedel 2015).
The other position contends that SAPs not only do not help to reduce corruption but they exacerbate it. According to Joseph Stiglitz, the privatisation promoted by the WB facilitated grand corruption by elites. Stiglitz said that, when some politicians sell state companies they do not object but rather “you could see their eyes widen at the possibility of commissions for shaving a few billion off the sale price” (Palast 2001). For instance, “the US-backed oligarchs stripped Russia's industrial assets, with the effect that national output was cut nearly in half” (Palast 2001).
Nevertheless, to establish a clear direct causal relationship between SAPs and levels of corruption is difficult. The composition of the programmes and aid vary greatly, which makes it difficult to generalise about the causality between SAPs and corruption. In addition, the effects of SAPs differ from country to country due to the interaction of different policies.
Thus, the economic liberalisation promoted by SAPs and corruption are multi-dimensional phenomena, and they present paradoxes and complexities in the way they affect each other. Econometric studies have often shown a negative relationship between corruption and economic freedom (Chafuen and Guzman 2000; Paldam 2002). However, there is the question of in what degree and pace economic liberalisation influences corruption, and if some aspects of economic liberalisation have more influence than others.
In trying to address this question, Graeff and Mehlkop (2003) investigated the impact of various components of economic freedom (understood as the absence of regulation) on corruption. The authors state that, while some state regulations on economic freedom might increase corruption, other types reduce it, and that influence also depends on the level of development of the country. In particular, they find that restrictions of capital and financial markets have the biggest impact on corruption. Particularly in poor countries, freedom to move capital across borders and be hidden abroad benefits corrupt individuals to launder money from corrupt or criminal actions.
Keeping illegal income in overseas accounts has been common practice among some oligarchs (Blackburn and Forgues-Puccio 2010). For example, Mobutu Sese Seko, president of the Republic Democratic of Congo from 1965 to 1997, stored part of US$4 million personal fortune in places like Switzerland (Drozdiak 1997).
Switzerland, Luxemburg, UK and the US were also destinations for the outflow of resources embezzled by the former military ruler of Nigeria, General Sani Abacha, with an estimated fortune of US$3 billion (Nsehe 2011). Similar examples can be found in other countries in Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe.
In Russia, the economic liberalisation in early 1990s was followed by a huge capital flight, storing abroad US$68 billion from which 33% is estimated to come from illegal sources and 37% from semi-legal origins (Abalkin and Whalley 1999). In this case, economic freedom supported corruption. On the other hand, when regulations increase the transaction costs of illegal bargains, corrupt actions are less likely (Graeff and Mehlkop 2003).
Studies also indicate how the level of corruption might affect the positive or negative impact of economic liberalisation. Rivera-Batiz (2001) shows that the stimulation of capital flight by financial liberalisation depends on the existent level of corruption. When the level of corruption is high enough, the removal of barriers to international financial transactions generates capital flight. When the level of corruption is sufficiently low, financial liberalisation will attract capital to the economy. Blackburn and Forgues-Puccio (2010) also find that the presence of corruption in the government has a negative impact on the benefits of financial liberalisation for the economy. In non-corrupt countries, opening the economy to cross border financial transactions raises capital accumulation and promotes economic growth. On the contrary, opening a corrupt economy to international capital flows leads to higher corruption and reduces capital accumulation.
Stephenson (2014) points to a double paradox between liberalisation and corruption. On one hand, established democracies (liberalised political systems) seem to have lower levels of corruption, whereas countries in democratic transition, or in the process of liberalising the political system, tend to have higher corruption. On the other hand, liberal economies (characterised by more market competition, fewer state-owned enterprises and less central economic planning) have less corruption than countries in the process of economic liberalisation. Stephenson’s analysis suggests that the difference in the impact of corruption is the distinction between being in the process of implementing adjustment programmes and when they have already been implemented. Later, in the final section, we identify some of the risks for corruption attached to the implementation of SAPs.
How anti-corruption legitimises SAPs
In the late 1980s, NGOs and institutions such as UNDP and Unicef criticised SAPs for their negative effect on development and led the IMF and the WB to shift the blame to debtor countries on account of their governments being corrupt, interventionist, inefficient, bloated bureaucracies with oversized public sectors, red tape and protectionism (Polzer 2001; Simon 2013). According to Polzer (2001), Breton Woods institutions adopted the anti-corruption and good governance discourses as a defensive strategy to respond to criticism of their liberal economic approach.
This defensive strategy evolved to build a specific understanding of corruption supportive of the IMF and WB economic arguments and practices. Polzer (2001) identifies five ideas that structure WB’s conception of corruption:
The idea of corruption is constructed as external to the WB, to debt, to the international economy or to other historical events such as colonialism or colonisation. What justifies an intervention regarding corruption is not the problem of corruption as such but an increasing external demand to which the WB is responding.
The WB understands corruption as an economic problem only, excluding the political character of the phenomenon. This results in weakening and delegitimising governments, as well as ignoring how the WB’s interventions affect power structures in the states and how politicians make decisions. Thus, the de-politicization of corruption through the work of the WB leads, according to some authors, to the emergence of a new type of ‘governance-state’ that has to reduce its steering activities to the minimum and allow free market reforms (Katzarova 2019).
There is an unproblematised separation of the private and the public, with clear ideas of what kind of behaviour is expected in each of those realms: in the private sector actors are expected to seek personal profit, and in the public are expected to fulfil a duty to a greater good. However, this distinction corresponds to Western parameters and not so much to other experiences like in Africa, where, since the colonial times, the public sector was concerned with seeking profit. In addition, the WB abstracts administrative activities from their possible political significance, which does not correspond to the reality in Africa, for instance, where the civil service plays an important role in the consolidation of elites, appeasing opposition factions and managing conflicts over state resources.
The WB focuses on institutional structures rather than in individual actors, and considers corrupt behaviour based on rational decisions, ignoring their moral component. This approach avoids challenging the power status quo and the individuals in power.
Policy formulation in the WB has not considered the challenges to the implementation of its policies. The separation between who designs the policies (the WB) and who implements them (national governments) also conflicts with the amount of ownership needed for a successful programme.
The way in which international financial institutions give meaning to the idea of corruption legitimises their interventions and the lack of them, for example, by improving the quality of institutions. Moreover, they might indirectly incentivise corruption. For instance, the effect of excluding the government from economic decisions may delegitimise the state in the eyes of the population. Following Polzer (2001), this was especially relevant in new independent countries in Africa where the expectation is that the government has a say in economics. Thus, this separation of the economic from the political may reduce the trust of the population in the government and, as a consequence, increase tolerance to corruption (Polzer 2001).
How SAPs can exacerbate corruption
The implementation of SAPs involves the liberalisation of the economy through devaluation of the currency, deregulation and privatisation. The implementation of these measures involves corruption risks associated with the reduction of public spending, implementing economic reforms in states with weak institutional frameworks and oversight systems, and with the instability and public mistrust generated when implementing unpopular economic reforms (Breen and Gillanders 2013).
Liberalisation of the economy implies a reformulation of the role of the state in the economy, the introduction of new economic players by increasing the private sector, and a redefinition of the relationship between governments and firms. These changes in the economic landscape might create new spaces for corrupt behaviour as well as alternative forms of corruption.
According to Harriss-White (1996), changes in ownership might complicate lines of accountability and dilute enforcement capacity. In addition, the transition to a liberalised economy might imply having quasi-state organisations over which the state has some control. This might create opportunities for harmful rent-seeking (Zúñiga 2017) and bribery by some businesses to maintain access to resources or exemptions, and by other businesses to enforce deregulation (Harriss-White 1996).
Deregulation increases public servants’ discretion over policy decision, making them vulnerable to bribes. Moreover, Decoeur (2018) highlights how deregulation of the banking sector has created new financing opportunities for illicit activities, has facilitated fraud, embezzlement, and money laundering, and created new opportunities for rent-seeking. Off-shore banking, tax-evasion schemes, unequal terms of trade, credit-export agencies and illicit capital flow are other drivers of corruption related to SAPs.
In transition economies with an uncontrolled distribution of state assets, corrupt relationships might take the form of attempts to capture the state and influence law-making processes. Hellman et al. (2000) show how some transition economies in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union are captured by certain firms, shaping and affecting the formulation of the rules of the game through private payments to public officials and politicians. In some of those countries, large incumbent firms with close ties to the government tend to inherit influence from the past and enjoy more secure property and contractual rights. To compete with those firms, new companies try to capture the state to compensate for weaknesses in the legal framework, buy secure property rights and remove obstacles that might damage their performance (Hellman et al. 2000).
Some studies argue that privatisation, or transfer of state ownership of companies and assets to the private sector, might increase corruption because it weakens government bureaucracies by reducing personnel and funding (Reinsberg et al. 2018). Moreover, those affected by the privatisation of state enterprises may try to make up for their losses pressuring bureaucrats to get other advantages, generating thus other forms of corrupt behaviour (Reinsberg et al. 2018).
Privatisation measures associated with SAPs have further blurred the boundaries between the public and private sectors by encouraging nepotism, placing resources in the hands of the ruling elite and facilitating plundering of the economy (Decoeur 2018), as well as the emergence of corrupt patron-client networks.
The liberalisation of the economy also opened the doors for the intervention of international players in transition economies with poor governance and weak regulations, generating or perpetuating corrupt activities. A clear example is the activity of international investors attracted by natural resources in Africa, Asia and Latin America, which has resulted in the maintenance and/or increase of corruption in the land sector (Zúñiga 2018). Over the last decades, there has been a significant increase in large-scale land deals in developing countries with abundant natural resources, land suitable for cultivation, extractive activities, timber concessions and/or infrastructure projects (De Schutter 2016). Data provided by Land Matrix reveals that, between 2000 and August 2017, an estimated of 1,347 transnational deals have been concluded, covering more than 49 million hectares, with the largest share in Africa (557 documented deals), followed by South-East Asia (337 documented deals).
The land sector is also an example of how pre-existent conditions, such as the quality of governance and levels of corruption, affect the impact of the liberalisation of the economy on corruption. Contrary to what the specialised literature argues regarding the importance of the business climate to attract economic foreign interests, high levels of corruption and poor governance are characteristic of countries that attract land investors (Arezki et al. 2012). Weak governance and corruption can facilitate quick and cheap deals, maximise profit and minimise red tape; all reasons why investors might be attracted to those contexts.
Finally, SAPs have resulted in high social costs since they undermine access to quality and affordable public services due to government cuts in services like health and education, and they often involve the reduction of food subsidies and a decline in wages, affecting vulnerable populations in particular (Thomson et al. 2017; Watkins 1995). In Zimbabwe, the “lack of human face” of the adjustments changed led to the acronym for Enhanced Structural Adjustment Programme (ESAP) being known as Enhanced Suffering for African People (Watkins 1995).
Some studies show how the inequality resulting from the implementation of the SAPs may affect differently urban and rural population (Williams 1994, Heidhues and Obare 2011). According to Williams (1994), the costs of structural adjustment fall most heavily on urban wage and salary earners and on consumers of public services. Those self-employed are affected indirectly since on the one hand they can pass on the costs of rising prices to their customers and, on the other hand, they are confronted by declining markets and increasing competition (Williams 1994). However, according to Williams, rural producers are less affected by devaluation since they were the least likely to have access to imported or manufactured goods at official prices or fair access to basic services. Moreover, structural adjustment benefits rural produces, particular those with export crops, by rising local prices (Heidhues and Obare 2011, Williams 1994).
The inequalities and poverty derived from SAPs creates opportunities for corruption at least in two ways. First, service delivery is one of the sectors most vulnerable to corruption from the procurement stage to the access to the service, and it acquires different forms of corruption, such as clientelism, patronage and bribery (Albisu and Chêne 2017). Second, the development aid sent to those countries to alleviate the inequality and poverty derived from the adjustment involve corruption risks too (Martinez B. Kukutschka 2018; Lindner 2014). According to reports from donors, the misuse of aid funds is a common form of corruption, and procurement processes is one of the most vulnerable areas involving collusion in the bidding process, falsifying bid documentation or bribery in the award of contracts (Lindner 2014).
This work is licenced under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International licence (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)


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John Phillip Law (born September 7, 1937 in Hollywood, California) is an American film actor who is best known for his role as the blind angel Pygar in the science fiction classic Barbarella (1968). With his tall body (6 feet 5) and his steel blue eyes Law became a sex symbol in the 1960's. He was an important guest on Hugh Hefner's Playboy mansion and also a society person.
Law never became a real superstar but he was very popular as an action hero in over and more than 100 Italian B-movies. Most of them were westerns, science fiction, action and war movies. Some of this films achieved a cult reputation with such classics as Diabolik and The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. Death Rides A Horse and Attack force Z.

domain: artistic


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The Manhattan DA’s office will agree to the release of Dominique Strauss-Kahn without bail at a hearing this morning after it uncovered serious questions about the credibility of a the hotel housekeeper who accused the former IMF chief of rape.
NY POST – Releasing him without bail signals that the accusations of sexual assault may be less serious than thought. The judge must sign off on the deal before Strauss-Kahn can be released.
This comes as the maid who accused Strauss-Kahn, 62, of a violent sex attack in his Midtown hotel room has repeatedly lied to prosecutors and is “personally associated” with money launderers and drug dealers — revelations that have sunk the prosecution’s case, sources told The Post last night.
“She’s a con artist,” one law enforcement source said, adding that prosecutors have concluded “she cannot be put on the stand. “She’d be a flawed witness.”The alleged victim, a chambermaid at the Sofitel Hotel, “continuously lied to us,” a law-enforcement source told The Post.
Strauss-Kahn has admitted to having sex with her, but insisted it was consensual. That makes her the only one who can tell a jury she tried to resist — and DA Cyrus Vance now realizes that if she’s exposed to cross examinination she’ll be destroyed on the stand when defense lawyers shine a light on the skeletons in her closet.
Strauss-Kahn’s legal team have unearthed photographs of the accuser drinking and partying, despite her professed Muslim faith, sources told The Post.
Investigators initially found the 32-year-old accuser’s account credible when she said that Strauss-Kahn forcibly made her perform oral sex after she mistakenly went into his room while he showered, but they now have many questions.
Within a day of the May 14 incident, the maid called a friend who was in jail for allegedly possessing 400 pound of marijuana to discuss how she could benefit from the tryst, The New York Times reported. That phone call was recorded by authorities, the report said.
Equally troubling, investigators learned that several people from around the country made multiple cash deposits in her bank account totaling $100,000 over the past two years, the Times said. She also paid hundreds of dollars in phone charges every month to five different companies, although she insisted she had only one phone herself.
She also showed inconsistencies on her asylum application to the United States some 10 years ago — for which there is a “good chance she could get deported,” according to a Post source. Not only did she tell “numerous lies,” but she is “personally connected” to drug dealers and money launderers, the source said.
Also, she told investigators she was a victim of rape and subjected to genital mutilation in her home land (that’s probably the only thing she didn’t lie about), information that contradicts her asylum application.
Questions about her credibility were first revealed by The Post days after Strauss-Kahn’s arrest, including the fact that she lived in subsidized housing for AIDS patients, although she swore to investigators she was not infected.

domain: law


text:
AILA provides a series of 12 charts comparing President Biden’s accomplishments 100 days after entering office with the comprehensive recommendations AILA presented to the president.View All
AILALink puts an entire immigration law library at your fingertips! Search the AILALink database for all your practice needs—statutes, regs, case law, agency guidance, publications, and more.
AILA Doc. No. 03082140 | Dated August 21, 2003
Our friend and role model, Arthur Helton, died tragically and prematurely on Tuesday, August 19, in the bombing of the United Nations Headquarters in Baghdad. Arthur was 54. He was in Baghdad to assess humanitarian conditions, consistent with his life-long commitment to assuring human rights.
Arthur was accomplished at many levels. He directed the Refugee Project at the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights. He founded and directed the Forced Migration Project at the Open Society Institute. When he died, he was the director of peace and conflict studies and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He taught immigration and refugee law classes at New York University School of Law and at Central European University in Budapest. His 2002 book, The Price of Indifference: Refugees and Humanitarian Action in the New Century, synthesized decades of his accumulated wisdom. He also wrote more than 80 scholarly articles.
Arthur was an unusual combination of macro and micro-focus. He was a leader in international migration circles, but at precisely the same time would send a colleague a draft of an article to review, ever careful about every detail.
But perhaps the most compelling thing about Arthur Helton was his humility. He was a gentle and generous soul, the rare person who is renowned but who makes others around him feel important. He touched the lives of scores of young lawyers, inspiring them to take up the cause of refugees and immigrants.
We draw comfort in the knowledge that Arthur died furthering his life’s work. His death saddens us but, just as Arthur would have wanted, impels us to honor his legacy with our own unflagging efforts on behalf of human rights and justice.
AILA will post information about a memorial service as soon as it becomes available.
Cite as AILA Doc. No. 03082140.
American Immigration Lawyers Association
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Washington, DC 20005
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American Immigration Lawyers Association.
AILA.org should not be relied upon as the exclusive source for your legal research. Nothing on AILA.org constitutes legal advice, and information on AILA.org is not a substitute for independent legal advice based on a thorough review and analysis of the facts of each individual case, and independent research based on statutory and regulatory authorities, case law, policy guidance, and for procedural issues, federal government websites.

domain: library


Pharmaceutical equipment model SDL 3000/5000/10000/17000 micro filtration system for pharmaceutical industrial
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(influenced by concentration and turbidity of liquid)
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Cleaning or Preparing time
Accumulative Total Filtration of Membrane
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Microsoft has spent the past few years building out its stable of first party game studios all under the Xbox Game Studios umbrella, in part to ensure a steady stream of games for the wildly popular Xbox Game Pass. At least two more games are coming out of that effort, as revealed by Jez Corden at Windows Central. The two, Project “Midnight” from Compulsion, and “Pentiment” from Obsidian, are said to be exclusives to Xbox, and while they won’t be releasing any time soon, both projects sound ambitious.
The first, Project Midnight from Compulsion, comes from the makers of We Happy Few. According to Corden:
Currently codenamed “Midnight,” this upcoming title is supposedly a third-person action game set in a dark and fantastical world. (…)
Midnight is described as a “coming of age” tale drawing upon inspirations from America’s Deep South. The game features magic and large fantastical beasts with a strong “southern gothic” vibe. The game is a wholly single-player experience, with what has been described to me as a “strong” story.
The second, coming from “indie-style” Obsidian and led by Josh Sawyer, who is known for Fallout: New Vegas, was first revealed by Jeff Grubb on his podcast (needs premium access). Corden then went on to reveal the name of the new game, Pentiment, and it’s set in 16th century Europe where you play an investigator seeking to uncover the truth about a murder. Here’s a bit more on Pentiment:
You’ll be able to investigate and make accusations against the characters in-game, which could lead to cascading consequences if you’re wrong. It’ll be a dialogue-heavy game with decisions to make and response options to choose from, which will shape your experience as you unwrap the murder conspiracy before you.
On his podcast, Grubb said that Pentiment is slated for a 2022 release, although we all know how that can go. Still, it’s exciting to hear about new games coming from Xbox Game Studios as all the investment begins to pay off.


text:
Money Run is an exciting game of chance, letting full house winners run for their money!
If you win a full house between 6pm and 7pm from Saturday through to Thursday and you want to take your chances, just type ‘MONEY RUN’ in to chat.
The presenter will shuffle 6 cards, place 5 on display in the studio, and then turn over the first card. If the picture on the card is a running man, you’ll win a £1 bonus but you’ll get the option to take the money or gamble and run on for a chance to win more!
If you think your luck is running out and you want to take your money, just type ‘STOP’ but if Lady Luck’s firmly on your side, type ‘RUN’ to play on!
You’ll win the amount of bonus accumulated at the time you type ‘STOP’. There’s £5 up for grabs for every full house winner!
Remember, if you choose to gamble you might uncover the ‘game over’ card which will be the end of your game and all bonus will be lost.
Click here for the game rules.

domain: game


Synthesis and abrasive wear performance of stir cast AA6063-TiC composite materials
- 129 Downloads
Typically Aluminum 6063 matrix composites have an extensive wear resistance application due to its high specific strength. Here the stir casting fabricated composites having 0, 3, 6 and 9 wt% of titanium carbide (TiC) are tested using a pin on disc sliding wear test equipment. Loads (P), speed (sliding and rotation) and sliding distance (D) are the input parameters. The improvement in hardness was observed when TiC content increases due to the homogeneous dispersion strengthening mechanism. The incorporation of TiC in the AA6063 matrix reduces the rate of wear (WR) and increases the resistance to wear. The “COF” reduces when the TiC composition increases. The “WR” and COF increase when ‘D’ and ‘P’ increases for all the compositions tested.
KeywordsAA6063 TiC “WR” Coefficient friction
Aluminum alloy is the best alternative material for mechanical, structural and electrical parts because of its special properties. The major drawback of these alloys is low wear resistance particularly in sliding applications [1, 2]. To overcome these problems composite materials are introduced for many applications including automotive and electronics industries [3, 4]. AA6063 is widely used in wear applications like cylinder liners, brakes, pistons, and motor casing. By improving the wear resistance of AA6063 and used in many more applications. The properties of the AA6063 changed by reinforcing with ceramic particles have been received superior properties. TiC pays attention due to its high hardness, strength, poor heat conduction, reduced tendency of particle agglomeration, thermodynamically stable with molten aluminum and good wetting compatibility [5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. Several investigations are focusing on the wear properties of the composites. According to Sannino and Rack, the significant process parameters can control the “WR” and “COF” in the Aluminum Matrix Composites (AMC) under dry sliding atmosphere [10, 11]. Acilar and Gul investigated the effect of adding SiC in the aluminum matrix and found that “WR” increases when “D” and ‘P’ increase . Al-Qutub et al. observed that the addition of 10 vol% Al2O3 particles improved the resistance to wear of AA6160 when related to the unreinforced alloy. The addition of Al2O3 content further improves the wear property by up to 145% . The dry sliding behavior of Al–12Si4Mg alloy having cerium content found that increasing cerium until 2 wt% improves both resistance to wear and microhardness . Canaki et al.  found that the larger size of B4C has more wear resistance than the smaller size. Sahin  used ANOVA for analyzing the wear properties of AA2014–15 wt% SiC composite. Koksal et al.  found that dry sliding wear property of Al/AlB2 composites are influenced by normal “P”, reinforcement ratio, sliding velocity and distance using L9 Taguchi orthogonal array. However, only a few studies are focused on TiC reinforced aluminum composites. The motive of this present research is to report the wear performance of AA6063-TiC composites using a pin-on-disc apparatus.
2 Experimental details
Pin on disc apparatus is used to test the abrasive wear (Fig. 1c) as per the standards ASTM G99, The samples were a cylindrical shape of size 30 × 10 mm is shown in Fig. 1d. Before testing, the flat surface was polished. During testing, the specimen was forced on the EN 31 steel horizontal rotating disc having 600 grit SiC abrasive paper. The tests were accomplished with “P”s 10 N, 20 N, 30 N and 40 N, TiC weight percentages 0 wt%, 3 wt%, 6 wt% and 9 wt%, sliding velocities 1 m/s, 2 m/s, 3 m/s and 4 m/s and “D”s 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m and 2000 m.
3 Results and discussion
3.1 Microstructural effect
3.2 Wear effect
The TiC reinforced composites demonstrate low “COF” when related to the pure AA6063 matrix. Furthermore, the heat produced in the contact surfaces during the relative motion enhances the “COF” due to the existence of the carbon-rich layer and heat dissipation does not take place. Accordingly, the rigid severities of the composites, the “COF” for the TiC integrated AMC decreases when compared to pure AA6063. These features assist in controlling the “COF” in AA6063-TiC composites. For all the AA6063-TiC composites samples, the “COF” raises with a rise in the “P” and “D”.
During the initial phase of wear, an oxide film formed on the surface of AA6063-TiC composite might greater wear resistance. The wear resistance of the composites improved, due to the form that, at the initial stage, the contact surface normally consists of valley and hills. But for the higher value of sliding distance, these surfaces are getting finer and influencing the wear resistance of the composites . The hard TiC on the surface producing layer and when the distance and speed increase, irrespective of load the wear resistance improved. The increase in weight percentage of TiC declines the wear of the composite and TiC resists the wear because the hardness of the TiC is higher than the counterpart and matrix material of the composite. The TiC sliding over the surface and change the nature of along with the carbide layer over the surface .
The hardness increases with increasing the wt % of TiC due to uniform dispersion strengthening mechanism.
The inclusion of TiC to AA6063 reduces the “WR” of the matrix and thereby increasing the wear resistance due to self-lubricating properties.
The “COF” reduces with the inclusion of TiC particles due to the presence of intermetallic phases.
Compliance with ethical standards
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that there are no conflict of interest.
- 8.Navaneetha Krishnan G, Selvam G, Julyes SJ (2015) Development and mechanical studies of glass/banana fiber hybrid silica nanoparticles with epoxy bio-nano composites. J Chem Pharm Sci 7:197–199Google Scholar
- 17.Kaviya K, Saravanan S, Ravichandran M, Senthilkumar P (2015) Microstructural analysis of AA6063-5 and 7.5 wt. % TiC nanocomposites. J Chem Pharm Sci 11:39–42Google Scholar


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With the renovation of Village Hall to begin this week, trustees are planning to take their meetings on the road.
A $1 million renovation of the building at 255 E. Wilson Ave. begins with reconstruction of the lower level. By May 1, construction will move to the main floor, which includes the meeting room for the Village Board.
After project financing was approved last week, Village President William Mueller said board meetings will have to be moved to other facilities, including the Helen M. Plum Memorial Library.
Construction is expected to disrupt regular meetings for two or three months.

domain: news


Free Mississauga Power Basketball Sessions
by Khaled Iwamura on January 13, 2014
Starting today the City of Mississauga, along with Mississauga Power and Wal-Mart at Play are offering free drop-in basketball sessions with Mississauga Power players, for youth ages 10 to 18 from 3 to 5 p.m.
- Woman assaulted by stranger in unprovoked attack in Mississauga: Police
- PHOTOS: A look at the most and least expensive homes that just changed hands in Mississauga
- New rules regarding children in leash-free zones and smoking in parks are now in effect in Mississauga
- Mayor says “no evidence” to suggest Mississauga needs to be rolled back to Stage 2
- Ontario reports 401 new COVID-19 cases, highest daily increase since early June


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Art of Tibetan Survival: Artists’ Vision of Tibet and the Tibetan Diaspora
- Photo by Keri Pickett
For more than half a century, the world has embraced Tibet as an artistically rich yet profoundly threatened culture struggling against occupation and genocide; this has created a movement of inspired creative work by artists who carry Tibet's mythic, beautiful heritage forward in exile as a means of cultural survival. Contemporary and traditional artists share their vision of Tibet and the Tibetan diaspora in a mixed media show featuring traditional Tibetan arts and artifacts as well as contemporary paintings and photography. This exhibit will also include photographs from Keri's Pickett's 17 year-long project documenting the Tibetan community in Minnesota, painting by Tenzin Tamding and drawings and writings by children answering the question “What is your dream of Tibet like in your imagination?” from the Tibetan Culture School.
Presented by Intermedia Arts and the Tibetan Community of Minnesota
Curated by Thupten Dadak. Artists: Keri Pickett, Tenzin Tamding, and the Tibetan Children’s Culture School. Photos by Keri Pickett.

domain: sociology


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announcing an earlier than expected playlist update (coming this Tuesday), Bungie revealed last night that it has reset the credits and ranks of "approximately" 15,000 Halo: Reach accounts. The studio also applied a one day credit earning ban on affected players, less for punishment than to "ensure that recipients receive an in-game notification of the action taken."
The resets were handled last evening and specifically targeted folks who employed "an exploit that allowed players to complete a Challenge 20+ times via itentional network manipulation (i.e., disconnects.)." Bungie will also be completing a "more comprehensive pass" later this week, after the studio is confident enough in its automated banning system. We're taking this move as further proof of the age old adage -- cheaters never win.


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Department of Chemistry
Professor Hudlicky Gave a lecture in Germany
Professor Tomas Hudlicky gave a lecture on Chemoenzymatic Production of Pharmaecutials at the University of Aachen, Germany on July 13.
Professor Nikonov gave two lectures in Europe
Prof. Georgii Nikonov gave a Keynote Lecture "Zero-Valent Dimpyr Compounds of Ge and Zn" during the 11th International Conference on Heteroatom Chemistry in Caen (France), June 14-19, 2015.
Prof. Nikonov also gave an Invited Lecture "Oxidative addition of robust sigma bonds to Al(I) " at the 21st Conference on Organometallic Chemistry (EuCOMC XXI) in Bratislava (Slovakia), July 5 - 9, 2015.
Profs. Tomas Hudlicky and Costa Metallinos gave talks at Queen's University
Profs. Tomas Hudlicky and Costa Metallinos were invited to give talks at Queen's University during the week of March 2, 2015 as part of the inaugural "Synthesis-Synlett Lectureship" sponsored by Thieme. Prof. Hudlicky gave a talk entitled "Recent Progress in Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Natural and Unnatural Products: Amaryllidaceae and Morphine Alkaloids, Opiate-Derived Pharmaceutical Agents, and Other Targets of Interest" while Prof. Metallinos' talk was called "Unusual Heterocycles in Chiral Reagent Design".
Chemistry professor Georgii Nikonov was elected to a Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry (UK)
Professor Stuart Rothstein is going to be honoured by a special symposium held at the Pacifichem conference in 2015
A special symposium on "Advances in Quantum Monte Carlo" will be held at the PACIFICHEM 2015 Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii in December 2015, in honour of the contributions made to this field by Prof. Stuart M. Rothstein:
Stuart Rothstein joined the Chemistry Department at Brock in 1970; he was cross-appointed to the Physics Department in 1993 Although he is retiring this year from undergraduate teaching, he will remain research-active.
Congratulation to PhD student Vimal Varghese for receiving Jack M. Miller Excellence in Research Award
Vimal got this award as a result of his recently published, highly reviewed paper which made the cover page of the Angewandte Chemie International Edition Issue 17, 2014. The beautiful cover, a tribute to chemists who dedicated their careers to the chemistry of morphine, was designed by Dennis Ceci, Tomas Hudlicky, Jordan Froese of Brock University. The paper was also cited in C&E News in the March 31st issue, page 25.
Congratulations to the following chemistry and biochemistry students who participated in the 42nd Southern Ontario Undergraduate Student Chemistry Conference (SOUSCC) held at the University of Windsor on March 29, 2014: Majeda Al Hareri, Dylan Innamorati, Jeffrey Regier, Cody Wilson-Konderka
These BSc Hon students were among over 115 students who gave either oral or poster presentations about their undergraduate research. Majeda Al Hareri won second place in the Inorganic Section. Majeda is working with Prof. Melanie Pilkington and her talk was entitled: "The First Family of Lanthanide Molecule-Based Magnets Assembled from Crown Ether Ligands".


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Goji Volunteers Support AEAHK event in Celebrating Elderly’s Day 2018
On 17th November 2018, the “Against Elderly Abuse of HK” organization hosted an Elderly’s Day charity event, Goji volunteers were honoured to participated in it. In the morning, we went to a cinema to watch a movie with the elderlies. Then, the elderlies were served a free lunch in a Chinese restaurant at Ngau Tau Kok, we also distributed some gifts to the elderlies. After that, we visited “Yummy House” to learn about the production process of soy sauce.


Fisker Drops More Details on Its Sub-$40K All-Electric SUV for 2021
Henrik Fisker’s next big thing will be made for the masses.
Last fall, Henrik Fisker told us he was designing a radical, more affordable Tesla fighter. Today brings our first look at the vehicle, which we now know will be an all-electric SUV with a standard range near 300 miles. Pricing is set to start below $40,000 when it rolls out in the second half of 2021.
The Danish designer's first foray into full-scale vehicle development resulted in the Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid, the design and tooling for which eventually were purchased by a Chinese company in the wake of Fisker Automotive's bankruptcy in November 2013. Henrik had already left the company he started in March of that year, and it was eventually renamed Karma Automotive. But Henrik retained the rights to the Fisker name and logo, reconstituting his efforts under the Fisker Inc. banner. The SUV is the first in a planned future lineup of three affordable all-electric vehicles.
The wide, aggressive-looking front view incorporates a high-mounted radar unit behind glass in place of a traditional grille; it's flanked by sleek LED headlights. The daytime running lamps are incorporated into the upper edges of the outboard air inlets. Fisker promises a spacious interior—it sys "an extended open-air atmosphere" is possible at the push of a button, which sounds like a large panoramic sunroof to us—as well as a large head-up display and an intuitive user interface. Wheels of up to 22 inches in size will be available.
The SUV will be offered in both rear- and all-wheel drive, the latter adding an electric motor to the front axle to augment the one at the rear. Power will be supplied by a lithium-ion battery pack with a capacity of approximately 80 kWh. Sales will be direct—meaning no franchises or dealerships—and maintenance and more will be handled by a concierge service, Fisker says.
The California-based company introduced the Fisker EMotion luxury electric sedan (above) at CES in 2018, and it will enter production as a low-volume flagship model after the sub-$40K SUV is available. The EMotion is stated to utilize Fisker's Solid-State Battery technology, which the company claims will be able to "provide more than 500 miles of range with a single, quick charge."
More details about the affordable SUV will be revealed closer to the vehicle's 2021 launch, while drivable prototypes will be on the road by the end of this year, the company says. Fisker Inc. will begin accepting deposits closer to the start of production at an as-yet-unnamed facility in the U.S.


Gordon Sondland, the mercurial hotelier turned EU Ambassador who first stated he would not testify in the impeachment inquiry, then changed course to say he would, will testify this week that drumpf told him to text acting Ukrainian Ambassador William B. Taylor that there was no quid pro quo in his dealings with Ukrainian President Zelensky after Taylor texted Sondland that there sure looked like there was one and that would be “crazy.”
“The U.S. ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, intends to tell Congress this week that the content of a text message he wrote denying a quid pro quo with Ukraine was relayed to him directly by President Trump in a phone call, according to a person familiar with his testimony.
Sondland plans to tell lawmakers he has no knowledge of whether the president was telling him the truth at that moment. “It’s only true that the president said it, not that it was the truth,” said the person familiar with Sondland’s planned testimony, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic matters.
The Sept. 9 exchange between Sondland and the top U.S. diplomat to Ukraine has become central to the House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry into whether the president abused his office in pressuring Ukraine to open an investigation into his political rival Joe Biden and his son, who sat on the board of a Ukrainian energy company. The White House and its defenders have held up Sondland’s text, which included “no quid pro quo’s of any kind,” as proof that none was ever considered.
Sondland will hold out the possibility that Trump wasn’t truthful in his denial of a quid pro quo as well as an alternative scenario in which the president’s interest in the scheme soured at a time when his administration faced mounting scrutiny over why it was withholding about $400 million in security assistance to Ukraine and delaying a leader-level visit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Whether he’s deciding it’s getting too hot to handle and he backs off whatever his position really was a month earlier, I don’t know,” the person said of Sondland’s understanding.”
“It’s only true that the president said it, not that it was the truth,”
Hopefully that will be the epithet for this mal-administration..


Palestine and Israel supporters clash at university event in London
The police were called to an event on Thursday evening at a London university, after pro-Palestine protesters barricaded people in a room where an Israeli army spokesperson was due to give a talk.
Scores of protesters carrying Palestinian flags and chanting “Free Palestine” stopped people from entering a talk by Israeli army humanitarian officer Hen Mazzig at University College London.
The event’s organisers - the Friends of Israel - phoned police after the protesters were heard banging on windows, and refusing to allow people to leave the room at the central London university.
A video posted to Facebook showed Palestine and Israel supporters arguing outside the room.
Inside the event, footage posted to Twitter showed Mazzig saying he was terrified of the flag-wielding protesters.
“I don’t think that even in my days in the IDF it was as bad as it is right now: it’s really scary,” Mazzig said.
The only time both sets of opposing supporters came into contact was outside the event, and while things were heated, the confrontation mainly consisted of chanting.
In one video the Palestinian protesters could be heard chanting: “One, two, three, four, occupation no more. Five, six, seven, eight, Israel is a terror state.”
Later in the same footage Palestine and Israel supporters can be heard making progressively louder sheep noises at each other, as tension rose between the two sets of opposing activists.
When police arrived at the scene they escorted the pro-Palestinian supporters outside the building, telling one pro-Israel supporter that they would ensure talk attendees would be protected from any potential threat of violence.
Mazzig later described the scene as a “war zone”.
“I had to be rushed out of the event at @UCL with security,” he tweeted. “The campus was the war zone and the streets are the safe place. I’m out. My god.”
A police spokesperson confirmed to the Evening Standard they had been called to the Gower Street building at 7pm.
He said: “Officers spoke to security at the university who were happy to let to demonstration go ahead on its grounds.
“They provided a policing presence during the demonstration. Police remained at the venue until the meeting ended safely.
“Following this, a woman made an allegation of common assault to officers and this is currently being investigated by Camden police.”


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1″ diameter x 4′ long x 1 ¾” head – Good to use when other anchor systems are not available. Can be driven through picket holes in the TeleCrib® strut baseplate to secure struts to the ground.
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domain: hobby


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This ideal 'No Parking' sign is perfect as a discreet reminder for a small space and looks wonderful when painted, highlighting the text to get the no park message across. If you have a persistent problem with parking regulations being adhered to, then this plaque with a no park message makes a clear statement, and looks great too. This is a solid cast no parking sign with a tough powder coated finish, it is beautifully hand painted on the raised lettering to highlight your message.
The polished version is also cast in our U.K foundry, powder coated in a tough durable finish, polished to accentuate the raised lettering and border and then finally coated in lacquer to preserve to finish. All of our signs come complete with the relevant fixings.
Dimensions: 19cm x 5.5cm
- 100% Unique Hand Made Product from Start To Finish
- High Quality Materials
- Cast In Solid Aluminium To Last A Lifetime
- Weatherproof Powder Coated Surface
- Beautifully Hand Painted Or Polished


SINGAPORE: Singapore reported 17,564 new COVID-19 cases as of noon on Friday (Mar 4), comprising 17,406 local and 158 imported infections.
There were 18 fatalities, taking the death toll from coronavirus complications to 1,067.
This is the highest number of COVID-19 fatalities reported in one day since Nov 16 last year, when 18 deaths were logged.
There are 1,678 patients in hospital, according to the latest infection statistics on the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) website. A total of 211 patients require oxygen supplementation.
Forty-five patients are in the intensive care unit, compared to 53 on Thursday.
Most of Singapore’s new COVID-19 infections are Protocol 2 cases, which are those who are well or assessed to have a mild condition.
Among the cases reported on Friday, 15,139 are classified under Protocol 2, comprising 15,037 local cases and 102 imported ones.
Another 2,425 cases were confirmed via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, with 56 of them being imported infections.
The weekly infection growth rate is 0.97, down from 0.98 on Thursday.
The weekly infection growth rate refers to the ratio of community cases for the past week over the week before. A number above 1 indicates that the number of new weekly COVID-19 cases is rising.
Singapore has recorded 803,389 COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic.
As of Thursday, 95 per cent of Singapore’s eligible population have completed their full vaccination regimen under the national vaccination programme.
About 68 per cent of the total population have received their vaccine booster shots.
Singapore on Friday announced new vaccinated travel lanes (VTLs) for Vietnam and Greece, while extending the quarantine-free arrangement to more cities in Malaysia, Indonesia and India.
From Mar 16, the air VTL for Malaysia will extend beyond Kuala Lumpur to include Penang, starting with four daily flights each way between Singapore and Penang, said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).
On the same date, the VTL for Indonesia will extend beyond Jakarta to include Bali, starting with two daily flights from Bali-Denpasar to Singapore.
The VTL for India will include all cities. It currently covers Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai.


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Psoriasis is a widespread skin condition affecting 125 million individuals globally. It’s often hereditary with 1 in 3 people having a close relative with the condition. Sudden emotional trauma often triggers it for the first time – and stress can be a recurring factor in subsequent flare-ups.
Psoriasis manifests as dry, scaly plaques due to heightened skin cell turnover. These plaques, often found on elbows, knees, and face, not only cause physical discomfort but also impact one's emotional well-being. The symptoms symptoms often go through cycles, so maintaining a healthy lifestyle is essential to reduce flare-ups. Whilst there is no clear cause or cure for Psoriasis, there are ways to manage this condition short and long term.
In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the triggers, causes, and natural treatments for psoriasis, paving the way for healthier skin and enhanced quality of life.
Understanding Triggers and Solutions
1. Stress Management
Stress is a significant trigger for psoriasis flare-ups. Research indicates that individuals experiencing continuous high levels of stress are more prone to flare-ups. To manage stress effectively, incorporate relaxation techniques into your daily routine, such as meditation and outdoor activities. Prioritise adequate sleep to promote overall well-being and skin health.
When it comes to cleansing – face, body and clothes for that matter – stick to natural products that are free from alcohol, chemical preservatives, detergents and surfactants.
With your skincare choice, be extra careful to avoid chemical preservatives or alcohol. Majority of skincare products are water-based using harsh chemicals to sterilise their products. This means that all the good ingredients get neutralised, further aggravating your skin barrier and skin microbiome.
At Star Seed, we made the choice to go waterless across our whole range. This means our products are concentrated with highly effective botanicals designed to promote overall skin balance and resilience. For Psoriasis treatment, we recommend the Forest Daily Repair Cream with botanical ingredients that help nourish & balance your skin microbiome.
3. Weather Sensitivity
Weather conditions, particularly cold and dry climates, can exacerbate psoriasis symptoms. During winter months, when humidity levels drop, the skin tends to become drier, worsening psoriasis. Protect your skin by dressing warmly and moisturising regularly with a gentle repair cream. Forest Cream, enriched with botanical ingredients like Moringa and Baobab, offers relief from dryness and inflammation, providing much-needed hydration and protection.
A little sun exposure is also good for psoriasis too. UVA rays penetrate further into the dermis and help the skin’s natural production of Vitamin D. We suggest at least 20 minutes in the morning so you can benefit from Light Therapy. Be sure to wear natural sun scream to protect you from harmful rays.
3. Lifestyle Modifications
Certain lifestyle factors, such as alcohol consumption and smoking, can trigger psoriasis flare-ups. Alcohol may lead to inflammation and dehydration, worsening symptoms. Similarly, smoking can exacerbate psoriasis severity due to its impact on the immune system. Adopting a varied, nutritious diet while limiting alcohol and tobacco intake can alleviate symptoms and promote skin health.
4. Skin Injury Prevention
Skin injuries, such as cuts, burns, or piercings, can trigger psoriasis flare-ups in susceptible individuals. Proper wound care and avoiding scratching or picking at the affected area are essential to prevent exacerbation. Our Forest Repair Cream, formulated with a blend of botanicals like Jojoba and Turmeric Root Oil, facilitates skin rejuvenation and repair, promoting healing without causing irritation.
5. Hormonal Balance
Hormonal changes, especially in women, can influence psoriasis flare-ups. Fluctuations in hormone levels during puberty, pregnancy, or menopause may lead to increased skin cell turnover and dryness. Maintaining hormonal balance through regular exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep can help mitigate symptoms. Choose skincare products wisely, opting for waterless formulations like Star Seed's products, free from hormone disruptors and alcohol.
The Forest Cream is a botanical repair cream specially formulated for ultra-sensitive skin. Its nourishing blend of ingredients, including Moringa Leaf and Sea Moss Extract, supports skin health and resilience, promoting a balanced and radiant complexion. Enriched with antioxidants and essential fatty acids, the Forest Cream shields the skin from environmental stressors and premature ageing, ensuring optimal protection and hydration.
Supporting a Healthy Skin Microbiome
Forest Cream's botanical ingredients work synergistically to support a healthy skin microbiome, preserving the balance of beneficial bacteria and promoting overall skin health. Prebiotic properties found in ingredients like Sea Moss Extract nourish beneficial microorganisms, while antimicrobial herbs like Neem Leaf Powder help control harmful bacteria. Anti-inflammatory botanicals such as Black Seed Oil soothe irritation and inflammation, contributing to a well-balanced skin microbiome.
Psoriasis poses challenges to daily life, but with the right approach, it can be managed effectively. By understanding triggers and adopting natural treatments, individuals can experience relief from symptoms and promote skin wellness.
For anyone struggling with Psoriasis please contact us today for a free sample of the Forest Cream. We really believe that our waterless, botanical formulations can help, or at best offer some relief.

domain: biology


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Apple Cinnamon Coffee Bread, David Miller, 1st Place, Kansas State Fair
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 packages Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups warm water
3/4 cup apples, dried
1 1/2 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Combine 2 cups flour, Fleischmann's Yeast, sugar and salt in large bowl and stir to blend. Add softened butter and warm water. Beat with electric mixer. Add eggs and 1 more cup of flour and beat until thick. Stir in just enough of the remaining flour with a wooden spoon to make a soft dough that leaves the sides of the bowl. Knead for 5 to 10 minutes and let rise for 20 minutes.
Simmer apples in water until tender. Mash fruit well with fork. Add sugar and cinnamon to fruit and stir to mix well. Cool.
Roll out half of the bread dough in a 9 x 14 inch rectangle. Cut dough into thirds and then place 2 tablespoons of apple mixture on each third of dough. Roll edges of dough over and pinch them together to make three rolls. Braid the rolls together and tuck the ends under.
Bake at 375 degrees F. for 25 to 30 minutes. When bread has completely cooled a confectioner's sugar frosting can be added.

domain: food


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You don’t have to have a prominent position in society to cause an impact because you can make a difference in your immediate circles. The best time to do it? Right now.
According to physics, an impact is caused by the momentum generated by mass and movement. How does that relate to you? Well, executive life coach Jason Bernic says the impact you make can be as small as having a conversation with a friend or as big as going viral on social media. “Even if you make an impact on one person, it can change their life, which is an impact. Hammering a nail, exerting a force on a small area, can make as powerful an impact as an earthquake that lifts a truck,” he adds. Here are practical ways to make a difference:
Add your voice
We live in a digital era, and having an online presence allows you to elevate the conversation from a social perspective. Movements such as #BlackLivesMatter and #GBVMustFall, popularly referred to as hashtag activism, have gathered momentum. Adding your voice can offer a different perspective, which can spark progressive conversations about a movement that already exists. Don’t let the fact you only have a few followers stop you. If you boast a big following, that’s even better. Consider using your platforms for positive change.
Lend a hand
Many people are feeling displaced in the wake of Covid-19. You might think only the wealthy can help, but that’s not necessarily true. Lending a hand could be as simple as donating the clothes you’ve outgrown to someone less fortunate. You could start a soup kitchen, knit blankets for the homeless or give your child’s old toys to an infant who’ll appreciate it. If your financial situation allows, you could donate funds to organisations that provide relief to families during the pandemic such as The Solidarity Relief Fund, Feed SA and Growing Hope. Opening your heart and wallet makes a difference.
Stand up for a cause
If you feel strongly about human rights, join a global movement such as Amnesty International, which advocates for equal human rights for all. Are you passionate about preserving the environment for future generations? Joining like-minded activists at Green Peace allows you to campaign for a greener, more sustainable future. Can’t find a cause that resonates with you? Create a platform to articulate your stance. Start a blog, a YouTube channel or a podcast to connect with like-minded people and make noise around your cause.
If you’re a victim of physical, emotional or sexual abuse, it’s not always easy to speak out due to the fear of further victimisation. But you must understand that what happened to you wasn’t your fault. Reach out to an organisation such as People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA) or the TEARS Foundation for support. When you find the courage to tell your story, you remove the veil of shame and secrecy, which gives others the confidence to do it too. If you’re in a position to speak up on behalf of other people, do it!
Go against the grain
We live in an era of representation and inclusivity, so if you don’t see people who look like you in some spaces, why not be the first person to walk through the door? When you set out the intention to make an impact, expect resistance but don’t let that stop you. The world’s great leaders spoke out against injustice, and their fearlessness sparked movements that changed the course of history. This Barack Obama quote draws a fitting conclusion: “Change won’t come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We’re the ones we’ve been waiting for. We’re the change that we seek.”
Jason Bernic shares this sage advice: “Stand up for what you believe in, speak out on behalf of others, speak up against atrocities, and support other people. Sharing your story, or one that resonates with you, can influence the mindset and/ or actions of others. Doing the right thing, going against the norm for the betterment of others and the world, just getting involved, causes an impact. Do amazing sh*t, create something or add your voice to a cause that already exists. Be a leader, and lastly, get out of your comfort zone!”
Visit africanimpact.com to find a cause that speaks to you.
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Location The hotel is just 200 metres from the nearest metro station and 1 stop from Termini Station, which is only a 10-minute walk away. Guests have excellent public transport links by both metro and bus, and the Coliseum is just 3 stops away. Florence is a 2-hour train journey from Termini station. Facilities In the air-conditioned hotel, guests are welcomed at the reception area with 24-hour reception and a 24-hour check-in/check-out service. The upper floors of the accommodation can be accessed by lift. Amenities include a safe and a currency exchange service. Wireless internet access in public areas allows travellers to stay connected. Among the culinary options available at the establishment are a breakfast room, a café and a bar. Additional facilities at the hotel include a TV room. Those arriving in their own vehicles can leave them in the car park of the accommodation for a fee. Additional services include room service, a laundry service and a hairdresser. Rooms Each of the rooms is appointed with air conditioning, central heating and a bathroom. A double bed ensures a good night's sleep. A safe and a minibar are also available. Other features include internet access, a telephone, a TV, a radio, a DVD player and WiFi. A shower and a bathtub can be found in the bathrooms. A hairdryer is also available. The establishment offers non-smoking rooms. Meals Breakfast can be booked. Payment The following credit cards are accepted at the hotel: American Express, VISA, Diners Club and MasterCard.
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domain: travel


The Applied Biosystems RapidHIT ID System offers new ways to work together in the effort to solve more crime. Partners in forensics, from lab, law enforcement, and public safety, can benefit from Rapid DNA results in many applications.
Law enforcement personnel can generate investigative leads and identify suspects faster.
Labs can process urgent samples more efficiently and enable personnel with limited DNA experience.
In the field
Personnel can conduct rapid identification of disaster victims, reunite families, or support other field deployment needs.
Producing DNA profiles has never been this fast or easy
- High-quality DNA results—just one minute of hands-on time
- Compact and easy-to-use—set up in a day and produce results in the lab or in the field
- Streamlined analysis—fast sample matching, familial matching, and kinship analysis
- Improved efficiency—faster answers for reference and investigative lead samples
For Forensics, Human Identification or Paternity/Kinship use only. Not for use in diagnostic or therapeutic applications.


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As the nation’s schools, bars, cafes and restaurants gradually reopen, the average Australian may think COVID-19 is on the way out.
The reality is, the crisis is far from over.
On Wednesday, the World Health Organisation reported its biggest daily jump in coronavirus cases – a grim sign the worst of the pandemic is yet to come.
Global cases now stand at more than five million.
Although Australia appears to have flattened the infection rate curve, the nation is not immune to a second, deadlier outbreak.
The crisis is forcing employers to consider unconventional work schemes, state governments to employ more cleaning staff, and Australians to wave rather than hug hello.
But if case numbers appear to be slowing locally, where are these new outbreaks occurring?
Latin America, mostly.
The region accounted for about a third of the 91,000 cases reported earlier this week, with Brazil reporting more than 21,470 cases on Wednesday alone.
Europe and the United States each accounted for about 20 per cent.
“In the last 24 hours, there have been 106,000 cases reported to WHO – the most in a single day since the outbreak began,” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a briefing in Geneva on Wednesday.
“Almost two-thirds of these cases were reported in just four countries.”
Those four countries were the US, Russia, Brazil and Spain.
At this rate, Brazil is on track to have more cases than any other country except the US.
And there are some disturbing similarities between the two leaders’ handling of the crisis.
Like US President Donald Trump, Brazil’s right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro has long rejected social distancing measures in favour of reopening the economy.
This is despite the number of cases rapidly rising to more than 293,357 cases and a death toll surpassing 18,800.
Mr Bolsonaro has also been promoting the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine, the same one touted by Mr Trump as a possible cure for COVID-19 despite repeated warnings from health experts.
“The right wing take chloroquine, the left wing take Tubáina,” he said, referring to a fizzy drink.
But Brazil isn’t the only country in Latin America struggling to contain the virus.
Peru is the second-worst hit country in Latin America, with more than 100,000 cases and a death toll surpassing 3024.
In Chile, more than 90 per cent of hospital beds in the country’s capital Santiago were full and 1000 emergency graves dug at the main cemetery.
Though many Latin American countries have benefitted from strong economic growth in recent years, the standard of living in many regions remains poor.
And the WHO is worried these nations won’t be able to cope.
“We are very concerned about rising cases in low and middle-income countries,” Dr Ghebreyesus said.

domain: geography


Well, if you've come this far, you probably want to know something about us. Before we start, though, we should tell you that for the time being we are no longer taking bookings, because Anne's greetings card business is requiring too much time and attention from both of us, and in fact is doing very well. If you would like to see her designs, go to Anne Gregson Cards. In the meantime we hope you enjoy the page for what it is, and the CD it describes is still available and is, in the opinion of many, pretty good actually.
If you heard that Chris has had a stroke in March of this year (2003) then I can tell you that at the time of writing (July 2003) I am on the way to making a full recovery. It has had a significant effect on my concertina playing, but time and a lot of practice should sort that too.
We have been singing together for quite a few years now. We sing a mixture of traditional songs from England and America, together with contemporary songs, many written by Anne (an accomplished songwriter and solo performer in her own right, and maker of greetings cards). We both play concertinas: Anne plays the English and Chris the Anglo. Chris has drawn on this joint experience to produce the highly regarded Concertina FAQ, which is just a mouse-click away. We currently have some 10 concertinas between us (I wish they'd breed!) including both trebles and baritones of both systems. We find that having a range of instruments like this enables us to vary our arrangements very widely from song to song.
(For those who are interested, Chris is the fortunate owner of a Dipper baritone anglo, a really superb instrument. Click here if you would like to see some pictures of this). Until recently Chris was also on the committee of the International Concertina Association) until the stroke forced him to step down. They are well worthy of your investigation if you are a concertina player.
At one time or another we have played many of the English folk festivals and been booked at many clubs. In May 1996 we completed our first tour of the US, where we performed at 13 clubs and festivals between Maine and Washington DC. In October 1997 we returned, and had if possible even more fun than last time. Americans seem to like us, which is only fair since we like them too. High points of the second trip included the fall colours in Vermont (oh gosh!), U'n'I Coffeehouse in Springfield MA, Tryworks Coffeehouse in New Bedford MA, some smashing house concerts (especially in Boston and Pittsburgh), and an absolutely brilliant weekend in the company of the Folksong Society of Greater Washington at their Getaway Weekend.
Our third trip in May 1999 was a bit of a shame, really, as we both had colds that badly affected our voices through much of the trip. But we soldiered on, and with the great friendship and helpfulness that was shown to us we were able to complete the trip while only missing one gig. Particular thanks to The Beans, a fine 3-part harmony group from New Bedford who joined us on two of the gigs, and Jerry Bryant of Amherst MA, who came in on a third at very short notice.
In fact, I must show you this. This is an award "For Valor", presented to us by the U'n'I Coffeehouse in Springfield MA. Subsequently, at our gig for the Folklore Society of Greater Washington (an English-style Folk Club night that was great fun, but we were still suffering) they read it out and added their endorsement.
One day we will return to the States, but as yet we don't know when that might be.
In 1998 we performed at our first festival in mainland Europe, at Gutenbrunn near Vienna. That went remarkably well, including our appearance on Austrian television (our first appearance on television, but the second for our concertinas, which were seen in the episode of Local Heroes that featured Charles Wheatstone, the inventor of the concertina). Here we are onstage, Chris having just swallowed the microphone...
In 1999 we appeared at the Celtic Gallery Folk Festival in Belgium on a weekend in August. That was good fun too, especially the Belgian beer. Chris developed a particular taste for a strong beer called Duvvel, but that's another story.
Our first CD was released in late May of 1997. This is it: Peaceful Harbour, WGS 262CD on the Wild Goose label. You can get it either from us direct (see below) or from Wild Goose Studios, Wherwell, Hampshire SP11 7JS. In the States it is distributed by Elderly Instruments, 1100 N Washington, Lansing, MI 48910, phone 517 372 7890. The tape can be obtained from Camsco Music, P.O. Box 160, E. Montpelier, VT 05651, phone 1-800-548-FOLK.
Originally we produced a tape called Peaceful Harbour a couple of years ago (which is still available). To produce the CD we added another seven songs and tunes, and re-mastered the original songs and tunes (in the process re-recording a couple of bits and pieces that we weren't so happy with first time around). We feel that this CD fairly represents us as we are today.
|All in Harmony||Anne rarely writes songs with a political aspect, but this is one of the exceptions. Our arrangement owes not a little to American shape-note singing.|
|The World Turned Upside Down||One of only two songs on this CD by other writers, Leon Rosselson's song is passionate in its remaking of the words of Gerard Winstanley of the Diggers. We have always found an odd irony that St George's Hill is in Cobham, Surrey, nowadays one of the most wealthy parts of England.|
|The Crawdad Song||A well known American song with a great chorus. A crawdad is a freshwater crayfish.|
|When I Come Home||Chris wrote one and a half verses of this song. We sometimes have a competition for the audience to guess which (clue: sex and booze).|
|Woolwich Ferry Waltz||The Woolwich Free Ferry crosses the Thames in East London, not far from where we lived at one time. The circling, waltzing motion of these boats as they cross the river gave this piece its name.|
|Betty Anne||We found this song (a close relative of Shady Grove) in a book called "80 English Folk Songs" by Cecil Sharp - a title which has always puzzled us since this and the other 79 songs were all collected in America.|
|Groovin' With Mr Lachenal||All 3 concertinas on this track were made by Lachenal & Co. Had they been made by Wheatstone we would probably have called it Roll Over Charles Wheatstone.|
|Good Morning Sir||At the time Chris wrote this he was smashing up reject Dinky toys, using other Dinky toys since the company didn't provide a hammer. This may explain the slightly jaundiced feel of the song. The tune is trad.|
|The Dilly Song||This is a west country variant of the more well-known Green Grow The Rushes.|
|Peaceful Harbour||Our favourite song, it speaks for itself.|
|Steam Fair||This tune was inspired by the wonderful atmosphere to be found at Carter's Steam fair, a travelling fair totally powered by steam and based at Maidenhead.|
|Another Year||This song was originally recorded by the Jubilaires in 1944. Since there 5 of them (plus guitar) and only 2 of us the arrangement has changed quite a lot.|
|Rolling Down to Old Maui||From the singing of Stan Hugill. 395 ships, whalers mostly, harboured in the port of Lahaina in Maui during the year of 1846. Their hunting ground was the Sea of Okhotsk in the Arctic North. Maui with its tropical climate and friendly natives must have seemd like heaven on earth!|
|Nottamun Town||This nonsense song has a surrealistic feel and air of menace that goes way beyond the simple meaning of the words. The tune does nothing to dispel this and was used to great effect by Bob Dylan in his song Masters of War.|
|Bartok's Last Stand||To our ears this tune has an eastern European feel, thus the title.|
|Sail Away||The floating harbour (which sounds as if it ought to be a contradiction in terms) is in Bristol. Bristol can be a very windy place...|
|Punch And Judy||This has been one of Chris's favourite songs since the first time he heard it sung 20-odd years ago by Brian Pearson. The whole of the tale of Mr Punch is here, with the possible exception of the crocodile and the sausages! John Pole has written few songs, but each one is an absolute gem!|
|When it Comes to the Evening||At the time Anne wrote this song Chris was having to work away from home in Richmond by the River Thames. Our home in Bradford on Avon where Anne remained is also near a river. That rivers meant a lot to us at the time is probably no surprise.|
|Hangman||An American version of the British song Prickly Bush. We have often wondered just what the hero could have done to upset his family so much.|
|Come Trust in Me||A simple, unashamed love song.|
|This Time Again||A song we regularly finish with. We always tell the audience it's great for impromptu harmony, so it was good fun to try for ourselves. The last 2 choruses are in six part harmony.|
Here are some excerpts from reviews so far received:-
WHAT'S AFOOT WROTE...
Chris Timson & Anne Gregson have been singing together for some years. They have developed a style with which they are comfortable, a style very much of the early folk revival years with a mellowness which makes this CD very pleasant to listen to. ... Favourites are always subjective, but for me the unaccompanied duets The Dilly Song and Another Year, Chris' rendition of John Pole's Punch & Judy and the instrumental Bartok's Last Stand make the most impression. There is no track however that does not blend with the gentle style of the CD. ... After a few times it becomes a 'familiar friend' and much credit must be given to Chris and Anne. Over the last two months it has been played often in this house.
FOLK ON TAP WROTE...
This bumper reissue of a previously-released cassette gives us 21 tracks of close-harmony singing, solo flights, and a
variety of Anglo and English concertina playing, in the midst of which most listeners should find something to whet their
appetites. There is the neo-Peter Bellamy style with its dropped Hs*, and there is the melancholy melodic style of the
harmonists, and most styles in between, all crisply remastered and brought into the digital age in Doug Bailey's new
studio at Wherwell in Hampshire. The album is a credit to all concerned.
* I always thought the dropped Hs were due to me being a cockney! - Chris
... Some excellent songs and pleasant concertina tunes, some jolly, some wistful and many self-penned. The unusual thing about this duo is that they promise 'close harmony' and produce it, rather than the normal folkie's part-singing. I haven't heard its like since an old Welsh harmony group from the '70s called Porterhouse. ... The couple give us Leon Rosselson's World Turned Upside Down, trad songs like Nottamun Town and Rolling Down To Old Maui, a cynical song about education by Timson, Good Morning Sir and some good singalongs written by Gregson.
Chris Timson & Anne Gregson specialise in close harmony singing and their voices blend well. There are seven traditional English and American tracks and fourteen contemporary (eleven by Gregson herself) on this CD. I especially liked the acappella American songs Betty Anne, Another Year and Crawdad Song. Gregson sets sound lyrics to easily-remembered tunes and I can imagine All In Harmony, This Time Again (overdubbed to allow 6 part harmonies) and the title track Peaceful Harbour (two voices, two concertinas, beautifully arranged) becoming club standards.
FOLK WRITE WROTE...
... Chris & Anne have concentrated on their strengths here. The programme is well-balanced, too. The concertina pieces are generally simple, but varied in style, and with good use of harmony and counterpoint. The vocal harmonies are well-crafted, if seldom surprising. The melody is always to the fore, whoever is taking it. ... Particularly successful among the traditional songs are their performances of The Crawdad Song, Another Year and Nottamun Town. Anne's own songs are often instantly singable, with good choruses. All In Harmony, Sail Away, This Time Again and the title track Peaceful Harbour are, for me, the pick of the crop. They deserve wider circulation.
FOLK DIARY WROTE...
This Wiltshire-based couple are new to me, but I found this quite varied album most enjoyable. Although Chris and Anne both play concertina their strength lies in their harmony singing and I could have done with more of it. The material is an interesting mix of English and American traditional interspersed with eleven of Anne's own songs, all of which are excellent.
FOLK ROUNDABOUT WROTE...
This is another release from the Wildgoose Studios in Hampshire, and features Chris and Anne with English and Anglo
concertinas. ... The album first came out as a cassette a couple of years ago, but has now been remastered and some new
tracks added, making a very generous 21 in total. Of these there is one, The World Turned Upside Down, by Leon Rosselson,
and Punch and Judy by John Pole; the remainder are either traditional or by Anne with one by Chris, Good Morning Sir,
which is sung unaccompanied. Among the 11 tracks by Anne are four instrumentals, and of all the tracks these are the
ones I particularly recommend. Anne writes a nice tune, so all concertina players, please take note. ... Chris and Anne's
sleeve notes are very informative and entertaining, considering their succinctness with rarely more than one sentence
per track. All in all quite a mix of contemporary and traditional songs but, for me, the best tracks are the instrumentals.
For completeness, here are a couple of reviews of the original tape:
FOLK LONDON WROTE...
... The tape is a mixture of traditional songs and some of Anne's own as well as one by Chris. I actually prefer their own songs, When I Come Home, Peaceful Harbour, Sail Away and When It Comes To The Evening are all good and well produced and the final This Time Again is the sort of song everyone will join in with lots of harmonies ... A very pleasant mixture and the tape is worth acquiring, these two singers also provide a good variety of material for folk club performances so listen to the tape and then book them for your club. You won't be sorry.
ESSEX FOLK NEWS WROTE...
... Their well developed harmonies are pleasing to the ear and they are to be commended for a very creditable first recording ... Listen especially to the title track, "Peaceful Harbour", my favourite of all Anne's songs. If I were ever to sing anything other than my own compositions I would certainly be singing this. A lovely, haunting melody.
Well, that's it for now. If you want to email us for a chat about songs, concertinas or anything you have seen on this page just e-mail by clicking here, or write to:
24 St Laurence Road Bradford on Avon Wiltshire BA15 1JQ England Phone 01225 863762Cheers
Chris & Anne


The ICJ today warned the UN Human Rights Council of the risks that transitional justice is facing in Tunisia during the Interactive Dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion of Truth, Justice, Reparation and Guarantees of Non-Recurrence.
The statement reads as follows:
“The ICJ welcomes the Special Rapporteur’s report.
The ICJ continues to be deeply concerned by the Tunisian authorities’ lack of political will to follow up on the Truth and Dignity Commission’s work and to remove obstacles that continue to impede the work of the Specialized Criminal Chambers (SCC).
President Kais Saied’s sustained assault on the rule of law and separation of powers in the country has further exacerbated the ICJ’s concern. More than a year after his power grab in July 2021, the Tunisian President’s one-person rule has been entrenched even further through a new autocratic Constitution, adopted following a fundamentally flawed, illegal and illegitimate constitution-making process, and by the President’s cynical, unilateral actions eroding the power of the parliament, dismantling judicial independence, and restricting civic space.
In light of these developments, the ICJ calls on the Member States of this Council to hold the Tunisian authorities to account, and to urge that the transitional justice process be carried out to its completion, including through the implementation of the Special Rapporteur’s September 2021 recommendations.
Only then will victims’ right to effective remedies and reparations be ensured, perpetrators fully held to account, and the guarantees of non-recurrence fully complied with.
Massimo Frigo, ICJ UN Representative, e: massimo.frigo(a)icj.org, t: +41797499949AdvocacyNon-legal submissions


Farid Ahsan, Bhanu Pratap, Ankush Sachdeva made ShareChat the Indian version of Facebook after failing in their 14 projects. Let’s know its story …
Know sharechat Sharechat was launched in 2015. Sharechat is an Android app which is in 10 Indian languages. On this, you can share posts in Bhojpuri, Chhattisgarhi language. He has about 40 lakh active users who share 2 lakh posts daily. (read this also-Start CCTV camera business from 50 thousand, will earn in millions)
This is how it started It was started by 3 friends together. 25-year-old Farid started it with his friends Bhanu Singh and Ankush Sachdeva, who studied together at IIT. In Sharechat, Bhanu Pratap Singh is on the post of CTO, Farid Ahsan CEO and Ankush Sachdeva Chief Product Officer. Now Share Chat has a team of 50 people, out of which 18 are developers. Sharechat has an office in Bangalore. He started Sharechat in the year 2015. (Read also- You can take loans from these companies for business, give money if you like the idea)Manu Jain of Meerut made Xiaomi the owner of 320 crores, know about him …
Before this, 14 of his projects failed. All three were included in the Under 30 list by Forbes. All three have been working for the past six years. He became the first business partner and after that their friendship grew. The three of them worked together on 17 projects, of which 14 failed. A plan of theirs started on the 15th project. VIDEO: These friends made their village smart, now they are earning through this)
This is how we got the idea- During the chat fight, he found 32,000 people who wanted to chat only in their local language. He saw that a retired professor in Midnapore was looking for a world where he could communicate in his language. There were millions of people like him who wanted to speak in their own language. Demand for local language platforms is also increasing in India.read this also-These sisters learned to make jewelery online, now do business sitting at home)
Benefit from live-With the introduction of free data and cheap Android phones at the beginning of Jio, the number of people coming for the first time in the world of Internet has increased. Local language content was not available for rural and semi-urban people and the demand for local language was continuously increasing in this group. Then in 2014, he removed the English language itself. He started creating user generated content system.
Small share has more sharechat users-Right now, more than 70 percent of their users are 12 to 25 years and above 70 years of age. Of these, 86 per cent of Abaji is from Tier II and Tier III cities. His 5 per cent audience is also in Bangladesh, Canada and Dubai. Every day, they also have about 3.5 million content shares on WhatsApp.Also read- Become a modern teacher by paying a nominal fee, earn 40 thousand / month by teaching 3 hours)


text:
A world leader in surfaces for architecture and design
Cosentino Group is an international and family-owned Spanish company, which produces and distributes innovative high quality surfaces for the world of architecture and design.
As a leading company, it envisages and anticipates solutions, together with its clients and partners, which proportion design and value and which bring inspiration to people´s lives. This objective is possible thanks to pioneering brands and leaders in their respective fields such as Silestone, Dekton® or Sensa by Cosentino. Technologically advanced surfaces which allow the creation of atmospheres and unique designs for the home and public spaces.
The group bases its development on international expansion, an innovative programme of research and development, respect for the environment and sustainability, and its ongoing corporate commitment to society and local communities where it has a presence, training, equality and job security.
Cosentino Group distributes its products to more than 80 countries from its headquarters in Almeria (Spain). Currently, the multinational company has a presence in 32 countries and has subsidiaries or its own commercial assets in 27 of them. Cosentino has 7 production plants (6 in Almeria, Spain, and one in Brazil), one intelligent logistics platform in Spain, and more than 120 business and commerces spread throughout world. More than 90% of its consolidated turnover is generated on international markets.

domain: design


text:
NatureFresh™ Farms' Matt Quiring and Kara Badder Talk April Launch of Tomberry Tomatoes
LEAMINGTON, ONTARIO - Some tomatoes are already pretty small to begin with—a fact that makes them the perfect add-on ingredient for any dish or snack needing a fresh and healthy twist. But now, thanks to the innovation team at NatureFresh™ Farms, tomatoes just got a heckuva lot smaller. NatureFresh Farms is debuting a new teeny tiny tomato, the Tomberry®, that is sure to kick start a produce-centric snacking craze.
I caught up with the team at NatureFresh Farms to learn more about the grower’s newest tomato line and the innovation behind it.
“Convenient, versatile, and defined as the ‘World’s Smallest Tomato’, you can pop the Tomberry in your mouth as an on-the-go snack, toss a handful in a salad or on a pizza, or even get creative and throw some in a soup for a burst of flavor with every spoonful,” Matt Quiring, Executive Retail Sales Accounts Manager, tells me. “We have discovered through our in-house sensory taste panels that the flavor of this tomato is quite unique. Kids love them because they are not overly acidic and really do look and taste like candy, and even people who generally dislike tomatoes eat these by the handful! It will definitely be exciting for us to watch as this brand-new variety hits the market!”
A complement to its TOMZ line, the Tomberry is unique and fun and bolsters the gigantic flavor associated with the TOMZ name despite its mega-miniature size. And with such a unique product gracing grocery shelves, I ask where the idea came from.
“Innovation is an integral part of the NatureFresh Farms identity, and one of the most cutting-edge programs at NatureFresh involves R&D with exciting new varieties taking place at our Discovery Center,” Kara Badder, Marketing Project Manager, says. “It’s an innovative space where flavor and science meet; it’s the future of fresh.”
While over 300 varieties have passed through the Discovery Center every growing season, Kara explains that after so many trials and tests take place, only a very small number of products make the cut and end up on grocery stores shelves, with the Tomberry being one of the latest to make it through.
“There is always potential to identify groundbreaking new products when conducting research and testing different ideas. One of the key functions of the Discovery Center is to find the next best product that is going to make a positive impact in the marketplace. But the Discovery Center is so much bigger than just finding a new tomato to sell—it’s about mixing state-of-the-art innovations, interactive experiences, and flavor exploration to change the way people look at produce,” Kara shares with me.
NatureFresh greenhouses in Leamington, Ontario, are growing the majority of the Tomberry acreage, but there is also a small test batch being grown at the NatureFresh greenhouse in Delta, Ohio, to see how the fruit performs under lights.
Slated to hit stores this April, the Tomberry is the next big—well, small, technically—fruit that retailers won’t want to skip having in their grocery aisles. For more on the latest innovations shaking things up in produce, stay up-to-date with AndNowUKnow.


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