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Any sort of serious cost-benefit analysis undertaken by officials to advise ministers and inform the public has been notably absent over the 19 months now since Covid has been an issue for New Zealand. You may hazily recall last year that neither Treasury nor the Ministry of Health ever attempted any such disciplined analysis – presumably in the spirit of the senior minister in the previous government who responded to a question I once asked about some expensive initiative he was implementing observing that a cost-benefit analysis wasn’t needed because he already knew the correct answer. There were, of course, a few outsiders who made the effort – from the sceptical side consultant and former academic Martin Lally, and also an analyst at the Productivity Commission (whose efforts seemed to rile up those who already knew the right answer). Earlier in the year when the government extended its regulatory Covid reach, I OIA’ed the Ministry of Health for any cost-benefit analysis undertaken in conjunction with this new restriction. I was quite surprised to get a very prompt response, making it clear that none had been undertaken. Only later did it become clear that the Ministry of Health itself had opposed the initiative.
Of course, for any remotely-complex issue the best cost-benefit analysis in the world won’t produce a single definitive answer that everyone agrees on. But it forces proponents of a course of action (or inaction) to identify and write down their assumptions, think in a disciplined way about how people are likely to behave, think about a wide range of costs, and so on. It should sharpen the thinking of decisionmakers and those advising them, and aid the public scrutiny of ministers and officials,
The thinking that results in this post was initially sparked by seeing a comment in an interview earlier in the week by the Reserve Bank’s deputy chief executive responsible for economics and monetary policy where he claimed that
“Lockdowns have been about delaying the timing of spending rather than taking away spending in total”
and then yesterday I noticed the government’s adviser, and eminent epidemiologist, David Skegg suggest that we might as well push on with the elimination strategy as (words to the effect of) there was no real cost to doing so.
I don’t suppose the Reserve Bank has any real input into Covid policy – and his comment was mostly in the context of output gaps and inflation outlooks perhaps a year out – but Hawkesby is a smart guy, and it was a weird comment, tending to minimise the costs of restrictions.
This chart is an illustration of what I have in mind.
Quite clearly what happened was that spending/production returned to more or less normal levels relatively quickly, but “the hole” was never filled in. Real GDP per capita was about 12 per cent lower than otherwise in the June quarter of last year, and 2 per cent lower than normal in March quarter. GDP just prior to Covid had been about $80 billion a quarter, so almost $12 billion of GDP (value-added) we would normally have expected to have occurred in the first half of last year never happened. And there is no sign it was ever made up for later (not surprisingly, since few of the people who couldn’t work at all in April would have gone on to work twice the hours in June). These are really big losses – rather swamping the most recent derided example of planned government waste, the proposed walking/cycling bridge across Waitemata harbour. And those GDP outcomes were held up – to an extent not yet clear – by really huge fiscal outlays, which represents a future burden on New Zealand taxpayers.
Note that I am not citing these numbers to get into a debate about last year’s lockdown, and in thinking about the regulatory restrictions in that period it is vital to recall that many of those losses would have happened anyway (at least given the rest of policy up to mid-March), as individuals were already beginning to take their own precautions. But that was then when – if one wanted to be charitable – one could note that the government and officials were to some extent flying blind.
My concern is more about this year. Ministers and officials now had a good basis for knowing that lockdowns (of the draconian New Zealand sort) did not come cheap. There are all sorts of costs other than the ones captured in GDP – read the heartrending example in Matthew Hooton’s column this morning – but the GDP ones are real enough. I’ve seen mentions that The Treasury is working on an assumption of 25 per cent of GDP lost under “Level 4”, so we’ll use that assumption. Applied to last quarter’s GDP that represents a loss – unlikely ever to be recovered (see above) – of $1.6 billion dollars a week. After 10 days of nationwide level 4 that is already about $2.3 billion – and on a best-case scenario there is probably the best part of another couple of billion to come. $4bn might do as a rough estimate (five cycling bridges) in economic costs alone (and preservation of basic freedoms should itself be valued highly).
Again, I cite these numbers not to question the current lockdown (callously and deliberately cruel and inhumane as parts of it are), but to highlight that officials and ministers have known the cost of this sort of scenario all year. So you’d have supposed they’d have done absolutely everything possible, including spending lots of money if necessary, to make sure it didn’t happen. After all, Parliament had appropriated lots of money in the Covid fund.
Now people might push back and say that it was only in the last few months that the enhanced threat of the Delta variant became apparent, and no doubt that is true. But our politicians and officials are entrusted – paid – with the responsibility to prepare against a wide range of contingencies (just as, say, in a defence and foreign policy context). Similarly, we heard for months public health people bemoaning the alleged “complacency” of the public, but the public aren’t charged with preparing against all such contingencies and the government (politicians and officials) is. And the idea that a more troublesome variant might arise was hardly a new one no one had ever contemplated before Delta.
The only reasonable conclusion is that this draconian lockdown – and the extreme intrusions/restrictions should be priced quite highly – was preventable and the government objectively chose not to prevent it. I don’t suppose they wished it, but – having decided firmly on elimination (and quite probably sensibly so) – with all the resources of the public sector – and the wider base of expertise beyond it – they chose not to do the things that would have made it unnecessary (whether by preventing Delta arriving in the first place, or having the population and systems in a position where much less onerous and costly restrictions might have been appropriate). And I don’t suppose anyone anywhere in the public sector stopped and did some serious cost-benefit type of thinking. Frittering away the Covid fund on wider Labour political preferences must have been so much easier and more fun for the politicians. And as for the officials, who can say, but presumably the quiet and comfortable life suited them. It wasn’t as if they did nothing ever, but that is hardly the test when faced with such a threat.
What might the government have done (and been reasonably expected to have done, not just with the benefit of hindsight)?
There is a pretty standard list by now of things that could have been put in place over months, some of which would have made a difference with certainty, some just probabilistically (but this is a game of probabilities):
- the astonishing lack of urgency the government displayed in securing vaccines (whether that is about when orders were placed, whether anything could have accelerated Pfizer deliveries, or the choice – pure choice – to put themselves in the hands of a single supplier),
- the neglect of saliva-test options (now widely used abroad, and cheap – to individuals and governments),
- the now-apparent failure to put in place systems to prioritise testing (and processing of test of) close contacts),
- the clear failure to have stress-tested and war-gamed the contact tracing system to ensure that it could really cope with what was being promised.
There were, of course, small things even last week. Knowing by then, with utter confidence, of how threatening Delta was, when a community case was discovered in Auckland first the Prime Minister and her Covid minister hightailed it out of Auckland (how could they then know whether or not they had been contacts?) but more generally people were allowed to leave Auckland – with no isolation requirements at all – for almost 2.5 days after the first Auckland community case was known about. Now, sure, there would have been contacts outside Auckland anyway, but the government’s choice knowingly added to the problem (some of the Wellington cases were people who left after the initial case was known) – the numbers, the testing, the processing, the risks (that lockdowns are now designed to contain).
And then there is the border. They knew the border was not totally secure – after all, there had been several breaches here over the months. And it probably could not be made 100 per cent secure – for every person arriving (by air, or as crew on ships) there was some chance, however individually small, of a breach. If it wasn’t obvious to them, the Skegg report was telling them a breach was inevitable at some point.
And yet the government did nothing to reduce to an absolute minimum the number of people arriving. If anything, it seemed to be constantly giving in to pressures to allow more in (not even compassionate cases, but discretionary sports, business and entertainment priorities of the government). Just a few days before this lockdown there was the extraordinary proposal to allow home isolation for some (big end of town) vaccinated people, even as the government quite openly told us that any Delta breach would be likely to have an immediate Level 4 lockdown (with attendant cost). Perhaps there was a case at the time for allowing quarantine-free travel from Australia, but even there they were astonishingly slow – given what they knew of the cost of lockdowns – to close down that travel when community cases arose in one or other of the Australian states (they seemed to rely on advice from Australian officials rather than taking the pro-active precautionary approach), and then kept allowing New Zealanders to leave Australia for a time even when the QFT was finally suspended altogether (sure, there was pre-departure testing, but that was more theatre than anything, given that the test could be taken up to three days prior to departure – and many of them weren’t checked anyway).
(Of course, in any cost-benefit analysis you would want to include the costs to the individuals left unable to travel by a tighter approach at the border at the margin. It is likely to be a small number, relative to the costs imposed on five million of us.)
Given the commitment to elimination (which I am not questioning), it is simply inexcusable that ministers and officials were not doing this sort of cost-benefit calculation/analysis, and routinely updating it in the light of new information (including about Delta). One might not a year ago have put a 100 per cent chance of a new Level 4 lockdown a year ago, but perhaps it would have been prudent even then to have planned for a 30 per cent chance, with that probability clearly rise (to near inevitable in the Skegg report) as the year went on, and planned and prepared accordingly. Perhaps by mid this year it really was too late to do anything much to fix the vaccine problem, but – knowing the likely extreme costs of a lockdown (output never recovered, really high non-economic costs too – it should have led to even more of a focused drive to do everything to stop Delta getting in, and having foolproof, tested and robust, plans to immediately contain the spread (including beyond whatever area the first case was found in), Instead, it is if the lives, fortunes and freedoms of New Zealanders are just playthings for the government and officials – “it doesn’t really matter if we didn’t do our job well, after all, we can simply keep everyone shut up for days longer”. Hundreds of millions of dollars (and equivalent) lost/wasted? Never mind, we are well practised at that. After all, look at where the Covid fund went.
None of this bears on what choices Cabinet should make today, but it has real implications for the path ahead. If the government is committed to elimination for the time being, and holds over us constantly the Damoclean sword of Level 4 lockdowns, they need to take much more seriously minimising to the utmost the risks of future breaches.
$4 billion really is a lot of money – $800 per man, woman, and child – simply gone, and that on relatively optimistic estimates (and many of the costs not dollar-valued at all).
UPDATE 28/8: This Matt Nippert piece from today’s Herald, on the dawning awareness of the Delta variant, despite drawing on authorised officials in the Prime Minister’s own office presumably keen to provide cover for the government/officialdom, really makes my point. Even though the variant (then known as the Indian variant) was first identified late last year, was ravaging India in February, there is no hint in the article that ministers or officials were planning for really bad scenarios, and taking aggressive steps to prevent them being realised, until very late in the piece. It is one thing to hope for the best, but in officials/ministers charged with crisis management – and having themselves deliberately and consciously adopted the elimination strategy – it is no basis for planning. One wonders if there is any dedicated group anywhere in the official system charged with championing alternative (bad) scenarios, with a direct line to ministers.


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Livorno is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno and the third-largest port on the western coast of Italy. Built by the Medici family, this city is also is a key tourism point along the Tuscan coast.
Slow and steady boat rides, stomach churning corkscrews and free-falling
3 cheers to the dancing, singing and having fun at Oktoberfest
The post Oktoberfest: All You Need To Know About The Largest Beer Fest appeared first on The Guidebook - isango!.
A city that will amaze you with its abundance of attractions, Edinburgh is a must on everyone's list.

domain: geography


Contact angle meter
By adopting the tablet terminal, anyone can efficiently evaluate the surface such as wettability, water repellency and cleanliness anywhere.
The contact angle meter quantitatively evaluates the cleanliness of the surface, wettability, uniformity, etc. by measuring the angle of water droplets dripped onto the sample surface.
- strong point of product
- • Main features 1. Contact angle meter not using a personal computer 2. Battery operation is capable of portable measurement 3. Bluetooth, Wifi, USB-Type C, etc. which can exchange data with ease 4. Easy realization by the Android OS Contact Analysis Software (World's First)
• Low-Cost Reasons 1. Since the tablet meets the function of the PC and the FA's camera, it was able to reduce the price of the hardware. 2. The reason why it was made with the tablet was that contact angle analysis software could be realized with Android OS.
- delivery record
Evaluation of hydrophobicity water repellency cleanliness Cleaning · Surface reforming evaluation Uniformity evaluation
- purpose of use,
- Evaluations of tip material, uniformity of surface of paint material, cleanliness etc. Surface evaluation at the molecular level in the manufacturing process of semiconductors and electronic components Cleanliness and quality evaluation of the sealing surface where automobile, mounting, high adhesion is required
Health care biocompatibility and implant surface etc. to improve health care biocompatibility


Charging Forward: How Nerlens Noel, Serge Ibaka Change Their New Teams
by 6 March 2017, 10:00 AM
Nerlens Noel and Serge Ibaka are on new teams; here’s what their skill sets bring to the Dallas Mavericks and Toronto Raptors.
With the fanfare of the 2017 trade deadline now over, let’s take a moment to scrutinize two of the bigger, but not biggest, trades from this year’s F5 season — Nerlens Noel to the Dallas Mavericks, and Serge Ibaka to the Toronto Raptors. Both are premier bigs sent to very different situations.
The Dallas Mavericks are preparing for the future and have long sought an elite big man (they’ve had a few issues with free agent centers before…). They gave Justin Anderson, Andrew Bogut (who is now, hilariously, signing with Cleveland Cavaliers), and a 2017 top-18 protected first-round draft pick to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Nerlens Noel. If the Dallas Mavericks fall anywhere from one to 18 on the draft board they keep the pick, and the 76ers instead get two Mavericks second-round picks, one in 2017 and one in 2018.
The 76ers have been trying to unclog their logjam of bigs for an eternity, with much trade speculation surrounding their other young center, Jahlil Okafor. Instead, Noel was traded and most, if not all, would say this trade falls pretty far in the Mavericks’ favor. The Mavs get a potential long-term starter for a young wing who played less than 15 minutes a game, an expensive veteran center who has played in half their games, and what will likely become two second-round picks. Not a bad haul.
The one caveat is that Noel is set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season. The 76ers must have have been worried about having to match the offers other teams would have lobbed at Noel. So instead, they flipped him for whatever they could. The Mavs seem to view Noel as a long-term piece, however.
On the other hand, the Toronto Raptors are looking to contend now and are bolstering their roster in the expectations of a rematch with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. They sent Terrence Ross and a 2017 first-round pick to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Ibaka.
The move cut short Ibaka’s first season with the Magic and his first season off of the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he reached the Finals playing alongside Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in 2012. The Magic had traded for Ibaka before the 2016 draft but obviously felt the need to move on from him; it may have been due to him being a free agent by this summer and to the failure of the ‘Aaron Gordon at the three spot’ experiment.
Both players have offered their new teams different skill sets and both plug a hole previously left empty. Let’s see how the two fit their new teams’ needs.
Noel in many ways fits the mold for the ideal modern big. While there are few centers in the league who can do it all—pass, shoot, and defend the rim—Noel does the two things every team wants their centers not named Gasol, Jokic, or Porzingis to do: he’s a defensive savant and he can roll hard to the rim.
By almost every metric, advanced or not, Noel is a defensive monster. In his young career he’s already averaging 1.7 steals and 1.6 blocks per game on only 28.3 minutes; that’s 2.2 steals and 2.0 blocks per 36 minutes. The only other player I could find who averaged two steals and blocks per 36 for the first five years of their career was some guy named Kim Hughes (no disrespect) who played around 20 minutes a game in the 1970s; not even Hakeem Olajuwon nor David Robinson could quite reach those numbers. For a more contemporary comparison, perennial defensive player of the year candidate Draymond Green is averaging 2.3 steals and 1.6 blocks per 36 minutes this year.
2014-2015 was Noel’s rookie year and was a year before the 76ers’ problems at center had fully manifested. At the time, the 76ers had the third-worst record in the league at 18-64, yet they had the 13th best defense by defensive rating, led by Noel, already their best defender. That year, he was in the top 10 in defensive win shares, defensive rating, and defensive box plus/minus. He was a top-six rim protector by opponent FG% at the rim and was also in the top 15 by Nylon Calculus’ rim protection stats, namely adjusted points saved at the rim per 36 minutes (ahead of one of the GOAT paint defenders Tim Duncan).
Noel is long, quick, and athletic, attributes necessary in a big when defending against pick and roll situations. This is becoming more and more paramount as teams play aggressive switching defenses, as showcased in the 2016 Finals, and as the pick and roll becomes the go-to option for modern offenses. Chris Bosh in the Heatles era Miami Heat team showed us how an agile big could stunt the ball handler in a pick and roll, giving his teammates time to work around the screen and regain position, and then quickly recover to defend the rolling big man. Noel has the ability to do the same.
Watch him cut off the ball handler, realize he’s left a gaping hole for a pocket pass to the roller, and rush back to block what Al Horford of the Boston Celtics thought would be an easy layup.
While the Mavs are currently a mediocre defensive team—16th out of 30 teams—they could still use Noel’s defensive prowess, especially around the rim. Teams shoot a league-high 57.8% at the rim against the Mavs and they average the lowest blocks per game in the league.
The Mavs recently hinted that they saw Noel as becoming a Tyson Chandler-type player. But the likeness doesn’t only hold true in terms of their defensive talents (Chandler was a Defensive Player of the Year with the Mavs in 2011-2012), but with their offensive skillset, too.
Chandler was never touted for his offensive abilities when he entered the league. But he did increase his scoring from 7.6 points per game to 10.2 on the New Orleans Hornets, and he did so in a very crucial manner—with Chris Paul he formed an elite pick and roll duo, throwing down a number of vicious lobs in his short tenure there. It was with Paul that he learned the inconspicuously intricate art of screening and rolling with proper timing and ambition.
Now, a player with no discernible offensive skills can, through their height, athleticism, and timing become an important piece of an offense; a guy who can’t shoot can now space the floor vertically. Toss the ball up and they go get it. It’s how players like DeAndre Jordan have come to eviscerate players through sheer force of dunk.
This is where Noel comes in for the Mavs. The Mavs are last in the league when it comes to points in the paint and Noel is a potent finisher. He’s becoming increasingly skilled as a roll man; in 2015-2016 he was in the 34th percentile of roll man scoring efficiency and in 2016-2017 he’s in the 70th percentile. Like Chandler, he’s long and athletic enough to finish lobs thrown from all sorts of angles.
The Mavs are also second to last in terms of pace. Part of that may be due to playing aging Dallas legend Dirk Nowitzki more at the center position; he’s played 57% of his minutes at center this year compared to 33% last year. Noel gives them a gazelle of a center who’s capable of running hard and finishing strong in transition.
Despite being only 27 years old, Ibaka already feels like a mainstay veteran. He’s spent time on proven teams, has already been to the NBA Finals, and has played alongside two superstars in Durant and Westbrook (if we count Harden, at the time, that’s three! Three superstars!). For a team that’s looking to push deeper into the playoffs, especially with two of their own stars in Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, a veteran who’s been there and done that can be invaluable—he seems to have already made a positive impact in the team’s culture.
Ibaka was, for the majority of his career, one of the league’s finest shot blockers. With Oklahoma City, he led the league twice in blocks per game by becoming a feared weakside/help defender. It was a common visual in Thunder games: a player would roll past their man towards the rim expecting a clean finish and Ibaka would flash from across the lane for an emphatic block. It was in this fashion he garnered the nickname ‘Iblocka.’
Since then, though, he has played in the paint less, a natural habit for someone playing with two aggressive superstars, and his block numbers have declined somewhat, leading some to believe his athleticism has declined. But while Ibaka is still a formidable rim protector, the Raptors aren’t desperate for his defensive capabilities alone; they also need him for his shooting.
Ibaka, for the first five years of his career, averaged 0.3 three-point attempts on 36.6% shooting. Since then he’s averaged 3.1 attempts per game at the same percentage; six games in with the Raps and his 4.8 attempts on 44.8% makes him the team’s next best three-point shooter after Lowry. His time playing with Durant and Westbrook forced him to learn how to space the floor better, giving the pair the room they needed to operate in the paint. It was a timely development, now that big man shooting is in vogue en masse.
Lowry and DeRozan are similar in ways to that old Thunder duo. The Raps offense lives, and dies, off of their actions. It’s worked so far this year, as the Raps had, for a short time, the best offensive rating in league history (they’re now fourth for this season) despite playing at the 22nd slowest pace. They’ve done this by getting to the free throw line, committing few turnovers, and, inexplicably, by making the fewest passes per game of any team this year, according to Neil Greenberg. Instead of being pass-crazy, the Raps rely on getting Lowry and DeRozan in pick and rolls and running around screens.
Like the Spurs, the Raps are making a living off of the antiquated strategies of a supposedly bygone era. They thrive taking few threes and run at a patient, methodical pace. Despite their offbeat offensive efficacy, the Raps are the sixth worst team in catch and shoot points per game. Plus, they just traded away their next best shooter, after Lowry, in Terrence Ross.
That’s right where Ibaka can help. He’s averaging 6.8 catch-and-shoot points per game this year on 42.1% shooting. For comparison Stephen Curry is at 6.7 on 45.8% shooting. He’s a capable shooter both from the midrange and from the three-point line, making him a potentially deadly pick-and-pop partner for either of the Raptors’ star guards.
His versatility, however, may be the trait that alters a playoff series’ outcome. At 6’10, Ibaka is capable of playing both power forward, his natural position, and center. His shooting allows him to play a stretch four (shooting power forward) role on offense and still make use of his weakside and help defense. But his ability to protect the rim has allowed him to play center in small ball lineups for certain stretches, such as in the 2016 playoffs and now, six games in with the Raps.
This is perfect for the Raptors, as they already have a power forward and center who can play alongside him. Ibaka’s shooting could complement their starting center, Jonas Valančiūnas, who has a tendency to stick to the paint and lies somewhere between Draymond Green and Jahlil Okafor in terms of defense (i.e. average). But Ibaka could also be paired in faster, small ball lineups as a five with Patrick Patterson, another versatile big, at the four spot.
In addition, he seems competent at handling switches, which is becoming more and more of a priority. Many of the teams in the 2016 playoffs utilized it, mostly as an attempt at stifling the Golden State Warriors or Cleveland Cavaliers offense, and Ibaka has shown himself to be one of the better bigs at containing a quicker guard when switched onto him.
Both Noel and Ibaka get a chance at a fresh, new start after non-ideal situations. Noel on the 76ers, after his rookie year, rarely got the playing time he felt he deserved; when he did it was often at power forward next to Jahlil Okafor and not at his natural position of center. He gets a shot at being an important piece of a rebuilding team for the years to come.
Ibaka was, I imagine, probably not too fond of being on a Magic team that has the fourth worst record in the league after having spent the last few years on very successful Thunder teams. He gets a chance to help a budding Raptors team push deeper into the playoffs. From defensive savvy to outside shooting, both have the talents to change, for the better, each of their teams moving forward.
All stats courtesy of stats.nba.com and basketball-reference.com
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U.S Stocks closed decrease on the remaining buying and selling consultation for the week after a unstable consultation. These latest sell-offs have been brought about through main tech manufacturers including Facebook, Amazon, and Google, which misplaced greater than 2%. Netflix’s inventory rate misplaced 1.8% and Microsoft additionally dropped 1.4%.
However, Apple’s inventory rate ended the buying and selling consultation up through 0.1�ter falling as an awful lot as 8.3%. Tesla’s percentage rate additionally reversed a drop of greater than 8%, ended the buying and selling consultation up 2.8%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 159.forty two factors decrease, or 0.6%, at 28,133.31 factors. At one point, the 30-inventory common fell as an awful lot as 628.05 factors or 2.2%. The Dow changed into additionally better for a second yesterday.
The S&P 500 dropped 0.8% to 3,426.ninety six however completed properly off its consultation low. The broader-marketplace index plunged through 3.1% at its consultation low and in short traded advantageous at the day. The Nasdaq Composite additionally dropped 1.3% to 11,313.thirteen however additionally closed properly above its low of the day.
In an explanatory note, Stephen Innes, Chief Global Market Strategist at AxiCorp spoke at the winning marketplace situations and the macros triggering the sell-offs. He said;
“This sell-off seems an lousy lot like a retail meltdown, just like what we see in China markets as loads of vulnerable retail longs getting taken to the cleaners through the competitive quick vendor on the road in a tremendous momentum fashion easy out, however I suppose there may be greater than meets the eye.
“While I don’t suppose it’s a wholesome meltdown, putting off a number of the quick-time period speculator froth will provide up higher tiers for the Wall of Money to indulge as we understand the Fed goes everywhere soon, even though probable keeping returned the large weapons for a likely wet day withinside the destiny if the wintry weather months show to be explosive for the virus.”
However, there seems to be no precise driving force of the latest sell-offs recorded withinside the world’s biggest fairness markets apart from a reversal of the good sized profits visible over the last weeks at the surface.
NB Plc to pay N5.52 billion dividend, says shareholders can receive new shares
The board of Nigerian Breweries Plc has proposed N5.52 billion as dividend to shareholders for 2020.
Nigerian Breweries Plc is set to reward shareholders of the company with N5.52 billion as dividend for the period ended 31st December 2020.
This is in line with the Board’s recommendation as the dividend is subject to the deduction of the appropriate withholding tax, and approval by shareholders of the company at the Annual General Meeting slated for 22nd of April 2021.
According to the notification issued by the Company Secretary, Uaboi G. Agbebaku, at the close of trading activities, the dividend declared by Nigerian Breweries on a per-share basis was pegged at 69 kobo per share. This puts the total dividend to be paid to shareholders at N5,517,862,415.19.
Shareholders can opt to receive new shares of the company
The Board of the Company however provided shareholders with the option to receive new shares of Nigerian Breweries, as Qualifying Shareholders have the right of election to receive new ordinary shares in the company instead of the final dividend in cash. This election is required to be made on or before the 10th of April, 2021.
In view of this, the Reference Share Price for the purpose of determining the number of shares due to Qualifying Shareholders who elect for the share option will be a ten-day trading average of the Company’s share price on the floor of The Nigerian Stock Exchange, starting on the 11th of March, 2021.
What you should know
- It is important to note that the dividend declared is subject to appropriate withholding tax and the approval of shareholders at the Brewer’s next Annual General Meeting.
- Qualifying Shareholders: The dividend will be paid to shareholders whose names appear in the Register of Members as at the close of business on the 10th of March, 2021.
- Payment Date: On the 23rd of April, 2021, the dividends will be paid electronically to Qualifying Shareholders
- To qualify for the dividend payment: Shareholders who are yet to complete the e-dividend registration are advised to download the Registrar’s E-Dividend mandate Activation Form, which is available at, complete same and submit to the Registrar of their respective Banks.
SAHCO’s Chairman purchases additional shares worth N82 million
Taiwo Afolabi has increased his stakes in the aviation handling company.
Taiwo Afolabi, the Chairman of Skyway Aviation Handling Co. Plc (SAHCO), a subsidiary of the SIFAX Group, has increased his stakes in the aviation handling company with the purchase of 28 million additional shares of the company.
The total value of the shares of SAHCO Plc purchased by him is valued at N82 million.
This is according to a Notification of Share Dealing by an Insider, issued by the Company Secretary, Bello Omolara, and published on the website of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
The disclosure which is compliant with NSE’s policy on insider dealing, revealed that Afolabi acquired the 28 million additional shares of the company in four deals on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, between the 23rd and 24th of December 2020.
The total consideration for the shares purchased by SAHCO’s Chairman between 23rd and 24th of December 2020 however is put at N82,040,000.00.
Why this matters
- Dealings by insiders of listed companies are corporate actions to be disclosed by the management of the company. This is in compliance with NSE’s policy on insider dealing, as the disclosure is key in the effort to ensure transparency and reinforce the trust of the investing public.
- The purchase of the shares of SAHCO Plc further cements the Chairman’s position as a substantial shareholder of the aviation handling company.
What you should Know
- SAHCO, formerly known as Skypower Aviation Handling Company Limited, was carved out of the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited, as part of the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Aviation’s Reform of 1996.
- On the 23rd of December 2009, the Federal Government of Nigeria handed the company over to the Sifax Group, after a well-contested open privatization bid in which Sifax Group came first as the preferred bidder with the sum of N5.52 billion.
- The company was subsequently listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange on the 23rd of April 2019, and since then continues to maintain its status as a subsidiary of the SIFAX Group.
Briclinks Africa lists shares on NSE Growth Board
Briclinks Africa, a telco firm listed 10 million ordinary shares of N1.00 each at N6.26 per share on the NSE Growth Board.
Briclinks Africa Plc, a telecommunication company, has been admitted to the Growth Board of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. This is according to a disclosure published on the website of the NSE and seen by Themoneymetrics.
The telco was admitted in a listing by the introduction of 10 million ordinary shares of N1.00 each at N6.26 per share on Friday, 5th February 2021.
According to the disclosure, the listing was commemorated with a digital Closing Gong ceremony where the day’s trading was brought to an end by the CEO of Briclinks Africa, Mr. Mohammed Buhari.
What they are saying
The CEO of NSE, Mr. Oscar N. Onyema while commenting on the listing, stated that “We are delighted to welcome Briclinks Africa Plc to The Exchange. This listing is a milestone in our desire to accommodate Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) that hitherto have been underrepresented in public markets.”
He also added that “It is indeed a critical step in the NSE’s efforts towards greater representation of growth companies on the bourse. With this listing, we encourage Briclinks Africa Plc, as it commences life as a publicly quoted company, to continue to abide by its post-listing obligations whilst striving for transparency as this would ultimately create value for shareholders.”
Also, the Chief Executive Officer of Briclinks Africa, Mr. Mohammed Buhari stated that, “It is with great pleasure that we at Briclinks Africa Plc attend this special event to mark our listing on the Growth Board of the NSE. We have dreamt about this day and worked towards it with effervescence right from the moment we decided to be listed on the NSE about 17 months ago.”
“We have from this process emerged as a better entity, well-tuned to corporate best practices and culture. We would like at this point to thank our Financial Advisers to the listing, Afrinvest Securities, and the NSE team for their untiring support and guidance in making this day a reality.” he continued.
What you should know
- It is worth noting that the Nigerian Stock Exchange launched the Growth Board in January 2020, with the aim of encouraging companies with high growth potential to seize the opportunity of raising long term capital and promote liquidity in the trading of shares.
- Briclinks Africa will join the likes of McNichols Plc, Living Trust Mortgage Bank Plc, Chellarams Plc, and The Initiates Plc on the Growth Board.
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domain: finance


China, as we know, has its problems. The air is toxic, the water is poisonous and the longer President Xi Jinping’s whack-a-mole anti-corruption campaign bashes on, the more irredeemably corrupt everything looks.
A far more pressing political dilemma, though, is whether men should be permitted to front television advertisements for women’s sanitary products and lingerie. Should sleekly coiffed cosmopolitan sylphs, by the same token, be allowed to endorse bulldozers or recoil-free pneumatic hammers they cannot operate? China’s corporate future could hinge on the answer.
China’s state news agency reported this week that a revised draft of the country’s advertising law


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Events Search and Views Navigation
List of Events
Alchemy an inaugural solo exhibition of abstract paintings by Oxford-based artist, Rosannagh Scarlet Esson, at Zuleika Gallery in Woodstock, Oxfordshire.
A riverside diner pop-up on Greenlands Park on the Culden Faw Estate in Henley-on-Thames coming to you from 23 April.
The UK’s biggest Free artist open studios and pop-up exhibition event with amazing art in hundreds of wonderful places across Oxfordshire.
Part of Oxfordshire Artweeks, Sculpture at Kingham Lodge is an exhibition of over 400 sculptures by local and international artists set in 5 acres of beautiful grounds.
A biennial event that normally takes places in the even years (2018, 2020…) using Asthall Manor's grounds and a few of the interiors as a backdrop.
After spending months inside you’ll be able to enjoy a classic movie on the big screen in a social distanced and safe Drive-In setting in the comfort of your own car.
The Henley Farmers Market takes place in Henley Market Place the 2nd Saturday, 4th Thursday and 5th Sunday ( if there be one) of the month from 8:00 am to 1:30 pm
You will find plenty of fruit and vegetables in season, fresh meat and fish, delicious fresh breads, cakes and other baked goods, preserves, cheese, handmade soaps and seasonal plants.
A weekly Saturday Market in Headington, Oxford, featuring local produce and products from further afield organised by Headington Action.
A small, friendly local market with plenty of fresh food, delicious sweet and savoury takeaways, dried foods, as well as non-food stalls and a plant-based café.
An artisan farmers market with local and organic producers and street food vendors that takes place every Sunday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm outside Summertown’s shopping parade.

domain: food


VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) — Aidan Bouman threw two touchdown passes, Charles Pierre rushed for 123 yards and No. 3-seed South Dakota defeated Sacramento State 34-24 in the second round of the FCS playoffs.
South Dakota had three quick-strike touchdowns in the second quarter.
First, Josiah Ganues intercepted a Kaiden Bennett pass, setting up the Coyotes at the Sac State 33. Three plays later, Bouman threw to Javion Phelps for an 18-yard touchdown. Two plays later, Mi’Quise Grace scooped a fumble by Bennett and raced 56 yards for another touchdown.
On the second play after a Sacramento State touchdown drive, Bouman connected with JJ Galbreath on a 75-yard touchdown pass for a 24-7 lead.
BROOKINGS, S.D. (AP) — Isaiah Davis ran for three touchdowns, including a 42-yard dash to open the second half, and top-seeded South Dakota State turned in a dominant performance to shutout Mercer 41-0 in a Football Championship Series second-round game.
The defending national champions, ranked No. 1 the entire season, had a first-round bye. The Jackrabbits advance to face the winner of Saturday’s game between Youngstown State and eighth-seeded Villanova.


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Orientation in and through Texts (ACLA 2022, Taipeh)
Organizer: Reinhard G. Mueller
Co-Organizer: Timon Georg Boehm
Orientation in and through Texts
Organized on behalf of the Hodges Foundation for Philosophical Orientation
How do we orient ourselves to texts? And how do texts orientate us? How do texts shape the world that we orient ourselves in? Since the invention of writing, fundamental reorientations of thinking have often occurred hand in hand with innovative forms of writing: Parmenides created didactic poetry of the divine in order to teach his doctrine of true being; Plato the dialogue in order to avoid all doctrines; Aristotle the treatise in order to teach it in his own name; Augustine the auto-biographical confession in order to explore his inner being before God; Montaigne the essay in order to seek truth via unbiased self-observation; Descartes the meditation in order to justify truth based on the certainty of one’s own thinking. This process of differentiation and innovation has continued up until today, for instance, via Nietzsche’s performances of masks, James Joyce’s experimental thoughtstream, Wittgenstein’s album, and Derrida’s deconstruction. Our contemporary world has witnessed an explosion of diverse digital forms of writing that has in many regards revolutionized the ways we communicate. New forms of communication can bring about radical reorientations; and foundational reorientations often require new forms of writing to communicate them.
In this seminar, we seek to explore, via the concepts of the philosophy of orientation, how different forms of writing orient us in different ways and create different worlds of orientation. The philosophy of orientation was developed by Werner Stegmaier, at first in German in his Philosophie der Orientation (Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter, 2008) and subsequently in its abridged and updated English translation What is Orientation? A Philosophical Investigation (Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter, 2019).
We welcome all orientation-philosophical explorations of (but not limited to):
- innovations of the forms of writing across time
- the distinctions and connections between different genres of writing, such as philosophy and literature
- how different forms of writing shape different ways of thinking and orientation
- digital forms of writing
- differences of writing regarding cultures, classes, races, and ethnic groups
- the relationship between literary theories and texts

domain: library


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We loved our family holiday in Puglia, southern Italy last year. The first week we spent time in The Salento area and the Valle d’Itria. Read about our adventures in these areas here.
There were a couple of places that we visited on our way to and from Bari that I wanted to share.
Polignano a Mare
It was our very first day in Puglia that we stopped off here for lunch. It made a great impression and is a place I would definitely recommend visiting either in passing like we did or for longer. The walled old town juts out over the cliffs, looking down over small beaches and caves. Very pretty, and we had my favourite pasta of the whole trip for lunch here in a small restaurant in the old town. Enter the old town via Porta Vecchia, and get lost in the small winding streets- we did! It’s not big, so even if you do get a bit lost you will soon find yourself back somewhere familiar. There are a few lovely viewpoints looking out along the coast and down onto the small beach next to town.
- If you are in a car, like we were, follow the signs for the car park above town then head downhill into town or to the beach. There was lots of on street parking but it was very busy when we were there so you had to be early or lucky to get one of those spots!
- By the Porta Vecchia (entrance to the old town) there was a little piazza with a couple of restaurants and a small merry go round for the children.
- Make sure you go to the viewpoints that are signposted in the old town.
- Have lunch or a coffee in the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II. Its a beautiful spot and the children can play in the square while you keep an eye on them.
Castel del Monte
While journeying from the Valle d’Itria up to the Gargano peninsular we detoured to see this unique castle. It’s a UNESCO world heritage site, so Husband was keen to go as he likes to tick these off the list in each country/ area we travel to!
The castle is visible from a distance away while driving towards it, which built up the excitement for the children. Being on top of a hill also meant that there were gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside from inside. It was a very toddler-friendly place to visit as there was nothing that B could break or knock over! On entering through the shop you come to a central courtyard from where you can go up into the castle. There wasn’t lots to look at inside, the most interesting feature being the perfectly octagonal shape of the castle itself and the amazing views from every direction. If you are in the area it is definitely worth a visit but I’m not sure I would recommend travelling a long distance to go here.
- We drove to the castle, which is probably the easiest way to get here. Note however that there is only disabled parking at the castle itself. There is a car park about 1km down the road which when we were there charged €5. They also then run a minibus all the way up to the hill to the castle for €1 per person. We saved money on the minibus by walking- well Husband dropped the children and I at the closest point that you could drive. This was still a good 10 minute walk uphill but it was a pleasant walk through the trees and for us it was quite nice after being in the car for a while. Husband parked the car and then walked all the way up to meet us. As it was downhill the children all managed the walk all the way back down to the car (B was in the pushchair)
- Food- when we were there they were building a restaurant right next to the castle which should be finished by now. Unfortunately for us it wasn’t when we were there and it was lunchtime! Next to the car park was a large cafeteria style restaurant, which didn’t look great from the outside. Inside it seemed as if it was geared towards tour groups with large tables set up in a cavernous room, but the food was delicious.
- Pushchairs aren’t allowed inside the castle. We just parked ours outside and B walked (well ran mostly!) around inside. If you have babies or smaller toddlers you might find a sling useful.
Promontorio del Gargano (Gargano Peninsula)
We spent a week on the Gargano peninsula, staying at the fabulous Agriturismo Tesori del Sud. We thought that this was the perfect family-friendly accomodation, read our review here.here.
If Puglia is the heel of Italy’s boot, Gargano is the spur! When we first started researching our Puglia trip and I read about this area it was instantly top of my list of places that I wanted to visit. The whole area is a national park (the only one in Puglia). It is very different from the rest of Puglia that we saw- much wilder and greener. The coastline is stunning, with white cliffs and beautiful beaches. Although still busy (it was August), we found the beaches here much quieter than in Salento and the Valle d’Itria where we had spent the first half of our holiday. The interior is mostly forest and along the coast are some lovely fishing towns.
Italy is renowned for fantastic food and being by the coast we has some amazing seafood here. The children are rather partial to mussels and M began to insist that every restaurant that we went to had mussels on the menu!
The town closest to our accommodation was Vieste. As with most Italian towns that we visited on this trip we found the best time to visit was late afternoon/ early evening when the heat was subsiding a bit and the early evening light left everything in a gorgeous pinky hue. Shops/ restaurants re-open after siesta and the streets become alive with locals and tourists alike. In Vieste there was a street market on most evenings in the centre of town from 8pm.
Wandering through the old town, you can find lovely little bars overlooking the cliffs to have a drink and plenty of restaurants and shops selling all kinds of souvenirs.
There are lots of opportunities for boat trips from Vieste to see the caves along the coast, which I thought sounded great. Unfortunately for us they were mostly around 3 hours long, which would have been too much for the toddler so we didn’t take one.
- Be careful where you park in town if you are going to be there for the evening as a lot of the roadside parking was only available until 8pm when it was cleared for the market.
- There are lots of steps in the old town so it is not very stroller friendly, a sling would probably be handy if you have a baby or young toddler.
There are plenty of beaches to choose from all along the Gargano coast. Many of these have lido sections where you pay for sunbeds and parasols, often with parking. If you don’t want to go to one of the lidos parking can be more of an issue! Our favourite beach was Spiaggia Di Baia San Felice, about 15 minute drive south of Vieste. Unfortunately you can’t quite see the famous arch from the beach, but it is a lovely cove which is perfect for young children. There is a lido section which you can pay for and includes parking. There was a bit of on street parking if you get there early enough or like we did you can negotiate to pay just for the parking- we paid €5 I think. There was a small coffee bar too.
On the beach, the water is shallow for a long way- perfect for children to play in. We even went on an adventure, wading through the shallows to another small beach, which the children all thought was very exciting!
Like Vieste, Peschici is another town with windy alleyways and side streets perched on top of the cliffs. We just called in one day for a wander and lunch so didn’t see as much of it as we did Vieste, but it seemed smaller.
There are boat trips from here also and beaches just outside the town.
The ‘forest of shadows’ is the interior of the Gargano and was like another world compared with the hot, busy coast! It’s a national park and another UNESCO world heritage site. We drove up windy roads in the cool trees and parked at the visitor centre. There is a small shop here and a ‘nature centre’ (which we didn’t go in). You can buy food from the shop to feed to the deer- this was one of the reasons we headed here! The deer are in a separate part of the forest, through a fence, so not quite the wildness I was expecting! However the children still really enjoyed feeding them and for the smaller children the fence was probably a good thing!
At the visitor centre you can buy maps of various walking routes through the forest. With young children we drove back down the road slightly from the visitor centre and did a lovely short walk around a small lake. The lake was signposted from the car park and the path was very easy to follow so we didn’t need a map. At a slow pace it took us about an hour and we then had our picnic sat by the lake.
It’s a beautiful setting and we spotted lots of little turtles both sat on logs by the edge of the water and swimming in the water by our picnic spot. There were plenty of fish too who enjoyed eating the crumbs left over from our lunch. The children thought it was fantastic watching the fish thrashing around in the shallows to get to our food!
On the way back to the car we passed a few lovely stalls selling local produce. We ended up buying olive oil and honey. As we were leaving the heavens opened and there was a sudden downpour. We had noticed that the stall holders had started covering things up and packing away- obviously aware of what was to come! The greenery gives a clue that it probably rains quite a bit more here than on the coast. When we got back to our accommodation near the coast everything was dry as bone, it obviously hadn’t rained there at all.
- Make sure you bring a picnic, we loved eating by the lake but we also saw loads of other picnic spots as we drove through the forest.
- It is a few degrees cooler higher up in the forest than down on the coast and is more likely to rain, so just make sure you are prepared for that. For us in the height of summer the cooler temperatures were welcome.
I absolutely loved our whole trip to Puglia- fantastic food, beautiful towns and beaches. Gargano was probably my favourite part of the trip and a place I wouldn’t hesitate to go back to. Have you been to Puglia and if so where was your favourite?

domain: travel


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Capture the people, energy and tell the story of any event with our extroverted talented artists.
imADgine Studios helps medium to large sized companies in crafting dynamic film and photography based advertising solutions. Attention to detail, a collaborative approach and a creative eye lead to inspiring visual end products that touch, move and inspire customers across industries.
What People are Saying
Our company has hired ImADgine Studios for several productions. Each time they gave us results that were beyond expectations in a timely manner. I would recommend their services to any individual or company looking for excellent video production and film editing.
Victor Sanchez is one of those energetic and dynamic visionary’s with a magnetic personality that just draws people into what ever it is that he sets his mind to do and create. Victor will not hesitate to tell you that it is his connection to nature and his spirituality that graces him with his passion for life.
ENERGENTIC AND DYNAMIC
I highly recommend working with ImADgine Studios, they are a professional, reliable and creative company that consistently produce engaging media projects that always benefit the Client’s bottom line.
ENGAGING MEDIA PROJECTS
Victor has a natural ability to put people at ease in front of the camera and he is deeply sensitive to the needs of his clients. His dynamic skills have created a vast and dedicated client base.

domain: artistic


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Grey Hen Poetry Competition 2014 | Closing Date: 30-Apr-14Details:
Competition for women over 60. Poems up to 40 lines on any theme. Judges: A C Clarke and Eleanor Livingstone. Prizes: £100, £75, £25.
Entry Fee: £3.00 per poem, £10 for 4
Contact: Rules and entry form (essential) from www.greyhenpress.com or write for further details to Grey Hen Press, PO Box 450, Keighley, W Yorks BD22 9BG

domain: hobby


Quinn kicks off today's episode of throtl by installing two Mishimoto oil coolers in a v-mount bracket. After getting the bracket set up, quinn mounts the oil coolers and routes the oil lines in the Evo.
After getting the oil coolers installed, Quinn begins the installation of the Mishimoto front mount intercooler. The Mishimoto intercooler kit is built so well, it makes the installation process quick and easy. Check out the video below to see how fast Quinn got the intercooler installed in the Evo.
After getting the intercooler installed, it was almost time to start the Evo. There was just one final important step. Since we installed a fresh oil cooler and oil cooler lines, it was important to remember to build oil pressure. Quinn built oil pressure in the Evo by unplugging the fuel injectors and giving the engine a few cranks. This allows the oil pump to fill the oil coolers without the engine running. After priming the oil pressure, Quinn plugs in the fuel injectors, starts the car, and checks for leaks. With no leaks to be seen, the installation was complete.
If you are considering installing an oil cooler or a front mount intercooler on your ride, check out the video below for some ideas on the installation process.
Shop Mishimoto Products HERE: https://throtl.com/collections/mishimoto


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Taiwan’s highest court has just paved the way for the country to become the first in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. In their landmark decision, the court held that Taiwan’s current law preventing same-sex couples from marrying was unconstitutional.
In a press release following the ruling, posted by The Straits Times, the court said that “disallowing two persons of the same sex to marry, for the sake of safeguarding basic ethical orders” constituted a “different treatment” with “no rational basis” and was “incompatible with the spirit and meaning of the right to equality.” Taiwan’s parliament can now choose to either amend the law in the next two years or same-sex marriages can go forward, according to The Straits Times. Marriage equality supporters may not wait that long, though, and will push for new laws to allow same-sex marriage now, which has the support of Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen.
[Photo: SAM YEH/AFP/Getty Images]

domain: sociology


WaterstofNet and Hyundai Belux: Collaboration awarded with a Hyundai Nexo
As the governing body behind the Waterstof Industrie Cluster (Hydrogen Industry Cluster), WaterstofNet aims to play a pioneering role in the use of hydrogen as a fuel for zero-emission mobility. As part of their collaboration, Hyundai Belux offers a Nexo fuel cell car to WaterstofNet for one year.
As one of the few brands with a hydrogen-powered model, Hyundai Belux has been a member of the Waterstof Industrie Cluster for some time. In the past there were pilot projects with the Hyundai iX35 Fuel Cell, but today Hyundai and WaterstofNet are crowning their collaboration with the deployment of a new Hyundai Nexo, the brand's second generation fuel cell car.
Matthijs Keersmaekers, Head of Future Mobility at the Alcomotive group of which Hyundai Belux is part:“Given their immense network in the sector, WaterstofNet is the ideal partner for promoting Hyundai's investments in this technology on the Belgian market. Hyundai has been playing a pioneering role in the development and research of hydrogen applications for years and, in addition to electric cars, also wants to continue to actively focus on hydrogen as a green drive. The sales volumes of the Nexo will remain limited for the time being, mainly due to the limited refueling infrastructure in our country, but we are convinced that this will increase considerably in the coming years and that hydrogen will play its part in the further greening of the Belgian vehicle fleet.”
Deploying the Hyundai Nexo is also an important step for WaterstofNet, says its Managing Director Adwin Martens: “With the iX35, we have been able to successfully use Hyundai's first hydrogen car in recent years, but with this Nexo, the brand has made enormous progress in hydrogen technology. There is now a lot of movement around hydrogen in our country. It is obvious that Hyundai is especially looking forward to the opening of additional refuelling stations. It is precisely in that area that things are now accelerating, with the recent opening of the first multimodal station in Antwerp, and four additional stations that will open in the short term. The more dispersed hydrogen can be refueled, the faster people will become interested in fuel cell cars. And after one test drive with this type of car, you are immediately convinced of the user-friendliness of this technology. As WaterstofNet, we are actively committed to the further roll-out of hydrogen refueling infrastructure and vehicles in our country. With the use of the Nexo, we are putting our money where our mouth is.”


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For medical legal reasons and to prevent errors all requests must be in writing and cannot be taken over the telephone. Your repeat prescription should either be brought into the surgery or posted to us. Repeat prescriptions are monitored by the doctors and you will be asked to attend for a review.
Allow two working days for your prescription to be processed, (longer by post)
If you have more than one repeat prescription, please try and order all your items together.
You can either deliver or post your repeat prescription to the surgery. If you have access to the internet, why not sign up for our online service. You can order your repeat prescriptions online. Please take ID with you to the reception, they will issue you with a username and password after verifying your ID.
If you are receiving medication which is not on your repeat prescription request form then please make an appointment to come in and see the doctor or book a telephone consultation appointment and discuss with the doctor.
You can collect the prescription from the surgery.
Please allow 48 hours (excluding weekends and public holidays) for collection.
We now use Electronic Prescribing (ePS)
- Speak to your pharmacy for a sign up form and get your prescription delivered directly to your pharmacy of choice!
- Some medications are excluded by the NHS from the scheme. Please check with reception.
- Once you have requested you repeat prescription, please check directly with your pharmacy if it is ready Please do not phone the surgery.

domain: medical


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Title: Examining The Negatives
Whenever I feel stuck, I look within. I hone in on my negatives, turn them into art, and ultimately grow from the connection that occurs when sharing them with the outside world. Sometimes our darkest demons become our most relatable art. This photo is a reminder that when we’re stuck, or feel out of control, we can always look within to initiate change. Examine the negatives first, and growth will surely follow.
About the Artist
In her work, Julie Pacino features subjects that exist between binaries and their expected roles. Her films and photographs spark conversations about the interplay between sexuality and power, the communal and the autocratic, and frequently use psychological horror to embody existing power structures.
View on OpenSea here.
More Must-Read Stories From TIME
- How an Online Pharmacy Sold Millions Worth Of Dubious COVID-19 Drugs — While Patients Paid the Price
- Why Literally Millions of Americans Are Quitting Their Jobs
- Meet the Women Participating in the Study That Could Change Future of Breast Cancer
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- An Innovative Washington Law Aims to Get Foreign-Trained Doctors Back in Hospitals
- Why the Ex-Husband of a Missing Chinese Billionaire Is Risking All to Tell Their Story
- Timothée Chalamet Wants You to Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve


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We’re thrilled you’ve decided to use our products and services, all of which we refer to simply as the “Services.”
We’ve drafted these Terms of Service (which we simply call the “Terms”) so that you’ll know the rules that govern our relationship with you. Although we have tried our best to strip the legalese from the Terms, there are places where these Terms may still read like a traditional contract. There’s a good reason for that: These Terms do indeed form a legally binding contract between you and X-Meditor Ltd.. So please read them carefully.
By using the Services, you agree to the Terms. Of course, if you don’t agree with them, then don’t use the Services.
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Rev. Heidi Johnston is new pastor at Quincy’s Faith Lutheran Church
If you meet Faith Lutheran Church’s new pastor, you don’t have to call her Rev. Johnston. “Pastor Heidi” will do just fine.
That’s how she is already known at Faith Lutheran, a month after the venerable church called her as their new minister – and her first job as a full-time pastor.
“It’s quite an honor,” the 29-year-old Union Theological Seminary graduate said. “I’m beginning this journey with great anticipation.”
As a young pastor, she is following in the footsteps of Faith Lutheran’s beloved former minister, the Rev. James Kimmell. He started at the church at age 27 and retired in 2007 after 38 years. The church has had a succession of interim pastors and a short-term minister since then.
On Sunday afternoon, the Rev. Johnston will be formally ordained by bishops from her denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Her father, an Army Lutheran chaplain, will attend the ceremony, along with other family members.
Born in St. Paul, Minn., the Rev. Johnston is a self-described “Army brat” who pursued her call to ministry after a near-miss with a music theater career and a brief stint in the New York corporate world.
Her family lived in Germany and eight U.S. states before she graduated from high school. Her father, Col. Michael Lembke, now supervises more than 250 Army chaplains from Fort Bragg, N.C. Her husband, West Point graduate Ben Johnston, recently left the Army to study at Boston’s Berklee College of Music.
A vocal cord problem cut a budding theater career short. From 2007 to 2011, she attended the Lutheran seminary and Union Theological Seminary, both in New York.
She and her husband wanted to live in the Boston area, so last fall they moved here “on faith,” as she put it. Her husband was accepted at Berklee, and Faith Lutheran’s call committee invited her for an interview. She preached her first sermon Jan. 8. The congregation voted to call her the same day.
“She’s very dynamic,” longtime member Bill Tuori said. “I think she’ll be a considerable success.
The Rev. Johnston said she will have “a time of listening” with the congregation before she proposes any new programs. Meanwhile, she said, “I hope we can let people in the community know what we have here.”
Lane Lambert may be reached at email@example.com.
READ MORE about this issue.


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The Alaska Marine Highway System service to Prince Rupert, British Columbia is cancelled until further notice, the AMHS reported today.
COVID-19 coronavirus-related travel restrictions delayed work to bring the Prince Rupert Terminal into compliance with federal regulations. All passengers are being notified and rebooked or refunded as necessary.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection was scheduled to meet with Alaska state officials this month at Prince Rupert to review and approve Alaska’s ferry terminal facility modifications, required to conduct international operations. Alaska’s ferry system must fully comply with the security operations stipulated within the Land, Rail, Marine, and Air Transport Preclearance Agreement signed by the U.S. and Canada.
But with current travel restrictions, the April meeting cannot take place as planned. Alaska and Canadian officials will meet as soon as possible after travel restrictions are lifted, according to a press release from the Alaska Marine Highway System.
AMHS extended its policy waiving cancellation fees for any reservation until May 11, 2020. To cancel or make changes to an itinerary contact the AMHS reservation call center at 1-800- 642-0066 or call your local AMHS terminal.f


Jeremy Renner is going to be a papa.
An ex-girlfriend of the "Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters" star is pregnant with his child, according to Us Weekly.
"They used to date but it wasn't serious," a source told the magazine, adding that the woman - whose name is unknown - is currently living at Renner's home in Los Angeles.
According to the mag, the normally private 42-year-old actor was overheard sharing the news with actress Eva Longoria during the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday night. Her response? "I'm so blown away," the mag reported.


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Autumn 1989. Thousands of people sighted UFO’s over Belgium. Interceptors scrambled, but were unsuccessful. Some of the objects were picked up on radar, but the phenomenon remains a mystery. The Belgian airforce believe the sightings were genuine. At a press conference general De Brouwer the matter-of-factly without attempting to play them down, as the US air force usually does. He showed the video of an F-16’s radar screen and the flight path over Belgium of one of the objects. UFO’s, Lies and The Cold War is a documentary that attempts to uncover what actually happened at these sightings, and tries to understand whether the media and government played any important role during these events.
Join The Conversation

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Despite the change in weather we are still technically in Summer here in the U.K! I know, hard to believe isn’t it!
If all this grey is getting you down then we recommend a visit to the exhibition Riviera Style at the Fashion & Textile museum in London, but hurry as it closes on 13th September!
Packed full of swimwear, Beach wear and fabulous clothes to wear for a trip to the sea, its a must for anyone intrested in the history of fashion or indeed simply the glamour of dressing for poolside, as it charts the change in style from the late 19th century into the modern day.
Having travelled from Brighton, it’s centre piece was a surreal monument taking us back to the glamour of the Saltdean Lido, a sight close to our hearts located on the outskirts of our seaside city, and currently under restoration. It’s glamour certainly bought a warm glow of pride to our hearts as 1930s Chanel clad mannequins sipped cocktails along side 1920s silk pyjama adorned ladies on diving boards.
Historically speaking, for many, a trip to the seaside was a rare treat, and counted as the family holiday, so smart dressing was the order of the day. Therefore expect stunning printed silks, quirky whimsical prints and cute seaside motifs a pleanty.
The exhibition itself is well curated, in chronological order, and offers a healthy slice of Mens and Childrens styles alongside womenswear. It has large text panels throughout offering insightful histories however, just as much pleasure and understanding could be gained from the exhibition itself.
Another great thing is how close the clothing was displayed, no glass panels, and this is in no doubt down to be fact that, as a temporary exhibition the clothing doesn’t need the level of preserve most museums have to undertake to keep the clothing from deterioration.
As well as the Saltdean Lido the exhibition also had an installation of a swimsuit pagent, a hugely popular mid-century past-time.
The swimming hats were also a quirky addition and made for fantastic fun and we loved the framed souvenir printed scarfs.
There is also a good amount of photography on display and postcards.
In summary, something for everyone. Definatly worth a trip to London if you can make it! As a final heads up, the adjoining cafè offers a great selection of yummy treats, from indulgent cakes to saintly salads such as the Spanish quiche salad we munched on after spending way to much in the also fabulous museum shop!
Natalie & Danielle xx
Have you visited? We would love to know what you thought! Share your comments below x
The museum is just 5-10 min walk from London Bridge train/underground stations.
Tickets are priced at £8.80Adults & £5.50
Click here for more information

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Shop All Products For Pets
Products we have currently for your pets. Products made in America.
Shop all of our products
Pet products that are going to be good for your pet. We also have a bunch of different size dog beds and crate pads for those large dogs to small dogs.
We can work together to cleanup your yard
Taking care of residential yards one by one. With the most talented yard clean up crews Michigan has to offer.

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The Vanguard and Bros. Houligan Presents...
The Goddamn Gallows, Gutter Demons
222 North Main Street
Tulsa, OK, 74103
Doors 7:00 PM
This event is all ages
The groundwork for what has become the relentlessly touring sonic assault known as The Koffin Kats was laid near Detroit, Michigan when Vic Victor (Lead Vocalist, Upright Bass) joined forces with long-time friend Tommy Koffin (Guitar). After adding Damian Detroit (Drums), the band kicked off in June 2003, stopping for nothing. Now, with over 12 years of touring internationally, over two thousand live shows, and a few lineup changes. The touring trio’s current home is out on the open road.
The Koffin Kats began by putting together songs with such subjects as dealing with the horrors of the real world, as well as Science Fiction. The band started in small local bars playing for beer, hoping for gas money, and eventually made their way out of the Midwest. The next couple of years contained positives; including numerous North American tours, and negatives concerning changes at the drumming position with Damian being replaced by Katch Katcher. During this time they released their first three albums: Koffin Kats (2003), Inhumane (2005), and Straying From The Pack (2006). All on Hairball 8 Records.
The three album releases and their supporting tours gained attention for The Koffin Kats and helped get the band noticed in the wide world of punk and psychobilly.
Eric “E-Ball” Walls was the bands first drummer before being replaced by Damian in the bands beginning months. In 2007 Vic and Tommy re-connected with E-Ball to record the band’s fourth studio album, Drunk In The Daylight (2008), and catalyzed what the band is now known for: love for their fans and the road, and playing everywhere for everyone willing to watch and listen.
In the years following the release of Drunk In The Daylight, The Koffin Kats have established their name performing in Europe, and have also been included on tours with some of the tops acts in psychobilly, including, but not limited to, The Rev. Horton Heat, Mad Sin, Nekromantix, and The Meteors. In 2009 the trio released their fifth studio album, Forever For Hire, and Tommy departed KK at the year’s end. Shortly thereafter, “EZ” Ian Jarrell took over the guitarist position and joined the band on tour. While on the road they worked on the material that would become featured on their split album with fellow psychobilly act 12 Step Rebels, From Our Hands To Yours (2011).
The Koffin Kats signed with Sailor’s Grave Records in late 2011, and released Our Way & The Highway in January 2012. The trio supported their sixth studio album’s release with non-stop international touring, finally ending in summer of 2013. In autumn of the same year, they released another full-length album with Sailor’s Grave Records, Born Of The Motor.
Early 2014 brought another change to The Koffin Kats’ member roster. Ian had left the band to handle personal business at home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Not wanting to bring someone too far removed from The Koffin Kats family into the fold, Vic and E-Ball enlisted John Kay (Guitar). John was the engineer on numerous recording sessions for the group, and producer of both Drunk In The Daylight and Born Of The Motor.
New Years day 2016 marked the departure of John Kay. John has since gone on to pursue a career with his own music, as well as sound engineering.
Tommy Koffin has returned from musical hiatus and is now back playing guitar. KK released a track with Tommy called “Cold Blood, Dead Eyes.” The Koffin Kats will be touring the US and Europe in 2016 and have plans to record a new album.
The Goddamn Gallows
The Goddamn Gallows came from the heart of America's Rust Belt, arising from a night of flophouse violence. Drifting across the states, they cemented their sound in Portland, OR and later in Los Angeles, CA, where they lived in abandoned buildings, squatter camps, storage units and shoebox apartments. In 2007, they left everything behind and spent the next 4 years living out of whatever vehicle would get them to the next town. Building upon their original sound of twanged-out, punk rock gutterbilly (Life of Sin 2004 and Gutterbillyblues 2007), they began picking up stray musicians along the way and adding to their sound; washboard, accordion, mandolin and banjo (Ghost of th Rails 2009 and 7 Devils 2011) creating a sound referred to as "hobocore", "gypsy-punk" or "americana-punk", while never being stuck in any one sound.
The Goddamn Gallows continue to rapidly grow a devoted following with their volatile and spectacular live shows; a contagious, spontaneous eruption of unpredictability.
Since their unholy birth in 2001, Gutter Demons have been tearing up the scene across Canada, USA and Europe with their intense stage shows, raucous rock n' roll music, red-blooded Rockabilly roots, Punk and Heavy Metal potency and downright dirty musicianship. This hard-working three-piece band brought their unique approach to their genre.
The Demons “psycho-sound” is refreshing and deeper than most of their contemporary peers. Gutter Demons take great pride in releasing rich & well written albums. After all, the Devil has always had the best tunes! Quickly becoming Canada's most recognized disciples of high-octane Psychobilly, they have gained a strong worldwide following playing their unique brand of mutant Rock n’ roll.
- Sorry, there are currently no upcoming events.


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Info seputar Togel Singapore 2020 – 2021.
Are you ready for the Roaring Twenties? According to the Bank of England, the UK is set for its fastest period of economic growth since the Second World War as British consumers – armed with well-stocked bank accounts – rise like phoenixes from the ashes of lockdown.
Andrew Bailey, the governor of the Bank of England, forecasts 7.25 per cent growth in the UK economy this year. That’s a huge increase from the Bank’s February forecast of five per cent, while its estimate for unemployment has fallen sharply.
But as we enter step three of the roadmap out of lockdown, how should investors respond to this abrupt change for the good in the economy’s fortunes?
Spending spree: Andrew Bailey, the governor of the Bank of England, forecasts 7.25 per cent growth in the UK economy this year
‘There are very good reasons to feel positive about the outlook for UK shares,’ says Jason Hollands, a director of wealth manager Tilney. He says the UK stock market has gone from being an ‘ugly duckling’ in 2020 to one of the world’s standout performers this year – up nearly 13 per cent.
Hollands points out that the UK’s economy and its stock market are not intrinsically linked. Not all stocks, especially in the FTSE100 Index, are domestically focused and only certain businesses are likely to benefit from renewed economic strength.
REASONS TO BE OPTIMISTIC…BUT WE’RE STILL AT 2019 LEVELS
Before we get too excited about the Bank’s cheerful economic forecast, it is important to put it into context.
While Britain’s stock market has indeed ‘bounced back’, even the Bank’s bullish forecast would not return the UK economy to the level it was at pre-coronavirus in March last year. Indeed, it will put the UK economy back where it was in 2019. Official figures last week showed that the economy shrank by 1.5 per cent in the first three months of the year – but grew 2.1 per cent in March as lockdown restrictions started to be eased.
Laith Khalaf, financial analyst at wealth manager AJ Bell, says that even though the economy is expected to remain below its pre-pandemic level until the end of the year, this will not present a problem for the stock market. ‘It’s the direction of travel that matters to markets rather than the absolute level,’ he explains.
However, he says there is still some uncertainty about the level and speed of the UK’s economic bounce back.
‘Much depends on the UK consumer,’ says Khalaf, pointing out that while some households have suffered during the pandemic, others are now sitting on huge cash piles. It remains to be seen how much of this money will be spent as people rush to shops, restaurants and hotels.
‘If consumers really let rip, the economy could be heading for a big boom,’ adds Khalaf. ‘But if they play it safe, that will moderate the recovery.’
And while those who piled into UK investment funds and UK stocks over the past six months have already done well, investment performance may not be as strong going forward.
Myron Johnson, personal finance campaigner at wealth manager Interactive Investor, says that although the UK stock market performance since November has been ‘spectacular’, it would be ‘unwise to expect that sort of stellar return to continue’.
He says that ’20 per cent exposure to the UK is plenty’ enough for most investors’ portfolios although he does believe the market still ‘has legs’.
THE SECTORS POISED TO BENEFIT IN THE RECOVERY
If you want to successfully buy into Britain’s economic bounce back, you need to pick the right sectors, the right stocks and the right time.
There has already been a ‘rotation’ in UK stock market values, with businesses that could benefit from a strong recovery such as travel, leisure and hospitality, getting a boost at the expense of technology and other sectors that did well at the beginning of the pandemic. Darius McDermott, managing director of Chelsea Financial Services, says: ‘The obvious sectors that should benefit from a strong recovery are those that have been hit hardest by Covid – travel, leisure and hospitality.
‘They should all get a boost from pent-up demand. The recent rotation from growth to these value sectors show that investors agree these areas should do better as the economy reopens.’
For those looking at individual UK stocks, there are many positioned to benefit from the bounce.
Hugh Sergeant, portfolio manager of UK and global recovery strategies at investment house River and Mercantile, likes UK banks such as Lloyds.
‘They are prime beneficiaries of both the UK economic recovery and global reflation – and they are still very lowly valued,’ he says. ‘We also like Whitbread, the owner of the Premier Inn budget hotel brand.
‘This is a classic reopening play that will show strong profits recovery in the short term and because it has a strong balance sheet will be in a position to invest to help deliver robust longer term growth.’
Laura Foll, who manages investment trust Lowlands, also likes retail stocks and banks including NatWest and Lloyds.
She is also confident about the prospects for media companies such as STV and Reach, which she says will benefit from any rebound in advertising as the economy recovers.
The banks are also a favourite of Callum Abbot, co-manager of investment trust JPMorgan Claverhouse. Despite a ‘significant rally’ from the lows of the pandemic, he says the market valuations of leading banks remain attractive.
He says a strong economic rebound will push up interest rates, leading to increased profits. He adds: ‘Banks have been part of the solution in this recent crisis and not the cause.
They have worked with the Government and the Bank of England to provide a bridge over the torrid parts of the crisis, with payment holidays and financing for struggling businesses.
‘This should foster a far better relationship with the regulator, the Government and the public than we saw after the great financial crisis of 2008.’
For the brave, travel stocks that have fallen out of favour could see a real bounceback when overseas travel opens up more widely.
Sam Dicken, a portfolio manager at financial services company IG, says that easyJet has been the worst performer stock market wise since the start of last year, down 22 per cent. In contrast, shares in Ryanair and Wizzair trade above pre-pandemic levels.
FUNDS ARE AN OPTION BUT PICK ONES WITH UK FIRMS
For those wishing to get their UK exposure from investment funds, it is important to be sure of what you are investing in.
The FTSE100 Index, for example, is not particularly UK focused compared with the index of smaller businesses, the FTSE250. Tilney’s Hollands recommends investment fund Fidelity Special Situations, adding: ‘The fund invests in UK companies of all sizes but typically has a big weighting to smaller companies. Manager Alex Wright looks for stocks that are below the radar of the wider market and are somewhat unloved but with the scope to be re-rated.’ (See Fund Focus, opposite.)
He also likes AXA Framlington UK Mid Cap fund, which focuses primarily on medium-sized companies which are typically where the more domestically focused businesses are found. Top holdings include pub chain Wetherspoons, which will fully reopen almost all of its 850 or so pubs tomorrow.
James Carthew, of research company QuotedData, likes investment trust BlackRock Throgmorton, the best smaller companies fund performer over the past five years. Dmitri Lipski, funds expert at Interactive Investor, rates fund River & Mercantile UK Recovery, but also likes commodities as a way to play the UK recovery.
‘Commodities have a cyclical nature and the current point in the market cycle might be an attractive entry opportunity,’ he says.
‘There has been an improvement in the sentiment towards commodities on the back of structural longterm trends – including economic recovery from the pandemic, inflation fears, greater infrastructure spending and a resulting higher demand for materials.’
He suggests that investors look at exchange traded fund WisdomTree Enhanced Commodity as a ‘useful and low-cost’ route into the sector.
Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.


Step up your tee game with our new Scoop Tank. Dress up or down. You can also reverse it if you want a Scoop back and a boat neck front! Wear over a sports bra or nothing at all!
- Fit: fitted at waistband, relaxed on top
- Reversible neckline
- light weight performance fabric
- 92% Poly 8% SPANDEX
- Made in USA
- Model is wearing a size SMALL
MACHINE WASH COLD ON DELICATE CYCLE; WASH WITH LIKE COLORS ONLY; DO NOT BLEACH; DO NOT IRON; TUMBLE DRY LOW;